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The Brooklyn Nets have been an early-season surprise. Brooklyn's 5-8 record is better than many expected at this point in the season. That's got some asking Nets GM Sean Marks if the team would be better off tanking.

"We don't use some of those words [like 'tanking'], so it's go compete, go compete and let the chips fall where they may," Marks told NJ.com.

Marks understands that many think the Nets should be putting themselves in position to draft Cooper Flagg of Duke. Or Ace Bailey or Dylan Harper, who are both playing for Rutgers. But Marks also knows it's a long season and a lot can happen for Brooklyn before it ends.

"I think you navigate the season as it goes, and you don't go into a season saying this is where we're going to be, this is how it's going to end," Marks said. "There's a lot of unforeseen things.

"You've gotta give credit to these players, they're playing with a chip on their shoulder, the coaches are doing a helluva job, so that's exciting to see. It's exciting to see an identity being formed and a culture being driven. So who am I to push back on that?"

Marks added that if the Nets win too many games to draft a top prospect, then he's fine with that result.

"Well, these guys have done something really right if that's the case," Marks said, "and I love that."

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Warner Bros. Discovery and the NBA have settled their lawsuit with Disney agreeing to license the TNT show "Inside the NBA" to ESPN and ABC starting next season the key point of the agreement.

WBD's digital platforms, Bleacher Report and House of Highlights, will also continue to have access to NBA content. The company will also continue to run the NBA's digital operations including NBA TV for the next several years.

WBD had alleged that the NBA violating a matching-rights clause with TNT by making a deal to broadcast games on Amazon's Prime Video.

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Washington Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon could make his season debut as soon as Sunday. Brogdon has been out while recovering from a thumb injury, but he's been removed from the Wizards injury report for their game against the Pistons on Sunday.

Washington acquired Brogdon in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers this past offseason. The Wizards also acquire rookie guard Bub Carrington in that deal, which sent Deni Avdija to Portland.

The Wizards hope Brogdon will provide a young team with a veteran backcourt presence. Ideally, the combo guard will prove his healthy and will become a trade asset for Washington on an expiring $22.5 million contract.

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Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan hasn't had Josh Giddey in his closing lineup over the last week. Giddey knows that it's his defense that's keeping him off the floor.

"It was horrible from start to finish," Giddey said of his play. "I think defensively it was just - and I'm talking about me - it was a mess from the jump. They put me in action, I have to be way better, whether it's coverage or sitting down and guarding somebody. I don't even blame it on the fouls. It was part of it, but everything else was just as bad. I wouldn't have played myself if I was Billy. I was bad on both sides of the ball."

Giddey felt he had been improving defensively, but recognizes he's taken a step back.

"It pisses me off to be on that side of the ball and be like that," Giddey said. "I thought I was making steps in the right direction. To have a night like I did tonight kind of kills your confidence."

However, Donovan said he's still "got confidence" in Giddey. The Bulls coach said to expect to see the young wing back in closing lineups eventually.

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The NBA upgraded Golden State Warriors big man Draymond Green's third quarter foul against Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey on Friday to a Flagrant 1 foul. Green was initially assessed a transition take foul for the play.

After a scramble for a loose ball, Edey threw an outlet pass. As the rookie center went to run up the court, Green grabbed his leg and pulled him down. Postgame, Memphis head coach took issue with the play, after praising Edey's play.

"Overall, thought he was really good," Jenkins said of Edey. "And very disappointing, there was that one play, we were about to start the break and he's been playing really hard to try to outlet, and Draymond grabs his leg and pulls him down and it doesn't get reviewed.

"So I know there's a code in this league, and I don't understand how that wasn't reviewed. Very disappointing."

For his part, Edey said "It definitely wasn't a basketball play."

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The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed center Branden Carlson. The Thunder roster is now full, with 15 players on standard contract.

The rookie big man signed a non-guaranteed one-year contract. Carlson is the latest player to sign with Oklahoma City, as the Thunder continue to cycle through options with the final standard roster spot. The center will provide some depth in the frontcourt, as Oklahoma City is without Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams.

Carlson was waived from a two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors at the end of training camp. The 7-foot center played in three games with Raptors 905 of the G League. Carlson averaged 13.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.3 blocks.

Carlson went undrafted out of Utah at the 2024 NBA Draft. As a senior for the Utes, the center averaged 17 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder have waived forward/center Malevy Leons. The Thunder made the transaction after Leons played in Friday night's NBA Cup victory over the Phoenix Suns.

Leons was signed on October 31, when Oklahoma City waived Alex Reese. Leons appeared in six games for the Thunder, playing 21 total minutes.

Oklahoma City's roster is back to 14 players on standard contracts, with one open standard roster spot.

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Alex Caruso becomes eligible for a contract extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder worth up to approximately $80 million over four seasons on December 21st, which is six months after his trade from the Chicago Bulls. According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, an extension between Caruso and the Thunder is considered to be the only meaningful transaction the team completes in the near future.

"I don't expect there to be much more in OKC for the time being right now aside from this impending Alex Caruso extension that the league is definitely still expecting and bracing for coming out of the Thunder," said Fischer.

Caruso is represented by Greg Lawrence and will be a free agent in 2025 if he and the Thunder do not agree to an extension. The Thunder acquired Caruso last June for Josh Giddey.

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The NBA is in serious discussion to hold a tournament-style format for the 2025 All-Star Game. The proposed format will consist of three All-Star teams of eight players each and the winner of the Rising Stars game.

The four teams would face each other in matchups -- for instance, Team 1 versus Team 3 and Team 2 versus Team 4 -- and the winners move on to the final round of the tournament.

Stephen Curry is one of several All-Stars to offer input on this year's event, which will be held in San Francisco at Chase Center.

Last year's game was largely derided as the East defeated the West by a final score of 211-186 with both teams playing apathetic defense.

"We're looking at other formats," Silver said earlier this month. "I think there's no doubt that the players were disappointed as well in last year's All-Star Game. We all want to do a better job providing competition and entertainment for our fans."

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Kiyan Anthony has committed to Syracuse in the class of 2025. Anthony, the son of Syracuse legend Carmelo Anthony, is a top-40 recruit. A 6-foot-5 shooting guard ranked No. 36 in the ESPN 100 out of Long Island Lutheran, Anthony is one of the best pure scorers in the country.

Syracuse were joined by USC as a finalist.

"Ultimately, it came down to my relationship with the staff," Anthony told ESPN. "From day one, when they started recruiting me, they made me feel like it was family. My dad's name on the facility is special, but I want to go in there and create my own name, and I've already done that through my dedication in the offseason, with early-morning practices, playing at camps, playing on the circuit."

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The Philadelphia 76ers have started the season 2-9 with Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey each missing significant time, but sources tell ESPN's Tim Bontemps that there is no changes long-term when it comes to how they will handle their stars' playing time this season.

The Sixers' goal is to get Embiid and George to the playoffs as healthy as possible and do not feel compelled to change that strategy to improve their place in the standings.

The Sixers have eight games on the schedule before their next back-to-back, which should allow Embiid and George to develop continuity in their first season playing together.

George's minutes restriction has also ended.

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The New Orleans Pelicans tried to avoid including Dyson Daniels in their trade offer to the Atlanta Hawks for Dejounte Murray, sources tell ESPN's Brian Windhorst. The Hawks wanted to acquire a player for Murray that would help them protect Trae Young on defense. While the Pelicans wanted to keep Daniels, they considered him expendable due to the presence of Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III on the wings.

Daniels has six games of at least three steals this season and leads the NBA in deflections per game with 7.6.

"He's always been good defensively," one scout told ESPN of Daniels, "but offensively he is playing free and is not as scared to make mistakes. Sometimes the change of scenery can really help guys. It also helps when your coach lets you play through your mistakes."

While Daniels still has to improve his shot, the Hawks have been thrilled with his attitude and work ethic.

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Nikola Jokic has been ruled out of Friday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans for personal reasons. Jokic was initially listed as questionable for the game.

Jokic is averaging 29.7 points, 13.7 rebounds and 11.7 assists this season.

The Nuggets are 7-3 this season after beginning the season 0-2, largely due to Jokic having another MVP-caliber season. The Nuggets won't play again until Sunday at the Memphis Grizzlies.

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Olivier Rioux, a 7-foot-9 freshman, plans to redshirt his freshman season at Florida. Students had chanted for "Oli" to enter both of Florida's home games this season.

"I should have made that clear [before]," Florida coach Todd Golden said. "Honestly, it's put him in a tough situation. He's sitting over there at the end of games and everybody's yelling at him and trying to get him out there. They just hadn't understood that that was our potential plan for him.

"So that's where we're at at this moment. I'm not saying that's 100% going to be the plan. We'll continue to talk to him and see if he changes what he wants to do. But as of right now, that's the plan that we're going to have with him as we move forward."

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Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine and head coach Billy Donovan have repaired their relationship. After a couple of seasons of barely speaking to each other, LaVine and Donovan is back to where it was before things got frosty between the two.

LaVine is healthy and engaged in the offensive and defensive systems Donovan has employed this season. That includes a new level of commitment from LaVine on defense.

"I'm definitely trying," LaVine said of his defense. "I know what I can do on that end, especially in isolation one-on-one, and just try and make it tough on them."

Donovan appreciates that buy-in from his star player.

"I really respect and admire what he's doing because he's trying to play on both ends of the floor and he's giving everything he has on both ends," Donovan said.

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The Orlando Magic had some struggles in their first few games without Paolo Banchero. Over the last week or so, Orlando has gotten back on track. That turnaround has been led by Franz Wagner playing like an All-Star.

Wagner has become the Magic's go-to guy. And that transformation came with a change in mentality for Wagner.

"I think it's a little of a mentality shift for me as well," Wagner said. "The way I grew up playing was a lot off the ball and just taking really good shots all the time. Sometimes it's OK to take a midrange shot and stuff like that. So, that's something that's not ingrained necessarily, or wasn't taught to me from a young age. So, it's a good challenge for me."

Wagner also recognizes that the season can be a bit of a roller coaster. But the fourth-year wing owned that the Magic have to play their way out of slumps to be the team they hope to be.

"It's a long season, and there's going to be ups and downs," Wagner said. "The good teams find a way to get quickly out of those downs. I think in that regard we've made huge strides."

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Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James was recently asked how much longer he'd continue to play. Without giving any sort of timeline, James did say he wouldn't continue to play "until the wheels fall off".

Shams Charania of ESPN believes that the NBA's all-time leading scorer could retire after next season. James has a $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season, as a part of the deal he signed this past offseason. The veteran forward has kept his contracts as flexible as possible on his last few deals, opting to have continuous control with short-term deals featuring player options.

Charania also speculated that James could have reasons to play beyond next season. There's All-Star Weekend to be held in Los Angeles in 2027. In addition, James could be motivated to also play in the NBA with his young son Bryce, who is eligible to join the NBA as soon as the 2026-27 season.

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Nikola Jokic is questionable for the Denver Nuggets' Friday matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans due to personal reasons.

Jokic is averaging 29.7 points, 13.7 rebounds, and 11.7 assists this season.

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Kingston Flemings announced his commitment to the University of Houston on Thursday.

Flemings is the top-ranked player in the state of Texas.

Flemings is also ranked as the No. 21 player by ESPN for the 2025 class.

Flemings joins five-star prospect Isiah Harwell in the class of 2025 for the Cougars.

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Kyrie Irving missed the Dallas Mavericks' 115-113 loss to the Utah Jazz on Thursday night due to a strained right shoulder.

Irving is averaging 25.2 points and 4.9 assists this season.

Quentin Grimes, who took Irving's place in the starting lineup, had 15 points and 5 assists.

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De'Anthony Melton has been diagnosed with a sprained ACL in his left knee and will be out for at least the Golden State Warriors' next game when they host the Memphis Grizzlies.

Melton has appeared in six games this season for the Warriors, averaging 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 20.2 minutes.

The Warriors signed Melton to a one-year, $12.8 million deal this past offseason.

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Victor Wembanyama's 50-point game - 1:06

News - 14:28

Inspired by the Cavaliers, longshot NBA champions - 37:40

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Atlanta Hawks - 02:16

Cleveland Cavaliers - 07:49

Charlotte Hornets - 12:07

Boston Celtics - 16:23

Milwaukee Bucks - 20:31

Miami Heat - 23:57

Philadelphia 76ers - 28:48

Chicago Bulls - 34:00

Indiana Pacers - 41:45

New York Knicks - 45:47

Orlando Magic - 50:54

Detroit Pistons - 54:31

Bronny James - 59:43

Brooklyn Nets - 01:03:06

Toronto Raptors - 01:05:18

Subscribe to Dunc'd On Prime! It's the only place to get every episode with Nate & Danny, plus every pod with John Hollinger & Nate as well. DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

Subscribe on YouTube to see our hilarious faces and, more importantly, see the key moments from the pod each week.

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The following five players had the best statistical performances based on our game metric in the NBA games played on Wednesday, November 13th.

• Giannis Antetokounmpo: 59 pts, 14 reb, 7 ast, 2 stl, 3 blk

• Victor Wembanyama: 50 pts (8-16 3PT), 6 reb, 2 ast, 3 blk

• Jayson Tatum: 36 pts, 9 reb, 10 ast

• LeBron James: 35 pts, 12 reb, 14 ast

• Jalen Williams: 31 pts, 6 reb, 7 ast, 4 stl, 2 blk

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have become the sixth team in NBA history to win at least 13 straight games to begin a season following their 114-106 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday. Four of the five teams to start 13-0 reached the NBA Finals, but only the 93-94 Houston Rockets won the championship.

There were rumors as last offseason began that the Cavaliers could break up their core of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, but they instead stayed the course and signed three of the four players to extensions.

"We're just sticking together," said Garland. "Just taking it game by game. We know we've got a target on our back, so we've got to come in with that aggressiveness and that confidence that we're going to win every game, and that's what we've been doing. Even though like I said, long nights, not a lot of sleep, but we've got to stay together and just continue just to be great. That's what we're trying to do."

The Cavaliers will have a chance to test themselves on Tuesday against the Boston Celtics when they could be 15-0.

"That's what you want," Mitchell said. "At the end of the day, if you want to be the best, you got to beat the best. But in order to be the best, which we're trying to continue to be, you got to go out there every night. And it's a mental thing. How great do you want to be? Do you want to be satisfied? We're hunting, but it's also November. I keep telling everybody, let's relax. I'm saying it is November. We're not winning a championship right now. But these are good tests.

"The fact that we're 13-0 is great. We could be 9-2. It doesn't really matter to me. I think the biggest thing is how do we just continue to build the habits through getting every team's best shot on a night-by-night basis."

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The NBA and TNT Sports' parent company Warner Bros. Discovery are rumored to be in settlement talks. WBD filed a lawsuit against the NBA after the league moved forward with their new round of media deals with ESPN, NBC and Amazon. WBD argued that they had match rights for the Amazon deal.

"I know [both sides] want to solve this," says one source. "It has to be soon. They don't want to let it drag on," adds another source.

While settlements are generally financial, there has been speculation of a fourth rights package being granted to TNT that would allow Inside the NBA to continue. Both companies would like to avoid a lengthy, expensive and potentially embarrassing trial.

The NBA countered that TNT Sports' attempt to match Amazon's offer was actually a counteroffer. Amazon is paying an estimated $1.8 billion per year for the NBA's "C" package. Disney (A package, $2.6 billion per year) and NBCUniversal (B package, $2.45 billion per year) are slated to be the league's other broadcast partners starting in 2025-26.

The NBA and WBD have upcoming hearings on Nov. 22 and Dec. 17.

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Kiyan Anthony plans to announce his college commitment on Friday. Anthony, who is the No. 36 recruit in the incoming class of 25, is choosing between USC and Syracuse.

Kiyan Anthony is the son of Carmelo Anthony, who won the NCAA championship at Syracuse in 2003.

Anthony is a 6'5 wing at Long Island Lutheran High School.

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A.J. Dybantsa is planning on moving up his commitment announcement to December. Dybantsa is the No. 1 recruit in the incoming college class of 2025 and is considering Alabama, Auburn, BYU, North Carolina, Kansas and Kansas State.

"The original plan was to commit in February," Dybantsa told ESPN. "The visits stopped in October. We wanted to make sure we had enough time to see all the schools play. We are ahead of where we thought we would be. If I know where I want to go, why wait?

"It's probably going to be in December. I feel I will be ready by then."

Dybantsa is a 6'9 wing who attends Utah Prep and is expected to be the top pick in the 2026 NBA draft.

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USA Basketball released the roster for their upcoming AmeriCup qualifying games. Team USA will feature several NBA veterans for matchups against Puerto Rico and the Bahamas on November 22 and November 25 in Washington D.C.

Longtime NBA forwards Robert Covington and Keita Bates-Diop will join the team. Rounding out an experienced frontcourt is veteran center Frank Kaminsky.

That trio will be joined by several players who are currently playing in the G League. That group includes Henry Ellenson, Dusty Hannahs, Nate Hinton, Jahmi'us Ramsey, Chasson Randle, Javonte Smart, David Stockton, Paul Watson and Malik Williams.

Team USA split games with Cuba in the earlier qualifying window. They'll play two more away games against Puerto Rico and the Bahamas in February. The top three teams in the group will advance to the AmeriCup tournament in August in Nicaragua.

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Brooklyn Nets forward Bojan Bogdanovic is getting closer to a return. Sources indicate that Bogdanovic should be fully recovered from offseason foot surgery in December.

"I saw him on the court shooting [Wednesday]. But playing 5-on-5 and in a real game, he's progressing well. We're not gonna give an exact date, but he's doing good," Nets coach Jordi Fernandez said about Bogdanovic's recovery. "He's in good spirits, he had a good week. He was with us on the road. Having him around is important because he's a veteran. He'll talk in huddles, he gives guys tips on what to do and his involvement is very important."

Brooklyn acquired Bogdanovic in the offseason trade that send Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks. The veteran forward is on an expiring contract worth just over $19 million.

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Tuesday night's NBA Cup group stage matchup between the Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors averaged 2.14 million viewers on TNT.

It is TNT's most-watched game since opening night.

Including ESPN, the Warriors have played in the top two most-watched games this season.

The Knicks-Sixers matchup from earlier in the night averaged 1.71 million viewers.

ESPN viewership is down 27% this season, with TNT viewership down 16%.

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Bronny James will only play in home games for the South Bay Lakers in the G League this season, sources told Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

James had six points in his G League debut on Sunday.

The South Bay Lakers will play 24 home games this season.

James signed a standard NBA contract for four-years and $7.9 million last offseason.

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DeMar DeRozan left the Sacramento Kings' 127-104 win over the Phoenix Suns due to lower back tightness.

DeRozan, who scored two points in the first half, did not come out for the second half.

The Kings are already without Malik Monk for at least the next two weeks due to an ankle sprain.

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Longtime NBA assistant head coach Jonathan Yim was named as the head coach of the Southland Sharks in the NZNBL.

Yim, who developed under Terry Stotts with the Blazers, also worked with the Lakers, Hornets, and Clippers.

Yim has 13 years of experience in the NBA and the G League.

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Victor Wembanyama had a career high 50 points in the San Antonio Spurs' 139-130 win over the Washington Wizards. Wembanama shot 8-for-16 from the three-point line and 18-for-29 from the field to go with his 6-for-9 from the free throw line.

Wembanyama's previous career high came last March when he scored 40 points against the New York Knicks.

Wembanyama entered the game averaging 19.7 points per game while shooting 31.3 percent on 7.5 attempts per game.

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Jalen Rose has joined NBC as a studio analyst for "Big Ten College Countdown" beginning this Friday. Rose played collegiately in the Big Ten for Michigan.

NBC Sports is airing 150 college basketball games this year between the Big Ten, Big East and Atlantic 10, and 120 of those games will be streaming exclusive.

ESPN laid Rose off in June 2023.

NBC will begin televising NBA games again beginning during the 25-26 season.

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Joel Embiid and Paul George have been ruled out by the Philadelphia 76ers for their game on Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, which is the second night of a back-to-back. Both Embiid and George are managing a left knee injury.

The Sixers were defeated by the New York Knicks on Tuesday by a final score of 111-99. Embiid, in his first game of the season, scored 13 points to go with three rebounds and five assist in 26 minutes. George had 29 points, 10 rebounds and three assists.

The Sixers enter Wednesday's game against the undefeated Cavaliers with a 2-8 record.

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Gregg Popovich suffered a mild stroke on November 2nd while at Frost Bank Center. Popovich is expected to make a full recovery, but the San Antonio Spurs have yet to determine a timeline for when he will return.

Mitch Johnson is serving as interim head coach in place of Popovich for the Spurs.

Popovich, 75, signed a five-year extension with the Spurs in 2023 worth more than $80 million. Popovich has been head coach of the Spurs since 1996 and has won five NBA championships.

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Joel Embiid reopened up the possibility of playing in back-to-backs, perhaps as early as Wednesday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"I mean, I want to.," Embiid said. "That's up to those guys. I know I said I'll never play back-to-backs, but I'm a troll so I'm sure at some point, I'll play, but if I feel good. I feel good right now. We're gonna see, but it's up to them."

Embiid made those comments after his regular season debut as he scored 13 points on 2-for-11 shooting in 26 minutes during the Philadelphia 76ers' 111-99 loss to the New York Knicks.

"I felt OK," Embiid said afterward. "The first five minutes were rough, but I guess that's what happens when you haven't played in a while. I felt after that, I still should be rusty. That's expected, but I thought overall, I felt pretty good health-wise. I think it's just my trust in myself. I thought I was a little timid so I stuck with a lot of jumpers just to get myself a little comfortable, but as the games go, and I'll get back to myself, it's gonna be easier."

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The following five players had the best statistical performances based on our metric in the NBA games played on Tuesday, November 12th.

• Tyler Herro: 40 pts (10-17 3PT), 5 reb, 8 ast, 4 stl

• John Collins: 29 pts, 10 reb, 4 ast, 3 stl

• Stephen Curry: 37 pts, 6 reb, 9 ast, 2 blk

• Robert Williams: 19 pts, 9 reb, 3 ast, 3 stl, 3 blk

• Moussa Diabate: 12 pts, 15 reb, 2 ast, 3 blk

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Phoenix Suns two-way player Collin Gillespie is out at least four weeks due to a fractured right ankle. Gillespie was injured while getting ready for the G League opener and debut game for the Valley Suns.

Gillespie already missed his first NBA season after breaking his leg during the offseason. This is Gillespie's first year with the Suns, after spending the first two years of his NBA career with the Denver Nuggets. The 6-foot-1 point guard has appeared in just one game with the NBA Suns this season.

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Jon Horst reportedly doesn't have the leverage to hire a new Milwaukee Bucks head coach, league sources told Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Horst signed Doc Rivers to a four year, $40 million contract last season. Horst is facing pressure due to the Bucks' struggles over the past couple of seasons.

The Bucks are currently 3-8 this season.

While the team is not considering trading Damian Lillard or Giannis Antetokounmpo, they are looking to upgrade the roster.

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A CAT scan on Tim Hardaway Jr. returned negative on Tuesday night, reported Chris Haynes.

Hardaway received stitches after getting elbowed in the face against the Heat.

Hardaway is averaging 12.5 points in 28.4 minutes per game for the Pistons.

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Christian Wood suffered a setback during the ramp-up process as he returns from knee surgery, according to JJ Redick.

Wood, who experienced soreness in the knee, will be re-evaluated in four weeks.

"We're going to scale him back," said Redick.

Anthony Davis will return to the Lakers' lineup against the Grizzlies on Wednesday. Davis left the Lakers' matchup against the Raptors on Sunday after getting scratched in the eye.

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Immanuel Quickley has sustained a partial tear to the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow.

The injury occurred during the fourth quarter of the Toronto Raptors' loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night. He will be reevaluated in a week.

In three games this season, Quickley is averaging 15.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 22.5 minutes.

Quickley signed a five-year, $175 million contract with the Raptors this past offseason.

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Jose Alvarado is expected to miss six weeks due to a hamstring injury.

The Pelicans have already dealt with a surge of injuries and are adding Alvardo to a list that includes Zion Williamson, Herb Jones, Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum and Jordan Hawkins. New Orleans could apply for multiple 10-Day hardship exceptions.

In 11 games this season, Alvarado averaged 10.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 25.6 minutes.

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Klay Thompson chose the Dallas Mavericks over the Los Angeles Lakers due to the belief that he could be the missing piece for a team that had just reached The Finals. The Mavericks also promised him a starting spot.

"Honestly, it's rejuvenated me and done something I needed bad just for my mental and my career," Thompson said. "So, I really feel the love here, and I feel highly valued that I can do great things."

Thompson won four championships with the Golden State Warriors, but the two sides reached a point where a separation would benefit everyone.

"I'm so grateful for everything I experienced at Golden State," Thompson said. "But I mean, I've seen some of my favorite athletes pivot and have tremendous success. When I think of Shaq[uille O'Neal] leaving the Lakers and winning a ring or Tom Brady winning one with Tampa Bay, it's been done before.

"That was my main goal at this point in my career. I just want to win, and this team is so close. I just wanted to be a part of that when July 1 hit [free agency]. It's human nature to think about your future. As present as you're supposed to be, we're all human. We all think about that. Now, to know I'm locked in for a few years here, it allows me to be free."

Thompson accepted a three-year, $50 million offer from Dallas even though the Lakers had discussed a longer-term deal for more money.

Thompson ultimately got to leave Golden State on his own terms.

"I just, like, freely thought about it at the end. I was like, 'Do I have more to give [the Warriors] or would going somewhere else motivate me to add a new chapter to my legacy?'" Thompson said. "And that's what I decided on. And I haven't looked back since."

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The list of injured players in the NBA reads like a who's who list of superstars. In all, teams are on pace to have over 1000 games missed by star players this season.

Per injury tracking date from Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes, games missed are up by 35% compared to the same point in the 2023-24 season. In addition, lost games are up over 16% already compared to the season before that.

It was hoped that the combination of the NBA's Player Participation Policy and a 65-game requirement for postseason awards would see players on the floor more. Instead, absences by star players are tending upwards. The Participation Policy defines a star player as someone who has made an All-Star or All-NBA team in the last three seasons. There are 49 such players this season and they've already combined to miss 83 games, compared to 67 last season.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves ownership dispute has finished the hearings phase. Now the three-person panel has headed into deliberations that could take a few months before completing.

Current Wolves owner Glen Taylor called off the sale of the team to a group led by Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez at the end of March. Taylor's side of the dispute says that the Lore/Rodriguez group missed a deadline to make the final payments, which would have seen them assume 80% ownership of the Timberwolves.

Lore and Rodriguez contend that they met the deadline to submit paperwork which should have extended the purchase agreement for an additional 90 days. The two met in May for mediation but could not reach an agreement. That ultimately led to the arbitration process.

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The following five players had the best statistical performances based on our metric in the NBA games played on Monday, November 11th.

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 45 pts, 3 reb, 9 ast, 5 stl, 2 blk

• Victor Wembanyama: 34 pts, 14 reb, 6 ast, 3 blk

• Alperen Sengun: 27 pts, 17 reb, 3 ast, 3 blk

• Donovan Mitchell: 36 pts, 8 reb, 2 ast, 4 stl

• Jalen Williams: 28 pts, 8 reb, 6 ast, 2 stl

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Five-star recruit Trey McKenney announced his commitment to Michigan over the weekend.

McKenney, who picked Michigan over USC and Georgetown, is ranked as the No. 16 player in the 2025 class by ESPN.

"Their style of play really fits me. It's positionless, physical basketball with concepts. They will look to run and make reads at a fast pace like his teams did at FAU. My game is versatile on both ends and I believe I fit well into their plans," said McKenney.

McKenney is new head coach Dusty May's first five-star recruit at Michigan.

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The Sacramento Kings announced that Malik Monk will miss at least the next two weeks with a moderate ankle sprain.

X-rays revealed no structural damage to the ankle.

Monk suffered the injury on Sunday against the Suns after stepping on Mason Plumlee's foot.

The Kings will play seven games over the next two weeks.

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Zion Williamson is out indefinitely with a left hamstring strain and it could be an extended absence. Williamson has played in less than 50 percent of his possible games since he was drafted out of Duke by the New Orleans Pelicans in 2019.

"The Pelicans are bracing for him to be out about four to six weeks," said Shams Charania on NBA Today. "His return will be based on rehab and how that treatment goes on that hamstring strain."

In six games this season, Williamson is averaging 22.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 31.1 minutes. Williamson has a PER of 20.1.

The Pelicans have already a number of key injuries such as Trey Murphy, Dejounte Murray, Herb Jones and CJ McCollum.

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Meleek Thomas has committed to the Arkansas as part of the incoming class of 2025, reports Shams Charania of ESPN. Thomas, who plays for Overtime Elite, is a top-10 ranked player in the class.

Thomas is a 6'4 guard originally from Pittsburgh.

Thomas also considered Pitt and UConn.

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Damian Lillard has entered the NBA's concussion protocol and has been ruled out for Tuesday's game when the Milwaukee Bucks play the Toronto Raptors.

In 10 games this season, Lillard is averaging 26.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 6.6 assists in 35.8 minutes.

Lillard appeared in 73 games last season, which was his highest output since the 18-19 season.

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The Milwaukee Bucks have no interest in entertaining a trade of either Giannis Antetokounmpo and the same appears to be true of Damian Lillard as they attempt to pull out of their 2-8 start to the season. The value of Antetokounmpo is undeniable and while Lillard may not have as much value as he did when the Portland Trail Blazers traded him in 2023, he would still have suitors.

"I was talking to people in the league about the Bucks and I started hearing from people who were saying to me, 'You know the Bucks called us about trades,'" said Brian Windhorst on Monday's episode of ESPN's Hoop Collective.

"'And I go about who?

"'Not Giannis and not Dame,'" Windhorst relayed as the reply from the executive.

Windhorst added that an executive he was speaking on the phone with received a call from the Bucks during their call, which speaks to the extent of the team's efforts to find a trade.

"Not Dame is interesting," said Tim MacMahon. "And I wonder, and this is just a pure hypothetical: I wonder if they put Dame on the market, how much interest there would be?"

"There would be interest, sir," replied Windhorst.

Lillard is signed through 26-27 and he has a player option in 2026. The size of Lillard's contract would also make an in-season trade complicated from a salary cap perspective.

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Darius Garland and Nikola Jokic have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for Week 3.

Garland averaged 25.0 points and 7.3 assists as the Cleveland Cavaliers went 4-0.

Jokic averaged 29.5 points, 15.8 rebounds and 14.5 assists as the Denver Nuggets also went 4.0

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The Cleveland Cavaliers rank No. 1 in the NBA in Net Rating at +12.5 alongside the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics round out the top-4 with both teams posting marks over +10.0. The Warriors went 2-1 on the final leg of their recent road trip where they played all three of their rivals at the top of the rankings.

NBA Net Rating (Week 3):
1. Cavaliers: 12.5
2. Thunder: 12.5
3. Warriors: 11.8
4. Celtics: 10.5
5. Grizzlies: 9.0
6. Wolves: 5.5
7. Kings: 4.4
8. Mavericks: 4.1
9. Rockets: 4.0
10. Knicks: 3.4
11. Nuggets: 2.8
12. Clippers: 2.3
13. Suns: 2.1
14. Magic: 1.7
15. Lakers: -0.3
16. Heat: -0.9
17. Nets: -1.1
18. Spurs: -2.2
19. Pacers: -2.6
20. Pistons: -2.6
21. Hornets: -3.0
22. Bucks: -5.1
23. Bulls: -5.3
24. Hawks: -5.4
25. Raptors: -7.3
26. Sixers: -7.6
27. Pelicans: -10.5
28. Blazers: -11.0
29. Wizards: -13.1
30. Jazz: -13.7

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The top-4 in the NBA in PER remained unchanged from last week, but Kyrie Irving has entered the top-10 with his strong week. Irving now has a PER of 25.0 as he has a True Shooting Percentage of 65.9 percent. Stephen Curry and LeBron James have also climbed the rankings.

Though Ty Jerome and Dalano Banton don't qualify for this list because they average fewer than 20 minutes per game, they rank fifth and sixth respectively of all players.

NBA PER (Week 3)
1. Nikola Jokic: 33.3
2. Anthony Davis: 31.3
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo: 30.3
4. Karl-Anthony Towns: 27.7
5. Jayson Tatum: 25.7
6. Kyrie Irving: 25.0
7. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 24.7
8. Daniel Gafford: 24.5
9. Paolo Banchero: 24.5
10. Stephen Curry: 24.0
11. Domantas Sabonis: 23.8
12. LeBron James: 23.6
13. Nikola Vucevic: 23.1
14. Tari Eason: 23.0
15. Damian Lillard: 22.7
16. Darius Garland: 22.5
17. Caris LeVert: 22.4
18. Alperen Sengun: 22.4
19. Chet Holmgren: 22.1
20. Buddy Hield: 22.1

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The Atlanta Hawks are trying to do things differently around Trae Young after reshaping their roster to match the preferred style of play of Quin Snyder. Snyder wants Young to get rid of the ball early and often to have more unpredictability with their offense. The Hawks don't have a second primary bal handler on the level of Dejounte Murray, but they do have a number of players who can make reads in open space.

"I think this is an exciting time for Trae in the arc of his career," Synder said. "Any time a team or a player has success at doing something well, you hit a point where you're forced to adapt and you need help with that adaptation process."

"Something the Hawks haven't utilized before is Trae's gravity," new teammate Larry Nance Jr. said. "Him being on the court means 1.5 guys need to know where he is at all times defensively. On the ball, that's fantastic. But what I think we're starting to explore some more is using his gravity for others to make plays. We're excited to start using decoy Trae Young a little bit."

During the early part of Young's career, the Hawks employed a heliocentric system with him spamming the spread pick-and-roll. Snyder doesn't want the Hawks to abandon those actions, but instead have variety and not have the other players glued to specific spots.

"When I am off the ball, guys are worried about me and they're connected to me and on my body," Young said. "So it allows teammates to have a lot of space to go and create for themselves and others too."

"We're not always waiting for Trae to create for everyone, but to learn to create for each other," Bogdan Bogdanović said. "So he's going to continue to do what he does the best. But, we need to come together and increase that level of creation as a team."

According to Synergy Sports, the Hawks' 9.9 shots per game from cuts tops the league, which is a significant jump after ranking 13th in 2023-24.

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Detroit Pistons wing Ausar Thompson has been cleared by the NBA's Fitness-to-Play panel. Thompson had been working out and awaiting clearance after dealing with blood clot issues since last season.

As a rookie, Thompson averaged 8.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals and nearly a block per game. His rookie season ended in mid-March due to the blood clot issue.

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Los Angeles Lakers center Anthony Davis is already dealing with plantar fasciitis. Now, Davis has another concern after catching a hit from Jakob Poeltl on Sunday.

Davis will have his left eye examined by an ophthalmologist on Monday. He was experiencing swelling and having trouble keeping his eye open following the Lakers win over the Raptors on Sunday.

Davis has played in nine of the Lakers first 10 games, despite being banged up. The Lakers have said he'll continue to be day-to-day with the foot soreness. Los Angeles next plays on Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzlies.

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Our bi-weekly look at the 15 teams in the West.

  • DEN-Nikola Jokic is proving why he's still the best in the world.
  • HOU and OKC-The Thunder blew out the Rockets in a clash of styles, but the Thunder now face months without Chet Holmgren. 8:41
  • GSW-36 year-old Stephen Curry has passed some big tests against great perimeter defenses. 27:20
  • SAS vs UTA-The Jazz get their second win in Devin Vassell's return. 34:09.
  • PHX vs DAL-The Suns burnished their clutch credentials against Dallas' highly-ranked defense, but how will they adjust without KD? 50:18
  • NOP-Are the 3-7 Pels done already? 1:05:54
  • MEM-The Grizz are dominating in the paint early this season but also will now miss Ja along with Desmond Bane. 1:16:17
  • LAC vs SAC-The Clippers are improbably getting it done with James Harden off the floor, while Sacramento has been a mixed statistical bag so far. 1:23:39
  • LAL-Darvin Ham decided to start Cam Reddish again. 1:40:39
  • MIN-Where has their defense fallen off from last season's dominant group? 1:48:58
  • POR-What was the point of the Deni Avdija trade again? 1:55:29

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The San Antonio Spurs were focused on choosing Mitch Johnson over Brett Brown to take over as interim head coach for Gregg Popovich despite Brown's experience, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

Popovich is out indefinitely due to health concerns, though Johnson said he was "doing good."

The 63-year-old Brown has taken a role as a mentor to both the Spurs playing roster and coaching staff.

Stein adds that Johnson was briefly considered as a candidate for the Wizards job last season.

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Chet Holmgren suffered a right iliac wing fracture in the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, the Oklahoma City Thunder announced.

Holmgren will be re-evaluated in 8-10 weeks.

Holmgren is expected to return this season.

Isaiah Hartenstein has also yet to appear this season for the Thunder.

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Chet Holmgren was ruled out of the remainder of Sunday's game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors after suffering a right hip injury. Holmgren took a scary fall when he went to challenge an Andrew Wiggins drive midway through the first quarter. Holmgren remained on the floor for a moment before needing help off the floor.

Holmgren didn't put any weight on his right leg as exiting.

The Thunder are off to an 8-1 start with Holmgren averaging 18.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks. Isaiah Hartenstein, Oklahoma City's other center, has been out since the start of hte season with a fracture in his left hand.

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Jaylen Brown was annoyed by Giannis Antetokounmpo when the Milwaukee Bucks' forward offered a fake handshake in the second quarter of the Boston Celtics' 113-107 win on Saturday.

Antetokounmpo offered Brown his hand after being whistled for an offensive out, but pulled it back and ran it through his hair as Brown reached to accept. Antetokounmpo laughed and smiled before reaching his hand back out again. Brown did not accept this time, shaking his head on the court.

"Giannis is a child," Brown said after the game. "I'm just focused on helping my team get a win. And that's what we did tonight."

Antetokounmpo was surprised when informed how Brown didn't care for the gesture.

"We always joke around with the flow of the game," Antetokounmpo said. "It's something that I do to my kids, I play around.

"This is who I am. I play the game with fun, joy."

Brown was called for a flagrant foul against Antetokounmpo after challenging him in the air while Antetokounmpo was driving to the basket. The game official deemed the contact was excessive and unnecessary, which led to it being ruled as flagrant, but Brown said the play was not intentional or a response to the fake handshake earlier in the game.

"I think he's an incredible player," said Antetokounmpo, who finished with 42 points and 13 rebounds. "I'm just going to continue to be me. And at the end of the day. If I'm called a child, so be it.

"I just try to go out there and have fun. But again, [he is a] great player, great competitor. If I have another opportunity, I'll do it again."

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JJ Redick made a change to the Los Angeles Lakers' starting lineup on Friday by replacing D'Angelo Russell with Cam Reddish. Redick said the starting lineup will be fluid, but he won't necessarily make a ton of changes.

"I'm not somebody who's just gonna like overreact and have ... 19 different starting lineups in 25 games," Redick said. "It required a lot of thought and, to be honest with you, it also required removing emotion from it because there is a balance as a coach in trying to do what is what you believe is best for the group but also being empathetic and sensitive to each player and trying to maximize those players and empower those players and not mess up or sort of put something in their head about what they are or what they aren't."

Russell responded well in coming off the bench by scoring 18 points in 25 minutes.

"Any lineup change is fluid," Redick said after practice. "Any rotation change, which we've already had a few iterations of that, they're all fluid. We're trying to make decisions in real time that we think will help the group. And ultimately help the individual. [Friday] night was a good example of that."

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Karl-Anthony Towns has had a good start to the season with the New York Knicks as he's back to playing center full time for the first time in two years.

"I don't just lose the ability to play the five," Towns said on Friday when asked about being back at center.

Towns says his play is "just being able to do what I did a lot of years at the five."

"I feel I'm a better version of myself," Towns said. "I'm smarter, more experienced, I think I'm more talented than I've ever been. So being able to utilize that for our team is what I want to do every single night so it can translate to wins."

Towns currently has the highest rebound rate of his career and his block rate is also up from where it was over the past two seasons after the Minnesota Timberwolves acquired Rudy Gobert to play center.

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Trey Murphy III has been diagnosed by the New Orleans Pelicans with a right hamstring strain. An MRI taken on Thursday confirmed the injury, which occurred during Wednesday evening's practice. Murphy will be re-examined in approximately three weeks.

Murphy is currently eligible for a rookie scale extension. If Murphy and the Pelicans are unable to agree to terms on a contract, he will become a restricted free agent in 2025.

In 57 games last season, Murphy averaged 14.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 29.7 minutes.

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Julius Randle addressed the media on Thursday for the first time since he was traded by the New York Knicks to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Randle joined the Knicks ahead of the 19-20 season and helped turn around the franchise.

"You want to be somewhere where you feel wanted. I feel wanted here," Randle said Thursday. "At this point in my career, I've accomplished a lot of great things on an individual level, but I want to win a championship. This is a perfect opportunity to do that."

Randle will help the Wolves replace Karl-Anthony Towns as he potentially enters a free agent offseason.

"It was a breath of fresh air," Randle said about the trade. "I'm excited to bring everything I've learned here over the past five years and help these guys out. My only thing here is I just want to help.

"I want to help [Anthony Edwards]. I want to help Rudy [Gobert], Naz [Reid] -- all those guys. I want to help win a championship, and that's the only thing that matters."

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Caitlin Clark has been named Rookie of the Year for the 2024 WNBA season, receiving 66 of 67 votes. The other vote went to Angel Reese, who was the No. 7 pick in the draft.

"I am incredibly honored to be named Rookie of the Year, but more than that, I am grateful to everyone that supported me throughout this past season -- my family and friends, my teammates, the Fever organization and everyone that cheered us on all season. I am so proud of what we accomplished and so excited for what the future holds," Clark said in a statement.

Clark led the WNBA in assists with 8.4 while also averaging 19.2 points and 5.7 rebounds.

"The fun part is I feel like I'm just scratching the surface," Clark said. "I know I want to help this franchise get even better, help my teammates get even better, be better for my teammates. I know there's a lot of room for me to continue to improve, so that's what excites me the most."

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The Chicago Bulls have agreed to sign an Exhibit 10 contract with Josh Primo. Primo is represented by agents Todd Ramasar and Mike Simonetta.

Primo spent last season with the LA Clippers where he appeared in two games. Primo also appeared in 30 G League games, averaging 16.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 30.7 minutes.

Primo received a four-game suspension from the NBA ahead of the 23-24 season for conduct detrimental to the league. The NBA found Primo engaged in inappropriate and offensive behavior by exposing himself to women.

The San Antonio Spurs drafted Primo in 2021 out of Alabama and terminated his contract in 2022.

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The Chicago Bulls waived forward Marcus Domask. The Bulls had signed Domask to an Exhibit 10 contract.

Domask is expected to join the Windy City Bulls of the G League as an Affiliate Player for this coming season.

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To fill out their camp roster after completing the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, the Knicks made a pair of Exhibit 10 signings. Guard Damion Baugh and wing Alex O'Connell signed camp deals with New York that have them in line to join the Westchester Knicks of the G League this season.

Baugh played for the South Bay Lakers of the G League last season. In 37 games, the 6-foot-4 guard averaged 11.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.9 assist and 1.6 steals per game.

O'Connell played for Umana Venezia in Italy last season. The 6-foot-6 wing previously played for the Stockton Kings during the 2022-23 season.

New York also re-signed Chuma Okeke to an Exhibit 10 contract and also reached an agreement to bring veteran forward T.J. Warren in on a camp deal.

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The Milwaukee Bucks and guard Terence Davis have agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract. Davis will join the Bucks for the preseason, before likely playing for the Wisconsin Herd of the G League.

Davis appeared in seven games for the Rip City Remix of the G League last season. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 15.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 steals per game. Davis has previously played for the Toronto Raptors and Sacramento Kings in the NBA.

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The Athletic's Jovan Buha guests to discuss the dawn of the JJ Redick era in LA.

  • How much of an upgrade will Redick be on Darvin Ham?
  • What are the prospects for the return of Jarrett Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent?
  • Will the lack of depth sink this squad?
  • Under what circumstances will the Lakers make a trade to bolster their playoff chase, and what are the holes they need to fill?
  • Should Austin Reaves be untouchable in trade talks?
  • How do the Lakers get to be a top-5 offense?
  • Can LeBron and AD keep it going another year?
  • Our predictions for the season.

Celtics reporter Noa Dalzell of CLNS and SBNation joins to look ahead to Boston's title defense. The key topics:

  • What was the secret sauce to last year's crazy regular season numbers?
  • Which players are possible regression candidates this season?
  • Which players who weren't in the rotation last year can contribute this year?
  • How can Jayson Tatum take another step forward?
  • Was Derrick White's career year sustainable?
  • How do the Celtics match up with their chief competition in the East?
  • Are Kristaps Porzingis' awesome postup numbers going to carry over to the postseason?
  • Our predictions for the season

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The Knicks found a loophole in the new CBA that allowed them to complete the trade for Karl-Anthony Towns, sources told Fred Katz of The Athletic.

Teams over the first apron of the tax are not allowed to aggregate multiple minimum contracts in a trade. To get around this constraint, the Knicks are paying Charlie Brown, DaQuan Jeffries and Duane Washington Jr. $1 over the minimum salary.

The Knicks sent the three players and two second-round picks to the Hornets in the deal. They also acquired the draft rights to James Nnaji from the Hornets.

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An MRI showed a "low-grade strain" in Jaren Jackson Jr.'s hamstring on Wednesday.

Coach Taylor Jenkins said that there is no firm timeline for Jackson's return out of caution.

Jackson suffered the injury during the first practice of training camp.

Jenkins added that there are "no concerns" about whether Jackson will be ready for the ready season.

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The New York Knicks signed TJ Warren to an Exhibit 10 deal on Wednesday, sources told Ian Begley of SNY.

The 31-year-old averaged 3.7 points in 11 games for the Wolves last season.

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Tounde Yessoufou announced his commitment to Baylor on Wednesday.

A five-star small forward prospect, Yessoufou chose Baylor over Arizona State and USC.

"The program felt special because of their style of play and winning spirit. They've consistently been champions, and I was impressed by their two freshmen, who have a real shot at getting drafted this year," said Yessoufou.

Yessoufou is ranked as the No. 18 prospect in ESPN's class of 2025.

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The Sioux Falls Skyforce acquired the rights to Tony Snell from the Maine Celtics on Wednesday.

Snell played for the G League's Celtics over the past two seasons.

The 32-year-old is shooting 39.4% from three over his nine-year career.

Snell last played for the Pelicans and Blazers during the 2021-22 season.

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Frank Vogel has joined the coaching staff of the Dallas Mavericks as a consultant. Jason Kidd was an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers under Vogel when they won the Finals in 2020.

"It took a lot of begging, but he was talked into it and I'm happy he said yes," said Kidd.

Vogel was fired by the Phoenix Suns this past offseason after just one season in the job.

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Luka Doncic has been diagnosed with a contusion in his left calf and will be reevaluated in at least one week.

Donic reported to camp in shape and presumably well-rested following the Dallas Mavericks' run to the 2024 Finals as Slovenia didn't qualify for the Olympics.

Doncic previously had a strained left calf during the 2023 preseason and the 2022 playoffs. Doncic is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season.

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The Charlotte Hornets have agreed to acquire three second round picks along with Daquan Jeffries, Charlie Brown and Duante Washington Jr. to help facilitate the New York Knicks and Minnesota TImberwolves' trade of Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a first round pick via the Detroit Pistons. The Knicks will send two second rounders, while the Wolves will send one.

The Hornets will receive $7.2 million in cash to offset the salaries of the three players, who will earn a combined $6.8 million in 24-25 in their sign-and-trades. The second and third seasons of their contracts are non-guaranteed.

The Hornets have also agreed to trade the draft rights of James Nnanji to the Knicks. Nnaji was the 31st overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft and averaged 2.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in 7.2 minutes over 49 games last season for Barcelona.

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While news of the New York Knicks' trade of Karl-Anthony Towns broke suddenly last week, the front office had been pursuing a deal for him over the past several months. The Knicks' need for a center with Mitchell Robinson's injury issues expedited their pursuit for Towns.

"This pursuit of Karl-Anthony Towns really picked up steam over the last, I think, week, two weeks when the Knicks started calling Minnesota about him," said Shams Charania on the Throwbacks podcast. "Making offers. Making concepts of offers. They were just given hard no's repeatedly. Way back, even around draft time, July, and into the months of August, a lot of the offers Knicks were conceptually discussing, from what I'm told, were around Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson. From Minnesota's perspective, that was not going to get it done.

"Over the last week is when finally the inclusion of Donte DiVincenzo was included in this proposal, not Mitchell Robinson. So then you have Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. But still that was a "no." Minnesota wanted an asset. [Friday] night, the Knicks, from what I'm told, finally put that first round pick from Detroit on the table.

"We got wind [Friday] that there were active conversations. Ongoing conversations. I didn't know until maybe 15-20 minutes before we dropped the news, me and my colleague Jon Krawczynski at The Athletic.

"You never know when it's a deal that's this fluid, when you get wind a couple days out it's active, it's outgoing."

One of the complications of completing the trade was finding a third team to help facilitate the deal.

"The deal for the Knicks over the past several days is finding who that third team is going to be," added Charania. "They had a few teams lined up. Charlotte became the team for them."

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With training camp set to open, the Chicago Bulls got good news on the injury front for two important players. Patrick Williams and Lonzo Ball are both ready to participate in practices when camp opens.

There was a recent report that Williams had to shut down summer workouts due to soreness in his surgically repaired foot. Bulls lead front office executive Arturas Karnisovas said that's behind Williams and that he's "ready to go" at the start of camp. Chicago and Williams signed a five-year, $90 million contract this summer, which establishes the forward as a big part of the franchise's future.

Ball is ready to practice after missing the last two-and-a-half seasons while recovering from multiple knee surgeries. The veteran point guard confirmed he won't play in back-to-back games this season and that he'll have a minutes restriction. Beyond that, Ball is excited to be back.

"I pretty much have a brand new knee," Ball said. He also noted that he hopes to be able to play on opening night this season.

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Detroit Pistons second-year wing Ausar Thompson will be held out of contact drills at the start of training camp. Thompson is recovering from blood clots that cut short his rookie season. At this point, Thompson has only been cleared for non-contact drills, conditioning and strength training.

Thompson said he feels great, but didn't have a timeline on when he could be a full participant in practices. New Detroit president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon said the team is working with the NBA and NBPA on Thompson's medical process.

As a rookie, Thompson was a bright spot in a dismal Pistons season. The 6-foot-6 wing established himself as a very good defender, while averaging 8.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.1 steals and nearly a block per game.

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New Chicago Bulls wing Josh Giddey will have a slow ramp-up during training camp. Giddey revealed at Bulls media day that he was recovering from a ruptured ankle ligament while playing for Australia at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Giddey said he was injured during Australia's final game at the Olympics. Despite the serious nature of the injury, Chicago's big offseason acquisition said he should be ready to play on opening night.

The Bulls acquired the 6-foot-8 playmaker in a deal that sent Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Giddey is eligible for a rookie scale contract extension this summer, but there's been little news from the player or the Bulls on that front.

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Kevin Durant addressed the possibility of signing a one-year, $59.7 million extension with the Phoenix Suns for the 26-27 season. Durant became eligible to sign the extension on July 12 and would have until Oct. 21 to sign it.

"I got two years left on my contract," Durant said, a day after he turned 36 years old. "I'm focused on being the best I can every day in the moment. We'll figure out that stuff when it's time."

The Suns acquired Durant from the Brooklyn Nets ahead of the 2023 trade deadline.

"Everyone talks about Kevin, Kevin loves it here," Suns team owner Mat Ishbia said Monday. "We love Kevin Durant. We talk to him and his agent, Rich Kleiman, all the time. We don't really go through contract extensions publicly, but I'll tell you this. Kevin loves it. We love Kevin. We plan on Kevin being here. Nothing is changing with that."

"We love having KD here," James Jones said. "We want him here. We'll figure that out. Like Mat said, we don't really talk about that publicly, but the thing we do talk about publicly is who really wants to be here and who is a great fit for us. So we love KD, he loves being here. That goes without saying."

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Kawhi Leonard plans to play in the LA Clippers' regular season opener as he recovers from his surgically repaired right knee.

"We'll figure it out. I'm happy that I'm feeling good and it's feeling a lot better than it was."

Leonard missed the final eight regular-season games due to inflammation in the knee, which has undergone ACL and meniscus surgeries. Leonard returned for Games 2 and 3 of their first round series against the Dallas Mavericks, but then the inflammation returned.

"We're taking it day by day," Leonard said. "Everything has been going great for the past month, but being very cautious for reasons in the past we haven't been able to finish some playoff runs, so making sure we're staying healthy for those important moments.

"Trying to maintain it and figure it out. We'll be in here for a long time if I started describing stuff [about the injury and treatment] ... but just learning on how it came and how to keep it down and make sure that we don't fall in that timeframe of [missing time in] those important [late-season] moments and just making sure I'm healthy.

"There's certain stuff that we could do or try to do to make me last," he said. "So we'll see what happens."

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Tim Connelly referenced studying team-building in different leagues as the Minnesota Timberwolves manage their roster in a new collective bargaining agreement environment with a more punitive system. Last week, the Wolves agreed to trade Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks as he enters Year 1 of a four-year, $224 million supermax extension in what many suspect was one to give them more roster and financial flexibility.

"I mean the new rules are ... some of the consequences are unintended, quite frankly," Connelly said. "I don't know if anyone intended to make it this challenging to make moves, to make trades when you're above certain aprons. But you gotta be smart, you gotta be lucky, you gotta hit on some of your draft picks and then I think you have to, as much as possible, build teams that can stay together for multiple years.

"Because I think there will be a lot of turnover just because of the finances becoming rapidly so big for some of these teams. I don't know if it'll be exactly like the NFL, but we've studied different leagues, we've studied the NFL extensively, how they've kind of done those things."

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Donovan Mitchell signed a three-year, $150.3 million extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers this offseason and spoke on it publicly for the first time during the team's media day availability on Monday.

"I can come in here now and breathe," Mitchell said.

Mitchell was traded to the Cavaliers by the Utah Jazz in 2022 and had been followed by questions about his future given the fact that his new team wasn't on his list of preferred trade destinations.

"This is my first media day in probably three years where I don't have people asking me what does it take for me to stay somewhere?" Mitchell said. "Don't understate how it becomes a lot. Not even just [for] myself but my teammates and to answer these questions because that's a real thing, too."

Mitchell was also asked why Cleveland has become home for him.

"Why not?" he said. "I love it here."

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The process of finding a buyer for a majority stake in the Boston Celtics is expected to begin in earnest this week with the banks retained to facilitate the sale scheduled to be in contact with a small group of prospective buyers. This group will include potential buyers who have expressed interest in the team, and other qualified buyers who have been targeted by the sale facilitators.

A buyer is expected to be in place by late 2024 or early 25 percent with 51 percent of the deal completed at that time and the rest closed in 2028. Wyc Grousbeck has stated his intention of remaining as governor until then.

Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca has publicly stated his interest in purchasing the majority stake. Other prospective buyers have not yet been identified.

The final price of the Celtics is expected to be more than $5 billion, though the team will incur significant payroll and luxury tax expenses in the near future if they keep the current core of their team together. The Celtics currently project to have more than $500 million in combined salaries and luxury tax penalties in 25-26.

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Joel Embiid revealed at media day that he lost 25 to 30 pounds during the offseason. Embiid played in just 39 games in 23-24 after winning MVP in 22-23 when he played in 66 games. Throughout Embiid's playoff career, he has had various injuries that has limited him from being at his full effectiveness. Last season, Embiid came back from a torn meniscus for the playoffs.

"I still have a ways to go," said Embiid about his weight loss. "I still want to lose more, but it is a process. I think for me and Daryl will tell you this, as soon as we lost last year I just texted him 'We have to do whatever it takes to make sure I get a full season in health. This year, there's no agenda. There's no All-Star. There's no All-NBA. There's none of that. It's whatever it takes to make sure I get to that point where I'm ready to go."

The Sixers won 54 games last season despite Embiid playing in just 39 total games. Philadelphia upgraded in the offseason by signing Paul George, Caleb Martin and Andre Drummond.

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Karl-Anthony Towns had a number of preexisting links to the New York Knicks in Tom Thibodeau as his former head coach and Leon Rose as his former agent turned lead executive. Additionally, Knicks senior vice president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas previously ran the front office of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Sources describe Rosas as "Towns' foremost fan in the Knicks' organization" even ahead of Rose. Rosas had been pushing for the Knicks to attempt to trade for Towns even before the free agent departure of Isaiah Hartenstein and the worsening injury concerns for Mitchell Robinson.

The Knicks hired Rosas as a consultant in February 2022 following his dismissal by the Wolves in September 2021. When the Knicks pursued a trade for Donovan Mitchell during the 2022 offseason, Rosas reportedly handled the negotiations directly with the Utah Jazz.

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The Philadelphia 76ers and Isaiah Mobley have agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal. Mobley, who is represented by agents Thaddeus Foucher and Joe Smith, was a second round pick in 2022 by the Cleveland Cavaliers out of USC. Mobley was on a Two-Way contract with the Cavaliers each of the past two seasons.

In 10 games with the Cavaliers last season, Mobley averaged 2.3 points and 1.0 rebounds in 7.2 minutes. Mobley also averaged 17.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 30.8 minutes in the G League.

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Dikembe Mutombo passed away today at the age of 58 from brain cancer. Mutombo first revealed in 2022 that he was undergoing treatment after the discovery of a brain tumor.

Mutombo was the fourth overall pick in the 1991 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets after a successful career at Georgetown.

Mutombo was an eight-time NBA All-Star and four-time Defensive Player of the Year. Mutombo was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015. Mutombo played for the Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets.

Mutombo helped lead the Nuggets to a first round upset of the No. 1 seed Seattle SuperSonics during the 1994 playoffs. Mutombo also anchored the defense for the Allen Iverson-led Sixers that reached The Finals in 2001.

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The trade between the New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Charlotte Hornets involving Karl-Anthony Towns and Julius Randle is still on track but not yet finalized, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.

The players involved will not be at media day starting Monday.

Keita Bates-Diop is also headed to the Wolves in the deal.

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Keita Bates-Diop will be traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, sources told Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

Bates-Diop appeared in 53 games last season for the Suns and Nets.

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The Indiana Pacers have waived Josiah-Jordan James. The team signed James to an Exhibit 10 contract earlier this week.

James is expected to play for the Indiana Mad Ants of the G League this season.

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While Mikal Bridges becomes eligible to sign a two-year, $72.5 million extension with the New York Knicks on October 1st and there was initially some level of expectation he would sign it, ESPN's Bobby Marks reports that the current intel is

"The indication I've gotten just from talking to people is that there is not going to be an extension," said Marks on the Hoop Collective Podcast. "That he will wait until next year to look at what the extension... because he's limited as far as the six-month rule as far as what he can extend for. Next year, he can extend for four years. It just gives him more flexibility. That could certainly change by October 21st. Maybe this trade does change that thinking. This was talking to people before this [Karl-Anthony Towns] trade happened."

Because Bridges' four-year, $90.9 million extension signed with the Phoenix Suns in 2021 contains no options, his extension cannot begin until the 26-27 season. Bridges is represented by agents Jordan Gertler and Sam Goldfeder. The Knicks acquired Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets in June.

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When last season ended, the Utah Jazz were prepared to go "big game hunting" this offseason per CEO Danny Ainge. Instead, Utah ended up using most of their cap space to renegotiate-and-extend Lauri Markkanen and to sign a handful of veteran role players.

"You guys have seen how things evolve in an offseason," Jazz GM Justin Zanik said. "In this organization, we are extremely aggressive with pursuing any and all means necessary to make this a championship-caliber roster. When those opportunities come up, we're ready for it. There weren't any.

"And so to sit there and not do anything, we decided that our plan was to completely throw our focus into our young guys and the best player on our roster in Lauri Markkanen."

Utah is excited to build around their young players this season and beyond.

"I think what's different this year is that we're starting to build a really good depth base. They just happen to be really young. So instead of having three guys that are rookies, we have seven guys now under the age of 23," Zanik said. "Our growth is going to come from developing our talent base so that we can win more games now and in the future. That doesn't happen overnight - but what's important about development is playing."

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Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez are set to start their arbitration case against Glen Taylor on Nov. 4th, which will determine who controls the Minnesota Timberwolves moving forward. Following the discovery process over the summer, the Lore/Rodriguez group has become confident they will win and have their finances in order. They plan to arrive at the proceeding with more than $900 million in escrow as well as $200 million in working capital. This will demonstrate they can complete the purchase of the final 60 percent of their $1.5 billion transaction.

The Lore/Rodriguez group has the backing of former Google CEO Eric Schmidt as well as Michael Bloomberg.

Even if an arbitrator sides with the Lore/Rodriguez group, the other 29 governors will still vote on the sale. Lore and Rodriguez have spent the past year trying to line up support from other owners over dozens of meetings.

The Wolves face massive financial losses this season after largely operating as one of the NBA's most frugal franchises. The trade of Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks will alleviate some financial pressure for the franchise over the long-term.

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The Indiana Pacers and center Jahlil Okafor have agreed to a training camp contract. Indiana's G League affiliate, the Indiana Mad Ants, recently acquired Okafor's Returning Player rights.

Okafor last played in the NBA in 2021 with the Detroit Pistons. Last season, the veteran center played in China and Puerto Rico.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves waived guard Chasson Randle. Minnesota signed Randle to an Exhibit 10 contract earlier this week.

The Wolves are in process of finalizing a trade that will send Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks for a return package that is expected to include Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and Keita Bates-Diop. Waiving Randle frees up a roster spot necessary for Minnesota to make the three-team trade with New York, which also expected to include the Charlotte Hornets.

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The Milwaukee Bucks were hoping to start off this season's training camp with everyone available and ready to go. Unfortunately, Milwaukee will be behind the eight ball once again with Khris Middleton not ready for full participation.

Middleton had surgery on both ankles this offseason. He's yet to be cleared to play 5-on-5 ahead of training camp opening next week. Middleton is said to be progressing well, but the Bucks are taking a cautious approach with the veteran wing as camp opens.

Middleton has played in a combined 88 games over the last two seasons for Milwaukee. In 55 games last year, Middleton averaged 15.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 55 games. He was then the Bucks best player in their first-round playoff loss to the Indiana Pacers, averaging 24.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists over six games.

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The New York Knicks have waived Marcus Morris Sr. and Chuma Okeke. Both Morris and Okeke were signed to non-guaranteed training camp contracts.

Morris was signed to an Exhibit 9 contract. He'll re-enter unrestricted free agency upon clearing waivers.

Okeke was signed to an Exhibit 10 contract. He'll also re-enter unrestricted free agency upon clearing waivers. Okeke also could be an option to play for the Westchester Knicks of the G League as an Affiliate Player.

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The New Orleans Pelicans and point guard Jose Alvarado have agree to a two-year, $9 million extension. Alvarado will also see his deal become guaranteed for this season at just under $2 million, before the extension kicks in for next season.

In his three years with the Pelicans, Alvarado has become an integral rotation player. Last season, the point guard averaged 7.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals in 18.4 minutes per game off the New Orleans bench.

Alvarado has also steadily improved as an outside shooter. He hit a career-best 37.7% on three-pointers last season.

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The LA Clippers have waived Elijah Harkless. LA had signed Harkless to an Exhibit 10 contract earlier this offseason.

Harkless is expected to play for the San Diego Clippers of the G League as a Returning Player this season. Harkless spent last season with the G League Clippers, as well.

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The Portland Trail Blazers have waived forward Henri Drell. The Blazers signed Drell to an Exhibit 10 contract earlier this offseason.

Drell is expected to play for the Rip City Remix of the G League as an Affiliate Player this season. The 6-foot-9 forward may also draw interest from European clubs.

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The San Antonio Spurs have waived guard Jameer Nelson Jr. The Spurs had signed Nelson to an Exhibit 10 contract earlier this week.

Nelson is expected to play for the Austin Spurs of the G League as an Affiliate Player this season.

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The Atlanta Hawks have waived Jordan Bowden and Joirdon Nicholas. Both players were signed to Exhibit 10 contracts earlier in the week.

Bowden and Nicholas are expected to play for the College Park Skyhawks of the G League this season. The Hawks G League affiliate acquired Returning Player rights for Nicholas earlier this offseason. The Skyhawks already held Returning Player rights for Bowden, as he finished last season the G League club.

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The Indiana Pacers have signed Josiah-Jordan James to an Exhibit 10 contract. James is expected to join the Indiana Mad Ants of the G League as an affiliate player following the preseason.

James went undrafted out of Tennessee at the 2024 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-6 forward averaged 8.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game as a senior for the Volunteers.

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The Utah Jazz are signing guard Taevion Kinsey and Isaiah Wong to training camp deals. Kinsey was previously with Utah on a two-way contract before being waived earlier this offseason.

Kinsey was called up from the G League on a 10 Day contract with Utah last season, but did not appear in any games. In 50 games with the Salt Lake City Stars of the G League, the 6-foot-5 wing averaged 10.8 points on 56% shooting from the field, including 43% on three-pointers.

Wong spent last season on a two-way contract with the Indiana Pacers. Wong saw limited NBA action, but the 6-foot-3 guard averaged 15.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists for the Indiana Mad Ants of the G League.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed Malevy Leons and Cormac Ryan to Exhibit 10 deals. The Thunder also signed Alex Reese to an Exhibit 10 contract, as was previously reported.

Leons went undrafted out of Bradley at the 2024 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-9 Netherlands native averaged 13.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game as a senior with the Braves.

Ryan went undrafted out of North Carolina at the 2024 NBA Draft. As a senior, the 6-foot-5 guard averaged 11.5 points for the Tar Heels. Ryan played one season at North Carolina after transferring there from Notre Dame.

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Julius Randle is expected to be healthy by the start of training camp, sources told Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

Randle underwent season-ending surgery on a dislocated right shoulder last April.

Randle was traded to the Timberwolves on Friday night. Randle was also shopped in deals to the Heat, Hawks, and Pistons.

Wolves head coach Chris Finch is said to have an "affinity" for Randle.

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Getting traded to the New York Knicks was "completely unexpected" for Karl-Anthony Towns, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

Towns was traded to the Knicks on Friday night in a deal involving Julius Randle going to the Wolves.

Towns had arrived back in Minnesota to prepare for training camp next week.

The 28-year old is in Year 1 of a four-year, $220 million supermax extension.

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Mark Williams will miss all of training camp due to a strained tendon in his left foot, the Charlotte Hornets announced.

Willams suffered the injury during a workout on Thursday.

Williams, who will miss the start of preseason, will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

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The New York Knicks discussed potential trades for Julius Randle with the Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, and Miami Heat this offseason, sources told Ian Begley of SNY.

Randle was traded to the Timberwolves on Friday night.

Randle has a player option for $30.9 million for the 2025-26 season.

Randle and the Knicks had not made progress on contract discussions this offseason, according to Tim Bontemps and Bobby Marks of ESPN.

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The New York Knicks have agreed to a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves of Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a first round pick via the Detroit Pistons for Karl-Anthony Towns. The Knicks will also send DaQuan Jeffries and draft compensation to the Charlotte Hornets to facilitate the trade.

The two sides intensified discussions on a deal over the past 24 hours. The Knicks have long been linked with Towns, but were set to enter the season particularly thin at center following the free agent departure of Isaiah Hartenstein and the injury to Mitchell Robinson.

Towns is entering Year 1 of his four-year, $220 million supermax extension with a $49.3 million salary this season. During the 23-24 season, Towns averaged 21.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 32.7 minutes. Towns also previously played for Tom Thibodeau and was represented by Leon Rose until the agent left CAA to run the Knicks. Towns' camp was reportedly "stunned" by the trade to the Knicks.

Randle is on a $28.9 contract this season with a player option for 25-26 worth $30.9 million. According to Ian Begley, the Knicks also discussed Randle trade scenarios with the Pistons, Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat.

DiVincenzo signed a four-year, $50 million contract with the Knicks during the 2023 offseason and had a career season with 15.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 40.1 percent from three.

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Terance Mann and the LA Clippers have agreed to a three-year, $47 million contract extension. The deal is fully guaranteed and will take Mann through the 27-28 season. Mann, who is represented by agents Aaron Mintz, Richard Beda and Romello Crowell, was set to become a free agent in 2025.

In 75 games last season with the Clippers, Mann averaged 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 25.0 minutes.

Mann previously signed a two-year, $22 million extension in October 2021 following the Clippers' run to the Western Conference Finals.

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Devin Vassell is participating in non-contact basketball activities and is expected to miss the start of the 2024-25 season. Vassell's status will be updated by the San Antonio Spurs on Nov. 1.

After playing 68 games last year, Vassell missed the final eight games of the regular season before undergoing surgery for a stress reaction of the third metatarsal head in his right foot. Vassell averaged 19.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 33.1 minutes last season.

Vassell is entering Year 1 of his five-year, $146 million extension with the Spurs.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't make any major roster additions this past offseason and instead signed Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley to extensions. Mitchell is optimistic about Cleveland's chances to compete for a title with their existing roster.

"We're championship contenders when we're healthy," said Mitchell to Andscape's Marc J. Spears. "I feel like last year we grew in a lot of ways. We played a lot of different ways. Now during that stretch, we went on, obviously D.G. [Darius Garland] and Evan [Mobley] were hurt. But we found something that really can help bring us to the next level. So now the trick is how do we continue to implement that style of play over 82 [regular-season games] and then the final 16 [playoff] wins. But the development, that's part of the reasons why I decided to sign was because I believe in our development. I believe in the hunger and the will that we have as a group.

"And so, for us, I believe we're cherished contenders when healthy. But at the end of the day, I can tell you this, we got to go out there and continue to prove it on a daily basis. We haven't done anything. We just one more game than we did two years ago me. So now it's how do we find ways to continue to win and build and build and move forward. And we haven't accomplished what we needed to accomplish. We've done a lot, but we have more to go."

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The Oklahoma City Thunder have agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with Alex Reese.

Reese took a year off from basketball to bartend before playing in Luxembourg and then joined the Portland Trail Blazers' G League team last season. In 32 G League games last season, Reese averaged 13.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks for the Rip City Remix.

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This past offseason, Miles Bridges ultimately re-signed with the Charlotte Hornets on a three-year, $75 million contract as an unrestricted free agent but he also received interest from the LA Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers.

"Yeah, the Clippers are a great organization," Bridges said. "They wanted me, the (Cleveland) Cavaliers wanted me. But at the same time I was just trying to see what was the best fit for me, and what would make me and my family happy."

Despite entertaining offers from rival teams in free agency, Bridges has interest in remaining with the Hornets for his entire career.

"Yeah, for sure," Bridges said. "Not too many people can say that they stayed with one team their whole career. Kemba (Walker) almost did it here. But I want to be one of those players. I want to be a franchise cornerstone for Charlotte until I retire."

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Ja'Kobe Walter sustained a sprain to the right acromioclavicular joint in his shoulder during informal workouts this week. As a result, he will not participate in on-court activities during the team's training camp next week in Montreal.

Walter was picked 19th overall by the Toronto Raptors in the 2024 NBA Draft following one season at Baylor where he was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year and was an All-Big 12 Third Team selection.

In five Summer League games with the Raptors, Walter averaged 11.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 24.0 minutes.

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During recent training, Vince Williams Jr. experienced pain in his left shin. Subsequent imaging revealed a stress reaction in the upper portion of his tibia. Williams will be reevaluated in approximately four weeks and is expected to make a full recovery.

In 52 games last season with the Memphis Grizzlies, Williams averaged 10.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 27.6 minutes. Williams was the 47th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft out of VCU.

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The Utah Jazz have exercised the option on head coach Will Hardy's contract. The 36-year-old is entering his third season with the Jazz and is currently the second youngest head coach in the NBA.

"Will has done a great job of guiding our program and instilling the right values and competitive habits with our young group," said Jazz general manager Justin Zanik. "The organization looks forward to developing with Will as we strive for long-term success through strategic and deliberate growth."

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For years, the Washington Wizards avoided leaning fully into a rebuild. The team would tinker with their roster year over year, in an attempt to continue to compete for playoff spots. Now, under their new front office leadership, the Wizards are fully in rebuilding mode.

"If we're really to think about it, the phases of the rebuild," Wizards GM Will Dawkins said. "There's the deconstruction phase. There's the laying-the-foundation phase. There's the building it back up, and then there's fortifying what you build. We're still focused on deconstructing and laying that foundation. And I think that's important to remind everyone, that we're still early (in the process)."

Dawkins said he's excited to see what Brian Keefe can do with a full season. Keefe had the interim head coach tag removed when he was hired as the permanent head coach this offseason. The Wizards GM also feels like the current roster is more versatile than in the past.

"I would say our fans can anticipate us using that versatility that we've added. We want to play (players at) multiple positions. I think you've seen we've added bigger, longer guys," Dawkins said. "We are going to be a better defensive team. We are going to have more of a better disposition. Are we going to make massive strides? Probably not right away. But the intent, the effort, that will be better."

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The Chicago Bulls have exercised the 2025-26 fourth-year rookie scale team option for Dalen Terry. This will be Terry's final season on his rookie scale deal. He'll be extension-eligible in the 2025 offseason.

Terry played in 59 games in his sophomore season with the Bulls. The 6-foot-7 wing averaged 3.1 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 11.5 minutes per game.

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Free agent forward Lamar Stevens has signed a training camp deal with the Detroit Pistons. If Stevens doesn't make the Pistons roster out of camp, he could play for the Motor City Cruise of the G League as an affiliate player.

In 19 games with the Memphis Grizzlies last season, following a trade deadline deal from the Boston Celtics, the 6-foot-7 forward averaged 11.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.

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Game 2 between the Indiana Fever and Connecticut Sun averaged 2.5 million viewers on ESPN.

The number represents the largest WNBA audience ever on cable. It is also the tenth largest audience for a game in league history.

The game peaked at 3.4 million viewers.

Game 2 between the Mercury and Lynx averaged 1.22 million viewers.

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Jalen Haralson announced his commitment to Notre Dame on Thursday.

Haralson is the No. 10 recruit in the country in ESPN's 100 for the 2025 class.

Haralson picked Notre Dame over Indiana and Michigan State.

"I trust Coach Shrewsberry and his staff with my game. They have had success with players like me. They did a great job with Jalen Pickett and Seth Lundy at Penn State. He was with the Celtics and helped Jayson Tatum," said Haralson.

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Aaron Gordon becomes eligible to sign up to a four-year contract extension with the Denver Nuggets on Friday. Gordon is represented by agent Calvin Andrews.

"I really love this organization," Gordon said at the team's media day. "I love the players on this team. I love the coaching staff. So I hope we get it done. It seems like it's moving forward in the right direction. So I'm excited. I'm excited hopefully to be extended and to stay with this organization."

The Nuggets acquired Gordon ahead of the 2021 trade deadline and then signed an extension in September worth $92 million over four seasons. Gordon has a player option for the 25-26 season.

"Hopefully we have some productive talks with his representation, and we're able to find a deal that we're both satisfied with," general manager Calvin Booth said. "He's been an integral part of what we've done. And we'd like to keep him here for a long time."

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The Utah Jazz have waived forward Babacar Sane.

Sane spent the past two seasons with the G League Ignite, appearing in 46 total regular season games (16 starts), averaging 9.0 points and 5.9 rebounds in 21.6 minutes per contest.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves have waived guard Trevor Keels, which brings their current roster total to 20 players.

Keels, 6-3, spent the 2023-24 regular season with the Iowa Wolves, the NBA G League affiliate of the Timberwolves, appearing in 39 games (31 starts), averaging 14.1 points on 44.1% shooting, 3.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 32.7 minutes of action per contest. The Clinton, Md. native has appeared in three career games, all with the New York Knicks, tallying three points and two rebounds. Keels was originally drafted by the Knicks with the 42nd overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

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Steve Kerr enters training camp with the Golden State Warriors with multiple open battles for starting lineup spots. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green will undoubtedly take two of the spots, and Andrew Wiggins will likely take a third but the other two have a number of potential candidates.

"What I love about this camp is that we do have spots available," Kerr said. "We've got a lot of guys who have started a lot of games. Last year Wiggs, (Jonathan Kuminga), Draymond (Green), Trayce (Jackson-Davis) started some games. (Brandin Podziemski), De'Anthony (Melton), Buddy (Hield) has been a starter most of his career. It's the easiest thing for me to do is just to tell the guys we've got starting spots available. That doesn't mean I'm going to say how many to you or to them."

On top of the starting lineup question for Kuminga are his ongoing extension talks.

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The Golden State Warriors had their opening media availability on Thursday and Mike Dunleavy Jr. discussed the front office's strategy following an active offseason where they lost Klay Thompson, but added Kyle Anderson, De'Anthony Melton and Buddy Hield. Their higher profile pursuits for the likes of Paul George and Lauri Markkanen, however, were unsuccessful.

"We're probably as impatient a franchise as you can be right now given our time horizon and all that," Dunleavy said. "But there's a fine line between impatience and undisciplined. I feel good about the discipline that we held this summer and the roster we built and the growth from within that we're going to have. I know everybody is always looking for big headline breaking news and all that, but I really like this team."

The Warriors plan on being aggressive during the season as well.

"Does that mean we're definitely going to do something? No," Dunleavy said. "We were super aggressive last year around the deadline. Didn't do a whole lot. You've got to have a partner. Making deals in this league can be tough. But the effort and the urgency will always be there."

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The Atlanta Hawks have agreed to a contract with Daeqwon Plowden. Plowden was recently waived by the Golden State Warriors from his Two-Way contract.

In eight Summer League games with the Warriors, Plowden averaged 14.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 24.5 minutes.

In 33 G League games last season, Plowden averaged 11.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 25.1 minutes.

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The Toronto Raptors have signed guard Jahmi'us Ramsey.

Ramsey, 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, averaged 6.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 17.3 minutes in seven games (one start) with Toronto last season. He shot .439 (18-41) from the field and scored in double digits twice. Ramsey signed consecutive two-way contracts with the Raptors in March. In the G League, he appeared in 32 Showcase and regular season games with Oklahoma City and Raptors 905, averaging 20.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 29.8 minutes.

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The Miami Heat have signed guard Caleb Daniels.

Daniels spent last season with the Heat's G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, appearing in 31 regular season games (22 starts). He averaged 12.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 31.5 minutes while shooting 43.4 percent from the field, 34.5 percent from three-point range and 85 percent from the foul line.

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ESPN has laid off Zach Lowe as the network continues its series of cuts ahead of the end of their fiscal year in September. Lowe's salary, which was more than $1 million per year, was the biggest factor in ESPN's decision.

Lowe had been with ESPN for 12 years with him first joining Grantland.

ESPN also recently lost Adrian Wojnarowski from their NBA coverage with his sudden retirement.

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After the conclusion of the New Orleans Pelicans' 23-24 season, Zion Williamson had a conversation with David Griffin where what was said resonated with him and reinforced a shift in how their partnership has evolved over the past year.

"He told me he was really proud of me. He told me he trusts me," Williamson relays. "He fully trusts me. There weren't any more small doubts."

Williamson's name surfaced in trade rumors as the Pelicans sought to move up in the 2023 draft to select Scoot Henderson. Williamson was never included in any formal trade talks, but the presence of his name in rumors indicated some of the tension that had grown between player and franchise. Williamson had realized over the past year that he needed to earn the trust of the Pelicans by making details both big and small a big priority.

"I want to be one of them ones. I've been talking about it and I've been making mistakes (along the way)," Williamson said. "That stuff can't happen. It's time to take every game personal."

Williamson has had a committed workout regiment this offseason where he begins at 6 AM five days a week and then follows it up with a 9 PM workout.

"I'm out for straight vengeance," Williamson said. "Not against any particular person. Just for myself."

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Los Angeles Lakers GM Rob Pelinka recently met with the media ahead of training camp. When the topic of roster building came up, Pelinka said he's open to trading first-round picks if the right deal came along.

"I think the philosophy that (Lakers coach) JJ (Redick) and I are aligned on is we want to build sustainable Lakers excellence," Pelinka said. "And I think, when we talk about moves, you can make a move that backfires. I think every GM has made a trade where he says, 'Maybe that one wasn't ideal.' But every lens that we look through has to lead to sustainable Lakers excellence."

Pelinka and Redick also said that they are working out a plan for getting LeBron James and his son Bronny on the court together. It's expected that early in the season the James duo will become the first father-son combo to play together in an NBA game.

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The Atlanta Hawks have signed wing Jordan Bowden to an Exhibit 10 contract. Bowden will report to the College Park Skyhawks of the G League as an affiliate player following the preseason.

The 6-foot-5 wing player in 16 games for the Skyhawks last season. Bowden averaged 17.2 points, while hitting 48.2% of his 7.1 three-point attempts per game.

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In a post on Instagram, Derrick Rose announced his retirement. Rose played 16 seasons in the NBA and recently gave up his full salary for 2024-25 in a buyout from the Memphis Grizzlies.

Rose wrote lovingly about the game of basketball and all it gave him throughout his life in his retirement announcement. The 2011 NBA MVP also told several media outlets that it was time for him to give his all to his family.

Rose was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the first overall pick at the 2008 NBA Draft. Three years later, Rose was named the NBA MVP. In Game 1 of the Bulls first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers in 2012, Rose tore his ACL. He'd miss the entirety of the 2012-13 season before returning for the start of the 2013-14 season. Unfortunately, Rose would play just 10 games before tearing his right meniscus.

Rose went on to play for the New York Knicks (over two different stints), Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies. He appeared set for a 17th NBA season before asking for and receiving his release from the Grizzlies.

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Jarred Vanderbilt had procedures on both of his feet this offseason, according to Rob Pelinka.

Vanderbilt took care of a midfoot injury on his right foot and a bone spur on his left heel.

The Lakers are optimistic that Vanderbilt will be ready by the regular season opener.

"We have a lot of optimism that when the real games start, he'll be available. Between now and then, there is still about a month, and there are a lot of ramp up steps that need to go well, so hopefully there won't be setbacks," said Pelinka.

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Tuesday's game between the Seattle Storm and the Las Vegas Aces averaged a 0.59 rating with 988,000 viewers on ESPN.

The game is the second most-watched WNBA playoff game since 2003, trailing Game 1 between the Fever and the Sun.

It was also the largest playoff audience on cable since 1999.

Last year's most-watched playoff game, between the Aces and Liberty in the WNBA Finals, averaged 889,000 viewers.

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John and Nate discuss the news that Kawhi Leonard won't be cleared to start camp, the possibility of trading Kawhi (4:18), and whether the Kawhi trade and full-draft trades in general are worth it (5:51). Also, Mitchell Robinson won't be back until the winter (15:00), and Joel Embiid agrees to an extension. (23:55)

Plus, more mailbag questions on whether injuries are ruining the playoffs (27:36), Scoot Henderson's potential (35:00) the big scary Apron (38:39) , whether the Sixers are overrated going into the season (42:21), how we watch basketball and how to improve your own basketball-watching (45:34), and whether teams will also "position" themselves for the 2026 draft. (52:09)

Subscribe to Dunc'd On Prime! It's the only place to get every episode with Nate & Danny, plus every pod with John Hollinger & Nate as well. DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

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The Utah Jazz have waived guard Dane Goodwin.

Goodwin spent the 2023-24 season with the Stockton Kings of the NBA G League, appearing in 26 regular season games (14 starts), averaging 7.0 points on 43.8 percent from three, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 22.3 minutes per contest.

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Jordan Goodwin has agreed to a camp deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. Goodwin is represented by agent Dan Frank.

In 57 games last season with the Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies, Goodwin averaged 6.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 18.5 minutes. Goodwin had a PER of 12.7.

Goodwin spent the first two seasons of his career with the Washington Wizards and was part of the Bradley Beal deal with the Suns in June 2023.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves will be one of the most expensive teams in the NBA this season. With Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards on maximum contracts, Rudy Gobert on a near-max deal and Jaden McDaniels starting a five-year extension, Minnesota is in uncharted territory with team salary and the luxury tax.

Wolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly said that makes developing the team's young players that much more important. Rookies Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. are going to have to be factors for the Wolves, according to Connelly.

"We don't want to put too much on any young guy's shoulders, but we're gonna put a lot on their shoulders. Obviously, they're going to have to prove they've earned those minutes. But where we are, we've become a pretty expensive team, so we're going to have to find some spots for these young guys," Connelly said. "We know it's not always going to be pretty, but most importantly they buy into [Wolves head coach Chris Finch] ... We're not expecting perfection, we're just expecting a commitment to do things the way we do them."

Minnesota traded into the lottery to draft Dillingham with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Shannon was selected with the 27th pick of the first round.

Dillingham is projected as the Wolves point guard of the future and will see minutes as Mike Conley's backup this season. Shannon should add wing depth behind Edwards and McDaniels.

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Minnesota Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly joined Darren Wolfson for an interview from the Minnesota State Fair. Connelly touched on a wide range of topics, including Wolves center Rudy Gobert.

Gobert is eligible to sign a contract extension with Minnesota. Without getting into specifics, the Wolves front office leader said he hopes Gobert is with the team for years to come.

"We'd like Rudy to be here for a long time. We love his agent, he's been a friend for a long time and is one of the best guys in the league. And certainly our goal with most of these guys is to keep them here as long as they want to be here," Connelly said. "Ideally, I think continuity is going to be one of the better strengths we have going into the season and we really like our core group."

During the 2024 Paris Olympics, Gobert was reportedly dealing with a finger injury. Connelly said that the veteran center is "good to go" with NBA training camp on the horizon.

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Davis Bertans has been invited to work out for the Golden State Warriors ahead of a possible training camp invite, sources tell Marc Stein. The Warriors extended a similar invitation last offseason to Rudy Gay.

Bertans appeared in 43 games last season with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Charlotte Hornets, averaging 6.7 points and 1.4 rebounds in 15.7 minutes. Bertans is a career 39.6 percent three-point shooter.

Bertans is represented by Arturs Kalnitis and turns 32 in November.

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The Brooklyn Nets are expected to sign Yongxi "Jacky" Cui to a Two-Way contract. Cui is considered the best young prospect in China.

Cui had previously agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with the Portland Trail Blazers, but never signed the deal and began to pursue a Two-Way opportunity with another team.

The Nets declined to confirm or deny the reports of a Two-Way with Cui.

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Evan Fournier has agreed to sign a two-year, $4 million deal with Olympiacos. Fournier had been in the NBA since the 12-13 season when he joined the Denver Nuggets as the 20th overall pick in 2012 out of Poitiers Basket 86.

Fournier played in 32 games last season with the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons, averaging 6.9 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 18.1 minutes.

Fournier is represented by Bouna Ndiaye.

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Jimmy Butler could become a free agent next offseason and "likes Brooklyn," source close to him tell Brian Lewis of the New York Post.

Butler has a player option for 25-26 after he and the Miami Heat were unable to agree to terms on a contract extension. Butler joined the Heat from the Philadelphia 76ers in a 2019 sign-and-trade.

Butler signed a four-year, $181 million extension with the Heat during the 2021 offseason.

The Nets are embarking on a rebuild after trading Mikal Bridges and reacquiring many of their future draft picks.

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The Philadelphia 76ers have signed Judah Mintz. Mintz most recently appeared in eight games for the 76ers between the Salt Lake City Summer League and NBA 2K25 Summer League in Las Vegas, averaging a combined 9.5 points and 1.5 assists.

Across two seasons at Syracuse, Mintz appeared in 64 games (63 starts), averaging 17.5 points, 4.5 assists, and 2.0 steals. As a sophomore, he was second in the ACC with an average of 18.8 points per game, while his 4.4 assists were fourth in the conference. Following the season, Mintz was selected to the All-ACC Second Team.

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The Philadelphia 76ers have signed Max Fiedler. Fiedler most recently appeared in a pair of games for the 76ers during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, averaging 2.0 points and 2.5 rebounds.

Prior to teaming up with the 76ers for summer action, Fiedler spent five collegiate seasons at Rice from 2019-24, averaging 9.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists.

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Monday night's game between the Indiana Fever and Atlanta Dream averaged a 0.33 rating with 617,000 viewers on NBA TV.

The number represents the most-watched WNBA game ever on the channel.

The game also outdrew all but one NBA game on the network last season.

Prior to this year, the record audience for a WNBA game on NBA TV was 210,000 viewers.

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Portland is expected to announce a WNBA expansion team featuring an ownership group lead by the Bhathal family, sources told Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report.

The team is set to begin play in 2026, with an announce coming on September 10.

The team's name and logo will be announced at a later date.

The Bhathal family currently own the NWSL's Portland Thorns. With their knowledge of the Portland market, the ownership group began exploring adding an WNBA team several months ago.

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While playing basketball outside of Dallas on August 27, after attempting a contested layup, GG Jackson II experienced an unstable landing on his right foot. Subsequent imaging revealed a broken fifth metatarsal in his right foot, which will require surgery to repair.

An update will be provided following surgery, which is scheduled for Wednesday, September 4.

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Ivica Zubac and the LA Clippers have agreed to a three-year, $58.6 million contract extension. The deal ties Zubac to the Clippers for $70 million through 27-28.

Zubac will sign the maximum deal available to him for three seasons under the terms of the NBA's collective bargaining agreement.

Zubac averaged a career-high 11.7 points and 9.2 rebounds last season.

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T.J. McConnell and the Indiana Pacers have agreed to a four-year, $45 million contract extension that will run through the 28-29 season. McConnell had been under contract for $9.3 million for the 2024-25 season and now is tied to the Pacers for five years and $54 million.

McConnell is one of the NBA's more productive backup point guards.

The Pacers now have Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard and Obi Toppin on long-term deals.

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Veteran forward Bruno Caboclo has officially signed with Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel. The club announced the signing on Friday.

Caboclo had a recent workout with the Golden State Warriors and had been pursuing a return to the NBA. His new deal with Hapoel Tel Aviv may include an NBA out, but for now it appears Caboclo will stay overseas for at least one more season.

Last season, in 58 games with Partizan, the 6-foot-9 forward averaged 8.8 points and 3.9 rebounds in 17.3 minutes per game. Caboclo shot 64% from the field and hit 35 of his 71 three-point attempts.

The soon-to-be 29-year-old averaged 17.3 points for Brazil at the 2024 Paris Olympics this summer. Caboclo also grabbed 7.0 rebounds per game. He was named the MVP of the Latvia Olympic Qualifying Tournament, which Brazil won to make it to the Paris Olympics.

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After helping France to a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Evan Fournier is focused on finding a team for next season. Fournier is a free agent after the Detroit Pistons declined a team option for the 2024-25 season.

The veteran wing is seriously considering offers from EuroLeague teams. Fournier has received offers or interest from teams in his native France, as well as Spain and Italy.

Staying in the NBA remains the priority for Fournier, but he's considered offers to return to Europe as the summer has gone along. In addition to the Pistons, Fournier has also played for the Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks in the NBA.

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Stephen Curry signed a one-year, $62.6 million extension with the Golden State Warriors. The additional year keeps Curry with the only club he's ever played for through the 2026-27 season. For Curry, he said it wasn't just about adding a year to his deal to stay with the Warriors.

"It's still about winning," Curry said, "and taking the steps necessary to give ourselves a chance. The standard hasn't changed. The expectation hasn't changed."

This extension aligns Curry's contract with that of Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins as far as end-dates go. But Curry said it isn't about lining things up for the end of his career. For the veteran guard, he wanted to remove a potential distraction to focus on the upcoming season. That's the same approach Curry has had for his entire career.

"It's not different from my perspective," Curry told The Athletic. "You have an appreciation for the position and the opportunity and the support from people who've been with you on the journey. I've always said I wanted to play for one team my whole career. So it's good to get (the extension) question out of the way and give complete focus to basketball and to the season."

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Axel Toupane signed with the Diablos Rojos in Mexico's LNBP for this upcoming season, sources told Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports.

Toupane was part of the Bucks team that won the title in 2021.

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The 2031 Final Four will take place in Atlanta, the NCAA announced on Thursday.

The 2020 Final Four was supposed to take place in Atlanta before it got cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2025 Final Four will be held in San Antonio, followed by Indianapolis, Detroit, Las Vegas, and North Texas.

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Chris Haynes will leave TNT Sports ahead of the 24-25 NBA season after five years with the network. TNT is entering its final season as broadcast partner of the NBA.

Haynes has worked as a sideline reporter for TNT since 2019 and moved from Yahoo to Bleacher Report in 2022. Haynes also hosts an NBA podcast, "#thisleague UNCUT," with fellow insider Marc Stein.

Before joining Yahoo, Haynes worked for ESPN.

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Stephen Curry has agreed to sign a one-year, $62.6 million contract extension that will tie him to the Golden State Warriors through the 26-27 season. Curry had $115.3 million remaining over the next two seasons on his contract.

The Warriors have privately and publicly maintained the position that they will offer Curry the $62.6 million year onto his contract if he wants it. Curry will be playing in his age-38 season on that extension. Curry is represented by Jeff Austin.

Curry previously signed extensions with the Warriors in 2012 and 2021, as well as a free agent contract in 2017.

In 74 games last season, Curry averaged 26.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 32.7 minutes.

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The Boston Celtics finally broke through and won the 2024 NBA Finals. Star forward Jayson Tatum told his teammates that they can't get caught celebrating that title into next season.

"I'm of the mindset that after ring night, in a weird way, we got to put that behind (us)," he said. "Last year was last year. We did it. It was a dream come true. We worked our ass off for it. But after ring night, we gotta move on. We gotta get ready for game two."

As for his own struggles in the playoffs, followed by not always playing for Team USA, Tatum said he believes he'll ultimately benefit in the long run.

"I'm always a glass-half-full type of guy," Tatum said. "I always believe everything happens for a reason and whatever that is, I don't know yet. But I'm certain I'll find out."

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Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum's Olympic experience was a different one, including not playing and missing every jump shot he took. Still, Tatum said the experience was a good, despite the challenges.

"I wasn't moping around. I didn't have an attitude. I wasn't angry at the world," Tatum said. "I stayed ready and did what was asked of me and I won a gold medal, right?"

Tatum also acknowledged he missed every jumper he took, but suggested that's part of not being in rhythm.

"I know I didn't make a jump shot when I was with Team USA. I don't know, law of averages," Tatum said. "It's a weird rhythm thing being with Team USA; you never exactly know when you're gonna get the ball. But that's part of it. You sign up for that because I've done it before (at the Tokyo Games)."

Tatum says he hasn't lost confidence in his shot, and that he's not dealing with any kind of injury. After shooting poorly in the playoffs, the Celtics star said he's learned that sometimes things don't go as planned.

"I have two (gold medals) now, I have a championship, and everything doesn't necessarily go the way you expect it to go, right?" Tatum said. "I've learned to be like, 'OK, that's a part of it.' You move on, and I'm getting ready to enjoy the last little weeks I have before the season starts and get ready for another season."

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"Starting 5," a 10-part Netflix sports series on the NBA, is scheduled to release on the platform on October 9.

The series, which takes place during the 2023-24 season, will feature LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, Anthony Edwards, and Domantas Sabonis.

The series was produced by UNINTERRUPTED along with Higher Ground Productions and Omaha Productions.

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LeBron James' high school jersey he wore on the cover of Sports Illustrated 22 years ago will go on auction on September 27.

The 2002 issue, which featured James in his St. Vincent-St. Mary jersey, had a caption of "The Chosen One."

The jersey was also worn by James that night during a game.

The jersey sold during a 2021 auction for $512,000. It is expected to sell between $1-$2 million this time around.

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The Golden State Warriors want Brandin Podziemski to shoot 8-10 3-pointers this upcoming season.

"They want me to take anywhere (from) eight to 10 per game. That's what they told me. All different types: off dribble handoffs, off ball screens, catch-and-shoot," said Podziemski.

Podziemski added that he passed up several 3-point shots each game last year.

"I think I can get to that amount. The reason they said that is because I'd be watching film last season after every game, and it's always on there: Missed 3-point opportunity that I didn't take. There were a good two to four each game that I passed up. If you look at that, it's a good five to seven per game I could've got up," added Podziemski.

Podziemski was involved in several trade rumors this offseason. The Warriors told Podziemski that they never intended on trading him.

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Lonnie Walker IV has agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with the Boston Celtics. Walker is represented by George Langberg.

In 58 games with the Brooklyn Nets last season, Walker averaged 9.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 17.4 minutes.

Walker spent the previous season with the Los Angeles Lakers and averaged 11.7 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 23.2 minutes over 56 games.

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Ty Lue said he expects Kawhi Leonard to be ready for the start of training camp with the LA Clippers. Leonard had inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee that kept him out of the final eight games of last season and also limited his availability for the playoffs. Leonard was scheduled to play in the Olympics for the United States, but he was ultimately replaced by Derrick White when his status was in doubt during their camp.

"I speak to him all the time," Lue told ESPN last week. "He'll be ready for [Clippers] training camp. He's feeling good and I know he'll be ready for training camp."

Leonard missed the entire 21-22 season due to a torn ACL and had a repair of his torn meniscus in June 2023. Leonard played in 68 games last season, which was the most he had played in since 16-17 with the San Antonio Spurs.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to sign Luke Travers to a Two-Way deal. Travers was the 56th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft and is represented by Daniel Moldovan.

Travers appeared in four Summer League games with the Cavaliers and averaged 8.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 23.2 minutes this year. Travers also appeared in Summer League in 2022 and 2023.

Travers appeared in 36 games last season with Melbourne in the NBL, averaging 12.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 27.0 minutes.

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Ty Lue and the LA Clippers will enter the 24-25 season trying to remain competitive despite the loss of Paul George to the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency. The Clippers have only missed the playoffs in two of the previous 13 seasons.

"When you lose a guy of Paul George's stature, instantly people [think] oh, they can't win or they're not going to be competitive," Lue told ESPN last week. "But that just challenges me even more. OK, people are counting us out or people don't think we're going to be good. That right there just gives me an extra dose of [motivation].

"I can't wait to prove everybody wrong."

The Clippers are hoping to get a healthy season out of Kawhi Leonard and will have a training camp to further integrate James Harden.

"It will make a huge difference," Lue said of having an entire camp with Harden.

"Having to learn [how to best use him] on the fly was tough... What he's shown us is that we can run a pick-and-roll ... scoring the basketball, making plays for each other, making it easy for everybody to play."

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The Washington Wizards have agreed to sign Leaky Black, Kira Lewis Jr. and Jaylen Nowell to Exhibit 10 contracts. Black, Lewis and Nowell will compete for a regular season roster spot with the Wizards in camp.

Lewis appeared in 28 games last season with the New Orleans Pelicans, Utah Jazz and Toronto Raptors, averaging 3.2 points and 1.3 assists in 9.4 minutes. Lewis also appeared in five Summer League games with the Houston Rockets.

Black appeared in 26 games last season with the Charlotte Hornets, averaging 2.7 points and 1.9 rebounds in 10.9 minutes.

Nowell appeared in four games with the Detroit Pistons last season, averaging 7.5 points and 2.6 rebounds in 14.4 minutes. Nowell also appeared in 28 G League games, averaging 17.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 27.9 minutes.

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Host Danny Leroux, Kevin Pelton of ESPN and Seth Partnow of Penn Interactive go in-depth on the NBA's Pacific Division.

They discuss how the Kings, Suns, Warriors, Lakers and Clippers fared in the off-season, including which teams improved and what moves stood out. The three also predict the season to come, including projected finish, breakout players and rookies they are most excited to see.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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Isaiah Thomas said he doesn't have any ill-will towards the Boston Celtics from the way his time there ended. However, Thomas said the Celtics could have handled things better.

"The thing that hurt the most was that nothing was explained to me. If you tell me, 'This can possibly get worse, this is what you have,' then it's on me to make the choice. But it was none of that stated," Thomas said. "I was just going in like, 'Okay, I got a bone bruise, I can figure this out like I've done my whole life.' They shot me up to go into the Wizards series, I got shot up three times, every round. The last one was right before Game 7 of the Wizards series. Then in Game 2 of the Cleveland series, I get hit by a screen, and it just shoots to the back of my hip, and I'm like, 'What the [heck]?'"

Despite the rocky ending to his Boston tenure, Thomas said he still thinks highly of everyone with the Celtics.

"It took me three years to really get back to who I am and figure out what was going on. But it was a tough situation," Thomas said. "It was a learning experience for myself. I got real love for Boston and everybody in that organization, but it was definitely the wrong way to go about things."

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Brandon Podziemski was mentioned regularly in trade discussions this summer. That came up most often between the Golden State Warriors and Utah Jazz in talks that would have sent Lauri Markkanen to the Bay Area. However, the Warriors never had any intention of trading Podziemski.

"A lot of these other teams are calling about you," Podziemski said Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. told him after a workout near draft night. "They want you, but you're not going anywhere. You're ours."

Podziemski said he's happy he stayed with the Warriors. The second-year guard recognizes the team's investment in him, but Podziemski said that he's just going to be himself vs trying to replace Klay Thompson.

"I think for me, anything in life, if you do something good, with good comes expectation," Podziemski said. "I mean, I won't go into games thinking about it. I just know what I've done all offseason. I know how much better of a player I'm going to be. Obviously, I have expectations for myself to perform. This is my job. But I don't think there's any nervousness to exceed expectations. I'm just going to be me."

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Kyrie Irving remains on course to be cleared for training camp following offseason hand surgery, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

Irving underwent the surgery in July.

Mavs players recently organized a "mini-camp" in Los Angeles, which Irving attended in limited fashion.

"At this point he has not been cleared yet for full 5-on-5 hoop, but basically what I've been told is he remains on course to be cleared in time for training camp so I don't think there's any concern there," said Stein on the DLLS Mavs podcast.

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15 Dallas Mavericks players attended a "mini-camp" in Los Angeles, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

"Everything I heard about the mini-camp was that the on-court stuff was great, but maybe the off-court stuff was even better," said Stein on DLLS Mavs podcast.

"I don't know too many Mavs teams of the past had 15 guys getting together in LA in August," added Stein.

New signing Klay Thompson was part of the mini-camp.

Kyrie Irving also participated in limited fashion. Irving had surgery on his left hand in July and still has yet to be cleared for 5-on-5.

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Matt Ryan agreed to a training camp deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The Pelicans currently have 13 players on the roster.

Jose Alvarado is also on a non-guaranteed contract.

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The Phoenix Suns will waive-and-stretch Nassir Little. Phoenix will stretch the three seasons and $22 million remaining on Little's contract.

The Suns are prioritizing roster flexibility by releasing Little, who was on a four-year, $28 million deal signed with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2022. Little is represented by Adam Pensack.

In 45 games with the Suns last season, Little averaged 3.4 points and 1.7 rebounds in 10.2 minutes.

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Joey Hauser and the Atlanta Hawks have agreed to a one-year Exhibit 10 camp deal. Hauser will have the opportunity to compete for a roster spot with the Hawks.

In 34 G League games last season, Hauser averaged 6.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 21.9 minutes.

During Summer League with the New Orleans Pelicans, Hauser appeared in four games and averaged 3.0 points and 1.5 rebounds in 13.5 minutes.

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The Washington Wizards will waive Eugene Omoruyi. Omoruyi's salary of $2.2 million for the 2024-25 is non-guaranteed.

Omoruyi appeared in 43 games last season with the Wizards, averaging 4.8 points and 2.0 rebounds in 9.1 minutes.

Omoruyi is represented by Mike George and Shayaun Saee.

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Al Attles has passed away at the age of 87. Attles was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.

Attles played 11 NBA seasons for the Philadelphia and Golden State Warriors. Attles was also head coach of the Warriors from the 69-70 season until 82-83. Attles helped lead the Warriors to the NBA Championship in 1975.

Attles was also a longtime ambassador for the Warriors.

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Gabby Williams has re-signed with the Seattle Storm for the remainder of the 2024 WNBA season.

With France hosting this year's Olympics, Williams opted to sit out the first portion of the WNBA schedule to prepare with the national team. She led France with 15.5 points and 5.8 assists per game, including a team-high 19 points in their one-point loss in the gold medal game to the United States.

Williams made a shot at the buzzer that could have forced overtime, but her foot was on the three-point line.

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Keyontae Johnson and the Charlotte Hornets have agreed to a contract, per Johnson's agency of Priority Sports. It's unclear what type of contract Johnson is signing with the Hornets at this time.

Johnson spent his rookie season on a two-way contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He saw action in only nine NBA game, but started in all 38 G League games he played with the Oklahoma City Blue.

Johnson averaged 19.7 points and 6.2 rebounds for the Blue last season. The 6-foot-6 wing shot 53% overall and 40% on three-pointers.

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Sunday's WNBA matchup between the Seattle Storm and Indiana Fever averaged 2.23 million viewers on ABC.

The number represents the fifth largest audience for a WNBA game since 2001.

It was also the 19th game this season that averaged over a million viewers, with the Fever playing in 17 of those games.

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The Dallas Mavericks hired Makhtar Ndiaye as their new Director of International and Pro Scouting, Ndiaye confirmed on social media.

Ndiaye held the same position for the Knicks.

Ndiaye was initially hired as a scout for the Knicks in 2015.

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Jeff Bezos has no interest in buying the Boston Celtics, reports Nick Wingfield of The Information. Wingfield is a longtime reporter who has extensively covered Amazon.

The Ringer's Bill Simmons shared a rumor on a recent podcast that Bezos had interest in purchasing the Celtics. "Zero truth" to the rumor said one person close to Bezos.

The Grousbeck family recently put the Celtics up for sale. Simmons also said the NBA is hoping the sale of the Celtics helps establish an expansion franchise fee. Bezos previously had interest in purchasing the NFL's Washington Commanders.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed Emoni Bates to a Two-Way contract.

Bates, who is represented by Charles Tucker, appeared in 15 games with the Cavaliers last season on a Two-Way. Bates averaged 2.7 points in 8.9 minutes.

In 17 G League games, Bates, averaged 20.0 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 34.8 minutes.

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Javonte Green and the New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to a one-year deal.

Green, who is represented by Greg Lawrence, averaged 12.2 points and 7.4 rebounds in 25.6 minutes over nine games last season with the Chicago Bulls.

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Host Danny Leroux, David Locke of the Utah Jazz and Locked on Podcast Network and Adam Mares of DNVR break down the Northwest Division.

They discuss how the Jazz, Nuggets, Trail Blazers, Timberwolves and Thunder fared in the off-season and predict the season to come, including projected finish, breakout players and rookies they are most excited to see.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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Omer Yurtseven seems likely to return to Europe to continue his career. Yurtseven has an agreement in principle with Panathinaikos in Greece for next season. The deal won't be made official until Yurtseven has a chance to make sure he doesn't have any NBA offers for next season.

The 6-foot-11 center spent last season with the Utah Jazz. Yurtseven averaged 4.6 points and 4.3 rebounds in 11.4 minutes per game for the Jazz.

It was reported that Yurtseven recently met with the New York Knicks, but no contract agreement came. Shortly thereafter, it was reported that Yurtseven was strongly considering an offer to join Panathinaikos.

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When he decided to sign with the Phoenix Suns, Tyus Jones took less money than was offered elsewhere. Jones ultimately decided that the opportunity to start for a contender was worth more than cashing in as a free agent.

The New York Knicks had made Jones a two-year, $10 million offer. He also had at least one other offer that was far larger than the Knicks proposal. Jones and his former team, the Washington Wizards, had also discussed sign-and-trade scenarios. The veteran point guard and the Wizards also had conversations about him signing a deal and being traded by the 2025 trade deadline. All of these scenarios would have seen Jones making more than the veteran minimum contract he has with Phoenix.

Jones is expected to start for the Suns, who are retooling after starting much of last season without a traditional point guard. Phoenix is expected to start Jones alongside Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkic.

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Julius Randle became eligible to sign an extension at the beginning of August. However, neither the veteran forward nor the New York Knicks seem to be in a rush to get an extension signed.

However, Randle is excited about the Knicks additions this offseason. The 29-year-old believe that the team can be special after adding Mikal Bridges in a trade this summer.

Randle has two years left on the four-year extension he signed with New York in 2021. Randle could sign a three-year extension with the Knicks before the start of the season, if he picks up his player option for 2025-26. If Randle declines that option, he could sign up to a four-year extension through June 30.

Since joining New York in 2019, Randle has made the All-Star team three times. He was voted as the Most Improved Player in the 2020-21 season. Randle also made All-NBA teams in 2021 and 2023.

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After three seasons in the NBA, Usman Garuba is returning to Spain. Garuba has reached an agreement to rejoin Real Madrid for the next three seasons.

Garuba spent last season with the Golden State Warriors. The third-year forward was signed to a two-way deal, before being signed to a standard contract before the end of the season. This followed Garuba playing for the Houston Rockets for the first two years of his NBA career.

This three-year deal sees the 6-foot-8 forward return to Real Madrid, for whom Garuba played from 2017 to 2021. It's unknown if the deal includes any NBA outs, should Garuba want to come back over to the United States.

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Shams Charania is leaving Stadium after six years with the company, sources told Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post.

Charania hosted "Inside the Association" and regularly appeared on "The Rally."

Charania's deals with The Athletic and FanDuel TV are also set to expire. Charania has yet to decide whether to re-sign with either company.

The NBA is planning to enter a new media rights deals with Amazon Prime Video and NBC starting in the 2025 season.

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Isaiah Thomas, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Tony Bradley and Lonnie Walker will be among a group of free agents who will participate in competitive workouts with roster players of the Sacramento Kings.

Thomas is continuing to seek a return to the NBA. Thomas was a second round pick by the Kings in 2011 out of Washington.

Toscano-Anderson played 11 games with the Kings last season in December and January.

Bradley last played in the NBA in 22-23 with the Chicago Bulls.

Walker appeared in 58 games with the Brooklyn Nets last season, averaging 9.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 17.4 minutes.

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Udoka Azubuike has signed with KK Buducnost in Montenegro. Azubuike, who was the 27th overall pick int he 2020 draft out of Kansas, spent the 23-24 season with the Phoenix Suns after three seasons with the Utah Jazz.

In 16 games with the Suns last season, Azubuike averaged 2.2 points and 2.0 reboudns in 7.1 minutes.

Azubuike is represented by Zach Kurtin.

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The Toronto Raptors have signed guard Jared Rhoden.

Rhoden, 6-foot-6, 210 pounds, averaged 4.9 points, 1.9 rebounds and 14.4 minutes in 17 games with Detroit last season. He shot 50 per cent (33-66) from the field and .387 (12-31) from beyond the arc. Rhoden scored in double figures twice, including a career-high 16 points (6-12 FG, 4-8 3PT) Apr. 14 at San Antonio.

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Rumors broke last season of blockbuster trade talks that would have seen LeBron James traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Golden State Warriors. It was reported at the time that talks were serious enough that Lakers and Warriors ownership were involved in the discussion. In the end, the Lakers would have moved James only had he requested a deal got done to send him to the Warriors.

Ultimately, no agreement was reached and James stayed in Los Angeles. That may have been in part because James' agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports was against the idea of a trade to the Bay Area. The super-agent asked both sides to not consider a deal. Paul reportedly wanted to shield his superstar client from the criticism that would have come from changing teams for a fourth time.

James previously left the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat in 2010. James then returned to the Cavs in 2014. The superstar forward then left Cleveland a second time for the Lakers in 2018.

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The Philadelphia 76ers and Guerschon Yabusele are in serious talks on a contract. Yabusele has a $2.5 million contract buyout with Real Madrid. Philadelphia can cover up to $850,000 of that buyout this season. The 76ers can offer Yabusele only a veteran minimum contract for this season of approximately $2.1 million.

After excelling for France as the 2024 Paris Olympics, Yabusele was clear that he'd like another shot at the NBA. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 14 points on 51.9% while helping France to the silver medal.

Last season in 64 games across all competition for Real Madrid, Yabusele averaged 9.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. He shot 53.1% from the field and 44.5% on three-pointers.

Yabusele hasn't appeared in an NBA game since he was waived by the Boston Celtics in 2019. Boston waived the former 16th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft after 74 appearances over two NBA seasons.

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Damian Lillard knows that he and the Milwaukee Bucks fell short of expectations last season. But Lillard said there are reasons for that, and that he's not falling apart physically.

"I'm not a player that's breaking down," Lillard said. "I live a clean, good, healthy life, so I can do it. I can do the same (expletive) I did two, three years ago. I can do it right now."

In addition to working through several injuries, Lillard was going through a lot off the court. That contributed to his efficiency being down.

"There was a lot of change, a lot of stress, you know?" the veteran guard said. "I think now, having an opportunity to get myself in order and kind of start pushing forward to next season."

Lillard also said that he's OK that the focus is on the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks this season.

"The fact that we're there and we're under the radar is perfect because they're gonna think nothing of us and then they're gonna be like...You gotta face the truth, eventually. That's how that usually works," Lillard said.

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Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero was confident about his team during a recent appearance on ESPN's First Take. Banchero said the Magic are ready to compete with the best team in the Eastern Conference.

"We feel like we're right there," he said. "We're right there with all those (elite teams in the East). I remember last year, we started the year off as a top-two, top-three seed and everybody thought it was a fluke. Everybody thought we were going to be a play-in team and drop out the top of the East. We finished strong and got the fifth seed and had a chance to really grab the two seed at the end of the season," Banchero said. "We were right there last year. We got better this year. I got better; all of us got better. We got some new pieces that are going to help a lot. We're trying to make some noise. We should easily be a top-four, top-three team, and have a chance to win the East."

The young Magic star said he feels a responsibility to help Orlando win at the highest levels, since they were the team that drafted him first overall in the 2022 NBA Draft.

"Orlando took a chance on me when they drafted me, and I am forever grateful for that," said Banchero while appearing on ESPN's First Take. "I give them my love and respect for that because nobody knew that I was going to go number one. I didn't know I was going to go number one. So, they put the trust in me to take that chance and take me number one. After that, I felt like it was my job to help them reach heights that haven't been reached in a long time ... We're trying to take (a huge) jump next year and keep taking it one level at a time. But we don't want to stop any time soon. We want to keep going and eventually win a championship."

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The Cleveland Cavaliers are signing J.T. Thor to a two-way contract. Thor spent the first three seasons of his career with the Charlotte Hornets.

Thor averaged 3.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12.4 minutes per game for the Hornets last season. Thor has appeared in 132 games over the last two seasons for Charlotte.

Thor has become an integral member of South Sudan's national team. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the 6-foot-9 forward averaged 6.7 points and 4.7 rebounds for South Sudan.

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Kenny Lofton Jr. has agreed to sign a one-year deal with the Chicago Bulls. Lofton will have a chance to compete for a roster spot with the Bulls in training camp.

Lofton is represented by Mike George, Shayaun Saee and Corey Barker.

Lofton appeared in 21 games last season with the Memphis Grizzlies, Philadelphia 76ers and Utah Jazz. Lofton went undrafted in 2022 out of Louisiana Tech.

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One of the key items that gets analyzed when the NBA schedule is released is which team is playing with a rest advantage. For the 2024-25 season, teams playing with a rest advantage ranges from the New Orleans Pelicans league-low four times to the Brooklyn Nets 15 times.

On the flip side, the Pelicans play an NBA-low six times with a rest disadvantage. The LA Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks play a league-high 13 times on a rest disadvantage.

As for net "rest advantage", the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors play four more times with a rest advantage than they do with a rest disadvantage. On the other end of the spectrum, the Phoenix Suns play four less times with a rest advantage than they do with a rest disadvantage.

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The Washington Wizards drafted three players in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft. The trio of Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George will join 2023 first-rounder Bilal Coulibaly to make up Washington's young core.

That group has Wizards coach Brian Keefe excited to work with them. Keefe said there is a clear first goal for his young players.

"Establishing habits, No. 1," Keefe said. "I said the same last year with Bilal, you teach them the professional habits and how to work in this league. It's the only way you get better is to have consistent work habits and approach to everything you're doing. That will be our No. 1 focus for those guys."

On Sarr, who was the second overall pick, Keefe said the Wizards want to see him with the ball a lot.

"He's got the ability to be a three-level scorer at some point. But one thing that has stood out to us is his ability to see the game and read the game. He's a good passer, so we want the ball in his hands to explore those opportunities for him to make plays for himself and others," Keefe said of the 7-footer.

As for Carrington, the Wizards see him as able to play a lot of different roles.

"We're going to play a little bit positionless to where a lot of people will handle and make decisions. We look at him as a guard who can make plays for himself and for others. You can see that he's a multi-talented guy who's a good rebounder that can push it in transition. We'll see him handle playing on and off the ball," Keefe said about Carrington.

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The Los Angeles Lakers will appear in 39 nationally televised games next season, the most of any team in the NBA.

The Warriors are in second place with 36 appearances on national TV.

The top five is rounded out with a tie between the Celtics and the Knicks at 34 appearances, then the Mavs and Suns with 30 appearances.

The complete schedule for the 2024-25 season was unveiled on Thursday. National TV games include all games broadcasted on ESPN, TNT, ABC, and NBA TV.

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Joe Harris has retired from basketball after 10 seasons in the NBA. Harris appeared in 16 games last season with the Detroit Pistons before he was waived.

Harris dealt with a number of injuries dating back to the 21-22 season.

Harris retires as a career 43.6 percent three-point shooter across 504 games. Harris was a key part of the Brooklyn Nets when they contended for the 2021 title before losing to the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round.

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Host Danny Leroux, Wes Goldberg of Locked On Heat and Mike Prada of The Athletic break down the NBA's Southeast Division.

They discuss how the Heat, Magic, Wizards, Hornets and Hawks fared in the off-season, including which teams improved and what moves stood out. The three also predict the season to come, including projected finish, breakout players and rookies they are most excited to see.

After that, Danny and Wes discuss him taking over as the host of RealGM Radio starting in September.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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Skal Labissiere will be rejoining the Sacramento Kings organization. The Kings and Labissiere have agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract, which will see the big man join the Stockton Kings of the G League after the preseason.

Labissiere played in 40 games for Stockton last season. The 28-year-old center averaged 13.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game for the G League Kings.

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The Portland Trail Blazers are leaving ROOT Sports, the cable network that had been broadcasting their games since 2021.

The team is switching television partners with one year remaining on the current deal, sources told The Athletic.

"Trail Blazers basketball will no longer air on ROOT Sports, but we thank ROOT Sports for years of great partnership," the Blazers said in a statement.

The Blazers did not announce a new local television partner.

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The Milwaukee Bucks brought in Terence Davis for a workout, sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Davis last appeared in the NBA during the 2022-23 season with the Kings.

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The Los Angeles Lakers have signed Kylor Kelley to an Exhibit 10 deal. Kelley averaged 8.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.9 blocks in 22.0 minutes over 29 G League games last season with the Maine Celtics.

Kelley, who is represented by Mayar Zokaei, went undrafted in 2020 out of Oregon State and is a 7'0 center.

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The New York Knicks have signed Jacob Toppin to a Two-Way contract. Toppin was previously signed by the Knicks to a Two-Way deal in March.

Toppin spent last season with the New York Knicks appearing in nine games where he averaged 1.4 points on 55.6-percent shooting and 0.8 rebounds over 4.2 minutes. He also averaged 19.8 points on 48.8-percent shooting, 8.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists over 36.7 minutes in 25 games (all starts) for the Westchester Knicks last season.

Toppin is represented by Mitch Nathan, Austin Brown andSam Rose.

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The NBA will release its full regular season schedule for the 24-25 season at 3:00 PM ET on Thursday.

The season will open on Tuesday, October 22nd with a doubleheader featuring the Boston Celtics hosting the New York Knicks, followed by the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Los Angeles Lakers. Both games will be televised on TNT, which is beginning its final season airing the NBA.

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Quincy Olivari and the Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract. Oliver went undrafted out of Xavier in this year's draft.

In five Summer League games with the Lakers, Olivari averaged 5.8 points and 1.4 rebounds in 14.9 minutes.

In 34 games with Xavier as a fifth-year senior after transferring from Rice, Olivari averaged 19.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 32.2 minutes. Olivari was an All-Big East Honorable Mention player this past season.

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The Utah Jazz and veteran guard Patty Mills have agreed to a one-year, $3.3 million contract. This is a veteran minimum deal for Mills and will reportedly be fully guaranteed and will see Mills reunite with Will Hardy. Mills and Hardy both spent time together with the San Antonio Spurs, when the Jazz coach was an assistant under Gregg Popovich.

Mills spent last season with the Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat. In 13 games with Miami, Mills averaged 5.6 points in 16.4 minutes per game.

The veteran scoring guard once again excelled for the Australian national team this summer. In four games at the 2024 Olympics, Mills averaged 16.5 points and his 41% of his 5.5 three-point attempts per game.

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On the Wine and Gold Talk podcast, Chris Fedor reported that the Cleveland Cavaliers have had interest in adding some frontcourt depth. One player the Cavs were interested in was Bruno Caboclo.

Caboclo played well for Brazil during the Paris Olympics. A return to the NBA for the 6-foot-9 forward has been mentioned since he left the league in the 2022 offseason.

Caboclo has played for team in Brazil, the G League, Germany and Serbia over the past few seasons. Last season for Partizan, Caboclo averaged 8.8 points and 3.9 rebounds. He shot 64% from the field and hit 35-of-71 on three-pointers.

Fedor also reported that Cleveland could have interest in Guerschon Yabusele, who is looking to return to the NBA. However, Fedor said that he didn't see a logical fit for Yabusele on the Cavs roster.

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The Portland Trail Blazers have signed Henri Drell to a training camp contract. Drell is likely to land with the Rip City Remix of the G League as an affiliate player after the preseason.

Drell spent last season with the Chicago Bulls on a two-way contract. Drell saw limited action in the NBA, but averaged 14.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals with the Windy City Bulls of the G League. This was Drell's third season playing for Windy City.

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The NBA released the standings and the schedule for the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup, with group stage games scheduled from November 12-December 3.

Group stage games will take place on Tuesdays and Fridays. Each team will play four games in the group stages.

TNT, ESPN, and NBA TV will televise 17 group stage games.

The conferences are listed below:

East A: New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets
East B: Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons
East C: Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards

West A: Minnesota Timberwolves, LA Clippers, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers
West B: Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, San Antonio Spurs
West C: Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies

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The NBA will release the full schedule for the 2024-25 season this Thursday around 3pm ET, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

The season is set to open with a doubleheader between the Celtics-Knicks and Lakers-Wolves.

Several other opening games have been announced, including the Spurs-Mavs on TNT Thursday.

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Johnny Juzang's four-year, $12 million contract with the Utah Jazz is fully guaranteed for next season, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The rest of the contract is non-guaranteed.

The Jazz have made several moves in recent days, including signing Kyle Filipowski to a four-year deal.

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The San Antonio Spurs will open their season against the Dallas Mavericks on October 24, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

The game will be broadcast on TNT.

The NBA has announced several other games, including the Clippers opening their season against the Suns at the Intuit Dome.

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Paul George will make his first return to play at the Los Angeles Clippers after leaving the franchise to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers on November 6th. George left the Clippers to sign with the Sixers after his incumbent team was unwilling to offer him a max contract.

The Clippers will open Intuit Dome this season.

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Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young was a recent guest on Podcast P with Paul George. Young touched on a lot of subjects, including the failed partnership with Dejounte Murray in the Hawks backcourt.

"It's tough cause we wanted to win," Young said. "We're not the first duo that couldn't work and we're not going to be the last."

Young explained that Murray is a lifelong friend, but things just didn't work out on the court. The Hawks guard said that both he and Murray realized that they didn't win enough to keep Atlanta from making a move.

The Hawks traded Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans for a package of players that included Dyson Daniels and Larry Nance Jr. Both Daniels and Nance are expected to fill rotation roles for Atlanta this season.

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The Utah Jazz have signed forward Babacar Sane to a non-guaranteed training camp contract. Sane will compete for a standard or two-way roster spot with the Jazz during the preseason.

Sane went undrafted at the 2024 NBA Draft after playing for the G League Ignite the last two seasons. The 20-year-old forward averaged 10.5 points and 5.7 rebounds while playing for the Ignite last year.

Sane came to the Ignite via the NBA Academy Africa program. The 6-foot-7 forward is from Senegal and is a member of the Senegalese national team.

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Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby filed a lawsuit in Nevada on Monday against the WNBA and Las Vegas Aces alleging workplace discrimination and retaliation.

Hamby announced her second pregnancy in the fall of 2022 and was traded to the Sparks in January 2023. She alleges "notable" changes in how the team treated her following her pregnancy announcement.

Hamby also claims that the WNBA did not properly investigate the Aces after she came forward with her initial allegations against the team following the trade.

A WNBA investigation resulted in the Aces getting a 2025 first-round pick rescinded and Becky Hammon getting suspended for two games.

Hamby also alleges that Hammon did not deny her assertion that she was getting traded because she was pregnant.

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Kevin Durant bought a minority stake in Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain.

Durant bought his stake through Arctos Sports Partners, an American investment fund that bought 12.5% of the club back in 2023.

PSG was valued at $4.6 billion at the time.

Durant's role is to develop PSG's brand in the U.S. through marketing and sponsorships.

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The Utah Jazz used their remaining $3 million in cap space to sign Kyle Filipowski to a four-year, $12 million deal. The deal is the largest for a player selected in the second round over the past two seasons. Filipowski's first year salary is approximately the same as the 22nd overall pick.

Filipowski, who is represented by Kyle McAlarney and Mark Bartelstein, was a green room invite and expected to be a first round pick.

In eight Summer League games, Filipowski averaged 11.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 22.2 minutes.

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The Utah Jazz have signed forward Oscar Tshiebwe to a Two-Way contract. In a related move, the team has waived guard Taevion Kinsey.

Tshiebwe (6-9, 260, Kentucky) spent the 2023-24 season on a two-way deal with the Indiana Pacers-appearing in eight NBA games and averaging 3.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in 5.3 minutes per game. He was named Kia NBA G League Rookie of the Year and All-NBA G League First Team after appearing in 23 regular season games (21 starts) for the Indiana Mad Ants and averaging 16.2 points, 16.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 27.2 minutes per contest.

Kinsey (6-5, 190, Marshall) appeared in 34 regular season games (23 starts) in one season with the Salt Lake City Stars, averaging 11.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 30.8 minutes per game.

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The LA Clippers will open Intuit Dome for their first regular season game on October 23rd against the Phoenix Suns, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic. The Clippers built their own arena in Inglewood after sharing Crypto.com Arena with the Los Angeles Lakers since the 99-00 season.

Intuit Dome opens this week with a Bruno Mars concert. Inuit Dome will also host the 2026 NBA All-Star Game and basketball during the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Construction cost $2 billion and was financed privately by Steve Ballmer.

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The Phoenix Suns have hired Oronde Taliaferro as their Director of Scouting. Taliaferro will focus on college scouting for the Suns.

Taliaferro was a scout for the Brooklyn Nets last season and was previously a scout with the Detroit Pistons for more than a decade before that.

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Klay Thompson will play his first road game at the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, November 12th on TNT.

Thompson left the Warriors to sign with the Dallas Mavericks this past offseason. Thompson won four NBA championships while with the Warriors, who drafted him in 2011 out of Washington State.

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The NBA will open its 24-25 regular season on Tuesday, October 22nd on TNT with a doubleheader of the New York Knicks at Boston Celtics followed by the Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers.

The Celtics will receive their rings and raise their championship banner ahead of their game against the Knicks.

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Aleksej Pokusevski is set to join Partizan in Serbia for the upcoming season. Pokusevski split last season between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Charlotte Hornets.

In 150 games over three-plus seasons with the Thunder, Pokusevski averaged 7.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. The 7-foot big man was waived in late-February and signed with the Hornets to finish last season. The Hornets waived Pokusevski from a non-guaranteed deal earlier this offseason.

Pokusevski now returns to his native Serbia for the stop in his career. Partizan also added former NBA players Frank Ntilikina, Carlik Jones, Iffe Lundberg and Duane Washington Jr. this offseason.

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Team USA's win over France in the Olympic gold medal game averaged 19.5 million viewers across NBC and Peacock.

The game peaked with 22.7 million viewers. The number represents the most-watched gold medal game since the 1996 Olympics. It was also the most-streamed game in the Olympics across NBCU platforms.

The NBA has not drawn a viewership that high since Game 5 of the 2017 Finals when Kevin Durant won his first championship with the Golden State Warriors against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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Tyrese Haliburton was diagnosed with a minor leg injury and underwent an MRI during the Olympics, sources told Brian Windhorst of ESPN.

Team USA did not announce the injury during the competition.

Haliburton appeared in just three games, playing just 26 minutes.

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Lauri Markkanen and the Utah Jazz are expected to agree to a long-term contract extension on Wednesday or later, which will make him ineligible for a trade during the 24-25 season. The Jazz hold $33 million in cap space they can use to increase Markkanen's contract for the 24-25 season to maximize his earnings. Markkanen's deal is projected to be worth upwards of $200 million over five years and will keep him under contract through 2029.

If Markkanen would have signed the extension on Tuesday, he could have been traded at the deadline.

The Jazz held Markkanen trade conversations with several serious suitors over the last month, including the San Antonio Spurs, Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors. The Warriors made the most aggressive offer with Moses Moody, multiple first round picks, pick swaps and second round picks offered.

The Jazz acquired Markkanen as part of the 2022 trade of Donovan Mitchell and emerged as a franchise cornerstone.

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The United States defeated Brazil 122-87 to reach the semifinals of the Olympics where they will play Serbia. With Tuesday's 35-point win, Team USA has won each of its first four games by at least 15 points.

Joel Embiid established himself in the first half with 14 points and seven rebounds in 12 minutes.

Kevin Durant had 11 points in the game to pass Lisa Leslie for the most points in American Olympic history.

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France defeated Canada 82-73 to reach the semifinals of the Paris Olympics. Guerschon Yabusele scored 22 points for France upon joining the starting lineup, while Isaia Cordinier had 20 points.

France will play Germany in the semifinals after struggling in the group stage.

"We had a lot of time to think, to fix things, and the whole team was just so dedicated to fixing everything," Wembanyama said. "Now we've got a good base to build on for the final phase of the tournament."

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Canada with 27 points, and RJ Barrett added 16.

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Charles Barkley will remain with TNT and fulfill his contract even if the network loses NBA media rights as expected. Barkley said at The Finals that the 2024-25 season would be his last on television no matter what eventually happened with the NBA's media deal negotiations. He signed a 10-year contract extension with TNT Sports in 2022.

Barkley was expected to receive interest from ESPN, NBC and Amazon.

"I love my TNT Sports family. My No. 1 priority has been and always will be our people and keeping everyone together for as long as possible," Barkley said in a statement. "... I'm looking forward to continuing to work with them both on the shows we currently have and new ones we develop together in the future.

"This is the only place for me. I have to say ... I've been impressed by the leadership team who is fighting hard and have been aggressive in adding new properties to TNT Sports, which I am very excited about. ... I'm going to give my all as we keep [fans] entertained for years to come."

Barkley has also served as an analyst for the NCAA Tournament.

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Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson has switched his representation to Klutch Sports and Rich Paul. Henderson joins fellow Blazer Jerami Grant as a Klutch Sports client.

Henderson had an up-and-down rookie season. He averaged 14 points, 5.4 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game. Those were all solid, given Henderson only started 32 of his 62 games played.

However, Henderson shot 38.5% from the field, including 32.5% on three-pointers. The 6-foot-3 point guard did shoot better as the season went along. Henderson also started wearing corrective lenses about a month into his rookie season.

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Lauri Markkanen is more likely to agree to a long-term contract extension at some point after Tuesday than he is on that day when he can sign with the Utah Jazz and still be traded by the 2025 deadline, sources tell Marc Stein.

Markkanen is only trade-eligible on an extension if he signs on Tuesday. Utah's six-month waiting period before Markkanen becomes trade-eligible again would not be complete until after next season's trade deadline on Feb. 6, 2025 if he signs after Tuesday.

Utah's draft pick in 2025 is only top-10 protected. The 2025 draft has star power at the top and also has considerable depth. The Jazz would like to keep Markkanen, but he could make them too good to have a chance of drafting Cooper Flagg.

The Jazz could reassess Markkanen's trade value next offseason on an extension when the Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs and possibly even the Oklahoma City Thunder could have interest.

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Kevin McCullar and the New York Knicks have agreed to a Two-Way deal. McCullar was an All-Big 12 First Team player this past season.

McCullar was the 56th overall pick in the 2024 draft.

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A.J. Dybantsa narrowed his college recruiting list down to Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, BYU, Kansas, Kansas State and North Carolina, he told ESPN.

Dybantsa is the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class.

Dybantsa said he plans to make his official decision in February.

"These are the pillars that will define my choice for a program. [It needs to be] family-oriented, a winning program, offer development both on the court and in their strength program, and for me to be one-and-done and ready to impact," said Dybantsa.

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The United States' 3x3 team has been eliminated at the Olympics upon a 2-5 record in pool play. Jimmer Fredette was unable to play in the last five games.

"We fought hard, I think we just ran out of gas playing with three," Canyon Barry said. "It's so tough ... my heart still breaks for Jimmer. It's just not fair that someone of that high character has to go through this."

The U.S. opened pool play with four losses.

Despite the early exit, U.S. coach Joe Lewandowski is proud of the strides the team made after missing out on the last Olympics.

"Now, we have to keep building," he said. "Anytime you come to events like this, it sets the stage for the future. You can take this and say ... how can we get better, and that's how you improve as a country and that's what we do with USA Basketball."

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Multiple members of the Utah Jazz coaching staff went to Finland to workout Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

Markkanen has been a frequently rumored trade target for the Warriors.

Markkanen would not be eligible for a trade during the 2024-25 season should he sign a contract extension after August 6.

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Jarrett Allen was "obligated" to sign his contract extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers before August 6, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

With the signing reported in late July, Allen is now available to be traded on February 2, 2025. There is a leaguewide belief that the long-term fit between Allen and Evan Mobley is "suspect."

Allen signed a three-year, $91 million extension. Allen is now under contract for $131 million over the next five seasons. Allen is represented by Jim Tanner and Derrick Powell.

In 77 games last season, Allen averaged 16.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 blocks in 31.7 minutes.

Allen previously re-signed with the Cavaliers as a free agent in 2021 on a five-year, $100 million deal. Allen previously could have become a free agent in 2026.

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The Golden State Warriors are still unwilling to part ways with Brandin Podziemski in a deal for Lauri Markkanen, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

The Warriors have yet to include either Podziemski or Jonathan Kuminga in any deal for Markkanen. The team's rumored trade packages have included Moses Moody and draft compensation.

Markannen is eligible to renegotiate his contract on Tuesday.

With Markannen unable to be traded six months after signing an extension, he would not be eligible for a trade during the 2024-25 season should he sign an extension starting on Wednesday.

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Host Danny Leroux, Caitlin Cooper of Basketball, She Wrote and Dan Feldman of Dunc'd On Prime go in-depth on the NBA's Central Division.

They discuss how the Bucks, Bulls, Cavs, Pacers and Pistons fared in the off-season and predict the season to come, including projected finish, breakout players and rookies they are most excited to see.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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The quarterfinals for the Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament were announced on Saturday night.

Team USA takes on Brazil, with the winner of that matchup playing the winner of Serbia-Australia in the semifinals.

Matchups between Germany-Greece and Canada-France make up the other side of the bracket.

All quarterfinals games will be played on Tuesday.

Team USA clinched the top seed in the knockout rounds.

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Rudy Fernandez announced his retirement from the Spanish National Team and international play following Spain's 88-85 loss to Canada.

2024 represented Fernandez's sixth and final Olympics.

The 39-year-old was scoreless in 15 minutes in his final game.

"We fought until the end, which is what you have to do when you represent this team. It wasn't to be, but I'm leaving with a very good feeling because seeing the team compete in this way gives me peace of mind for the present and the future," said Fernandez.

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A statue of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gigi Bryant was unveiled outside of Crypto.com Arena on Friday.

The statue is the second out of three planned monuments dedicated to Bryant.

"We merged two iconic courtside moments of Kobe and Gigi. Gianna has her gorgeous smile on her face and Kobe is kissing the top of her head while wearing the Philadelphia Eagles beanie that Gigi gifted him for Christmas.

"He's also wearing a WNBA hoodie he wore courtside to the game with Gigi. Kobe was the first NBA player to wear that orange hoodie to a big game and that was to show his support for Gigi's dreams and for women across all sports," said Vanessa Bryant.

A third Bryant statue will be unveiled sometime next season.

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The Utah Jazz signed Micah Potter to a two-way contract, sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Potter played for the Team USA Select Team this summer.

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Team USA defeated Puerto Rico 104-83 to finish 3-0 in group play on Saturday.

Team USA clinched the top overall seed in the knockout rounds and will play Brazil in the quarterfinals.

Anthony Edwards lead the game with 26 points on 11-15 shooting. Joel Embiid, who did not play against South Sudan, added 15 points.

Jrue Holiday missed the game due to ankle soreness. Jayson Tatum took his place in the starting lineup.

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Kobe Bryant's locker at Staples Center fetched $2.9 million at an auction.

The locker was used from 2003-04 to Bryant's final season in 2015-16.

It is the most valuable locker to ever sell at an auction, and the third-most expensive Bryant memorabilia piece.

The locker was bidding at $750,000 before four bidders pushed it to the final price over the last 20 minutes.

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Paige Bueckers is signing a name, image, and likeness deal with Unrivaled, a new 3-on-3 women's basketball league.

Bueckers is the first college athlete to receive ownership equity in a league.

Unrivaled promises the highest average pay in women's basketball.

Bueckers will join the league after her rookie season in the WNBA.

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Cole Swider agreed to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract with the Indiana Pacers, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Swider appeared in 18 games for the Heat last season.

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The NBA is exploring the possibility of creating an annual tournament or a new league in Europe, Adam Silver told Tim Reynolds of AP.

"We certainly haven't made any definitive decisions. I continue to believe there's enormous opportunity here. It's not something where we'll transform a league structure in the short term.

"But I think that there's an appetite among our team owners for additional investment in global basketball," said Silver.

The NBA has been talking about expanding into Europe for decades, according to Silver. He did add that current talks with FIBA are "much more serious" due to the league's new media rights.

A potential new competition would not replace the current European basketball setup.

"Whatever we do here, I think it's important that it's additive to the European basketball structure," said Silver.

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The Boston Celtics have filled 14 of their 15 roster spots and are likely to leave the final spot vacant heading into the regular season.

The Celtics will maintain flexibility with the open roster spot while saving on the luxury tax.

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The Boston Celtics have agreed to sign Anton Watson to a Two-Way contract. Watson was the 54th overall pick in this year's draft out of Gonzaga. Watson is represented by Daveed Cohen.

Watson averaged 11.8 points and 5.2 rebounds in five Las Vegas summer league games with the Celtics.

The Celtics have previously signed JD Davison and Drew Peterson to Two-Way deals.

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Jarrett Allen's three-year, $91 million contract extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers contains no player option in the final season and is not eligible to be traded for six months. Allen is signed through the 28-29 season.

"We couldn't be more excited that Jarrett Allen chose to extend in Cleveland for the prime of his career," said president of basketball operations Koby Altman. "Jarrett's growth as a player, at just 26 years old, was accelerated when he earned his first All-Star selection in 2022. He is the anchor of our core group of players and his presence fits our vision for sustainable success. Jarrett also embodies the culture and values of our organization, and we look forward to achieving even greater things together."

Over the last three years, Cleveland is 125-76 with Allen in the lineup and just 18-27 without him.

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Kevin Durant is eligible to sign a one-year, $59.7 million extension with the Phoenix Suns that would cover the 26-27 season. Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein talked about the franchise's relationship with Durant and the possibility of an extension.

"The most important thing is Kevin loves being here and we love having Kevin here," Bartelstein said in an interview Wednesday with The Arizona Republic.

"He's focused on the Olympics, but we're always having dialogue. The relationship is what matters the most. The relationship is in a great spot. I talk to (Durant's agent) Rich Kleiman, who works with Kevin, all the time. Conversations are great not just on extension stuff, but on all things that have been going on."

Durant became eligible to sign the extension on July 12 and would have until Oct. 21 to sign. Durant's current four-year, $194 million contract ends in 25-26.

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Jamarion Sharp has agreed to a one-year deal with the Dallas Mavericks. Sharp is represented by Scott Wong Nichols.

Sharp went undrafted out of Ole Miss this year.

In five Summer League games, Sharp averaged 2.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocks in 14.7 minutes with the Mavericks.

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TyTy Washington Jr. has agreed to a Two-Way deal with the Phoenix Suns.

Washington has appeared in 42 NBA games with the Houston Rockets and Milwaukee Bucks.

Washington is represented by Kevin Bradbury.

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The Toronto Raptors are signing free agent big man Bruno Fernando to a non-guaranteed contract. Fernando recently cleared waivers after being let go by the Atlanta Hawks.

Fernando's deal is expected to include some guaranteed money if he makes the opening night roster for Toronto.

In his second stint with the Hawks, Fernando played in 45 games last season. He averaged 6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in 15.2 minutes per game. The 6-foot-9 center has also played for the Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets in his five-year NBA career.

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If, and when, Diamond Sports Group finishes bankruptcy proceedings, they are considering dropping the broadcasts for up to five NBA teams. The teams that are being considered at the Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder. Currently, games for those five teams have been carried under various Bally Sports networks.

Through Bally Sports, Diamond Sports Group carries games for 15 total NBA teams. The remaining 10 teams are expected to continue to have their games carried, assuming the courts approve Diamond Sports Group's plan to come out of bankruptcy.

The NBA declined to comment on the situation. However, there are reports that the NBA, like MLB, is considering an agreement with Amazon to become a streaming provider for local games. The NBA and Amazon recently reached agreement for the network to carry national games.

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The Philadelphia 76ers are looking for a veteran shooter with size to fill out their bench. Marcus Morris seems to be the top candidate, but the Sixers are also looking at Davis Bertans.

After being waived the Charlotte Hornets this offseason, Bertans is an unrestricted free agent. The veteran forward spent last season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, before being traded to the Hornets at the trade deadline.

After barely playing for Oklahoma City, Bertans looked good in 28 games with Charlotte. The 6-foot-10 shooter averaged 8.8 points in 20.8 minutes per game. Bertans shot 37.5% on 6.3 three-point attempts per game during his time with the Hornets.

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Marcus Morris plans to play next season, which would be his 14th NBA season. Morris has seemingly narrowed his decision down to re-signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers or returning to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Morris played for both the Cavs and Sixers last season. He was traded to Philadelphia as a part of the deal that sent James Harden to the LA Clippers. In 37 games (seven starts) with the 76ers, Morris averaged 6.7 points in 17.2 minutes per game and shot 40% on three-pointers.

After a salary-shedding deal at the trade deadline, Morris signed with Cleveland following a buyout from the San Antonio Spurs. In 12 games with the Cavaliers, Morris averaged 5.8 points and shot 41.4% on three-pointers. He then had a handful of productive games for the Cavs in the playoffs.

Morris isn't prioritizing money in his next contract. Instead, Morris is focused on being with a team where he can have an actual role and play.

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Rui Hachimura will miss the rest of the Olympics due to a calf injury.

Hachimura felt discomfort in his calf following Japan's overtime loss to France.

Hachimura averaged 22.0 points and 6.5 rebounds in two Olympic games.

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The San Antonio Spurs have guaranteed Julian Champagnie's $3 million salary for the 24-25 season. Champagnie started 59 of 74 games played for the Spurs last season. Champagnie is represented by Kashif Pratt and Nick Blatchford.

Champagnie averaged 6.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists last season.

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The Milwaukee Bucks have waived Jaylin Galloway from his Two-Way in order to sign Anzejs Pasecniks. Galloway is represented by Marquis Taylor.

In five Summer League games, Galloway averaged 2.4 points and 1.6 rebounds in 9.9 minutes.

In seven G League games last season, Galloway averaged 4.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 20.4 minutes.

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The New York Knicks have agreed to sign Chuma Okeke to a camp deal.

Okeke averaged 6.3 points and 3.7 rebounds in 20.3 minutes in four seasons with the Orlando Magic.

Okeke was the 16th overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft.

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Precious Achiuwa and the New York Knicks have agreed to a one-year, $6 million deal. Achiuwa, who is represented by Raymond Brothers, will be an unrestricted free agent in 2025.

Achiuwa ended last season as a key member of the Knicks' rotation after he was acquired by New York in the OG Anunoby trade with Toronto. Achiuwa averaged 7.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in 24.2 minutes in his 49 games with the Knicks.

Achiuwa was the 20th overall pick in the 2020 draft by the Miami Heat. The Raptors acquired Achiuwa during the 2021 offseason as part of the Kyle Lowry deal.

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Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey gave some insight into his team's pursuit of Paul George. Morey said that the intel gathering process started before free agency opened.

Morey said the team had been listening to George's Podcast P podcast for clues on where the star wing was leaning before free agency. Philadelphia's front office was also confused about what the LA Clippers were thinking with George's free agency.

"We had listened to every Podcast P podcast and, you know, literally like had been taking notes on them for months basically," Morey said. "And so, this press release comes out and we're all looking at each other, we're like, 'This seems good.' And then we're like reading it again, we're like, 'Yeah, that's really good. What are the Clippers doing? We don't understand.'"

Morey likened the process back to trying to sign Chris Bosh from the Miami Heat when he was leading the Houston Rockets front office. He said he thought the Clippers would eventually relent and re-sign George.

"So, I mean, we had heard that they, you know, sort of were going to probably draw a line, but we actually thought the whole time they were going to, and I've had this before," Morey said. "I was going after Chris Bosh years ago, he was coming to us because Miami had drawn a line, and then Miami undrew the line at the last minute. So, I really thought that was most likely what would happen."

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In an interview with Sactown Sports 1140, Portland Trail Blazers beat writers Aaron Fentress said that the team's offseason moves aren't done yet. Fentress reported that Portland is expected to move at least one of Jerami Grant or Anfernee Simons before training camp.

"I would be surprised if Jerami (Grant) or Anfernee Simons, that one of the two is not moved. I was told that that's definitely the goal, that one of the two would probably be gone before training camp," Fentress said. "Both being gone might be different. They obviously have time. They can wait until the trade deadline and see if someone else will offer more."

The Blazers are building their roster around Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe in the backcourt. Simons could be the odd man out of that backcourt trio. He's the best player of that group, so he'll likely start. If he doesn't start, Simons could request a trade. That could see Portland get ahead of things, to open up more minutes for Henderson and Sharpe.

Grant is content in Portland for now, but he reportedly doesn't want to be on a rebuilding team. He's also drawn interest from a handful of teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers. That trade could take a bit longer to come together, due to the size and length of Grant's contract.

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In an interview with ESPN 700, Utah Jazz beat writer Tony Jones offered some insight into where Lauri Markkanen is at with his future. That future involves Markkanen wanting to stay with the Jazz.

"Lauri has really taken to Utah. His family has taken to Utah," Jones said. "Obviously the Jazz can trade him between now and Aug 6th, and Lauri knows that, but Lauri has forged a really close relationship to Will Hardy. And Will has really found a way to unlock his career"

Markkanen becomes eligible to sign a contract extension on August 6. Speculation has been that Markkanen and Utah could work out a renegotiation-and-extension. In that scenario, the Jazz would use some of their remaining cap space to up Markkanen's salary for this season, while tacking additional years onto his contract.

Jones said that Markkanen could delay that signing by a day or more, as opposed to signing right on August 6. A renegotiation-and-extension deal comes with a six-month trade restriction. If Markkanen extends on August 6, he'd be trade eligible on trade deadline day of February 6. By delaying an extension, Markkanen would make himself ineligible to be traded this season.

Ultimately, Jones said he feels it is unlikely that the Jazz will trade Markkanen at any point this offseason or season.

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Nathan Mensah and the San Antonio Spurs have agreed to a Two-Way deal.

Mensah, who is represented by Keith Kreiter and Sam Cipriano, appeared in 25 games last season with the Charlotte Hornets. In 12.3 minutes, Mensah averaged 1.3 points and 2.6 rebounds over 25 games.

Mensah went undrafted in 2023 out of San Diego State.

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Moussa Diabate has agreed to a Two-Way deal with the Charlotte Hornets. Diabate, who is represented by Nodirbek Talipov and Aaron Turner, played in 33 games for the LA Clippers over the past two seasons.

Diabate was the 43rd overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft out of Michigan.

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TNT sues the NBA to enforce its matching rights, what are the early indications on how it could play out? Andrew Nembhard's extension negotiations were some of the more fascinating in recent memory. (8:00) Tyus Jones joins Phoenix, is this a game-changer for the Suns? (16:00) Plus the rest of the transactions around the league.

Then, our wrap-up of every roster player in Summer League continues!

  • CHI: Matas Buzelis, Julian Phillips (36:30)
  • OKC: Dillon Jones, Ajay Mitchell, Ousmane Dieng (45:20)
  • SAC: Keon Ellis, Colby Jones (54:00)
  • MIA: Kel'el Ware, Pelle Larsson, Josh Christopher, Keshad Johnson (58:00)
  • PHI: Jared McCain, Adem Bona (1:09:00)
  • LAL: Dalton Knecht, Bronny James, Maxwell Lewis (1:16:00)
  • ORL: Tristan Da Silva, Anthony Black, Jett Howard (1:26:44)
  • TOR: Ja'Kobe Walter, Jonathan Mogbo, Jamal Shead, Ulrich Chomche, Gradey Dick (1:34:40)

Subscribe to Dunc'd On Prime, the only place to get every episode with Nate & Danny, plus every pod with John Hollinger & Nate as well! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

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The story out of Team USA's victory over Serbia wasn't about the Americans' dominance over a fellow medal favorite. Instead, it was about Jayson Tatum getting a DNP by head coach Steve Kerr. That's something that Kerr said won't happen again in the next game.

Kerr confirmed on Monday in France that Tatum would play on Wednesday against South Sudan.

"Jayson will play [Wednesday]," Kerr said. "I'm not going to answer your next question, which is if he plays, who doesn't. But we're going to need him, and part of this job for me is to keep everybody engaged and ready, because my experience with this is crazy stuff happens."

Kerr had previously said that he "felt like an idiot" for not playing Tatum against Serbia. The coaching staff prioritized playing bigger lineups against Nikola Jokic. That means making some hard decisions on who plays and who doesn't.

"The hardest part of this job is you're sitting at least a couple of guys who are world-class, some of the very best players on Earth," Kerr said. "On one hand, it makes no sense at all. On the other, I'm asking these guys to just commit to winning one game and then move on to the next one. I have to do the same thing. And so, I felt like last night those were the combinations that made the most sense."

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Several teams have expressed interest in Isaac Okoro, sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The Nets are considering a sign-and-trade deal for Okoro, though nothing is imminent.

The Cavs have previously registered interest in Dorian Finney-Smith and Cam Johnson.

It was reported earlier this weekend that the Cavs want to re-sign Okoro, but at the right price.

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The United States got the Olympics off to a good start with a blowout victory over Serbia. However, the win came with a bit of weird twist, as Jayson Tatum didn't play in the game for Team USA.

Following the game, United States head coach Steve Kerr said that with Kevin Durant back in the fold, he couldn't get everyone into the game.

"It's tough, but Jayson handled it really well. I talked to him today before the game, that it may play out this way just with Kevin coming back, and the lineups I wanted to get to," Kerr said.

The USA coach then explained he feels like he can't play more than 10 players due to FIBA games being only 40 minutes. That seemed to be Kerr's other reason for leaving Tatum on the bench.

"I felt like an idiot not playing him, but in a 40-minute game, you can't play more than 10," Kerr said about the DNP for Tatum. "He's an amazing guy, great player and handled it beautifully. He'll be out there next game."

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Kevin Durant has been upgraded to available for the United States Olympics opener against Serbia. Durant has been dealing with a calf strain since joining Team USA earlier this month.

The United States opens Group C play against Serbia. Team USA is the heavy favorite to bring home the gold medal, but has been without Durant, who was expected to start, throughout the leadup to the Olympics.

Durant is appearing in his fourth Olympics. He previously helped the United State to gold in 2012, 2016 and 2021.

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The Phoenix Suns played most of last season without a traditional point guard. That's set to change this season, as Phoenix is expected to start Tyus Jones, who they recently agreed to a one-year deal with.

After splitting lead ballhandler duties between Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and others last season, the Suns have added two veteran point guards this offseason. Jones is expected to start with Monte Morris backing him up. Both players were signed to one-year, veteran minimum contracts. Jones also reportedly drew interest from the Atlanta Hawks and his former team, the Memphis Grizzlies.

With Jones set to start, Grayson Allen will move to a bench role. Allen signed a four-year, $70 million extension at the end of last season, when he was one of the NBA's best shooters in terms of percentage and volume.

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Point guard Tyus Jones and the Phoenix Suns have agree to a one-year deal. Jones will sign for Phoenix for the veteran minimum for next season.

Jones told ESPN that he and his agent considered multiple sign-and-trade opportunities. In the end, Jones felt that signing with the Suns was the best way to rebuild his value before going back onto the free agent market next summer.

As a first-time starter last season, Jones averaged career-highs nearly across the board for the Washington Wizards. Jones averaged 12.0 points on 49/41/80 shooting splits and 7.3 assists in 66 games.

After having point guard be an issue for the entirety of last season, Phoenix addressed the position this summer. The Suns have add Jones and Monte Morris to bring into two veterans to add depth at lead ballhandler.

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The Chicago Bulls are anticipating keeping Zach LaVine on their roster to start the season with the hopes of him rebuilding his trade value from where it has been this offseason, sources tell Marc Stein of The Stein Line. The Bulls are incentivized to have the worst record possible as their first round pick in 2025 will be conveyed to the San Antonio Spurs if it falls out of the top-10.

LaVine signed a five-year, $215 million contract with the Bulls during his free agency in 2022. LaVine has three seasons at nearly $140 million remaining on his contract. LaVine has a player option for 26-27 worth $49 million that he almost certainly will pick up considering his current value around the league.

The Bulls also gauged trade interest in LaVine during the 2023 offseason, but maintained a "large asking price."

LaVine, who is represented by Rich Paul and Lucas Newton, averaged 19.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 34.9 minutes over 25 games last season with the Bulls. LaVine was most recently an All-Star in 21-22.

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Basketball rosters for the 2024 Paris Olympics have been finalized. As to be expected, there are several current and former NBA players spread across the 12 teams. A record 81 current and former players appear on the rosters.

51 players of the 144 total rostered players are currently in the NBA. An additional 30 players have NBA experience.

Team USA leads the way with all 12 players currently in the NBA. South Sudan is the only team without a current NBA player, but has two players who have NBA experience. They also have others who could eventually join the NBA on their Olympics roster.

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As a guest on Jeff Teague's Club 520 podcast, Golden State Warriors big man Draymond Green touched on his future. When speaking about building for what's next, Green said he knows his playing career is coming to an end.

"I'm on the wrong side of my down slide. Like, I'm headed into Year 13," Green said. "I probably got two more (seasons)."

Green then spoke about how important it is to him to have already started the next phase of his career. He talked about his podcast and being on TV as things he wanted to start doing before his career was over.

Green has three seasons and $77.7 million left on the four-year deal he signed with the Warriors in 2023. The final season in 2026-27 is a player option worth $27.7 million.

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Killian Hayes has agreed to a one-year deal with the Brooklyn Nets where he will have a chance to win a spot on their regular season roster. Hayes, who is represented by David Bauman and Yann Balikouzou, was the seventh overall pick in the 2020 draft out of Ratiopharm Ulm by the Detroit Pistons.

In 42 games last season with the Pistons, Hayes averaged 6.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 24.0 minutes. The Pistons waived Hayes as the trade deadline and he did not resurface on another team for the remainder of the season.

With the Nets entering a rebuild, they will continue to look at second draft players like Hayes as they have with Dennis Smith Jr.

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The Miami Heat have signed guard Josh Christopher to a Two-Way Contract and waived guard Zyon Pullin.

Christopher, who was named the 2024 Summer League Championship Game MVP, helped Miami capture the title in Las Vegas after appearing in all six games (four starts) averaging 19.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.00 steals, 1.8 assists and 25.9 minutes while shooting 54.1 percent from the field, 52.5 percent from three-point range and a perfect 15-of-15 from the foul line.

Christopher, who was selected in the first round (24th overall) by the Houston Rockets in the 2021 NBA Draft, spent last season in the G League between the Salt Lake City Stars and the HEAT's affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. He appeared in 18 regular season games (seven starts) with the Skyforce and averaged 15.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.39 steals and 27.4 minutes while shooting 43.9 percent from the field and a team-high 90.5 percent from the foul line.

Pullin, who was originally signed to a Two-Way Contract by the Heat on July 1, appeared in all six games (one start) with Miami in Las Vegas and averaged 5.3 points, 1.7 assists and 1.0 rebounds in 11.9 minutes.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder announced that rookie guard Nikola Topic underwent successful surgery to repair a left ACL tear. Topic is expected to miss the entirety of the 2024-25 season to rehab from the injury.

The Thunder drafted Topic with the 12th pick in the first-round of the 2024 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-6 point guard was injured while playing for Crvena zvezda in Serbia in mid-May. Topic may have initially suffered the ACL tear in early-January, but was diagnosed with a sprained left knee. He returned to play in late-April before being injured approximately three weeks later.

Oklahoma City has experience dealing with a first-round pick missing their first NBA season. Chet Holmgren missed the 2022-23 season due to a fractured foot. Holmgren then returned to have a success rookie season in 2024-24.

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The Chicago Bulls waived Andrew Funk from his two-way contract. Funk was signed to a two-year two-way deal last season.

The wing shooter appeared in only five NBA games last season. In 49 G League games between the Windy City Bulls and the Grand Rapids Gold, Funk averaged 13.6 points. He shot 37.7% on 9.1 three-point attempts per game.

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The Brooklyn Nets have kicked off a rebuild by trading Mikal Bridges. The next steps could be trading veteran forwards Dorian Finney-Smith or Cameron Johnson.

Several teams have reportedly expressed interest in trading for Johnson. The Sacramento Kings, Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers were mentioned as initial suitors. Other teams mentioned include the Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors and San Antonio Spurs.

Johnson has three years and $68.8 million left on his contract. At $23.6 million for 2024-25, the 6-foot-8 wing shooter is considered a very tradable player.

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In a wide-ranging interview about finally playing in the Olympics and his career, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry was candid about the state of the team. Curry was also honest about his thoughts on finishing his career with the Warriors, after longtime teammate Klay Thompson left the team this offseason.

"I'm taking it one step at a time to be honest. I think that's the only way that will protect my happiness. Also, it allows me to enjoy being myself when I'm out there playing. And I'll continue to make the decisions that are best for me and for my career at the end of the day when it comes to just the imagination. I want to win," Curry said. "Let's put it this way, it's a longwinded way of saying that it if it is a situation where you're a bottom feeder and it's just because you want to stay there, I'd have a hard time with that. But I don't think that's going to be the reality."

Curry said it's "still weird" that Thompson left for the Dallas Mavericks. The Warriors point guard said he probably won't fully process it until he shows up at the arena and Thompson isn't there.

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Kevin Durant returned to practice on Wednesday after suffering a calf strain a month ago.

Steve Kerr said that Durant was "day-to-day."

"It's not just our training staff, but [USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill] is constantly in touch with Kevin's people and with the Suns. This is not going to be like us going out and saying, 'Hey, let's just throw him out there.' This will be a big collaboration," said Kerr.

Durant will be involved in practices and scrimmages before he plays in the Olympics.

Team USA play Serbia on Sunday.

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Wells Fargo announced on Wednesday that it will not renew its naming rights for the arena that houses the Philadelphia 76ers and Flyers.

Wells Fargo's current deal expires in 2025. The company paid $1.4 million per year for the naming rights.

The building is operated by Comcast Spectacor.

The Sixers declined comment. The franchise has previously stated that they do not intend to stay after their current lease expires in 2031.

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Mark Bryant will join Tom Thibodeau's staff with the New York Knicks, sources told Ian Begley of SNY.

The 59-year-old, who is considered one of the best big man coaches in the game, was with the Pistons last season.

Thibodeau signed a three-year extension on Wednesday.

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Amazon has interest in pursuing members of TNT's "Inside the NBA" cast when it begins broadcasting games in 2025. The feasibility of making that a reality is unclear as Ernie Johnson is believed to be staying with Turner, while Charles Barkley has said he plans to retire. Barkley has also said he has an out in his contract if WBD loses the NBA, but those sources indicated that was not necessarily the case.

"I would say, first and foremost, 'Inside the NBA,' we view it as the gold standard studio program," Amazon's Jay Marine told SBJ. "We're big fans. I'm a big fan. They are absolutely fantastic, incredibly entertaining. And collectively, that chemistry is really awesome and, to be honest, it was an inspiration for us that we pointed to when we designed our TNF pregame team....That's what we wanted to aspire to."

Even if Amazon is unable to secure members of the TNT crew, they plan to use "Inside the NBA" as a model for its Thursday night coverage as they did for the NFL.

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Amazon was allowed to negotiate with the NBA on their media rights deal during the exclusive negotiating window of ESPN and TNT, which was an idea broached by TNT. The NBA then secured permission from ESPN for Amazon to join the discussions.

Amazon ultimately agreed to the $1.8 billion per year streaming only deal with the NBA that TNT attempted to use their match rights upon. Reports have indicated that TNT wasn't expecting NBC to bid $2.6 billion per year on the NBA's "B" package.

Amazon will broadcast Thursday night games after the NFL season as well as the knockout round of the NBA Cup, all the Play-In game, a third of the overall postseason, and alternate Conference Finals.

TNT may attempt to resolve the issue via litigation.

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NBC plans on using Mike Tirico as its lead play-by-play announcer when it begins broadcasting games during the 25-26 NBA season. Tirico called NBA games on both television and radio for many years while with ESPN. Tirico is also the lead play-by-play announcer for NBC's coverage of the NFL.

When NBC broadcast the NBA in the 1990s, Marv Albert and then Bob Costas were its lead play-by-play broadcasters.

NBC plans to use the same formula for Sunday Night Basketball as they have enjoyed for years with Sunday Night Football. They will have an hour-long pregame show and attempt to feature the best matchups possible.

"We hope to have a fantastic studio show and studio talent around what we see as the game of the week and we will use our team appearances working closely with the NBA on making it the best matchup that we possibly can have at that point of the season," president of NBC Sports Rick Cordella said. "We've obviously had a lot of success on Sunday Football. I'd love to say someone had a eureka moment coming up with the idea for Sunday Night Basketball but I think it was just natural to us at NBC Sports that this would be a franchise we wanted to create outside of football season. Certainly we have a (broadcast) window open there (after the NFL season). We pitched it to the NBA and it's an easy to understand concept."

The first Sunday Night basketball game will likely be February 15, 2026.

"The best matchups that we have access are what we will attempt to put on that night," Cordella said. "So a rematch of the NBA Finals would be a Sunday night matchup we'd want. Things that are big market and big ratings. We'll have a research team that goes through all this. There is some flexibility to move games in and out within reason during the NBA schedule. You have seen Turner previously move games in and out and we will work closely with the NBA on that. Then it's about putting production values against this.We want to showcase our production capabilities. We will have our 'A' team on the game in terms of announcers and analysts and a great studio show."

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The Utah Jazz have waived forwards Darius Bazley and Kenneth Lofton Jr.

Bazley appeared in six games for the Jazz in 2023-24, averaging 8.0 points and 4.5 rebounds in 23.7 minutes per game.

Lofton appeared in four games last season for Utah, with averages of 13.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 22.8 minutes per contest.

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James Johnson has agreed to a one-year, $3.3 million deal with the Indiana Pacers.

Johnson was re-signed by the Pacers during the middle of last season as a veteran presence.

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The NBA has announced their decision that Warner Bros. Discovery didn't technically match the terms of Amazon's $1.8 billion per year offer for media rights and that they will move forward with the tech company as intended.

"Warner Bros. Discovery's most recent proposal did not match the terms of Amazon Prime Video's offer and, therefore, we have entered into a long-term arrangement with Amazon," the NBA said in a press release.

"Throughout these negotiations, our primary objective has been to maximize the reach and accessibility of our games for our fans. Our new arrangement with Amazon supports this goal by complementing the broadcast, cable and streaming packages that are already part of our new Disney and NBCUniversal arrangements. All three partners have also committed substantial resources to promote the league and enhance the fan experience.

"We are grateful to Turner Sports for its award-winning coverage of the NBA and look forward to another season of the NBA on TNT."

The decision could lead to litigation as TNT had negotiated match rights in its previous deal with the NBA.

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Tom Thibodeau and the New York Knicks have agreed to a three-year contract extension that runs through the 27-28 season. The Knicks hired Thibodeau as head coach in 2020 and they have made the playoffs in three of his four seasons. The Knicks have reached the Eastern Conference Semifinals in each of the past two seasons.

Previous reports had indicated that Thibodeau would likely sign an extension worth more than $10 million per season, though the initial reporting didn't specify a number.

Thibodeau has a career record of 527-398.

The Knicks also signed Jalen Brunson to a contract extension this offseason while acquiring Mikal Bridges in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets and re-signing OG Anunoby as a large part of their core solidifies.

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Warner Bros. Discovery's TNT, Bleacher Report, and House of Highlights have launched a social media campaign to create public support for their efforts to keep the NBA on their networks as they've matched the league's $1.8 billion per season deal with Amazon.

"The idea here is to let the content speak for itself," one PR expert tracking the effort tells Front Office Sports.

On Tuesday, Bleacher Report retweeted a TNT post to its 18.3 million followers celebrating the on-air chemistry of the Inside the NBA cast as "one of a kind."

The NBA is considering TNT's counteroffer, but sources say the league still prefer's Amazon's bid.

"I think [the NBA] is going to reject, or do whatever they can, to say no to TNT," says the source. "This ends up in court."

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Josh Giddey had interest in a trade to the San Antonio Spurs this offseason before he was dealt to the Chicago Bulls, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Giddey was traded by the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Bulls in June for Alex Caruso.

Giddey, who is represented by Daniel Moldovan and Alex Saratsis, is eligible for a contract extension this offseason. If Giddey and the Bulls are unable to agree to terms, he will become a restricted free agent in 2025.

In 80 games last season, Giddey averaged 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 25.1 minutes.

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Before pivoting to Chris Paul in free agency, the San Antonio Spurs registered trade interest with the Indiana Pacers on Andrew Nembhard and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Darius Garland, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Nembhard signed a three-year, $59 million contract extension with the Pacers on Wednesday. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, have rebuffed all trade interest on Garland.

The Spurs have a short-term solution to stabilize their backcourt in Paul, but they surely will continue to address the position as they build around Victor Wembanyama.

San Antonio selected Stephon Castle at No. 4 in last month's draft and were set on him as the pick for the majority of the pre-draft process. Castle has previously shown an ability to play alongside another guard while at UConn.

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The Memphis Grizzlies have agreed to sign Jay Huff to a Two-Way contract. The Grizzlies also waived Trey Jemison to create a Two-Way spot.

Huff went undrafted out of Virginia in 2021 and has appeared in 31 NBA games across three seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards and Denver Nuggets.

In eight G League games last season while on a Two-Way contract with the Nuggets, Huff averaged 20.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 30.3 minutes.

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The Indiana Pacers and guard Andrew Nembhard have agreed to a three-year, $59 million contract extension. Nembhard has become an integral member of the Pacers rotation in his first two NBA seasons.

In two seasons since being the 31st pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Nembhard has appeared in 143 games with 110 starts. He's averaged 9.3 points, 4.3 assists and shot 46.7% from the field.

In the 2024 NBA Playoffs, with Tyrese Haliburton battling injuries, Nembhard averaged 14.9 points, 5.5 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game. Over 17 playoff games, culminating in the Eastern Conference Finals, Nembhard shot 56% from the field, including 48.3% on three-pointers.

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Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray has had an up-and-down start with his playing time with Team Canada this summer. The good news is that Murray isn't dealing with any kind of injury. The Canadian National Team is simply ramping him up to get him ready for the Paris Olympics.

Murray joined Team Canada in Las Vegas for exhibition games, but then didn't travel with the team to France. Murray had to attend to a personal matter before joining his teammates. Since then, Murray has played only a handful of minutes over two exhibition games in France.

However, this is reportedly all part of the plan for managing Murray in the leadup to the Olympics. Canada has one more exhibition game against Brazil before starting group play this weekend. The Nuggets star is expected to play more in that game.

Murray is also awaiting a contract extension with Denver. Both sides have reportedly agreed to table extension discussions until after the Olympics.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo and Dennis Schroder were selected as Olympic flagbearers for Greece and Germany.

Antetokounmpo lead Greece to their first Olympic basketball appearance since 2008.

Schroder previously lead Germany to an 8-0 record at last year's FIBA Basketball World Cup.

LeBron James will be the flagbearer for the U.S.

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The 2024 WNBA All-Star game averaged 3.44 million viewers on ABC.

It is the largest viewership for a WNBA game since 1997, and the third most-watched game in league history.

The previous record for a WNBA All-Star game was 1.44 million viewers in 2003.

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The Phoenix Suns have hired Brent Barry as an assistant coach under Mike Budenholzer. Barry has spent the past six seasons working in the front office of the San Antonio Spurs after previously working in media. Barry was Vice President of Basketball Operations since 2018 and then became general manager of the Austin Spurs in 2023.

Brown played in the NBA for 14 seasons with the LA Clippers, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Seattle SuperSonics, San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets.

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Our wrap-up of every roster player in Summer League begins!

  • ATL-Zaccharie Risacher and Co.
  • WAS-Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, Kyshawn George (13:40)
  • HOU-Reed Sheppard, Cam Whitmore, AJ Griffin (33:30)

Then, the news including our reaction to the Evan Mobley extension (54:00), TNT's intent to match the Amazon TV deal (1:04:18), and Gary Trent Jr. signing with the Bucks (1:16:10) among other things.

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The Charlotte Hornets are waiving guard Reggie Jackson. After clearing waivers, Jackson plans to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. Jackson is represented by Aaron Mintz and Dave Spahn.

The Hornets acquired Jackson earlier this offseason in a salary-shedding move by the Denver Nuggets. The Hornets acquired two second-round picks for taking Jackson's salary into their cap space.

This is the second time Jackson has been waived by the Hornets in a two-year period. Charlotte previously waived the veteran point guard following the 2023 trade deadline. Jackson then signed with the Nuggets.

Jackson averaged 10.2 points and 3.8 assists per game for Denver last season. The 13-year veteran also played in all 82 games for the Nuggets.

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The Miami Heat beat the Memphis Grizzlies 120-118 in overtime to win the 2024 Summer League title.

Pelle Larsson scored the game-winning bucket for the Heat.

"They did a good job guarding it. We have shooters everywhere and they want to help, and I just made it," said Larsson after the game.

Josh Christopher lead the Heat with 24 points.

Jalen Wilson was named the MVP of Summer League.

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The Detroit Pistons added Gianluca Pascucci to the front office, sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Pascucci previously worked with team president Trajan Langdon while with the Nets.

Pascucci also worked for the Wolves and Bulls.

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Russell Westbrook gave up $1.7 million as part of his buyout agreement with the Utah Jazz, a source tells Keith Smith of Spotrac. The Jazz acquired Westbrook last week as part of a three-year, $17 million sign-and-trade with the LA Clippers for Kris Dunn. Westbrook is expected to sign with the Denver Nuggets.

Westbrook, who is now represented by Jeff Schwartz after parting ways with his longtime agent Thad Foucher in 2022, averaged 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 22.5 minutes over 68 games with the Clippers last season. Westbrook re-signed with the Clippers in 2023 on a two-year, $8 million contract using his Non-Bird rights.

When Westbrook joins the Nuggets, he will be on his sixth team (Thunder, Rockets, Wizards, Lakers, Clippers) since 2019 when he was first traded.

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Antonio Reeves has agreed to sign a three-year, $5.41 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans will have a team option on Reeves for 26-27 and he will otherwise become a restricted free agent in 2027. Reeves, who was the 47th pick in the 2024 NBA draft, is represented by Sam Rose.

In five Summer League games, Reeves averaged 11.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 22.2 minutes.

As a fifth-year senior at Kentucky, Reeves averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 31.4 minutes across 33 games. Reeves is a 6'5 wing who played high school for Simeon Career Academy and was on the Mac Irvin Fire for AAU.

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Kevin Durant will remain on the United States' Olympic roster despite his continued delay in returning from a right calf strain. Durant was held out of the United States' final exhibition game against Germany on Monday. Steve Kerr had hoped Durant would play in one of their exhibition games.

USA Basketball has until Saturday to finalize the roster, and Durant will be on it. Durant practiced last week and his activity level has ramped up.

"There's no thought of replacing Kevin," Kerr said. "I was hoping he would get a game in here, but it just didn't work out that way."

In 22 career Olympic games, Durant has averaged 19.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists. Durant ranks sixth in total points scored in the Olympics and is Team USA's leading scorer with 435. points. Durant helped lead the United States to gold in 2012, 2016 and 2021.

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Russell Westbrook is expected to sign with the Denver Nuggets once he clears waivers following his buyout with the Utah Jazz. Westbrook was traded to the Utah Jazz as part of the Los Angeles Clippers' sign-and-trade for Kris Dunn. Westbrook was previously traded to and bought out by the Jazz in 2023 following his exit from the Los Angeles Lakers.

In joining the Nuggets, Westbrook will play a reserve role and also be a spot starter.

Westbrook, who is now represented by Jeff Schwartz after parting ways with his longtime agent Thad Foucher in 2022, averaged 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 22.5 minutes over 68 games with the Clippers last season. Westbrook's closest tie on the Clippers was Paul George, who also exited the team this offseason. Westbrook picked up his $4 million option with the Clippers to bypass free agency last month.

After the Clippers were eliminated from the playoffs, a report surfaced that Westbrook had interest in leaving the franchise for a bigger opportunity next season. Westbrook and Nikola Jokic have long had interest in playing with each other.

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The Los Angeles Clippers have acquired Kris Dunn in a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz as they send out Russell Westbrook, a second round pick swap and cash. Westbrook will agree to a buyout with the Jazz for the second time in two years and then join the Denver Nuggets.

Dunn will join the Clippers on a three-year, $17 million deal. Dunn, who is represented by Bernie Lee, averaged 5.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 18.9 minutes over 66 games last season with the Jazz.

Westbrook, who is now represented by Jeff Schwartz after parting ways with his longtime agent Thad Foucher in 2022, averaged 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 22.5 minutes over 68 games with the Clippers last season. Westbrook's closest tie on the Clippers was Paul George, who also exited the team this offseason. Westbrook picked up his $4 million option with the Clippers to bypass free agency last month.

After the Clippers were eliminated from the playoffs, a report surfaced that Westbrook had interest in leaving the franchise for a bigger opportunity next season. Westbrook and Nikola Jokic have long had interest in playing with each other.

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Tom Thibodeau and the New York Knicks have yet to agree to a contract extension this offseason despite indications in March, May and June that a deal would be negotiated. Thibodeau has stated his preference of staying with the Knicks.

Sources tell The Athletic that there is no concern for either Thibodeau or the Knicks on the extension front as he is set to enter the final season of his initial five-year contract. Thibodeau is expected to negotiate a salary worth at least $10 million per season as contracts for NBA head coaches has increased dramatically over the past year.

The Knicks have had an unusually busy offseason with their trade for Mikal Bridges followed by a four-year, $156.5 million contract extension for Jalen Brunson. Thibodeau has long standing ties to Leon Rose and William Wesley dating back to when they represented him at CAA before they were hired by James Dolan to run the Knicks.

Following New York's disappointing 21-22 season, Rose resisted calls for the dismissal of Thibodeau. Thibodeau responded by guiding the Knicks to first round series wins in each of the past two seasons.

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The 2024 NBA draft was widely considered one of the weaker classes in recent memory, but it is already proving to be better than expected and mainly just lacking the obvious star power of recent editions such as Victor Wembanyama in 2023. For example, ESPN had Isaiah Collier slotted at No. 1 in their mock in November, but he was ultimately picked at No. 30, which speaks to the flatness of the draft.

Zaccharie Risacher, Alex Sarr, Reed Sheppard, Stephon Castle, Matas Buzelis and Bub Carrington, as well as the older rookies such as Dalton Knecht, Tristan da Silva and Terrence Shannon Jr. all played well to start Summer League.

The skill level of players entering the league has never been higher, a point made by one executive.

"I was never in the group of people that thought this was a historically bad class," one NBA executive told ESPN this week. "Young players nowadays are so specialized from an early age and so exposed to high-level training and competition against their peers and college and NBA players. ... None of these guys are afraid of NBA players anymore because they've matched up against them in open gyms for years. The level of competition in college basketball and internationally is higher than it's ever been."

The depth of the class appears to have been severely underrated.

"Reed Sheppard, for example, has blown me away with his feel for the game and confidence," the executive said. "These guys are different players now than they were in March. Their bodies have gotten better. They are more explosive. And they've all been working on their game like crazy. This is going to be a fun group to follow. ...

"We're already seeing some real steals emerge here in Vegas."

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Jalen Brunson took $113 million less in his extension with the New York Knicks than he could have gotten by re-signing next summer. That was a major sacrifice by Brunson and really helps the Knicks. Some around the NBA think that could start a trend.

Some executives said the new CBA rules, particularly those around the second apron, helped keep spending under control this summer. Teams used the second apron as a de facto hard cap, due to the limitations it can put on a team. This forced teams to prioritize spending in a new way, as opposed to just committing to large luxury tax bills.

As for Brunson, some now think he may have set a precedent by taking less money. Teams could use that as a pitch to other star players as a way to give them roster-building flexibility under the tax aprons.

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LA Clippers front office leader Lawrence Frank praised Russell Westbrook at Summer League in Las Vegas. Even as Frank praised Westbrook, he all but said the veteran guard would be playing elsewhere next season.

"Russ is a tremendous f---ing player. Hall of Fame player. He's one of one for what he's accomplished. Last year was a different role than he's ever played before," Frank said. "Since the time he's opted in and with PG leaving as well, we've kind of worked with his agent to see where there's the best fit for Russ.

"But we got great respect for Russ. He did a terrific job while he was here and we'll continue to work through his agent to see what the best next steps are."

The Denver Nuggets have interest in bringing in Westbrook. However, it appears the Nuggets would rather do so by signing him after a waiver, as opposed to trading for Westbrook's $4 million contract. Denver is dealing with tax and apron concerns, and would prefer to add the veteran point guard at nearly half the cap and tax hit on a veteran minimum deal.

"I think we need some help in the backcourt," Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth told Altitude TV on Tuesday. "We are going to try to continue to identify that and survey the market. We have a roster spot left and I think if we can add a high-level guard, we will be happy with that."

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The NBA piloted a two-day format for the 2024 NBA Draft. If front office executives get their way, the change will be here to stay.

One anonymous executive went in depth on the benefits of having the first round on one day, followed by a break before the second round on the next day.

"Having the ability to regroup after the first night and then meet most of the following day created a great process for our group in determining our next moves. We batted around dozens of trade scenarios, had time to watch a considerable amount of film and conduct additional background calls, map out strategies with agents of two-way and stash candidates we were interested in and ultimately come to a consensus in our group. We executed multiple trades and landed on several players we're excited to have now on our extended roster. There's no way we could have accomplished all that in the chaotic fog of a late night second round with just two minutes between picks."

Some referenced the awkward timing, which saw the second round play out in the afternoon. That seems to have mostly been due to a United States Presidential debate in the evening on Day 2 of the draft.

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WNBA players are expected to make considerably more money beginning with the 2026 season when their new 11-year, $2.2 billion media rights deal begins along with a renegotiated Collective Bargaining Agreement. Players can choose to opt out of their existing CBA by November of this year, which would then terminate at the end of the 2025 season.

The WNBA currently makes approximately $60 million per year from their media rights deals, so that number will increase to $200 million in 2026. The WNBA salary cap is $1,463,200 per team, which is merely $17.5 million of spending on player salaries across the entire league. The league takes in only about 40 percent of its own revenue after the NBA and outside investors get their share, and less than 10 percent of the total revenue actually finds its way into players' salaries under the current CBA, which is a major departure from the roughly 50-50 splits that unions in the NFL and NBA have negotiated.

The WNBA's highest paid player, Jackie Young, currently makes $252,450 per season. The smallest salary outlined in the current CBA was the minimum contract in 2020, worth $57,000 annually. That category will increase to $66,079 in the assumed final year of the CBA in 2025. If salaries triple or quadruple beginning in 2026, some players could reach more than $1 million per season and the minimum salary could be close to the current highest salary.

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Isaiah Thomas was one of five players who worked out for the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The team also worked out Justise Winslow, Will Barton, Hamidou Diallo, and Jaylen Nowell.

The Bucks recently signed Gary Trent Jr. to a one-year deal.

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Orlando Magic co-founder Pat Williams passed away on Wednesday due to complications with viral pneumonia.

Williams was 84 years old.

Williams was involved in the process of bringing the Magic to Orlando in 1989. Williams was the team's general manager until he was promoted to senior vice president in 1996.

"His accomplishments will always be remembered. Armed with his ever-present optimism and unparalleled energy, he was an incredible visionary who helped transform the world of sports in multiple ways. From bringing the Magic to Orlando, to transforming sports marketing and promotions, he was always ahead of the curve," released the Magic in a statement.

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The first part of our look at the Western Conference offseasons, with NO business school grade inflation! A "C" is average folks.

  • Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Denver Nuggets
  • L.A. Clippers
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Golden State Warriors Subscribe to Dunc'd On Prime, the only place to get every episode with Nate & Danny, plus every pod with John Hollinger & Nate as well! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

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YouTubeTV approached Warner Bros Discovery this spring about working together on a joint bid for NBA media rights, reports John Ourand at Puck News. The timing of the approach came after WBD's exclusive negotiating window ended. YouTubeTV had been in the mix for the bid that eventually went to Amazon and wanted a way back into a deal.

Talks between the two parties never became serious, but they didn't completely end either. WBD is on the verge of exercising its match rights option on the Amazon package, but does not appear to be doing so in partnership with YouTubeTV.

WBD believes the combination of its own Max streaming service and its linear television channels should be enough to match Amazon's reach. The NBA is believed to have already moved on from TNT and will battle to do so in the courts if necessary.

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Cory Joseph and the Orlando Magic have agreed to a two-year deal. Joseph is represented by Rich Paul.

In 26 games with the Golden State Warriors last season, Joseph averaged 2.4 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 11.4 minutes. Joseph was traded by the Warriors to the Indiana Pacers at the 2024 trade deadline and subsequently waived.

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The Board of Governors voted 29-1 in approving the NBA's media rights deals with ESPN, NBC and Amazon with the lone "no" coming from James Dolan of the New York Knicks, sources tell Tom Friend of the Sports Business Journal. Dolan had sent a letter to his fellow Board of Governors arguing that the NBA was moving toward a model similar to the NFL where local TV revenue was deprioritized.

Some owners sided with Dolan that the NBA shouldn't point to rising valuations to ease concerns about losing local TV money and sponsorships with the implication being that selling their teams was their best financial recourse.

Sources, however, described the three-hour meeting as a "breeze" as they were also informed that the total value of the media rights package was at $77 billion over 11 years.

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Warner Bros. Discovery intends to match Amazon's "C" package for NBA media rights, sources tell Tom Friend of the Sports Business Journal. The NBA will soon turn over three written contracts to WBD in ESPN's $2.6 billion per year bid, NBC's $2.5 billion per year bid, and Amazon's $1.8 billion per year bid. WBD CEO David Zaslav will have five days to match either NBC or Amazon's bid.

Zaslav believes Amazon's deal that contains alternating Conference Finals, a Thursday package, Friday or Saturday games, NBA Cup, early round playoffs and international rights is the most fiscally responsible package for them. WBD can potentially use its own streaming service, Max, while also airing games on TNT.

The NBA is expected to argue that Max is not the equal to Amazon as the former has a reach of 100 million worldwide compared to 200 million with the latter.

It was initially reported in May that WBD had its sights on the Amazon package should they decide to attempt to match one of the packages as part of their contractual right. The NBA reportedly has struggled to have confidence in WBD's long-term financial viability as the company is worth approximately $17 billion with $40 billion in debt.

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Khris Middleton underwent two successful arthroscopic clean-up procedures to fix lingering ankle issues this offseason. Middleton underwent surgery initially on his left ankle shortly after the season. Middleton later underwent a minor clean up surgery on his right ankle in mid-June.

Middleton was walking without pain or discomfort when he visited his teammates in Las Vegas for Summer League. Middleton is expected to be ready for the start of the 24-25 season.

Middleton missed over a month of action and 16 consecutive games with his left ankle injury before returning to the floor on March 17. Middleton averaged 15.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 27 minutes per game and played in only 55 games. Middleton has two years remaining on the three-year, $102 million contract extension he signed with the Bucks last offseason.

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The contract Miles Bridges signed with the Charlotte Hornets is fully guaranteed for $75 million over three seasons, a source told Keith Smith of Spotrac. The deal contains no incentives or options.

Bridges' contract also declines in value each year:
24-25: $27.2 million
25-26: $25.0 million
26-27: $22.8 million

Bridges, who is represented by Rich Paul, will become an unrestricted free agent again in 2027. In 69 games last season, Bridges averaged 21.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 37.4 minutes.

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If everything were equal, Isaiah Hartenstein would have stayed with the New York Knicks instead of signing with the Oklahoma City Thunder as a free agent. If a team as good as the Thunder hadn't made him an offer, Hartenstein would have even taken less money to stay with the Knicks too. But the combination of everything was too much to pass up.

"I was going to make sure I was set for the rest of my life," Hartenstein said. "But then at the same time, if it wasn't a team like OKC, I would've taken a pay cut because I loved it (in New York). But I now have an opportunity to make that money, make that pay raise, and still compete. I think that was the main factor."

Hartenstein said that Knicks star Jalen Brunson tried to convince him to stay. However, the veteran center said Brunson taking less money to stay in New York wasn't the same as his situation.

"He's kind of in a different situation than I'm in. Already made $100 million (in his career). He's the star player, knows he probably won't ever get traded. So, it's a different situation," Hartenstein said.

The new Thunder center that Brunson's decision showed what kind of leader he is. And that was part of what made it hard to leave New York.

"It was hard. For me, if it wasn't a situation like Oklahoma City with a chance to win, I don't think I would've left. But that money is - you have to think about it, I just had a child so. ... But it was really hard," said Hartenstein. "I love New York. I love the front office, I loved my team. So, it was definitely hard. If it wasn't a situation where I felt like I really had a chance to win, I probably wouldn't have left."

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Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone was interviewed by ESPN during his team's Summer League game on Tuesday. The topic of what the Nuggets roster still needs came up and Malone was quick to answer with his thoughts.

"Somebody to play behind Jamal Murray," Malone said.

Murray is Denver's starting point guard. The Nuggets have been linked to Russell Westbrook of the LA Clippers since free agency opened. Nothing has moved forward with a deal for Westbrook. The Clippers have openly said they are trying to accommodate Westbrook's desire to be somewhere that he can play more.

Malone expressed faith that the Nuggets front office will take care of filling the hole.

"Calvin Booth's all over it," Malone said about finding a backup for Murray.

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The Toronto Raptors and Jamison Battle have signed a non-guaranteed training camp deal. Battle will join the Raptors for training camp, then could join Raptors 905 of the G League after the preseason.

The 6-foot-7 forward went undrafted at the 2024 NBA Draft. As a senior for Ohio State, Battle averaged 15.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. He shot 47% from the field, 43% on three-pointers and 93% at the free throw line.

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The WNBA is set to receive $2.2 billion over 11 years in its next media rights package deal, reported Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.

The league will receive an average of at least $200 million per season, with an opportunity to earn more should it bring in additional partners.

The WNBA's current media rights deal, worth $50 million per year, is set to expire in 2025. Similar to the NBA, the WNBA's national media package is with Disney, NBC, and Amazon.

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A federal judge denied Jontay Porter's request to resume his professional basketball career in Greece.

Porter was looking for permission to play for Promitheas BC in the Greek Basketball League.

Porter, who plead guilty to conspiracy charges related to a betting scandal, is set to be sentenced on December 18.

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The NBA has long been expected to address the possibility of expansion at the conclusion of its media rights negotiations with Seattle and Las Vegas considered the frontrunners. During Adam Silver's media availability on Tuesday in Las Vegas, he addressed the topic and confirmed the NBA's plans to explore the possibility this fall.

"We're not quite done with our media deals yet, but once we are we will turn to consideration around expansion," said Silver. "I will say it is a bit more complicated than it is suggested sometime. Because, just think of the new media deals, for example, once they're completed when you bring in new partners, you're diluting those payments of course to teams. Sometimes it seems as if we're printing money when we expand, but actually it is no different than selling equity in any business. I think there needs to be a fair amount of modeling with the league office working with existing owners and really thinking through the long-term prospects. Again, not just economically but also potential for dilution of talent.

"Having said that, I think we will engage this fall in earnest in the process of making those determinations. Should we expand? And if we were to expand, how many teams should we expand? And what markets should we be looking at?"

The NBA most recently expanded from 29 to 30 teams in 2004 with the addition of the then-Charlotte Bobcats. If the NBA expands to 32 teams with two teams located geographically in the Western Conference, there could be a realignment process with one team in the middle of the United States moving to the Eastern Conference.

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Charles Bassey has agreed to re-sign with the San Antonio Spurs on a one-year, $2.2 million deal. Bassey was recently waived with his multiple non-guaranteed years on his contract. Bassey's contract is now guaranteed for the 24-25 season. Bassey is represented by Adie von Gontard and Daveed Cohen.

Bassey is recovering from a torn ACL and is expected to return during the first half of the season.

In 19 games last season, Bassey averaged 3.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 10.8 minutes.

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Sandro Mamukelashvili has agreed on a one-year, $2.2 million deal with the San Antonio Spurs. Mamukelashvili is represented by George Roussakis and is coming off a one-year, $2 million deal.

In 46 games last season, Mamukelashvili averaged 4.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 9.8 minutes.

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The Los Angeles Lakers have hired Lindsey Harding as an assistant coach. Harding was most recently named G League Coach of the Year with the Stockton Kings. Harding interviewed for the Charlotte Hornets' head coaching job this offseason.

Harding and Redick have a long history that dates back to her years as a player development coach with the Philadelphia 76ers and an All-American at Duke.

Harding joins Nate McMillan, Scott Brooks and Greg St. Jean on the Lakers bench this season.

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Kyrie Irving has undergone surgery to repair a broken left hand. Irving sustained the injury earlier this month while training.

Irving appeared in 58 games last season, averaging 25.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 35.0 minutes. Irving's highest game total output since leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017 came in 18-19 when he played in 67 games.

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Shams Charania's current contracts with The Athletic, Stadium and FanDuel will all expire within the next month or two, sources tell Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post. In 2022, Charania re-signed with Stadium and The Athletic, and added a third with FanDuel.

Charania has been with The Athletic since leaving Yahoo in 2018.

Charania's impending free agency comes amid a changing NBA media landscape with TNT on the verge of losing broadcast rights with NBC and Amazon beginning their partnerships with the 25-26 season.

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Gary Trent Jr. and the Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to a one-year deal. Trent had a limited market as he and the Toronto Raptors were unable to agree to terms on a long-term contract over the past year. Trent is represented by Rich Paul and Lucas Newton.

Trent will fill the vacancy created with the departure of Malik Beasley, who signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Detroit Pistons after playing on the minimum last season.

In 71 games last season, Trent averaged 13.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists while shooting 39.3 percent on three-pointers in 28.1 minutes.

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Patrick Beverley has agreed to sign with Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel.

"They gave me everything I asked for... I couldn't refuse," wrote Beverley on X.

Beverley finished the 23-24 season with the Milwaukee Bucks and has a four-game suspension from the NBA waiting for him if he returns to the league in the future.

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Daeqwon Plowden has agreed to a Two-Way deal with the Golden State Warriors. Plowden is represented by Drew Kelso.

Plowden is averaging 16.6 points on 54 percent shooting and 48 percent on three-pointers in Summer League.

Plowden went undrafted in 2022 out of Bowling Green. In 33 G League games last season, Plowden averaged 11.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 38.8 percent on three-pointers.

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NBC will become home of the NBA All-Star Game beginning with the 25-26 season as part of its media rights deal with the league, sources tell Front Office Sports. NBC would televise the Slam Dunk and Three-Point contests on Saturday and the All-Star Game on Sunday. The 2026 All-Star Game will take place in Inglewood at the Intuit Dome.

TNT and TBS have aired 22 consecutive All-Star Games dating back to 2003. NBC held it before then from 1990 until 2002.

This year's 2024 All-Star Game telecast averaged 5.5 million viewers across TNT, TBS, and truTV.

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Joe Bryant has passed away at the age of 69 after recently suffering a massive stroke. Bryant, the father of Kobe Bryant, was a first round pick in 1975 and played for the Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego Clippers and Houston Rockets before a long career in Europe. Bryant also coached for many years, most notably as head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks.

Bryant played collegiately at La Salle and was one of the legends of Philadelphia basketball.

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The Utah Jazz and Golden State Warriors have reached an impasse, for now, in trade discussions for Lauri Markkanen. That blockage is around the inclusion of Brandin Podziemski and draft picks in a potential deal, according to NBA insider Shams Charania in a recent appearance on Sirus XM NBA Radio.

The Jazz have asked for Podziemski and several unprotected picks and swaps in a trade. The Warriors are open to a deal involving Podziemski or significant draft compensation, but not both.

If Utah is unable to trade Markkanen this summer, which would kick off a full rebuild, they are comfortable extending the All-Star forward's contract. Markkanen can work a renegotiation-and-extension of his deal on August 6 with the Jazz.

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Boston Celtics wing Jaylen Brown was in Las Vegas to watch the Celtics take on the Los Angeles Lakers at Summer League. Brown was asked about a number of topics, including not being asked to play for Team USA at this summer's Olympics in Paris.

"I wasn't surprised, but my reaction was that I was happy for D (Derrick) White," Brown said. "It's dope to have so much of our guys on there, so I was happy for those guys. But I wasn't surprised."

Brown said he believes that Nike influenced the decision to replace Kawhi Leonard with White instead of him. Brown is not a Nike-sponsored athlete, while White is. Brown has also been an outspoken critic of the shoe and apparel company in the past.

"I do for sure," Brown said when asked if he believes Nike influenced the decision. "There will be more stuff to come with that. As of now, I'm not gonna comment on it."

Brown later emphasized that he is happy for his Celtics teammate White on going to the Olympics.

"I called Derrick right away," Brown said. "Just to make sure there's no confusion, my love for you and all of that. He knew that. Me and D-White are good."

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The Houston Rockets are signing forward Jack McVeigh to a two-way contract. McVeigh spent the last three seasons with the Tasmania JackJumpers of the Australian NBL.

In 40 games with Tasmania last season, the 6-foot-8 forward averaged 17.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. McVeigh shot 51.8% from the field, including 42% on 4.5 three-point attempts per game.

McVeigh played three seasons at Nebraska returning to Australia to turn pro. The 28-year-old played his first three professional seasons with the Adelaide 36ers of the NBL.

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The majority of teams with access to the full mid-level exception are not planning to spend the entire amount this offseason, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports.

The Warriors are the only team that spent the full $12.8 million MLE in signing De'Anthony Melton.

Teams instead are looking to save that space to make trades during the season.

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The New York Knicks were interested in Tyus Jones prior to signing Cam Payne, according to Ian Begley of SNY.

The Knicks preferred Payne's playoff experience.

Payne and the Knicks agreed to a one-year, $3.1 million deal.

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In a letter to his fellow NBA Board of Governors, James Dolan criticized the league's impending $74.6 billion media rights deal and revenue sharing policies. Dolan indicated that the new media deal renders Regional Sports Networks as "unviable."

"The NBA has made the move to an NFL model -- deemphasizing and depowering the local market," Dolan wrote in the letter. "Soon, your only revenue concern will be the sale of tickets and what color next year's jersey will be. Don't worry, because due to revenue pooling, you are guaranteed to be neither a success nor a failure.

"Of course, to get there, the league must take down the successful franchises and redistribute to the less successful. This new media deal goes a long way to accomplishing that goal."

Dolan outlined his criticism of what he called the league's plan to retain "...$6 billion (or 8 percent) of the total-NBA related fees....." without "sufficient justification ... nor transparency into how it arrived at the sum, how these fees will be allocated or to what extent the league will utilize this purported revenue growth to incur new and incremental costs and further expand the league's ever growing expense level..."

Dolan made a comparison to the league retaining $15 million (0.5 percent) in the league's current media deal for the 2024-2025 season and expressed a dissatisfaction with an increase of $358 million in 2025-2026 under the league's proposal, according to the letter.

Dolan cited issues with proposed revenue sharing in the league's sponsorship and local television packages too, according to the letter. According to Dolan, the league's "...proposal would also have a negative impact on the value of each member team's local sponsorships," including "...the delivery of camera-visible benefits at as few as 23 home games --- -roughly 20 percent reduction to what was historically provided."

Also, Dolan wrote, "team sponsors/partners would no longer be protected" during national broadcasts, which undercuts the premium that member team sponsors can be charged for being the sole third party promoted in a specific sponsorship category.

"...These changes drastically increase the challenges associated with attracting and renewing vital sponsorship revenue by creating a particularly unfriendly environment for member team sponsors."

In the letter, Dolan concluded: "We trust that our concerns are shared by many of our counterparts across the league, each of whom will be similarly impacted. The league will say that it does not matter because your franchise value will continue to rise; that contemplates you will eventually sell....

"Once again, pride of ownership is what is sacrificed. We are well on our way to becoming a one size fits all, characterless organization. Just remember we did this on the backs of owners like Jerry Buss."

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Lawrence Frank said the Los Angeles Clippers "very disappointed" with USA Basketball's decision to replace Kawhi Leonard on the Olympic team roster last week. USA Basketball implied that Leonard wasn't on the team in a move that was influenced by the Clippers and Team USA officials after seeing him during camp.

"No, it was USAB's call and I was quite frankly very disappointed with the decision," Frank said. "Kawhi wanted to play. We wanted him to play. I was there the first two practices, he looked very good. Was a full participant in everything that they did. I wasn't there for the third practice where ultimately that was the point where they decided to go in a different direction [last Wednesday].

"I expressed to them I really wish that they would've given Kawhi more time."

Frank was asked if Leonard underwent any type of procedures or treatment to his right knee before USA Basketball camp.

"I'm not going to get into the specifics of kind of what's been happening," Frank said. "All I'll tell you is that he spent a great deal of time getting ready for this. He had a really solid progression. He looked good in the practices."

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There has been a decline in unlikely bonuses being included in the contracts of players this offseason, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo. Under the new collective bargaining agreement, unlikely bonuses are counted against the aprons and introduces a complication into trading for those players.

There was an increase in unlikely bonuses in order for players and agents to appear to get larger contract figures than what they were likely to earn. For example, both Jordan Poole and Tyler Herro have unlikely bonuses for winning Defensive Player of the Year.

Cam Johnson has $3 million per season in unlikely bonuses in his four-year, $94 million agreement.

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Seth Curry has agreed to re-sign with the Charlotte Hornets on a one-year deal. The Hornets acquired Curry from the Dallas Mavericks at the trade deadline as part of the PJ Washington deal. The Hornets waived Curry shortly before the start of the offseason. Curry signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the Mavericks during the 2023 offseason.

In eight games with the Hornets, Curry averaged 9.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 19.8 minutes.

Curry is represented by Austin Brown.

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Cam Payne and the New York Knicks have agreed to a one-year, $3.1 million deal. Payne split his time last season between the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks. In 31 games with the Sixers, Payne averaged 9.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 19.4 minutes.

Payne is represented by Jason Glushon.

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Nikola Djurisic sustained a left foot fracture during the Atlanta Hawks' Summer League game on Sunday. Djurisic was the 43rd overall pick in last month's draft.

In two Summer League games, Djurisic averaged 4.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 16.1 minutes.

In 36 games last season, Djurisic averaged 14.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 29.9 minutes with KK Mega.

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Russell Westbrook and the Los Angeles Clippers continue to plan on parting ways this offseason even though he remains in limbo, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic. Westbrook exercised his $4 million player option with the Clippers on the eve of free agency. The Denver Nuggets are considered the frontrunner to sign Westbrook should he be waived by the Clippers and become a free agent. The Clippers, however, continue to pursue trade possibilities involving Westbrook.

Westbrook averaged 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists for LA last season. He finished seventh in Sixth Man of the Year voting after playing 57 of his 68 games off the bench for the Clippers.

Westbrook is represented by Jeff Schwartz.

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Mikal Bridges is expected to sign a team-friendly extension with the New York Knicks similar to the one signed last week by Jalen Brunson, sources tell Marc Stein. Bridges can sign a two-year extension in October or a four-year deal if he waits until the 2025 offseason.

The Knicks traded five first round picks and a pick swap to the Brooklyn Nets for Bridges. The outlay was substantial for the Knicks, but their ability to subsequently sign both Brunson and Bridges to favorable extensions changes the calculus as they will be able to build out and retain their roster in a way that wouldn't have been available to them had both players sought every available dollar in the short-term.

Bridges signed a four-year, $90.9 million extension with the Phoenix Suns in 2021, which immediately became one of the better contracts in the NBA. Bridges can sign a two-year, $72.5 million extension in October, or he can sign a three-year, $112.9 million deal next offseason. Bridges' current deal has no options, so it cannot begin until the 26-27 season. Conversely, Bridges can wait until 2026 when he becomes a free agent to sign a five-year deal worth nearly $297 million at 30 percent of the cap.

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Shortly after the Cleveland Cavaliers season ended in the second round against the Boston Celtics, reports came out about dysfunction within the team. One of the central issues was that star guards Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland hadn't found their footing as a backcourt pairing. It was going so badly that reports said Garland would ask for a trade if Mitchell extended in Cleveland.

However, that's not the truth, according to Garland.

"I don't want to be traded," Garland said. "Those are just rumors."

In fact, Garland has met with Cavs GM Koby Altman, and the topic of a trade has never come up. Garland also reportedly indicated he's happy for Mitchell and happy with Cleveland's hiring of Kenny Atkinson as their new head coach.

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The Chicago Bulls have seemingly leaned into a rebuild this offseason. The Bulls traded veteran guard Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Josh Giddey, and then signed-and-traded veteran wing DeMar DeRozan to the Sacramento Kings.

However, trades haven't been found for Zach LaVine or Nikola Vucevic to really push the rebuilding efforts forward. In fact, there seems to be no market available for either player.

Trade talks for LaVine haven't gone anywhere, and cap space to absorb LaVine's contract has mostly dried up. The market for Vucevic never really developed in the first place, with teams wary of taking on the veteran center's contract.

LaVine is owed $137.9 million over the next three seasons. Vucevic is on the books for $41.5 million over the next two seasons.

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Masai Ujiri joined the broadcast during the Toronto Raptors Summer League on Saturday. After discussing his team's young players, Ujiri was asked about the situation with Sasha Vezenkov. The Raptors acquired Vezenkov this summer in a deal with the Sacramento Kings.

"We're still having that conversation. He had a tough time in the NBA last year. We are trying to figure it out, and what he wants to do. The right decision will be made eventually," Ujiri said. "I think he's a phenomenal player, had a tough season last season, those things happen, great shooter. Whatever happens, we're going to make the best out of this situation. We support him in every way, and we know where our team is going. So, hopefully soon."

Vezenkov reportedly let the Kings know he wanted to be traded to a different team, or to be allowed to return to Europe. After being traded to the Raptors, reports came out that Vezenkov had already agreed to contract terms with Olympiacos in Greece. The soon-to-be 29-year-old forward won't be able to leave Toronto without being waived or working a buyout agreement with the Raptors.

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The New York Knicks know they need to add another center to their roster. The Knicks currently have talented, but oft-injured, Mitchell Robinson as their starter. Behind him is Jericho Sims, who remains best as a third center. The search for a backup, who can also start when necessary, may lead New York to a familiar face.

The Knicks have remained in touch with Precious Achiuwa, about their backup center role. Achiuwa remains unsigned in free agency.

In 49 games (18 starts) after coming over from the Toronto Raptors in the OG Anunoby trade, Achiuwa averaged 7.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 24.2 minutes per game. At 6-foot-8, Achiuwa is undersized for a traditional center, but his strength and athleticism help him hold up against much bigger players.

New York is also looking into acquiring a higher-salaried veteran via the trade market. Those talks were termed as more casual than serious, at this point.

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The Dallas Mavericks have signed Emanuel Miller to a non-guaranteed training camp contract. Miller is playing Summer League with the Mavs and is expected to join them for the preseason.

Miller went undrafted out of TCU at the 2024 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-6 forward averaged 15.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game for the Horned Frogs as a senior.

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The Chicago Bulls waived forward RaiQuan Gray from his two-way contract. Gray was acquired from the San Antonio Spurs as a part of the DeMar DeRozan sign-and-trade to the Sacramento Kings.

In 43 G League games last season with the Austin Spurs, Gray averaged 15.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals.

The Bulls now have one open two-way roster spot.

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The Detroit Pistons have signed rookie Bobi Klintman to a four-year, $8 million contract. The Pistons signed Klintman via the second-round pick exception. The first two years of Klintman's deal are fully guaranteed.

In 26 games with Cairns of Australia's NBL last season, Klintman averaged 10.2 points and 4.7 rebounds in 21.6 minutes per game. The 21-year-old forward played two seasons ago at Wake Forest before going pro in Australia.

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The Charlotte Hornets have agreed to a one-year deal with Taj Gibson. Charlotte is adding Gibson to give first-time head coach Charles Lee a veteran presence on the roster.

The upcoming season will be the veteran center's 16th in the NBA. Gibson split last season between the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons. In Detroit, Gibson was given credit for working with the Pistons young big men.

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Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic is expected to miss the Paris Olympics due to a fractured joint in his left ankle. Jovic had been in a boot, hoping to recover in time to join the Serbian National Team.

Jovic was originally injured during an offseason workout. The hope was that he would recover in time to play in the Olympics, but Jovic was held out of a recent exhibition game against France. Now, it appears that Jovic will miss this summer's games.

Jovic started in 38 of the 46 games he played for Miami last season. He averaged 7.7 points and 4.2 rebounds in the regular season. Jovic then averaged 9.4 points and 6.6 rebounds while starting all five of the Heat's playoff games in the first round.

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Longtime NBA center Mike Muscala is planning to retire. Muscala played for 11 seasons in the NBA. He finished last season with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

For his career, Muscala averaged 5.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. In addition to his two stints with the Thunder, Muscala also played for the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards and Detroit Pistons.

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The Atlanta Hawks signed Keaton Wallace to a two-way deal on Friday.

Wallace has played the last three years in the G League.

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DaRon Holmes suffered a torn Achilles during the Denver Nuggets' summer league opener against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Holmes is likely to miss the entire 2024-25 season.

The Nuggets drafted Holmes with the 22nd pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

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The Detroit Pistons have hired Kevin Burleson as an assistant coach on the staff of JB Bickersaff.

Burleson spoedt the past two seasons as head coach of the Houston Rockets' G League team.

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The Detroit Pistons have hired Luke Walton as lead assistant coach under JB Bickerstaff. Walton spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach under Bickerstaff with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Bickerstaff was hired by th ePistons shortly after his dismissal as head coach of the Cavaliers.

Walton was previously a head coach with the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings.

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Jamal Cain has agreed to a Two-Way deal with the New Orleans Pelicans. Cain appeared in 26 games last season with the Miami Heat, averaging 3.7 points and 1.4 rebounds in 10.0 minutes.

Cain is represented by Mike George and Shayaun Saee.

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KJ Martin and the Philadelphia 76ers have agree to a two-year, $16 million deal.

The Sixers has the ability to exceed the cap to re-sign Martin as they held his Bird rights with a low cap hold.

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Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks have agreed to a four-year, $156.5 million contract extension. Brunson could have signed in 2025 for $269.1 million over five years, which is a difference of $113 million guaranteed and an annual average of $39.1 million against $53.8 million.

Brunson joined the Knicks in free agency in 2022 and was an All-NBA selection in 2024.

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Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors could open discussions on a new contract extension as the franchise would like him to remain with them for the remainder of his career. Curry signed a four-year, $215.3 million extension in 2021 that expires after the 25-26 season.

Curry is eligible to sign a one-year extension for the 26-27 season at approximately $62.6 million. Curry is limited on his extension due to the over-38 rule of the CBA. Curry and the Warriors have until October 21st to extend the extra year, otherwise it could be picked back up during the 2025 offseason.

"That guy can get whatever he wants," said Mike Dunleavy. "All that stuff will get figured out. And Steph will be, I'm pretty confident he'll be a Warrior for life."

Dunleavy also expects extension talks to pick up with Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody.

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The Golden State Warriors have aggressively tried to upgrade their roster, even as the team undergoes a transition. That includes being active in trade talks. And those trade talks include everyone but Stephen Curry from the Warriors side.

"There's very few players in the league who are not talked about in trade discussions. Steph Curry is not being discussed in trade talks. Everybody else is," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said in a recent radio appearance.

Kerr was addressing a rumor that said Golden State might be willing to trade Jonathan Kuminga in a deal for Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz. Kerr's point was that to acquire good players, you need to be willing to trade other good players.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are continuing to look for ways to shed additional salary, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

The team wants to create enough room to use their $5.2 million taxpayer midlevel exception.

The Lakers have been linked with a move for Gary Trent Jr. should they get further away from the second apron.

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Josh Okogie and the Phoenix Suns have agreed to a two-year, $16 million contract. Okogie is represented by Calvin Andrews. Okogie declined his $2.95 million player option for the Suns at the end of June.

In 60 games last season with the Suns, Okogie averaged 4.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 16.0 minutes. Okogie shot 30.9 percent on three-pointers.

Okogie originally joined the Suns in 2022 on a one-year deal.

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Kyle Lowry and the Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to a one-year deal. Lowry joined the Sixers last season after he was traded by the Miami Heat to the Charlotte Hornets and then subsequently waived.

Lowry played rotation minutes for the Sixers after his acquisition.

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The Miami Heat have no intentions of trading Jimmy Butler this offseason. In addition, the Heat are unlikely to extend Butler's contract before the end of this coming season. The leaves both player and team in a potentially tricky situation.

Butler is expected to opt out of his contract following the season to become an unrestricted free agent. The veteran wing would hit the market as a 36-year-old player coming off a max contract. Presumably, Butler would be looking for a three-year max or near-max deal with a contender.

If Butler chooses to leave Miami, he may need their help getting to his chosen destination. Several contenders used up future cap flexibility in deal this summer. That means Butler's best avenue to leave the Heat could be via sign-and-trade. That comes with additional complications, due to sign-and-trade restrictions and teams getting hard-capped at the first or second apron.

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The NBA has finalized contracts with ABC/ESPN, NBC and Amazon that will collectively be worth $76 billion over 11 seasons, sources tell Andrew Marchand of The Athletic. The next step is for the league's governors to approve the agreements with ESPN, NBC and Amazon, which is expected to be a formality. In the current agreement, the ESPN and TNT Sports pay a combined total of $2.6 billion on what is a nine-season agreement.

Once those contracts are finalized, they will be sent to TNT Sports where they could possibly match. If TNT attempts to match, they are expected to target Amazon's package.

Under the new agreements, the NBA will have nationally televised games nearly seen days per week. NBC will have games throughout the full NBA season on Tuesdays. Peacock, NBC's streaming service, is expected to have exclusive telecasts on Mondays. During the entire regular season, Amazon Prime Video is anticipated to have its other games streamed predominantly on Friday nights and Saturdays. Amazon will also pick up Thursdays following the conclusion of the NFL season.

During the NFL season, it will have its games on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, with its Saturday night game being its special ABC window. ESPN will add Friday games after the NFL season.

Proposed National TV Schedule
Monday: Peacock
Tuesday: NBC
Wednesday: ESPN
Thursday: Amazon
Friday: ESPN/Amazon
Saturday: ESPN/Amazon
Sunday: NBC/ESPN

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Kawhi Leonard will not play for the United States in the Olympics and will be replaced by Derrick White. The statement from USA Basketball suggested that the decision was made by the Los Angeles Clippers and the national team.

Leonard has not completed a season for the Clippers since 2020 and there were concerns he would be limited for the United States in the Olympics, or it could jeopardize his availability for the start of the season.

"Kawhi has been ramping up for the Olymplcs over the past several weeks and had a few strong practices in Las Vegas," said USA Basketball in the statement. "He felt ready to compete. However, he respects that USA Basketball and the Clippers determined it's in his best interest to spend the remainder of the summer preparing for the upcoming season rather than participating in the Olympic Games in Paris."

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The Utah Jazz turned down the New York Knicks' offer of two first-round picks for Walker Kessler, reported Ian Begley of SNY.

Begley adds that he does not know what protections the first-round picks had.

Kessler, who is currently with Utah's Summer League team, has two years remaining on his contract.

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The Toronto Raptors signed Ulrich Chomche to a two-year two-way deal.

Chomche was selected with the No. 57 pick in the 2024 draft.

The Raptors sent the Wolves $1 million to acquire the pick.

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Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons have agreed to a five-year, $224 million extension that could be worth as much as $269 million if he makes an All-NBA team this season.

In 62 games last season, Cunningham averaged 22.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 7.5 assists with a PER of 16.9.

Cunningham was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft out of Oklahoma State.

Cunningham is represented by Jeff Schwartz andJames Dunleavy.

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Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum is still basking in the glow of winning the 2024 NBA Finals. The Celtics star is fond of calling any member of the title team "Champ" whenever he greets them. Tatum also has another reason to smile, after signing the richest contract in NBA history this summer.

The Celtics and Tatum agreed to a five-year, $313.9 million contract extension this offseason. Tatum hopes this deal is another step to keeping him with the only NBA home he's ever known.

"For me just to feel wanted, and they want me to be here and want me for the long haul," Tatum said. "I'll spend my whole career here and have got nothing but love for the fans, the city, and the organization. You know, we just won a championship and I want to try to win as many as I can."

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Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri addressed the Sasha Vezenkov situation with the media on Monday. The Raptors acquired Vezenkov from the Sacramento Kings in a trade this offseason.

Ujiri said that he, Raptors GM Bobby Webster, Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic, Vezenkov and his representatives have already talked.

"I think that should develop in the next few days or we'll see whether it's a few months," Ujiri said. "We acquired a player in a trade and we feel we have communicated well. We communicated well with the agent and the team before. And so we'll see how that goes."

Vezenkov reportedly is seeking a return to Greece. The forward has reportedly already agreed to terms with OIympiacos on a new contract. However, the Raptors would first have to waive Vezenkov before he could sign a new contract. Toronto does not seem willing to eat the $6.6 million on Vezenkov's deal for this season.

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The New York Knicks have interest in trading Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler. One challenge is that the Jazz are seeking at least a first-round pick for Kessler.

The Knicks have several protected picks they own, but none of those are projected to deliver particularly enticing picks. All of New York's own picks were traded to the Brooklyn Nets in the Mikal Bridges trades.

Kessler has fallen somewhat out of favor in Utah. He lost playing time throughout his second season, and the Jazz have Kessler currently playing Summer League. New York is seeking depth at the center position. After losing Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency, the Knicks have only Jericho Sims behind the oft-injured Mitchell Robinson.

Kessler has two seasons remaining on his rookie scale contract. That includes this season at a very tradable $2.9 million.

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Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets have made some progress on a contract extension. For now, Murray and Denver have put those discussions aside to allow the star guard to focus on the upcoming Paris Olympics.

Murray is competing for Canada on the senior level for the first time. He's missed previous competitions due to injury. Canada is considered a favorite to medal at the Olympics for the first time since winning a silver medal in 1936.

The Nuggets guard is eligible to sign a four-year, $207.8 million extension this offseason. Murray could delay signing in hopes of making an All-NBA next season. If he did that, Murray would be eligible to sign a new five-year deal worth a projected $313.9 million.

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The Chicago Bulls could attach both second-round picks the team acquired in the DeMar DeRozan trade to sweeten a Zach LaVine deal, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.

The team has been actively trying to trade LaVine this offseason.

The Bulls had previously tried trading LaVine by attaching him to Alex Caruso.

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The trade market for Lauri Markkanen has reportedly "calmed," according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

Markkanen has been linked with a move to several teams, including the Warriors, Kings, and Spurs.

It is believed that Markkanen would also be happy staying with the Jazz.

Markkanen is eligible for a contract extension on August 6.

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The Toronto Raptors are not expected to bring back Gary Trent Jr., according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.

The two sides are meeting in Las Vegas later this week.

The Raptors were willing to re-sign Trent for around $15 million per season. Trent was looking for a raise to around $25 million.

Trent would now be lucky to get a contract for the mid-level exception at around $12.5 million, according to sources.

The Raptors' offer is no longer on the table.

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Haywood Highsmith and the Miami Heat have agreed to a two-year, $11 million deal. Highsmith's deal is fully guaranteed and neither side has an option.

In 66 games last season, Highsmith averaged 6.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 20.7 minutes.

Highsmith, who went undrafted in 2018, is represented by Jerry Dianis and Mason Ashe.

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Daniel Theis has agreed to sign with the New Orleans Pelicans on a one-year, $3 million deal. Theis finished last season with the Los Angeles Clippers following his trade from the Indiana Pacers. In 69 games with the Clippers, Theis averaged 6.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 16.9 minutes.

The Pelicans entered the offseason with a need at center as they had anticipated losing Jonas Valanciunas in free agency.

Theis is represented by Aaron Mintz and Steven Heumann.

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Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard's availability for Team USA for the Olympics was up in the air due to the right knee injury he suffered during the playoffs. Leonard put those concerns to rest and said his knee has improved enough for him to play this summer.

"Yeah. But I took the time, and I was able to turn around over the last two weeks," Leonard said. "So, I'm out here now and, yeah, I'm having a good time."

Leonard touched on how he has to manage his healthy for the remainder of his career. He also added that those who doubt he can still play is a motivating factor for him.

"Yeah, but this is just my journey, so whatever ... I can't lay out the perfect script for me," Leonard said. "Last year, I tried to play as much as possible, felt great. And at a certain period of time, I couldn't go. I tried the best that I could, but it's just my journey. I don't want to be in a situation that I do be in, but I got to take it for what it is. And a lot of people are watching, supporters or doubters, but I motivate a lot of people.

"So, I got to keep doing what I'm doing, and I might be the most known at the time right now, like injury or whatever, but people have, players have worse luck than I have. So just to being able to keep going and keep going is going to motivate the next guy that's watching me. So, I'm going to keep going until I can't."

Leonard declined to talk about Paul George leaving the Clippers. The veteran forward said he has no issues with George's decision, but that he wants to focus on Team USA and preparing for the Olympics.

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While talking about what it means to see Klay Thompson leave the Golden State Warriors, Stephen Curry was asked about his own future with the team. Curry was resolute in his answer.

"Being in one place for my own career, and it's like a broken record, but I know it's really hard to do that," Curry said. "I want to be greedy and say we can be relevant and be in the mix and give ourselves a realistic chance to win while I'm still growing these gray hairs and doing high school visits in the Bay [Area] for my daughter. It's crazy. [It's] just the nature of where I'm at. But yes, all that to say I love the Bay and the Bay is home and I never want that to change."

Curry is set to enter his 15th season with the Warriors. He was two seasons left on his contract through the 2025-26 season.

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Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry didn't mince words about losing Klay Thompson as a teammate. Curry made it clear he had hoped Thompson would stay and that they would finish their careers together.

"We would've loved to maintain the core and finish out together," Curry said. "So, you have to be able to celebrate what we accomplished and be able to move."

Thompson left the Warriors for the Dallas Mavericks via a sign-and-trade move this summer.

After saying "it sucks" to see Thompson leave, Curry said what he wants most is to see his long-time teammate happy again.

"It's something that I never imagined would be a reality, but we want him to be happy," Curry said.

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Greece, Spain, Puerto Rico, and Brazil all qualified for the upcoming Paris Olympics on Sunday.

Group A will feature Austria, Greece, Spain, and Canada.

Group B will include France, Germany, Japan, and Brazil.

Group C will have Serbia, South Sudan, Puerto Rico, and the United States.

The opening round of games start on July 27.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is set to play in his first Olympics of his career.

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Greece has qualified for the Olympics, defeating Croatia by a final score of 80-69. Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had 23 points in the game, will participate in the games for the first time in his career.

Greece will be placed in Group A for the Paris Games and will face Australia, Canada and Spain.

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LeBron James publicly addressed the decision by the Los Angeles Lakers to hire JJ Redick as head coach when speaking to the media after USA Basketball practice on Sunday.

"I'm not involved in the coaching hiring, but I'm excited about JJ," LeBron said. "I'm excited about working with coach [Nate] McMillan. I haven't worked with him since the Olympic run [in 2008]. First time working with coach [Scott] Brooks, looking forward to that. So I'm excited about that. That's been the extent of it all this summer as far as the Lakers."

James and Redick hosted a podcast together during the second half of the 24-25 season.

James signed a below max contract with the Lakers this offseason after offering to take a substantial discount if they could sign a player to make doing so worthwhile.

"Because we are in a relationship and anybody knows relationships, [knows that] it's all about committing," LeBron told ESPN. "It's also about doing things to help both sides. So, we've been in a working relationship going on seven years ... so that's what it's about."

James was willing to take less to sign Klay Thompson, James Harden, Jonas Valanciunas or DeMar DeRozan.

"It takes two to tango," LeBron told ESPN of the Lakers' failed attempts. "I think our front office, our coaching staff, they tried to do the job that they wanted to do or tried to get guys to come and it didn't happen. And that's OK. That's part of the business. I've been in this business long enough to know that sometimes it happens, sometimes it don't.

"So we don't sit here and lie about or cry about it. We move on and Klay's a great player. Obviously DeMar's a great player. Valanciunas was one of those guys who ended up going to Washington, was someone that was in talks with us, but we move on to see how we continue to get better.

"I'm looking forward to this fall when I get back out there."

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The United States beat Italy by a final score of 129-88 to win the 2024 FIBA U17 Men's World Cup gold medal. The Americans have won gold in each iteration of the FIBA U17 Men's World Cup, dating back to 2010.

Cameron Boozer was named MVP of the tournament as he scored 24 points to go with 13 rebounds in the championship game. AJ Dybantsa joined Boozer on the tournament team.

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Kevin Durant missed the opening two days of Team USA's training camp in Las Vegas with a calf strain, sources told Shams Charania and Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

The injury is not considered serious, though Durant might miss Wednesday's exhibition game against Canada.

Team USA open their Olympic campaign on July 28 versus Serbia.

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Devin Carter is set to undergo left shoulder surgery next week, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Carter, who was drafted No. 13 by the Kings, is questionable to return by the start of next season.

Carter is expected to make a full recovery with no long-term issues.

The Kings traded for DeMar DeRozan and signed Jordan McLaughlin on Saturday.

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The Miami Heat signed Isaiah Stevens to an Exhibit 10 contract, the team announced on Saturday.

Stevens, who played for Colorado State last season, is on the team's Summer League roster.

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Vlatko Cancar will return to the Denver Nuggets on a minimum deal, reported Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Cancar averaged 5 points in 60 games for the Nuggets last season.

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LeBron James signed a two-year extension with the Los Angeles Lakers for $101.35 million, sources told Bobby Marks of ESPN.

The deal is $2.7 million below the $104 million max. James' contract places the Lakers below the second apron.

James will have a player option for the second season, along with a default no-trade clause.

The contract takes James through 23 seasons in the league.

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Jordan McLaughlin signed a one-year deal with the Sacramento Kings, reported Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

McLaughlin averaged 3.5 points in 56 games last season for the Wolves.

The Kings also traded for DeMar DeRozan earlier on Saturday.

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The Los Angeles Lakers re-signed Colin Castleton to a two-way contract, sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Castleton appeared in 16 games for the Lakers last season.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder signed Ajay Mitchell to a two-way contract.

Mitchell was the No. 38 pick in the 2024 draft.

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The Chicago Bulls traded DeMar DeRozan to the Sacramento Kings in a sign-and-trade deal involving the San Antonio Spurs. DeRozan will sign a three-year, $74 million contract with the Kings.

The Spurs will receive Harrison Barnes in the deal. The Kings will also send the Spurs a 2031 unprotected pick swap. The Bulls receive Chris Duarte, two second-round picks, and cash.

In 79 games last season, DeRozan averaged 24.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 37.8 minutes. DeRozan also increased his three-point attempts per game to 2.85 while shooting 33.3 percent. DeRozan had a PER of 19.6, which is above his career average of 19.0.

DeRozan, who is represented by Aaron Goodwin, is coming off a three-year, $85 million deal with the Bulls via his sign-and-trade with the Spurs in 2021.

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The Dallas Mavericks' acquisition of Klay Thompson was officially announced on Saturday in a move that featured six teams.

The Mavs, Warriors, Sixers, Nuggets, Hornets, and Wolves all were part of the deal.

The Mavs acquired Thompson and a second-round pick in 2025. The Warriors received Kyle Anderson and Buddy Hield.

The Wolves received a 2025 second-round pick, 2031 second-round pick swaps, and cash.

The Hornets received Josh Green, Reggie Jackson, and second-round picks in 2029 and 2030.

The Sixers received a 2031 second-round pick.

The Nuggets received cash in the deal.

Thompson will wear No. 31 with the Mavs.

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The Los Angeles Lakers hired Greg St. Jean as an assistant coach on J.J. Redick's staff, sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

St. Jean, who was part of Frank Vogel's 2020 title-winning staff, was most recently with the Mavs and Suns.

St. Jean joins Nate McMillan and Scott Brooks on Redick's staff.

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Sidney Lowe will join J.B. Bickerstaff's coaching staff with the Detroit Pistons as an assistant, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Lowe also worked with Bickerstaff as an assistant with the Cavs.

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Dario Saric will sign a two-year, $10.6 million contract with the Denver Nuggets, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Saric will have a player option for the second season.

Saric averaged 8.0 points and 4.4 rebounds last season with the Warriors.

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Johnnie Bryant agreed to become the associate head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Bryant will join the Cavs after four years with the Knicks.

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Simone Fontecchio signed a two-year, $16 million contract with the Detroit Pistons, reported Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Fontecchio averaged 15.4 points in 16 games with the Pistons last season.

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The Charlotte Hornets are waiving Aleksej Pokusevski, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The team also waived Devonte' Graham and Davis Bertans.

The Hornets re-signed Miles Bridges on a three-year, $75 million deal on Saturday.

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Host Danny Leroux talks with Jared Dubin of Last Night in Basketball about the offseason.

They discuss Paul George joining the 76ers, the Knicks trading for Mikal Bridges, the Thunder and Magic "leveling up" with new signings, the second apron as an excuse and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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Davis Fogle announced his commitment to Gonzaga, choosing the program over Creighton and Kansas.

Fogle is ranked as the No. 38 player in the 2025 class.

Fogle has been compared to Austin Reaves by ESPN National Recruiting Director Paul Biancardi.

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Miles Bridges agreed to a three-year, $75 million contract to return to the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.

Bridges averaged 21.0 points and 7.3 rebounds last season.

The Hornets also waived Devonte' Graham and Davis Bertans on Saturday.

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The Memphis Grizzlies hired Tumoas Iisalo as an assistant coach, reported Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.

Iisalo reportedly signed a three-year deal with the Grizzlies.

Iisalo is also set to coach the team during Summer League.

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The Washington Wizards declined Landry Shamet's $11 million team option for next season, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Shamet averaged 7.1 points and 1.3 rebounds last season.

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Greece defeated Slovenia 96-68 in the semifinals of the Olympic qualifying tournament on Saturday.

Slovenia are now eliminated from Olympic contention.

Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 13 points in 21 minutes.

Luka Doncic had 21 points in the loss.

"They played way better than us. They were way more aggressive. I think they have an amazing team. Obviously, they have Giannis. But other pieces are very important for them too. And they're very well-coached. ... They outplayed us today," said Doncic.

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The Charlotte Hornets are waiving Davis Bertans, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Bertans appeared in 28 games for the Hornets last season.

The Hornets also acquired and waived Devonte' Graham.

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Derrick Jones Jr. and the Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to a three-year, $30 million deal.

The Dallas Mavericks entered the offseason prioritizing Jones, but they instead pivoted to Naji Marshall on a three-year, $27 million deal and are also pursuing Klay Thompson.

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Jonas Valanciunas and the Washington Wizards have agreed to a three-year, $30 million deal.

Valanciunas averaged 12.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 23.5 minutes over 82 games last season with the New Orleans Pelicans. Valanciunas spent the past three seasons with the Pelicans.

Valanciunas is represented by Jeff Schwartz.

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Chris Paul and the San Antonio Spurs have agreed to a one-year deal worth $11 million.

In 58 games last season with the Golden State Warriors, Paul averaged 9.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 6.8 assists in 26.4 minutes. Paul and the Warriors agreed to move back his $30 million guarantee date to June 30th as they pursued a trade for Paul George that did not ultimately materialize. Paul is represented by Steven Heumann and Ty Sullivan.

The Spurs had a big need at the point guard position during Victor Wembanyama's rookie season and heading into the offseason that Paul will help fill as a veteran stopgap.

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Eric Gordon has agreed to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. Gordon recently declined his $3.4 million player option with the Phoenix Suns for the 24-25 season to become an unrestricted free agent. Gordon averaged 11 points on 37.8 percent shooting last season with the Suns.

Gordon is represented by Todd Ramasar.

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Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons have agreed to a five-year, $226 million maximum extension. Cunningham is represented by Jeff Schwartz and James Dunleavy.

Cunningham was the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA draft out of Oklahoma State.

Last season, Cunningham averaged 22.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 7.5 assists in 33.5 minutes over 62 games.

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The Los Angeles Clippers met with Paul George's agent, Aaron Mintz, and that conversation resulted in both sides standing firm on their respective positions. Both sides now expect George to likely leave the Clippers in free agency.

The Clippers have maintained a three-year offer to George while he seeks a four-year contract. Kawhi Leonard signed a three-year, $152 million extension with the Clippers in January, which is similar to the type of contract they offered George. The Clippers will begin pursuing other targets with their $12.9 million non-taxpayer midlevel and $4.7 million biannual exception.

The Philadelphia 76ers are now the strong frontrunners to sign George. George will meet with the Sixers in California on Sunday evening.

George joined the Clippers in 2019 in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder involving Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, four unprotected picks and two pick swaps. George has been an All-Star in three of the past four seasons. In 23-24, George played in 74 games and averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 41.3 percent on three-pointers.

George is represented by Aaron Mintz.

The Clippers released the following statement soon after reports of their meeting with George leaked:

"Paul has informed us that he is signing his next contract with another team. Paul is a tremendous talent and an elite two-way player. We feel fortunate for the five years we spent with him. Over that span, he went to three All Star Games, made the most 3-pointers in franchise history and helped lead the team to a place it had never been. His performances in Games 5 and 6 against Utah in 2021 won't be forgotten by anyone associated with the Clippers.

"We traded a lot to pair Paul and Kawhi, and in exchange, we had five seasons of contention. Even though we fell short of our ultimate objective, we appreciate the chances we had with Paul.

"Heading into this offseason, our roster was constructed three great players 33 and over, two of whom could become free agents. We wanted to retain them on contracts that would allow us, under the constraints of the new CBA, to continue building the team.

"We negotiated for months with Paul and his representative on a contract that would make sense for both sides, and we were left far apart. The gap was significant. We understand and respect Paul's decision to look elsewhere for his next contract. We explored an opt-in and trade scenario, but it would have left us in a similar position under the new CBA, with very little asset value to justify the restrictions.

"We will miss Paul. At the same time, we're excited by the opportunities we've now been afforded, including greater flexibility under the new CBA. Kawhi is an all-NBA player and we believe T Lue is the best coach in the league. We will field a highly competitive team this season, and moving forward, use our organizational advantages to bring top talent to Intuit Dome."

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Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and the Orlando Magic have agreed to a three-year deal worth $66 million. Caldwell-Pope will hold a player option for Year 3 of the contract.

Caldwell-Pope leaves the Denver Nuggets after declining his $15.4 million player option for the 24-25 season. Calvin Booth spoke openly about his expectation that the Nuggets would not retain Caldwell-Pope this offseason.

Caldwell-Pope, who is represented by Rich Paul, is one of the NBA's best 3&D wings.

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Andre Drummond and the Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to a two-year, $10 million deal. Drummond will have a player option in Year 2. The Sixers were close to trading for Drummond at the trade deadline.

Drummond, who previously played for the Sixers during part of the 21-22 season, will provide depth at center behind Joel Embiid. Drummond is represented by Joel Bell.

In 79 games with the Chicago Bulls last season, Drummond averaged 8.4 points and 9.0 rebounds in 17.1 minutes.

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Luke Kornet and the Boston Celtics have agreed to a one-year deal. Kornet figures to play a bigger role at the start of the season with Kristaps Porzingis out well into the 24-25 season following his surgery.

Kornet, who is represented by Jim Tanner and Maxwell Wiepking, averaged 5.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 15.6 minutes over 63 games last season for the Celtics.

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Kevin Love and the Miami Heat have agreed to a two-year, $8 million deal. Love first joined the Heat in 2023 after his buyout from the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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Klay Thompson has decided to leave the Golden State Warriors and have begun working on sign-and-trade options. Thompson is coming off a $43.219 million deal. The Warriors previously offered Thompson a two-year, $48 million extension.

The Dallas Mavericks, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers are among the interested teams in Thompson.

Thompson was a first round pick by the Warriors in 2011 and they went on to win four titles together. Thompson, who is represented by Greg Lawrence, is coming off a five-year, $190 million contract agreed upon in 2019 following his ACL tear in Game 6 of The Finals. In 77 games last season, Thompson averaged 17.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 38.7 percent on three-pointers.

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James Harden has agreed to sign a two-year, $70 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers. Harden will have a player option for Year 2 of the deal that could allow him to become a free agent again in 2025. Harden's future with the Clippers was independent of the decision made by Paul George on his own tenure with the Clippers.

The Clippers acquired Harden from the Philadelphia 76ers at the start of the 24-25 season. In 72 games with the Clippers, Harden averaged 16.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 8.5 assists in 34.3 minutes.

Harden is represented by Brandon Grier, Troy Payne and Mike Silverman.

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The Golden State Warriors will waive Chris Paul as they were unable to find a trade using his $30 million salary for the 24-25 season. Paul will become an unrestricted free agent. The Warriors and Paul had moved the guarantee date back from Friday to Sunday.

The Warriors scoured the trade market with Paul's contract and believed they were close to a deal for Paul George. Golden State acquired Paul from the Washington Wizards during the 2023 offseason as they salary dumped Jordan Poole.

In 58 games last season, Paul averaged 9.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 6.8 assists in 26.4 minutes.

Paul is expected to receive interest from the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns. Paul has maintained his Bird rights throughout his career, opting into his contract in 2017 to orchestrate a trade from theClippers to the Houston Rockets. While on his next contract with the Rockets, he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder and then again to the Suns. Paul is represented by Steven Heumann and Ty Sullivan.

Marc Stein reports that the Spurs have "strong interest" in signing Paul.

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Max Christie and the Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a four-year, $32 million deal.

In 67 games last season, Christie averaged 4.2 points and 2.1 rebounds while shooting 35.6 percent on three-pointers in 14.1 minutes.

Christie will have a player option as part of the deal. Christie was the 35th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Christie is represented by Lacy LaFour and Kevin Bradbury.

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The NBA has officially set the salary cap at $140.588 million, which is a small reduction from its final estimate of $141 million.

The luxury tax has been set at $170,814,000 with the first apron at $178,132,000 and the second apron is at $188,931,000.

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The Philadelphia 76ers are working on a scenario where they will be able to sign both Paul George and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency, sources tell Marc Stein. Both George and Caldwell-Pope are unrestricted free agents, which could leave the Sixers to use draft assets to clear further space.

Caldwell-Pope, who is represented by Rich Paul, declined his $15.4 million option with the Denver Nuggets for the 24-25 season. Calvin Booth's public comments this past week suggest the Nuggets are prepared to lose Caldwell-Pope in free agency. Caldwell-Pope is one of the NBA's best 3&D wings, shooting better than 40 percent on three-pointers during each of his two seasons with the Nuggets.

The Sixers can offer George a four-year, $212 million deal. George is seeking a four-year, $221 million contract from the Clippers, but the most they can offer on a three-year deal is approximately $160 million.

Philadelphia is in a unique circumstance with their cap space given the number of players on their roster this past season on expiring contracts plus the $13 million cap hold of Tyrese Maxey, who is expected to sign a max contract once they settle their other transactions this offseason.

Chris Haynes, who hosts a podcast with Marc Stein, reports "there's growing optimism" that the Sixers will receive a commitment from George in free agency.

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The Dallas Mavericks have optimism they will be able to re-sign Derrick Jones Jr. even if they also find a path to acquiring Klay Thompson, sources tell Marc Stein.

The Mavericks created space to use their full midlevel taxpayer midlevel by trading away Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Detroit Pistons. The Mavericks could use Josh Green in a sign-and-trade with the Golden State Warriors to acquire Thompson. Thompson is widely expected to exit the Warriors this offseason with the team amenable to a sign-and-trade scenario.

If the Mavericks lose Green, the newly acquired Quintin Grimes figures to take on a bigger role. Jones emerged as a key three-and-D wing for the Mavericks on their run to The Finals. Jones is represented by Rich Paul.

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The Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers and Paul George engaged in serious discussions on a deal all the way to Saturday's deadline for his contract decision. The Warriors believed multiple times they were on the verge of securing a deal for George, sources tell Tim Kawakami of The Athletic. The Warriors agreed to give George a max four-year extension upon his arrival and proposed several variations of a trade package they believed the Clippers would accept.

George gave strong indications he wanted to join the Warriors, but the Clippers ultimately never agreed to any version of a proposed trade with him now becoming a free agent with the expectation he'll choose between the Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green were completely on board with the plan for the Warriors to acquire George.

The Warriors offered some combination of Andrew Wiggins, Chris Paul, either Jonathan Kuminga or Moses Moody plus one future first round picks. Golden State was never prepared to put both Wiggins and Kuminga together in a trade package.

The financial concerns of a deal were a major factor for the Clippers as they will get out from the second apron and have more roster maneuverability if he walks as a free agent.

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The Utah Jazz have interest in pursuing Paul George this offseason, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. The Jazz have enough cap space and surplus draft capital to attempt to entice George to pick them by simultaneously acquiring one or two more pieces along with him and Lauri Markkanen. The Clippers similarly landed in George and Kawhi Leonard in 2019 when they traded for the former from the Oklahoma City Thunder and then signed the latter in free agency.

The Jazz attempted a similar path last week when they made a trade offer to the Brooklyn Nets for Mikal Bridges.

Utah owns multiple future first round picks from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Cleveland Cavaliers from the Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell trades.

Fischer writes that the scenario "is quite fascinating, although incredibly unlikely George makes it a reality."

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Obi Toppin and the Indiana Pacers have agreed to a four-year, $60 million deal. The Pacers acquired Toppin last offseason from the New York Knicks.

Toppin was set to become a restricted free agent had the two sides been unable to agree to a deal. Toppin is represented by Austin Brown, Mitch Nathan and Sam Rose of CAA.

In 82 games with the Pacers last season, Toppin averaged 10.3 points, 3.9 rebound and 1.6 assists in 21.1 minutes.

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Veteran center Alex Len is staying with the Sacramento Kings. Len and the Kings agreed to a one-year deal for $3.3 million ahead of the opening of free agency.

Len has spent the last three seasons with Sacramento. Each season, Len has finished the year as the primary backup to starting center Domantas Sabonis. The 7-footer is well-regarded for his defense, rebounding and screen-setting ability. Len is also a valued locker room presence for the Kings.

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The Detroit Pistons have hired J.B. Bickerstaff as their next head coach. The decision comes on the eve of free agency opening, where the Pistons project to have more than $50 million in cap space.

New front office leader Trajan Langdon is attempting to remake the Pistons from the top down. He's made several front office changes, and now is bringing in Bickerstaff as the team's new coach.

Bickerstaff was fired by the Cleveland Cavaliers following the Cavs second-round playoff ouster at the hands of the Boston Celtics. In five seasons with Cleveland, Bickerstaff went 170-159 with two playoff appearances. Bickerstaff has also coached the Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies.

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DeMar DeRozan has made no real progress on a new deal with the Chicago Bulls. That means DeRozan is likely to explore his options in free agency.

However, it may not be a quick resolution for DeRozan. The veteran wing may wait to see what Paul George does in free agency, before exploring non-Bulls options. George is set to meet with the LA Clippers, Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers when free agency opens.

DeRozan could be a candidate for the Clippers, if George leaves. DeRozan has been rumored to want to play at home in the Los Angeles area for years.

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There has been very little reported on the type of offers James Harden will receive in his free agency, but a potential offer of the full non-taxpayer midlevel from the Los Angeles Lakers starting at $12.8 million will likely be far less than what the Los Angeles Clippers will offer. The Lakers could afford to offer the full MLE to Harden due to the willingness of LeBron James to take nearly $20 million less on his contract.

"James Harden could get double that to return to the Clippers," said Adrian Wojnarowski of the Lakers' pursuit.

On the eve of the 2023 free agency period, Harden made the surprise decision to exercise his $35.6 million player option for the 23-24 season with the Philadelphia 76ers with the intent to be traded to the Clippers. Harden was finally traded after the start of the season and was largely an impact player for the Clippers.

Harden declined to accept a three-year, $161 million extension from the Brooklyn Nets in 2021 in hopes of signing a four-year, $227 million during free agency in 2022. Harden ended up requesting a trade to the Sixers, declined his $47.3 million option, and instead signed a one-plus-one worth $68.6 million.

The Clippers could still likely pay Harden more than any other team, but it is likely less than what he was anticipating as the franchise attempts to stay under the second apron in the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement environment.

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Barring a last minute change of position, Klay Thompson is set to leave the Golden State Warriors this offseason. The Warriors are amenable to a sign-and-trade scenario with Thompson to get him to his preferred team

"Klay Thompson, I think it's very clear his days in Golden State are over," said Adrian Wojnarowski. "But the Warriors want to help him in a sign-and-trade situation. Perhaps to teams who don't have the cap space for him to be able to get a bigger contract. And if the Warriors can get back some assets in that, they're more than happy [to do that]. And they're going to be on the phones tomorrow trying to help Klay Thompson do that."

The Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers have emerged with interest in Thompson. Both the Mavericks and Lakers could potentially offer their full non-taxpayer midlevel agreement at approximately $12.8 million, but sign-and-trade scenarios could also materialize.

The Mavericks are also interested in re-signing Derrick Jones Jr. alongside Thompson, which would almost certainly require a sign-and-trade to fit both.

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Paul George continues to seek a fourth season in his contract offer from the Los Angeles Clippers as free agency is set to open with him having the opportunity to meet with the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic. George is also wondering how about his chances of winning a title if he re-signs with the Clippers as opposed to the path the Sixers have in the Eastern Conference.

"Paul George has had a year to negotiate a deal with the Clippers that he wants to take," said Adrian Wojnarowski. "And they've gone back and forth, certainly in the last several months. Kawhi Leonard got his extension done: three years, less than the max during the season.

"Paul George wasn't ready to do that and now we are into unrestricted free agency. He wants that fourth year on his contract. The Clippers have not offered it. And certainly he's looking at that Clipper roster and asking himself too, 'Are we a championship contender?'

"All those factors... I think being in Southern California. Being part of the Clippers as they go into new the Intuit Dome. I think those are things that are still very appealing to him.

"But Philadelphia out in the marketplace. Orlando, to an extent, out in the marketplace for him. [The Magic] can offer him that fourth year. And Philadelphia... is there a clear path in the Eastern Conference to try to win? Although you still have to be able to go through Boston, Philly sees Paul George as a player that can help them get through the Celtics."

During a Sports Center appearance early on Sunday morning, Wojnarowski said the Sixers are "a significant threat to lure him away."

The willingness of the Sixers and Magic to offer a fourth season to George is very appealing to him. The Clippers may be entirely unwilling to move off their position of only three seasons.

"What they have not wanted to do is do a fourth year on a Paul George deal," said Wojnarowski. "I think if they had, he might have already committed back there. Certainly, right now, in Philadelphia, in Orlando, their willingness to go to a fourth year makes those very attractive destinations for him. If the Clippers were going to offer that fourth year, they probably would have already. But for Paul George to walk away from L.A., that's home, his family's there. He went back to the Clippers because he wanted to be there. Not easy. He's going to meet with the Clippers, Magic, Sixers late Sunday night and into Monday."

The Sixers and Magic can offer George a four-year, $212 million maximum contract. George is seeking a four-year, $221 million contract from the Clippers, but the most they can offer on a three-year deal is approximately $160 million.

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Patrick Williams and the Chicago Bulls agreed to a five-year deal worth $90 million, sources confirmed to Jamal Collier of ESPN. Williams has a player option for the fifth year.

Williams averaged 9.7 points and 4.2 rebounds in 43 games last season for the Bulls, who selected him with the fourth overall pick in 2020.

Williams, who is represented by Thaddeus Foucher and Joe Smith, would have been a restricted free agent.

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The San Antonio Spurs did not tender a qualifying offer to Dominick Barlow, which will allow him to become an unrestricted free agent. The Spurs will still be among the teams with free agent interest in Barlow.

Barlow appeared in 33 games with the Spurs in 23-24, averaging 4.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 12.7 minutes. Barlow also averaged 21.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.6 blocks in 32.5 minutes across seven G League games last season for the Austin Spurs.

Barlow is represented by Todd Ramasar and went undrafted in 2022 out of Overtime Elite.

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Bol Bol and the Phoenix Suns have agreed upon a one-year deal. Bol was set to become an unrestricted free agent.

In 43 games last season with the Suns, Bol averaged 5.2 points and 3.2 rebounds in 10.9 minutes.

Bol is represented by Thaddeus Foucher.

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DeAndre Jordan and the Denver Nuggets have agreed to a one-year, $3.6 million deal.

Jordan appeared in 36 games last season with the Nuggets, averaging 3.9 points and 4.4 rebounds in 11.0 minutes. Jordan joined the Nuggets ahead of the 22-23 season to give the team veteran depth at center behind Nikola Jokic.

Jordan is represented by Mike Lindeman.

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The Detroit Pistons have waived Buddy Boeheim from his Two-Way contract. Boeheim signed a two-year, Two Way deal with Detroit last season.

In 10 games with the Pistons last season, Boeheim averaged 3.4 points and 1.0 rebound in 9.4 minutes.

Boeheim, who is represented by Drew Gross, will now be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

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Free agent wing Paul George will begin free agency on Sunday afternoon/evening by meeting with three different teams. George will meet with his current team, the LA Clippers, as well as the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic.

The Clippers have full Bird rights for George and can sign him to a four-year, $221.1 million contract. George could also work out an extension with the Clippers prior to the current league year ending at midnight on July 1. In a new deal with LA, George could get a no-trade clause, but he would not be eligible for one by extending with the Clippers.

The Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic would both be suitors for George using their cap space. Both teams are in position to offer George a four-year maximum deal worth $212.2 million.

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James Harden, Klay Thompson and Jonas Valanciunas are among the players the Los Angeles Lakers could target with their full midlevel exception, sources tell Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

James is willing to take less than his three-year, $162 million max contract if the Lakers are able to secure a commitment from an impact players at the full $12.9 million mid-level.

"He is prioritizing a roster improvement," Rich Paul told ESPN on Saturday. "He's been adamant about exuding all efforts to improve the roster."

According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, James would likely need to sign for $33 million in order to fit in the $12.9 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception on the Lakers' books. James will seek the max if they are unable to reach agreement on the MLE with an impact player.

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Richaun Holmes has declined his $12.8 million contract for the 24-25 season with the Washington Wizards and has agreed to a two-year, $25.9 million deal through the 25-26 season. Holmes' contract for the 25-26 season is only guaranteed for $250,000 out of $13.3 million.

The Wizards acquired Holmes at the trade deadline as part of the Daniel Gafford trade with the Dallas Mavericks.

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Damion Lee has declined his $2.85 million player option for the 24-25 season with the Phoenix Suns to become an unrestricted free agent. Lee missed the entire 23-24 season after tearing his meniscus during training camp.

Lee, who is represented by Austin Brown and Dave Spahn, averaged 8.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 20.4 minutes over 74 games during the 22-23 season with the Suns.

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The Golden State Warriors are preparing to lose Klay Thompson in free agency, sources tell The Athletic. Both sides are operating under the assumption that Thompson will end up with another team this offseason.

While the Warriors had hoped to circle back to Thompson with a contract offer after they pursued other trade options, he isn't expected to be waiting to listen. Thompson is determined to find a new team. Thompson and the Warriors have had nearly no communication since the negotiating period opened nearly two weeks ago without an offer being presented.

The Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks are expected to be among the teams to pursue Thompson. The Mavericks have enough space to offer Thompson the full midlevel exception, while the Lakers can also do so if LeBron James takes less than his max. Rich Paul went on record expressing James' willingness to take a below max deal if the Lakers could sign an impact player for the MLE.

The Warriors are open to participating in a sign-and-trade scenario to help Thompson get the type of contract he wants from a team of his choosing.

Thompson, who is represented by Greg Lawrence, is coming off a five-year, $190 million contract agreed upon in 2019 following his ACL tear in Game 6 of The Finals. In 77 games last season, Thompson averaged 17.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 38.7 percent on three-pointers.

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The New York Knicks have decided not to extend the $6.3 million qualifying offer to Precious Achiuwa, which will make him an unrestricted free agent. The Knicks have interest in re-signing Achiuwa, but doing so at $6.3 million would have made a major impact on their ability to stay under the hard cap.

In 49 games after he was acquired by the Knicks from the Toronto Raptors, Achiuwa averaged 7.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists.

Achiuwa, who was the 20th overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, is represented by Raymond Brothers.

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LeBron James will consider signing a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers at a number below his max if the team can receive a commitment from an impact player for the full midlevel exception, confirmed Rich Paul to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. Among the players identified as targets include James Harden, Klay Thompson and Jonas Valanciuans.

If no such player can be found at that number, James plans to sign with the Lakers at his max. A decision on the contract type must be completed by next Saturday when Team USA training camp begins in Las Vegas.

"He is prioritizing a roster improvement," said Paul. "He's been adamant about exuding all efforts to improve the roster."

James will have the ability to receive a no-trade clause as part of his contract instead of signing an extension after opting in. James can sign for up to $160 million over three seasons.

Sources tell Marc Stein that James is hopeful the Lakers will be able to acquire Thompson.

According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, James would likely need to sign for $33 million in order to fit in the $12.9 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception on the Lakers' books.

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The New Orleans Pelicans have acquired Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks for two first round picks, Larry Nance Jr. and Dyson Daniels.

The Pelicans will send the Los Angeles Lakers' first round pick in 2025, plus the least favorable 2027 first round pick between the Pelicans and the Milwaukee Bucks. The Pelicans deferred their acceptance of a first round pick from the Lakers in this year's draft to receive it in 2025.

Murray signed a four-year, $120 million extension with the Hawks during the 2023 offseason. Murray is represented by Rich Paul and cannot become a free agent until 2027 with his player option for 27-28. Murray has the NBA's largest trade bonus at $12 million, which can be negotiated down.

The Hawks entered the offseason widely expected to trade either Murray or Trae Young with this deal clarifying their outlook. Atlanta discussed a Murray trade with the Pelicans at the trade deadline.

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Chris Paul and the Golden State Warriors have agreed to move back his $30 million guarantee date to the start of free agency on Sunday, June 30th. The deadline was originally on Friday.

This decision allows the Warriors to continue to explore trade possibilities such as a deal for Paul George. The Warriors are known to have "legitimate interest" in trading for George, who has until Saturday to opt-in to his contract for 24-25.

If Paul is traded, his $30 million contract becomes guaranteed. If Paul becomes a free agent, his salary for the 24-25 season will surely be far lower than that amount after averaging 9.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 6.8 assists in 26.4 minutes over 58 games with the Warriors.

Paul is represented by Steven Heumann and Ty Sullivan of CAA. George also has a CAA agent in Aaron Mintz.

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The Dallas Mavericks have agreed to trade Tim Hardaway Jr. and three second round picks to the Detroit Pistons for Quinten Grimes. Detroit will take Hardaway into their cap space.

The Mavericks entered the offseason prioritizing a trade of Hardaway in order to offer a significant portion of their $12.9 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception to Derrick Jones Jr. Hardaway fell in and out of the Mavericks' rotation at various times during his tenure with the team. Jones provided better two-way ability on the wing than Hardaway and was a key part of their Finals run.

The Mavericks re-signed Hardaway to a four-year, $72 million contract during his 2021 free agency as he was coming off a strong playoff run. Hardaway is entering the final season of his contract at $16.2 million, or 11.5 percent of the 24-25 salary cap. The Mavericks acquired Hardaway in 2019 from the New York Knicks as part of the Kristaps Porzingis trade.

Grimes is on an expiring $4.3 million contract and was acquired by the Pistons from the New York Knicks at the deadline in the Bojan Bogdanovic trade. In 51 games across the Knicks and Pistons in 23-24, Grimes averaged 7.3 points, 2.0 reboudns and 1.3 assists in 20.1 minutes.

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Immanuel Quickley and the Toronto Raptors have agreed to a five-year, $175 million deal. Quickley's salary in 24-25 will likely be just over $30 million and approximately 21 percent of the salary cap. The Raptors acquired Quickley in December from the New York Knicks as part of the OG Anunoby trade.

In 30 games with the Raptors, Quickley averaged 15.0 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 24.0 minutes in a sixth man role.

Quickley, who would have been a restricted free agent had he reached the open market on June 30th, is represented by Raymond Brothers.

2024 NBA Free Agency Tracker.

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The Denver Nuggets were interested in LA Clippers wing Paul George via an extend-and-trade transaction. The Nuggets would have had to give up Michael Porter Jr., Zeke Nnaji and significant draft capital in a deal.

Talks ended over the draft picks. Denver wasn't willing to move significant draft picks in the deal.

The Nuggets likely would have incurred tax apron issues for years to come by acquiring and extending George in a deal. That makes having draft picks to replenish depth an important part of their roster-building process.

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The Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers are in position to make a move for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

Caldwell-Pope declined his $15.4 million player option with the Nuggets on Thursday.

Sources add that Caldwell-Pope is "more likely than not" to change teams in free agency.

The Mavs would also be interested in Caldwell-Pope, though with his projected salary, they would only be able to acquire him via sign-and-trade.

General manager Calvin Booth said that the Nuggets would be "OK if KCP doesn't return."

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The Los Angeles Clippers have had ongoing contract talks with Paul George as they would like to retain him.

"We've had ongoing conversations with Paul and Aaron Mintz, his agent," said Lawrence Frank. "We love Paul. We very much want to retain Paul. But we also very much understand and respect that this is a business. Players have a finite amount of time to be able to not just make the most amount of money and be able to pursue whatever they want. We hope Paul's decision is to be here.

"But also respect the fact if he chooses to opt-out, that's his choice. He's earned it. We'll see how things play out."

The Clippers and George are at odds over the length of his contract. George is seeking a four-year deal, while the Clippers have reportedly maintained their offer of a four-year deal. Los Angeles previously signed Kawhi Leonard to a three-year, $152 million extension in January.

With George on the precipice of free agency, there are reportedly teams willing to offer him a four-year max. There are also opt-in-and-trade scenarios available to George, but that would have to be determined by Saturday and require the participation of the Clippers.

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The Los Angeles Lakers have selected Bronny James with the No. 55 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Bronny averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 19.4 minutes over 25 games as a freshman at USC. Bronny had an uneven freshman season on a disappointing USC team after recovering from his cardiac arrest last summer.

During the second round, Rich Paul reportedly told teams that Bronny would play in Australia next season if they were to take him. Bronny only held individual workouts with the Lakers and Phoenix Suns.

While LeBron James may no longer have had prioritized playing alongside Bronny, it clearly was preferred by their camp. This will be the first time in NBA history that a father and son will play in the league at the same time.

ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported that the James family and some of their closest friends watched the draft together in New York City. When Bronny was drafted, LeBron made a champagne toast and got emotional talking about their journey leading to this moment.

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The San Antiono Spurs have max cap space and surplus draft picks to make a major transaction this offseason to accelerate their timeline of contention around Victor Wembanyama, but ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that is not their plan.

"They may get their co-star next year. Not this year," said Wojnarowski during ESPN's coverage of the second roud.

Wojnarowski also discussed how the Spurs possess the ability to pursue a player like Paul George with their cap space. Later in ESPN's telecast when addressing George's free agency options, Wojnarowski again mentioned the possibility of the Spurs being in on him.

There have also been links to the Spurs' potential interest in either Dejounte Murray or Trae Young, but there were reportedly no discussions on a deal involving their picks leading to the draft.

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Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets are expected to agree to a four-year $209 million maximum contract extension, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The Nuggets will present the extension offer to Murray offically this offseason. Murray is represented by Mike George and Jeff Schwartz. In 2023, Murray was eligible for a three-year, $144 million extension, which he decided not to sign. Calvin Booth went on the record at the start of the 23-24 season that the Nuggets were prepared to sign Murray to a supermax extension if he were to qualify with an All-NBA berth.

Murray is widely considered one of the NBA's best players to never make an All-Star team. Murray averaged 21.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 6.5 assists in 31.5 minutes over 59 games last season.

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The second round of the 2024 NBA Draft begins at 4:00 PM EST with Kyle Filipowski and Bronny James among the notable names still on the board.

Second Round

  1. Raptors (from Pistons via Knicks and Clippers)
  2. Jazz (from Wizards via Pistons and Nets)
  3. Bucks (from Blazers via Kings)
  4. Trail Blazers (from Hornets via Nuggets, Thunder and Pelicans)
  5. Spurs
  6. Pacers (from Raptors via 76ers, Clippers and Grizzlies)
  7. Pistons (from Grizzlies via Lakers, Wizards, Thunder, Wolves)
  8. Knicks (from Jazz)
  9. Grizzlies (from Nets via Rockets)
  10. Trail Blazers (from Hawks)
  11. 76ers (from Bulls via Celtics, Spurs and Pelicans)
  12. Hornets (from Rockets via Thunder)
  13. Heat
  14. Hawks (from Warriors via Hawks, Rockets)
  15. Kings
  16. Clippers (from Pacers via Grizzlies and Bucks)
  17. Magic
  18. Spurs (from Lakers via Grizzlies)
  19. 76ers (forfeited)
  20. Pacers (from Cavaliers)
  21. Pacers (from Pelicans)
  22. Wizards (from Suns) - Traded to Knicks
  23. Thunder (from Bucks via Pacers, Warriors)
  24. Timberwolves (from Knicks via 76ers, Hornets, Pistons)
  25. Celtics (from Mavericks via Kings)
  26. Lakers (from Clippers)
  27. Suns (from Timberwolves via Thunder, Nuggets)
  28. Grizzlies (from Thunder via Rockets and Hawks)
  29. Suns (from Nuggets via Magic; forfeited by Suns)
  30. Mavericks (from Celtics via Hornets)

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The Los Angeles Lakers are willing to give LeBron James whatever contract type he wants this offseason, including a no-trade clause, reports Shams Charania on the Pat McAfee Show. James can only receive a no-trade clause if he opts out because it cannot be added on as part of an extension. Bradley Beal is the only player in the NBA with a no-trade clause, which he utilized last offseason as leverage to get to the Phoenix Suns.

"It's 51.4 million if he opts in," said Charania. "If he opts out, I mean he can still dictate his contract. It'll be a two-year deal. The Lakers have said it, I've reported it, they're willing to offer whatever LeBron James wants.

"iIf he wants to opt-in and add two years and do a three-tear max $164 million deal, they'll do that. If he wants to opt-out and get a new trade clause, they'll do that. So LeBron James has a franchise that has been very upfront about the fact that they want to bring him back on any term, and that they have interest in drafting Bronny James."

James could sign for up to $160 million over three seasons if he opts out with a no-trade clause, or he could opt-in at $51.4 million and then sign an extension worth $162 million over three season but without the no-trade. James would essentially be giving up $2 million in exchange for the no-trade clause.

James appeared in 71 games last season, averaging 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists and was an All-NBA Third Team selection for the third consecutive season.

James is represented by Rich Paul.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are not expected to trade Austin Reaves this offseason. Reaves has been a coveted potential trade target as the Lakers evaluate their options on a major trade. The Lakers drafted Dalton Knecht at No. 17 and they are expected to keep him as the franchise is believed to have moved off trading future draft capital in a short-term move given the age of LeBron James.

"To set the record straight, the Lakers, I don't see any scenario where they're moving Austin Reaves this offseason," said Shams Charania on the Pat McAfee Show on Thursday. "If anyone has seen the way J.J. Redick has been glowing about Austin Reaves... J.J. Redick wants Austin Reaves to really fulfill his potential. Whether that's been an All-Star caliber player. Whatever it is. He has high hopes for Austin Reaves."

Reaves re-signed with the Lakers last offseason on a four-year, $56 million deal.

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Eric Gordon has declined his $3.4 million player option with the Phoenix Suns for the 24-25 season to become an unrestricted free agent. Gordon averaged 11 points on 37.8 percent shooting last season with the Suns.

Last offseason, Gordon also received interest from the Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks. Gordon became a free agent in 2023 after the Los Angeles Clippers decided not to guarantee his $21 million contract.

Gordon is expected to receive interest on the open market from multiple contenders. Gordon is represented by Todd Ramasar.

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The Houston Rockets have acquired AJ Griffin from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for the No. 44 pick in the NBA draft. Houston is using the $4.5 million traded exception from the Kevin Porter Jr. deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder in order to make this trade.

Griffin was the No. 16 overall pick by the Hawks in the 2022 draft. Griffin appeared in 72 games as a rookie, averaging 8.9 points, 2.1 rebound and 1.0 assist in 19.5 minutes. Griffin appeared in just 20 games last season was was limited to 8.5 minutes per game.

Griffin is owed $3.9 million for 24-25 and the Rockets will hold a $6 million option for 25-26 that is exercisable by October 31. Griffin is represtned by Austin Brown, Steven Heumann and Max Saidman of CAA.

For the Hawks, they create a roster spot and also approach the luxury tax line depending on what they decide to do with Saddiq Bey's qualifying offer.

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The Golden State Warriors have acquired Lindy Waters III from the Oklahoma City Thunder for the No. 52 pick in the 2024 NBA draft. Golden State plans to keep Waters past his $2.2 million guarantee date as a deeper rotation option.

In 36 games last season, Waters averaged 3.6 points in 7.4 minutes while shooting 43.5 percent on three-pointers. Waters' minutes have decreased over each of his three seasons with the Thunder.

Waters is represented by Aaron Turner.

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The Detroit Pistons have acquired Wendell Moore Jr. and the No. 37 pick in the 2024 NBA draft from the Minnesota Timberwolves. The trade follows the selection of two guards by the Wolves in the first round in Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr.

Moore was the 26th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft out of Duke. Moore has appeared sparingly over 54 games during his first two season with the Wolves. In eight G League games this past season, Moore averaged 19.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 35.2 minutes.

Moore is represented by Mike Miller and Josh Hairston.

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Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis will miss the start of next season after undergoing offseason surgery. The Celtics announced Porzingis is expected to miss five-to-six months after having surgery to repair a torn retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon.

That timeline would see Porzingis returning sometime in late-November to late-December. It's likely Boston will be cautious with their starting center, as having Porzingis healthy for another Finals run is the goal.

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Nate and Danny break down all of the major trades, picks and signings involving the teams through the 9th pick in the draft. Part 2 is available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime.

    • Hawks take Risacher
    • 5:26-Wizards picks and trade with Blazers
    • 26:00-Knicks night, re-signing OG and draft moves
    • 35:00-Portland gets Donovan Clingan
    • 39:00-Houston takes Reed Sheppard
    • 43:00-San Antonio takes Stephon Castle.
    • 49:00-Ron Holland to Detroit
    • 52:00-Tidjane Salane to Charlotte
    • 57:00-Minnesota gets Rob Dillingham
    • 107:00-Zach Edey to Memphis
    • 1:13:00-Listener questions from YouTube

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New York Knicks guard Miles McBride underwent surgery on the fifth toe on his right foot. McBride is expected to resume basketball activities later this summer, per the team.

In his third season, McBride became an integral rotation player for the Knicks. He averaged 8.3 points on 45% shooting, including 41% on three-pointers, off the New York bench.

McBride signed a three-year, $13 million extension to stay with the Knicks last season.

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Denver Nuggets GM Calvin Booth met with the media after the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft. Most of the conversation was about the Nuggets trading up to draft DaRon Holmes II, but Booth was asked about the free agency for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

Booth mentioned that the Nuggets have to consider all factors when re-signing a player, as does the player when re-signing with a team. Re-signing Caldwell-Pope would come at a significant financial cost for Denver, as they will be a second-apron team with him in the fold.

"Yeah, I think you have to look at everything and the nature of free agency is that he's unrestricted. So, we can try to bring him back and if he doesn't want to come back or opts to go somewhere else, that's his prerogative so we'll have to work with that," Booth said. "So, I think we're prepared to like plug and play so to speak. When you look at some of the teams that have been good in the past, they had to find a way to replace fourth, fifth starters, sixth men off the bench and still keep rolling. It would be nice if he's back, we'd have a lot of continuity together, but all the stuff I've looked at with lineup stuff and everything, Christian Braun is one of the best net rating guys in the league, as is KCP. So, I think if he's to step into the starting lineup, I would project that we'll be OK if KCP doesn't return."

Caldwell-Pope has a $15.4 million player option for next season. The veteran shooting guard is expected to decline that option to explore free agency, which could include re-signing with the Nuggets.

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Following the Houston Rockets' acquisition of multiple first round picks from the Phoenix Suns via the Brooklyn Nets, there was widespread speculation that Kevin Durant wants to be traded or that the team wants to trade him. The Suns were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves and lack meaningful ways to improve their existing roster.

The Suns would reportedly like the opportunity to evaluate how the team plays under Mike Budenholzer before making any major trade decisions, which was publicly confirmed by James Jones.

"It's the stuff that gets clicks and that everyone wants to talk about, but I think I said it specifically back on May 19th when I was asked are we trading Kevin Durant," said Jones following Wednesday's draft. "I said 'no' then, I'll say 'no' now. I'Il continue to get asked."

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The Houston Rockets received considerable trade interest in the No. 3 pick with both the Portland Trail Blazers and Memphis Grizzlies coveting Donovan Clingan. Sources tell Jake Fischer that the Rockets didn't provide much opportunity to listen to offers on the clock once it was clear Reed Sheppard would be available.

The Rockets had long been targeting Sheppard, who shot 52.1 percent on three-pointers. Sheppard gives the Rockets an elite shooter and playmaker who could be a perfect long-term pairing with Amen Thompson.

Sheppard averaged 12.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 28.9 minutes in his freshman season at Kentucky. Sheppard was not expected to be a first round pick in 2024, let alone No. 3 overall, when he began his college career a year ago as his meteoric rise culminates on draft night.

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Terrence Shannon Jr. fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves at No. 27, but sources tell Jake Fischer that he received consideration as high as the Chicago Bulls at No. 11.

Shannon was a frontrunner for Player of the Year until he was suspended following sexual assault allegations. Shannon was eventually reinstated by Illinois and acquitted in June when the case went to trial. Shannon has maintained his innocence and testified at the trial.

Shannon played in 31 games this season, averaging 23.0 points and 4.0 rebounds. Shannon turns 24 in July.

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The Brooklyn Nets are pivoting to a rebuild after trading away Mikal Bridges and could move several of their veteran players, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Bojan Bogdanovic, Dennis Schroder, Ben Simmons, and Day'Ron Sharpe are mentioned as possible trade candidates.

Sharpe has been linked with a move to the Grizzlies.

The Nets also agreed to a four-year deal with Nic Claxton.

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OG Anunoby had max offers on the table from rival teams before re-signing with the New York Knicks, sources told Ian Begley of SNY.

Other teams could have offered Anunoby a four-year contract worth up to $182 million.

Anunoby instead re-signed with the Knicks on a five-year, $212.5 million deal.

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Mark Termini and his company, Mark Termini Associates, has sued Klutch Sports Group and its founder, Rich Paul, Tuesday in an Ohio federal district for breach of contract. Termini, a longtime agent, worked alongside Paul from 2012 until 2020. Termini claims he is owed more than $4.9 million for unpaid fees and related harms.

Termini says Paul was recruited to provide negotiation services to Klutch Sports. Klutch agreed to pay Termini 25 percent of Klutch and Paul's gross fee on NBA contracts and marketing deals. Termini estimates he negotiated "in excess of $1.4 billion in contracts" for Klutch. Some of the clients Termini negotiated on behalf of include LeBron James, Draymond Green, Ben Simmons, Tristan Thompson and J.R. Smith.

Termini adds that not only did he negotiate contract terms but he "decided the structure and amount of all contract proposals, when to reject an offer, and when to impose a holdout." Termini contends that Klutch began paying him less than what they owed after Paul had established himself in the industry.

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The Chicago Bulls entered the offseason widely expected to re-sign DeMar DeRozan, but they have not discussed a contract during their exclusive negotiation period and appear to be moving toward a rebuild.

"As I said before, we're gonna look at everything," Arturas Karnisovas said when asked about DeRozan. "Everything is on the table. And you know, it's still an option."

Karnisovas had previously been adamant about re-signing DeRozan in his comments to the media, so the new position represents a change. K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago writes Karnisovas' "answer about DeMar DeRozan's potential unrestricted free agency beginning on Sunday spoke volumes."

The Bulls are also shopping Zach LaVine, while they traded Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey last week. Giddey and DeRozan would be an awkward fit offensively.

At the end of the season, it was reported that the Bulls offered DeRozan a two-year, $80 million extension. DeRozan turned it down with his eye on a longer contract.

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Brandon Ingram has widely been expected to be available on the trade market this offseason, but David Griffin downplayed the possibility of the New Orleans Pelicans actually doing so as he's set to enter the final season of his current contract.

Ingram would like to sign a max contract extension, but the Pelicans do not appear to willing to do so at this time.

"Brandon (Ingram) wants to stay here," said Griffin during his post-draft availability. "He believes in what we're building. That's meaningful to us. It's meaningful to him. I think it's meaningful to his agent. At the same time, there's a financial reality that we all deal with. We're excited about Brandon. We know he's excited about us."

Ingram is represented by Jeff Schwartz and Jordan Gertler.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder acquired the No. 26 pick from the New York Knicks for five second round picks.

The Thunder used the selection on Dillon Jones out of Weber State.

New York picks up future draft capital while also reducing their salary cap bill to stay below the hard cap.

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The Phoenix Suns traded out of No. 22 to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for No. 28, No. 56 and two future second round picks. Denver used the selection on DaRon Holmes II, who they were strongly linked to during the predraft process.

With the Suns lacking future draft capital, they were able to trade down six spots while picking up three additional selections.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves acquired the draft rights to Rob Dillingham from the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for a 2031 unprotected first round pick and a top-1 protected 2030 pick swap. The Spurs already own a pick swap with the Dallas Mavericks in 2031, giving them the most favorable of the three selections.

Dillingham is considered one of the most explosive scorers in the draft.

The Wolves previously traded four first round picks and a pick swap to the Utah Jazz during the 2022 offseason for Rudy Gobert, severely limiting their future draft capital.

According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, Minnesota's luxury tax bill will increase from $56 million to $84 million with the addition of Dillingham if they don't make any roster moves.

"He's a guy who, from Day 1, is going to have a role and a responsibility," said Tim Connelly. "Certainly, it's going to be hard for him. But I don't think you're that aggressive in the top-10 with a guy you don't think can play right away."

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The Atlanta Hawks opened the 2024 NBA Draft by selecting Zaccharie Risacher with the first overall pick, followed by Alex Sarr to the Washington Wizards. Risacher and Sarr going first and second was widely expected for several weeks even though there was some suspense over the Hawks' decision at No. 1 as they reportedly narrowed their choices down to Risacher and Reed Sheppard heading into the draft.

Sheppard went No. 3 to the Houston Rockets after they had been linked to multiple trade scenarios. The Detroit Pistons selecting Ron Holland at No. 5 was a surprise considering his struggles with the G League Ignite, but he entered this draft cycle as one of the candidates to go No. 1.

After Donovan Clingan dropped to the Portland Trail Blazers at No. 7, the biggest surprise of the first round occurred when the Minnesota Timberwolves sent an unprotected first round pick in 2031 and a pick swap in 2030 to the San Antonio Spurs for Rob Dillingham.

Dalton Knecht surprisingly fell out of the lottery and all the way to the Los Angeles Lakers at No. 17, while Isaiah Collier fell even further than expected to the Utah Jazz at No. 29.

First Round Results
1. Atlanta Hawks: Zaccharie Risacher
2. Washington Wizards: Alex Sarr
3. Houston Rockets (from Brooklyn): Reed Sheppard
4. San Antonio Spurs: Stephon Castle
5. Detroit Pistons: Ron Holland
6. Charlotte Hornets: Tidjane Salaun
7. Portland Trail Blazers: Donovan Clingan
8. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Toronto and San Antonio): Rob Dillingham
9. Memphis Grizzlies: Zach Edey
10. Utah Jazz: Cody Williams
11. Chicago Bulls: Matas Buzelis
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Houston): Nikola Topic
13. Sacramento Kings: Devin Carter
14. Washington Wizards (from Golden State via Boston, Memphis, Portland): Bub Carrington
15. Miami Heat: Kel'el Ware
16. Philadelphia 76ers: Jared McCain
17. Los Angeles Lakers: Dalton Knecht
18. Orlando Magic: Tristan da Silva
19. Toronto Raptors (from Indiana): Ja'Kobe Walter
20. Cleveland Cavaliers: Jaylon Tyson
21. New Orleans Pelicans (from Milwaukee): Yves Missi
22. Denver Nuggets (from Phoenix): DaRon Holmes II
23. Milwaukee Bucks (from New Orleans): AJ Johnson
24. Washington Wizards (from Dallas and New York Knicks): Kyshawn George
25. New York Knicks: Pacome Dadiet
26. Oklahoma City Thunder (from LA Clippers via Dallas, Oklahoma City, Washington, New York): Dillon Jones
27. Minnesota Timberwolves: Terrence Shannon Jr.
28. Phoenix Suns (from Denver): Ryan Dunn
29. Utah Jazz (from Oklahoma City via Toronto and Indiana): Isaiah Collier
30. Boston Celtics: Baylor Scheierman

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The Atlanta Hawks have narrowed their decision with the No. 1 overall pick to Zaccharie Risacher and Reed Sheppard.

Risacher is believed to be the most likely pick for the Hawks. Risacher has been widely mocked to the Hawks for several weeks.

"Risacher is closing in at the top of the draft board in Atlanta as they get ready to turn in their pick," said Adrian Wojnarowski shortly before the start of the draft.

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Jimmy Butler plans to play out his contract with the Miami Heat and not entertain an extension with them or any other team that possibly would consider trading for him, reports Shams Charania on Stadium. Butler has a player option for 25-26, which would enable him to either become a free agent or could orchestrate an opt-in-and-trade scenario.

Butler would like to remain with the Heat and plans to have an outstanding 24-25 season with his eye toward securing a major contract next offseason.

There has been reported trade interest in Butler from the Philadelphia 76ers amongst other teams. The Heat have shown no interest in considering a trade of Butler, sources tell Charania.

Butler has two seasons remaining on his current maximum contract at $48.8 million in 2024-25 and a player option for 2025-26 worth $52.4 million. In 2025, Butler could sign a four-year max worth $243 million with his incumbent team, or a three-year, $171 million max with a rival team. The Heat can only offer Butler an extension worth up to $113 million over two seasons.

Butler's longtime agent is Bernie Lee.

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Nic Claxton and the Brooklyn Nets have agreed to a four-year, $100 million. The deal will be guaranteed at $96 million.

Claxton averaged 11.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.1 blocks in 29.8 minutes over 71 games last season.

Claxton is represented by Richard Beda, Austin Brown, Steven Heumann and Aaron Mintz of CAA.

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The Phoenix Suns do not currently plan on entertaining a trade of either Kevin Durant or Devin Booker this offseason and want to see how their core could come together after replacing Frank Vogel with Mike Budenholzer. The future of Durant with the Suns has been questioned after the Houston Rockets acquired multiple future first round picks from the Nets that originate with Phoenix.

"What the Suns want to try to do now is give this team a chance under Mike Budenholzer," said Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday afternoon. "See who they are next year, but we know how this league works. If something's not working, players sometimes dictate it. The team dictates it, especially with a group with the age of this team. They're probably not going to get many more cracks to keep this group together as is."

Mat Ishbia also addressed the Durant rumors on Twitter.

"NBA Draft night is the best," wrote Ishbia. "Everyone talking about the drama and storylines, some are right and some are just wrong. My turn. Phoenix loves Kevin Durant and Kevin Durant loves Phoenix, and we are competing for a championship this year because we have the team to do it. Gotta love draft night! Go Suns."

Booker reportedly has no interest in leaving the Suns, while the Rockets could prefer an eventual trade for him rather than Durant given their eight-year age difference. Booker cannot become a free agent until 2028, while Durant is signed through 2026.

Shams Charania reported that "there's a zero percent chance" the Suns will trade Durant.

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The Portland Trail Blazers have acquired Deni Avdija to the Portland Trail Blazers for Malcolm Brogdon, the 14th overall pick in the 2024 draft, the second most favorable of their 2029 first round picks, and two second round picks.

Avdija is signed through 27-28 after agreeing to a four-year, $55 million extension before the 23-24 season. Avdija is on a descending contract.

Brogdon is on an expiring contract for the 24-25 season worth $22.5 million.

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OG Anunoby and the New York Knicks have agreed to a five-year, $212.5 million contract. Anunoby's deal will include a player option and trade kicker. The Knicks acquired Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors in December in exchange for Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett.

In 23 regular season game with the Knicks, Anunoby averaged 14.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks in 34.9 minutes.

Anunoby is represented by Drew Morrison, Austin Brown and Sam Rose of CAA. Anunoby will not reach the open free agent market with his agents negotiating the contract with Leon Rose over the past few days.

Rival teams could have offered Anunoby a four-year contract worth up to $182 million. Anunoby's max with the Knicks would have been worth $245.3 million over five years. Anunoby is signing for almost $33 million less than his max and his first year salary will be at approximately 26 percent of the NBA salary cap.

The Knicks traded for Mikal Bridges on Tuesday evening as they secure two of the best two-way wings in the NBA in Bridges and Anunoby. In the immediate aftermath of the Bridges' trade, it was reported that the Knicks still highly prioritized retaining Anunoby.

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The following is a list of agents representing 20 of the anticipate top selections in the 2024 NBA Draft:

• Zaccharie Risacher: Doug Neustadt
• Alex Sarr: Bill Duffy, WME
• Donovan Clingan: Sean Kennedy, Excel
• Reed Sheppard: Aaron Mintz, CAA
• Stephon Castle: Joe Smith, Thaddeus Foucher, Wasserman
• Devin Carter: NA
• Cody Williams: Justin Haynes, Bill Duffy, WME
• Tidjane Salaun: Jeremy Medjana, Comsport
• Matas Buzelis: Michael Tellem, Excel
• Nikola Topic: Misko Raznatovic, Beo Basket
• Rob Dillingham: Lucas Newton, Klutch
• Dalton Knecht: Mike Lindeman, Excel
• Ron Holland: Justin Haynes, Bill Duffy, WME
• Zach Edey: Kyle McAlarney, Mark Bartelstein, Priority
• Carlton Carrington: NA
• Jared McCain: James Dunleavy, Excel
• Tristan DaSilva: Anthony Coleman, Excel
• Isaiah Collier: B.J. Armstrong, Wasserman
• Ja'Kobe Walter: Jason Glushon, Glushon Sports Management
• Kyle Filipowski: Kyle McAlarney, Mark Bartelstein, Priority Sports

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Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors have agreed to a five-year maximum contract worth up to $270 million if he qualifies for the Rose rule with an All-NBA selection during the 24-25 season. The Rose rule allows players signing a designated rookie extension to receive 30 percent of the cap in Year 1. If Barnes doesn't qualify, his five-year max will be worth approximately $225 million over five seasons.

Agent Bill Duffy negotiated the contract with Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster of the Raptors.

Barnes won Rookie of the Year in 2022 and was named to his first All-Star team in 2022.

Barnes finished the 23-24 season averaging 19.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks in 34.9 minutes over 60 games.

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Kenny Atkinson and the Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to a deal making him their next head coach. Atkinson and the Cavaliers will soon complete contract deals.

Atkinson was one of two finalists for the job along with James Borrego.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have narrowed their decision for their next head coach to two choices. Kenny Atkinson and James Borrego are the two finalists for the Cavs opening, and the team is said to be closing in on making a choice.

Both Atkinson and Borrego have the support of the front office, and the team hopes to make a decision before the NBA Draft on Wednesday. Borrego was the frontrunner, until the front office met with owner Dan Gilbert. In that meeting, Atkinson drew considerable support.

Both Atkinson and Borrego have been head coaches before. Atkinson coached the Brooklyn Nets from 2016 to 2020 and went 118-190 while in charge. Borrego was the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets from 2018 to 2022. He went 138-163 in Charlotte, and also had a 10-20 stint as the interim head coach of the Orlando Magic in 2015.

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The Washington Wizards have the #2 pick as their key decision this offseason, but also have potential trade pieces to abet their rebuild.

25:10-Houston got lottery luck moving up to #3. Who are the best fits there? How do their recent draft successes factor into the possibility of trading for a star and their long-term plan? Should they be thinking of using cap space in 2025?

48:00-Ron Holland of G-League Ignite is another player who is all over everyone's boards, from as high as #1 into the low teens. Nate and Danny have a significant disagreement on him as well.

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Troy Weaver is joining the Washington Wizards front office as a Senior Advisor. The move reunites Weaver with Michael Winger and Will Dawkins, with whom he previously worked with in the Oklahoma City Thunder's front office.

Weaver spent the last four seasons as the Detroit Pistons general manager. Pistons ownership gave Weaver the directive of resetting the franchise, both on the court and on their cap sheet. Several losing years followed, but Weaver did bring young talent into the organization, while cleaning up Detroit's salary sheet.

Weaver has been lauded for his role in scouting over the years, both with Detroit and Oklahoma City. The Wizards are in the early stages of a full-scale rebuild. Weaver will be welcomed as the team looks to add young talent in the coming seasons.

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The Washington Wizards are among several teams interested in trading for Mitchell Robinson, according to Ian Begley of SNY.

The Knicks have reportedly began reaching out to teams regarding Robinson.

Isaiah Hartenstein is expected to re-sign with the Knicks this summer.

Should the Knicks fail to re-sign Hartenstein, the team could be interested in Goga Bitadze.

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The Portland Trail Blazers are expected to listen to offers for several of their veteran players this offseason. Portland is currently set to be over the luxury tax line, and that's not where a rebuilding team can be.

One player the Blazers may move is veteran forward Jerami Grant. Several teams, including the Dallas Mavericks, have checked in on Grant's availability.

Grant is owed $132.4 million over the next four seasons. This upcoming season, Grant is on the books for $29.8 million.

The Trail Blazers are also expected to explore the trade market for Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams III, and potentially Anfernee Simons and Deandre Ayton.

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The Denver Nuggets are declining their team option for Vlatko Cancar for the 2024-25 season. Cancar was set to be on the Nuggets book for $2.3 million for this upcoming season.

Cancar will now head into unrestricted free agency. The 6-foot-8 forward missed all of last season due to a torn left ACL he suffered last summer while playing with the Slovenian National Team.

Denver and Cancar may link back up on a new contract. He's a popular teammate and someone the Nuggets would like to keep. Cancar will could sign a new veteran minimum deal, which would help Denver save a bit off their tax bill for next season.

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Paul George is considered the key free agent "domino" by at least one NBA team. That's a sentiment likely shared by many teams.

If George hits free agency, he's expected to have several suitors. That may be true, even if George takes another path and opts into his contract and seeks a trade. That will open up the market to teams that can't pursue the LA Clippers star in free agency or via sign-and-trade.

One team that may have interest in trading for an opted-in George is the New York Knicks. A lack of cap space, and potential hard-cap issues that would arise via sign-and-trade, would keep the Knicks from pursuing George unless he opts in for $48.8 million for next season.

If George opts in, he'd have to wait six months, but could eventually work out an extension with a new team. An extend-and-trade transaction is also possible, but less likely.

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Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is becoming an increasingly sought after free agent target. If the Denver Nuggets are unable to sign Caldwell-Pope to an extension, the veteran guard is expected to decline his option to become a free agent.

In free agency, the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic are two teams that are rumored to have interest in signing Caldwell-Pope. Both teams should have plenty of cap space to pursue free agents this summer.

The Sixers are undergoing a roster overhaul around Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Caldwell-Pope would fit in perfectly as a premiere 3&D player in their new-look rotation.

Orlando is looking at options at the guard position alongside Jalen Suggs. The Magic have a somewhat limited spending window, before extensions kick in for their younger players in 2025 and 2026.

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Boston Celtics center Al Horford confirmed he would return next season, despite rumors and speculation that he may choose to retire. Horford spoke to the media and said he will be back for next season, which will be his 18th season in the NBA.

"I'm coming back. That's the plan," Horford said. He added that he was going to take some time off and then begin his offseason training for next season.

Horford was asked how long he plans to play, and that he doesn't have a timeframe in mind.

"I feel good. I want to keep it going. I have to be cautious with how I approach the season and go through the season," Horford said. The veteran big man also praised the Celtics medical and training staff with how they managed him throughout the season.

Horford has one season at $9.5 remaining on the two-year extension he signed with Boston in 2022.

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The NBA had been moving increasingly toward small-ball in recent seasons. This was reflected in only one true center being drafted in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft. That followed only three centers being first-round picks at the 2022 NBA Draft.

The 2024 NBA Draft may change that trend. As many as eight centers could be drafted in the first round. This includes both true fives, as well as player who can play either big position.

Donovan Clingan, Alex Sarr and Zach Edey are all locks to be drafted in the first round. Kyle Filipowski, Yves Missi and Kel'el Ware should also be drafted inside of the top-30. Adem Bona and DaRon Holmes II are the final two centers who could be selected in the first round.

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Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic hasn't given up hope of playing for Slovenia in the upcoming Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Doncic will be evaluated by Slovenia's medical staff before being cleared to play in the tournament at the beginning of July.

Doncic finished the NBA Finals dealing with a right knee sprain, left ankle soreness and a thoracic contusion, which require painkilling injections to play. The Mavs star didn't want to talk about playing in the qualifiers following his team's Finals loss to the Boston Celtics.

"I don't want to talk about what's next, man. I have some decisions to make. I'm just trying to get a little bit healthier," Doncic said.

At his postseason media availability, Dallas GM Nico Harrison said he anticipates Doncic suiting up for his national team this summer.

"That's probably one of his biggest joys," Harrison said. "As long as he can walk, he's probably going to play for them. That's my expectation."

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The Golden State Warriors and Chris Paul have discussed extending his guarantee date back from its current date of June 28th into July, sources tell Anthony Slater of The Athletic. For the Warriors, they could continue to keep their trade options available to them as offseason business plays out. If Paul becomes a free agent, he will surely sign for a number far less than $30 million and this increases the possibility of that contract becoming guaranteed. Paul could be incentivized by the Warriors if they make part of that contract guaranteed and later eventually waive him.

Paul has maintained his Bird rights throughout his career, opting into his contract in 2017 to orchestrate a trade from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Houston Rockets. While on his next contract with the Rockets, he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder and then again to the Phoenix Suns.

Golden State is believed to have serious enough interest in exploring the trade market where they are also choosing to wait to engage Klay Thompson on contract talks.

In 58 games last season, Paul averaged 9.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 6.8 assists in 26.4 minutes.

Paul is represented by Steven Heumann and Ty Sullivan of CAA.

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Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is looking forward to getting back on the court. Unfortunately, Morant is going to have to wait a little while longer to get cleared from right shoulder surgery.

Morant had surgery in January to repair a labral tear. The Grizzlies star said he's ready to get back to playing again.

"I hate being around basketball and not being able to play," Morant said. "I don't got too much longer. I can wait to make sure I'm able to play and be cleared when the season comes."

Morant played in just nine games for Memphis last season. After serving a 25-game suspension to start the year, Morant was injured in early-January and missed the remainder of the season.

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The Golden State Warriors plan to let the $8 million contract of Kevon Looney guarantee for the 24-25 season, sources tell Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

Looney's future with the Warriors was one of the more open questions this offseason as only $3 million was guaranteed, which would allow the team to save against the luxury tax. Looney fell out of the rotation behind Trayce Jackson-Davis, but he worked his way back during the final stretch of the season. Looney has lone been one of Steve Kerr's favorite players.

If Looney was released and the Warriors subsequently signed a minimum veteran center, the savings in salary and luxury tax would be minimal.

The Warriors could also use his salary in trade scenarios.

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Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors have "essentially frozen" their talks on a new contract with open free agency a few days away. There is no deal currently on the table from the Warriors and no productive discussions at this point.

The Warriors would like to re-sign Thompson if the contract and role match their vision, sources tell The Athletic. Golden State, however, views his situation as being one they can work on once they explore other potential ways of addressing the roster. The lack of urgency on the part of the Warriors could reflect the way they view Thompson's market.

The Warriors are seeking ways of making a larger update by trading Chris Paul's non-guaranteed $30 million contract. Golden State has discussed the possibility with Paul of extending his guarantee date back from June 28 into July.

Despite some initial mutual interest, there is no traction between Thompson and the Orlando Magic. The rest of Thompson's market is unclear at this point.

Even if the Warriors eventually match or exceed the money and years Thompson is offered from another team, sources say he could choose to leave regardless for a fresh start.

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The Dallas Mavericks are motivated to trade away Tim Hardaway Jr. this offseason. Hardaway is entering the final season of his contract at $16.2 million for 24-25. Hardaway largely fell out of the Mavericks' rotation during the playoffs.

Hardaway appeared in 79 games, averaging 14.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 26.8 minutes.

The Mavericks would like to re-sign Derrick Jones Jr., who became their starting small forward after signing to a minimum deal in the 2023 offseason.

Hardaway is represented by Zach Kurtin, while Jones' agent is Aaron Turner.

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The Chicago Bulls will continue to seek out a trade of Zach LaVine, but his market is believed to be tepid.

While the Philadelphia 76ers and Utah Jazz have been linked with LaVine, sources have told Marc Stein that both teams do not much interest in trading for him.

LaVine is entering Year 3 of a five-year, $215 million contract signed with the Bulls in 2022. LaVine played in just 25 games last season before undergoing season-ending foot surgery. Both the Bulls and LaVine are motivated to find a trade resolution.

Chicago previously attempted to trade away LaVine by attaching Alex Caruso to him. This trade scenario was taken off the board following the Bulls' trade of Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Josh Giddey.

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John Hollinger & Nate Duncan wrap-up the NBA Finals and go through a big docket on the draft and transaction season.

  • How good is Boston historically?
  • What to make of this Dallas season and where they need to get better
  • The Pistons firing of Monty Williams
  • The Siakam and Monk new contracts
  • Caruso for Giddey
  • Evaluating players at the top of the draft:
    • Ron Holland
    • Zaccharie Risacher
    • Stephon Castle
    • Alex Sarr
    • Reed Sheppard
    • Donovan Clingan

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Free agent forward Tobias Harris is expected to leave the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason. Harris wants to move on, and Philadelphia is prioritizing opening up cap space.

The good news for Harris is that he's not expected to have any shortage of suitors in free agency. The Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, New Orleans Pelicans, San Antonio Spurs and Utah Jazz are all expected to have interest in signing Harris this summer.

The Pistons, Spurs and Jazz are all projected to have cap space in the offseason. The Mavs and Pelicans can both potentially offer the Mid-Level Exception to Harris.

Harris averaged 17.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists for the Sixers last season. The soon-to-be 32-year-old forward also shot 48.7% from the field, including 35.3% on three-pointers.

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The Phoenix Suns are open to moving the 22nd pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Phoenix could move back in the draft to pick up additional draft capital, or to add a player via trade.

The Suns also haven't ruled out moving up in the draft if there is a player that they'd like to acquire. This pick is the only one Phoenix owns without conditions attached through 2030. The Suns have either traded or agreed to swap conditions on all of their other first- and second-round picks for next seven drafts.

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In several offseasons with Troy Weaver leading the front office, the Detroit Pistons spent a lot of cap space by absorbing bad contracts from other teams. Pistons owner Tom Gores wants that to change.

"We have to have players who are active. It's not good enough to be a free agent, come over and not play," Gores said.

The Pistons project to have over $60 million in cap space this summer. Detroit can be an active in going after veterans to help lift a team that went 14-68 last season.

Trajan Langdon is starting a new era leading the Pistons basketball operations. He suggested a more open-minded approach to the offseason by saying, "With the cap space we do have, we're looking at taking on contracts and adding assets as well."

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Tim Legler is in discussions with ESPN on a new contract, a source told Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post.

Legler is slated to color commentating for ESPN at Summer League as the network has begun to consider allowing him to call more games. Legler has long wanted to be in the booth more frequently despite his value on Sports Center with Scott Van Pelt. Van Pelt gave him a sendoff after Game 5 of the Finals that led to speculation he could leave ESPN, but it was rather meant as a concession he may not appear with Van Pelt as frequently in the future.

Legler called Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves in May.

ESPN lost one of its lead game analysts this offseason with J.J. Redick exiting to become head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. ESPN isn't expected to make a decision on a replacement for Redick for several months, according to another report.

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The Washington Wizards are believed to be zeroing in on Alex Sarr with the No. 2 overall pick.

"I think No. 2 is pretty much a lock to be Alex Sarr to Washington," said Jonathan Givony on Sports Center on Friday.

Sarr averaged 9.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 18.0 minutes over 30 games this season for Perth. Sarr is represented by Bill Duffy.

Zaccharie Risacher is projected to go No. 1 to the Hawks.

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The candidacy of Kenny Atkinson for head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers is "gaining steam," reports Marc Stein.

James Borrego had emerged as the favorite for the job, but Atkinson is also being strongly considered. Atkinson was fired by the Brooklyn Nets as head coach in 2020 and has since worked as an assistant coach under Steve Kerr with the Golden State Warriors. In 2022, Atkinson agreed to become head coach of the Charlotte Hornets but decided not to ultimately take the job.

Micah Nori is also in contention for the job.

The Cavaliers parted ways with J.B. Bickerstaff soon after they were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics.

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The Utah Jazz could listen to trade offers this offseason on Walker Kessler, rival teams tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Kessler appeared in 64 games in his second NBA season, averaging 8.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 23.3 minutes. Kessler was an All-Rookie First Team selection in 2023.

Kessler is represented by Aaron Mintz, Houston Kessler and Dave Spahn.

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Drew Eubanks has declined his $2.6 million player option with the Phoenix Suns to become a free agent.

Eubanks averaged 5.1 points and 4.3 rebounds in 15.6 minutes over 75 games last season.

Eubanks signed a two-year, $4.9 million deal with the Suns last offseason. Eubanks is represented by James Dunleavy and Max Lipsett.

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The Los Angeles Lakers pursued a trade for Dejounte Murray trade during the 23-24 season and they have reportedly maintained an interest in him still.

"One name they did pursue last season at the trade deadline that I think teams around the league expect to come up again in trade conversations over the next week or so, and makes sense for the Lakers, is Dejounte Murray with the Hawks," said Shams Charania on Friday's episode of the Pat McAfee Show. "The Lakers have maintained a level of interest in Dejounte Murray over the last several months."

The Hawks face a decision both at No. 1 in the draft, but also what direction they go in with either keeping Murray or Trae Young. The Hawks could make that determination based on the value of both players on the trade market.

Murray and the Hawks signed a four-year, $120 million extension during the 2023 offseason. Murray is represented by Rich Paul and cannot become a free agent until 2027 with his player option for 27-28.

Young has three seasons and $138 million remaining on his five-year, $215 million max contract signed in 2021. Young is represented by Aaron Mintz and Drew Morrison of CAA.

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The Charlotte Hornets are open to sign-and-trade possibilities with Miles Bridges as he becomes a free agent this offseason. Bridges could command an annual salary in the $30 million range. Bridges played on the $7.9 million qualifying offer as he came off his domestic violence suspension. Bridges turned down a four-year, $60 million extension offer form the Hornets in 2021 and was set to sign a nine-figure deal in 2022 until his felony domestic violence arrest.

The Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings are among the teams with interest in Bridges ahead of the 2024 trade deadline. The Nets discussed a package centered on Ben Simmons for Bridges.

Bridges averaged 21.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 37.4 minutes over 69 games last season after sitting out the 22-23 season.

Bridges is represented by Rich Paul.

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The New York Knicks have contact opposing teams about a potential Mitchell Robinson trade, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Isaiah Hartenstein is a free agent this offseason and is now generally expected to re-sign with the Knicks. The Oklahoma City were rumored to have interest in Hartenstein, but they're more likely to pursue a reserve big man to support Chet Holmgren. Hartenstein would play an outsized role at a larger cap figure.

Robinson is represented by Thaddeus Foucher and Joe Smith. Robinson cannot become a free agent until 2026 after signing a four-year, $60 million deal in 2022.

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Speaking on ESPN's Get Up, Brian Windhorst said Paul George and the Los Angeles Clippers could be headed for a breakup. The Clippers haven't budged off their offer to George, and the All-Star wing doesn't seem inclined to accept it.

Windhorst said that the focus shouldn't just be on cap space teams for George as a free agent. Instead, he said it's more likely that George will opt-in and request a trade, if he's leaving the Clippers this offseason. The maneuver is similar to the one Chris Paul utilized in 2017 to join the Houston Rockets. This strategy would increase the pool of teams that could acquire the veteran wing, beyond just the handful of cap space teams this summer. The Philadelphia 76ers, who have cap space, are believed to be moving onto options beyond George.

The Clippers also reportedly don't believe that George wants to leave Los Angeles. They are believed to have offered a similar deal to the three-year, below-max extension worth $152 million over three seasons that Kawhi Leonard signed with the team during last season. George is eligible for up to a four-year, $221.1 million deal with the Clippers.

The New York Knicks could be a team with the assets to pull off a trade for George, which Windhorst explained during an appearance later in the morning on First Take.

"They've got a whole bevy of trades that they can make with their draft picks, plus they have tradable pieces on their roster," said Windhorst. "Their front office has done a great job to do this, specifically Bojan Bogdanovich, who has a team option for around $20 million in his contract. They could pick that up and use it with the draft picks as a big trade piece. You could add another big piece there.

"That's why people are talking about the possibility of Paul George going to the Knicks. The Knicks, if Paul George wanted it, could manufacture a trade without too much sweat and still keep their core pieces together."

George is represented by Aaron Mintz of CAA.

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The 2024 Mock Offseason is here. Kevin Pelton of ESPN, Danny Leroux, and Dan Feldman control the 30 teams, and Nate Duncan is the player agent as they game out the offseason. In Part 1, each GM lays out the goals for their team. Then, Donovan Mitchell weighs whether to extend with Cleveland or evaluate potential trade suitors, Paul George decides whether to remain in LA or explore other cap space destinations, OG Anunoby weighs his offers, and LeBron James hammers out a deal.

Use the code mockoffseason2024 to get 25% off Dunc'd On Prime to hear Part 2.

Use code mockoffseason2024 to get 25% off on Dunc'd On Prime through July 3. It's the only place to get four more episodes per week of Nate & Danny, plus every pod with John Hollinger & Nate as well! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

Subscribe on YouTube to see our hilarious faces and, more importantly, see the key moments from the pod each week.

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The Orlando Magic's interest in signing Klay Thompson may be getting a little overstated. Orlando does have interest in Thompson, but on a more limited basis than some of the speculation.

The Magic reportedly would offer Thompson an enhanced version of the contract they gave Joe Ingles last summer. Ingles signed a two-year, $22 million contract, with a team option for the second season. Orlando is willing to give Thompson a similar shot-term contract, presumably for more money. Thompson is reportedly seeking a long-term deal this summer.

The Magic project to have nearly $50 million in cap space to spend this summer. That puts Orlando in place to make major moves this summer to bolster a young roster that made the playoffs last season.

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The chance of a fourth NBA media rights package is "as dead as it can be," according to John Ourand of Puck (h/t Sports Media Watch).

Sources cite the chances of the league creating another package at around 1%.

A fourth package was seen as a way for Warner Bros. Discovery to keep a piece of the NBA.

Ourand reports that a fourth package would have led to the other three bidders to renegotiate lower fees than their current offer.

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Rafael Stone and Ime Udoka are reportedly "fans" of Marcus Smart, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

The Grizzlies, along with the Hornets and Blazers, are looking to acquire the No. 3 pick in the upcoming draft from the Rockets.

Donovan Clingan and Reed Sheppard are said to have separated themselves on the Rockets' draft board.

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The Charlotte Hornets, Memphis Grizzlies, and Portland Trail Blazers are looking acquire the third pick in the upcoming draft from the Houston Rockets, sources told Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

The Hornets and Grizzlies reportedly have been "rather aggressive" in trade talks.

Ime Udoka and Rafael Stone are said to be fans of Marcus Smart.

Should the Rockets keep the pick, Donovan Clingan and Reed Sheppard have separated themselves on the team's board.

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The Dallas Mavericks are "intent" on keeping Jared Dudley on their coaching staff, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

Dudley is reportedly a candidate to join J.J. Redick's staff with the Lakers.

Dudley is seen as a key figure on Jason Kidd's staff.

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Malik Monk and the Sacramento Kings have agreed to a four-year, $78 million contract. Monk's contract includes a player option in Year 4. With a starting salary of $17.4 million, Monk will be earning 12.3 percent of the 24-25 salary cap of $141 million.

The Kings offered Monk the maximum they were allowed under the collective bargaining agreement. Monk was set to become an unrestricted free agent, but the Kings secure a commitment from their Sixth Man before he could hit the open market.

Monk averaged 15.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 26.0 minutes over 72 games last season. Monk finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting behind Naz Reid. Monk's season ended prematurely due to a sprained MCL.

Monk first joined the Kings in 2022 on a two-year, $19 million deal after establishing himself as a productive scorer with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Monk is represented by Jeff Schwartz and Marcus Monk.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder are acquiring guard Alex Caruso from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for wing Josh Giddey. The Thunder are adding a defensive-minded presence to their mix, while the Bulls add a younger, playmaking wing to their roster.

Both Caruso and Giddey are in entering the final years of their contracts. The Thunder are reportedly interested in extending Caruso's deal before he hits unrestricted free agency next summer.

The Bulls will have an opportunity to offer Giddey a rookie scale extension. If no deal is reached, Giddey will be eligible for restricted free agency in the summer of 2025.

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The Philadelphia 76ers' interest in pursuing Paul George has "significantly waned in recent days," sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

George is one of the most coveted potential free agents on the market and he has yet to sign an extension with the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Sixers are expected to aggressively pursue other acquisition possibilities with its salary cap flexibility and draft capital leading to next Wednesday's NBA draft.

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Dan Hurley emerged as a candidate to become head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers on June 6th. Beyond Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka, the Lakers' interest in Hurley was kept tight-lipped. Hurley was offered a six-year, $70 million deal

According to The Athletic, several people inside the Lakers and externally wondered about the "true overall genuineness of the pursuit and whether the franchise had been used by Hurley to get more money to stay at Connecticut."

Sources say Jeanie Buss was "highly motivated" for the Lakers to hire Hurley and was "genuinely disappointed" he didn't accept their offer.

The Lakers eventually circled back to J.J. Redick, who was hired as head coach on Thursday.

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J.J. Redick has agreed to become the next head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers on a four-year contract, sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Redick was offered the job by Rob Pelinka on Thursday morning.

According to The Athletic, Redick will make approximately $8 million per year on the deal.

The Lakers and Redick plan on surrounding him with an elite coaching staff to help his learning curve in what is his first coaching job. Redick previously interviewed with the Toronto Raptors in 2023, and with the Charlotte Hornets during this coaching cycle. Redick's only coaching experience has been with his son's youth basketball team.

Redick had been linked to the Lakers' job since May when they parted ways with Darvin Ham. James Borrego and Dan Hurley were the other leading candidates for the job. Hurley was reportedly offered the job on a six-year, $70 million deal that he declined in order to remain at UConn. Sam Cassell, Micah Nori, David Adelman and Chris Quinn also conducted virtual meetings.

Redick hosted a podcast with LeBron James during the second half of the 23-24 season. James is currently expected to become a free agent and re-sign with the Lakers on a multi-year deal.

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J.J. Redick and the Los Angeles Lakers have yet to reach agreement on a deal for him to become their next head coach, but that continues to be the most probable outcome.

"I know that everybody has really gotten into their feelings about this coaching search, and it has certainly been a long process, but as far as I have been told, the Lakers are still on path to hire J.J. Redick," said Brian Windhorst on First Take on Thursday. "It is not a done deal. That's the most important thing. Do I think it'll be a done deal? Yes, I do. I do think there's some negotiation that has to happen between the sides, but I expect it to come together. But, I would not make the assumption on anything because I've seen too much with this coaching search. As far as I know, as of what I know right now, Monty Williams is not being considered here. And so this is going to be, I guess, J.J. Redick, and I would guess relatively soon, but um don't get ahead of yourself, just let it play out."

The Lakers are expected to have a resolution with their head coaching search by at least the draft.

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The Chicago Bulls have discussed as many as 15 different Zach LaVine trade proposals to various teams including the Sacramento Kings, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers and Utah Jazz, sources tell K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

Both LaVine and the Bulls would like to resolve his future with a trade this offseason. The Bulls are facing a luxury tax bill if they re-sign DeMar DeRozan and Patrick Williams without trading away LaVine in a way that saves them money.

LaVine underwent season-ending foot surgery before the All-Star break, leading him to finish the 23-24 season with the Bulls.

The Bulls and LaVine agreed to a five-year, $215.2 million contract during the 2022 offseason.

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The Los Angeles Clippers were widely expected to sign Paul George to a contract extension fairly soon after they reached agreement on a three-year, $152.4 million deal with Kawhi Leonard earlier this year. With George about to become a free agent and expected to receive a four-year max offer from at least the Philadelphia 76ers, the fact he hasn't signed an extension yet with the Clippers has become a puzzling situation.

George's cleanest path to a new team would be to the Sixers or Orlando Magic as they both have enough cap space to sign him outright. An opt-in-and-trade scenario would open up other options for George such as the New York Knicks or Miami Heat.

"I want to talk about the Clippers real quick," said Brian Windhorst on First Take on Thursday morning. "The Clippers are doing something very fascinating right now and I don't fully understand what it is. You do not need to be an NBA insider to realize that Paul George has options out there as a free agent. And I want to say 'if', because he doesn't necessarily have to be a free agent, he has an option in his contract, and I think if he wanted to be traded somewhere he could use that as an opt-in-and-trade, but that's a different topic.

"We know that the 76ers are interested. This is not a mystery. We know there's other teams that would be interested including maybe the Orlando Magic. There isn't a doubt right now that sometimes a player says 'Hey, I want a certain number.' And you're, like, 'Well, where are you getting that number?' It's just a posture. Paul George doesn't have to posture. He has legitimate other offers and yet here he is still a free agent. Why? He's from L.A. He wants to be a Clipper. He has extended with them in the past. They were last year, before Kawhi [Leonard] got hurt again, as formidable as a team in the Western Conference. There was a time where we thought they were a finalist favorite when they were healthy.

"Why, why have they not made that offer? They know he's got other options and what we're led to believe is that the offer that they made to Kawai, which was three years and $150 million. By the way, it's not just the annual money, it's also the years. If I'm 35-year-old Paul George, I want five years from the Clippers, I'm eligible to get five years, I want all five, or at least four. Why aren't they doing that? They have to know that he can walk on them for nothing, so why?"

Windhorst suggests there's a scenario where the Clippers could embark on an extensive reset if George leaves in free agency by also choosing not to re-sign James Harden.

"And also when it comes to the Clippers, James Harden is sitting there," said Windhorst. "James Harden is a free agent at the end of the month. What about Harden? If Paul George walks, you could let Harden walk and start half your team over. You'd be a cap space team. They have multiple options. The Clippers could still sign Paul George on July 1st. They could sign Paul George this afternoon, but the fact that they are not seemingly reacting to what his market clearly is, is something to pay attention to. It's a bit of a fascinating development."

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The Los Angeles Lakers have yet to make a formal offer to J.J. Redick, who is widely considered the most likely candidate to become their next head coach. Redick interviewed with the Lakers in Los Angeles between Games 4 and 5 of The Finals last weekend.

"They've only offered the job to Dan Hurley," said Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday evening. "And then the Lakers pivoted back to J.J. Redick. What Rob Pelinka had with Redick at the combine was kind of a 90 minute 'get to know you.' Not digging real deep but just talking and then they brought him to L.A. last weekend and he went through the more formal interview process.

"And Redick has talked with Rob Pelinka since then. I know Pelinka has talked with other another candidate or two since Redick's interview this week. But what's really left for the Lakers and J.J. Redick at this point is for the Lakers to make an offer, which they haven't quite done yet."

James Borrego is the only other publicly known serious candidate for the Lakers. Monty Williams is not expected to emerge as a candidate at this point in the process following his sudden firing by the Detroit Pistons. Hurley, however, was not a known candidate until he was quickly offered the job following reports of their mutual interest two weeks ago.

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Mario Hezonja took to social media to share his own update on his future. Hezonja wrote on X:

"Real Madrid believed in me when many didn't, cared for me and my family since the first day I arrived and made us feel at home. My only intention was to stay so I am happy to communicate to you that I will continue my journey at MY HOME, MY REAL MADRID for a long time!"

Hezonja will be staying with Real Madrid. It would seem that Hezonja is signing a long-term deal with the Spanish club, by the phrasing he used in post.

The former first-round pick was rumored to be considering a return to the NBA. Instead, Hezonja will stay with Real Madrid, where he's played the last two seasons.

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The Milwaukee Bucks reportedly would like to play a more versatile style of defense next season, which could lead to Brook Lopez being available via trade this summer. With Doc Rivers beginning his first full season as head coach, they could look to change their schemes.

Lopez has one season left on his deal at $23 million. He's also heading into his age-36 season. Despite his age, Lopez has remained productive player, as he averaged 12.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game last season.

Lopez nearly signed with the Houston Rockets during his 2023 free agency.

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The Boston Celtics are expected to sign Jayson Tatum and Derrick White to contract extensions this offseason, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

Tatum is eligible for a five-year, $315 million extension, which league circles view as inevitable.

White's extension is also regarded as "near-certain," according to Stein.

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The Toronto Raptors are still planning on how to move forward with Bruce Brown's $23 million team option for next season, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

The Raptors have until June 28 to make a decision.

The team is expected to pick up Brown's option and look for a trade.

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Monty Williams is still processing getting fired by the Detroit Pistons and is not yet ready for another coaching role, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Williams had five years left on his deal with the Pistons.

"Monty Williams was blindsided today with his dismissal," said Wojnarowski.

Wojnarowski added that Williams could have played a role in the Lakers' search if he were available earlier.

"I'm told that he is not ready to necessarily just jump right into another job ... he wants to coach again, but I think it's pretty raw today," added Wojnarowski.

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Julia Koch and her children bought a stake in BSE Global, which owns the Brooklyn Nets, the New York Liberty, and the Barclays Center.

Financial terms were not disclosed. The league's board of governors must still approve the deal.

The Kochs will buy 15% of BSE Global, according to Sportico.

With BSE Global valued at $6 billion, the Kochs would have paid $900 million.

Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai will still control BSE Global.

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Cameron Brink suffered a torn ACL in her left knee during the Los Angeles Sparks' game on Tuesday. Brink was the No. 2 pick in the WNBA draft and entered Tuesday's game averaging 8.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game.

Brink appeared to slip while driving to the basket in the first quarter of the game.

Brink was expected to participate on the United States 3x3 team in this summer's Olympics.

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LeBron James and Bronny James appear to have reached a place where they are more interested in what is best for their individual careers at this point of time rather than becoming teammates in a suboptimal situation.

LeBron James could become a free agent this offseason, which has led to speculation that a team drafting Bronny could also acquire LeBron.

"LeBron is off this idea of having to play with Bronny," Rich Paul told ESPN on Wednesday. "If he does, he does. But if he doesn't, he doesn't. There's no deal made that it's guaranteed that if the Lakers draft Bronny at 55, he [LeBron] will re-sign. If that was the case, I would force them to take him at 17. We don't need leverage. The Lakers can draft Bronny, and LeBron doesn't re-sign. LeBron is also not going to Phoenix for a minimum deal. We can squash that now."

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Rich Paul has confirmed Bronny James has worked out individually for just the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers at this point and that is is part of Klutch Sports' strategy for his client.

"This is nothing new," Paul said. "The goal is to find a team that values your guy and try to push him to get there. It's important to understand the context and realize that this has always been the strategy with many of my clients throughout the years, especially those in need of development like Bronny. My stuff is by design."

Paul previously steered clients to preferable designations such as Talen Horton-Tucker to the Lakers in 2019 and Brandon Boston Jr. to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2021.

"Bronny is the same as my previous clients," Paul said. "I got the word out early to teams that if you plan on bringing Bronny in, here's what you need to know: If you won't give him a real deal, there's nothing to talk about. It's hard to get real development on a two-way deal.

"I don't care about him going to the Lakers, or Phoenix, or about what number he gets picked. It's about fit."

Paul added that the Minnesota Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks and Toronto Raptors are interested in James.

"There are other teams that love Bronny," added Paul. "For example, Minnesota, Dallas, Toronto. If it's not the Lakers, it will be someone else. Minnesota would love to get Bronny in, but I don't know who their owner is going to be. [Mavs GM] Nico Harrison is like an uncle to Bronny. If the Lakers don't take him at 55, Dallas would take him at 58 and give him a guaranteed deal. Masai [Ujiri, Raptors president], loves him. They could take him without even seeing him at 31. Workouts aren't everything for these teams."

James is likely done with any workouts.

"Lakers and Phoenix, that was it," Paul said. "There could be last-minute stuff, if someone calls me late. We'll see."

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Gary Payton II has opted-in to his $9.1 million player option for the 24-25 season with the Golden State Warriors.

Payton signed a three-year, $28 million deal with the Portland Trailblazers during the 2022 offseason and was then traded back to the Warriors at the 2023 trade deadline for five second round picks. Payton will be a free agent in 2025 unless he signs an extension.

In 44 games last season, Payton averaged 5.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 15.5 minutes.

Payton is represented by Aaron Goodwin.

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The valuation of the average WNBA team has hit $96 million, according to Sportico. The Las Vegas Aces headline the valuations at $140 million, followed by the Seattle Storm at $135 million, and the New York Liberty at $130 million.

The teams are collectively worth $1.16 billion, including real estate and assets related to the franchises, such as practice facilities.

Mark Davis purchased the Aces from MGM International in 2021 for $2 million. Davis has subsequently invested in the franchise including a $40 million practice facility. The Aces and Storm each had revenue totals in 2023 approaching $18 million.

The WNBA valuations are at a revenue multiple of 7.3, which trails the NBA, MLS and NFL, but ahead of the NWSL, MLB and NHL.

2024 WNBA Franchise Valuations
1. Las Vegas Aces: $140 million
2. Seattle Storm: $135 million
3. New York Liberty: $130 million
4. Phoenix Mercury: $105 million
5. Chicago Sky: $90 million
6. Indiana Fever: $90 million
7. Los Angeles Sparks: $85 million
7. Minnesota Lynx: $85 million
9. Connecticut Sun: $12.9 million
9. Washington Mystics: $80 million
11. Dallas Wings: $75 million

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The 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks was the lowest rated and least-watched Finals of any non-COVID season since 2007. The five-game series averaged a 5.8 rating and 11.31 million viewers, which was down five percent in ratings and three percent in viewership from last season's series between the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat.

The 2007 series between the San Antonio Spurs and Cleveland Cavaliers averaged 9.29 million viewers.

Monday's clinching Game 5 averaged a 6.3 rating and 12.22 million on ABC, down 9% in ratings and 7% in viewership from last year's Game 5 clincher (7.0, 13.08M).

The full NBA playoffs averaged a 2.4 and 4.53 million, down 11 percent and 12 percent respectively from last year (2.7, 5.12M) and down 7 percent and 5 percent respectively from 2022 (2.6, 4.77M).

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Host Danny Leroux and draft expert Sam Vecenie of The Athletic and the Game Theory podcast preview the 2024 NBA Draft.

They discuss the Hawks' decision at #1 plus the overall top of the draft, which players Sam and Danny are higher and lower on than the general consensus, how the playoffs affected their thought process and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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James Borrego will be among the candidates for the Detroit Pistons head coaching vacancy. Borrego has interviewed with the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers during this head coaching cycle.

Borrego is currently the top assistant coach of the New Orleans Pelicans. Borrego was previously a head coach with the Charlotte Hornets.

Trajan Langdon, who was hired away from the Pelicans to run the Pistons' front office this offseason, overlapped with Borrego in New Orleans.

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The Detroit Pistons have dismissed Monty Williams as their head coach. Williams spent one year with Detroit, going 14-68, including an NBA record 28-game losing streak.

Williams is owed more than $65 million over the next five years. The Pistons gave Williams the then largest contract for a head coach in NBA history when they hired him last offseason. Williams had planned on sitting out last season after he was fired by the Phoenix Suns, but the Pistons' financial offer was ultimately too lucrative to pass up.

New President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon was said to be undergoing a thorough evaluation of both the coaching staff and the roster before making any decisions. The ultimate decision to move on from Williams was made by Pistons ownership.

Williams was reportedly "blindsided" by the decision by the Pistons to fire him.

Detroit will now have a third coach in as many seasons, after Dwane Casey was re-assigned following the 2022-23 season and Williams was let go after one year. The Pistons also have decisions to make with the roster, including extension discussions with Cade Cunningham and how to use a projected $64 million in cap space this offseason.

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Pascal Siakam and the Indiana Pacers have agreed to a four-year, $189.5 million contract. That is the maximum salary Siakam could get on a four-year deal with Indiana.

The Pacers acquired Siakam ahead of last season's trade deadline. Indiana sent the Toronto Raptors three first-round picks, Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora and Kira Lewis Jr. in exchange for the All-Star forward.

In 39 games with Indiana, Siakam averaged 22.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists. He proved to be a great fit alongside Tyrese Haliburton and in the Pacers up-tempo system.

Siakam is represented by Todd Ramasar and Jaafar Choufani.

2024 NBA Free Agency Tracker

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Donovan Clingan could have an interesting 2024 NBA Draft night. Clingan is rumored to be in consideration to be drafted by the Atlanta Hawks with the first overall pick. If the UConn center isn't drafted first by the Hawks, he could fall a bit further down the board.

One thing that could stop a slide for Clingan is a team trading up to draft him. Several teams are considering trading up for the 7-foot-2 center, if he's not selected with the first two picks by the Hawks or Washington Wizards.

The Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, and Charlotte Hornets hold the third through sixth picks. None of those teams are in the market to draft Clingan. That could put them in position to trade back with a team that needs a young center. The Memphis Grizzlies are known to have interest in Clingan, and he's unlikely to still be on the board when Memphis picks with the ninth overall pick.

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The Atlanta Hawks will soon work out Zaccharie Risacher, who is now the favorite to be picked first overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. Atlanta holds the first overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. The Hawks have been unable to schedule a workout for Alex Sarr.

Sarr is considered by many to be a contender to be the first player picked. Atlanta and Sarr could still schedule a workout before next week's draft.

As it stands right now, the Hawks seem to be deciding between Risacher and Donovan Clingan with the first pick. Risacher has consistently been considered a potential top pick. Clingan has risen slightly in the weeks leading up to the draft.

Atlanta has also been rumored to be considering trading back in the draft. One popular spot is dropping to the fourth pick, which is currently owned by the San Antonio Spurs. Some have speculated the Spurs could move up to draft Risacher to pair him with Victor Wembanyama for years to come.

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Veteran guard Sergio Rodriguez has announced his retirement. Rodriguez played professionally with various teams across various leagues for the last 21 seasons.

Rodriguez spent most of his career with Real Madrid, split over two stints with the club. This includes the last two seasons, where he was a backup for the 2023 EuroLeague champions and the 2024 runners-up.

Rodriguez spent five years in the NBA. He played for the Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings and New York Knicks from 2006 through 2010. Rodriguez then returned to the NBA and played for the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2016-17 season.

During his 21-year career, Rodriguez collected several accolades. He won the EuroLeague three times and was named EuroLeague MVP in 2014. He also won several team and individual honors with teams in Spain, Russia and Italy.

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The Philippines submitted their roster for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament and there was a notable absence. Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson was not included in the roster. Clarkson played for the Philippines in last summer's FIBA World Cup.

Head coach Tim Cone said he's relying on the same core group of players that took part in the FIBA Asian Cup 2025 Qualifiers in February. That group did not include Clarkson, as he was playing with the Jazz at the time of that tournament.

"This tournament (FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers) is preparation for the next one. We're building chemistry, building our style of play, figuring out our philosophy, and trying to create a buy-in with the players," Cone said at the time.

"That's what this one is all about for us. Winning is important, but honestly less important than doing those things because that's gonna bring us to the next one and make us grow," Cone added.

The Philippines will take part in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Latvia. They are in Group A with Latvia and Georgia. The winner of the group will play Brazil, Cameroon or Montenegro for a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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Canada's Investigation and Enforcement Bureau opened an investigation into the betting scandal involving Jontay Porter on Tuesday.

Four people have been charged with wire fraud in the United States involving two Raptors' games that took place on January 26 and March 30.

Porter has yet to be formally charged.

Porter was banned from the NBA on April 17.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are looking at options at the center position this summer, sources told Ian Begley of SNY.

The Lakers, who have the 17th pick in the upcoming draft, are scheduled to work out Zach Edey.

J.J. Redick remains the frontrunner as the next head coach of the team.

The Lakers are also expected to make sure that Anthony Davis is aligned with the next head coach.

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J.J. Redick met with the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday between Games 4 and 5 of the Finals. Redick and the Lakers have yet to reach agreement on a deal.

"J.J. Redick went in to L.A. on Saturday and had in-person meetings for multiple hours with the Lakers' brass, with Rob Pelinka [and] ownership as well," said Shams Charania on the Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday. "I'm told his meetings on Saturday were very impressive. All the characteristics you see in J.J. Redick, that you could envision in J.J. Redick, those all shine there."

While the Lakers reportedly made a contract offer to Dan Hurley, Charania maintains Redick has been the frontrunner throughout the process.

"Listen, as far as where his situation and where he stands in this process, I said it May 24th, I said it June 4th, and his status as a frontrunner to be the next Lakers' coach has not changed since those dates. It has not changed now," said Charania.

"I think what the Lakers are doing now... Rob Pelinka and what that group is doing now is taking the next few days after the NBA Finals now that J.J. Redick is done with his Finals duties and now finally get to making a decision and getting to it as far as a head coach. They do want to have their head coach in place by the draft. The draft is next week, so the last thing you want to do is be going through a coaching hire on draft week. So time is of the essence for the Lakers."

Some people close to Redick have asked him whether he's sure he thinks coaching the Lakers is a good idea. According to Charania, Redick wants the challenge that comes with being an NBA head coach and with the Lakers.

"At the end day, he has to want to coach really badly, and from what I'm told, he does," added Charania.

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After winning their first championship together, Jayson Tatum reflected on what Jaylen Brown went through hearing his name in trade rumors over the years. Tatum acknowledged that he never had to go through that personally as the Boston Celtics were clearly never going to trade him, while Brown's standing was a little less clear.

"It would bother me," Tatum said. "Not talking from a pedestal, but I didn't necessarily know what that felt like. But I could just imagine all the hard work that he put in. I saw it every day. Even the strongest-minded person, that would affect you at some point. So I always felt for him in that regard.

"I think now that maybe I could have been better. I never said too much. I always have stayed out of that."

Brown's future with the Celtics was clarified last offseason when he signed a supermax extension.

"The whole Jayson-Jaylen discussion in the national media is laughable to all of us," Stevens said. "I think Jaylen said it best with his line a few weeks ago where he said, 'I don't have the time to give a f---.'"

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The New York Knicks acquired OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors in late December and the widespread expectation has been that he will re-sign with the team and not test free agency.

"Let's keep an eye on that," said Brian Windhorst on Get Up on Monday morning about Anunoby becoming eligible to discuss a new deal with the Knicks. "Most people believe Anunoby will stay with New York, but there have been indications he may want to test the market, because he's not thrilled with what the Knicks are offering."

"I heard that internally as well," replied Jay Williams.

Anunoby left Klutch Sports to sign with CAA last June. Anunoby's agents Drew Morrison, Austin Brown and Sam Rose. Sam Rose is the son of Knicks' lead decision maker Leon Rose.

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The Golden State Warriors were one of eight teams to pay the luxury tax during the 23-24 NBA season at $176.9 million. The 22 teams below the luxury tax threshold will receive $11.96 million apiece.

Luxury Tax Teams
• Golden State Warriors: $176.9 million
• Los Angeles Clippers: $142.4 million
• Phoenix Suns: $68.2 million
• Milwaukee Bucks: $52.5 million
• Boston Celtics: $43.8 million
• Denver Nuggets: $20.2 million
• Miami Heat: $15.7 million
• Los Angeles Lakers: $6.9 million

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One of the best organizations in the NBA is finally rewarded with an elusive championship. What path did they take to get to this point, and how did the players, coaches, and organization evolve along the journey? Plus, where does this Boston team rank historically after dominant regular and postseasons?

What do we make of the Mavericks season after a great run ended with a loss in the Finals?

French big man Alex Sarr's itinerant path from Spain to Overtime Elite to Australia has him in contention for the number 1 pick. How do Nate and Danny think he stacks up, and what are his big strengths and weaknesses?

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Al Horford was the active player with the most playoff games played without an NBA title. The Boston Celtics 2024 NBA Finals victory took Horford off that list forever.

In the aftermath of the Celtics title win, Horford was asked how long he plans to keep playing. He didn't commit to anything, but Horford said he's not planning on retirement yet.

"For me, I never really put a timeframe on it," Horford told ESPN. "I want to make sure that I feel healthy, that I'm enjoying what I'm doing and for me, thankfully, I have my wife's support and my family's. That's a big deal to me. ... I feel like I've been asked this for a few years now and I feel good, I want to keep playing. Why not keep going? I don't want to limit myself."

Horford has one year remaining on the two-year extension he signed with the Celtics a year ago. Multiple Boston teammates called Horford out as the player they are most happy for with the team winning the championship.

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The Boston Celtics are expected to offer Jayson Tatum a five-year, $315 million supermax extension. This contract will top the one Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown signed a year ago as the richest in NBA history.

Tatum and his agent have reportedly yet to discuss the possibility of an extension.

Tatum signed a rookie scale max extension with the Celtics after the 19-20 season.

The Celtics are also expected to try to work out a contract extension with Derrick White. All of Boston's top-eight rotation players are under contract through the 2024-25 season.

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Jeff Van Gundy has agreed to join Ty Lue's staff as the Los Angeles Clippers' lead assistant coach. Van Gundy spent the past season as an advisor with the Boston Celtics.

Van Gundy was an NBA assistant coach for seven years before becoming the head coach of the New York Knicks. After seven seasons as the Knicks head coach, Van Gundy coached the Houston Rockets for four years.

Van Gundy then spent over a decade with ESPN, eventually working as part of the network's top broadcast team. He was let go after last season, before joining the Celtics as an advisor to both the coaching staff and the front office.

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Providence center Oswin Erhunmwunse reclassified into the class of 2024 on Monday.

Erhunmwunse was the No. 31 prospect in the 2025 class.

Erhunmwunse is also ranked as the No. 2 center in the country.

"Oswin has the ability to score the ball in a number of ways and is dominant on the defensive side of the ball. Most importantly, he has an infectious personality and he will be great fit for the culture of our program," said Kim English.

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The Boston Celtics opened as +280 favorites to win the 2025 NBA title at ESPN BET.

The Nuggets have the second shortest odds at +650, with the Wolves coming in at +850.

The Mavs are at +1000.

The Celtics defeated the Mavs in Game 5 to win the 2024 NBA title. Jaylen Brown was named the MVP of the finals.

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Kristaps Porzingis plans to have surgery on his injured left leg, which will require a recovery process over a "few months."

Porzingis suffered a torn medial retinaculum allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon in his left leg in Game 2.

Porzingis, however, returned to play in Game 5 as the Boston Celtics closed out the 2024 NBA Finals over the Dallas Mavericks.

"Of course," Porzingis told ESPN, when asked if he was concerned about making his injury worse by playing on it. "I think something could have happened, for sure, especially compensating now on the other leg now, which I just came back from.

"There was definitely some added risk, but I didn't care. I was like, 'I want to give everything I can and then fix it after if I need to.'"

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Mark Cuban no longer has control of basketball operations of the Dallas Mavericks, reports Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

Nico Harrison reports directly to new governor Patrick Dumont, who purchased the team from Cuban late in 2023. Dumont signed Harrison and Jason Kidd to contract extensions during the playoffs.

When Cuban sold the Mavericks to the Dumont and Adelson family, he claimed he would have control over basketball operations "forevermore."

Cuban long had an unorthodox influence on player personnel decisions and the organizational flow chart is now far clearer and traditional with Harrison having the autonomy from Dumont to handle the roster.

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One season after being in the lottery and missing the play-in tournament all together, the Dallas Mavericks reached The Finals as Luka Doncic guided a reshaped roster.

Doncic indicated he likes the direction of the franchise.

"I feel great," Doncic said when asked about the present and future state of the Mavs after their Game 5 elimination loss. "We did some great [personnel] moves. I would say we've been together for five months. I'm proud of every guy that stepped on the floor, all the coaches, all the people behind [the scenes].

"Obviously, we didn't win Finals, but we did have a hell of a season."

Doncic becomes eligible to sign a supermax extension with the Mavericks in 2025, which Tim MacMahon of ESPN reports "all indications" suggest he'll sign it.

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Jaylen Brown has been named the 2024 NBA Finals MVP.

Brown was a consistent part of the Boston Celtics' four wins in the Finals with his defense and scoring.

Brown had a PER of 16.5 for the series, which is the lowest output in the category for a Finals MVP since at least 1991.

NBA Finals MVPs, PER in Series
1991: Michael Jordan, 34.1
1992: Michael Jordan, 27.1
1993: Michael Jordan, 31.7
1994: Hakeem Olajuwon, 25.6
1995: Hakeem Olajuwon, 25.7
1996: Michael Jordan, 23.8
1997: Michael Jordan, 29.3
1998: Michael Jordan, 28.7
1999: Tim Duncan, 28.0
2000: Shaquille O'Neal, 36.6
2001: Shaquille O'Neal, 33.8
2002: Shaquille O'Neal, 38.5
2003: Tim Duncan, 30.2
2004: Chauncey Bills, 29.3
2005: Tim Duncan, 22.4
2006: Dwyane Wade, 30.5
2007: Tony Parker, 25.5
2008: Paul Pierce, 19.2
2009: Kobe Bryant, 28.7
2010: Kobe Bryant, 24.5
2011: Dirk Nowitzki, 21.9
2012: LeBron James, 29.8
2013: LeBron James, 29.2
2014: Kawhi Leonard, 25.2
2015: Andre Iguodala, 19.2
2016: LeBron James, 33.4
2017: Kevin Durant, 32.6
2018: Kevin Durant, 31.4
2019: Kawhi Leonard, 27.9
2020: LeBron James, 33.5
2021: Giannis Antetokounmpo, 36.9
2022: Stephen Curry, 27.7
2023: Nikola Jokic, 31.3
2024: Jaylen Brown, 16.5

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The Atlanta Hawks don't plan to trade out of the No. 1 overall pick.

"I think we're really excited by the draft," Landry Fields said Monday. "And the more that we uncover, like we go, great, I'm glad we have No. 1. I keep joking around like I'm not giving it back. So, I think we're in a really good position here. I'm excited about it, frankly."

The Hawks moved up to win the lottery on May 12th with just three percent odds.

Fields is beginning to narrow down Atlanta's option at No. 1.

"I would say a week ago it was wider than it is now," he said. "The board is definitely shaping up, tiering itself out."

The Hawks face an uncertain offseason with the possibility of a major trade involving either Trae Young or Dejounte Murray widely expected.

"We as a group looked at a ton of different scenarios," Fields said. "Like if you keep the pick, you try to get back into the draft. ... With where we are right now, we'll pick one. ... We're planning on picking one."

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The Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks by a final score of 106-88 to win the 2024 NBA Finals. The championship is the 18th in franchise history for the Celtics.

While Jrue Holiday set the tone early in the game for the Celtics, their entire top-6 played well with Jayson Tatum putting up 31 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds in his best performance of the series.

Derrick White had 14 points and eight rebounds, going 4-for-8 from three to stop a few runs from the Mavericks.

The Mavericks refused to go away in the second half, but their 11-for-37 shooting on three-pointers kept the Boston lead safe.

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Kristaps Porzingis is available for Game 5 of the Finals as he attempts to play after suffering a torn medial retinaculum allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon in his left leg in Game 2.

Porzingis was also available in Game 4, but did not play. Before Game 4, Joe Mazzulla said Porzingis would only play in "specific instances, if necessary."

Before Game 5, Mazzulla said he "expects to see" Porzingis as he's made progress over the past three days.

Porzingis will not be on a minutes restriction.

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Klay Thompson has shown interest in exploring external options as no extension with the Golden State Warriors appears imminent.

The Warriors have made it clear to Thompson they would like him back. Golden State offered an extension to Thompson before the start of the season.

Thompson and the Orlando Magic have mutual interest.

Over the weekend, Thompson unfollowed the Warriors on social media.

Thompson will join the Bahamian national basketball teams for its training camp in Houston this week. Thompson, however is not expected to get clearance to compete for the Bahamas in Olympic qualification this summer.

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The Charlotte Hornets are finalizing Charles Lee's coaching staff for next season, reported Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Lee's assistant coaches will include: Lamar Skeeter, Josh Longstaff, Chris Jent, Ryan Frazier, Zach Peterson, Matt Hill, and Blaine Mueller.

Lee, currently an assistant with the Celtics, has been meeting with Hornets players virtually and in person.

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The Toronto Raptors will look to sign Scottie Barnes to a contract extension this offseason, sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Barnes averaged 19.9 points and 8.2 rebounds last season.

The team are also expected to trade Bruce Brown this summer.

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Monty Williams is likely to return as the head coach of the Detroit Pistons next season, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

The Pistons hired Fred Vinson from the Pelicans as an assistant coach on Friday. The move was seen as a "clear signal" that Williams would return next year.

Williams is set to enter the second year of his six-year deal.

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The Boston Celtics listed Kristaps Porzingis as questionable for Game 5 due to a torn medial retinaculum allowing the dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon in his left leg.

"I'm not sure kind of where he's at. But he's trying and doing everything he can to try to put himself in position to be out there. I know that for sure," said Joe Mazzulla on Sunday.

Porzingis was available in Game 4 in "specific instances, if necessary."

The Celtics lead the series 3-1.

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Brandon Ingram has one year left on the five-year max deal he signed with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2020. Ingram has been the subject of trade speculation that began ahead of last season's trade deadline.

One thing seems certain if Ingram is to remain with New Orleans, it won't be on a max deal. The Pelicans reportedly have no interest in signing the veteran forward to a max extension that would run for four years and a projected $208.5 million through 2028-29. Without an extension, Ingram would be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2025.

In five years with New Orleans, Ingram has averaged 23.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists. He was an All-Star in 2020 and a part of Team USA at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

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The New Orleans Pelicans are facing a big offseason. They have some decisions to make with free agents, as well potentially trading away some long-term Pelicans. In return, New Orleans hopes to rebalance their roster around Zion Williamson, Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III.

One player the Pelicans are interested in is Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen. New Orleans has had interest in Allen for a while, but have been unable to find a workable deal with Cleveland. The Pelicans would like to add a center who provides more rim protection than pending free agent Jonas Valanciunas.

A recent report was that Donovan Mitchell Would Like the Cavs To Keep Allen.

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Jonas Valanciunas will miss the Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Lithuania due to his status as an NBA free agent this offseason. Lithuanian Basketball Federation general secretary Mindaugas Balciunas announced the decision on Sunday.

"Jonas really wants to play for the national team and the insurance situation isn't a problem. The condition that we can't meet is irrelevant to these two factors. Jonas must be healthy at the beginning of July when signing a contract. No one can guarantee that," Balciunas said.

Valanciunas recognizes it isn't an ideal situation, but knows he has to get his NBA affairs in order before he can return to national team duty.

"Unfortunately, this situation happened for the first time in my life - not being able to be a national team player," said Valanciunas. "I'm definitely with the team, my spirit, my advice. I will be together. I will practice, I will prepare, I believe that I will prepare for Paris, the Olympics. I will help in any way I can. I hope Lithuania understands me and we'll do what we'll do in Paris."

While Valanciunas sorts out his unrestricted free agency, Lithuania will be playing in the Puerto Rico Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Lithuania will face Mexico and Ivory Coast in the group stage. The winner of Group A will face the Winner of Group B, which includes Puerto Rico, Italy and Bahrain, for a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics later in the summer.

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Host Danny Leroux and Dan Feldman of Dunc'd On Prime discuss the NBA Finals and offseason.

They discuss the present and future of teambuilding, where the Celtics fit in (potentially!) with champions of the modern era, the next possible superteams and more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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JJ Redick formally interviewed for the Los Angeles Lakers head coach position on Saturday. Redick met with several members of the Lakers over the course of the day.

Despite Saturday being Redick's formal interview, he reportedly has had several conversations with Lakers GM Rob Pelinka since previous head coach Darvin Ham was fired. The Lakers considered a wide-range candidates, including making an offer to UConn coach Dan Hurly, before circling back to Redick.

If Redick is being hired by the Lakers, it's been speculated that Los Angeles will wait to do so until the NBA Finals are over. Redick part of ESPN/ABC's broadcast team. The Boston Celtics have a 3-1 lead and could close out the series in Boston on Monday.

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Mario Hezonja may make be seeking a return to the NBA for next season. Hezonja is a free agent after playing the last two seasons with Real Madrid.

Hezonja previously played for the Orlando Magic, New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers from 2015 through 2020. The 6-foot-8 wing then returned to Europe for the last four seasons.

Hezonja initially played for Panathinaikos in Greece, then moved to UNICS Kazan in Russia. For the last two years, Hezonja has played with Real Madrid in Spain.

Last season, the 29-year-old averaged 11.9 points, on 45/39/89 shooting splits. Hezonja helped Real Madrid to the best record in the EuroLeague regular season and to the EuroLeague championship game.

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Jarrett Allen has been mentioned in trade rumors this summer. However, the Cleveland Cavaliers are reluctant to trade Allen.

One reason Cleveland isn't jumping on trading their starting center is that star guard Donovan Mitchell is a fan of Allen. Mitchell has been described as not wanting to lose Allen as a teammate.

Cleveland is expected to offer a Mitchell a four-year, max extension as soon as they are able to this offseason. Part of those extension discussions may then turn to roster construction, potentially including Allen's long-term fit.

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The Toronto Raptors are expected to pick up their team option for Bruce Brown. That would put Brown on Toronto's books at $23 million, but Brown's stay with the Raptors may not last long.

Toronto is expected to look at trading Brown this offseason. Brown will have value to contenders as a plug-and-play wing.

Brown signed a two-year, $45 million deal with the Indiana Pacers last summer. At the trade deadline, Brown was part of the deal that sent Pascal Siakam from Toronto to Indiana.

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Speaking on NBA Countdown before Game 4, ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski dropped a couple of news items. Both pieces of information concerned Boston Celtics guard Derrick White.

Wojnarowski said White is under serious consideration to join Team USA for this summer's Paris Olympics. If Kawhi Leonard of the LA Clippers can't get his knee to a place where he can play, White is considered the top choice to replace him. Leonard was injured leading up to the NBA playoffs, and missed time during the Clippers first-round playoff series.

If named to the team, White would join Celtics teammates Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday.

The other item Wojnarowski passed along is that White and the Celtics are both making signing an extension a huge priority this summer. White is eligible to sign a four-year extension worth $129 million this offseason. If no agreement is reached before June 30, 2025, then White would be an unrestricted free agent in 2025.

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The Miami Heat and Washington Wizards will play a regular-season game in Mexico City on November 2.

It will represent the NBA's 33rd game in Mexico City since 1992.

"Bringing the Heat and the Wizards to Mexico City next season in conjunction with 'Dia de los Muertos' will mark another special milestone in the NBA's long history in Mexico," said NBA Mexico senior vice president and managing director Raul Zarraga.

The Magic and Hawks met in Mexico City last November.

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The San Antonio Spurs have held discussions with the Atlanta Hawks about moving up for the No. 1 pick, according to Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer.

The expectation would be that the Spurs would then draft Zaccharie Risacher.

There were reports earlier this month that the Spurs are looking to compete next season, with the team open to trading any player besides Victor Wembanyama or Devin Vassell.

It was also reported earlier on Friday that the Hawks "really like" Donovan Clingan.

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Joel Embiid said he believes he'll be ready to play for USA Basketball in the upcoming Paris Olympics on Friday night.

"I'm doing great. Just getting ready for the Olympics. It's going to be big for me because I've been dreaming about it since I was a kid," said Embiid on ABC's NBA Finals pre-game show.

Embiid, who missed more than half of the regular season with a knee injury, is one of three centers on Team USA's roster.

There are also injury concerns surrounding Kawhi Leonard and Tyrese Haliburton.

Training camp for Team USA starts on July 5.

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Charles Barkley has announced he plans to retire from broadcasting following the 24-25 season.

"I've talked to all the networks, but I ain't going nowhere other than TNT," said Barkley on NBATV following Game 4 of the Finals. "But I have made the decision myself, no matter what happens, next year is going to be my last year on television.

"I just want to say thank you to my NBA family. You guys have been great to me. My heart is full with joy and gratitude. But I'm going to pass the baton at the end of next year. I hope the NBA stays with TNT. But for me personally, I wanted you guys to hear it from me. Because I'm not doing any more interviews. Don't y'all be calling me. Nobody calling me. I'm not talking about this again."

While TNT has not officially been ruled out as a broadcast partner of the NBA beyond next season, they are expected to lose their rights to NBC.

Barkley joined TNT in 2000 and his partnership on Inside The NBA with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O'Neal has become one of the most legendary institutions in sports television.

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The WNBA could triple its media rights fees to $200 million per season. The current package is valued at approximately $60 million and expires next season.

The NBA owns approximately 60 percent of the WNBA and is negotiating that deal alongside its more than $7 billion per season packages with ESPN, NBC and Amazon.

Because the WNBA deal is part of a combined package with the NBA, the league will determine how much the WNBA media rights are worth.

The WNBA players will receive a percentage of their media rights revenue and will see their salaries increase. The WNBA currently has a salary cap of around $1.4 million for each team, which puts the average salary for each player at a little more than $100,000. The WNBA players are expected to opt out of their collective bargaining agreement next year.

"It's a huge advantage to us to go to market with the NBA," WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told The Washington Post. "Especially with streaming services who rely on a 12-month subscription model. If we're only there for 4½ months ... how attractive is that? But we and the NBA are maybe the only sports properties that can give 330 days of live programming - almost the entire year. That's hugely valuable to a subscription platform."

The WNBA had total revenue of between $180 million and $200 million last season. Despite the recent growth of the WNBA, the league and its teams are expected to lose around $50 million this season.

"The truth is, this league would be hard-pressed to exist without the NBA," said one WNBA team executive.

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Kristaps Porzingis will be available for Game 4, but Joe Mazzulla indicated he will "only be used in specific instances, if necessary."

Porzingis has a dislocated tendon in his left leg, caused by a tear of the tissue that holds tendons in place. The team has called the injury rare, and Mazzulla labeled it "serious."

Porzingis missed the Boston Celtics' Game 3 win with the injury suffered in the third quarter of Game 2.

Porzingis missed 10 games leading to the start of The Finals with a strained right calf.

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The Brooklyn Nets have expressed no interest in trading Mikal Bridges, sources tell Fred Katz of The Athletic.

The Nets have received considerable trade interest in Bridges dating back to when he was first acquired in 2023 as part of the Kevin Durant trade. The Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets have been two teams most strongly linked with Bridges, while the Knicks are also a natural fit due to his Villanova connections and their need for a small forward.

The Nets view Bridges as a costar to be paired with another star they can acquire at a later date.

Bridges cannot become a free agent until 2026 and is represented by Jordan Gertler and Sam Goldfeder.

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The New York Knicks would not be "enthusiastic" in pursuing a trade for Donovan Mitchell if he became available this offseason compared to their level of interest in 2022, sources tell Fred Katz of The Athletic.

The Knicks had serious talks with the Utah Jazz on a Mitchell trade during the 2022 offseason, but they ultimately traded him to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Knicks were unwilling to meet Utah's asking price. The decision from Utah to pivot to Cleveland may have benefited all three teams as the Knicks saw Jalen Brunson emerge as an All-NBA player, while the Jazz acquired a franchise anchor in Lauri Markkanen.

There is a growing expectation that Mitchell and the Cavaliers will agree to a four-year, $208.5 million extension this offseason.

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J.J. Redick will interview with the Los Angeles Lakers for their head coaching vacancy this weekend. While the Lakers will interview Redick, there will also be an interview being conducted by the candidate of the employer.

"I have no doubt that J.J. is going to have a strong performance because he's been preparing for this for a long time," said Brian Windhorst on Friday morning. "I think the question that's being asked here is how much should J.J. really want this job? And that's one of the reasons why I think there's people in his life, in fact, I know there's people in his life, who have said 'Are you sure this is the opportunity you want? That this is what you want to leave for? Because this is such a challenging job.'

"Head coach of the Lakers is one of the four or five most desirable coaching jobs in all of sports. You're talking about head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, manager of the Yankees, manager of Real Madrid...The Lakers are on that list.

"But J.J.'s got to hear from their franchise, from Rob Pelinka what their intentions are. How do they see life after LeBron James? How are they going to spend with these aprons in this new environment? What are their plans for their roster in this offseason? What can they do to help increase from their seventh place finish?

"This isn't just a one-way interview. J.J. Redick has a great job. He has a great future. He could wait for three or four more head coaching opportunities in the next year or two, but that's one of the big things that is going to come out of the conversations over the weekend, I would expect."

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Forward Coleman Hawkins is transferring from Illinois to Kansas State for his final season of college basketball. Hawkins is also signing a record-breaking $2 million NIL deal as part of his transfer.

Hawkins averaged 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.1 blocks in his final season at Illinois. The 6-foot-10 forward declared as an Early Entry Candidate for the 2024 NBA Draft, but then chose to withdraw. Hawkins then announced his intention to transfer for his final collegiate season.

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Dan Hurley recently did an interview that mostly about his decision to not take the Los Angeles Lakers head coach job. However, in that process, Hurley dropped some 2024 NBA Draft intel.

When the UConn coach was asked who he talked to for advice about jumping to the NBA, he rattled off a long list. One of the people Hurley said he talked to was Atlanta Hawks coach Quin Snyder.

"Quin Snyder is a really smart guy who, I know that they (the Atlanta Hawks) really like Donovan (Clingan), so I was able to kind of talk to them about Donovan, but then also to pick his brain in large part," Hurley said.

The Hawks hold the first overall pick in the draft. Donovan Clingan has mostly been mocked somewhere in the range of the third to seventh picks. However, recent reports have given some momentum to Clingan potentially being selected first or second overall.

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In an interview with Malika Andrews of ESPN, Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic admitted he let his team down by fouling out in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Doncic fouled out with 4:12 remaining in the game, with Dallas trailing the Boston Celtics by three points. Boston went on to win the game to take a commanding 3-0 series lead.

Doncic said after the game he told his teammates "My bad. You can't do that, especially in the NBA Finals."

On fouling out, Doncic said that "It was tough. Probably wasn't the smartest thing." He said he didn't expect to pick up the fouls, because the game had been so physical previously.

Doncic also said he'll likely get another painkilling shot before Game 4. He's been dealing with a series of injuries throughout the Mavs playoff run.

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A jury found Terrence Shannon Jr. not guilty of felony rape and aggravated sexual assault on Thursday.

"Terrence Shannon Jr. finally got his day in court. We denied the allegations back in September and on that date, we pledged that one day soon, we would have our day in court and we did. And we're happy with the outcome. And, at the end of the day, I think the public at-large owes Shannon Jr. an apology," said Mark Sutter, one of Shannon's lawyers.

Shannon was arrested in December for the alleged incident that took place in September. Shannon was suspended by Illinois and missed six games.

Before the incident, Shannon was a projected top-25 pick in the upcoming draft.

Shannon will start working out for teams on Friday.

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Kristaps Porzingis is listed as questionable for Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

Porzingis missed Game 3 with a torn medial retinaculum allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon.

"Kristaps has gotten better from yesterday to today. He's fighting like hell to play. But it's going to be up to us to protect him and to make sure that it's in the best interest for him as a player and as a person," said Joe Mazzulla on Thursday.

There was reportedly "real doubt" as to whether Porzingis would return in the Finals.

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The New York Knicks are set to hire Maurice Cheeks as an assistant coach on Tom Thibodeau's staff, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski.

Cheeks was most recently an assistant with Billy Donovan on the Bulls.

Thibodeau and the Knicks are expected to discuss a contract extension this summer.

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The Los Angeles Clippers have "strong interest" in adding Jeff Van Gunde to their coaching staff under Tyronn Lue next season.

The Clippers reportedly also have a "strong chance" of successfully hiring him. The Clippers have an opening on Lue's staff following the departure of Dan Craig to the Chicago Bulls.

Van Gundy has worked as a consultant for the Boston Celtics this season after he was laid off by ESPN. Van Gundy has been a constance presence alongside Brad Stevens during the Finals. The Dallas Mavericks attempted to hire Van Gundy last offseason under Jason Kidd.

Van Gundy last had a bench role in 06-07 as head coach of the Houston Rockets.

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The average audience for NBA Finals Game 3 on ABC and ESPN was up two percent from last year's Game 3, according to Nielsen. The Boston Celtics victory over the Dallas Mavericks to take a 3-0 lead averaged 11,426,000 viewers, peaking with 13,926,000 viewers at 10:45 p.m. ET.

Game 3 won the night for June 12 across all of television and in every key demographic. Through three games, ABC's coverage of the 2024 NBA Finals is even in viewership with 2023.

Additionally, the NBA Countdown pregame show was up two percent in viewership from the Game 3 pregame show last year. NBA Countdown averaged 4,330,000 viewers and through three games the show is up five percent from last year's NBA Finals pregame shows.

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Dan Hurley has rejected a six-year, $70 million offer to become head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers to remain at UConn.

The Lakers pursued Hurley over a number of weeks, but it only became a publicly reported story last week. Hurley reportedly made his decision to remain at UConn on Sunday with the news breaking on Monday.

Hurley told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Sunday that the Lakers made a "compelling case" and presented a "compelling vision" for him to become head coach.

James Borrego has remained a candidate for the job, while the Lakers could also conduct their first formal interview with JJ Redick.

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The Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to hire Darvin Ham as their top assistant coach under Doc Rivers.

Ham was previously an assistant coach with the Bucks under Mike Budenholzer before he was hired by the Los Angeles Lakers as head coach in 2021.

Ham also received interest in an assistant job with the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors.

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UConn's Dan Hurley will make a decision on Monday on taking the Los Angeles Lakers head coach job. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on NBA Countdown ahead of Game 2 of the NBA Finals that "Hurley is expected to inform the Lakers of his decision by Monday."

Hurley said Los Angeles made a "compelling case" for him to take their head coaching job. He also said the Lakers have a "compelling vision", but that he loves what he's built at UConn.

It was reported earlier in the day on Sunday that Hurley did not meet with his UConn players over the weekend. Hurley had previously met with his team to inform that he was discussing leaving the Huskies to take the Lakers job.

It's been reported that Los Angeles has made Hurley a "massive" offer to become their next head coach. Expectations are that the Lakers may have offered Hurley more years and more money than is common in NBA coaching contracts. Los Angeles wants Hurley to bring a program-building style of coaching to the NBA, given concerns the new CBA has placed on teams above the tax aprons.

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The Dallas Mavericks have upgraded Luka Doncic to available for Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Doncic was previously downgraded from probable to questionable earlier in the day on Sunday.

The Mavs star has been dealing with a sprained right knee and left ankle soreness throughout the playoffs. Doncic then picked up a thoracic contusion at some point in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.

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USC guard Bronny James was set to have a limited number of workouts ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft. However, James' agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports now says that may not be the case.

After initially restricting his list to the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns, James may expand that list. Paul told Marc Stein that "a few more" workout invitations are being considered for the 6-foot-4 combo guard.

James is widely projected to be a second-round pick. Paul previously said that James will not consider signing a two-way contract. That, combined with doing fewer workouts, could limit the number of teams interested in drafting James.

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The Orlando Magic should have nearly $50 million in cap space this offseason. That's enough for Orlando to get in the market for a big-name player, should they want to go that route.

Two players the Magic could have interest in are Paul George of the LA Clippers and Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors. George has a player option for next season, which he is expected to decline. Thompson is set to become a free agent when the league year changes over.

Both George and Thompson could ink extensions with their current teams by the end of the day on June 30. But neither player has seemingly made much progress on the extension front.

Orlando has this offseason with near-max cap space, before their roster will start to get expensive. Both Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs are eligible to sign rookie scale extensions this summer. Those deals would start in 2025-06. Paolo Banchero will be extension-eligible in the summer of 2025. An expected max extension for Banchero would start with the 2026-27 season.

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Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic has been downgraded to questionable for Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday. Doncic was previously listed as probable to play in Game 2.

The Mavs star is dealing with several injuries. He has a thoracic contusion, in addition to a right knee sprain and left ankle soreness. The latter two injuries are ones that Doncic has been dealing with throughout the playoffs.

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Nikola Jokic is undecided about playing for Serbia at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Denver Nuggets center said he had to "think about it", after Denver's season ended in the second round of the NBA playoffs.

Serbia's head coach, Svetislav Pesic recently called a report that Jokic had committed to playing "fake news". Pesic said that Jokic will let Serbia know "when the time comes".

Jokic last played for Serbia at 2022 EuroBasket. The three-time NBA MVP sat out of the 2023 FIBA World Cup after the Nuggets run to the NBA title.

Serbia will compete in Group C at the Olympics. Group C includes the United States, South Sudan and the winner of the Puerto Rico Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

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Chet Walker, a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Chicago Bulls Ring of Honor, passed away at the age of 84.

Walker was a seven-time All-Star and a member of the 1962-63 All-Rookie team. He helped the Philadelphia 76ers win the 1967 NBA Finals.

After making three All-Star appearances with the Sixers, Walker was traded to the Bulls ahead of the 1969-70 season. He went on to appear in four All-Star games in six seasons in Chicago. Walker never averaged fewer than 21.4 points per game during his time with the Bulls.

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The Phoenix Suns are coming off a disappointing season that saw them swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite being over the second apron, and limited in their ability to add outside talent, Phoenix has three priorities this offseason.

The Suns want to add a true point guard that can play 20-plus minutes per game. Phoenix went most of last season without a true point guard in their rotation.

The team would also like to add a young, athletic wing. The Suns relied mostly on veterans last year, after inking several players to minimum contracts.

Lastly, Phoenix would like to add a backup center to upgrade from Drew Eubanks. Last season, Eubanks was the primary backup behind Jusuf Nurkic.

As a second-apron team, the Suns are limited in how they can add talent this summer. Phoenix can re-sign their own free agents, sign draft picks and sign players to minimum contracts. The Suns can also make trades, but those trades are heavily restricted. Phoenix can't aggregate player salaries together. They also can't take back any more money than they send out in a trade.

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Forward Sasha Vezenkov has reportedly told the Sacramento Kings that he doesn't intend to return to the team next season. This news comes after another report that Vezenkov was told that he isn't in Sacramento's plans for next season's rotation.

Vezenkov signed a three-year deal with Sacramento before last season, six years after being originally drafted in the second round. The 6-foot-9 combo forward went on to play in just 42 games with minimal impact.

The former EuroLeague MVP can't simply choose to leave the Kings, however much he may want to. Vezenkov has a fully guaranteed contract for $6.6 million for the 2024-25 season, as well as Sacramento holding a team option for $6.9 million for 2025-26.

That means Vezenkov would need to work a buyout agreement with Sacramento. Or the Kings could trade him to another NBA team. It's unclear if Vezenkov intends to continue his career in the NBA or if he wants to return to Europe.

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USA Basketball has selected their women's basketball roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 12 women selected are:

  • Napheesa Collier
  • Khaleah Copper
  • Chelsea Gray
  • Brittney Griner
  • Sabrina Ionescu
  • Jewell Loyd
  • Kelsey Plum
  • Breanna Stewart
  • Diana Taurasi
  • Alyssa Thomas
  • A'ja Wilson
  • Jackie Young

The roster does not include rookie Caitlin Clark to the surprise of many. However, this team is filled with veteran talent and will be a heavy favorite to win a gold medal.

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Matas Buzelis has been considered a top prospect in the 2024 NBA Draft for a while now. Recent workouts have solidified his status over recent weeks.

The 6-foot-10 combo forward has shown off an improved jumper, while demonstrating defensive versatility and good playmaking skills for his position. One team interested in potentially moving up for Buzelis in the draft is his hometown Chicago Bulls.

The Bulls watched Buzelis at a private workout in Los Angeles. Chicago president Arturas Karnisovas and Buzelis also share Lithuanian heritage, and familiarity from being around the Lithuanian national program.

In 34 games with the G League Ignite last season, Buzelis averaged 14.1 points on 45.5% shooting. He also grabbed 6.6 rebounds and blocked 1.9 shots per game.

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Donovan Clingan has positioned himself to be a top prospect in the 2024 NBA Draft. Despite that status, Clingan could slip in the draft, because several teams with top picks already have centers in place.

If Clingan starts to slide, a handful of teams are positioned to try to trade up to select him. The Chicago Bulls, Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz could all move up from their later-lottery picks to get in range to draft Clingan. The floor for the UConn center is considered to be the Portland Trail Blazers, who hold the seventh overall pick.

Clingan measured at 7-foot-3 with a 7-foot-7 wingspan and a 9-foot-7 standing reach at the Draft Combine. He's considered an outstanding defender, and he has nice touch on his jumper too. Many scouts envision Clingan eventually becoming an all-around offensive threat, who can also protect the rim, similar to a later-career Brook Lopez.

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Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal played through a misaligned septum in his nose from late-January onward last season. Beal caught an inadvertent elbow from Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers on January 26. Beal then played several games with a mask on.

Following the season, Beal had surgery to realign his septum. Prior to the surgery, Beal talked about having problems breathing through the right side of nose.

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Host Danny Leroux talks with Caitlin Cooper of Basketball, She Wrote about the Pacers, and Eric Nehm of The Athletic about the Bucks.

Cooper and Leroux discuss how to interpret the Pacers' surprising run to the Conference Finals, some fascinating roster decisions and much more, while Nehm and Leroux attempt to filter out the relevant stories of a strange Bucks season and preview their offseason.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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Dan Hurley will meet with the Los Angeles Lakers this weekend to discuss their head coaching job, but the two sides still have work to do on building a relationship.

"I just think it's important for the Lakers to try to close this weekend," said Brian Windhorst on Get Up of the meeting previously reported by Adrian Wojnarowski. "I know that this has momentum as Woj talked about, but it's been emphasized to me that this is not a done deal. That there is still relationship building and conversations that need to take place that are probably going to take place over the next couple of days."

While Hurley signed an extension with UConn in June of 2023, he hasn't signed one following a second consecutive championship. UConn, however, did recently extend Geno Auriemma as head coach of the women's team. UConn could make Hurley an improved financial offer to entice him to remain as head coach and not leave for the Lakers.

"You know UConn had a chance now to sort of move back," added Windhorst. "You know, one of the things that didn't happen in the wake of that second championship, UConn was not able to get a contract extension done with Dan Hurley in these two months that have passed since they won that title. And I'll point out this week they did get one done with Geno Auriemma, their legendary women's basketball coach, that's in place. So now UConn is scrambling trying to improve their offer to give him another option as he weighs what is a certainly a lucrative offer from the Lakers."

Windhorst also referenced comments from Hurley talking about his extension talks with UConn and that the school has a window to keep him.

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Cade Cunningham becomes eligible for a contract extension this offseason along with his fellow 2021 draft class members.

While Cunningham missed most of his second NBA season and the Detroit Pistons struggled in 23-24, James L. Edward III of The Athletic reports that all signs point to him signing a max extension.

"I'm 99.9 percent sure that Cunningham gets an extension this offseason," writes Edwards. "I don't want to say 100 percent because you never know what can happen, but I'd be stunned if the 2021 No. 1 overall pick doesn't sign a max rookie extension."

Cunningham averaged 22.7 points, 7.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 35 percent on three-pointers. Cunningham made meaningful improvements with his efficiency amid Detroit's struggles.

Cunningham is represented by Jeff Schwartz and James Dunleavy.

Trajan Langdon inherits the Detroit front office this offseason from Troy Weaver.

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J.J. Redick is still a "viable candidate" to become the next head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, sources told Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

This despite news that the Lakers are "eager to close" Dan Hurley on Friday.

Redick was rumored to be the front runner for the position earlier in the week.

Mike Krzyzewski has been unofficially advising the Lakers throughout the coaching search.

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Dan Hurley will travel to California on Friday to meet with the Los Angeles Lakers to discuss their head coaching vacancy. Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss will lead the meeting with Hurley as the pair are "eager to close a deal" with the UConn head coach.

The two sides are discussing contractual parameters, which will be significant in length and salary.

Hurley has yet to make a decision about leaving UConn for the Lakers, but sources tell ESPN there is "momentum" in the talks.

UConn's administration was notified by Hurley of his talks with the Lakers on Wednesday, and he told his players on Thursday.

Hurley has been the Lakers' top target since the beginning of their search despite their reported strong interest in J.J. Redick. The only canidate to have two in-person interviews has been James Borrego.

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While Adam Silver did not confirm the NBA intends to expand in the near future, he did acknowledge that they will begin exploring the possibility once the league's media rights deals are signed.

"Bill Koenig, can you tell me when the media deals will be over so I can begin the expansion process?" said Silver, joking with his lead media right negotiator, when asked about expansion during his media availability before Game 1 of The Finals.

"In all seriousness, I meant what I said. We do need to finish up - I think I said a few years ago, collective bargaining agreement, new media deals, then we would turn to expansion. So we got part one done clearly, and thank you to the Players Association. We are very happy, I think both sides are, with our collective bargaining agreement.

"Media deals, it's been a long process. It's ongoing, and we hope to wrap it up in the relative near term, and then we will turn to expansion. But by turning to expansion it doesn't mean we're going to announce that now we're ready to add teams. It means that there will be a committee of NBA governors that will focus on it. There are clearly markets out there that are very interested and will run through a process.

"But I actually am looking forward to that. I think that the league, it's not preordained that we will expand this time, but I know there's an enormous amount of interest out there. And to me, yes, there are wealthy individuals, institutions that would like to invest and buy NBA teams, but I think it's on the league to look holistically because there is the dilution, of course."

Seattle and Las Vegas have long been expected to be the NBA's targeted markets for expansion, but other cities such as Mexico City, Louisville and Kansas City have also been mentioned.

"Let's say we expand by two teams. What does that mean for talent? I feel great about where the talent is right now in the league, but those players have to come from somewhere. If you add two teams, how does it work geographically? What will it mean for growing the game?

"At some point, we'd like to look outside the United States, in addition to Canada. This may not be the right moment to do that, but I'm thinking long term, as well.

"I'm actually very excited about turning to that process, but first we've just got to be finished with the media deals."

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During Adam Silver's media availability before Game 1 of the NBA Finals, he was asked about the league's ongoing broadcast rights negotations. The NBA is close to finalizing deals with ESPN, NBC and Amazon worth $76 billion over seasons, though a report surfaced this week that TNT hasn't been ruled on a fourth package.

"Of course, there's discussions with our incumbents and other interested parties," said Silver.

"It is incredibly complex. I look at my colleague Bill Koenig sitting in the front row, president of our media division, who has been literally working around the clock on this, along with a team of others at the league office. And it's complicated for several reasons. One is the advent of new platforms, particularly streaming, and the interest of streaming companies, and then the traditional media companies also carrying our games on streaming platforms.

"It's complicated with multiple partners all seeking similar assets. In many cases, just figuring out the right way to balance those games as they go to different partners.

"Then lastly, as you've said, we tend to do long-term deals. We think that's good for the stability of the league, but it means to a certain extent you're trying to predict the future, which is of course impossible.

"So part of it is a bet on the partners that we will ultimately align with and their ability also to adjust with the times and their willingness to continue to invest in media and also become global, which to my earlier point is very important to the league, as well."

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Warner Bros. Discovery is in negotiations with the NBA about the possibility of a fourth media right package, sources tell Michael McCarthy of FrontOffice Sports.

ESPN, Amazon and NBC would be the three media partners of the NBA under the currently proposed deals.

WBD has match rights as an incumbent partner, which is believed to be complicating the NBA's intent to move forward with the other companies.

WBD is discussing keeping the NBA on TNT on a smaller less-expensive package that could include regular season and some playoff games.

The NBA could also take a package of locally televised games from teams and turn them into national games for TNT, according to Puck.

A smaller package could ensure the survival of "Inside the NBA."

When CEO David Zaslav began negotiations with the NBA during WBD's exclusive window, he expected to pay between $1.8 billion and $2.1 billion to retain the "B" package and refused to go to $2.4 billion. This allowed NBC to enter talks with a $2.6 billion offer that was virtually impossible for WBD to match.

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Tim Connelly agreed to a restructured contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves this week, which defers his opt-out until the 2025 offseason.

Glen Taylor continues to make the decisions on the franchise while his legal battle with the Marc Lore/Alex Rodriguez ownership group plays out via arbitration.

All sides are open to a long-term deal once clarity on the ownership of the franchise is reached.

Taylor has informed many within the organization he is prepared to pay the luxury tax next season if he remains as controlling owner.

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Michael Bloomberg has agreed to join the ownership group of Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez as they attempt to take majority control of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Bloomberg is the 12th richest person in the world at over $106 billion.

Lore and Rodriguez currently own 40 percent of the Timberwolves and are in a legal battle with Glen Taylor for the additional 40 percent of the franchise they agreed to purchase in 2021 at a $1.5 billion valuation.

Taylor called off the deal in March claiming Lore and Rodriguez didn't meet contractually obligated deadlines. Lore and Rodriguez disputed that characterization, saying they submitted commitment letters for the $600 million needed to get them to 80 percent equity ahead of the March 27 deadline.

Lore and Rodriguez can purchase a final 20 percent stake in the franchise anytime before March 2025. By adding Bloomberg, they can immediately go forward with a final $300 million-plus investment to buy out Taylor now.

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Reports emerged on Thursday that the Los Angeles Lakers' top target to become their next head coach is Dan Hurley. The Lakers were previously believed to be choosing between J.J. Redick and James Borrego with Redick as the more probable candidate. There was an expectation a decision wouldn't be reached until after Redick completes his duties broadcasting the NBA Finals.

Even though Hurley is under no such time constrains, a decision is not expected until next week at the earliest.

"The Lakers have started working to convince Dan Hurley, the UConn coach, the back-to-back champion, to take their head coaching job," said Shams Charania on Run It Back. "I'm told it's likely that Hurley will make a decision over the next week or so likely goes into next week on a decision."

Hurley has previously had interest in someday coaching in the NBA.

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If TNT loses the NBA beginning with the 25-26 season, Charles Barkley will receive interest from all three media rights partners in ESPN, Amazon and NBC, according to Andrew Marchand.

Barkley is under contract beyond 2025, but it is unclear if he has an out dependent on the NBA. Barkley has been outspoken criticizing Warner Bros. Discovery for being in a situation where they are on the verge of not extending its media rights deal with the NBA.

There have not yet been any real discussions on how the "Inside The NBA" crew of Barkley, Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith could stay together on another network.

"An educated guess is that any number will be closer to $20 million annually than $10 million," writes Richard Deitsch. "If I had to handicap a non-WBD player, I would cautiously put my money on NBC. Very cautiously."

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The Los Angeles Lakers' decision to target Dan Hurley as their next head coach aligns both with what they want to accomplish long-term and the message LeBron James sent to them about his future with the franchise as he nears the end of his career. James informed the Lakers that their next head coach would have to be one that was also a good fit after his exit.

"When this process started for the Lakers when they dismissed Darvin Ham, they obviously spoke to LeBron about the coaching situation," said Brian Windhorst on First Take. "From what I understand, what LeBron said to them was, 'You have to hire somebody who is for beyond just me. I might be here for another year. I might be here for two years. You've got to make a decision that's built around Anthony Davis. That's built around what the Lakers need for the next decade, not just what I need.'

"Certainly, his feelings on the head coach are going to be taken into account, but that's the message LeBron gave them. This type of hire this type of going for this type of candidate aligns with that.

"Secondly, LeBron has praised Dan Hurley and his acumen very recently in public especially after this podcast he did with J.J. Redick. It is incredibly ironic that he just did a podcast right after [Hurley] won the second national title in a row with J.J. talking about X's and O's, talking about where he gets some of his creativity, talking about how he's morphed as a coach. And I do think that is going to be received positively by LeBron.

"Any coaching person any anybody that the Lakers were looking for in this hire is going to be some level of a risk because there wasn't a bonafide highly proven NBA coach sitting there. The only coach that was really out there that met that criteria was Mike Budenholzer. The Suns moved in on that very quickly and made that hire.

"Whoever the Lakers were going to hire, they were going to have to step out a little bit of their comfort zone. So that's one of the reasons why you saw J.J. Redick's name attached to it, because they were looking for somebody who had very high potential yeah so if you're going to take a you're going to make a high risk hire, which any coach who never been a head coach in the NBA would be what you want is a high reward. Dan Hurley is a high reward type situation."

Windhorst previously added during a spot on Get Up the James didn't suggest they hire Redick.

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Rob Pelinka and the Los Angeles Lakers view Dan Hurley as a potential coach that can transform the franchise over the long-term and is well suited to adapt to the changing the landscape of the NBA that prioritizes player development.

"The Lakers, Rob Pelinka, they want to put a program in place in L.A.," said Adrian Wojnarowski. "They don't want to have just coach-to-coach. They want to put a program in for the long-term. They want Dan Hurley's player development program.

"The NBA is changing. You can't in L.A. anymore just trade three or four first round picks to bring in a star player and think you can have a roster that will win. That's how they got Anthony Davis. But you are seeing you have to draft well. You have to develop your young players.

"In L.A., I think the belief is always you're going to be able to get the star player who finds his way to L.A., but you're going to have to grow your young players."

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The Los Angeles Lakers are targeting UConn's Dan Hurley as their next head coach. Los Angeles has made initial contact with Hurley, and discussions are expected to pick up in the coming days.

The Lakers are prepared to offer Hurley a massive, long-term contract to jump from the Huskies to the NBA. Even while interviewing several other candidates, Hurley has been at the forefront of the coaching search for general manager Rob Pelinka and primary governor Jeanie Buss.

Hurley has won back-to-back national championships while at Connecticut. He's regarded as a great tactician and developer of talent. The Lakers believe Hurley will be able to maximize their young core, while developing future talent. Los Angeles believes those to be keys to winning in the NBA's new second-apron era. With restrictions on roster-building for the most expensive teams, developing young players could be key to winning at a high level.

Hurley has expressed interest in one day coaching in the NBA and has let the Lakers know he'd like to "explore the full picture of a partnership with one of basketball's winningest franchises."

Reports had previously come from multiple channels that J.J. Redick was likely to be offered the job after the conclusion of The Finals, which he is working as a broadcaster. The other publicly known candidate under strong consideration has been James Borrego.

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John Hollinger & Nate Duncan look at the key extensions that could determine many teams' paths next season. Included:

  • Boston with Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, and Sam Hauser.
  • Minnesota with Rudy Gobert
  • New Orleans with Brandon Ingram and Jose Alvarado
  • Denver with KCP, Aaron Gordon, and Jamal Murray
  • Miami with Jimmy Butler, Caleb Martin, and Bam Adebayo
  • New York with Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle
  • Phoenix with Kevin Durant

Four more episodes with Nate & Danny per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime, plus it's the only place to hear John Hollinger & Nate as well! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

Plus, subscribe on YouTube to see our hilarious faces and, more importantly, the key moments from the pod each week.

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Luka Doncic was named to Slovenia's 16-player roster for the upcoming Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Slovenia is in Group A with New Zealand and Croatia.

NBA players are allowed to join their national teams on June 17.

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Moustapha Thiam reclassified into the the 2024 class and will join UCF for the 2024-25 season.

Thiam is ranked as the No. 1 center in ESPN's class of 2025, and ranked No. 28 overall.

UCF went 7-11 in the Big 12 conference last season.

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The New Orleans Pelicans could stop James Borrego from joining the Los Angeles Lakers coaching staff as an assistant should J.J. Redick get the head coaching job, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

Borrego is currently the associate head coach in New Orleans under Willie Green.

Borrego and Redick are the two front runners for the open role, with the Lakers reportedly close to finalizing a deal with Redick.

Stein adds that Anthony Davis may prefer Borrego to Redick.

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The Indiana Pacers would like to sign Andrew Nembhard to a contract extension this offseason, but they can only offer him a four-year, $75 million deal due to CBA limits on raises.

With Nembhard playing so well in a lead guard role in the playoffs when Tyrese Haliburton was injured, he could potentially command a larger contract if he were to hit the open market.

If Nembhard declines the extension, the Pacers could decline their team option on him in 2025 and extend the qualifying offer for him to become a restricted free agent. If the Pacers exercise the affordable $2 million option for 25-26, Nembhard would then become an unrestricted free agent in 2026.

Nembhard is represented by Todd Ramasar and Jaafar Choufani.

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The Chicago Bulls plan to hire Billy Donovan III as head coach of the Windy City Bulls of the G League.

Donovan is the son of Bulls head coach Billy Donovan.

Donovan previously was an assistant coach with the Austin Spurs and San Antonio Spurs. Since 2020, Donovan has been a video coordinator and assistant coach with the Bulls.

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On the eve of the Finals against his former team, Kristaps Porzingis was adamant he holds "no ill will" about his tenure with the Dallas Mavericks.

During Porzingis' time with the Mavericks, they had a pair of competitive first round exits against the Los Angeles Clippers. Porzingis tore his meniscus in the series in 2020 and had become more of a role player in 2021. The Mavericks reached the Western Conference Finals in 2022 after trading him to the Washington Wizards at that year's trade deadline.

"Not all of it was like not good," Porzingis said. "We had some good moments. We had some decent moments, but overall it just didn't work for both sides. It wasn't perfect. But I would say everything -- teammates, locker room -- I know at that time there were some rumors that there was something in the locker room. It was never like that. It was all just noise at the end.

"It just wasn't perfect for us playing together, and it didn't work out. And that's it. There's no ill will, I don't think from their side. For sure, [there is not] from my side. I don't think there should be. It just didn't work out, but I have nothing but love for Dallas and for my teammates and for everybody there."

Porzingis has acknowledged it was initially difficult for him to play a secondary role behind Luka Doncic.

"I don't know why it didn't work out," said Doncic, who has downplayed the discussion about friction in his relationship with Porzingis over the years. "We were still both young. We tried to make it work, but it just didn't work. So we moved on."

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Nikola Topic, a possible top-10 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, has been diagnosed with a partially torn ACL.

Topic suffered a left knee injury in January shortly after his midseason transfer from Mega MIS to Red Star Belgrade, missing four months of Adriatic League action. When Topic returned in late April, he played in three games before injuring the same knee again.

Topic's agent, Misko Raznatovic, told ESPN he does not expect the injury to have a major impact on his draft position.

Topic averaged 18.6 points and 6.9 assists shooting 65% from 2-point range, 29% for 3 and 85% from the free throw line at Mega MIS.

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Beginning in 2025, NBC plans on streaming approximately 50 NBA games per season exclusively on Peacock. NBC will broadcast games on its network on Tuesdays and Sundays when there isn't a conflict with NBC's "Sunday Night Football."

NBC is close to finalizing a $2.5 billion per year deal with the NBA that has been viewed with contrasting opinions within the company. Some believe NBC is overpaying to air the NBA, while others expect it to help with its fledgling Peacock streaming service. Peacock lost $639 million in the most recent quarter.

NBC is expected to raise prices for Peacock when it begins broadcasting the NBA. Both Peacock and NBC will likely reduce its budget for original content since the NBA will fill programming multiple days per week.

NBC most recently was a broadcast partner of the NBA from 1990 until 2002 when it was also the exclusive home of the Finals. NBC pushed to share the Finals with ESPN/ABC during negotiations, but were unable to secure that portion of rights.

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The NBA is nearing completion of a combined 11-year, $76 billion set of deals with Disney, NBC and Amazon. The deals average out to $6.9 billion per season for the NBA, which is more than 2.5 times higher than its existing deals. The NFL recently doubled its fees under its last deal to around $10 billion per year.

An official announcement could still be weeks away as it will need approval from the Board of Governors.

ESPN's deal is considered the "A" package and they will pay an average of $2.6 billion per year, which is up from $1.5 billion under the current deal. While ESPN will broadcast fewer overall games, they retain both The Finals and a Conference Finals annually. ESPN will be allowed to air games on its direct-to-consumer streaming service expected to launch in 2025.

NBC will pay an averaged of $2.5 billion per year, while Amazon will pay $1.8 billion per year. NBC and Amazon will alternate broadcasting one of the two Conference Finals series. Amazon will also broadcast the In-Season Tournament and Play-In games.

NBC will air around 100 games per season with approximately half airing exclusively on Peacock. Games would air on NBC on Tuesdays and Sundays when there isn't a conflict with NBC's "Sunday Night Football."

The global popularity of the NBA was a big motivator for Amazon's Prime Video.

Warner Bros. Discovery will almost certainly lose their longtime partnership with the NBA. Warner had a chance to commit to a deal at $2.2 billion per year, but sources say they walked away due to their displeasure with the price relative to the value of the package. Warner believed the NBA took too many playoff games and the play-in tournament out of its package to give to Amazon.

When Warner's exclusive window closed, NBC quickly submitted a $2.5 billion per year bid. NBC tried to get a share of the Finals during their talks with the NBA, but ultimately fell short with ESPN/ABC retaining it exclusively.

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There is a frequently recited mantra that the team with the best player in the series typically wins it. But the broader context of the teams matters as well. The Dallas Mavericks have the better player in Luka Doncic, but the Boston Celtics had the far superior record and point differential in the regular season.

According to research by Ben Rohrbach, the "best" player in the NBA Finals has won 56 of 68 championships, good for a win percentage of 82.4 percent. LeBron James accounts for five of those 12 losses.

The team with the better regular season record has finished 47-18 in the Finals, which is a win percentage of 72.3 percent. Teams that finish with eight or more wins than their opponents are 30-5 (.857 winning percentage) in the Finals.

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South Sudan's performance at the 2023 FIBA World Cup saw them qualify for the Olympics for the first time. Head coach Royal Ivey and South Sudan gave us a look at some of the players who may join them in France for the Olympics later this summer.

Bol Bol is the NBA headliner of the preliminary roster. He's a free agent this offseason, after spending last year with the Phoenix Suns.

Charlotte Hornets forward J.T. Thor will be part of the selection process, as well. NBA veteran Wenyen Gabriel, who spent time with the Memphis Grizzlies this season is also included on the list.

2023 G League MVP Carlik Jones, who was a team leader during the World Cup, is expected to play in the Olympics. Jones spent last season playing in China.

17-year-old center Khaman Maluach is also expected to again play for South Sudan. He saw 10 minutes per game at the World Cup. Maluach is committed to playing at Duke University this upcoming season, after playing for the NBA Academy Africa team the last two years.

Former NBA prospect Thon Maker was also included on the preliminary roster. After five NBA seasons, Maker has played for teams in Israel, China and Lebanon over the last three years.

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On a recent episode of The Ringer's NBA Draft Show, ESPN's Jonathan Givony shared some thoughts on the San Antonio Spurs. Givony said he's heard that the Spurs are open to moving their draft picks, as well as any players not named Victor Wembanyama or Devin Vassell.

"Everything I hear is that they want to be competitive next year, they want to be in the playoffs. They're not looking to make this a two- to three-year process, where they're in the lottery again next year. For right now, they want to be competitive next year and that's why I think they're going to be aggressive with those picks," Givony said.

"I've heard nobody in the roster is untouchable except Victor and Devin Vassell."

Givony also added that he's heard available players are interested in playing in San Antonio because of the presence of the young superstar big man.

"Every free agent, every veteran guard, they all want to play with Victor Wembanyama," Givony said.

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The Houston Rockets have discussed trading the third overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft with both the Brooklyn Nets and Memphis Grizzlies.

The Rockets' target in trade talks with the Nets is Mikal Bridges. However, Brooklyn is seeking players to add around Bridges in any deals they make.

The Grizzlies are reportedly attempting to move up to be in range to draft center Donovan Clingan. Memphis has a need for a long-term center to add to their core. Clingan isn't expected to be available when the Grizzlies select with the ninth overall pick.

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Kyrie Irving signed his father Drederick Irving to an endorsement deal that includes a signature sneaker with ANTA Sports.

The contract is the first time that an athlete has signed their father to a signature shoe deal.

Irving is the chief creative officer of ANTA.

Drederick Irving played professional basketball in Australia after a collegiate career at Boston University.

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The NBA announced the 12 officials who will work the upcoming NBA Finals on Tuesday.

The refs include: Scott Foster, Tony Brothers, Marc Davis, James Capers, Zach Zarba, John Goble, David Guthrie, Bill Kennedy, Josh Tiven, Courtney Kirkland, James Williams and Kevin Scott.

"Each of these 12 officials have shown excellent skills, focus and commitment throughout the season and in the previous playoff rounds," said Byron Spruell, NBA president, league operations.

Tyler Ford and Ben Taylor were announced as alternate officials.

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Australian prospect Roman Siulepa signed with the Tasmania JackJumpers of the National Basketball League.

The 17-year-old chose the Next Stars program over college eligibility.

"I'm homegrown and wanted to stay here. Once I heard I had the opportunity to be part of such an exciting program, I jumped at it," said Siulepa.

Siulepa is currently averaging 21 points and 10.7 rebounds in Australia's second division.

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Tim Connelly and the Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to a restructured contract that will allow him to again have an opt-out clause after the 24-25 season.

The Wolves hired Connelly away from the Denver Nuggets during the 2022 offseason and he had the ability to opt-out of his contract this offseason. Connelly signed a five-year, $40 million deal with Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez driving the decision.

Connelly's opt out was intended to line up with the transfer of ownership from Glen Taylor.

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A man accused of working with Jontay Porter to place prop bets on NBA games has been arrested. Porter had accumulated large gambling debts in the beginning of the year and was encouraged to clear those debts by throwing games.

Long Phi Pham, 38, also known as "Bruce," was arrested on Monday while trying to board a flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Australia on a one-way ticket, according to a complaint filed in Brooklyn federal court.

Porter allegedly told Pham that he was going to take himself out early from the Jan. 26 game against the Los Angeles Clippers, claiming he was injured, the feds said.

Porter allegedly communicated with the group of co-conspirators through the Telegram group chat app when he notified them before a game on March 20 against the Sacramento Kings, claiming that going to say he was sick to leave a game early.

The NBA banned Porter for life on April 4th.

The feds are looking for three additional people who remain at-large.

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The Chicago Bulls recently signed Marc Eversley to a three-year contract extension that begins in July, sources tell The Athletic.

Eversley's name was connected to recent executive searches conducted by the Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons.

The Bulls hired Eversley as general manger under Arturas Karnisovas in 2020.

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When the Chicago Bulls and Patrick Williams negotiated an extension this past offseason, the team offered a contract above $16 million annually.

Williams will be a restricted free agent this offseason as he comes off a season in which he was limited to 43 games due to a foot injury.

Sources tell The Athletic that the Oklahoma City Thunder have interest in acquiring Williams. While the Thunder have enough cap space to sign Williams outright, the Bulls could match in restricted free agency, which could result in a sign-and-trade negotiation. With their depth of future draft picks, the Thunder could theoretically afford to take on Williams in a sign-and-trade at minimal cost to them.

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The Chicago Bulls are confident Lonzo Ball will play next season, but are not sure when that will happen.

Ball last played on Jan. 14, 2022 when he tore his meniscus. Ball has undergone a number of surgeries, culminating in a meniscus transplant.

"There was no more meniscus left, and bone on bone was rubbing," Ball said. "The cartilage was gone and the bone was messed up, so I had to get a new meniscus from a donor. I had to get a bone allograft, and I had to get some new cartilage put in as well."

Ball first suffered a meniscus tear in 2018.

The Bulls signed Ball to a four-year, $80 million deal in 2021.

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Brandon Ingram become eligible for a four-year, $208 million extension this offseason, but sources tell The Athletic that the New Orleans Pelicans are unlikely to offer him that maximum deal.

Trey Murphy is also eligible to sign an extension of his own this offseason, while Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum and Herb Jones already have a combined $84 million owed to them in 25-26.

The Pelicans have never paid the luxury tax in their 22-year history.

If the Pelicans do not trade Ingram or extend him, they run the risk of losing him for nothing as a free agent in 2025.

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The Detroit Pistons will hire J.R. Holden as part of their new front office under Trajan Langdon.

Holden was a teammate with Langdon for CSKA Moscow.

Holden most recently was director of player personnel for the Brooklyn Nets.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are close to finalizing a decision to hire J.J. Redick as head coach.

The indications are strong that Redick is the Lakers' leading choice even as they still have steps remaining in their process.

Redick and James Borrego have emerged in recent weeks as the leading candidates for the Lakers.

Redick is currently working as a color commentator for the NBA Finals and a potential announcement isn't expected until after the series concludes.

Sources have described Lakers officials as "infatuated" with Redick and his potential as a coach.

Redick has never coached above the youth level.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have received permission from the Denver Nuggets to interview David Adelman for their head coaching vacancy.

Adelman has also met with the Los Angeles Lakers during this coaching cycle.

Adelman has been an assistant coach with the Nuggets since 2017.

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Kristaps Porzingis completed multiple scrimmages in recent days and is on track to play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday against the Dallas Mavericks.

Porzingis has been out since April 29th with a calf injury.

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Latvia released their preliminary roster for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament hosted in Riga, Latvia. That roster is headlined by Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis.

Porzingis is currently recovering from a strained right calf. He's expected to be ready for Game 1 of the NBA Finals, starting on Thursday, June 6.

The 7-foot-3 center missed the 2023 FIBA World Cup for Latvia, as he was recovering from plantar fasciitis. It's unknown if Porzingis will play for Latvia in the Qualifying Tournament in early-July, or in the Paris Olympics, should his team advance.

Latvia's roster also includes current NBA player Davis Bertans. Former NBA players Dairis Bertans, Rodions Kurucs and Anzejs Pasecniks are also on the roster.

Latvia will play in Group A against Georgia and the Philippines. The winner of Group A will advance to play either Brazil, Cameroon or Montenegro for berth in the Summer Olympics.

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The Dallas Mavericks have made it back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011. Now, one of the key architects of the team will be around for the foreseeable future.

General Manager Nico Harrison signed a multi-year extension with the Mavericks. Harrison joined Dallas as their GM ahead of the 2021 offseason.

One of Harrison's first moves was to extend Luka Doncic on a rookie scale extension. Harrison then keyed a trade for Kyrie Irving ahead of the 2023 trade deadline. Before this season's trade deadline, he dealt for Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington.

The Mavs previously extended head coach Jason Kidd's contract earlier in the postseason. Dallas now has their leadership, and several key players, locked in for at least the next few years.

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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen will not compete for Finland this summer. Finland is set to compete in Group B of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Valencia, Spain. Other teams in the group include the Bahamas and Poland. The winner of Group B will play Spain, Angola or Lebanon for a berth in this summer's Paris Olympics.

Markkanen is still rehabbing from a right shoulder injury suffered during last season. The Jazz star expressed disappointment at missing the Qualifying Tournament.

"Certainly, this is tough," Markkanen said. "Representing Finland and playing for the national team is an honor for me. Along with my teammates, we have been talking all season about how sweet it would be to advance to the Olympic Games."

Finland is set to host 2025 EuroBasket. Markkanen made it clear he's ready for that competition by saying, "Those dates are marked on my calendar."

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Alonzo Mourning underwent surgery to remove his prostate after getting diagnosed with Stage 3 prostate cancer in March.

The cancer did not spread beyond his prostate.

"What scares me about this disease is that there are so many men walking around feeling great and have that cancer in them and they don't know it," Mourning said in an interview with ESPN.

Mourning has worked for the Heat's front office since his retirement in 2008.

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Tim Connelly is expected to sign a new deal to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves as the president of basketball operations next season, according to Shams Charania.

"The expectation around the league...is that Tim Connelly will end up in a restructured deal," said Charania on Run It Back.

"Whether it's Glen Taylor or Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore, they understand his market value has gone up," added Charania.

Connelly, who is currently making $8 million a season, can opt out of his deal this summer.

Connelly is expected to earn between $10-$15 million per season on his next deal.

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The future of Karl-Anthony Towns with the Minnesota Timberwolves could be dependent on whether control of the franchise ultimately ends up with Glen Taylor or the Marc Lore/Alex Rodriguez group. There is speculation around the NBA that the Lore/Rodriguez group will be more frugal and could trade Towns to save on salary and luxury tax.

"Let me just say this: I don't believe it is going to get slashed," said Brian Windhorst about the Lore/Rodriguez group on the Hoop Collective Podcast. "I believe if they get the team by the fall, which I am skeptical of for various reasons, but if they get the team by the fall, I don't think they're cracking this team in pieces to save money. I think because one team about the team, they have instantaneous equity, they can borrow it against it like that."

The NBA's media rights deals will nearly triple beginning with the 25-26 season, while expansion will also give existing owners an influx of money in the coming years.

"I do not think they would tear the team apart, however, I do think there's a possibility if the ownership change took place that Karl Towns' role would be reevaluated," said Windhorst.

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Karl-Anthony Towns' salary for the 24-25 season will jump to $49 million as he begins his supermax contract.

Towns has an uncertain future with the Wolves, but he would like to remain with the franchise. The Wolves face a mounting luxury tax bill that will be difficult for them to afford long-term.

"I'm just happy to see, been here nine years, hope next year, I'd love for the tenure to keep going," Towns said.

Towns added that he has confidence he will remain with the Wolves.

"I'm confident I'll be able to be here with my brothers and continue what I love to do here at home," Towns said. "So that's the plan. Nothing's changed on my side. I love this city. I love this organization. I love this city."

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The Phoenix Suns are expected to re-sign Royce O'Neale this offseason after acquiring him at the trade deadline from the Brooklyn Nets as part of a three-team trade. The Suns sent out three second round picks to acquire O'Neale.

"They're going to re-sign Royce O'Neale," said Brian Windhorst on The Hoop Collective Podcast. "That's going to get done."

The Suns have limited ways of upgrading their roster, which necessitates retaining the players they have acquired such as O'Neale and Grayson Allen, who was signed to an extension at the end of the regular season.

O'Neale is represented by George Roussakis.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have received permission to interview Micah Nori for their head coaching vacancy.

Nori is the lead assistant coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves and played a more active role in the Western Conference Semifinals and Finals following the injury to Chris Finch.

Nori also interviewed with the Los Angeles Lakers for their vacancy.

While Kenny Atkinson and James Borrego are considered the favorites to become Cleveland's next head coach, they will also interview Johnnie Bryant and Chris Quinn.

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There continues to be a growing expectation that the Los Angeles Lakers will eventually hire J.J. Redick as head coach, but they have maintained a decision has not been reached and that they are still considering a number of candidates. While James Borrego is believed to be a serious candidate, the general expectation is that Redick will be hired.

"There's a very strong attempt, maybe I'm giving away my feelings by saying an attempt," said Brian Windhorst on The Hoop Collective Podcast. "There's a very strong message coming out that the Lakers are still early in their process. That there's still steps to be done. And that they're being very thorough and there's nothing to see here and don't worry about that.

"Probably will have to wait until after The Finals," interjected Tim MacMahon.

"Probably," laughed Windhosrt. "I will report that is what I'm being told by multiple people. And Adrian Wojnarowski has reported the same thing: 'We're not at the checking the boxes, dotting the i's and [crossing] the t's. This is still very much a process and still up in the air.

"Then there is information out there otherwise involving J.J. Redick. I will just sit here and tell you my information on this is scattered. I have some people saying this is J.J. Redick's job that I trust. I have some people saying this is a process that is not complete. I suspect I know something, but I'm just going to tell you that there's multiple streams of information.

"James Borrego has had multiple meetings with the Lakers. I do think he's a viable candidate for sure, but I think J.J. Redick is a very strong candidate. And he also is calling The Finals for our network on ABC and ESPN. So it is what it is.

"The Lakers knew for quite some time that they were going to probably change their coach. Rob Pelinka had a long time to evaluate what his situation and his candidates were. Wherever they are in their process, there's no choice for them to put a lot of thought into this. I don't think they have the most ideal set of candidates they may dream when replacing a head coach who has been successful. But I also think they have a pretty good idea of what they're doing."

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Last offseason, Kristaps Porzingis was traded by the Washington Wizards to the Boston Celtics where he picked up his $36 million player option and then signed a two-year, $60 million extension.

If Porzingis would have become a free agent, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports that he was positioned to receive a richer contract from the Utah Jazz.

Porzingis would have joined a versatile frontcourt partner in Lauri Markkanen.

Porzingis instead joined the Celtics and is in The Finals where he is a floor spacer and post option while also protecting the rim on the other end of the floor.

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Ahead of the 2019 trade deadline, the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics discussed a trade centered on Kristaps Porzingis for Kyrie Irving, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Irving's discontent with the Celtics was becoming apparent and he was strongly linked with an eventual paring with Kevin Durant.

Porzingis was set to enter restricted free agency and the Knicks were pivoting to a plan that they expected would include Durant and possibly Irving.

The Knicks instead traded Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks in a deal that included two future first round picks. Porzingis signed a max deal with the Mavericks before playing in a single game, while Irving and Durant signed with the Brooklyn Nets. After disappointing stints with their respective teams, Irving was eventually traded to the Mavericks in 2023, while Porzingis was traded to the Wizards in 2022 and then the Celtics in 2023.

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The Wolves just had a dream season, but now must pay to keep this group together, and somehow get better. What will it cost ownership money-wise, and what are the restrictions if they do not avoid the dreaded Second Apron? Could they actually trade Karl-Anthony Towns, and would it make sense to do so as anything other than a money-saving move?

The Kings have Mike Brown back in the fold after some very public negotiations, but they are limited in how much they can pay Malik Monk. What are their options for improving, both if they can and can't retain Monk?

Four more episodes with Nate & Danny per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime, plus it's the only place to hear John Hollinger & Nate as well! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

Plus, subscribe on YouTube to see our hilarious faces and, more importantly, see the key moments from the pod each week.

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Indiana Pacers star Pascal Siakam was included on Cameroon's preliminary roster for this summer's Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Cameroon will play against Brazil and Montenegro in Group B of the Latvia Olympic Qualifying Tournament from July 2 through July 7.

Siakam is set to be an unrestricted free agent just ahead of the tournament starting. Reports are that the Pacers will offer Siakam a maximum contract ahead of his becoming a free agent. Under the NBA's current collective bargaining agreement, teams can negotiate with their own free agents between the end of the NBA Finals and the start of free agency on June 30.

Cameroon has also added likely 2024 NBA draftees Yves Missi of Baylor and Ulrich Chomche of the NBA Academy Africa to the preliminary roster. Missi and Chomche could both be first-round picks at the 2024 NBA Draft.

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In ESPN's latest mock 2024 NBA Draft, big man DaRon Holmes II is projected to be selected by the Denver Nuggets with the 28th pick. Denver could be looking for a backup big behind Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon, and Holmes projects to be able to play both the four and the five in the NBA.

Holmes has been a riser during the pre-draft process. So much so, that the Dayton product has reportedly cancelled several workouts in the weeks leading up to the draft. That has led to speculation that Holmes has secured a promise that he'll be drafted in the first round.

At this point, it's not known if Denver gave Holmes a first-round guarantee. The mock draft combines intel with need, leading to the projection of the 6-foot-10 big man to the Nuggets.

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The New Orleans Pelicans are expected to be aggressive in adding talent this offseason. The Pelicans have several draft picks to offer in trades, as well as players they may consider moving.

New Orleans owns all of their own first-round picks moving forward. They also have extra picks coming from the Milwaukee Bucks in 2025 (top-4 protected) and 2027 (unprotected), as well as swap rights with the Bucks in 2026. The Pelicans also own an unprotected Los Angeles Lakers pick in 2025, after deferring that pick from 2024 to 2025.

There is also a possibility that New Orleans could trade Brandon Ingram this summer. Ingram is on an expiring contract worth $36 million. If the Pelicans and Ingram can't agree to an extension, he could be traded this summer. In addition, New Orleans has Trey Murphy III behind Ingram. Murphy is ready for more playing time, as well as being eligible to sign a rookie scale extension this offseason.

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Andrew Wiggins said that he would be honored to represent Canada in the upcoming Paris Olympics this summer.

"I'd be honored to play for our country but we'll see what happens," said Wiggins.

Wiggins did not agree to a three-year commitment to the team in 2021 and was not on the team that qualified for the Olympics. As such, Wiggins is not guaranteed a roster spot.

Wiggins will receive a camp invite for an opportunity to fill one of three open roster spots.

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The Indiana Pacers are expected to offer Andrew Nembhard a contract extension this offseason, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

Nembhard, who signed a four-year, $8.5 million deal in 2022, is eligible for an extension this summer.

The Pacers are also expected to re-sign Pascal Siakam.

Siakam and Nembhard share the same agent in Life Sports' Todd Ramasar.

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Mike Budenholzer tried to hire Darvin Ham on his coaching staff with the Phoenix Suns, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

Budenholzer ended up convincing David Fizdale to stay on the staff once talks with Ham fell through.

The Warriors also reportedly attempted to hire Ham on Steve Kerr's coaching staff.

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New Detroit Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon will "immediately" begin his evaluation of Monty Williams, sources told Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

Williams is not expected to be open to a buyout.

The Pistons most recently parted ways with former general manager Troy Weaver.

The team is reportedly in serious discussions with Michael Blackstone as the No. 2 decision-maker in the front office behind Langdon.

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The Boston Celtics are exploring the idea of Jeff Van Gundy joining Joe Mazzulla's coaching staff as an assistant next season, league sources told Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

Van Gundy is currently working with the team as a senior consultant on the basketball operations side.

The Celtics are losing top assistant Charles Lee to the Hornets this offseason.

Van Gundy turned down a role on Jason Kidd's staff last summer.

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Tom Thibodeau is a "virtual certainty" to sign a contract extension with the New York Knicks for at least $10 million a season, league sources told Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

Thibodeau currently has one year remaining on a five-year deal. The Knicks hired Thibodeau before the 20-21 season.

Thibodeau has stated his preference of staying with the Knicks.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo will join Greece for the upcoming FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, according to head coach Vassilis Spanoulis.

Greece will play the Dominican Republic and Egypt in Group B in early July.

The first- and second-place teams will advance to a single elimination semifinal round against either Croatia, Slovenia, or New Zealand.

Antetokounmpo suffered a calf injury on April 9 and did not return for the playoffs.

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The New Orleans Pelicans are expected to engage the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks on trade talks this offseason as they look to upgrade their lead guard position.

The Hawks are expected to trade either Trae Young or Dejounte Murray this offseason, while the Cavaliers could also entertain offers on Darius Garland if they sign Donovan Mitchell to an extension.

The Pelicans engaged both the Cavaliers and Hawks ahead of the February deadline.

Zion Williamson had interest in joining Trae Young with the Hawks ahead of the lottery in 2019 and there could be mutual interest in playing together now with the Pelicans.

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Mike Brown and the Sacramento Kings have agreed to a contract extension through the 26-27 season worth $30 million over three years.

Brown was set to enter the final guaranteed season of his contract with the Kings and extension talks broke off last week.

Brown won NBA Coach of the Year in 2023, leading the Kings to the third seed in the Western Conference after the franchise had missed the playoffs in 18 straight seasons.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have been granted permission to interview two more head-coaching candidates in the franchise's ongoing search, including New York Knicks associate head coach Johnnie Bryant and Miami Heat top assistant Chris Quinn, sources told ESPN on Friday.

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Kristaps Porzingis participated in parts of Friday's practice -- the Boston Celtics' first since advancing to the NBA Finals earlier this week -- and coach Joe Mazzulla said he's pleased with the center's recovery from a right calf strain.

"He's getting better," Mazzulla said at the team's facility. "He's out there shooting. Went through a couple of drills in practice. So, progressing well and kind of confident where he's at right now."

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Troy Weaver is out as general manager of the Detroit Pistons amid a retooled front office led by Trajan Langdon, according to multiple reports Friday.

Detroit has had the NBA's worst record the past two seasons and won just 23% of its games over four years with Weaver in charge of basketball operations.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers do not appear motivated to listen to trade inquiries at this point for any member of their core four of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

There has been an expectation that the Cavaliers could trade either Mitchell or Garland this offseason. If Mitchell declines Cleveland's extension offer, he becomes an instant trade candidate. If Mitchell signs the extension, there are reports that Garland's representation at Klutch Sports could work to facilitate a trade.

Allen is also a trade candidate as the big man tandem with Mobley hasn't produced the type of results they were expecting due to spacing issues.

Allen has two seasons and $40 million remaining on his contract and figures to have multiple trade suitors interested in him if he becomes available.

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The Brooklyn Nets have named Steve Hetzel, Juwan Howard, Deividas Dulkys, Connor Griffin and Travis Bader as assistant coaches on Jordi Fernandez's staff. They join Jay Hernandez, Adam Caporn, Ryan Forehan-Kelly and Corey Vinson on Brooklyn's bench.

Hetzel comes to Brooklyn from Portland, where he was an assistant coach on the Trail Blazers' staff for the past three seasons (2021-24). He previously served as an assistant coach for three seasons (2018-21) with the Orlando Magic following a four-year stint (2014-18) as an assistant coach with the Charlotte Hornets. Hetzel was also the head coach of the Canton Charge in the NBA G League for one season (2013-14) while Fernandez served as his lead assistant coach.

Howard joins the Nets' staff after serving as the head coach of his alma mater, the University of Michigan, for the past five seasons (2019-24). While at the helm in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines compiled an 87-72 record, which included trips to the Sweet 16 (2022) and Elite Eight (2021) in the NCAA Tournament and a regular season Big Ten Conference championship. At the conclusion of the 2020-21 season, Howard earned National Coach of the Year honors. Before his stint leading Michigan, Howard spent six seasons (2013-19) as an assistant coach with the Miami Heat.

Dulkys joins Brooklyn's bench after spending the last two seasons (2022-24) as an assistant and player development coach for the Sacramento Kings.

Griffin arrives in Brooklyn after three seasons (2021-24) with the Denver Nuggets. He spent the last two seasons (2022-24) as head video coordinator/player development while assisting a postseason run in 2023 that resulted in the Nuggets' first NBA championship. Griffin originally joined Denver ahead of the 2021-22 season as an assistant video coordinator.

Bader begins his fifth season as part of the Nets organization and his first as an assistant coach. He spent the last two seasons (2022-24) as the team's head video coordinator following a two-year stint (2020-22) as a video seasonal assistant.

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ESPN has moved Zaccharie Risacher to the Atlanta Hawks with the No. 1 pick in their latest mock draft.

Every team drafting in the top-5 has interest in Risacher, who is not expected to fall out of the top-2.

During the playoffs, Risacher averaged 15.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, shooting 67% from the field and 38% on 3-pointers.

The direction of the Hawks remains unclear as Trae Young and Dejounte Murray are trade candidates and while they will definitively retool their roster, it remains to be seen if their ownership will embrace a rebuild. A further complication of any desire to rebuild stems from their decision to trade away control of their next three drafts to the San Antonio Spurs as part of the Murray deal in 2022.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves project to have one of the NBA's most expensive teams next season. The Wolves have nearly $191 million in guaranteed salary on their books for nine players. That figure is already over the projected second apron of $189.5 million, before the team finishes filling out the roster.

That sort of spending is unprecedented in Minnesota's history. However, as the team's ownership battle plays out, both sets of owners indicate they'll pay to keep the team together.

Glen Taylor, who retains majority ownership of the Wolves, and Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez have each given the impression that they won't break the team up because of the tax. The challenge is that the second apron makes building out the rest of the roster a major challenge. That could eventually force the team's hand in making some changes to alleviate the high payroll.

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Minnesota Timberwolves primary governor Glen Taylor plans to meet with president of basketball operations Tim Connelly to discuss Connelly's future with the team. Connelly can opt out of his contract in the coming days. The Wolves ownership battle could be a factor in Connelly's decision to stay or to pursue other opportunities.

The Detroit Pistons were rumored to be interested in hiring Connelly to run their front office, but have since hired Trajan Langdon. That came as a relief to Minnesota, as it removed a primary contender, should Connelly opt out of his deal.

Taylor remains in full control, as he still owns the majority stake of the Timberwolves. Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez contend that Taylor acted in bad faith, by backing out of an agreement to sell the team to them. That fight doesn't seem close to a resolution any time soon.

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The Sacramento Kings offered Mike Brown a three-year contract extension worth $21 million, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The deal could increase to $27 million with bonuses.

Brown is believed to be seeking around $10 million per season.

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The Golden State Warriors are expected to express interest in trading for Jimmy Butler should he become available, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

Butler is interested in a two-year extension this offseason, which the Miami Heat are believed to be resistant to offering.

Brandon Ingram, however, is not a potential trade target that the Warriors would expected to be interested in pursuing. There has been considerable speculation that the New Orleans Pelicans will entertain trading Ingram as they balance out their roster and salary cap.

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Klay Thompson appears likely to hit the open market as a free agent as he and the Golden State Warriors haven't had any notable movement on an extension, sources tell The Athletic.

The Warriors would like to retain Thompson if the contract price is workable and after other aspects of their roster are clarified.

Thompson would like to win and isn't likely to consider a larger offer if it is from a rebuilding team.

Thompson could command a shorter term deal at a large contract amount given his age and injury history.

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While it has been reported in a number of places that J.J. Redick is the most likely candidate to become head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports they are "nowhere close" to a decision.

Some reports have suggested that ESPN doesn't want Redick announced as the next head coach of the Lakers until after The Finals due to his duties broadcasting the series.

The Lakers hosted James Borrego for a second interview this week and plan to have follow-ups with several other candidates.

Chris Quinn, Micah Nori, Sean Sweeney and David Adelman are among the other candidates publicly linked to the job.

The Lakers parted ways with Darvin Ham this offseason.

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The NCAA's deadline for players to withdraw as Early Entry Candidates for the 2024 NBA Draft was Wednesday, May 29. Several notable players chose to withdraw and to return to playing college basketball.

  • Jonas Aidoo - Arkansas (transferring from Tennessee)
  • Michael Ajayi -Gonzaga (transferring from Pepperdine)
  • Somto Cyril - Overtime Elite (will enroll at Georgia)
  • Johnell Davis - Arkansas (transferring from Florida Atlantic)
  • Coleman Hawkins - transfer portal
  • Arthur Kaluma - transfer portal
  • Alex Karaban - UConn
  • Xaivian Lee - Princeton
  • Caleb Love - Arizona
  • Baba Miller - Florida Atlantic (transferring from Florida State)
  • Matthew Murrell - Mississippi
  • Ugonna Onyenso - transfer portal
  • Hunter Sallis - Wake Forest
  • Payton Sandfort - Iowa
  • Mark Sears - Alabama
  • Jarin Stevenson - Alabama
  • Jamir Watkins - transfer portal

The deadline for all other players to withdraw as Early Entry Candidate from the 2024 NBA Draft is June 16.

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Dereck Lively II has been upgraded to questionable for Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Lively missed Game 4 due to a neck sprain.

Maxi Kleber also returned to the Mavs lineup in Game 4.

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Joe Mazzulla said that Kristaps Porzingis was increasing his workload but did not have any definitive updates about his status for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

"There's been a couple shootarounds where he hasn't done anything with the team but has been in a 1-on-1 setting kind of ramping it up with the intensity level of it. He's been getting better and better," said Mazzulla on Wednesday.

Mazzulla added that he wasn't sure whether Porzingis would be healthy by Game 1.

The NBA Finals start on June 6.

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James Borrego had a second interview with the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.

Borrego is also a candidate for the Cleveland Cavaliers' head coaching vacancy.

Borrego has a strong reputation for player development including serving as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs for a decade. Borrego also has head coaching experience with the Charlotte Hornets.

Borrego is currently an assistant coach with the New Orleans Pelicans.

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Caleb Love is withdrawing from the 2024 NBA draft to return to Arizona for his final collegiate season.

Love spent his first three seasons at North Carolina before transferring to Arizona last season. Love led Arizona to the Pac-12 regular-season championship in his first season in Tucson, averaging 18.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists en route to Player of the Year honors in the conference and third-team All-America selection by the Associated Press.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers are beginning their interview process for head coach with Kenny Atkinson and James Borrego, who are the top two candidates on their list.

Atkinson and Borrego are both top assistant coaches with previous head coaching experience.

Atkinson was previously a head coach with the Brooklyn Nets and is currently an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors.

Borrego is also a serious candidate for the Los Angeles Lakers' head coaching vacancy. Borrego was previously head coach of the Charlotte Hornets and now is an assistant with the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Cavaliers plan on interviewing additional candidates beyond Atkinson and Borrego.

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The Washington Wizards have named Brian Keefe as head coach.

Keefe becomes the 26th head coach in the organization's history.

"We are excited for Brian to become our next head coach. Brian is a proven motivator and connector of people," said Wizards General Manager Will Dawkins. "As a leader in the organization, he will continue to positively grow and invest into the development of our players. His wealth of experience will help move our team forward as we build for long-term sustained success."

Keefe was originally named interim head coach on January 25, 2024, with the team seeing improvement in defensive rating, overall net rating, and opponent three-point percentage over the remainder of the regular season.

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Jimmy Butler has at least three teams willing to trade for him this offseason with the intent of then signing him to a max-level extension, sources tell Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.

Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported earlier this week that the Sixers have interest in trading for and then extending Butler.

The two-year max extension that Butler and his camp will push for this offseason includes salaries of $54.3 million for the 25-26 season and $58.6 million for 26-27.

Butler would be eligible to sign the same two-year, $113 million extension that he can sign with the Heat with any team he's traded to because his Bird Rights carry over in a trade, but that deal could not be agreed upon for six months.

Butler would ideally like to finish his career with the Heat, but he also is seeking the extension.

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The Los Angeles Clippers are "determined" to retain Paul George and James Harden in free agency, reports ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

George will potentially be the top available free agent this offseason and is expected to receive interest from the likes of the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic.

Harden was acquired by the Clippers last October and will have a more limited market from rival teams.

The Clippers previously signed Kawhi Leonard to a three-year, $152.4 million extension.

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Caron Butler has signed a four-year deal to remain as an assistant coach under Erik Spoelstra with the Miami Heat.

Butler has spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach with the Heat.

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David Fizdale will remain with the Phoenix Suns in a prominent assistant coach role.

Fizdale was hired by the Suns on the coaching staff of Frank Vogel last offseason, but had initially been expected to exit the bench.

The Suns hired Mike Budenholzer as head coach this offseason to replace Vogel.

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Ty Lue and the Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to a contract extension that will make him one of the NBA's highest-paid coaches at nearly $70 million over five years.

Lawrence Frank negotiated the contract with Andy Miller of Kluth Sports to retain Lue as the Clippers move to their new arena next season.

Lue was elevated to head coach of the Clippers in 2020 and guided the team to the Western Conference Finals in the following season.

Lue had one season remaining on his contract and was a target of teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns.

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Bronny James will stay in the 2024 NBA Draft as an Early Entry Candidate. The deadline for NCAA players to withdraw from the draft and return to college is Wednesday, May 29. James will not be returning to USC, nor transferring.

James began the pre-draft process as a likely undrafted player. After the draft combine and workouts, James has moved solidly into second-round range. He may climb even higher after NCAA and international players with draw from the draft.

Already regarded as a solid defender, James has shown improvement as a shooter and playmaker in the pre-draft process. He's also filled out his frame and has cleared every medical test. The latter was crucial after he surgery to repair a heart defect last summer.

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Sam Presti admitted that he "missed" on the Gordon Hayward midseason acquisition at his end-of-the-season news conference on Tuesday.

"I missed on that. That's on me. But I'm learning, I'm trying to learn this team, I'm trying to learn the pace of the team a little bit," said Presti.

Hayward averaged 5.3 points in 17.2 minutes during his time with the Thunder.

Hayward described his time with the Thunder as 'disappointing' last week.

"I don't think I read that one perfect, and I'm learning from that in terms of bringing somebody midseason and especially early on in the process for our team," added Presti.

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The Washington Wizards are looking to re-sign Tyus Jones this offseason, sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Jones, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, is expected to have several suitors.

The Wizards are also deciding between drafting Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 2 pick, according to Scotto.

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The Philadelphia 76ers are prepared to offer Jimmy Butler a max contract extension this offseason if they acquire him via trade from the Miami Heat, sources tell Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Butler has $48.8 million guaranteed for next season and a player option for $52.2 million for the 2025-26 season. Butler would like a two-year max extension worth $113 million. Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald followed up Pompey's report by indicating that "whether it's from the Heat or another team, [Butler] wants a max extension."

While Butler has said he wants to remain with the Heat, there is believed to be some level of reluctance to extend him this offseason.

The Sixers could offer future draft capital and cap relief to the Heat as they have enough cap space to absorb his contract without sending back anything in return.

Philadelphia would prefer to sign Paul George, but Butler is a secondary option.

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The Indiana Pacers acquired Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors this past January with both the player and team anticipating a probable long-term contract coming in the offseason. Siakam and the Raptors were unable to agree to an extension, which led to a trade for a package centered on Bruce Brown Jr. and three first round picks.

The Pacers are reportedly preparing a five-year max contract offer to Siakam.

"They understand it's a maximum level contract commitment you're going to have with Pascal Siakam," said Shams Charania. "That's what they're preparing to offer him this summer. He wants to be there. There's mutual interest in getting a deal done."

Charania expects the summer "to be a little quiet" for the Pacers with internal improvement more likely than significant roster change.

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Egor Demin has committed to BYU for the 24-25 season.

Demin is a projected lottery pick in 2025 who is currently playing for Real Madrid.

Demin is a 6'9 guard from Russia.

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Dallas Mavericks big man Maxi Kleber is expected to play in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, barring a late setback ahead of the game. Kleber is returning from a separated shoulder that occurred in Game 6 of the first round.

Kleber has been out since that first-round series clincher on May 3. At one point, it looked like Kleber's season might be over. However, the Mavericks said that Kleber's return would be dependent on his recovery and how deep the team's playoff run goes.

Dallas is on the verge of clinching a trip to the 2024 NBA Finals. The Mavericks lead the Timberwolves 3-0 heading into Tuesday's Game 4 in Dallas.

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Lithuania guard Kasparas Jakucionis has committed to the University of Illinois. Jakucionis is considered one of the top international guards heading to a United States college, and he's a potential first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

The 6-foot-6 guard has appeared in five games for Barcelona across various competitions over the last two seasons. Across multiple different competition, with Barcelona and their youth team, Jakucionis averaged 17.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists.

Jakucionis is just one of what is expected to be several international players to commit to playing college basketball in the United States. The advent of NIL deals has made collegiate basketball a more attractive path for foreign-born players than it used to be.

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Veteran wing Evan Fournier is prioritizing staying the NBA for his next contract, as opposed to returning to play in Europe. A rumor came up at the EuroLeague Final Four that Fournier could play for Olympiacos in Greece or ASVEL in his native France next season.

The Detroit Pistons hold a $19 million team option for Fournier for next season. The Pistons are expected to decline that option to create cap space. That will make Fournier an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Fournier is expected to play for France at the 2024 Summer Olympics. He's likely to know his NBA future ahead of the Olympics, which will begin in Paris and the surrounding area in late July.

Fournier has played for the Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks, in addition to the Pistons, in his 12-year NBA career. New York traded Fournier to the Detroit at this season's trade deadline.

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Jaylen Brown was awarded the Larry Bird Eastern Conference finals MVP after the Boston Celtics completed a sweep of the Indiana Pacers on Monday.

Brown averaged 29.8 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals for the series.

Brown received five out of nine votes, with Jayson Tatum getting the other four votes.

"He was unreal this whole series, a complete player on both sides of the ball that you don't really see much these days," said Derrick White of Brown.

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Basketball legend Bill Walton, who led the UCLA Bruins to two national titles before winning two championships during his NBA career, has died at the age of 71 after a prolonged battle with cancer.

Walton died Monday while surrounded by his loved ones, his family said in a statement released by the NBA.

"Bill Walton was truly one of a kind," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.

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Dallas Mavericks rookie center Dereck Lively II was cleared of having a serious neck injury, after leaving Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals early. Lively's status for Game 4 of the series on Tuesday is unclear at this point.

Lively was injured during a collision with Karl-Anthony Towns in the first half of Game 3. Towns' knee hit Lively in the back of the head, after the rookie center had fallen to the floor.

Lively has been a key member of the Mavericks rotation all season. In 15 playoff games, the Duke product has averaged 8.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 21.5 minutes per game off the Dallas bench.

The Mavericks took a 3-0 series lead over the Timberwolves on Sunday. Dallas has a chance to close out the series at home on Tuesday.

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Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton is listed as questionable for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Haliburton is dealing with a sore left hamstring. The re-injury occurred in the third quarter of Game 2. Haliburton missed Game 3 due to the injury.

It's been reported that Haliburton is unlikely to play in Game 4. The Pacers trail the Boston Celtics 3-0 in the series.

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The Boston Celtics will have to attempt to close out their third consecutive series without their starting center. Kristaps Porzingis was ruled out for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals due to a strained right calf.

The Celtics lead the Indiana Pacers 3-0, which means Boston can afford to play it safe with Porzingis. He's been out since getting injured in Game 4 of the first round against the Miami Heat on April 29.

If Boston closes out Indiana in Game 4, their next game won't be until Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 6. If the Pacers win, the series shifts back to Boston and Porzingis could play in Game 5 on Wednesday, May 29.

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The New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly looking to upgrade their guard rotation. The Pelicans are looking at trading for a point guard. The team is expected to resume trade talks with the Cleveland Cavaliers, after discussing deals ahead of the trade deadline.

The Pelicans target is reportedly Darius Garland. It's been reported that Garland will seek a trade from the Cavaliers if the team extends Donovan Mitchell. It's likely that a New Orleans offer for the veteran guard would involve Brandon Ingram and his $36 million expiring contract.

Garland has four years and $163.2 million left on his contract. The deal is fully guaranteed with no options, with $36.7 million owed in 2024-25.

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Host Danny Leroux talks with Jared Dubin of Last Night in Basketball about the playoffs and Fred Katz of The Athletic about the Knicks.

Dubin and Leroux discuss both Conference Finals series and other playoff takeaways. After that, the "Exit Interview" series continues as Katz joins to break down what happened to the Knicks' season and where they go from here, including Jalen Brunson's ascendance, their fascinating offseason and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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The New Orleans Pelicans had trade talks with the Atlanta Hawks for both Dejounte Murray and Trae Young ahead of the trade deadline. Those talks are expected to resume this summer.

While New Orleans has interest in both Hawks point guards, sources indicate that the Pelicans prefer to swing a deal for Murray. Murray has a more team-friendly contract, and he's a better defender than Young is.

Some have suggested that New Orleans star Zion Williamson would like to play with Young. The star guard's father even went on social media making a similar suggest that Young and Williamson would like to play together.

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The NBA on TNT is running an alternate broadcast during the Western Conference Finals. Instead of traditional play-by-play and analysis, the broadcast on truTV is conversational and there are a variety of guests.

During Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, one of the guests was Rich Paul of Klutch Sports. Paul is perhaps most famously known at LeBron James' agent, and he may have given some insight into James' initial plans for this offseason.

"LeBron is a free agent," Paul said about his most famous client. Paul then clarified that the Los Angeles Lakers have to hire who they want as their next head coach and that James has always played for whoever his coach is.

When asked by TNT's Chris Haynes to clarify if that meant it was decided that James would decline his player option for the 2024-25 season with the Lakers, Paul said that decision hadn't been made yet. James can decline his option and become a free agent. He's also eligible to pick up the option and to sign an extension.

"I don't know what he's gonna do," Paul said. "We're gonna do what we do every year. We're gonna evaluate the situation and we're gonna make the best decision."

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Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton is expected to miss Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals due to a left hamstring injury. Haliburton re-injured his hamstring in the second half of Game 2.

The Pacers trail the Boston Celtics 2-0 in the series. Indiana lost both Games 1 and 2 in Boston.

Haliburton missed 10 games in January due to his initial hamstring strain. He was then limited for several games leading up to the All-Star break.

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Brooklyn Nets governor Joe Tsai owned that his team didn't perform as hoped for last season. Tsai also said, "In New York, the Brooklyn Nets is at a crossroads in a way."

Tsai went on to explain that the Nets are trying to build a team that can compete long-term. That's guiding decision-making instead of short-term thinking designed around winning immediately.

"We didn't do as well as we expected last season. We didn't make the playoffs," Tsai said. "But we hope to revamp the team and make sure that we can compete in the long run... There's a difference between I want to win, versus I want to build a winning mentality and culture that's sustainable. Those two are very different things. If you just want to be win-now you could ruin your future by trading away all of your assets, but I think what I want to do with the Brooklyn Nets is take a longer-term approach and build a winning sustainable culture"

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Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday is questionable to play in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals due to a non-COVID illness. Holiday has been one of Boston's best players as they've taken a 2-0 series lead over the Indiana Pacers.

Holiday has averaged 21.5 points, five rebounds and nine assists per game in the Celtics two wins over the Pacers. Indiana has tried to put their lesser defenders on Holiday throughout the first two games, and Boston has played through the veteran guard repeatedly.

The Celtics have already ruled out starting center Kristaps Porzingis, as he continues to recover from a calf straight. Backup center Luke Kornet is doubtful to play, due to a sprained wrist. Tyrese Haliburton is questionable for the Pacers, due to a sore left hamstring.

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As the Cleveland Cavaliers await a decision from Donovan Mitchell on an extension offer this offseason, Koby Altman said his exit interview was encouraging.

"This is a player that has had two of the best years of his career here, has had a lot of success here, understands the infrastructure," Altman said. "I think he has a lot of trust in what we're doing and understands that our goal is to win a championship.

"From his own words, he says he's happy here. He likes it here. And so he's always been very genuine. He's always been very intentional. He's been a great teammate. We have to take all that at face value and say, OK, we feel good about where we are with Donovan. Obviously, things could change."

Cleveland can offer Mitchell a four-year, $209 million extension.

The Cavaliers also parted ways with J.B. Bickerstaff as head coach this week.

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Lonzo Ball revealed part of his recovery from his knee injury suffered in January 2022 has included undergoing a meniscus transplant from a donor.

Ball's injury dates back to when he tore his meniscus in 2018."There was no more meniscus left and bone on bone was rubbing," Ball said. "The cartilage was gone and the bone was messed up, so I had to get a new meniscus from a donor. I had to get a bone allograft and I had to get some new cartilage put in as well."

Ball underwent cartilage transplant surgery in March 2023, a third surgery on his left knee in the span of a year.

Ball is optimistic that he will be ready to play at the start of the 2024-25 season.

"I firmly believe that," Ball said. "That's the plan that I'm on and I haven't had any setbacks. I expect to play the first game."

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Tyrese Haliburton has been listed as questionable for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals with a sore left hamstring. Haliburton left the Indiana Pacers' Game 2 loss at the Boston Celtics with the injury.

Haliburton also suffered a chest injury in the game.

Haliburton's injury is a recurrence of a left hamstring strain suffered Jan. 8 against the Celtics when he slipped and fell and had to be helped off the court. The Pacers went 6-4 during that stretch.

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The Sacramento Kings and Mike Brown have paused talks on a contract extensions.

The two sides remain apart on terms after discussing an extension this offseason.

Brown has one guaranteed season remaining on the four-year deal he signed with the Kings in 2022.

Brown guided the Kings to No. 3 seed in 2023 and finished with the No. 9 seed this season.

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Warner Bros. Discovery is considering matching the media rights package the NBA has agreed upon with Amazon.

The league is close to signing agreements with Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon for three different packages of games.

WBD has up to five days to match a competing bid for the games it currently licenses from the NBA.

Amazon has reportedly offered $1.8 billion a year for a slate of games, while NBCUniversal has offered about $2.5 billion per year.

Warner Bros. Discovery is interested in a more affordable package of games given its gross debt of about $42 billion. David Zaslav has told colleagues he believes NBCUniversal is overspending for the NBA.

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Bronny James will work out for the Phoenix Suns ahead of the NBA draft in June.

The Suns own the No. 22 pick in the draft and James is among the players under considerations at that draft slot.

James has received over 10 workout invitations, but is expected to only visit a few teams including the Suns and Los Angeles Lakers.

Rich Paul recently went on record that James will not sign a Two-Way deal coming out of the draft.

"Yes, that's absolutely true," Paul said when asked about the two-way deal. "Teams know that. I'm not doing that."

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After the Boston Celtics Game 2 win in the Eastern Conference Finals, Jaylen Brown was asked if he had extra motivation after not making the All-NBA team. Brown made it clear where his focus is.

"We're two games away from the Finals, so honestly I don't have the time to give a f---," Brown said.

Brown scored 40 points to lift Boston to a 2-0 series lead over the Indiana Pacers. The Celtics are now two games away from making their second NBA Finals in the last three seasons.

The lack of an All-NBA nod has no financial impact on the Celtics star. The projected five-year, $286 million extension Brown signed last summer was based on him making All-NBA during the 2022-23 season.

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The New York Knicks are set up for an important summer. They have some key roster decisions, including extensions and re-signings. One thing that doesn't appear to be on the priority list is trading Julius Randle.

The Knicks are not actively shopping Randle. New York understands that adding a star player this summer may mean having to trade Randle. However, the Knicks aren't taking a must-trade approach to their star forward's status.

Randle is eligible for an extension in early-August. New York isn't likely to pursue an extension, because that would come with a months-long trade restriction. The Knicks are prioritizing flexibility with trades, as well as under the tax aprons, this offseason and into next season.

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Game 1 between the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves averaged 7.02 million viewers across TNT and truTV.

That number is down 5% from the Lakers-Nuggets opener from last season.

The game, which peaked at 8.69 million viewers, is the second-largest audience of the playoffs.

Game 1 between the Pacers and Celtics averaged 6.48 million viewers.

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Tom Gores is willing to "eat" the rest of Monty Williams' contract, sources told James L. Edwards III and Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Williams, who was hired last summer, has around $60 million left on his deal.

Trajan Langdon, newly hired as the team's president of basketball operations, will have the final say on Williams' future in Detroit.

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Tyrese Haliburton left Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals with left hamstring soreness.

Haliburton missed time earlier in the season with a left hamstring injury. But he generally played through the injury in limited fashion to qualify for an All-NBA team, which he was named to this week. Haliburton earned an additional $41 million on his rookie scale extension with his All-NBA award.

Haliburton left the game with 10 points and eight assists over 22 minutes.

The Indiana Pacers will host the Boston Celtics in Game 3 on Saturday.

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The Detroit Pistons will hire Trajan Langdon as president of basketball operations.

Tom Gores is hiring Langdon with sweeping power to make changes to the organization. The Pistons ran a lengthy search, which included coordination with TurnkeyZRG managing director Billy King.

Langdon spent the past five seasons under David Griffin with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Langdon will have the opportunity sit down with Pistons GM Troy Weaver and coach Monty Williams and discuss how they can work together with the Pistons.

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Kenny Atkinson and James Borrego have emerged as early candidates for the Cleveland Cavaliers' head coaching vacancy.

Atkinson was last a head coach in 2020 with the Brooklyn Nets where he coached current Cavaliers Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert. Atkinson has most recently been an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors.

Borrego was previously a head coach with the Charlotte Hornets and is currently an assistant coach with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Cleveland parted ways with J.B. Bickerstaff this week.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have parted ways with J.B. Bickerstaff as head coach.

Bickerstaff led the Cavaliers to a first round series win over the Orlando Magic, but were eliminated in the second round by the Boston Celtics in five games.

Shortly after the Cavaliers lost Game 5 to the Celtics, a report from The Athletic detailed why the franchise was considering a coaching change this offseason.

Bickerstaff was elevated to head coach of the Cavaliers in 2020 following the resignation of John Beilein.

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John and Nate discuss the value of some of the biggest trade candidates of the 2024 offseason. Who might ask out, and who will their teams be willing to move? It's going to be a fascinating offseason with the complications of the new Second Apron and teams looking to move good players but also improve on the floor.

Four more episodes with Nate & Danny per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime, plus it's the only place to hear John Hollinger & Nate as well! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

Plus, subscribe on YouTube to see our hilarious faces and, more importantly, the key moments from the pod each week.

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Dallas played their game against Minnesota while taking the Wolves out of theirs. How can Minnesota turn that in the next games?

The Knicks need to re-sign OG Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein, but also have assets in the coffers to acquire another star. Who might they consider and who might be available?

Four more episodes with Nate & Danny per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime, plus it's the only place to hear John Hollinger & Nate as well! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

Plus, subscribe on YouTube to see our hilarious faces and, more importantly, see the key moments from the pod each week.

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The Phoenix Suns announced that their new G League affiliate will be called the Valley Suns. The team will begin play with the 2024-25 G League season.

Phoenix sold their G League affiliate to the Detroit Pistons ahead of the 2021-22 season. Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein was part of making that acquisition happen for the Pistons. Now, he's on the other side of bringing a G League affiliate back to the Suns organization.

"Ironically enough, I was the one on the other side buying the team from the Suns and getting it to Detroit, and now three years later, I'm here," Bartelstein laughed. "It's really, really important. I mean, the G-League is a staple of many NBA franchises."

The Suns had been the only team without a G League affiliate. The Portland Trail Blazers launched the Rip City Remix last season, leaving Phoenix the lone unaffiliated NBA franchise.

The G League now has 31 teams. The Mexico City Capitanes are the only unaffiliated G League team, as G League Ignite has ceased operations.

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Luka Doncic is eligible to sign a $346 super max extension in 2025 after making the 2024 All-NBA First Team.

It would be the largest contract in NBA history, with Doncic eligible to make $78 million in the 2030-31 season.

The NBA salary cap is also likely to eclipse $200 million in the 2028-29 season.

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Game 1 between the Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics averaged 6.48 million viewers across ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Deportes.

It is the most-watched Eastern Conference Finals Game 1 since Cavs-Celtics in 2018.

The viewership, an 8% increase from last year, also represents the third most-watched game of this year's playoffs.

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Assistant general managers Morgan Cato and Trevor Bukstein will not return to the Phoenix Suns next season, sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The Suns hired Matt Tellem to the front office earlier this offseason.

The team also hired Mike Budenholzer to replace Frank Vogel this summer.

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The All-NBA teams or the 23-24 season have been announced, headlined by Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic.

Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton were also notable selections as they will each get 30 percent of the salary cap on their rookie scale extensions, which equals an extra $41 million over their five-year deals.

All-NBA First Team
Nikola Jokic
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Luka Doncic
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Jayson Tatum

All-NBA Second Team
Jalen Brunson
Anthony Davis
Kevin Durant
Anthony Edwards
Kawhi Leonard

All-NBA Third Team
Devin Booker
Stephen Curry
Tyrese Haliburton
LeBron James
Domantas Sabonis

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With the NBA set to begin new media rights deals at more than $7 billion per season in 25-26, the salary cap will increase significantly over the coming seasons.

However, the NBA and NBPA agreed to only increase the salary cap by 10 percent per season.

With a 10 percent increase per season, the salary cap will top $200 million beginning in the 28-29 season. The supermax that season at 35 percent of the cap will have a starting salary of $72 million and be worth $419 million over five seasons. The fifth-year salary on that supermax contract will be worth $95 million as the NBA approaches the point where some players earn nine figures per season by the 33-34 season.

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While the top of the 2024 NBA draft remains fluid, there is a growing belief among rival teams that Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher have emerged as the probable top-2 selections in some order by the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards.

"Many around the league expect the Hawks to select Sarr with the top pick, as there are compelling reasons to consider him the best prospect in this class with his elite physical tools, mobility, defensive versatility, finishing ability and potential as a perimeter shooter," writes Jonathan Givony in his post-combine mock draft.

Sarr could fit alongside Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu in the frontcourt as the Hawks are expected to largely remake the rest of their roster.

The Wizards at No. 2 are expected to select Sarr if he is not selected at No. 1, or Risacher.

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LeBron James has yet to make a decision on his $51.4 million player option with the Los Angeles Lakers for the 24-25 season, sources tell The Athletic.

James can opt-in or he can opt-out and become a free agent. If James were to have interest in playing for another team, the opt-in could be attractive as it would allow him to maintain his salary via trade. There are a limited number of teams with sufficient cap space to sign James to a contract anywhere close to his $51.4 million option.

James is expected to play up to two more seasons in the NBA.

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Tyronn Lue is set to enter the final season of his current contract with the Los Angeles Clippers in 24-25 if an extension isn't reached this offseason. Both the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns had interest in Lue, but it was made clear that the Clippers wouldn't entertain letting him out of his contract.

The Clippers would like to extend Lue, but those conversations reportedly haven't progressed.

"They want to extend him," said Shams Charania. "To my knowledge, right there hasn't been any progress in those conversations."

Over the past year, the NBA has seen a large increase in contract values for head coaches from Monty Williams and Gregg Popvoich to Erik Spoelstra and Steve Kerr with top coaches making more than $10 million per season.

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TNT is on the verge of losing the NBA after the 24-25 season with Tom Friend of the Sports Business Journal reporting on how Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav mishandled negotiations with the league.

While ESPN was firm on wanting to retain the "A" package and not letting it go to the open market by doubling its old rights fees from $1.4 billion per season to $2.8 billion, Zaslav believed he would only have to pay between $1.8 billion and $2.1 billion to retain the "B" package and refused to double it to $2.4 billion.

WBD entered negotiations believing they could ultimately match any offer the NBA received for the package, but the league's contention is they cannot necessarily match it on a dollar-for-dollar basis.

The NBA subsequently agreed to a $2.6 billion deal with NBC that virtually make it impossible for TNT to equal.

WBD is believed to be preparing to sue the NBA over the issue.

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The NBA is formalizing media rights contracts with ESPN, NBC and Amazon this week with sources telling the Sports Business Journal that it is the final stage of negotiations. Deals with the three providers are expected to return over $7 billion per year for the NBA.

ESPN will pay $2.8 billion annually, which is up from an initially reported $2.6 billion for the NBA's "A" package. That package includes the NBA Finals, a conference final, weekly primetime games, the WNBA and likely shared international rights.

NBC's "B" package is believed to be worth $2.6 billion annually would probably include a "Basketball Night in America" on Sunday nights following the NFL season, a total of two primetime windows a week, conference semifinals and a conference final.

Amazon's deal is believed to be worth between $1.8B and $2B and would likely include the Emirates In-Season Tournament, the SoFi Play-In Tournament, first-round playoff games, the WNBA and international rights.

The final changes to the deals have been fluid and changing, but expected to be finalized in the coming days or week. Once the written bids are ratified, the NBA will take NBC's contract to Warner Bros. Discovery to see if they can match it in "total value."

WBD may enact legal action over the rights. It's believed that the TNT parent company could contest its right to match the NBC deal. The NBA and WBD apparently have different definitions of what matching a deal would consist of.

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LeBron James is keeping his options open ahead of free agency. James remains undecided on whether he'll pick up his $51.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season, or if he'll enter unrestricted free agency.

The Lakers star is still considering the path he wants to take moving forward. James is expected to play up to two more seasons.

In recent weeks, James has distanced himself from the idea that he wants to play on the same team as son Bronny, who is an Early Entry Candidate for the 2024 NBA Draft. That hasn't stopped speculation that teams may draft Bronny James as a way to entice his father to sign with them as a free agent this summer.

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The Los Angeles Lakers have begun the formal interview process to find their next head coach. Los Angeles has meet with a few candidates, and has meetings set up with several others. However, JJ Redick is starting to stand out among the pool of candidates.

The Lakers are reportedly infatuated with the idea of Redick as their next head coach. They see Redick as a Pat Riley-like coaching prospect who could lead the franchise for years.

Los Angeles has also interviewed James Borrego and Sam Cassell. They also plan to interview David Adelman, Micah Nori and Chris Quinn.

Lakers star LeBron James is reportedly not involved in the process of identifying the team's next head coach. Los Angeles views the next head coach as more of a hire for a team led by Anthony Davis, than a team led by James.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are considering hiring J.J. Redick as head coach, but LeBron James is reportedly not driving that candidacy.

"I'm told LeBron James is not involved in the Lakers' head coaching search," said Shams Charania. "I reported on it last week: J.J. Redick, James Borrego and Sam Cassell are the lead initial targets.

"LeBron James James has made it clear that this is the organization's decision. He's had no conversions with the Lakers about JJ Redick, his podcast partner. He has had no conversations with J.J. about this position as well.

"I did speak to Rich Paul this morning. He said 'LeBron James and J.J. Redick do a podcast together. That does not mean that he wants J.J. Redick as his head coach.'

"But he is leaving it up to the organization. We'll see what LeBron James decides for his future. I'm told he's expected to play up to two more NBA season.

"The bottom line with LeBron James is this: if he was making the decisions for the Lakers, Ty Lue would have been the head coach in 2019. Kyrie Irving would be his point guard if he was running the team."

Charania went on to express the thinking that this coaching hire has as much to do with Anthony Davis as it does with James.

James could become a free agent this offseason, but he is widely expected to remain with the Lakers.

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Tom Thibodeau has been a lot place in his NBA coaching career. He knows when he wants to stay somewhere. Now, Thibodeau hopes to stay with the New York Knicks for a while longer.

"That's something that my agent will take care of," Thibodeau said about extending his contract. "The Knicks have been great to me. So, this is where I want to be."

Thibodeau has one year remaining on the five-year deal he signed with New York ahead of the 2020-21 season. Sources expect that the Knicks will do what they can to extend Thibodeau this summer, likely on a deal in the range of $10 million per season.

Despite criticism that he plays his players too many minutes, several Knicks defended Thibodeau. Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and others all expressed hope that New York would take care of their coach with a contract extension.

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Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray said he's committed to playing for Canada at this summer's Olympics in France. Murray has missed previous competitions due to injuries, but seems to feel he's healthy enough to suit up this summer.

Murray has yet to play for the senior Canadian national team. He was set to join the Nuggets for the 2023 FIBA World Cup, but did not play after the Nuggets run to the 2023 NBA title.

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KJ Lewis withdrew from the NBA Draft and will return to Arizona for his sophomore season.

Lewis is ranked No. 19 in ESPN's 2025 draft rankings.

Lewis averaged 6.1 points and 3.1 rebounds during his freshman season.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers are increasingly expected to sign Evan Mobley to a max contract extension this summer, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

The Cavs are also growing confident of signing Donovan Mitchell to a contract extension.

Mobley's agents reportedly cautioned the Cavs about drafting the player with the third pick of the 2021 NBA Draft.

Should the Cavs succeed in re-signing both Mobley and Mitchell, Jarrett Allen would be a trade target for teams around the league.

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Jarrett Allen would be an attractive trade target should the Cleveland Cavaliers re-sign Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

Allen has "numerous admirers" across front offices around the league, added Stein.

Members of the team were reportedly frustrated by the way Allen handled his rib injury during the playoffs.

Allen refused an injection to numb the pain in order to play.

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The Chicago Bulls are hiring assistant coach Dan Craig. The Bulls are adding Craig and Wes Unseld Jr. as the top assistants on Billy Donovan's staff.

Craig spent the last four seasons with the LA Clippers, working as part of Ty Lue's staff. Prior to that, Craig was an assistant coach for Erik Spoelstra with the Miami Heat.

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New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson suffered a fractured left hand. The injury occurred in the second half of Game 7 against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday afternoon.

Brunson was ruled out of the game by the Knicks shortly after the injury occurred.

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The Atlanta Hawks are expected to put center Clint Capela on the trade block this summer. The Hawks have Onyeka Okongwu starting a four-year extension this coming season. Atlanta could also draft big man Alex Sarr with the first overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Capela has one season remaining on his contract at $22.3 million for 2024-25. He's also just turned 30 years old, which makes him one of the older players on the Hawks roster.

The Switzerland native averaged 11.5 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks last season. That was Capela's seventh consecutive season averaging a points-rebounds double-double.

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Gordon Hayward's season didn't end the way he wanted. Hayward struggled to find his place with the Oklahoma City Thunder after a trade deadline deal from the Charlotte Hornets. Hayward owned those struggles in his final meeting with the media for this season, following the Thunder's second-round loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

"Disappointing with how it all kind of worked out. Certainly frustrating," Hayward said about his time with the Thunder.

The veteran wing said he thought his lack of production with Oklahoma City was mostly about his place within the rotation and the team's schemes.

"That's credit to kinda the role I was placed in and lack of touches," Hayward said when asked about his lack of field goal attempts with Oklahoma City.

Hayward is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Thunder can create over $30 million in cap space this offseason, while having relatively few roster spots to fill for next season.

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The New York Knicks may be healthier than they have been in weeks for Game 7 against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday afternoon. OG Anunoby and Josh Hart are both likely to play in the deciding game in New York.

Anunoby has been out since suffering a hamstring strain in Game 2 of the series on May 8. He's worked tirelessly to be able to play, and now it appears Anunoby will make his return after missing about a week-and-a-half.

Hart had an abdominal strain early in Game 6. He attempted to play through the injury initially, but was ruled out later in the game. Hart has been a key player for New York, playing the entirety of several games during this playoff run.

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Host Danny Leroux and Dan Feldman of Dunc'd On Prime break down the NBA playoffs then Derek Bodner of PHLY comes on to discuss the 76ers.

Leroux and Feldman discuss the just-ended Mavericks/Thunder series, where the Thunder go from here, what lessons teams can learn from the 2023 offseason and much more while Bodner and Leroux go in-depth on how this 76ers season went for the key figures, Joel Embiid's present and future and their offseason possibilities.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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The Detroit Pistons have identified several candidates as contenders for their president of basketball operations role. Trajan Langdon, Scott Perry, Dennis Lindsey and John Hammond have all impressed in recent interviews with Pistons owner Tom Gores.

Detroit is also interested in Tim Connelly, who is currently the president of basketball operations for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Connelly reportedly has an out after this season in his deal with the Wolves.

Langdon is the New Orleans Pelicans general manager. Perry is currently working for ESPN as an analyst, and most recently worked in the New York Knicks front office. Lindsey is an advisor to the Dallas Mavericks, while Hammond holds a similar role with the Orlando Magic.

The Pistons are looking for a new front office leader. Interested candidates have been told that they will be given the ability to reshape Detroit's basketball operations department as they see fit.

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Jamal Murray was limited by a right elbow injury during the Denver Nuggets Game 6 blowout loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The good news for the Nuggets is that the injury doesn't seem to be carrying over to the do-or-die Game 7.

After practice ahead of Game 7 in Denver, Murray stayed late to get up extra shots. Nuggets coach Michael Malone said that Murray "feels great" and that his star guard "looked very hungry today".

"Look like he hadn't eaten in two days," Malone said about Murray. "So hopefully that carries over tomorrow. I hope he doesn't eat until tomorrow until 6:00 p.m."

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Josh Hart suffered an abdominal strain in the New York Knicks' Game 6 loss, but will attempt to play through the injury in Game 7 against the Indiana Pacers.

Hart is averaging 42.6 minutes per game in the playoffs and has played 48 or more minutes in four games.

The Knicks also hope to have OG Anunoby back in the lineup for Game 7.

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OG Anunoby has been upgraded to questionable for Game 7 by the New York Knicks as they host the Indiana Pacers.

Anunoby has been out since Game 2 with a hamstring injury.

Anunoby will go through shootaround to determine whether he will be able to play in the game.

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The Chicago Bulls are hiring Wes Unseld Jr. as an assistant coach. Unseld will be the top assistant on Billy Donovan's staff in Chicago.

Unseld was the Washington Wizards head coach for the past two-and-a-half years, before he was let go midway through this past season. Prior to that, Unseld was one of Michael Malone's top assistants for six seasons with the Denver Nuggets. Unseld has also worked as an assistant coach for the Wizards, Golden State Warriors and the Orlando Magic.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers are facing a summer of uncertainty. Donovan Mitchell is extension-eligible, as is Evan Mobley. Darius Garland may ask for a trade if Mitchell extends. Now, we can add Cleveland potentially looking at breaking up their big men too.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective podcast that the Cavs may look at possible trades for Jarrett Allen. The team's starting center missed the end of Cleveland first-round victory over the Orlando Magic due to an injury with his ribs. Allen then missed the entirety of the Cavs five-game loss to the Boston Celtics in the second round.

Allen averaged 16.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game this season. Those numbers are in range of when Allen was named an All-Star in 2023.

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James Jones believes in the roster he's built for the Phoenix Suns. So much so, that despite facing second apron restrictions, Jones shut down any talk that he'd break up his big three. Jones said there is no scenario in which the Suns would trade Kevin Durant, Devin Booker or Bradley Beal this offseason.

Phoenix has over $194 million in guaranteed salary committed to just seven players for next season. The second apron is projected to be set at $189.5 million. That means the Suns will have several restrictions for filling out the rest of their roster. Phoenix can re-sign their own free agents, sign their own draft picks, sign players to minimum contracts, and make heavily restricted trades.

The Suns are expected to be in a similar situation through next summer, as well. Durant's contract runs out after the 2025-26 season. At that point, Phoenix may see start to see some wiggle room under the tax aprons and maybe even the tax itself.

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On the latest episode of The Lowe Post podcast, ESPN's Zach Lowe talked about teams that could be interested in trading for Donovan Mitchell. If Mitchell declines an extension, the thought is that the Cleveland Cavaliers will look to trade him before free agency in the summer of 2025.

Teams expected to be interested include the usual suspects like the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets. The has been some speculation that the Houston Rockets could also join that group. Lowe added the New Orleans Pelicans as a team to watch, should Mitchell hit the trade market.

New Orleans has hit a bit of a crossroads. Brandon Ingram has one year left on his contract. He's extension-eligible and could be looking for a max deal. The Cavs don't have a player with Ingram's skill/size combo at the forward spot. The Pelicans don't have a scoring guard quite like Mitchell, but do have some forward depth. That could make the two teams natural trade partners.

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Warner Bros. Discovery continues to have discussions with the NBA about retaining is media rights deal amid a competing offer from NBC worth $2.5 billion per year. While the NBA could renew with TNT as the incumbent, that is considered unlikely.

The NBA will likely sign papers with NBC and hat would trigger a contractual option for WBD to match. Both the NBA and WBD have reviewed legal language to determine whether a match right is legally in place. The language is believed to be vague where it is unclear if the NBA could walk away. The two sides could be headed toward a lawsuit.

WBD has a market valuation of about $20 billion and an enterprise value of about $60 billion, including $43.2 billion of gross debt, as of the end of the company's fiscal first quarter. The NBA is more comfortable NBC can pay what would amount to more than double the previous price for the package. WBD had been paying $1.2 billion per year.

The NBA's new media rights deals with ESPN/ABC, Amazon and either NBC or TNT will triple from $24 billion over nine seasons to $76 billion or more over 11 seasons.

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What happened in one snapshots in the NBA Playoffs on Friday, May 17, 2024.

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What happened in one snapshots in the NBA Playoffs on Thursday, May 16, 2024.

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What happened in two snapshots in the NBA Playoffs on Wednesday, May 15, 2024.

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What happened in two snapshots in the NBA Playoffs on Tuesday, May 14 2024.

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What happened in two snapshots in the NBA Playoffs on Monday, May 13, 2024.

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Josh Hart exited the New York Knicks' Game 6 loss against the Indiana Pacers with abdominal soreness.

Hart was clearly limited by the injury in the game.

The Knicks will host the Pacers in Game 7 on Sunday.

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The Phoenix Suns are expected to hire Matt Tellem for a role in their front office.

Tellem currently serves as vice president of strategy for the Brooklyn Nets.

Tellem is the son of Arn Tellem, who is former agent and current executive with the Detroit Pistons.

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Mike Budenholzer had his introductory press conference as head coach of the Phoenix Suns on Friday.

"I'm excited about working with this roster and these players," Budenholzer said. "We have great players. And with great players come great expectations. I think we embrace that."

Budenholzer return to coaching after his dismissal in 2023 by the Milwaukee Bucks.

"This year, for me, was really healthy," Budenholzer said. "I kind of had a list of priorities, diving into my kids and my family, super important. We've been through a lot. So really, the time with my kids was just amazing. My son's a senior in high school -- going to every one of his games -- driving home you're like, 'Wow, I got a gift."

While the Suns are limited on how they can remake their roster, Budenholzer said he'd at least like to add a point guard.

"The conversations have been great and there's no doubt that we need to look at the whole roster and talk about point guard," Budenholzer said. "I'm sure it's a hot-button issue here, whether it's with the media, players or the front office. We need to think about it.

"We need to be able to play without one. We probably need to be able to have one. We need to be versatile -- play different ways."

Budenholzer ultimately talked about coaching the Suns is his dream job.

"The biggest message I want you to hear is that I would coach this team if it was on the moon," Budenholzer said, grinning. "I would coach this team if it was in Alaska. If these players were in Denmark. ... I would go anywhere to coach this team."

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Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis is likely to miss Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Porzingis is rehabbing from a strained right calf.

The Celtics are awaiting the winner of the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers series. The Eastern Conference Finals is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, May 21. Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday, May 23.

Porzingis was injured in Game 4 of the first-round series against the Miami Heat. The Celtics went on to win that series in five games. Then, Boston was without their starting center for the entire five-game victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round.

The Celtics have continued to express optimism that Porzingis would return at some point in the playoffs. Now, it looks like that return may come in the middle of the Eastern Conference Finals.

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The Toronto Raptors plan to pick up their $23 million option on Bruce Brown Jr. with the intent of trading him this offseason, sources tell Doug Smith of the Toronto Star.

The Raptors acquired Brown from the Indiana Pacers as part of the Pascal Siakam trade and discussed moving him at the trade deadline, but no deal materialized.

The Raptors are believed to be motivated to trade Brown in the offseason rather than at the 2025 trade deadline. Brown had a somewhat disappointing tenure with the Raptors. Brown revealed after the season that he was dealing with a knee issue.

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Tyrese Haliburton is questionable for Game 4 against the New York Knicks due to lower back spasms, a sacral contusion, and a right ankle sprain.

Haliburton finished Game 3 with 35 points and seven assists.

The Pacers trail the series 2-1.

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OG Anunoby has been ruled out of Game 4 against the Indiana Pacers with a left hamstring injury.

Anunoby also missed Game 3 with the same injury.

The Knicks lead the series 2-1.

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A'ja Wilson is set to receive a signature sneaker and apparel collection from Nike.

The Nike A'ONE set is expected to release in Spring 2025.

"It's been incredible working with Nike toward a dream of having my collection, and it really is an honor to take this next step and become a Nike signature athlete. From my logo to the look of the shoe and the pieces throughout the collection, we've worked to make sure every detail is perfectly tuned to my game and style," said Wilson.

Caitlin Clark also signed a deal to include a signature sneaker with Nike earlier this spring.

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Jonas Valanciunas will not return to the New Orleans Pelicans next season, according to Michael Scotto of the HoopsHype Podcast.

Valanciunas is not seen as a fit on the roster next to Zion Williamson.

Brandon Ingram is also considered likely to be traded by the team this offseason.

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The Los Angeles Lakers have interest in assistants Micah Nori, David Adelman, Sean Sweeney, and Chris Quinn as possible candidates to fill their vacant head coach position, reported Jovan Buha on Buha's Block.

Buha adds that the Lakers are not in the stage of interviewing candidates, but they do plan to name a coach by the NBA Draft on June 26.

The organization met earlier this week to establish the criteria for the next head coach.

JJ Redick and Kenny Atkinson remain candidates for the open position.

Ty Lue would be the Lakers' top choice should be become available, though it appears unlikely at this point.

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Brandon Ingram is the player "most likely" to be traded by the New Orleans Pelicans, according Michael Scotto of the HoopsHype Podcast.

Ingram is entering into the final season of his $36 million contract.

Ingram reportedly had a "minor exchange" with head coach Willie Green during Game 2 of the team's first-round series against the Thunder.

Ingram has also been linked with a possible deal to the Sixers.

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The Phoenix Suns are expected to offer lead assistant David Fizdale a job in the front office.

The move comes after the Suns hired Mike Budenholzer as the team's new head coach.

Fizdale is not expected to accept the offer, according to The Athletic.

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John and Nate catch up on the playoffs so far and discuss:

  • The key strategic trends of the playoffs so far
  • The best team so far?
  • Whether Jalen Brunson has emerged as a top-5 player?
  • The coaching performances
  • Most surprising players
  • Most disappointing players
  • The playoff crucible
    • Who withstood?
    • Who is ash?

Plus they give their opinions on the Budenholzer and Lee hires in Phoenix and Charlotte.

Four more episodes with Nate & Danny per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime, plus it's the only place to hear John Hollinger & Nate as well! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

Plus, subscribe on YouTube to see our hilarious faces and, more importantly, the key moments from the pod each week.

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Luka Doncic is listed as questionable for Game 3 against the Oklahoma City Thunder with a right knee sprain and left ankle injury.

Doncic has been playing with a sprained right knee since Game 3 of the first round against the Clippers.

Doncic suffered the ankle injury in Game 2 against the Thunder.

Doncic is averaging 28.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 9.1 assists in the playoffs.

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The Charlotte Hornets have agreed to hire Lamar Skeeter as the lead assistant coach under Charles Lee.

Skeeter spent the past decade with the Utah Jazz under Quin Snyder and Will Hardy.

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What happened in two snapshots in the NBA Playoffs on Thursday, May 9, 2024.

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What happened in one snapshot in the NBA Playoffs on Wednesday, May 8, 2024.

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What happened in two snapshots in the NBA Playoffs on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

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Toronto has been awarded a WNBA franchise beginning in the 2026 season. The franchise will be owned by Kilmer Sports Inc., which is run by Larry Tanenbaum.

Tanenbaum is a minority owner and chairman of sporting giant Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment which owns the Maple Leafs, Raptors, TFC, Argos and Marlies.

Tanenbaum reportedly attempted to purchase the team through MLSE, but other members of the board turned down the opportunity.

The WNBA recently expanded to 13 teams with San Francisco beginning play in 2025.

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After a disappointing Game 2 loss for the second consecutive series, Jayson Tatum spoke about the expectations outsiders have placed on the Boston Celtics following their dominant regular season.

"We get it," Tatum said after the Celtics were blown out in the second half by the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2. "The world thinks we're never supposed to lose. We're supposed to win every game by 25. It's not gonna be like that all the time. We don't expect it to be easy. This is a good team we're playing. It's the second round of the playoffs. It's going to be fun the rest of the series, especially come Saturday."

Tatum also talked about the superteam narrative placed on the Celtics.

"That's the narrative you might see on TV," Tatum said. "The idea that we have a superteam. It's two-fold, right? We didn't have the Coach of the Year. We didn't have the MVP. We only had two All-Stars. They say we're a superteam, but we didn't get rewarded like we are. We know we've got a good team. We're not perfect. We play the right way more often than not. We know we gotta be better."

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Rick Carlisle has received a $35,000 fine by the NBA for his comments after the Indiana Pacers' Game 2 loss to the New York Knicks. Carlisle criticized the officiating in the game and also questioned the integrity of the NBA and its officials.

"I'm always talking to our guys about not making it about the officials," said Carlisle after the game. "But we deserve a fair shot. And there's not a consistent balance. And that's disappointing."

Carlisle also talked about the possibility of the size of the two teams markets making a difference in how the game is officiated.

"Small-market teams deserve an equal shot," Carlisle added. "They deserve a fair shot no matter where they are playing."

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The Phoenix Suns will hire Mike Budenholzer on a contract worth approximately $10 million per season.

Budenholzer will return to coaching one season after he was fired by the Milwaukee Bucks. Budenholzer's Bucks defeated the Suns during the 2021 Finals.

The Suns parted ways with Frank Vogel as head coach this week after one season in the job.

After a disappointing first round exit, the Suns intend to keep their core of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal in place.

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The Washington Wizards are expected to begin interviews for their next head coach later this week or early next week. Rival teams believe that interim head coach Brian Keefe is the frontrunner for the job.

Keefe took over at midseason, after Wes Unseld Jr. was fired by Washington. Keefe went 8-31 in 39 games in his first head coaching opportunity. Keefe had been an NBA assistant for 14 years with the Wizards, Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets.

Other candidates for the Wizards opening could include Miami Heat assistant Chris Quinn, Houston Rockets assistant Royal Ivey and Dallas Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney.

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Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley is aware he's one of the final players from his draft class still playing in the NBA. Conley also knows the end is approaching, but he's not really thinking about that.

When asked about his future, Conley said, "Before I signed the extension, it was like, 'Man, it could be this year, it could be next year, it could be any year.' But then as I played this year out, I was like, 'Man, I haven't slowed down yet, and I just can't imagine myself leaving when I haven't hit that bottom yet.' So I'm just gonna burn these tires off and not put a date on it and see what happens."

Conley is one of five players from the 2007 draft class still playing (Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Al Horford and Thaddeus Young are the others), and that's something Conley said he and the others take pride in.

"Oh, yeah. I think about that when I get out on the court every day, bro, I promise you. When I pray before the games, it's just all gratitude. It's just like, 'Bro, I'm out here in front of all these people again, like I get to do this again?' It's not a given. I'm 36," Conley said. "Like you said, there aren't too many of us that are still playing and trying to do it at a high level. And I take pride in that. I know all the guys. You know, I see Thaddeus Young, guys who were in my draft class, Jeff Green, you see all the guys, and you give them a head nod. 'Keep going, bro. Don't let them stop you.' ... It's a sense of pride."

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The Mavs even up in OKC behind a rejuvenated Luka Doncic and a killer night from downtown.

Was Cleveland's victory simply the result of outshooting Boston from 3, or does Boston have more to be concerned about?

We also take listener questions on the games and discuss the apparently impending hire of Mike Budenholzer in Phoenix.

Four more episodes with Nate & Danny per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime, plus it's the only place to hear John Hollinger & Nate as well! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

Plus, subscribe on YouTube to see our hilarious faces and, more importantly, see the key moments from the pod each week.

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Trent Perry, a McDonald's All-American, announced his commitment to UCLA.

Perry had originally committed to USC, though he reopened his commitment after Andy Enfield left the Trojans.

Perry is ranked No. 27 in the ESPN 100 for his class.

"What attracted me was that there's a good opportunity to turn things around after this past season, and I want to do that for my hometown," said Perry.

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OG Anunoby has been ruled out of Game 3 by the New York Knicks with a strained left hamstring. Anunoby is also considered unlikely to play in Game 4 on Sunday.

Anunoby suffered the injury late in the third quarter of the Knicks' Game 2 victory over the Indiana Pacers, when he was planting his leg in an effort to convert a transition layup.

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Mike Budenholzer is the leading prominent candidate to replace Frank Vogel as head coach of the Phoenix Suns. The Suns fired Vogel on Thursday.

Budenholzer was fired by the Milwaukee Bucks last season after their first round exit against the Miami Heat.

There is momentum on a Budenholzer deal and he has begun working on building an assistant coaching staff to bring with him.

Budenholzer is a native of Arizona and has been linked with the Suns' job in the past.

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The Phoenix Suns have fired Frank Vogel as head coach after one season. Vogel, who went 49-33 in Phoenix, was signed to a five-year, $31 million deal in June 2023.

The Suns were eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round.

Mike Budenholzer is expected to be a prominent candidate to replace Vogel.

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While NBC is reportedly close to moving forward with the NBA on a $2.5 billion per season media rights deal, TNT continues to be in talks with the league.

"We've enjoyed a strong partnership with the NBA for almost four decades. We're in continuing conversations with them now, and we're hopeful that we'll be able to reach an agreement that makes sense for both sides," Warner Bros. Discovery CEO Zaslav said on Thursday's earnings call.

"We've had a lot of time to prepare for this negotiation, and we have strategies in place for the various potential outcomes. However, now is not the time to discuss any of this. Since we are in active negotiations with the league and under our current deal with the NBA, we have matching rights that allow us to match third-party offers before the NBA enters into an agreement with them."

The NBA also has a deal on the table with Amazon worth $1.8 billion per season, which TNT could also potentially match.

ESPN and the NBA have agreed to a $2.6 billion per season deal.

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Patrick Beverley has been suspended four games without pay for forcefully throwing a basketball multiple times at spectators and an inappropriate interaction with a reporter during media availability.

Beverley's actions took place during and after the Bucks' 120-98 loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series on May 2 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

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Comcast's NBCUniversal is closing in on securing the third NBA package and likely unveil a "Basketball Night in America" telecast with its annual bid of $2.5 billion per year, sources tell Sports Business Journal.

Sources say Warner Bros. Discovery, parent company of TNT, would have to increase its bid to as much as $2.8 billion per season to retain rights unless they attempt to settle the matter with litigation.

WBD exited its exclusive negotiating window with the NBA with the expectation they could match any bid from a rival company on a dollar-for-dollar basis.

Sources reiterated Wednesday that the NBA believes a dollar-for-dollar match is not enough because NBC is an over-the-air network with multiple broadcast windows and an RSN infrastructure that WBD cannot replicate.

"NBC has made their bid, and they're not budging,'' a media industry source said. "So it's over, right? And Warner Bros. is saying, 'We'll match it,' and (Commissioner Adam Silver) is probably saying: 'It's not matched.' ''

Sources say Adam Silver is trying to figure out a way to sever the relationship with TNT in a "gentle way."

"There's no mystery to this," the source said. "It's pretty blatant what's happening. David Zaslav realizes he has to have this and doesn't want to pay more than $2.5B. And Adam's saying, honestly, it's not matched at $2.5. And [Zaslav] goes, 'Yes, it is,' and they're going back and forth.' And so that's where we are. How do you let [WBD] down? Is there a way? Or does Zaslav come up with more money? Because then it doesn't have to be matching because David's paid more.

"And that's where we are. Adam's trying to be nice to David right now until David backs off his dogs. He's trying to help David save face.''

NBC's package is expected to include Sunday Night games following the NFL season, while perhaps taking over ESPN's Friday night slate and TNT's second-round playoff and conference final package. Amazon would likely have one weekday night (Tuesday or Thursday) and Saturday nights, as well as the Play-in tournament, the In-Season Tournament, first-round playoff games and likely some international rights.

ESPN will continue to be the exclusive home of The Finals.

"ESPN did not want to alternate the finals, which I think Adam wanted to do,'' a source said. "Adam wanted to make a package for NBC and alternate the finals with ESPN. ESPN fought it, fought, fought it, and finally said fine, 'We'll pay the $2.6B, but no alternating the finals.' And WB thought the league would never get that [$2.5] price from NBC. They said, 'Sure, go shopping.' They shopped it, they got the price. And now David Zaslav goes, 'We're screwed.'''

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Karl-Anthony Towns has won the 2023-24 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award.

An NBA selection committee chose Towns "due to his dedication to pursue social justice and uphold Abdul-Jabbar and the league's decades-long values of equality, respect and inclusion," an NBA source said.

Other finalists included Bam Adebayo, CJ McCollum, Lindy Waters III and Russell Westbrook.

Towns played a key role in the passage of Minnesota's Restore the Vote bill (H.F.28), a bipartisan legislation that restored the right to vote to more than 55,000 formerly incarcerated people in March 2023.

Towns is expected to receive the award before Friday's Game 3 against the Denver Nuggets.

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Milwaukee Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo has suffered a torn Achilles. He's set to undergo surgery for the injury. No timeline for that surgery, nor his recovery has been reported.

Antetokounmpo is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer. He's spent the last five seasons with the Bucks.

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The Charlotte Hornets have hired Charles Lee as their new head coach. Lee is currently an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics.

Lee reportedly signed a four-year deal to coach the Hornets. Lee will finish the Celtics playoff run before joining the Hornets.

Lee began his NBA coaching career in 2014 with the Atlanta Hawks as part of Mike Budenholzer's staff. Lee then moved to the Milwaukee Bucks with Budenholzer in 2018. This season, Lee joined Joe Mazzulla's staff in Boston.

The 39-year-old has been a well-regarded assistant for several years. He started his coaching career at Bucknell University, where he played college basketball, in 2012 before moving to the NBA. Lee is replacing Steve Clifford, who is moving into a front office advisory role with the Hornets.

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Rick Carlisle was upset during the fourth quarter of the Indiana Pacers Game 2 loss at the New York Knicks. So much so, that Carlisle got ejected from the game.

Following the game, Carlisle said small market teams deserve an equal shot in. Beyond those comments, the Pacers are doubling down on their efforts to prove that the officiating favored the Knicks in the first two games of the series.

Indiana has sent the NBA league office tape of 78 plays that they feel were calls or non-calls in favor of New York. The Pacers had considered sending the NBA a tape after Game 1, but chose not to. After Game 2, Carlisle said Indiana reversed that decision. The plays in question include 49 instances from Game 2 and 29 plays from Game 1.

"I can promise you that we're going to submit these tonight," Carlisle said after being ejected in the final minute when he was given two technical fouls. "New York can get ready. They'll see 'em too. I'm always talking to our guys about not making it about the officials, but we deserve a fair shot."

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Candace Parker was named the president of Adidas women's basketball on Wednesday.

"From high school to college to playing pro to now, this appointment by Adidas symbolizes a shared commitment to making impactful change and setting new benchmarks for the future of women's sports. It's not just about products; it's about fostering a movement focused on innovation, representation and access," said Parker in a statement.

Parker wore Adidas sneakers in high school, college, and her 16 years in the WNBA.

She also became the first women to receive a signature sneaker from the brand in 2010.

Parker will "collaborate with the brand to create a powerful platform aimed at influencing and elevating the future of women's sports," according to Adidas.

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Brandon Ingram and Willie Green had a "minor exchange" during Game 2 of the New Orleans Pelicans' playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, according to Zach Harper and Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Ingram reportedly wanted the ball more during the game.

Ingram is heading into the final year of his contract next season.

The Pelicans' forward has been linked as a possible trade candidate for the Sixers.

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Opposing NBA teams are monitoring head coach Chauncey Billups' situation with the Portland Trail Blazers, according to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated.

Billups is entering the final year of his guaranteed four-year deal.

The team announced that they would not renew assistants Scott Brooks and Rodney Billups' contracts.

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Rick Carlisle was ejected at the end of the Indiana Pacers' Game 2 loss at the New York Knicks. Carlisle plans on submitting video of missed calls to the league office on Thursday ahead of Game 3 back in Indiana.

"I'm always talking to our guys about not making it about the officials," said Carlisle. "But we deserve a fair shot. And there's not a consistent balance. And that's disappointing."

Carlisle also talked about the possibility of the size of the two teams markets making a difference in how the game is officiated.

"Small-market teams deserve an equal shot," Carlisle added. "They deserve a fair shot no matter where they are playing.

Carlisle was also disappointed by the officiating in Game 1, but took a more magnanimous approach with his comments to the media.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are holding internal meetings to establish their criteria for the next head coach, sources told Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

After firing Darvin Ham last week, the team has yet to request permission to interview assistant coaches thus far.

Stein reported last week that the team does not anticipate being able to hire Ty Lue.

ESPN is also reportedly "increasingly concerned" about losing JJ Redick from its NBA Finals broadcast team.

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OG Anunoby left the New York Knicks' Game 2 win over the Indiana Pacers with a sore left hamstring.

Anunoby exited the game and did not return in the second half after scoring 28 points in 28 minutes.

The Knicks are already without Julius Randle, Bojan Bogdanovic and Mitchell Robinson for the rest of the season.

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Nikola Jokic has been named the 23-24 NBA Most Valuable Player, winning the award for the third time in his career.

Jokic is the ninth player to win the award three or more times in his career.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished second ahead of Luka Doncic at third. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jalen Brunson rounded out the top-5.

Jokic received 79 first place votes, 18 second place votes and two third place votes.

Gilgeous-Alexander received 15 first place votes, 40 second place votes, 40 third place votes, three fourth place votes and one fifth place votes.

Doncic received four first place votes, 36 second place votes, 50 third place votes and eight fourth place votes.

Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, Domantas Sabonis and Kevin Durant also received votes.

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The NBA is nearing agreement with ESPN and Amazon on media rights deals for the WNBA.

The league has reportedly prioritized including the WNBA media rights as part of its next NBA deals. The NBA is also potentially maximizing the timing for the value of the WNBA as Caitlin Clark enters the league.

Details on the number of games in the regular season and playoffs that will be broadcast by both companies are still being determined.

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The NBA's new media rights deals could surpass $7 billion per season, which would represent an increase of nearly 170 percent from its current $2.6 billion per deals with ESPN and TNT. According to reported figures, the combined rights fees from ESPN, Amazon and NBC (or TNT) are at $6.9 billion per season.

Amazon will pay approximately $1.8 billion per season, according to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic. The deal will include the Conference Finals every other year as they will alternate with whoever wins the third rights between NBC and TNT. It also will include the NBA Cup and In-Season Tournament.

TNT can match NBC's offer of $2.5 billion per season and talks are ongoing.

ESPN's deal with the NBA, which includes the Finals and Conference Finals on an annual basis, will cost $2.6 billion per year.

A report in 2021 indicated that the NBA was seeking anywhere between $7 billion and $8 billion per year on its next deal. After a 2023 report cooled those expectations with a doubling of the current deal a more probable target, the NBA appears to be close to reaching its goal.

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The future of Jimmy Butler with the Miami Heat has come into question after he missed their first round series against the Boston Celtics and is eligible in July for a contract extension worth up to $112.9 million over two seasons. Pat Riley was publicly non-committal on the possibility of an extension for Butler when he addressed the media this week.

"He has clearly wanted to be in Miami," said Shams Charania. "He has seen that as a perfect marriage of sorts."

The Heat tried to trade for Damian Lillard last offseason to improve their roster around Butler and Bam Adebayo. There are questions of whether the Heat roster is good enough to continue competing at a championship level as Butler ages.

"It is interesting the back and forth that we're seeing, but I think Jimmy Butler has always made it clear he wants to be in Miami long-term, it's going to be about will they be able to pay him what he wants," said Charania.

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Danny Manning joined the Colorado Buffaloes coaching staff as an assistant on Tuesday.

The 57-year-old Manning played with head coach Tad Boyle at Kansas.

Manning was an associate head coach with Louisville for the last two seasons.

Colorado won 26 games last year and appeared in the NCAA tournament.

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The first round of the NBA playoffs averaged 3.14 million viewers with a 1.7 rating across ABC, ESPN, TNT, truTV and NBA TV.

The number represent a 9% decrease in viewership from last season, though it is up 5% from 2022.

Sunday's Game 7 between the Magic and Cavs averaged 4.32 million viewers on ABC, making it the least-watched Game 7 since 2019.

Game 1 of the Nuggets-Timberwolves series on Saturday averaged 4.93 million viewers.

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Trae Young has left Klutch Sports and has signed with Aaron Mintz of CAA as his representation.

Young joined Klutch in 2020 after his agent, Omar Wilkes, left Octagon for Rich Paul's agency. Wilkes left Klutch to join Fanatics in March 2023.

Young has a player option for the 26-27 season and has been the subject of trade rumors this offseason.

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Rudy Gobert has been named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year for a record-tying fourth time.

Gobert had 72 first place votes and 433 total points. Victor Wembanyama finished second with 245 total points out of 19 first place votes, 44 second place votes and 18 third place votes. Bam Adebayo finished third with 91 total points ahead of Anthony Davis with 83.

Gobert joins Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace as the only four-time winners of the award, which has been presented annually since the 1982-83 season.

In the 2023-24 regular season, Gobert ranked sixth in the NBA in blocks per game (2.13) and fourth in defensive rebounds per game (9.2). Opponents shot 43.4% from the field when Gobert was the closest defender, 6.1% lower than their expected percentage on those shots (49.5%). That difference was the largest among the 105 players who defended at least 800 shots during the season.

Led by Gobert, the Timberwolves had the best defensive rating, allowed the fewest points per game and held opponents to the lowest field goal percentage in the NBA. The top-ranked defense helped Minnesota (56-26) post the second-best record in franchise history and earn the No. 3 playoff seed in the Western Conference.

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Jamal Murray has been fined $100,000 for throwing multiple objects in the direction of a game official during live play.

Murray's actions took place during the Nuggets' 106-80 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2 of their conference semifinals playoff series on May 6 at Ball Arena.

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Mitchell Robinson will be out at least the next six to eight weeks after suffering a stress injury to his left ankle.

The New York Knicks lead the Indiana Pacers 1-0 in their second round series.

New York has already lost Julius Randle and Bojan Bogdanovic to season-ending injuries.

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Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav confirmed that talks with the NBA to keep games on TNT are ongoing. NBC has offered the NBA $2.5 billion per season to essentially replace TNT as the league's other primary partner alongside ESPN. Amazon will likely enter as a partner for the NBA and broadcast both the NBA Cup and Play-In Tournament.

"We continue to be in constructive negotiations with the NBA," Zaslav said Monday at the Milken Institute Global Conference in California. "It's a great league. The TNT team does a terrific job. And we love the NBA."

WBD maintains matching rights with the NBA as one of their existing partners.

WBD's stock has lost nearly one-third of its value so far this year, with a drop of nearly 10 percent last week driven in part by reports the network could lose the NBA rights.

During an interview in November 2022, Zaslav said "We don't have to have the NBA."

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Christian Wood has exercised his $3 million player option for the 2024-25 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. Wood signed a two-year deal with the Lakers last summer, that included a player option for next season.

Wood appeared in 50 games in his first season in Los Angeles. He averaged 6.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 17.4 minutes per game off the Lakers bench.

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The Phoenix Suns' disappointing first round performance against the Minnesota Timberwolves has led to some speculation that they may have to break up their superstar duo of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in order to field a more balanced roster.

"Do people in the league say that?" said Brian Windhorst on The Rich Eisen Show. "Yes, they do. I talk to multiple people who think that's what they're going to have to do that. Do the Suns say that? No, they do not.

"I think the Suns' intention is to keep all three of these star players. Tweak the roster, tweak some of their systems and processes and try to be better next year."

Windhorst also stressed how Durant spoke about how the Suns could benefit from continuity.

The Suns have also yet to publicly decide the future of Frank Vogel as head coach.

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LA Clippers front office executive Lawrence Frank covered a lot during his end-of-season media session. One of the topics was center Ivica Zubac, who had a career year. Frank said that the Clippers will have extension conversations with Zubac this summer.

The 7-foot center averaged a career-high 11.7 points per game last season. Zubac also grabbed 9.2 rebounds and blocked 1.2 shots per game.

Zubac has one year remaining on the three-year, $32.8 million extension he signed with LA in 2022. Zubac will make $11.7 million in 2024-25.

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Jamal Murray threw a heating pad on the floor during the middle of a possession in the Denver Nuggets' 106-80 Game 2 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Referee Marc Davis said after the game that Murray should have been assessed a technical foul, but not been ejected for the incident.

"I was the lead official, and I didn't notice it was on the floor or where it came from until Towns scored," Davis told a pool reporter. "We weren't aware it had come from the bench. If we would have been aware it came from the bench, we could have reviewed it under the hostile act trigger. The penalty would have been a technical foul."

Chris Finch called Murray's act "dangerous" and "inexcusable" and said the Wolves attempted to reason with the officiating crew to adjudicate the incident.

"We tried to impress upon [the referees] there probably aren't many fans in the building that have a heat pack, so it probably had to come from the bench, which they found logical," Finch said. "I'm sure it was a mistake and an oversight and nothing intentional by the officiating at all, but certainly can't allow that to happen."

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Former Kentucky Wildcat Adou Thiero announced his transfer to Arkansas on Monday.

Thiero is a projected first-round pick in 2025.

"He's known for putting guys in the NBA that also stay in the NBA and coach Kenny Payne, who is now with him again, was also there for some of those years," said Thiero of rejoining John Calipari.

Thiero is the fifth player to join Calipari from Kentucky.

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Amazon will get the rights to the NBA Cup and Play-in Tournament in the next media deal, according to John Ourand of Puck (h/t Sports Media Watch).

There was a possibility that the league would sell the rights for the two tournaments as part of a separate deal.

The Amazon deal is likely to include a conference final every-other-year, as well as Saturday games.

ESPN will carry regular season games on Wednesdays as part of the new deal.

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Jimmy Butler is eligible for a two-year contract extension with the Miami Heat worth as much as $113 million to cover the 25-26 and 26-27 seasons. Pat Riley revealed that the Heat have not internally discussed that possibility yet.

"We have not discussed that internally right now," Riley said. "We have to look at making that kind of commitment and when do we do it. We don't have to do it until 2025, actually. But we'll see. We haven't made a decision on it, and we haven't really in earnest discussed it."

Butler's injury issues will potentially be a factor in Miami's calculus.

"That's a big decision on our part to commit those kinds of resources unless you have somebody who's going to be there and available every single night," Riley said. "That's the truth."

Riley also criticized Butler's comments about the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks.

"If I was playing, Boston would be at home, New York damn sure would ... be at home," said Butler.

"I thought, 'Is that Jimmy trolling or is that Jimmy serious?' If you're not on the court playing against Boston or on the court playing against the New York Knicks, you should keep your mouth shut on the criticism of those teams," Riley said.

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Rudy Gobert missed Game 2 of the Minnesota Timberwolves' second round series against the Denver Nuggets following the birth of his first child.

There was some level of optimism that Gobert could return to Denver in time for the game.

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Victor Wembanyama is the recipient of the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy as the 2023-24 NBA Rookie of the Year.

Wembanyama is the third player to earn the honor with the San Antonio Spurs, joining David Robinson (1989-90) and Tim Duncan (1997-98).

Wembanyama received all 99 first-place votes from a media panel, making him the first unanimous NBA Rookie of the Year since Karl-Anthony Towns in the 2015-16 season.

In the 2023-24 regular season, Wembanyama led all rookies in points, rebounds and blocks per game, in addition to ranking fourth in assists and second in steals per game. He is the second rookie to lead all NBA players in blocks per game in a season, joining Manute Bol (1985-86). Wembanyama and Bol are also the only two rookies to lead the NBA in total blocks in a season since blocks were first recorded in the 1973-74 season.

Wembanyama became the first player to average at least 20.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks in fewer than 30 minutes per game in a season. He is also the first player to have at least 1,500 points, 700 rebounds, 250 assists, 250 blocks and 100 three-pointers made in a season.

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The Philadelphia 76ers plan to have a significantly different roster next season as they enter the 2024 offseason with approximately $65 million in cap space. Beyond Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Nick Nurse, there could be many new faces with the Sixers.

"We're not going to have continuity," Morey said Monday at the 76ers' headquarters in New Jersey. "We'll have continuity with our stars and our head coach but we're going to have a lot of changes this season."

The Sixers won at a 65-win pace with Embiid, but went 16-27 without him.

"I feel like I could have done a better job with the players so that we were in a better spot to win without him," Morey said. "That said, we do spend 90% of the time figuring out how to win the title with him. It can't be a big focus, how we play without him. We know that team can't win a championship. It's really, how do we manage through it better? I felt like, on me, the depth wasn't quite there when he was out to win at the level we wanted to win at."

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Host Danny Leroux talks with Kevin Pelton of ESPN (@kpelton.bsky.social) about the NBA playoffs.

They break down each of the four second-round series in terms of the key matchups, swing factors and much more plus other NBA discussion.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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Tyronn Lue has one season remaining on his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers and the two sides have not held extension talks. Over the past few months, contract values or elite NBA head coaches has gone up dramatically with Steve Kerr, Gregg Popovich and Erik Spoelsta among the extensions.

"They have not discussed an extension with him the entire season," said Shams Charania. "Now, they're focus will be can we get an extension done with Ty Lue?"

The Los Angeles Lakers have been linked with interest in Lue. Lue and the Lakers were unable to agree to terms on a contract back in 2019.

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The Los Angeles Clippers would like to retain both Paul George and James Harden this offseason, but so far they have tried to do at a discount. The Clippers signed Kawhi Leonard to a discounted extension worth $152.4 million over three years.

"This Clippers team fully intends to keep this group together, they want to bring back Paul George as a free agent or give him an extension, but they have not been able to reach an agreement with Paul George," said Shams Charania.

"They've made multiple contract offers below the max. They have not been able to reach a deal. They're going to keep trying."

If George tests free agency, there is a general expectation that he will be offered a max contract by the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic.

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The Orlando Magic will be active in the offseason to upgrade their roster, especially with perimeter shooting and Klay Thompson is one player on their radar. The Magic can create upwards of $60 million in cap space.

"One name to keep any eye on is Klay Thompson," said Shams Charania. "I'm told there is mutual interest between the Magic and Klay Thompson."

Thompson is entering free agency for the first time since 2019 and his future with the Golden State Warriors is uncertain. The Warriors are expected to try to reduce their payroll and luxury tax this offseason.

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Rudy Gobert is questionable or Game 2 of the Minnesota Timberwolves' second round series against the Denver Nuggets for personal reasons. Gobert was not at shootaround with the Wolves.

Gobert's partner announced earlier this year that they were expecting a baby.

The Wolves enter the game up 1-0 over the Nuggets.

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The Cavaliers overcame injuries and atrocious first-half shooting to persevere and author the largest Game 7 comeback in the play-by-play era.

Now that they've escaped the dreaded first round, how do they match up with a Boston team that hit on all cylinders against Miami?

The Mavericks summarily dispatched the Clippers in round one, but they face a fresh Thunder team that's an entirely different kind of challenge altogether in round two.

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The Dallas Mavericks announced a multi-year contract extension for head coach Jason Kidd. This season was Kidd's third in Dallas, and he reportedly had one year left on his previous contract.

Kidd has led the Mavericks to two 50-win seasons and to the playoffs in two of his three years in Dallas. This season, Kidd has the Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs, as they open their series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.

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The Detroit Pistons are set to formally request an interview with Jon Horst for their vacant president of basketball operations position, sources told Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

It is unknown whether the Bucks will grant the request.

The Pistons have also been linked with Tim Connelly and Scott Perry for the position.

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The Portland Trail Blazers will not renew the contracts of assistant coaches Scott Brooks or Rodney Billups, sources told Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian.

Brooks was Chauncey Billups' top assistant, with Rodney Billups responsible for development and defense.

Steve Hetzel also left the Blazers bench for the Nets in late April.

The team plans to fill all three positions.

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The NBA has rescinded a technical foul assessed to Anthony Edwards in the third quarter of the Minnesota Timberwolves Game 1 win over the Denver Nuggets.

Edwards stared at but didn't say anything to Reggie Jackson after beating him on a basket.

Edwards was shocked to be issued a technical foul on the play.

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Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Orlando Magic 106-94 in Game 7 to advance to the second round of the playoffs. Mitchell scored 39 points in Game 7 after scoring 50 in Game 6.

Cleveland's 18-point comeback is the largest in a Game 7 since at least 1997.

The Cavaliers were resilient against the Magic one season after they were eliminated in five games in the first round by the New York Knicks.

"I'm tired of losing in the first round," Mitchell said. "You work too hard. We work too hard. That was my mindset ... for me, just be in attack mode. I'm battling through what I'm battling through, but I could battle through it and figure it out, or rehab it for the next three or four months. That's where I'm at mentally."

"[Mitchell is] the guy that can pull everybody along, not just with his skill but in spirit as well," Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "When you see your teammate, a guy you care about playing that way, you don't want to let that guy down so you go out and do whatever you can to help that guy.

"We talk about how everybody has their style and their piece of leadership here and that's how Don leads, by being special in the moment. His teammates want to be a part of it."

"I don't mean this disrespectful, but it doesn't really mean much," Mitchell said. "We didn't come in just to win the first round. We accomplished one goal, now we have to do it again. That's the mindset."

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Jimmy Butler reportedly wants an extension from the Miami Heat this offseason. Butler has two years remaining on his current deal, including a player option for 2025-26. It's unknown where the Heat stand on adding even more guaranteed money to their payroll moving forward. Butler will turn 35 years old ahead of next season and missed the Heat's first-round series loss to the Boston Celtics due to a knee injury.

If the Heat balk at extending Butler, rival teams believe the Philadelphia 76ers could attempt to swing a trade for the veteran wing. The Sixers project to have more than $60 million in cap space this summer. Daryl Morey will be seeking to fill out the roster around Joel Embiid and re-sign Tyrese Maxey.

Butler previously played for part of one season with the 76ers. Philadelphia acquired Butler from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Following the end of the 2018-19 season, Butler was acquired by the Heat in a sign-and-trade deal with the Sixers.

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The Los Angeles Lakers had their eyes set on two former Lakers to replace Darvin Ham as their next head coach. However, the Lakers have seemingly given up hope of hiring either Ty Lue or Jason Kidd to fill their coaching spot.

Reports are that the Lakers have no expectations that Lue or Kidd will be available for hire. It's been rumored that Kidd will sign an extension with the Dallas Mavericks, following the team advancing to second round of the playoffs.

The LA Clippers have made it known that they intend to do whatever it takes to keep Lue on their sideline. For his part, Lue has said he prefers to stay with the Clippers and has no interest in jumping to a new team.

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The Dallas Mavericks advanced to the second round of the NBA Playoffs this year. Now, Jason Kidd may be the beneficiary of a contract extension.

Kidd has led the Mavericks to two 50-win seasons in his three years in charge. Dallas made the Western Conference Finals in 2022. After missing the postseason last year, the Mavs will play the Oklahoma City Thunder with a chance to head back to the Western Conference Finals.

The Los Angeles Lakers were rumored to be a suitor for Kidd's services. Los Angeles has apparently given up on any expectations they'll be able to pursue Kidd to replace Darvin Ham.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers will play Game 7 against the Orlando Magic without a key starter. Jarrett Allen will miss his third straight game due to a rib injury.

Allen was hurt in Game 4 of the Cavs first-round series against the Magic. Cleveland has split the two games against the Magic without Allen.

Isaac Okoro started the Game 5 victory in place of Allen. JB Bickerstaff is returning Okoro to start, in place of Marcus Morris Sr. who started the Game 6 loss.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves were clearly pleased with their Game 1 victory over the Denver Nuggets. Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert says a lot of that is driven by how much the team pulls for each other to succeed.

"I've never been part of a group that understands each other, that cares about each other and wants to see each other shine. In this league, it's not something that you find very often," Gobert said.

Gobert said that that the Wolves "love and trust each other" and that helps them overcome adversity, like falling behind at points against the Nuggets. The veteran center said that the process of growing together was a team was something that started last year for Minnesota, and that they've built upon it this year.

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The Los Angeles Clippers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs on Friday and enter an uncertain offseason with Paul George and James Harden becoming free agents. While Kawhi Leonard has already signed an extension with the Clippers, he was unavailable or the majority of the series, leaving the team in a diminished state.

George was asked whether he sees himself with the Clippers long-term alongside Leonard and Harden.

"Yeah," George said. "If it works that way, absolutely."

George is expected to be the most coveted free agent on the open market.

"I'm not even focused on that yet," George said. "I got a lot to kind of digest myself, so I haven't even got to that yet. Look forward to kind of going back, just letting everything kind of decompress, talk to my family, be around family support and then address the next step. ... Yeah, it's just not where I'm there. I'm not there yet."

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Lonzo Ball has picked up his $21.4 million player option with the Chicago Bulls for the 24-25 season.

Ball hasn't played since January 2022 and it is uncertain if he will play again.

Ball signed a four-year, $80 million deal with the Bulls during the 2021 offseason.

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What happened in two snapshots in the NBA Playoffs on Friday, May 3, 2024.

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Dallas Mavericks reserve big man Maxi Kleber has suffered a full dislocation of the AC joint in his right shoulder. Kleber is expected to miss a significant period of time, and potentially the remainder of the postseason.

Kleber played a big part in the Mavericks six-game victory over the LA Clippers in the first round of the 2024 playoffs. Kelber hit 10-of-18 three-pointers in the series and averaged 5.7 points in 19.3 minutes per game.

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Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell was fined $25,000 for verbally abusing a game official. The incident took place after the Los Angeles Lakers loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series.

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Veteran point guard Shane Larkin has signed a new four-year contract with Anadolu Efes in Turkey. Larkin joined Efes for the 2018-19 season. His new contract will carry through the 2027-28 season. That will give Larkin 10 years with Efes, which is a club record for a foreign-born player.

This season, Larkin has averaged 11.5 points, 5.5 assists and 1.2 steals across 44 games. Larkin shot 46.7% from the field, 40.5% on three-pointers and 89.9% on free throws this season.

Larkin was the 18th overall pick in 2013 draft out of Miami. In four NBA seasons, the 5-foot 11 point guard played for the Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics.

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Paul George is widely expected to decline his $48.8 million player option for next season with the LA Clippers. After LA signed Kawhi Leonard to an extension, it was thought that George and the Clippers would agree to an extension. However, that hasn't happened, and George now appears poised to enter free agency this summer.

Two teams with known interest in George are the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers. Both teams have the ability to create the necessary cap space to sign the veteran wing to a deal worth up to his projected max salary of just over $49 million dollars for 2024-25.

George has continued to express he'd like to re-sign with LA. The Clippers have reportedly not offered him a max deal, and that's held things up. LA hopes that George, like Leonard did, will take less than the maximum to allow the team to dip below the second apron. That would free up the Clippers to make more roster moves to add talent around their stars.

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Russell Westbrook wasn't happy about coming off the bench for the LA Clippers after the team acquired James Harden. In fact, Clippers front office executive Lawrence Frank had to convince Westbrook to take on the sixth-man role for LA.

Westbrook has a $4 million player option for next season. There's a good chance that the veteran point guard may decline that option to find a better opportunity elsewhere.

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Giannis Antetokoumpo was unable to appear in the first round of the Milwaukee Bucks' series against the Indiana Pacers due to a calf injury.

Antetokoumpo's status heading into Game 6 was slightly more promising, but he was ruled out.

"I tried my best to come back to help my teammates," Antetokounmpo said Friday. "It's kind of hard to see them being out there and not being able to help them, but I just couldn't.

"I did all the tests I had to do, these like protocols you have to follow and have to check the boxes. I wasn't even close at checking the boxes."

Antetokoumpo suffered the injury at the end of the regular season and last played on April 9th.

Antetokoumpo missed multiple playoff games last season as well with a back injury.

Antetokounmpo was asked if he might change his approach next season.

"I don't know. Maybe I do follow a different pattern," Antetokounmpo said. "Maybe try different things. I don't like the word 'rest.' Like, if I can play, I will play. If I cannot play, I can't play.

"I'm for sure going to sit down and think about it, of how my summer is going to look like and how next year is going to look like."

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The Phoenix Suns are still deciding whether they will retain Frank Vogel as head coach and what they can do to add to his coaching staff if he isn't fired.

"Phoenix is still deciding about Frank Vogel's future. Those conversations are ongoing. There's a world where they can make changes on his coaching staff. They lost Kevin Young, their top assistant, to BYU as a head coach.

"They can also make a decision to move on from Frank Vogel. They're not there yet, I'm told."

Vogel spoke confidently earlier this week about the support he is receiving from Mat Ishbia as head coach, but The Athletic reported of issues some key stakeholders had with his coaching style and that the Suns would take a "hard look" at making a change.

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The Los Angeles Clippers would like to retain Tyronn Lue on a long-term contract and it is unlikely a scenario would manifest that would allow him to become head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.

"I don't believe it is realistic based on this: Ty Lue still has a year left on his contract," said Adrian Wojnarowski. And the Clippers are determined to a long-term deal with Ty Lue, I'm told. They want him to be their head coach for a very long time. That is a conversation that will happen after the playoffs are over, but they love the job he did this season. They love the job he's done there.

"This is an organization by all indications, however this series ends up, wants to re-sign Paul George, James Harden. Try to improve this roster around those two and Kawhi Leonard. And Ty Lue will still be the head coach for them."

The Lakers previously offered Lue their head coaching job in 2019, but were unable to agree to contract terms.

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The Los Angeles Lakers have Mike Budenholzer, Kenny Atkinson, JJ Redick and Tyronn Lue on their list of possible candidates for their head coaching vacancy. Charles Lee is also a possible candidate for the job.

The Milwaukee Bucks parted ways with Budenholzer after the 22-23 season, two years after the team won The Finals. Budenholzer did not coach during the 23-24 season following his dismissal.

Atkinson has most recently been an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors. In 2022, he accepted an offer to become the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets and then backed out of the deal. Atkinson was previously a head coach with the Brooklyn Nets.

Redick has inteviewed for head coaching positions previously with the Toronto Raptors and Charlotte Hornets. Redick is currently one of ESPN's lead game analysts and also has a podcast with LeBron James.

Lue is under contract with the Los Angeles Clippers for the 24-25 season as they open up their new arena.

Lee has been a head coaching candidate over the past few cycles and is currently an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics.

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The Los Angeles Lakers have parted ways with Darvin Ham as head coach after two seasons with the franchise.

Ham guided the Lakers to the Western Conference in his first season. In Year 2, the Lakers won the In-Season Tournament and lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round. The Lakers went 90-74 during the regular season with Ham.

Ham had two seasons remaining on his contract at approximately $5 million per year.

The Lakers previously fired Frank Vogel after three seasons with the club.

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The Philadelphia 76ers have long been connected to a pursuit of Paul George this offseason.

"The player at the top of theeir list is Paul George," said Brian Windhorst on Get Up on Friday morning. "His contract extension discussions with the Clippers have not led to an agreement. The Clippers are fighting for their playoff lives tonight in Dallas. They have not wanted to offer the max contract. They got Kawhi to accept an extension at less than a max, that has been the standard.

"I think Philly is going to come out with a max offer to Paul George. The Clippers are going to have to decide max or not. Paul George is going to have to decide 'Do I want to stay here or not?'

"But you don't just to have use cap space on free agents. You can use it in trade. This is where I think Daryl Morey is going to go to work. There's going to be a number of names who are going to come up, but I'm going to give you two off the bat here. Both involve who can get extensions with their teams, but for various reasons will not.

"The first name to watch is Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat. He has two years left on his contract. There is interest in him extending... If Jimmy Butler wants to extend and the Heat are not willing to do it facing heavy luxury tax penalties, is there a way to revisit that?

"Also, another player to watch is Brandon Ingram. He had a very poor playoff session for the Pelicans. He is due a contact extension. The Pelicans have never paid the tax in the history of their franchise. They are set to sign Trey Murphy as a big dollar player alongside Zion Williamson. This is a player who might be on the market and again, I don't think even their No. 1 choice behind Paul George, but this type of player is who Philly can potentially look at to add firepower and offense to this team.

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After the Philadelphia 76ers were eliminated by the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the first round of the NBA playoffs, Joel Embiid conducted his postgame interview with Tyrese Maxey by his side. Embiid typically addresses the media at the podium by himself.

Embiid spoke optimistically about the partnership he has formed with Maxey and the Sixers' ability to improve the roster this offseason via cap space and future draft capital.

"It kind of looks exciting," Embiid said. "I don't know what they're going to do. But they do have a lot of cap space and picks, so they have the opportunity to do something good. [But] that's a great position to be in.

"You got a young superstar, face of the franchise for his whole career, really, in Philly. That's exciting ... [we're] trying to build something great here."

Maxey will also be a free agent and he is expected to sign a max contract.

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Jalen Brunson leads the brawny Knicks to the second round in yet another classic game in a classic series.

The Pacers finally play to their capabilities to finish off a wounded Bucks team at home. What is next for a Milwaukee team that hasn't made it out of the first round the last two years?

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Milwaukee Bucks guard Patrick Beverley refused to allow an ESPN producer to be a part of postgame interviews following the Bucks season-ending loss to the Indiana Pacers on Thursday. Beverley asked producer Malinda Adams if she was subscribed to his podcast. When Adams said she was not, Beverley said "You can't interview me then."

As another reporter asked Beverley a question, the Bucks guard asked Adams to leave the interview circle entirely. Beverley again stated that Adams couldn't be a part of the interview because she's not subscribed to his podcast.

Other local reporters shared that this behavior is nothing new for Beverley. He's apparently taken the same stance with others since his arrival in Milwaukee following the trade deadline.

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Milwaukee Bucks guard Patrick Beverley had a confrontation with Indiana Pacers fans seated behind the Bucks bench. Beverley appeared to throw a basketball at the fans twice as Milwaukee was wrapping up a season-ending loss in Indiana.

Beverley took to Twitter/X after the game to post "Not Fair at all. Exchanged between a fan and our ball club all night. We warned and asked for help all night. Not fair."

The NBA has regularly fined players for throwing items, including balls, into the stands.

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The Los Angeles Lakers could have interest in both J.J. Redick and Tyron Lue as their next head coach.

Redick recently launched a podcast with LeBron James and has also been considered as a head coach candidate for the Toronto Raptors last offseason and the Charlotte Hornets this year. Redick is also currently a lead game analyst for ESPN.

"J.J. is certainly a real candidate if they do open up this coaching search," said Dave McMenamin on the Dan Patrick Show. "There's I'd say half a dozen folks out there, including possibly Tyronn Lue. There are several viable candidates who will get an interview."

Lue is under contract with the Los Angeles Clippers for the 24-25 season. Lue was a candidate for the Lakers in 2019, but they ultimately hired Frank Vogel. Lue became an assistant coach with the Clippers under Doc Rivers before replacing him after the 19-20 season.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to part ways with Darvin Ham in the near future, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

Ham was hired by the Lakers in 2022 to replace Frank Vogel.

"My sense is nothing has changed on that front in terms of the Lakers' plans. As we reported, the Lakers wanted to do their due diligence over the 24 to 72 hours or so after being eliminated. And really just think it over, make sure they were not making a rash decision.

"I think they caught a lot of flak for how the Frank Vogel situation happened where he was essentially fired at the buzzer and had to do a press conference with us and he was asked about it. It was just a really awkward situation. The Lakers didn't formally announce it until the next morning and then tried to say that was how it all played out."

The Lakers conducted their exit interviews immediately after their loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday, but Rob Pelinka has yet to address the media.

"The latest I've heard is the plan is still to move on from Darvin at some point, likely by the end of the week. Potentially as early as [Thursday]. Then, the head coaching search will start. I've already started to hear some names from different people... From what I've heard over the last couple of days, the plan is still to move on from Darvin.

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Bam Adebayo will become eligible to sign a three-year, $165 million extension with the Miami Heat this offseason.

If Adebayo signs for his max, the new deal would begin with a $51.2 million salary in 26-27, when Adebayo will be 29 years old.

Adebayo signed a five-year, $164 million deal with the Heat in 2020.

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After a handful of clerical errors were corrected, over 200 players declared as Early Entry Candidates for the 2024 NBA Draft. Six additional players were added to the list, including potential draftees Walter Clayton Jr. (Florida), Caleb Love (Arizona), Ugonna Onyenso (Kentucky) and Hunter Sallis (Wake Forest).

You can find the full list of 2024 Early Entry Candidates here.

Of the previously announced players, there were no real surprises. All of the players (both college and international) that have featured as lottery picks in mock drafts, declared as Early Entry Candidates.

NCAA players have until Wednesday, May 29 to withdraw from the draft while maintaining NCAA eligibility. The NBA's withdrawal deadline for all other players is Sunday, June 16.

The 2024 NBA Draft will be held over two nights for the first time. The first round will be Wednesday, June 26. The second round will be Thursday, June 27.

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During the Boston Celtics closeout Game 5 victory over the Miami Heat, there was some good news shared on Kristaps Porzingis. TNT sideline reporter Chris Haynes shared that Porzingis is hopeful to make a return in a couple of weeks.

"He is likely out for next series, as well. The hope is that he can make a return if the Celtics were to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals," Hayes said about Porzingis' absence.

Boston ruled Porzingis out for Game 5 against Miami due to a strained right soleus (calf). Porzingis came up lame during Game 4 and had to ask out. Further examinations ruled out a more serious injury, such as damage to the Achilles tendon.

Boston awaits the winner of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic. Cleveland can end the series with a Game 6 victory in Orlando on Friday. If the Cavs win in six games, the Eastern Conference semifinals will start in Boston on Sunday, May 5. If the Magic win to force a Game 7, the semifinals will start in Boston on Tuesday, May 7.

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Anthony Edwards has generated over 100 million views across the NBA's social and digital platforms since the start of the playoffs, according to the league's communications department.

The number only trails LeBron James with 130 million views.

Edwards was the seventh most-viewed player on the league's digital platforms during the regular season.

Edwards has also gained the most Instagram followers among players since the start of the playoffs.

The Timberwolves open their second round series against the Nuggets on Saturday.

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Chris Finch is planning to be on the Minnesota Timberwolves' sideline for Game 1 of their series against the Denver Nuggets.

Finch had surgery to repair a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee on Wednesday.

Assistant Micah Nori is taking over head coaching duties in Finch's absence.

Due to a lack of spacing on the bench, Finch may switch seats with athletic trainer Gregg Farnam on the sideline for increased leg room.

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Game 5 between the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets averaged 4.53 million viewers across TNT and truTV.

The series has delivered four out of the seven most-watched games in the first round.

The Celtics-Heat lead in with 3.01 million viewers.

The first round was averaging 3.1 million viewers through Sunday.

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Jimmy Butler becomes eligible to sign a contract extension with the Miami Heat this offseason on July 7th. Butler is signed for 24-25 at $48.8 million and holds a $52.4 million player option for 25-26.

Butler could sign a one-year extension for 26-27 at $58.6 million, or he could sign a two-year, $112.9 million option that covers both 25-26 and 26-27, which would void his $52.4 million option for 25-26.

Butler signed a four-year, $184 million extension with the Heat during the 2021 offseason after Year 2 of his four-year, $142 million deal signed in 2019.

Butler will turn 35 before the start of the 24-25 season.

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Mat Ishbia addressed the media on Wednesday, but he said he has yet to begin his assessment of the Phoenix Suns following their first round sweep by the Minnesota Timberwolves. The future of Frank Vogel as head coach is uncertain and Ishbia declined to say whether he would remain in the job next season.

"We're going to evaluate everything," Ishbia said. "... Everything is on the table to evaluate. We have just not started it."

The Suns reached The Finals in 2021, won 64 games in 21-22 before a surprising second round exit against the Dallas Mavericks, lost in six games to the Denver Nuggets in 2023 before their first round exit in 2024.

"I love that people are frustrated that we didn't win an NBA championship, because, guess what? So are we," he said. "... I'm happy where we're at, from that perspective, that people are disappointed, because, guess what, there's not someone in the organization that's more disappointed than me, my GM, my CEO, my players, my coach. Everyone's disappointed, just like the fans. Guess what? I'm going to own the team for 50 years, and probably 45, 46, 47 of those years, we'll probably have the same conversation -- like, hey, we didn't win the championship, and we're going to be disappointed then, too. That's how it's going to be, and I love it."

The widely held belief about the Suns is that the NBA's punitive second luxury tax apron and their lack of future draft assets will make it difficult for the roster to improve.

"I feel like the narrative around [here is] the house is burning, it's incorrect," Ishbia said. "... Fans like to look in the future and say, 'Hey, I really like that 2031 draft pick because maybe that seventh grader is going to be really good and we're going to draft him and one day he's going to be a player.'"

He later added, "Five in the next eight years, we have a first-round draft pick. I know that's not a cool thing to say out there because people like to say their narratives that we have no draft picks, but we have five in the next eight years and we can trade two of 'em next month if we want. So it is not like people say we have no flexibility."

Ishbia believes health and the newness of their team are "extremely fixable."

"Let's be real -- ask the other 29 GMs [in the NBA], 26 of them would trade their whole team for our whole team and our draft picks as is," Ishbia said. "The house is not on fire. We're in a great position. It's not hard to fix. We have enough talent to win a championship."

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Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans enter the 2024 offseason in a much better place compared to where they were last year. While sources tell The Athletic that Williamson was never included in any official trade offers, the Pelicans didn't express any urgency in denying rumors about his availability. The Pelicans were strongly linked with Scoot Henderson leading to the draft.

Sources also tell The Athletic that the Pelicans were "impressed by the progress Williamson made with his mental and physical state" before he suffered a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter of their play-in game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Williamson remained engaged with teammates following the injury and was in the best shape of his NBA career.

During the previous offseason, the Pelicans hired Amy Atmore as director of rehabilitation. She worked with Williamson and other players on a more day-to-day basis, which contributed to him playing in a career-high 70 games. Williamson's relationship with Aaron Nelson, who was previously the head of the training staff, had "grown frigid over time."

Brandon Ingram is entering the final season of his contract with the Pelicans and his future with the franchise is believed to be far less certain than Williamson.

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Mike Conley has been named the 2023-24 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year. Conley has won the annual award for the second time, having previously earned the honor in the 2018-19 season.

The Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award recognizes the player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to team.

Conley finished first ahead of Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson.

Jrue Holiday had won the award three out of the past four seasons.

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The Milwaukee Bucks staved off elimination in Game 5, beating the Indiana Pacers 115-92. The Bucks won the game without both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, who are both currently injured. The win was the first in NBA history for a team without their two top scorers from the regular season.

Antetokounmpo and Lillard have a chance to return for Game 6 at Indiana.

Doc Rivers said both players are scheduled to work out on the court during the off day Wednesday.

"I think they're very, very, very close," Rivers said.

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There's been a lot made about LeBron James desire to play with his son Bronny in the NBA. The elder James once said that was a goal of his before his career ends. Now, it seems like both father and son, and their representatives, are focused on each having success independently.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that after conversations with Rich Paul, he no longer believes that LeBron James is insisting he has to play with Bronny.

"The idea of them playing together is not a priority, it's not foremost, at least any longer, in LeBron James' mind," Wojnarowski reported.

That seems to indicate that LeBron James and his agent Rich Paul will do what's best for him without forcing a team to draft his son in the 2024 NBA Draft.

As for Bronny James, the priority is to get him in the best situation for his own development.

"Rich Paul's goal here in the pre-draft process for Bronny James is to see if there's the right developmental system or organization, a place that can take a young player like Bronny James, who went five months without playing after his heart episode certainly limited him in his season at USC," Wojnarowski said. "If he does go in the draft, he very likely would spend next year in the G League."

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Lithuania will be with two of their biggest stars as they attempt to qualify for the Olympics this summer. Both Domantas Sabonis and Jonas Valanciunas will play for Lithuania, first in qualifiers in early-July, followed by the Olympics in Paris.

Lithuania is in a qualifying group that will play a tournament in Puerto Rico from July 2 through July 7. Lithuania will play in an initial group that includes Ivory Coast and Mexico. The second group will see Bahrain, Italy and host Puerto Rico battle for spots in the knockout phase. One of the six teams will claim a spot in Group C at the Olympics, which already includes the United States, Serbia and South Sudan.

Valanciunas has been a mainstay of the Lithuanian team in recent years. Sabonis did not play in last summer's FIBA World Cup. Head coach Kazys Maksvytis said that Sabonis sitting out the World Cup was due to coming off a long season with the Sacramento Kings, but that he's confirmed he'll play this summer.

In addition to the two NBA veterans, Lithuania hopes to have youngster Matas Buzelis on the roster.

"Matas is ready to participate already this year. We hope he will. It will be very interesting how this situation will turn out if he's drafted. Will his next team let him play with the national team? Victor Wembanyama did not play with the French national team last year", Maksvytis said.

Buzelis is a projected lottery pick at the 2024 NBA Draft, which will take place on June 26 and June 27.

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Last season was a nightmare for Zach LaVine. The Chicago Bulls star guard played in only 25 games. LaVine initially missed time with knee soreness, before a right foot injury knocked him out for the season in mid-January.

The good news is that LaVine is ahead of schedule in rehabbing from what has been termed a non-union Jones fracture. The All-Star guard had a piece of bone removed from his right foot in order to promote recovery. The Bulls put a four- to six-month timeline on LaVine's recovery. He's now progressing towards on-court work at the three-month mark, which should allow LaVine to have a normal offseason training regiment.

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The Detroit Pistons would have interest in Tim Connelly as their new president of basketball operations should Connelly opt out of his contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves this offseason, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

Connelly is currently in the second year of a five-year deal.

The Pistons are also interested in Dennis Lindsey, currently a Mavs consultant, for the role.

JJ Redick is also a name to monitor for the open position, sources told Stein.

The new president of basketball operations would make the final decision on Troy Weaver's future with the Pistons next season.

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NBA playoff games are averaging a 1.7 rating with 3.1 million viewers across ABC, ESPN, TNT, truTV and NBA TV through Sunday.

That number is down 6% in viewership from last year, but up 5% from 2022.

Saturday's Game 4 between the Lakers and Nuggets averaged 5.67 million viewers on ABC, the largest audience of the NBA season.

The Lakers took part in five out of the ten most-watched games this season.

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Jaime Jaquez Jr. is ruled out for Game 5 on Wednesday due to a strained right hip flexor.

Jacquez had started all four games in the series, averaging 12.8 points.

The Heat are down 3-1 in the series.

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Host Danny Leroux and Rob Mahoney of The Ringer break down the NBA playoffs.

They discuss their biggest takeaways from the first round so far, Mahoney's excellent Point Guard Field Guide, the 2024 offseason, teambuilding and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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Kristaps Porzingis has been ruled out for Game 5 by the Boston Celtics with a right soleus strain. The soleus is part of the calf muscle.

The injury is expected to keep Porzingis out of multiple games. According to Jeff Stotts, the average time missed for a soleus strain is 17 days.

The injury is the same one that has kept Giannis Antetokounmpo out of the Milwaukee Bucks' first round series against the Indiana Pacers.

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Bojan Bogdanovic will undergo season-ending surgeries to repair foot and wrist injuries.

The New York Knicks acquired Bogdanovic from the Detroit Pistons at the deadline.

Bogdanovic exited New York's Game 4 win with his foot injury.

Bogdanovic's $19 million salary for 24-25 is partially guaranteed for just $2 million.

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The Los Angeles Clippers have ruled out Kawhi Leonard for Game 5 with his right knee inflammation.

Leonard missed Game 1, but returned for Games 2 and 3 before missing Game 4. The Clippers won both games in which Leonard sat.

Leonard missed the final stretch of the regular season with the injury.

The Clippers and Dallas Mavericks are tied at 2-2 head into Game 5 on Wednesday in Los Angeles.

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Brad Stevens has been named the 23-24 NBA Executive of the Year.

Stevens received 16 out of 29 possible first place votes, six second place votes and three third place votes for a total of 101 points.

Sam Presti finished second ahead of Tim Connelly, Leon Rose, Nico Harrison and Rafael Stone.

During the past year, Stevens acquired Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday via trade while the Boston Celtics had the best record in the NBA.

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After the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs by the Denver Nuggets in Game 5, LeBron James was asked to consider whether he may have played his final game with the franchise.

"I'm not going to answer that," replied James.

James has until June 29 to either opt into the final year of his contract with the Lakers for $51.4 million or become an unrestricted free agent.

The Lakers will try to retain James and are prepared to even offer him a three-year, $164 million deal.

James was also asked how he will approach his decision about playing next season.

"I don't have an answer ... to be honest. I haven't given it much thought," said James.

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What happened in three snapshots in the NBA Playoffs on Monday, April 29, 2024.

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The Charlotte Hornets have hired Patrick Harrel as Vice President of Basketball Insights & Analysis.

Harrel joins the Hornets from the NBA league office's data science department where he led game scheduling optimization.

This offseason, the Hornets hired Jeff Peterson to run their front office.

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Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch will have surgery for a ruptured right patellar tendon on Wednesday. Finch was injured near the end of the Timberwolves Game 4 victory over the Phoenix Suns. Minnesota guard Mike Conley collided with Finch on a play near the sideline.

Finch's status to be on the bench for Game 1 of the Wolves second round series against the Denver Nuggets is unknown. Finch may have to coach the game from the locker room, sending his plans to the assistants on the bench. Minnesota is expecting their coach to be able to travel to Denver for Game 1, barring any unexpected complications.

Finch led the Timberwolves to the second-most wins they've had in regular season franchise history. Minnesota's sweep of the Suns was only the second time in which the team has won a first round series.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are "very open" to adding Bronny James to their roster next season and could potentially draft him.

Bronny James is evaluating his options after his freshman season at USC, which includes declaring for the draft or transferring to another school. Bronny was a projected lottery pick in the 2024 NBA draft before his cardiac arrest and disappointing freshman season with USC. Bronny was moved by ESPN from the lottery in 2024 to the second round in 2025 in their mock drafts.

LeBron James is expected to be a free agent this offseason and has spoken about his desire to play on the same team as Bronny in the NBA.

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LeBron James is expected to play up to two more seasons in the NBA, sources told Shams Charania, Jovan Buha, and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

The Lakers are open to offering James any deal to return, including a three-year, $164 million max extension.

James has a $51.4 million player option for next season.

The Lakers are also open to the idea of drafting Bronny James.

James' relationship with Jeanie Buss is described as being "better than ever."

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Darvin Ham's future as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers is in "serious peril," according to Shams Charania, Jovan Buha and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Some close to the organization have indicated that Ham's return next season is highly unlikely.

The Lakers plan to reassess the season over the next couple of days before reaching a decision.

Ham made several decisions throughout the season that caused doubt within the Lakers. For example, Ham benching Austin Reaves and D'Angelo Russell during a losing streak after the In-Season Tournament did not sit well with players nor the organization.

There was a sense that Taurean Prince and Cam Reddish were allowed to play through their mistakes, unlike Reaves, Russell, and Rui Hachimura.

Many within the Lakers felt that Ham rarely blamed his own schemes, game plans, or rotations.

Ham signed a four-year contract with the Lakers in 2022.

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Comcast's NBCUniversal is prepared to pay an average of about $2.5 billion per season to air a package of NBA games.

Warner Bros. Discovery, parent company of TNT, has paid an average fee of $1.2 billion per season under its current deal. WBD has the right to match any third-party offer.

NBC's package would include two regular season nights per week and playoff games. NBC could also air games on its Peacock streaming platform.

ESPN is expected to pay an average of $2.6 billion, which is up from $1.5 billion from its current deal.

Amazon is also expected to partner with the NBA for media rights.

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Kristaps Porzingis left Game 4 of the Boston Celtics' first round series against the Miami Heat with a non-contact injury.

The Celtics publicly announced Porzingis was doubtful to return with right calf tightness.

Sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that the early indications are Porzingis did not sustain an injury to his Achilles.

When a player tears his Achilles, it is typically a fairly obvious immediate diagnosis.

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The status of Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf strain) and Damian Lillard (Achilles tendon strain) is in doubt for Game 5 as the Milwaukee Bucks face a potential elimination.

Antetokounmpo has missed the entire series with the injury, while Lillard missed Game 4.

The Bucks trail the Indiana Pacers 3-1 in the first round series.

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In the postgame media session after the Minnesota Timberwolves swept the Phoenix Suns, Wolves franchise star Karl-Anthony Towns had high praise for Anthony Edwards.

"He's the face of the league. I've been saying that. He hates when I say it, but it's true," Towns on Edwards' place in the NBA.

Minnesota's young star also drew high praise from Suns forward Kevin Durant.

"I'm so impressed with Ant. So impressed with Ant," Durant said about Edwards. "My favorite player to watch. Just grown so much since he came into the league." Edwards scored 40 points in helping the Timberwolves to close out the Suns in four games. He shot 13-of-20 from the floor, including 7-of-13 from behind the arc. Edwards added nine rebounds, six assists, two blocks and a steal to his big scoring line.

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Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic won't use a right knee injury as an excuse for his struggles in the first-round playoff series against the LA Clippers. But Doncic is clearly playing through it, and he feels as if that's putting a lot on Kyrie Irving's shoulders.

"I just got to help him more," Doncic said of Irving. "I feel like I'm letting him down, so I got to be there. I got to help him more. He's given everything that he has, and he's been amazing for us the whole series."

Doncic injured his right knee in the first quarter of Game 3. It's impacted his ability to create separation from the Clippers defenders. But the Mavs star expects himself to be better, despite the injury.

"It's hurting obviously, but it shouldn't be an excuse, man," said Doncic on playing 45 minutes in Game 4. "Just came out and a little sloppy, so I got to be way better than that."

The Clippers won Game 4 to even the series at 2-2. Game 5 is in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

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Joel Embiid was mostly upset at how his team played down the stretch of the Philadelphia 76ers Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks. That lost left the Sixers on the verge of elimination, as the Knicks lead the series 3-1.

However, Embiid was also upset at the number of New York fans in the building for Games 3 and 4 of the series in Philadelphia. At various points through both games, it sounded as if the crowd was at least 50-50. Embiid called that "disappointing".

"I love our fans. Think it's unfortunate and I'm not calling them out, but it is disappointing. Obviously, you got a lot of Knicks fans and they're down the road and I've never seen it," Embiid said. "And I've been here for 10 years. Yeah, it kind of pisses me off, especially because Philly is considered a sports town. They've always shown up and I don't think that should happen. Yeah. It's not okay."

Game 5 shifts back to New York on Tuesday, with the Knicks having a chance to close out the series in front of their home fans.

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Kevin Durant reportedly never felt comfortable playing alongside Devin Booker and Bradley Beal in the Phoenix Suns' offense, sources told Shams Charania and Doug Haller of The Athletic.

Durant had "persistent issues" with being relegated to the corner with the offense built around pick-and-rolls instead of his strengths.

Teammates and those close to the organization felt like Durant should have voiced his concerns more directly with Frank Vogel.

Kevin Young, now at BYU, was responsible for the Suns' offense. Players questioned the coaching staff's ability to maximize a lineup of Durant, Beal, and Booker.

The Suns are reportedly taking a "hard look" at making full changes to the coaching staff this summer.

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The Phoenix Suns are expected to take a "hard look" at a full coaching change for the second straight offseason, sources told Shams Charania and Doug Haller of The Athletic.

The Suns will, at the very least, make changes to Frank Vogel's staff.

The Suns were swept by the Timberwolves in the first round.

Vogel said before Game 4 that he has the "full support" of Mat Ishbia.

James Jones is expected to remain as the general manager next season.

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Chris Finch is feared to have a torn patellar tendon in his knee, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Finch suffered the injury during a collision late in the Timberwolves' win in Game 4.

The Timberwolves swept the Suns in the first round.

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Frank Vogel said he felt "very" confident that he would return as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns next season.

"I've got full support of [Suns owner Mat] Ishbia," said Vogel before Game 4 on Sunday.

Vogel originally signed a five-year deal in June 2023.

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Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault won the NBA Coach of the Year award on Sunday night.

Daigneault finished in front of Jamahl Mosley and Chris Finch.

"I've used the word uncommon with this team all year, and the reason I think they're so uncommon is they have incredible ambition," said Daigneault on Sunday night.

Joe Mazzulla and Tom Thibodeau rounded out the top five in voting.

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Host Danny Leroux talks with Jared Dubin of Last Night in Basketball about the playoffs and Anthony Slater of The Athletic about the Warriors.

Dubin and Leroux discuss the Knicks going up 3-1 on the 76ers, a bizarre Clippers/Mavericks series, which teams have been most impressive so far and much more. After that, RealGM Radio debuts the "Exit Interview" as Slater joins to break down what happened to the Warriors this season and where they go from here, including young player development, ownership's willingness to pay the tax, Klay Thompson's future and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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All-time women's basketball great Candace Parker announced her retirement on social media Sunday, marking the end of a career for one of the sport's best players and, for nearly two decades, one of the faces of the game.

"I promised I'd never cheat the game & that I'd leave it in a better place than I came into it," Parker posted to Instagram. "The competitor in me always wants 1 more, but it's time. My HEART & body knew, but I needed to give my mind time to accept it."

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LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard will miss Game 4 of his team's first round series against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. Clippers coach Ty Lue said he doesn't know when Leonard will play again. Lue said that Leonard can't do all the movements necessary to play in games.

The Clippers star missed Game 1 of the series, as well as several late regular season contests, due to inflammation in his surgically repaired. Leonard returned to play in Games 2 and 3, but clearly wasn't himself on the floor.

The Mavericks lead the series 2-1 before hosting Game 4 on Sunday afternoon. The series will shift back to Los Angeles for Game 5 on Wednesday.

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New York Knicks forward Bojan Bogdanovic is playing through ligament damage in his left wrist. Bogdanovic had an MRI, which confirmed the damage to his non-shooting hand/wrist. The veteran forward plans to continue to play for the remainder of the Knicks playoff run, and surgery could be an option in the offseason.

Through three games of the Knicks first round series against the Philadelphia 76ers, Bogdanovic has averaged 8.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in 16.7 minutes per game off New York's bench. He's shot just 7-of-24 from the floor, including just 1-of-9 on two-point shots.

The Knicks acquired Bogdanovic from the Detroit Pistons in a trade deadline deal. Bogdanovic averaged 10.4 points in 29 games off New York's bench following the trade.

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New Charlotte Hornets president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson is building out his front office staff. One person Peterson has his eyes on New York Knicks executive Brock Aller.

Aller is currently the Knicks vice president of basketball and strategic planning. Aller was one of New York president Leon Rose's first hires when he took over the team's front office.

Aller is considered one of the best in the NBA at managing the salary cap and negotiating team-friendly contracts. It's unclear if he'll leave New York, as the Knicks are expected to do what it takes to keep Aller in the fold.

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The Milwaukee Bucks face some long odds as they seek to even up their first round series against the Indiana Pacers. Not only are the Bucks on the road while trailing 2-1 in the series, but Milwaukee will also be without both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.

Antetokounmpo is still out as he attempts to recover from a strained calf. Lillard is out due to a strained Achilles that he re-aggravated in the Bucks Game 3 loss.

Indiana now has a chance to take a commanding 3-1 series lead before things shift back to Milwaukee for Game 5 on Tuesday.

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Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison knew his team needed to add talent at the trade deadline. But Harrison didn't want to make short-term moves. He kept a long-term vision in mind when executing trades for Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington at the deadline.

"It wasn't really about winning right now," Harrison told ESPN. "It was just about continuing to build it. It's like every step is, how do we continue to get better? And we're not built for just right now; we're built for the next three playoff runs."

Harrison felt that Gafford and Washington would improve with the Dallas. Both players would have something to play for, as opposed to playing out the season on teams near the bottom of the standings. Gafford echoed his GM's thoughts.

"No disrespect to any other team that we were on, but it's just we went from playing for nothing to playing for something," Gafford said. "It's like we had to lock in a whole different way."

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Kevin Porter Jr. had a tumultuous year before finally landing with PAOK in Greece in early April. Porter was arrested and charged with domestic violence in September. He accepted a plea deal in January.

Following the arrest, Porter was eventually traded by the Houston Rockets to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a salary-clearing move. The Thunder immediately waived Porter.

Now, Porter would like to return to PAOK if no NBA deal comes his way.

"If it is up to me, I don't see myself, when it comes from the overseas standpoint if I am staying out here another year - if I have the opportunity to go back to the NBA, then I will probably go back to the NBA - but if it is not the NBA, I don't want to play for another club than PAOK," Porter said. "I feel like they have welcomed me and they gave me the chance that a lot of people looked over."

Porter played in four games for PAOK. He averaged 20.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 3.0 steals and 1.8 blocks per game.

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What happened in four snapshots in the NBA Playoffs on Saturday, April 27, 2024.

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Kiki Iriafen, who had a breakout junior season at Stanford, is transferring to join the USC women's basketball program, she told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Saturday.

Iriafen, a 6-foot-3 forward, will be returning to her hometown of Los Angeles after three seasons at Stanford. This season she averaged 19.4 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists for the Cardinal (30-6) who advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16. Iriafen was the Pac-12's most improved player and on the All-Pac-12 team.

She was No. 2 in ESPN's transfer rankings list.

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Los Angeles Lakers big man Christian Wood is available to play in Game 4. Wood hasn't played since February 14, due to a knee injury.

Los Angeles had hoped he might be available for Game 3, but Wood wasn't quite ready to return. The Lakers are down 3-0 against the Denver Nuggets entering Game 4 of the first round.

In his first season with Los Angeles, Wood averaged 6.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 17.4 minutes per game. Wood mostly came off the bench, starting in just one of his 50 appearances for the Lakers.

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What happened in three snapshots in the NBA Playoffs on Friday, April 25, 2024.

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Jeremy Roach is transferring from Duke to Baylor. Roach is also exploring the 2024 NBA Draft process as an Early Entry Candidate.

Roach was a four-year starter for the Blue Devils. He'll use his "bonus" year due to COVID-19 impacts to play for the Bears.

Roach averaged 13.9 points, 3.3 assists and 1.1 steals per game for Duke last season. Roach also shot 46.8% from the field, including 42.9% on three-pointers.

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The Milwaukee Bucks are potentially down a second superstar, with Damian Lillard battling an Achilles strain. Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers doesn't think Giannis Antetokounmpo, the first injured Bucks superstar, will be back for Game 4 either.

When asked where Antetokounmpo is at with rehabbing his strained calf, Rivers said "He's working out tomorrow. Going to go hard, early and then we're going to make a decision".

Rivers was asked if Antetokounmpo works out before Sunday's Game 4 if the star forward would play. Rivers didn't commit, but seemed to lean towards Antetokounmpo not playing.

"I doubt it," Rivers said. "But we'll see."

The Indiana Pacers lead the series 2-1, with Game 4 in Indiana on Sunday. The series shifts back to Milwaukee for Game 5 on Tuesday.

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Damian Lillard has suffered a strained Achilles. Lillard is in a walking boot and is doubtful for Game 4 of the Milwaukee Bucks' first round series against the Indiana Pacers.

Lillard has been playing through Achilles soreness for several weeks. He re-aggravated the injury in the fourth quarter of Friday's game. He finished the overtime loss but was spotted limping at several different points. Following the game, Bucks coach Doc Rivers said Lillard had an Achilles injury, but he didn't know the extent at that time.

The Pacers took a 2-1 series lead with the victory on Friday night. Game 4 will be Sunday night in Indiana. The series will then shift back to Milwaukee for Game 5 on Tuesday.

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After returning for Game 2 of the LA Clippers first round series against the Dallas Mavericks, Kawhi Leonard also played in Game 3. However, Leonard said his right knee is still giving him some issues.

When asked about his knee, Leonard said that it "just didn't respond the way we wanted" after he returned for Game 2 of the series. Leonard said he still plans to play in Game 4.

"Yeah," Leonard said about playing on Sunday afternoon. "Right now, I'll see [how it feels] tomorrow. But I want to play."

The Clippers lost Game 3 in Dallas. That gave the Mavericks a 2-1 series lead. Game 4 is Sunday at 3:30 PM ET.

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Damian Lillard aggravated an Achilles injury in the fourth quarter of the Milwaukee Bucks' overtime loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 3.

Lillard, who finished with 28 points, did not take a shot in overtime.

"I just wanted to be on the floor in case opportunity came up or however I could help," said Lillard.

Lillard added that his Achilles had been sore since the Bucks' regular season finale.

With the Bucks down 2-1 in the series, Game 4 is on Sunday.

"We're gonna get back and just have to get ahead of it because that's not something that you want to play with ... we have a couple of days to start and try to get ahead of it. Get it feeling better and get ready for Sunday," said Lillard.

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Juwan Howard will be an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets next season, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Howard was most recently fired by Michigan after five seasons with the program.

Howard joins Steve Hetzel on Jordi Fernandez's staff.

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Liam McNeeley has committed to Connecticut as part of the incoming class of 2024.

McNeeley, ESPN's No. 9 prospect in the class of 2024, was named a McDonald's All American after helping Montverde Academy to a perfect 33-0 season

McNeeley, a 6-foot-7 wing from Richardson, Texas, picked the Huskies over Arkansas, Kentucky, Alabama, Michigan and others.

McNeeley is considered arguably the best perimeter shooter in his class.

McNeeley was a projected lottery pick in ESPN's first 2025 mock draft, released in January.

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The NBA and ESPN have agreed on the framework on a new broadcast deal that will allow the network to retain The Finals.

ESPN and TNT had exclusive negotiating rights with the NBA until this week.

ESPN became home of the NBA Finals in 2002 after they replaced NBC.

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The NBA and Amazon Prime Video have the framework of a deal to make the streaming service one of the primary broadcast partners for the league over the next decade.

Prime Video will at least join ESPN as an NBA broadcast partner, as Disney also has a framework of a deal in place with the league. ESPN/ABC are expected to retain the Finals as part of its new deal. In one arrangement, ESPN will cut down from around 100 games to around 80, according to executives briefed on the talks.

Prime Video's package will include significant regular season and postseason games, perhaps even some conference finals. Prime could broadcast Thursday night games beginning in January as a continuation of its sports programming schedule coming out of the NFL season.

The deal will begin in 25-26 and last for at least a decade.

The NBA is finishing up nine-year deals that pay it $2.6 billion on average from ESPN and TNT. In 2007, the NBA extended with ESPN and TNT on a deal worth $930 million per year through 15-16. The deal beginning in 2002 was worth $766 million per year.

The NBA would like to have at least three companies involved in its new deals, which will leave TNT to likely face off with NBC for the final package. Warner Bros. Discovery, parent company of TNT, has the right to match deals.

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What happened in three snapshots in the NBA Playoffs on Thursday, April 25, 2024.

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The Milwaukee Bucks have ruled out Giannis Antetokounmpo for Game 3 with a left calf strain.

Antetokounmpo previously missed Games 1 and 2. Antetokounmpo hasn't played since straining his left calf in an April 9 victory over the Boston Celtics.

Khris Middleton also has a sprained right ankle that kept him from practicing Thursday and puts his status in question for Game 3 in Indianapolis.

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When Kevin Durant was diagnosed with a torn Achilles tendon during Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals, he feared he would never return to his superstar form.

"This is career-ending, I'm done," Durant recalled thinking.

"That's what I was thinking," he told ESPN, "because that's all I was hearing, that this s--- is over."

Durant signed with the Brooklyn Nets that offseason, sat out the entire 19-20 season and then reestablished himself as one of the world's best players during the 2021 playoffs.

Durant played 75 games in the regular season this past season and was generally more reliable than his younger co-stars in Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

"My whole being has been committed to playing basketball. I didn't think it was time yet. It's that simple," Durant said. "And when I'm that committed to something, I didn't even think about anything else but, like, when are we starting recovery? As soon as it happened, everybody wanted to cry with me. I did that for a second, crying, because everybody else was crying, and then I'm like, 'When are we doing surgery? When can I start my recovery process?' And that's how it was, man. I'm ready to get back, quick."

Durant's return was not just fueled by his love for the game, but something existential.

"I think all these guys love it," he said. "It just feels like life or death for me since day one growing up. If I wasn't doing this, what the f--- else am I doing? Until the wheels fall off. I can't just not be the best basketball player that I can be every day. That's been the mentality in my head since I was 8 years old.

"I had no other choice but to go back to work. I wasn't going to go back and be like, 'Mom, Dad, Bro, Sis, Godfather -- all my whole family that has been trusting in me and believing in me that I'm living for and I'm pushing this family name for every day -- [and say] 'I'm done, I tore my Achilles.' Like, what the f--- you mean? You're done? You can't be done."

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John and Nate catch up on the playoffs so far and discuss:

  • The best team so far?
  • Where we'd edit our overall predictions
  • The biggest change to our pre series predictions
  • Best and worst predictions we've made?
  • Best coaching job, and best specific coaching adjustments
  • Worst coaching job, and worst adjustments or non-adjustments
  • Most surprising players
  • Most disappointing players
  • Best Game
  • Worst game
  • Best individual performance in a game
  • MVP/ first-team all playoffs (any position)
  • The playoff crucible (rotation players who either thrived or couldn't hack it)
    • Who withstood?
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Joel Embiid had the first great playoff game of his career to will the Sixers back into the series against the Knicks.

Orlando showed up for the first time, at the same time that the Cavs didn't.

The Lakers gave it all they had, but again ran out of gas against a younger, deeper, more complete Nuggets team.

Four more episodes with Nate & Danny per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime, plus it's the only place to hear John Hollinger & Nate as well! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

Plus, subscribe on YouTube to see our hilarious faces and, more importantly, see the key moments from the pod each week.

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Mitchell Robinson exited the New York Knicks Game 3 loss at the Philadelphia 76ers at halftime with a sprained left ankle. Robinson initially stayed in the game, but was clearly hobbled by the injury. Following the game, the Knicks center was spotted leaving the arena in a walking boot.

Robinson was injured when Sixers center Joel Embiid fell to the floor when trying to draw an offensive foul. He grabbed at Robinson while falling and pulled Robinson to the floor. The play was later ruled a Flagrant 1 foul on Embiid.

Following the game, several Knicks called the play "dirty" from Embiid. New York will update Robinson's status ahead of Game 4 on Sunday.

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The Denver Nuggets won Game 3 on Thursday, extending their win streak against the Los Angeles Lakers to 11 games. The Nuggets are on the brink of sweeping the Lakers out of the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

"Winning is a lifestyle for us," said Nikola Jokic postgame. "It's really good when you're winning. Especially when you win a lot of games, everybody is happy, everybody wants to play, everybody is buying into the system. I was here when we were losing. So I don't want to go back to that."

Through three games of the 2024 NBA playoffs, Jokic has a PER of 35.0 while averaging 27.7 points, 15.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists.

Jokic is on the verge of his third regular season MVP while the Nuggets are defending their championship.

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Miami freshman Kyshawn George entered the NBA Draft on Thursday and will hire an agent.

George is a projected first-round pick.

"I decided to follow my basketball dream and make it a reality. I did not expect anything from this season besides working on my game and getting better every day," said George.

George averaged 7.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists this season.

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Khris Middleton is questionable for Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers with a sprained right ankle.

"It's another holding-our-breath situation. Honestly, I don't know," said Doc Rivers about Middleton's status.

Middleton, who did not practice on Thursday, suffered the injury in Game 2.

The series is tied 1-1.

Rivers added that Giannis Antetokounmpo is "getting close" to returning to the Bucks lineup.

"Does that mean a day, four days? I'm not sure," added Rivers.

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Five-star prospect Boogie Fland committed to Arkansas on Thursday.

Fland, who originally decommitted from Kentucky, rejoined John Calipari at Arkansas.

Fland, ranked No. 15 in the ESPN 100, is the third player to follow Calipari to Arkansas.

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Joel Embiid has been treated for a mild case of Bell's palsy over the past week. Bell's palsy is an unexplained episode of facial muscle weakness or paralysis.

The condition began during the Philadelphia 76ers' Play-In win last week against the Miami Heat. Embiid has been spotted wearing sunglasses inside, which is related to the condition. Embiid had wanted to keep the situation private to avoid distractions for the Sixers.

Embiid had 50 points in Philadelphia's Game 3 win over the New York Knicks.

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Stephen Curry has won the Jerry West Trophy as the 2023-24 NBA Clutch Player of the Year.

The award, which was introduced last season, honors the NBA player who best comes through for his teammates in the clutch.

In the 2023-24 regular season, Curry scored an NBA-high 189 points in clutch situations, which are defined as possessions in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime when the score is within five points. He also led the league in clutch field goals made (59) and clutch three-pointers made (32).

Curry shot 49.6% from the field, 45.7% from three-point range and 95.1% from the free throw line in clutch time.

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The Milwaukee Bucks held practice on Thursday before flying to play at the Indiana Pacers in Game 3. The Bucks and Pacers are tied at 1-1 in the series.

Giannis Antetokounmpo remained out of full participation as he continues to deal with a calf injury.

Doc Rivers said Antetokounmpo "did a lot of floor stuff today, probably the most I've seen."

Antetokounmpo did no live practicing, but advanced beyond just walking through drills by "shooting and moving."

"He's getting close," Rivers said. "But, I don't know what that even means. I'm being honest. I saw him moving around and in my mind I said he's getting close. Does that mean a day, four days? I'm not sure."

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Ja Morant has hired Mike Miller of Lift Sports Management as his new representation. Miller also represents Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr.

Morant was previously represented by Jim Tanner.

Morant signed a five-year, $193 million extension with the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2022 offseason and cannot become a free agent until 2028.

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Tidjane Saluan of Cholet Basket in France has declared as an Early Entry Candidate for the 2024 NBA Draft. Salaun won't turn 19 until mid-August, making him one of the younger prospects in this year's draft class.

In 48 games for Cholet Basket this season, the 6-foot-9 forward has averaged 9.6 points and 3.9 rebounds in 23.3 minutes per game. Salaun has shot 40.4% from the field, including 33% on three-pointers. The expectation is that Salaun's offensive game will round to complement his already good defense.

Salaun is projected to be lottery pick by most draft experts.

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What happened in two snapshots in the NBA Playoffs on Wednesday, April 24, 2024.

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Thierry Darlan, who spent most of the season with G League Ignite, has declared as an Early Entry Candidate for the 2024 NBA Draft. The 20-year-old wing is currently playing for Bangui Sporting Club out of the Central African Republic in Basketball Africa League qualifiers.

With the Ignite, Darlan averaged 5.4 points and 3.7 rebounds in 19.1 minutes per game off the bench. The 6-foot-8 wing has shown better in BAL qualifiers. Darlan has averaged 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 blocks for Bangui Sporting Club.

Most draft experts have Darlan as being picked late in the second round or going undrafted.

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Kentucky announced Alvin Brooks III as an assistant coach to Mark Pope's staff on Wednesday.

Brooks was Scott Drew's top assistant at Baylor.

Brooks has played a key role in recruiting, helping Baylor land two top-five recruiting classes during his time at Baylor.

Brooks will join Cody Fueger, Jason Hart, and Mark Fox on Mark Pope's staff.

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The Houston Rockets are attempting to trade Kevin Porter Jr. following his charges of felony assault and strangulation on his girlfriend.

Porter has the 2023-24 season guaranteed for $15.9 million in Year 1 of a four-year, $82.5 million deal. The subsequent years of the deal are not guaranteed.

The Rockets are offering draft compensation as an incentive to receive Porter in exchange for a player who can immediately help the team.

Porter is not expected to attend Rockets' training camp in early October.

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Brandon Ingram is eligible for a contract extension with the New Orleans Pelicans, but he will wait until next offseason before engaging in discussions.

Ingram is owed $33.8 million this season and $36.0 million next season. Ingram is currently able to extend for three years for a combined total of $147 million.

If Ingram makes an All-NBA team, he would become eligible for a supermax extension starting at 35 percent of the salary cap.

Ingram has rarely played in at least 65 games during his career, which is the threshold for All-NBA eligibility.

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The NBA Board of Governors has approved a new policy that a team is unable to rest two star players in the same game.

A star is defined as someone who has made All-Star or All-NBA team in the past three seasons.

Under the new rules, teams would be fined $100,000 for a first violation, $250,000 for a second violation and $1 million more than the previous penalty for each additional violation

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Oklahoma City unveiled plans for a new downtown arena that will cost a minimum of $900 million.

The Thunder have agreed to play in the arena for at least 25 years. The stadium is scheduled to open by the 2029-30 season.

Thunder ownership will contribute $50 million to the project. Additional funding would be provided by the passage of a one-cent sale tax by city voters on December 12.

"As this very public discussion played out over the last year, the people of Oklahoma City have overwhelmingly expressed to me two desires -- (1) keep the Thunder for as long as possible, and (2) don't raise taxes if it can be avoided. We have accomplished those two priorities with this plan, and it is truly a win-win for all of us," said Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt.

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The Sacramento Kings will waive Nerlens Noel and Neemias Queta.

Both players signed partially guaranteed one-year deals with the Kings this offseason. The Kings, however, added JaVale McGee after he was waived by the Dallas Mavericks. McGee will be on Sacramento's regular season roster behind Domantas Saobnis and Alex Len at center.

Noel and Queta will be free to join a team where they have an opportunity to make a regular season roster.

Noel had approximately $300,000 in guaranteed money, while Queta had $250,000.

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The Atlanta Hawks have agreed to re-sign Trent Forrest to a Two-Way contract.

Forrest appeared in 23 games last season with the Hawks, averaging 2.3 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 12.0 minutes.

Forrest also appeared in seven G League games, averaging 16.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 6.6 assists in 31.0 minutes.

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Damian Lillard wants to be traded to the Miami Heat. That desire won't change, even if the Portland Trail Blazers trade Lillard elsewhere. However, Lillard will show up to training camp for whatever team he's on, despite his desire to play in Miami.

After a report surfaced that said Lillard would only report to camp for either Portland or Miami, there's new reporting that says that's false. While Lillard will still push for a trade to the Heat if traded to another team, he will report to that team and take part in whatever activities the team wants.

That stance includes if Lillard is still a member of the Trail Blazers when camp opens on October 3. Lillard will report to Portland's camp, but it will be up to the Blazers as to how they choose to handle his participation this preseason.

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On a recent episode of the Good Word with Goodwill podcast from Yahoo! Sports, veteran ESPN/Andscape reporter Marc Spears dropped some intel on Chris Paul's fit with his new team. Spears told Vince Goodwill that Paul is expected to start for the Golden State Warriors this season.

"I do expect him to start. And I think it's like five-minute spurts," Spears said. "I don't know that they really want his minutes to be high, but I think they're gonna try it. I could be wrong, but that's the gist I'm getting. This isn't an opinion that he's expected to start. It's what I'm hearing. He's never not started in his career."

In his 18 NBA seasons, Chris Paul has played in 1,214 regular season games and started in every one of them. The veteran point guard has played in an additional 149 games in the playoffs and has started all of those games, as well.

The Warriors regular starting lineup features Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney. All five of those players are returning to Golden State for this season, which means one would be bumped to a reserve role if Paul starts.

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Victor Wembanyama will start the season playing power forward, according to Shams Charania of Stadium.

Zach Collins will start at center for the Spurs.

"Expect [Wembanyama] to play power forward, the four position, to start off his NBA career, and the Spurs will look for Zach Collins to be a guy to provide size next to Victor Wembanyama in the front court," said Charania.

Wembanyama is scheduled to make his NBA debut on October 25 against the Mavs.

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Damian Lillard would only be willing to report to either the Portland Trail Blazers or Miami Heat training camps, according to Shams Charania.

"I'm told the only two training camps that Damian Lillard would report to in theory: Portland and Miami.

"So if a team like Toronto, for instance, were to trade for Damian Lillard, I do not believe Lillard would even report," said Charania.

Charania added that this belief is limiting the trade market for Lillard.

"Teams around the league, ever since this trade request in early July, they've understood a guy like Damian Lillard ... joining their program and wanting a trade immediately is incredibly unideal," said Charania.

Charania expects the Heat and the Blazers to resume trade talks before the start of training camp.

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Tristan Thompson and the Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to a contract. Thompson will give the Cavaliers depth at center.

Thompson appeared in six playoff games last season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

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The Miami Heat are widely expected to sign Kelly Oubre Jr. if they eventually trade for Damian Lillard this offseason, reports Marc Stein of Substack.

Oubre is the most prominent player who remains a free agent. Oubre averaged 20.3 points and 5.2 rebounds in 32.2 minutes with the Charlotte Hornets.

Oubre is coming off a two-year, $26 million contracts with the Hornets.

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The San Antonio Spurs have waived Cam Payne.

Payne was on a $6.5 million expiring contract and was traded by the Phoenix Suns to the Spurs in July along with a 2025 second round pick and cash in exchange for a protected 2024 second round pick.

Payne is ineligible to return to the Suns.

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Kevin Porter Jr. on Monday was arrested and charged with assault and strangulation in New York, a New York Police Department spokesperson said.

"Upon arrival officers were informed that a 26-year-old female sustained a laceration to the right side of her face and was complaining about pain to her neck," the spokesperson said. "A preliminary investigation on scene determined that a known individual struck her multiple times upon her body and placed his hands around her neck.

The woman was taken to an area hospital for evaluation.

Porter appeared in 59 games last season with the Rockets, averaging 19.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 34.3 minutes.

The Rockets and Porter agreed to a four-year, $82.5 million contract extension last October with only Year 1 guaranteed.

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The NBA's Competition Committee has recommended stricter guidelines on resting players for national television games and multiple stars together in the same games.

The Board of Governors will vote on the measure this week.

Under new the proposed new rules, teams would be fined $100,000 for a first violation, $250,000 for a second violation and $1 million more than the previous penalty for each additional violation, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The league will define a star by someone who has made an All-Star or All-NBA team in any of the past three seasons.

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The Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to sign Duop Reath to a one-year deal.

Reath played for the Blazers in Summer League and also started at center for Australia in the World Cup.

Reath played collegiately at LSU and has played professionally in Serbia and China.

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Team USA fell short at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. If LeBron James has his way, the USA won't suffer a similar result at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

James is reportedly ready to commit to playing for Team USA next summer. And James wants to bring along several other American-born stars to join him.

Players the Lakers superstar has reportedly reached out to include Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum and Draymond Green. That group of five is reportedly ready to commit.

Devin Booker, D'Aaron Fox, Damian Lillard and Kyrie Irving have all also expressed interest in playing for Team USA in Paris. Anthony Edwards and Mikal Bridges are also expected receive consideration from the World Cup team. In addition, Bam Adebayo and Desmond Bane are expected to be considered for the roster.

Team USA is also expected to try to recruit Joel Embiid. Embiid hasn't suited up for an international tournament and remains eligible to play for either the United States or France, should he choose to play in the Olympics.

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Dillon Brooks was recognized as the Best Defensive Player of the FIBA World Cup, helping lead Canada to a bronze medal in the tournament.

With the all-tournament team featuring five NBA players, the tournament also recognized a second team including Arturs Zagars of Latvia, Simone Fontecchio of Italy, Jonas Valanciunas of Lithuania, Nikola Milutinov of Serbia and Franz Wagner of Germany.

Latvia's Luca Banchi was named the Best Coach of the tournament.

Australia's Josh Giddey was awarded the first ever Wanda Rising Star Award.

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The Houston Rockets and Boban Marjanovic have agreed to a one-year deal. The deal will see one of the NBA's most popular players and teammates return to the Rockets.

Marjanovic appeared in 31 games as a backup for Houston last season. He's seen as solid locker room presence and mentor for young center Alperen Sengun.

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The 2023 FIBA World Cup All-Tournament Team was named following the completion of the competition. For the first time, the All-Tournament team featured NBA players in all five spots.

Dennis Schroder - Germany (also named MVP of the World Cup)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - Canada

Anthony Edwards - United States

Bogdan Bogdanovic - Serbia

Luka Doncic - Slovenia

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Germany defeated Serbia to win the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Germany held off a late rally from the Serbians to capture an 83-77 victory.

Dennis Schroder led the Germans with 28 points, while Franz Wagner added 19 points. Schroder was also named the MVP of the World Cup.

Aleksa Avramovic led Serbia with 21 points, and Bogdan Bogdanovic added 17.

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Canada defeated the United States in the third-place game at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. After Mikal Bridges forced overtime with a buzzer-beating three-pointer, Canada rallied for the 127-118 victory.

Dillon Brooks scored 39 points and hit 7-of-8 three-point attempts to lead Canada. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 31 points and 12 assists, while RJ Barrett added 23 points for the Canadians.

Team USA played without Jaren Jackson Jr., Paolo Banchero and Brandon Ingram due to illness. Anthony Edwards led the Americans with 24 points, while Austin Reaves added 23 points off the bench.

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Luka Doncic admitted he's still dealing with a leg injury that he suffered shortly after the 2023 NBA All-Star Break. But Doncic said the injury won't keep him from playing, or from being ready for the upcoming Dallas Mavericks season.

"I do not know what to say," Doncic said about the injury. "It's not okay. At the same time, I have to prepare for one more game, and then for a whole season in the NBA."

Doncic went on to say he's healthy enough to play, or he would be sitting out. The Mavs and Slovenian star also said he's not playing because of pressure from FIBA, but because he loves representing his country.

"There is also one of the questions, but I play for Slovenia, not for FIBA," Doncic said. "I play no matter what, even in the Olympic qualifiers, if only I'm healthy."

Doncic also owned the criticism of Slovenia falling short of expectations, but that it hasn't changed his desire to represent his country.

"There is a lot of criticism every day, but I have learned to live with it. I don't think I'm the best in the world, though," Doncic said. "I simply love playing for Slovenia and will continue to do so."

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When Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signed a rookie scale extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder, many NBA executives thought it would be a matter of time before a trade request followed. The Thunder were just starting a multi-year rebuild and were deep into asset-collection mode.

Now, with Oklahoma City rapidly improving, those rival executives have given up hope that Gilgeous-Alexander will ask for a trade. The Thunder were in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament last season and are a trendy pick to make the playoffs outright this season.

Gilgeous-Alexander is coming off an All-NBA season and looks primed to have another big year, coming off a terrific summer playing for Canada at the World Cup. Oklahoma City will also see 2022 second overall pick Chet Holmgren make his debut this season, after missing his rookie year with a foot injury.

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Trey Murphy III underwent a successful partial meniscectomy and received a biologic injection in his left knee this afternoon.

The surgery was performed by Dr. David Altchek at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York.

Murphy is expected to make a full recovery and will return to basketball activities in approximately 10-12 weeks.

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The Los Angeles Lakers made it clear to Anthony Davis this offseason that they would add depth at center so he wouldn't have to the play the position with as much regularity this offseason, sources tell ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

Davis played 99 percent of his minutes at center last season.

With the Lakers adding Jaxson Hayes and Christian Wood, there are more lineup possibilities to allow Davis to play power forward.

Davis signed a three-year, $186 million extension with the Lakers this offseason.

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Jayson Tatum is already climbing the all-time ranks in several categories for the Boston Celtics. But Tatum knows none of that matters if he doesn't deliver Banner 18 to Boston.

"I would love to be on the Mount Rushmore of Celtics," Tatum said. "Bird, Russell, Paul Pierce and those guys. They paved the way. The one thing all those guys have is chips. I have to get to the top of the mountain to even be considered as one of those guys. I want to be an all-time great, I want to be known as a winner, and I believe I will be."

Tatum also said he's happy for Jaylen Brown, and that Brown earned his super max contract extension. The Celtics star also said the young duo know that they will need to be the ones to lead Boston to their next title.

"We talk about it all the time. We are due to get over the hump," Tatum says, relaying his conversations with Brown. "And it's going to be well worth it when we do."

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In a wide-ranging interview with The Messenger, Jayson Tatum said he now feels a connection to the city of Boston. That's part of how Tatum sees that he's grown up since arriving in Boston as a 19-year-old.

"Just recently I started to feel the connection with Boston," Tatum says. "I have spent my adult life here, my son has grown up here, I've grown up here. I've accomplished so many things. It's happened so fast, and Boston has played such an intricate part of my life.

"I just feel like I relate more, a lot more in these last two years. At first it was like I live here, but I'm from St. Louis. I'm a St. Louis kid. Now I'm a part of Boston. I really feel a connection with the city and the people of Boston."

When asked if he hopes to spend his entire career with the Celtics, Tatum was cautious about promising anything. But he reiterated his love for Boston and the Celtics.

"You never know what can happen, but I love playing for the Celtics," he says. "I figured out my space in the city and have grown to really enjoy it. I love the fans. It would be really hard to leave this place."

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There is "significant concern" over Trey Murphy III's meniscus injury, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Murphy suffered the injury during a workout on Tuesday.

Wojnarowski added that there is "at least a slight tear" in the meniscus.

Murphy will undergo further evaluation to determine what type of procedure would be necessary moving forward, with an update expected to come this week.

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G League Ignite players are expected to play 30-35 games next season, sources told Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

This year's roster features Ron Holland and Matas Buzelis, who are currently projected as the top two picks in the 2024 draft by ESPN.

The Ignite are currently scheduled to play 55 games, the most in team history. There are 1-2 more preseason games expected to be added for early November.

The roster also features Izan Almansa, who is the No. 7 ranked prospect in ESPN's Top 100 prospects.

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Christian Wood is expected to come off the bench next season with Rui Hachimura likely starting next to Anthony Davis and LeBron James, sources told Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

The news coming following Wood and the Lakers agreeing to a two-year deal.

Buha adds that Wood was waiting out a potential James Harden or Damian Lillard trade to possibly find a larger role before signing with the Lakers.

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The ongoing Hollywood writers' and actors' strikes could impact Warner Bros. Discovery as they look to extend their media rights deal with the NBA.

WBD is the parent company of TNT.

According to a filing with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission, the strikes have negatively impacted its projected full-year adjusted earnings by about $300 million to $500 million.

"While WBD is hopeful that these strikes will be resolved soon, it cannot predict when the strikes will ultimately end," the company said. "With both guilds still on strike today, the company now assumes the financial impact to WBD of these strikes will persist through the end of 2023."

WBD officials have downplayed the potential impact on sports.

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During the Philadelphia 76ers' standoff with James Harden this offseason, Joel Embiid has given the franchise assurances he is comfortable riding out the situation, sources tell ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

Harden has publicly stated he has no intention of playing for the Sixers again if they continue to employ Daryl Morey.

Despite the turmoil with the front office, Harden has maintained a positive relationship with his teammates. Embiid invited Harden to his wedding in July. Tyrese Maxey has also remained in touch with Harden.

Embiid turns 30 in March and has a clear preference for winning with the Sixers, but the extent of his continued patience with the franchise is one of the NBA's most critical questions.

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During the 2023 offseason, James Harden was eligible for a four-year, $210 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers if he declined his $35.6 million player option and became a free agent.

Harden was expecting a contract in that range after taking less in 2022 and also leaving a four-year, $161 million extension on the table with the Brooklyn Nets.

Sources tell ESPN's Ramona Shelburne that there was a real debate within the Philadelphia front office on the type of contract they should offer Harden. As an eventual comparison point, Kyrie Irving re-signed with the Dallas Mavericks on a three-year, $126 million deal.

Harden's potential leverage with the Houston Rockets faded after they hired Ime Udoka as head coach.

As free agency approached, Daryl Morey wasn't taking calls from Harden's camp.

"James felt like Daryl was ghosting him," one source close to Harden said. "He felt betrayed."

The Sixers were stunned at Harden's decision, sources said. They insisted they intended to re-sign Harden as soon as rules allowed.

"James takes things very personally," another source close to Harden said. "When he feels like he's been wronged, he can be very stubborn."

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The Portland Trail Blazers haven't had meaningful conversations regarding a Damian Lillard trade in a while, according to Zach Lowe of ESPN. In the most recent episode of The Lowe Post podcast, Lowe indicated there's nothing happening on a Lillard trade.

"I've heard there's been nothing, I mean, like no meaningful dialogue at all," Lowe said.

Lowe, and podcast guest Bobby Marks of ESPN, both agreed that there's been very little traction on a Lillard trade. That includes conversations with the Miami Heat, and other teams. Marks said he thinks Lillard would need to make things uncomfortable for trade talks to pick up ahead of training camp. However, Marks said he doesn't think Lillard will do that.

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Danny Green has agreed to a one-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Green played last season with the Memphis Grizzlies and Cleveland Cavaliers after recovering from a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee.

Green previously played for the Sixers in 20-21 and 21-22. Green also previously spent one season with the Toronto Raptors under Nick Nurse.

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Christian Wood has agreed to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers on a two-year deal.

Wood will hold a player option in Year 2.

Wood spent last season with the Dallas Mavericks, but the team did not show interest in re-signing him.

The Lakers also have Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Jaxson Hayes, Jarred Vanderbilt and Rui Hachimura at the big positions.

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Luka Doncic is putting together a big run at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Teammate Mike Tobey said that's no surprise, given Doncic's new commitment to being in shape.

"I'd say I feel he's a little bit more rested. He looks fresh and in shape, he's really taking care of his body and himself a lot more seriously this summer. You can tell it by his nutrition, by how he looks, he's in a lot better shape," Tobey said. "I really see a big step forward in that part of his professionalism. He seems to be more focused. It seems both. I've said it before with friends and family. I can't imagine what it's like to have that kind of fame, constantly everybody asking you questions."

After the Dallas Mavericks missed the NBA postseason, Doncic reportedly took the opportunity to rest and recover in his native Slovenia. He also took the time to work on his body and his conditioning, and the results have been positive in the World Cup.

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In a recent appearance on the This League Uncut podcast with Marc Stein and Chris Haynes, LA Clippers coach Ty Lue gave Clippers fans a welcomed injury update. Lue said that stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George should both be full-go when training camp starts next month.

"They're both on track to be 100% by the time training camp starts, and that's what we need," Lue said. "You know, our best players will be healthy, and we've just been in an unfortunate situation where our two best players (haven't had) a full season together the last three years and that's been tough on us."

Leonard appeared in 52 regular season games in 2022-23, while George played in 56. Leonard played in two playoff games, before suffering a torn meniscus in his right knee. George missed the entire playoffs with a sprained right knee.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with Javonte Cooke.

Cooke played for the Iowa Wolves of the G League last season.

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During group play at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Serbian forward Borisa Simanic was elbowed by South Sudan's Nuni Omot. Simanic immediately went to the floor in pain. He was taken to the hospital and had emergency surgery that night.

We now know that Simanic had to have a kidney removed in a second operation, due to complications from the first surgery. Simanic is expected to remain in Manila for some time to recuperate.

Nuni Omot apologized for the incident, saying it was accidental.

"My apologies, I didn't mean to make no type of a dirty play. I hope you have a speedy recovery. I pray for you, you'll be in my prayers," Omot said. "I'm not a dirty player, I've never been a dirty player. From the bottom of my heart, I sincerely apologize to everyone that's watching and to the player especially."

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Amir Coffey was charged with two misdemeanors after being arrested and cited for carrying a concealed weapon last month.

Coffey was charged with one count of carrying a concealed firearm and one count of carrying a loaded firearm.

Coffey is set to appear in court later this month.

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Canada beat Spain 88-85 in the second round of the FIBA World Cup, eliminating the defending World Cup champions.

Canada also qualified for next summer's Olympics with the win.

Canada entered the fourth quarter of the game down 73-61. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored or assisted on Canada's last 14 points of the game.

Canada are set to play Slovenia in the quarterfinals.

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Team USA lost to Lithuania 110-104 in the FIBA World Cup on Sunday.

Team USA will play Italy in the quarterfinals of the tournament. And despite the loss, Team USA secured a berth to next summer's Olympics.

Anthony Edwards lead the team with 35 points. Lithuania were lead by Mindaugas Kuzminskas, who had 14 points.

Lithuania outrebounded Team USA 43-27 in the game.

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The Milwaukee Bucks signed-and-waived Iverson Molinar, sources told Keith Smith of Spotrac.

The Bucks will retain Molinar's G League rights.

The Bucks also recently signed-and-waived Alex Antetokounmpo.

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Joe Lacob said he expects both Klay Thompson and Steve Kerr to remain with the Golden State Warriors "for a long time" during an interview with Tim Kawakami of The Athletic.

Thompson is set to be an unrestricted free agent next offseason.

"We've had some very brief discussions at this point with his agent. But they're very, very early. ... I fully expect that we'll have some substantial discussions soon sometime and we'll see if we can't put something together that allows Klay to be here for a long time, which we clearly would like him to be," Lacob told Kawakami.

Lacob also said that he's had early discussions about extending Kerr, whose contract is also set to expire after this season.

"Very early. There's plenty of time. Steve is just like Klay, we want Steve to be here for a long time," said Lacob.

Lacob added that it was his goal for the Warriors to get under the second apron by next July.

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Harry Giles III's one-year deal with the Brooklyn Nets is non-guaranteed, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Giles, who last played in the NBA during the 2020-21 season, will compete for a roster spot.

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South Sudan earned an Olympic berth after defeating Angola 101-78 in the FIBA World Cup. The team went 3-2 in the tournament, becoming the highest-ranked World Cup team from Africa.

"It's an unbelievable story. It's an underdog story that, not just for the South Sudanese, not just for Africa, but for the rest of the world. It's a feel-good story that majority of people can relate to. It's such a unique achievement because it's beyond basketball," said Luol Deng, who took over the program three years ago.

South Sudan are coached by Rockets assistant Royal Ivey.

Japan also qualified for next summer's Olympics after defeating Cape Verde 80-71. The team was lead by Joshua Hawkinson's 29 points.

Japan finished with a 3-2 record over the tournament and was the highest-ranked Asian team in the World Cup.

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The Milwaukee Bucks signed and waived Alex Antetokounmpo.

The Bucks will retain Antetokounmpo's G League rights, making him eligible for a $75,000 bonus should he spend at least 60 days with the Herd.

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Former Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach Brian Adams was named the head coach of the Taipei Taishin Mars in Taiwan's T1 league, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Adams spent the last nine seasons as an assistant to Doc Rivers with the Clippers and Sixers.

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LSU assistant Cody Toppert was named the head coach of the Capital City Go-Go, the G League franchise of the Washington Wizards.

Toppert was previously an assistant and a G League head coach with the Suns.

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Harry Giles III and the Brooklyn Nets have agreed to a one-year deal.

Giles last played in the NBA during the 20-21 season with the Portland Trail Blazers, averaging 2.8 points and 3.5 rebounds in 9.2 minutes over 38 games.

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The Chicago Bulls didn't make any blockbuster moves this offseason, but they at least looked into the idea of one. Chicago took the temperature of other NBA in All-Star guard Zach LaVine, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

The Bulls ultimately extended Nikola Vucevic, re-signed Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu, and added Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig. Those moves came while Chicago works around Lonzo Ball being out for second consecutive season, as he recovers from a knee injury.

LaVine averaged 24.8 points on 48/37/85 shooting splits. LaVine also tallied 4.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game over 77 appearances.

The two-time All-Star guard has four years and $178 million remaining on the five-year deal he signed with Chicago in 2022. LaVine holds a player option on the final season in 2026-27.

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JaVale McGee has agreed to sign with the Sacramento Kings.

McGee was waived and stretched by the Dallas Mavericks earlier this week. McGee had $11.7 million remaining on his three-year, $17.2 million deal.

Mike Brown was an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors when McGee was with the franchise.

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Svi Mykhailiuk and the Boston Celtics have agreed to a one-year deal.

Mykhailiuk averaged 10.6 points in 22.5 minutes for the Charlotte Hornets last season.

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The Memphis Grizzlies have agreed to sign GG Jackson to a Two-Way contract.

Jackson was the No. 45 pick of the 2023 NBA draft out of South Carolina.

Jackson averaged 10.6 points and 4.8 rebounds over eight Summer League games.

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In an appearance on the "Sports By Northwest" podcast by The Oregonian, ESPN's Marc Spears gave an update on Damian Lillard's trade request. Spears said Lillard is still focused on getting to the Miami Heat, but that Jayson Tatum has tried to recruit the star guard to the Boston Celtics.

"He's kind of got that kind of like military basketball mentality. He wants to work. Also, the stability of the organization, the winning, like they've been to the Finals what, seven times since 2006? Obviously, Bam, and Jimmy helps, no State tax helps, sunshine helps," Spears said of Lillard and his desire to play for the Heat. "And I think at 33 years old, he looks at the landscape of the West and it's like Mmmm... I think my chances are better to go out East, and if Miami is able to make the Finals without somebody like myself, what can they do with me?' So, you don't make that move unless it's certainly a calculated risk. And I know that Boston, I know Jayson Tatum has called him, try to get in his ear, but his focus is definitely on Miami."
Lillard made a request to the Portland Trail Blazers to be traded shortly before NBA free agency opened this summer. The Heat emerged as an immediate suitor, but have been unable to put together an enticing enough package for the Blazers. Despite that, Spears believes the Portland star still ends up in Miami before training camp opens.

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The Utah Jazz have signed guard Taevion Kinsey, guard/forward Romeo Langford, and center Nick Ongenda.

Kinsey (6-5, 190, Marshall) played five seasons at Marshall (2018-23), appearing in 154 games (130 starts), owning averages of 17.1 points on 50.7 percent from the field, along with 4.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.1 steals in 34.1 minutes per contest and left the school as its all-time leading scorer with 2,641 points. He was named the 2022-23 Sun Belt Player of the Year following his final college season, with averages of 22.1 points, 5.4 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.7 steals in 32 games (all starts), and was also named to the 2022-23 All-Sun Belt First Team.

Langford (6-5, 215, Indiana) has four seasons of NBA experience with Boston (2019-22) and San Antonio (2022-23), posting career averages of 4.6 points and 2.1 rebounds in 16.1 minutes per contest. Last season with the Spurs, he averaged a career-best 6.9 points on 46.7 percent from the field, along with 2.7 boards, and 1.2 assists in 43 games (21 starts).

Ongenda (6-11, 230, DePaul) played four college seasons (2019-23) where he averaged 5.6 points, on 52.9 percent shooting, along with 3.7 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in 18.8 minutes per contest.

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Referee Eric Lewis has informed the league office that he is retiring, effective immediately.

In light of his decision, the NBA's investigation into his social media activity has been closed.

Lewis allegedly used a burner account on Twitter to defend himself and other NBA referees.

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Mat Ishbia pledged more than half of mortgage giant UWM Holdings Corp.'s outstanding shares to secure loans before buying the Phoenix Suns for a record $4 billion.

Ishbia holds his stake through SFS Holding Corp., which owns 94% of UWM's outstanding stock and pledged the shares, according to the firm's 2023 proxy statement.

Ishbia is worth $5.5 billion and his fortune dropped by $3.4 billion after the pledged shares were removed from his net worth calculation.

Executives of publicly traded companies will often pledge shares as collateral, but it is unusual for more than half of their shares to be tied up as collateral. If the share price goes down, lenders can request additional collateral or for the loan to be repaid.

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The Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to sign TyTy Washington Jr. to a Two-Way deal.

Washington was the 29th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft and appeared in 31 games with the Houston Rockets as a rookie. Washington averaged 4.7 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 14.0 minutes.

The Rockets traded Washington to create cap space and was waived by the Oklahoma City Thunder this month.

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Jonas Valanciunas is interested in signing a new contract extension with the New Orleans Pelicans. Valanciunas is eligible for a new extension after signing a two-year extension $33.1 million extension in 2021. Valanciunas will be a free agent in 2024 if he doesn't sign an extension.

The Pelicans were at the top of the Western Conference early in the season before Zion Williamson's injury.

"It was a great feeling being the No. 1 seed [in December]. That's a big accomplishment," Valanciunas said. "I want to come back to that. And I want to stay longer there. I like the New Orleans group. I'm ready to go and do it."

Valanciunas is represented by Mitch Nathan and Drew Morrison.

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Ben Simmons believes he will have a bounce back season after missing the entire 21-22 season and only playing in 42 games last season.

"I'm excited because I know I can do it," Simmons told Marc J. Spears of ESPN Andscape on Aug. 25. "So, that's the exciting part for me. [Last Thursday] night, I'm like, 'Yo, let's get back in the gym.' I'm excited. I get to do something I love to do at a high level. Regardless of what people say, I'm a three-time All-Star, All-NBA player, [All-] Defensive Team. I've done things. I'm not somebody that hasn't done anything.

"But at the end of the day, that's what you want to do. You want to go out and compete against the best in the world and be one of the best."

Simmons has been working out five days a week for at least five hours per day to get his body ready.

"For me to come back and dominate people will be great," Simmons said. "I don't intend to come back the same player I was last [season], because that's not even close to where I am. I get excited because I'm like, 'Damn, I would [expletive] on the player I was last year.' But I know where I was at last year, so it's easy to say that. But it's just fun to go and do the thing that you love when you're out there. That's really it for me. I don't really ask for too much.

"Sometimes I think about [my recent struggles]. I'm like, 'Damn, that's a lot.' Sometimes I sit down and break it down. 'That was exhausting that I was having to deal with all that.' But I feel like there are different situations you can handle, and this is a good test for me. How much worse can it get?"

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Diamond Sports Group, the company that owns television rights for 15 NBA teams, continues to have its future linger in bankruptcy court.

There is currently an expectations that games will continue to air on the Bally Sports RSNs when the NBA season begins as the company has enough capital to honor its contracts and to get through the upcoming seasons.

The NBA, however, has begun working on contingency plans in case of any issues. The league will take over broadcast production and distribution in those markets.

The Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs are among the teams that could be impacted.

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In a recent appearance on Gilbert Arenas' podcast "Gil's Arena", Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry discussed his career. One part of the conversation was about how long Curry hopes to play, and if he'd play as long as LeBron James has.

"It's somewhere in that range, but I never imagined myself being the forty-plus dude trying to hold on for dear life", said Curry. "But who knows what my body will look like or feel like at that point? I got three years left on my deal, including at least that, and then kind of figure it out from there."

Curry also said he takes pride in playing for one franchise for his entire career.

"I am blessed to know and hope that no matter how many years I do play, playing for one franchise and being a part of that group of the legends that have accomplished that feat and won at the highest level and all that. I don't ever take that for granted either," Curry said. "You got the Kobe (Bryant)'s, the Magic (Johnson)'s, Dirk (Nowitzki), Tim Duncan, those guys helped establish a culture, won, did it with a lot of different roster combinations and different parts in their career."

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Kroenke Sports & Entertainment is exploring renovations to Ball Arena, home of the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche since 1999.

KSE is conducting "market due diligence to evaluate opportunities to enhance the fan experience," according to a news release.

For the latest market evaluations regarding Ball Arena, Stan Kroenke has hired a third-party advisory firm for a planning process that has already included tours of recently renovated NBA and NHL arenas.

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Derrick Jones Jr. considered signing with the Miami Heat before eventually agreeing to a one-year deal at the minimum with the Dallas Mavericks.

Jones spent two-and-a-half seasons with the Heat before joining the Portland Trail Blazers in 2020. Jones spent the past two seasons with the Chicago Bulls.

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Lee Aaliya committed to Michigan for the class of 2023, reported Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

The 6-foot-9 Argentine drew interest from over 50 Division I programs after having his eligibility certified by the NCAA in August.

Aaliya averaged 17.1 points and 9.0 rebounds in the FIBA U19 World Cup in July.

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France is headed home from the 2023 FIBA World Cup much earlier than anyone expected. Following a loss to Canada in their opener, France fell to Latvia and has no chance of advancing to the knockout round.

"I've never been ashamed with this jersey, but this is the first time I'm ashamed," LA Clippers forward Nic Batum said in the post-game presser. "I'm scared to go home because we let a lot of people down. A lot of people believed in us to do something special. We didn't do it."

Teammate Evan Fournier echoed Batum's disappointment.

"We got to go home," Fournier said. "It's very tough. Very hard. We didn't think we would leave the tournament like this."

Despite being knocked out of the World Cup earlier than expected, France will still feature in the 2024 Summer Olympics. They are automatically qualified for the games as the host nation.

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Brandon Ingram would like a bigger role with Team USA than the one he's had so far this summer. But Ingram isn't going to let that get in the way of the team's success, even if it's not what he envisioned.

"This is totally different than what I am used to," Ingram told The Athletic Sunday. "The team is winning right now, so I can't be selfish thinking about myself. But it's a little frustrating right now for me, and I'm just trying to figure out ways I can be effective."

Ingram has the ball a lot less with Team USA than in his role as the New Orleans Pelicans primary playmaker. That's been an adjustment, but it's one Ingram said he think can pay off in the NBA, as well.

"I know who I am," Ingram said. "In ways, I can get stuck and think my way is the best way. This is a learning experience. ... I get to see everybody work, get to see everybody's strengths and everybody's weaknesses, so I can take it back to my team, be smart about it."

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Franz Wagner turned his left ankle in Germany's World Cup opening victory over Japan. German team doctor, Oliver Putz, said the team ruled out any serious injuries after examining Wagner.

"Nothing is broken, torn, or anything like this; things that would end the FIBA World Cup for him," Putz said. "Franz feels better this morning than yesterday. We did another MRI this morning. But, the problem is that we don't have the imaging yet, so we can't say exactly what's hurt yet."

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Luka Doncic and Slovenia got off to a 1-0 start at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Doncic led Slovenia to a 100-85 victory over Venezuela in their Group F opener.

Following the game, Doncic made it clear he'll represent his country whenever he's able to do so. He said missing the playoffs with the Dallas Mavericks last season didn't influence him on playing in the World Cup this summer.

"Every time I can play for the national team, I will play," Doncic said. "Representing your country, you are always motivated, no matter what happens in the season. Obviously, it was disappointing that we could not make the Playoffs, but playing for your country is special. It is from the heart. And representing your country, it is amazing."

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PJ Washington and the Charlotte Hornets have agreed to a three-year, $48 million deal.

Washington has been a restricted free agent this offseason and the Hornets were widely expected to match any reasonable offer sheet with a rival team.

Washington averaged 15.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 73 games last season.

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Bronny James is expected to return to the court "in the very near future," according to a family statement.

James suffered cardiac arrest during a July workout. The likely cause was a congenital heart defect.

"We are very confident in Bronny's full recovery and return to basketball in the very near future. We will continue to provide updates to media and respectfully reiterate the family's request for privacy," said the family in a statement.

James was discharged from the hospital three days after the incident.

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Amazon has joined Apple and Verizon with interest in buying a minority stake in ESPN.

All three companies would help ESPN in developing a full direct-to-consumer version of the media entity.

Last month, Iger said Disney is open to selling part of ESPN to a strategic partner, as the company is "dealing head-on with some of our biggest challenges," including accelerating decline in linear reach.

The network is considering charging between $20 and $35 per month for the direct-to-consumer version.

The NBA has its current media rights deals with ESPN and Turner expire in 2025.

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The United States enters the 2023 FIBA World Cup as favorites at -135, followed by Canada at +600 and Australia at +1100.

Team USA has an implied probability of 57.5 percent to win the tournament.

Germany, Serbia and Spain are each at +1400, while France is at +1600 and Slovenia is at +1800.

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There are a record 55 current NBA players competing in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

The tournament will feature a record 106 combined current NBA players, NBA draftees, and players with NBA experience, up from 103 in 2019.

Twenty-seven of the 32 participating national teams have at least one current NBA player, NBA draftee or a player with NBA experience, and national team rosters include 10 former NBA All-Stars: Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves; USA), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder; Canada), Luka Dončić (Dallas Mavericks; Slovenia), Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves; France), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers; USA), Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans; USA), Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies; USA), Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz; Finland), Karl-Anthony Towns (Timberwolves; Dominican Republic) and Nikola Vučević (Chicago Bulls; Montenegro).

Outside of the United States, which features a tournament-high 12 NBA players, Australia has the most current NBA players (nine), followed by Canada (seven) and Germany (four).

Angola
Bruno Fernando, Atlanta Hawks

Australia
Patty Mills, Atlanta Hawks
Josh Green, Dallas Mavericks
Jack White, Oklahoma City Thunder
Joe Ingles, Orlando Magic
Dyson Daniels, New Orleans Pelicans
Josh Giddey, Oklahoma City Thunder
Matisse Thybulle, Portland Trail Blazers
Xavier Cooks, Washington Wizards
Dante Exum, Dallas Mavericks

Canada
Dwight Powell, Dallas Mavericks
Luguentz Dort, Oklahoma City Thunder
Dillon Brooks, Houston Rockets
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Minnesota Timberwolves
RJ Barrett, New York Knicks
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Kelly Olynyk, Utah Jazz

China
Kyle Anderson, Minnesota Timberwolves

Dominican Republic
Lester Quiñones, Golden State Warriors
Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves

Finland
Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz

France
Nicolas Batum, Los Angeles Clippers
Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
Evan Fournier, New York Knicks

Georgia
Goga Bitadze, Orlando Magic
Sandro Mamukelashvili, San Antonio Spurs

Germany
Daniel Theis, Indiana Pacers
Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic
Moritz Wagner, Orlando Magic
Dennis Schroder, Toronto Raptors

Greece
Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

Italy
Simone Fontecchio, Utah Jazz

Japan
Yuta Watanabe, Phoenix Suns

Latvia
Dāvis Bertāns, Oklahoma City Thunder

Lithuania
Jonas Valančiūnas, New Orleans Pelicans

Montenegro
Nikola Vučević, Chicago Bulls

Philippines
Jordan Clarkson, Utah Jazz

Serbia
Bogdan Bogdanović, Atlanta Hawks
Nikola Jović, Miami Heat
Filip Petrušev, Philadelphia 76ers

Slovenia
Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks

South Sudan
Carlik Jones, Chicago Bulls

Spain
Santi Aldama, Memphis Grizzlies

USA
Mikal Bridges, Brooklyn Nets
Cameron Johnson, Brooklyn Nets
Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana PacersUSA
Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers
Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies
Bobby Portis, Milwaukee Bucks
Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans
Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
Josh Hart, New York Knicks
Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz

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Luka Doncic signed a contract extension with Jordan Brand that'll run through 2029, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

Doncic, who recently debuted his second signature sneaker, will continue to be the face of Jordan Brand throughout the deal.

Doncic initially signed with Jordan Brand in 2019.

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Moses Brown's contract with the Portland Trail Blazers is partially guaranteed for $250,000, sources told Keith Smith of Spotrac.

The contract increases to $500,000 if Brown makes the opening night roster.

The deal is then fully guaranteed by the January deadline.

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Glen Robinson III had a workout with the Boston Celtics this week, reported Ian Begley of SNY.

The Celtics are also set to work out T.J. Warren, Lamar Stevens, and Louis King later this week.

Robinson had a workout with the Warriors earlier this month.

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Steve Kerr had initially planned for Anthony Edwards to come off the bench for the United States in a role similar to Dwyane Wade played when Kobe Bryant started at shooting guard.

Edwards didn't agree with Kerr and has since emerged as one of their best players and a definitive starter.

"I mean, of course I wasn't cool with it," Edwards said. "If that's what it takes, I mean, I am willing to do it, but nah, I'm never cool with that. ... He said Dwyane Wade came off the bench when Kobe played. I was like, all right, we don't have a Kobe, but all right. But it was cool."

Edwards enters the World Cup averaging 19.2 points in their exhibition games.

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Khaman Maluach has been named to the FIBA World Cup roster of South Sudan at the age of 16, making him the third-youngest player in the event's history.

The 7-foot-2 Maluach is a member of the NBA Africa Academy in Senegal, which he joined as a high school freshman in 2021, two years after he started playing basketball seriously while living in Uganda.

Maluach, who is slated to graduate high school in the summer of 2025, has scholarship offers from Duke, UCLA and Georgetown. He also has the option of going straight to the NBA draft as a 2006-born international prospect.

"Khaman's future is bright; everyone sees that," South Sudan basketball federation president Luol Deng told ESPN. "He is going to be a great player and it's exciting that people will get see him at the World Cup stage. This will be a great experience for him."

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Giannis Antetokounmpo has revealed that he plans on not signing a three-year, $173 million extension with the Milwaukee Bucks when it is offered this September.

Antetokounmpo can make more money by signing an extension in 2024.

"The real question's not going to be this year - numbers-wise it doesn't make sense," Antetokounmpo said. "But next year, next summer it would make more sense for both parties. Even then, I don't know."

He added: "I would not be the best version of myself if I don't know that everybody's on the same page, everybody's going for a championship, everybody's going to sacrifice time away from their family like I do. And if I don't feel that, I'm not signing."

Antetokounmpo would like to play in the NBA for at least 20 seasons and also only be on the Bucks, but that is predicated on the franchise remaining a title contender. The Bucks brought back most of their roster this offseason, but they parted ways with Mike Budenholzer and hired Adrian Griffin as head coach.

"You've got to see the dynamics," he said. "How the coach is going to be, how we're going to be together. At the end of the day, I feel like all my teammates know and the organization knows that I want to win a championship. As long as we're on the same page with that and you show me and we go together to win a championship, I'm all for it. The moment I feel like, oh, yeah, we're trying to rebuild -"

Antetokounmpo paused before he continued.

"There will never be hard feelings with the Milwaukee Bucks," he said. "I believe that we've had 10 unbelievable years, and there's no doubt I gave everything for the city of Milwaukee. Everything. Every single night, even when I'm hurt. I am a Milwaukee Buck. I bleed green. I know this.

"This is my team, and it's going to forever be my team. I don't forget people that were there for me and allowed me to be great and to showcase who I am to the world and gave me the platform. But we have to win another one."

"But at the end of the day, being a winner, it's over that goal," he said. "Winning a championship comes first. I don't want to be 20 years on the same team and don't win another championship."

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Damian Lillard publicly confirmed for the first time he requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers

"I can say that there was [a trade request] and I would just prefer not to speak on the Trail Blazers," said Lillard to Marc J. Spears.

On July 28, the NBA sent out a memo to all 30 teams stating that if Lillard and his agent Aaron Goodwin made any future comments, privately to teams or publicly, suggesting Lillard will not "fully perform the services called for under his player contract in the event of a trade," he would be subject to discipline by the league.

Lillard could be subject to league discipline for publicly acknowledging the trade request.

Lillard declined to comment on what ultimately led to the trade request.

"I'm not going to speak on the Blazers. It's lot of love and respect, but I won't speak on the Blazers."

Lillard prefers a trade to the Miami Heat, but talks have not yet progressed.

"It's higher than it's ever been," said Lillard on his motivation to win a title. "When you're younger and you're winning, you realize that you got time. When you establish yourself in the league and you know that you're here to stay, you feel like you have time. The older you get, that just means more time that you've put into it, especially when you're at the top of the game and you're having all these individual accomplishments, it becomes more and more of a priority to have the ultimate accomplishment, which is why we play the game, in winning the championship.

"I would say the desire for that now is as high as it's probably going to be. That's literally the thing at the top of my list. When I wake up and I got to get up and go do what I got to do, I got to train, I got to make time for my kids, I still got to lift, I got to do all these things and I got to make sure that training and the preparation is still my priority. Even with being a father of three now, not one, and having all these other responsibilities, you need something that you feel pretty strong about to stay committed the way I've been committed. It's as high as it's going to get. That's ultimately what I want to experience and that's what I want to get done."

Regardless of the outcome, Lillard plans to stay rooted in Portland.

"I love the city of Portland," Lillard said. "Every initiative that I've started, I'll continue and I'll finish regardless of anything. The love will be that because the way I've said I feel about Portland is how I feel about Portland. I say what I mean and I mean what I say. It's been fine. It's been what it's always been ...

"[Portland-area residents] just tell me they love me. That's literally what they say. 'Dame, we love you. We thank you for everything.' That's the dialogue. It's pretty simple and to the point."

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Boston Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis said he believe his foot started to hurt during practices leading up to the 2023 FIBA World Cup. But Porzingis believes it's an injury that developed over time.

"I have an idea where the injury occurred. But an injury develops during a career and then jumps onto the field. During the training process, it started to hurt," Porzingis said. "There has never been anything like it. I felt that there were no options to achieve the shape I wanted. There was no logic in trying to break my feet."

Despite the injury, Porzingis traveled with his Latvian teammates to Indonesia to support them during the World Cup. The veteran big man said he had the Celtics blessings to do so.

"I said being around is important, even though I'm not playing. They supported my decision," Porzingis said. "Also, there's a long season ahead. It's important for me to spend time with my teammates, with my family, and Boston respected my decision."

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The Charlotte Hornets unveiled a new Classic Edition jersey on Wednesday to celebrate the franchise's 35 year anniversary.

The jersey features a teal silhouette with multi-colored double pinstripes, paying tribute to the jerseys the team wore from 1997-2002.

"We're pleased to introduce a new Classic Edition uniform to be worn as part of our celebration of the 35th Anniversary of the Charlotte Hornets inaugural season," said Hornets President & Vice Chairman Fred Whitfield. "Throughout our history, the Hornets have been recognized for fashionable uniform designs, and we know our fans will be excited to see the look that our team wore from 1997-2002 back on the court in Charlotte."

The Hornets will wear the uniforms for eight home games this season.

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Montrezl Harrell had successful surgery to repair the ACL in his right knee, reported Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

The Sixers, who re-signed Harrell this offseason, have no plans to waive the forward.

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Usman Garuba officially became a free agent after clearing waivers on Wednesday.

The Thunder now have a total of $11.4 million in dead money on their cap sheet for this season for Garuba, Rudy Gay, and TyTy Washington, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac.

The Thunder still have to make three more roster cuts.

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The Portland Trail Blazers and Miami Heat have reportedly had very little dialogue on a Damian Lillard trade despite his trade request coming on July 1st.

The expectation among those close to the situation is that talks could pick up once training camp gets closer.

The Blazers have not been in a rush to deal Lillard as they hope for an improved offer, but bringing him into camp and potentially the preseason is viewed by some as a risk.

Blazers general manager Joe Cronin went on the record in July indicating that a Lillard trade could "take months."

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The Dallas Mavericks plan to re-sign Markieff Morris on a non-guaranteed contract.

Morris appeared in eight games with the Mavericks following his trade from the Brooklyn Nets last season.

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The Dallas Mavericks plan to waive-and-stretch JaVale McGee by the August 31st deadline.

The Mavericks have not officially completed the move in case a trade scenario materializes before the deadline.

McGee signed with the Mavericks during the 2022 offseason on a three-year, $20.1 million deal.

According to Keith Smith of Spotrac, McGee is owed $11,741,621 on the two years remaining on his deal.

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Mac McClung has agreed to a partially guaranteed deal with the Orlando Magic.

McClung won the 2023 Slam Dunk contest and appeared in two NBA games with the Philadelphia 76ers.

In 31 G League games last season, McClung averaged 19.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 26.8 minutes.

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James Harden has received a $100,000 fine by the NBA for his comments directed toward Daryl Morey and publicly requesting a trade.

Harden called Morey "a liar" and that he would never play for a franchise that also employs Morey ever again during an event in China.

The NBA investigated the reason for Harden's comments and he reportedly said it stemmed from Morey agreeing to "quickly" trade him this offseason after his opt-in.

Harden opted into his $35.6 million contract with the Sixers on the eve of free agency and has been seeking a trade to the Los Angeles Clippers, but no deal between the two sides has materialized.

Under the CBA, the NBA can fine a player a maximum of $100,000.

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Josh Harris said the Philadelphia 76ers are continuing to work on convincing James Harden to remain with the franchise for the 23-24 season after they've been unable to find a workable trade.

"Listen, we're hard at work," Harris said Monday. "I respect James. I want to, obviously, accommodate what he wants. At the same time, I have to think about a championship-contending team, what we can get back. I'd love to convince him to stay. I understand that that's not what he wants to do right now.

"I'm going to keep working to resolve it in a way that everyone can live with and is positive for everyone, whatever that resolution is. ... I respect him as a basketball player, and as a person. It's back to, these are, you're dealing with people, right? And you've got to be there. We'll see where it comes out."

Harden attempted to increase the pressure on the Sixers to trade him by calling Daryl Morey "a liar" during an event in China.

The Sixers told Harden they intend for him to report to camp after the Los Angeles Clippers reportedly moved on from trade talks.

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The San Antonio Spurs were rumored to be a suitor for Austin Reaves ahead of free agency opening this offseason. Reaves had the Spurs mulling different offer sheet scenarios, before he re-signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.

According to a report, San Antonio considered offering Reaves a four-year, nearly $100 million offer sheet. That was the maximum the Spurs would have been allowed to offer Reaves, as he was an Arenas Provision restricted free agent. San Antonio also considered a shorter, three-year, $60 million offer sheet.

Ultimately, Reaves signed a four-year, $54 million contract to stay with the Lakers. That was the most Los Angeles could offer the young guard, given they only had his Early Bird rights.

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Lonzo Ball confirmed that he'll miss the entire 2023-24 season as he recovers from a third knee surgery since he played his last game.

"When I first got hurt, we didn't really know what it was. I was seeing all type of different doctors and stuff. I was just kind of going up and down. That was really hard for me because I just didn't know what the next day was going to be like.

"At least now, I got the surgery. We got a plan moving forward. We've been on plan. I'm on track," said Ball on Trae Young's From the Point by Trae Young podcast.

Ball last appeared in the NBA on January 14, 2022.

Ball added that he felt he was finally on "the perfect team" with the Bulls before his injury.

"It's going to be a big what-if. I feel bad, just for the [Bulls'] GMs because I feel like they made the perfect team around me. I felt like that was the most I've ever been involved in an organization. And I finally got the perfect team that I felt like could fit my game and play my way and really just do what I wanted to do."

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Skal Labissiere has agreed to a one-year, partially guaranteed deal with the Sacramento Kings.

Labissiere was a first round pick by the Kings in 2016.

Labissiere last played in the NBA in the 19-20 season with the Portland Trail Blazers.

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Moses Brown has agreed to a partially guaranteed one-year deal with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Brown appeared in 36 games last season with the Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets.

Brown previously played in nine games as a rookie in 19-20 with the Portland Trail Blazers.

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The New York Knicks have filed a lawsuit against the Toronto Raptors alleging that a former employee "illegally took thousands of proprietary files with him to his new position."

The suit alleges that the Raptors directed Ikechukwu Azotam to "misuse his access to the Knicks' subscription to Synergy Sports to create and then transfer to the Raptors Defendants over 3,000 files consisting of film information and data."

The Knicks contacted the Raptors and the NBA before filing the suit.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed forward/center Olivier Sarr to a Two-Way Contract.

Sarr (6-11, 240) appeared in 12 games (seven starts) last season for the Thunder's G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, and averaged 12.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.42 blocks in 24.9 minutes per game. During the 2022-23 season, Sarr saw action in nine games (one start) for the Thunder and averaged 4.0 points on 50.0 percent shooting to go along with 3.4 rebounds in 12.7 minutes per game.

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James Harden told NBA investigators that his comments about Daryl Morey were in reference to a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers if he opted into his $35.6 million option for 23-24.

Morey allegedly told Harden he would "quickly" trade him after the opt-in decision in late June.

The Sixers' stance is now that they expect to keep Harden as a trade this offseason didn't materialize.

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Steve Kerr called praised Anthony Edwards following Team USA's 99-91 win over Germany on Sunday, calling him "unquestionably the guy."

"He's unquestionably the guy. You can see he knows it. But now the team knows it, and I think the fans see it. ... He genuinely believes he's the best player in the gym every single night. And he's such a dynamic young player. I think he's taking a leap," said Kerr.

Edwards finished the game with 34 points for Team USA, which went 5-0 in the lead up to the World Cup.

With Kerr seeing Edwards as the team's No. 1 option, the guard averaged 19.2 points per game on 50% shooting from the field over the five games.

Tyrese Haliburton scored 18 points against Germany and closed out the game ahead of starter Jalen Brunson.

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The Bahamas defeated Argentina 82-75 on Sunday to earn a place in next summer's Olympic basketball qualifiers.

Coached by Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco, Eric Gordon lead the team with 27 points. Deandre Ayton also finished with 21 rebounds.

The Olympic qualifiers features 24 teams spread across four groups of six. The winner of each group will win a wild card berth for the Paris Olympics.

The Bahamas have never qualified for the Olympics in men's basketball.

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The United States looks ready for the 2023 FIBA World Cup. On Sunday, Team USA defeated Germany to cap a 5-0 run in the lead-up up the World Cup.

The United States also defeated Puerto Rico, Slovenia, Spain and Greece in the past two weeks. The victories over Spain and Germany saw Team USA come from behind to win each game.

Anthony Edwards scored 34 points to lead the Americans over the Germans. Edwards was Team USA's leading scoring during the five-game exhibition slate at 19.2 points per game on 51% shooting from the field.

Group C play opens on Saturday, August 26 with the United States taking on New Zealand. Team USA will also play Greece and Jordan in group play. The Americans are heavy favorites to advance at the top of the group, especially after Giannis Antetokounmpo of Greece announced he would miss the tournament.

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Brady Stevens, son of Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, has committed to Notre Dame. Stevens will be a walk-on for the Fighting Irish. He'll play for former Celtics assistant coach Micah Shrewsberry.

The younger Stevens currently plays for Wellesley High School in Massachusetts. He's a 6-foot-4 combo guard and is entering his senior season of high school.

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Tee Morant, father of Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant, was a speaker at the Up Next Elite Camp. Morant gave high-profile up-and-coming players some advice related to their decision-making.

Morant told campers to "be mindful of every decision you make." He also told the players that his son was responsible for his own decisions, with no else to blame.

"My son didn't get in trouble 'cause of people around him," Morant said. "He got in trouble because of his decisions."

Ja Morant is suspended for the first 25 games of the 2023-24 season. This came down after a second incident where Morant flashed a handgun while being photographed and videoed.

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James Harden has asked for a trade away from the Philadelphia 76ers. Many around the NBA believe he's just the first Sixers star to ask for deal to send them to another team.

Although Joel Embiid hasn't said anything about wanting out, many around the league believe he'll eventually ask for a trade. Even more, some believe that would kick off a full rebuild that Daryl Morey may secretly want.

The New York Knicks and Miami Heat are known to be keeping an eye on what could develop with Embiid, though there could certainly be many more teams interested in pursuing a trade as well.

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The NBA has opened an inquiry into the circumstances around James Harden's public critique of Daryl Morey in which he was called "a liar." Harden also said he will never play for a team that also employs Morey.

The league is pursuing whether Harden was portending a hold out of the 23-24 season, or if he was referencing past contract discussions with the Sixers that could be a circumvention of the cap.

Harden has privately indicated that his public comments calling Morey a "liar" on Monday morning had only been a response to Morey ending trade discussions. Harden exercised his $35.6 million player option with the Sixers in late June with the expectation he would be traded.

The Sixers told Harden that they hadn't found a workable trade with the Los Angeles Clippers and expect him to report to camp in September.

The Sixers were stripped of two second round picks for premature conversations last offseason with P.J. Tucker and Danuel House.

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Trevelin Queen signed a one-year contract with the Orlando Magic, reported Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

Queen was the 2022 G League MVP.

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The Portland Trail Blazers signed Ashton Hagans to an Exhibit 10 deal.

The 24-year-old last appeared in the NBA during the 2020-21 season for the Timberwolves.

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Olympiacos has interest in signing Kendrick Nunn.

Nunn has been waiting for an NBA offer and has asked Olympiacos to wait until the end of August for a decision.

Nunn missed the entire 21-22 season with the Los Angeles Lakers due to injury and then was traded to the Washington Wizards in January as part of the Rui Hachimura deal.

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The NBA has reduced the number of travel back-to-backs in the 23-24 schedule to an average of 9.0 per team compared to 9.6 last season.

No team will play more than 15 total back-to-backs this season as well.

The total number of back-to-backs increased slightly due to the Play-In Tournament.

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In an interview in Houston, James Harden was asked if he believes his relationship with the Philadelphia 76ers is beyond repair.

"I think so," Harden replied.

Harden has been seeking a trade from the Sixers all offseason with the Los Angeles Clippers his preferred destination. After the Sixers leaked to the media that they have pulled him from the trade block, Harden responded by calling Daryl Morey "a liar."

"I've been patient all summer," Harden said when asked about how patient he will need to be. "For me, it's just focus on what I can control and that's working out, staying in shape, and getting ready for a good season."

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Jock Landale is likely to miss the upcoming FIBA World Cup after suffering a left ankle injury.

Landale suffered the injury in a warmup game against South Sudan.

"Telling the truth here, he's not getting on the plane with us. He's gonna have an MRI. It didn't look great, so they're gonna deal with that here; we're gonna travel with the 12 we've got now and prepare. I'm on the mindset right now as if we don't have him," said Australia coach Brian Goorjian.

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Mintautas Mockus committed to Central Florida, reported Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

The 6-foot-7 Mockus lead the NBA Academy Games in scoring last month.

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The Charlotte Hornets signed Tre Scott to an Exhibit 10 deal, sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Scott averaged 17.4 points for the Greensboro Swarm last season.

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The NBA released the 2023-24 regular season schedule on Thursday, with a doubleheader between the Los Angeles Lakers versus the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns against the Golden State Warriors kicking off the season on October 24.

The schedule features 100 games across ESPN and ABC, starting with the Celtics at the Knicks on October 25.

The five Christmas Day games were announced last week.

The schedule also includes the second annual NBA Rivals Week from January 23 to January 27.

The entire schedule can be found here.

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Frank Kaminsky has signed with Partizan BC in Serbia on a one-year deal.

Kaminsky spent last season with the Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets.

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James Harden is currently on a trip to China. He made waves by calling Daryl Morey "a liar" earlier in the trip. In more positive light, Harden sold out of cases of his signature wine while on Chinese TV.

Now, Harden said he'd like to reply some of that love the Chinese people have shown him. And Harden said he'd like to do that by playing in China some day.

"Every time I come here, the love is just like ... it's crazy, you know what I mean?" Harden said. "So I feel like they deserve to actually see me come play here. ... Love is always crazy here."

Harden is currently seeking a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers. He's reportedly threatened to make things "uncomfortable" if forced to report to Sixers training camp. Calling Philadelphia president of basketball operations Morey "a liar" was apparently just the tip of the iceberg.

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The New York Knicks are expected to fully guarantee Jericho Sims' $1.93 million salary for next season, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Sims started 16 games for the Knicks last season.

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Kristaps Porzingis is expected to be healthy by the start of training camp, according to the Boston Celtics.

Porzingis, who was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis in his right foot, will rehab for the next four-to-six weeks.

Pozingis will miss the upcoming World Cup due to the injury.

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The Atlanta Hawks have requested waivers on forward Vit Krejci.

Krejci appeared in 29 games with the Hawks during the 2022-23 campaign. He also suited up for the College Park Skyhawks, appearing in three games (all starts), notching 9.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 33.9 minutes of play (.400 FG%, .333 3FG%).

In two NBA seasons with Atlanta (2022-23) and Oklahoma City (2021-22), the 6-7 forward has seen action in 59 games (eight starts), owning averages of 3.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 14.5 minutes (.407 FG%, .311 3FG%, .833 FT%).

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James Harden responded to the decision from the Philadelphia 76ers that they've ended trade talks by calling Daryl Morey "a liar." Harden's representatives reportedly communicated to the Sixers that there would be a response to escalate the situation. Harden would like a trade from the Sixers to the Los Angeles Clippers.

"When James Harden and his agents were informed over the weekend that they were not going to continue with trade talks," said Brian Windhorst on ESPN on Wednesday. "That Philadelphia was going to shut that down. You can imagine he was very upset.

"It was communicated to the Sixers that they were going to put them in some pain as a result of this. That's what James Harden did with those comments on Monday morning in China. He put the Sixers in some pain.

"My guess is he may not be done with it. There may be other opportunities for him to really squeeze the Sixers to try to make them to reconsider this position.

"I think his frustration is that they won't trade him. He understood that his contract wasn't going to be extended there. In lieu of that, he wanted to get traded. When that didn't happen, obviously you can see he's lashing out. Unfortunately, the situation has really deteriorated from what I've been told."

Ramona Shelburne also said she was told "this is just the beginning."

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Josh Green's current focus is on suiting up for Australia at the 2023 FIBA World Cup later this month. But the Dallas Mavericks wing admitted that he's hopeful for a contract extension in the NBA, as well.

"I've really just focused on this. Whatever happens kind of happens. Obviously, it's a cool feeling to be in that situation but, at the same time, I put so much work to be able to be in this position now, that you wanna continue to work," Green said. "I hope it happens. I want to be in Dallas. I love Dallas. I love the fanbase, love the guys. To think I could be in Dallas long-term would be amazing."

Green is eligible for a rookie scale extension until the end of the NBA offseason in late-October. If no extension is reached, Dallas can make Green a restricted free agent in the summer of 2024.

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Jamal Murray has decided to not play for Team Canada in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Murray cited the necessity to recover from last season's long NBA title run as the reason.

"When I came into training camp, I wanted to see how my body would respond after a long and demanding season and if I would be physically able to compete at the highest level required for the World Cup," said Murray.

"In consultation with medical staff and the team, it is clear that additional recovery is required, and I have made the difficult decision to not participate in the tournament. It's still a dream of mine to represent Canada at the Olympics, and I will support the team every step of the way as they pursue this goal."

Canada opens Group H play at the World Cup against France. Group H also includes Latvia, who will be without NBA star Kristaps Porzingis, and Lebanon.

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Nicolas Batum plans on retiring from competitive basketball at the end of the 23-24 season when his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers expires, according to his wife Lily Tatum.

Batum will play for France in the 2024 Olympics in Paris, which will be his final games. Batum had previously announced his plans to retire from France's national team following the Olympics.

Batum was the 25th overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft and has played for the Portland Trail Blazers, Charlotte Hornets and Clippers.

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Mikal Bridges and Austin Reaves are first-time teammates on Team USA for this summer's FIBA World Cup. The Brooklyn Nets star is counting himself as a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers emerging star. Bridges also said people need to start thinking of Reaves in a different light.

"This ain't no underdog s*** no more," Bridges said of Reaves. "He's here."

Bridges went on to compliment Reaves' game, including his ability to draw free throws.

"I've been a fan. ... I think the biggest thing about him I like is that he knows how to draw a foul," Bridges said of Reaves foul-drawing ability. "He knows how to create fouls and get to the free-throw line and that's like a skill. He's not just getting there. There's a skill to that and it's very underrated. People don't really understand it but the ones that do, they know how tough it is to guard. That s***'s an art."

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ESPN officially named Doris Burke, Doc Rivers, and Mike Breen as its top announcing crew for NBA games.

Burke and Rivers are set to replace Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson.

Bob Myers was also named as a studio analyst for the upcoming season.

Ryan Ruocco, JJ Redick, and Richard Jefferson were also named as ESPN's second team for "NBA Sunday Showcase" games on ABC.

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The Chicago Bulls have signed Terry Taylor.

Taylor joined Chicago during the 22-23 season after signing a two-way contract on Feb. 21, 2023.

Taylor saw action in 26 games for the Indiana Pacers before appearing in five games for the Bulls last season, averaging 4.0 points (.900 FG%) and 1.6 rebounds in 7.2 minutes while with Chicago.

Prior to his professional career, Taylor played collegiately at Austin Peay (2017-21) where he was a three-time All- Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) First Team selection (2018-21) and two-time OVC Player of the Year. He averaged 19.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks in 34.4 minutes over 127 games (all starts) for the Governors.

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Trentyn Flowers has decommitted from Louisville and will sign with the Adelaide 36ers of the National Basketball League in Australia.

Flowers is ESPN's No. 18 prospect in the incoming class of 2023. Flowers was originally in the class of 2024, but decided to graduate early to enroll at Louisville this summer. Flowers had been practicing with the team since June.

"This was the toughest decision I've ever made," Flowers said. "Louisville was my dream college. But I feel like signing in the NBL gives me the best chance to lock in and develop my game. I'm going over there to play point guard, to learn how to run a team, and be a player like LaMelo Ball or Josh Giddey. Adelaide is a place for me to lock in and focus on my game."

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Daryl Morey was not surprised James Harden has attempted to make things personal in seeking a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers, a source told Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Sixers informed Harden's agent of their decision to pull him from the trade market over the weekend.

When Harden picked up his $35.6 million player option for 23-24, he told the Sixers he wanted a trade and preferred it be to the Los Angeles Clippers. The Sixers and Clippers have been unable to gain traction on a trade.

Harden's initial displeasure with Morey came when the Sixers declined to negotiate with him before the official start of free agency, sources tell Pompey.

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We re-assess our 2022 offseason grades for Western Conference teams in alphabetical order, starting with the Dallas Mavericks through Los Angeles Lakers. Which of our evaluations proved prophetic, and which look worse in hindsight?

4 Episodes per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

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In a video that surfaced on Monday morning, James Harden called Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey "a liar." Harden was speaking to a group of media and fans while on an Adidas press tour in China.

"Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he's a part of," Harden said. "Let me say that again. Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he's a part of."

Harden has asked the Sixers to trade him. Philadelphia and Morey have attempted to fulfill this request, but haven't found a deal to their liking. The Los Angeles Clippers are where Harden would like to be traded, but talks between the two teams have been termed as "stagnant."

Harden opted into the final year of his two-year deal with the 76ers ahead of this free agency period. He did so with the idea that it would make it easier for him to be traded. Last week, Morey and the Sixers said they were ending trade talks and the intention was for Harden to report to Philadelphia's training camp.

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Spencer Dinwiddie will be eligible for a four-year, $128 million extension with the Brooklyn Nets starting on Monday.

Dinwiddie is currently in the final year of his contract which will carry a $20.36 million cap hit.

The 30-year-old averaged 16.5 points and 9.1 assists after getting traded to the Nets last season.

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ESPN 100 guard Nasir Mohammed committed to Notre Dame over the weekend.

Mohammed, the son of former first-round draft pick Nazr Mohammed, chose Notre Dame over Marquette, Stanford, Virginia Tech, and Villanova.

"The relationship I have built with Coach [Micah] Shrewsberry over the years has been the difference. His vision for me to be a lead guard and the pieces he is putting together is exciting," Mohammed told ESPN.

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Flory Bidunga, the top-ranked center in the class of 2024, committed to Kansas over the weekend.

Bidunga chose Kansas over Auburn, Duke, and Michigan.

"I was excited about Kansas when they offered. We spoke on the phone, and they were serious about me, then I got serious with them. When we went there and met everyone it was great. Coach [Bill] Self and staff were constantly at my games. I see him as a coach who will push me and teach me on the court," Bidunga told ESPN.

Bidunga is also the No. 4 in the ESPN 100 for the 2024 class.

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Tacko Fall has signed with the Nanjing Monkey Kings in the Chinese Basketball Association, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Fall appeared in 11 games for the Cavs during the 2021-22 season.

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The Golden State Warriors are set to work out NBA veteran Glenn Robinson III. Robinson is expected to join a workout with other veteran players for the Warriors in the coming weeks.

Robinson has played in the NBA for seven seasons, but hasn't suited up for an NBA team since 2021. The veteran wing has played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers, Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons and Sacramento Kings, in addition a stint with the Warriors.

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On Saturday, news broke that the Philadelphia 76ers were no longer holding trade talks involving James Harden. However, that doesn't mean Harden intends to play for the Sixers again.

A source close to Harden said that he no longer wants to play for Philadelphia and has no plan of taking part in training camp. Harden continues to want a trade, ideally to the LA Clippers. Harden's camp continues to believe that a trade will materialize ahead of training camp opening.

Trade talks between the 76ers and Clippers have been stagnant. Philadelphia front officer leader Daryl Morey is continuing to drive a high asking price for Harden. To this point, the Clippers, nor any other team, have been willing to meet that price for the aging guard and his expiring contract.

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The Boston Celtics have agreed to sign guard D.J. Steward to a non-guaranteed training camp contract. Steward is expected to compete for the Celtics open two-way spot.

Steward went undrafted out of Duke at the 2021 NBA Draft. He's spent the last two seasons playing in the G League for the Stockton Kings, with a brief stop in Canada for two games.

The last two offseasons have seen Steward go to summer league and training camp with the Sacramento Kings. This summer, the Duke product played in eight summer league games for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Last season Steward appeared in 45 games for Stockton. The 6-foot-1 point guard averaged 13 points and 4.2 assists in 23.5 minutes per game off the bench.

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Javonte Smart and the Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to an Exhibit 10 training camp deal.

Smart was previously on Two-Way deals with the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks.

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The Philadelphia 76ers have ended trade talks involving James Harden and intend to bring him back to the team during training camp.

The Sixers and Los Angeles Clippers had periodic discussions on a trade involving Harden, but the two sides were unable to gain any traction.

When Harden opted into his $35.6 million option for 23-24 with the Sixers, the team agreed to accommodate him with a trade. The Sixers ultimately decided not to make a trade they felt would compromise their chances of competing for a title.

Harden has been emphatic in seeking a trade from the Sixers as they reportedly do not view him as part of their long-term plans.

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Jamal Cain has signed his qualifying offer with the Miami Heat to remain with the franchise on a Two-Way deal.

Cain appeared in 18 games last season with the Heat.

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The Miami Heat and Alondes Williams have agreed to an Exhibit 10 training camp deal.

Williams appeared in one game for Nets last season.

Williams also averaged 13.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists for the Long Island Nets of the G League.

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Cooper Flagg has reclassified from 2025 to the incoming college class of 2024, which makes him the new favorite to be picked No. 1 in the 2025 NBA draft.

Flagg entered the summer ranked No. 2 in the ESPN 60 for 2025, but dominated throughout June and July and is now widely considered the top prospect regardless of class.

Duke has been considered the favorite to sign Falgg, but UConn, Kansas and Kentucky are also involved.

Flagg will turn 18 in late December of his freshman year of college.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece announced that he will miss the 2023 FIBA World Cup to continue to rehab from left knee surgery. Antetokounmpo had been included on Greece's initial roster, but it was recently determined that he's not ready to return to play yet.

Antetokounmpo underwent cleanup surgery on his left knee earlier this summer. After a follow-up meeting with his doctors in the United States, it was determined Antetokounmpo would not play in this summer's competition.

"After months of work and multiple meetings with medical staff it is clear that I am not ready to compete in the level that I need to be to participate in the World Cup," Antetokounmpo said on his Twitter account. "This was not a choice but my only option in ensuring I get back to the level of basketball I have worked so hard to achieve so far in my career. I am extremely disappointed in this outcome but this was a decision made with the medical staff."

Greece in Group C with the United States, Jordan and New Zealand. Team USA plays Greece in their second game of the group stage on August 28.

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Josh Hart has a team option in the final year of his new contract extension, sources told Fred Katz of The Athletic.

The option puts Hart's deal at $58 million over three years, with a $22.8 million extension for the 2027-28 season.

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Victor Wembanyama is tentatively scheduled to make his NBA debut on October 25 against the Dallas Mavericks, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

The 2023-24 season is scheduled to start on October 24.

The NBA also released its Christmas Day schedule, headlined by the Celtics at the Lakers.

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ESPN is reportedly close to hiring Bob Myers as an analyst on NBA Countdown, sources told Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post.

ESPN overhauled its basketball coverage this summer, with Malika Andrews taking over as the host of the NBA Finals.

Mike Breen, Doc Rivers, and Doris Burke are also set to be the new lead play-by-play team for ESPN.

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The London Lions of the British Basketball League hired former Austin Spurs coach Petar Bozic as its new head coach, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Bozic replaces Ryan Schmidt, who joined the Hawks.

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The Golden State Warriors have agreed to sign Jayce Johnson to a training camp deal.

Johnson will compete for a Two-Way slot with the Warriors in camp.

Johnson averaged 9.4 points and 13.5 rebounds in 25.7 minutes over 32 games in the G League last season.

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The NBA's Christmas Day schedule has leaked via Shams Charania of The Athletic, headlined by the Boston Celtics at the Los Angeles Lakers.

  • Milwaukee Bucks at New York Knicks
  • Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat
  • Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers
  • Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns
  • Golden State Warriors at Denver Nuggets

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The NBA will open the 23-24 season on October 24th with a doubleheader featuring four Western Conference teams.

The Denver Nuggets will host the Los Angeles Lakers in the opener. The Nuggets swept the Lakers in four games during the Western Conference Finals. The Nuggets will raise their championship banner and also receive their rings.

The Golden State Warriors will then host the Phoenix Suns in what will be Kevin Durant's first game at his former team with fans in attendance.

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The San Antonio Spurs project to have the most cap space during the 2024 offseason at $55.3 million, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac.

The Orlando Magic also project to have over $50 million in cap space at $51.3 million.

The Utah Jazz and Charlotte Hornets will be slightly above $40 million, while the Detroit Pistons will have $38.7 million in cap space.

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The Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2023 will be inducted on Saturday, August 12th headlined by Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki and Tony Parker. The telecast will air on NBA TV at 8 PM ET.

Gene Bess
Presented by Chris Bosh ('21),
John Calipari ('15), Roy Williams ('07)

Pau Gasol
Presented by Toni Kukoc ('21),
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ('95)

David Hixon
Presented by Jim Calhoun ('05),
John Calipari ('15)

Gene Keady
Presented by Jerry Colangelo ('04),
Tom Izzo ('16)

Dirk Nowitzki
Presented by Jason Kidd ('18),
Steve Nash ('18)

Tony Parker
Presented by Manu Ginobili ('22),
Tim Duncan ('20)

Gregg Popovich
Presented by David Robinson ('09),
Manu Ginobili ('22), Tim Duncan ('20),
Tony Parker ('23)

Dwyane Wade
Presented by Allen Iverson ('16)

Women's Committee

Becky Hammon
Presented by Sheryl Swoopes ('16),
Teresa Weatherspoon ('19)

Gary Blair
Presented by Teresa Weatherspoon ('19),
Van Chancellor ('07)

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Derrick Jones Jr. and the Dallas Mavericks have agreed to a one-year deal that is fully guaranteed.

Jones played for the Chicago Bulls over the past two seasons. In 64 games last season, Jones averaged 5.0 points and 2.4 rebounds in 14.0 minutes.

Jones went undrafted in 2016 out of UNLV.

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Josh Hart and the New York Knicks have agreed to a four-year, $81 million contract extension. Hart receives a 140 percent raise off his $12.96 million contract in 23-24, which is the maximum raise he could receive.

The deal brings the total possible value of Hart's contract with the Knicks to $94 million through the 27-28 season. Hart can officially sign the contract on Thursday.

Hart is participating in the FIBA World Cup with the United States.

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The Detroit Pistons have signed Stanley Umude to a non-guaranteed training camp deal. The contract likely includes Exhibit 10 language to get Umude to the Motor City Cruise of the G League, following the preseason.

Umude was with the Pistons last preseason, before spending the bulk of the year with the Cruise. Detroit did call up Umude for a 10 Day contract in February, and he appeared in one game.

In the G League, Umude averaged 15.4 points and 5.2 rebounds in 43 games. The 6-foot-6 wing shot 36.9% from behind the arc on 6.5 attempts per game.

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The Sacramento Kings signed Neemias Queta to a standard NBA contract.

Queta, who was selected with the 39th pick in the 2021 draft, has appeared in 20 games for the Kings over the last two seasons.

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The Golden State Warriors will hold free agent workouts with Dion Waiters, Tony Snell, Kent Bazemore, Juan Toscano-Anderson, and Trey Burke, sources told Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

The workouts are set to take place over the next two weeks.

The Warriors will also work out Harry Giles this week.

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The Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Clippers are expected to pick up trade discussions on James Harden again this offseason, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Neither side appears to be in a rush to do a deal or to move off their current position.

Various reports have indicated that Terance Mann is a key to any deal for both sides.

Harden is on a $35.6 million expiring contract.

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Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Brandon Ingram and Jaren Jackson Jr. appear to be locks to start for the United States in the World Cup with Anthony Edwards emerging as the favorite for the fifth spot.

Brunson has received raves from Steve Kerr for his leadership and he also has the kind of physical nature to his game at point guard that works well in FIBA.

Kerr was quick to say this "might not" be the group he sticks with ultimately following Monday's win over Puerto Rico.

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Greg Brown III and Joe Wieskamp have agreed to camp deals with the Dallas Mavericks.

Brown was a second round pick by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2021.

Wieskamp appeared in nine games last season with the Toronto Raptors.

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The Toronto Raptors and Pascal Siakam have had no substantive discussions on a contract extension, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic. The Raptors can currently offer Siakam up to a four-year, $192 million extension.

Sources also tell Charania that Siakam has never requested a trade.

The Atlanta Hawks have been the strongest trade suitor for Siakam. Siakam's trade market has been somewhat soft due to his position that he has no plans to extend with any team that trades for him.

The Hawks offered a package built around De'Andre Hunter, AJ Griffin and draft picks to the Raptors for Siakam. Talks between the two teams are fully paused.

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Jordan Miller has signed a two-way contract with the LA Clippers. LA drafted Miller with the 48th pick of the 2023 NBA Draft out of the University of Miami.

In five Summer League games with the Clippers, Miller averaged 6.8 points per game. The 6-foot-7 win also grabbed 3.8 rebounds, handed out 2.8 assists and snagged 1.2 steals per game.

In 37 games as a senior with the Hurricanes, Miller averaged 15.3 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.

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Neither the Miami Heat or Los Angeles Lakers are considered sign-and-trade candidates for Christian Wood, according to Marc Stein of Substack.

The Heat are currently almost $9 million over the first tax apron and cannot acquire a player via sign-and-trade.

The Lakers remain interested in Wood, but can only sign him to a veteran minimum.

The Mavs are open to facilitating a sign-and-trade including Wood if they can get a player they like in return.

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ESPN will reportedly retain Hubie Brown for this season, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

ESPN parted ways with both Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson this summer.

Mike Breen, Doc Rivers, and Doris Burke are still on pace to be the new lead broadcasting team for ABC and ESPN.

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USA Basketball wanted Cade Cunningham to join the World Cup roster this summer, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

Cunningham, who had season-ending surgery in December, instead joined the Select Team.

Cunningham admitted that his recovery and load management lead him to turn down a spot with Team USA.

"I wanted to dedicate my summer to really make sure that as an individual, I was ready for the season coming up physically and mentally. I think that was really the deciding factor. I didn't want to join the Team USA World Cup team and still have to go to rehab and not fully be a part of everything that was going on," Cunningham told The Athletic.

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We hold ourselves accountable and take a look back at 12 of the 15 East teams' 2022 offseasons. What moves look better or worse in retrospect? Which opinions were way off and which held up?

In reverse alphabetical order from Washington to Charlotte, we discover that hindsight leads to huge changes.

4 Episodes per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

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Wyc Grousbeck has no interest in selling the Boston Celtics in the near future. The Celtics were sold to a group led by Grousbeck back in 2002 for $360 million.

"No thought of selling the team," said Grousbeck. "I did this for love and for Celtic pride, not for any price tags. Period."

The Celtics are entering a period where they will be one of the NBA's highest spending teams. Grousbeck was asked how the new CBA will impact Boston's payroll plans.

"I was on the labor committee that worked on the new CBA," said Grousbeck. "I've been on every labor committee since I got in the league. The league doesn't allow us to comment on the details of the CBA, but having said that, we're obviously all-in, with the record contract for Jaylen [Brown] and with our payroll this year and in coming years. Eventually, there are basketball penalties for spending, so that will go into the thought process down the road. But at the moment, the best basketball thing we can do is what we're doing."

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Ben McLemore has signed a one-year deal with AEK Athens.

McLemore last appeared in the NBA during the 21-22 season, playing in 64 games with the Portland Trail Blazers. McLemore averaged 10.2 points in 20.1 minutes per game.

Last season, McLemore played in nine games in China.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are still interested in signing Christian Wood. The Lakers have two open standard roster spots and would like to fill their 14th spot ahead of training camp.

Los Angeles has only the veteran minimum to offer Wood in a deal. The Lakers believe that with them, his offensive contributions would offset his defensive liabilities and his past maturity issues. In addition, Los Angeles has been looking to add one more big man to their frontcourt mix.

Wood played in 67 games for the Dallas Mavericks last season, with 50 of them as a reserve. He averaged 16.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. Wood had shooting splits of 52/38/77.

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Anthony Davis inked a three-year extension with the Los Angeles Lakers recently. The deal reportedly includes a player option on the final season in 2027-28.

Davis' extension could be worth up to $187 million, if the cap rises the maximum of 10% over the next two offseason. As part of the deal, Davis picked up his player option for the 2024-25 season, and then added three new seasons to his deal.

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Steve Kerr pointed Jalen Brunson out as the "leader" of Team USA following a scrimmage on Saturday.

"I think Jalen is such a natural leader. Because he's a point guard, he immediately comes to mind.

"He's the one who's leading the '1, 2, 3 USA' chant. Some guys just, it just comes naturally to them," said Kerr.

Brunson started for Team USA during a Saturday scrimmage alongside Anthony Edwards, Jaren Jackson Jr., Mikal Bridges, and Brandon Ingram.

Kerr added that he's still tinkering with the starting lineup.

"Nothing's set by any means. We're learning as we go ... there'll be a lot of really interesting possible combinations just because of the skill [on the roster]."

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Jabari Parker is set to sign with Barcelona, according to reports out of Spain.

Parker last appeared in 12 games for the Celtics during the 2021-22 season/

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Cole Swider signed a contract with the Miami Heat, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Swider appeared in 7 games for the Lakers last season.

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The Denver Nuggets signed Souley Boum to a non-guaranteed training camp contract, sources told Keith Smith of Spotrac.

The signing comes after the news that Vlatko Cancar suffered a torn ACL.

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R.J. Hunter has reached an agreement with the Charlotte Hornets, his agent told Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

The 29-year-old last played in the NBA with the Celtics during the 2018-19 season.

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Brandon Ingram, Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Cam Johnson were the starters for Team USA in a scrimmage against the U.S. Select Team, sources told Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

The Select Team, lead by Cade Cunningham, beat Team USA 47-39. The scrimmage featured two 10-minute periods.

Anthony Edwards, Austin Reaves, Tyrese Haliburton, Paolo Banchero, and Bobby Portis were part of the second unit for Team USA.

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USA Basketball and FOX Sports announced a multi-year broadcast agreement on Friday.

FOX Sports will distribute the 2023 Basketball Showcase which includes five Team USA basketball exhibition games, among other events.

The agreement kicks off with Team USA playing Puerto Rico on August 7 on FS1.

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There are "no concerns" after Luka Doncic left Slovenia's exhibition game against Greece early after banging knees with an opponent.

Greece defeated Slovenia 88-77 in the game.

Vlatko Cancar suffered a torn ACL during the game.

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Harry Giles III is set to workout for the Golden State Warriors next week, according to his agent.

Giles will also workout for the Nets on Saturday, and most recently had a workout for the Magic.

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Jimmy Alapag will join Mike Brown's staff as a player development coach for the Sacramento Kings.

Alapag was an assistant for the Kings' G League team last season.

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Vlatko Cancar suffered a torn ACL in left knee on Friday, sources told Mike Singer of The Denver Post.

Cancar was injured during a World Cup preparation game for Slovenia.

There is currently no timetable for surgery.

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JJ Barea was named the head coach of the Guaynabo Mets in the Puerto Rican Professional Basketball League, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Barea was most recently a skill development coach with the Mavs.

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Ricky Rubio announced that he was putting his career on hold indefinitely to focus on his mental health.

"I have decided to stop my professional activity to take care of my mental health. I want to thank all the support I have received from the [Spanish national] team to understand my decision," said Rubio on Saturday.

The 32-year-old left Spain's training camp this week and did not play in a warmup game on Friday.

Rubio, who appeared in 33 games for the Cavs last season, has two years left on his deal.

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Kaleb Canales was named the associate head coach of the Texas Legends on Friday, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The Legends are the G League affiliate for the Mavs.

Jordan Sears is the head coach of the Legends.

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Frank Ntilikina has agreed to a one-year deal with the Charlotte Hornets. The deal is partially guaranteed.

Ntilikina played in 47 games last season for the Dallas Mavericks.

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Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a three-year, $186 million extension through 2028.

Davis had two years and $84 million remaining on his contract.

Davis' deal is the richest annual contract extension in NBA history, averaging $62 million a season.

"Couldn't think more highly of Anthony Davis as a Laker and as a player," Rob Pelinka said recently "He's helped deliver a championship to our franchise. He's been an incredible captain and leader."

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Derrick White has only been with the Boston Celtics for a year-and-a-half, but he feels at home in Boston. So much so, that White recently said he'd be welcome to an extension with the Celtics.

"I love being here in Boston. It would be cool to get an extension," White said. "We'll see what happens during that window, but I've loved my time in Boston so far and my focus right now is just on the season."

That focus this season is on being the Celtics primary point guard. With the trade of Marcus Smart, White is expected to take on more of an on-ball role with Boston this season.

"I'm looking forward to it," White said about the change in his role. "I'll definitely have the ball in my hands, more of a playmaker role, and I'm looking forward to grow with the team and just get us in the right position each and every time."

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Earlier this week, reports surfaced that longtime NBA point guard John Wall was negotiating a contract with Italian club Armani Milan. That's not the case, according to Wall himself.

"Where Do Y'all Get Ur Info from? False News !!" is what Wall quote-tweeted in response to an aggregation account that reshared the information about the talks in Italy. Wall remains an unrestricted free agent.

Wall played in 34 games with the LA Clippers last season, after returning from sitting out the previous year-and-a-half with the Houston Rockets. Wall was re-acquired by the Rockets in a trade deadline deal that sent Eric Gordon to the Clippers. The Rockets subsequently waived Wall for a second time.

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The Golden State Warriors do not expect Andre Iguodala to play next season. The Warriors urged Iguodala to return last season, but he dealt with injuries and was limited to just eight games. The Warriors, however, would be open to him returning if he decides not to retire.

"But my sense is Andre's probably got some other stuff going," general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. told NBC Sports Bay Area.

"But he has my number. The phone is always on."

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Montrezl Harrell suffered a torn ACL and medial meniscus during an offseason workout.

Harrell re-signed with the Philadelphia 76ers this past offseason.

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Devonte' Graham has been suspended for two games without pay for pleading guilty to a charge of impaired driving, in violation of the law of the State of North Carolina.

Graham's suspension will commence with the next NBA regular season game that he is eligible and able to play.

Graham was traded by the New Orleans Pelicans to the San Antonio Spurs last season.

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The Houston Rockets are signing Jermaine Samuels to a two-way contract. Samuels spent last season with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the G League.

In six Las Vegas Summer League games with the Rockets, Samuels averaged 11.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists. The 6-foot-7 forward was a key contributor in Houston's run to the Summer League championship game.

In 50 G League games last season, Samuels averaged 15.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.4 steals per game.

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The Toronto Raptors have signed forwards Mouhamadou Gueye and Kevin Obanor. Both players were signed to non-guaranteed camp deals.

Gueye attended training camp with the Dallas Mavericks in 2022, before being waived ahead of the season. The 6-foot-9 forward played in 29 G League games with the Texas Legends last season. Gueye averaged 8.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game.

Obanor went undrafted at the 2023 Draft out of Texas Tech. The 6-foot-8 forward also played for Oral Roberts during his six-year collegiate career. As a second-year senior with the Red Raiders, Obanor averaged 14.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.

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There is "no real traction" around Damian Lillard trade possibilities, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Charania adds that Lillard remains focused on a move to the Heat. This comes after the NBA warned Lillard and his agent over making public comments that Lillard only wants to play for Miami.

Charania reported on Monday that the Heat were putting together a trade package involving 3-4 first-round picks.

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The Houston Rockets signed Jeenathan Williams to a training camp deal, sources told Kelly Iko and Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Williams was most recently waived by the Blazers.

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The Boston Celtics waived Justin Champagnie, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Champagnie signed a two-year deal with the Celtics last season. His contract was set to be guaranteed for $50,000 if he remained on the roster after today.

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Buddy Boeheim re-signed with the Detroit Pistons, his agent told Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

The contract is an Exhibit 10 deal, reported James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.

Boeheim appeared in 10 games for the Pistons last season.

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The supermax extension signed by Jaylen Brown with the Boston Celtics was widely reported to be for $304 million over five years.

But in order for the deal to reach $304 million, it would have to start at $52.4 million in first-year salary, which assumes the cap will jump by the maximum possible 10 percent.

The current projection for the 24-25 salary cap is $142 million, which is an increase of 4.4 percent. The NBA is projecting some losses to the bankruptcy of Bally RSN's parent company Diamond Sports.

With the NBA's $142 million projection, Brown's extension will be worth $288.26 million with a first-year salary of $49.7 million

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Anthony Edwards has changed his number with the Minnesota Timberwolves from No. 1 to No. 5. When Edwards was drafted in 2020, No. 5 was already taken by Malik Beasley. Edwards began the process of switching his number after Beasley was traded to the Utah Jazz.

"A1 From Day 1 was given to me," Edwards told Shams Charania. "That wasn't something I created. ... I've always been No. 5."

Edwards lost his mother, Yvette, and his grandmother Shirley to cancer in the same year, when he was just 14. Both died on the fifth of the month and Edwards was born on Aug. 5.

Edwards said fans will see "a whole different player."

"A lot of athleticism. A lot more dunks," Edwards said. "A different level of play because I got my number on my back now."

Edwards signed five-year extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves this offseason that could be worth $260 million.

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Australian guard Dejan Vasiljevic and the Washington Wizards have agreed to a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 training camp contract. Vasiljevic played for Washington at the 2023 Las Vegas Summer League.

In three games in Las Vegas, the 6-foot-3 Vasiljevic averaged 7.3 points in 12.7 minutes per game. He made 5-of-13 three-pointers over his three appearances.

Vasiljevic has played for Sydney in Australia's NBL for the last three seasons. He went undrafted in 2020, after playing four years at the University of Miami. In 39 games last season, the 26-year-old Vasiljevic averaged 13.1 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.

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Zvonimir Ivisic of Croatia has committed to attend the University of Kentucky. Ivisic said he'll play for the Wildcats next season.

The 7-foot-2 Ivisic has spent the last three seasons playing for Studentski centar in Montenegro. The club was the runner-up in the Montenegrin Basketball League, while also making the quarterfinals in the Adriatic League.

Ivisic averaged 7.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 14.5 minutes per game over 33 contests in the two leagues. The 19-year-old center has also played for two teams in Croatia over his four-year career.

Ivisic has featured in ESPN's Top-100 draft prospects rankings. He's not draft-eligible until 2025, unless he declares as an Early Entry Candidate.

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The Houston Rockets have signed Joshua Obiesie to an Exhibit 10 training camp contract. Obiesie has played the last six seasons for teams in Germany.

The 6-foot-6 wing played last year for the Fraport Skyliners. He averaged 12.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 24 minutes per game off the Fraport bench. Obiesie turned 23 years old in May.

The Rockets have an open two-way spot on their roster. Obiesie could be converted to a two-way deal before the end of the preseason in October.

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The Miami Heat are putting together a trade package for Damian Lillard that would include three or four first-round picks, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

"The Heat have been preparing a trade package around three-to-four first-round draft picks, potential draft swaps, as well as second round picks...a young player potentially," said Charania on The Rally.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald also reported earlier in the day that the Blazers have been acting disinterested towards trading Lillard to the Heat.

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ESPN has laid off Mark Jackson, joining Jeff Van Gundy in exiting their lead NBA broadcast team.

ESPN is closing in on promoting Doris Burke and also hiring Doc Rivers to join Mike Breen.

ESPN considering shifting Jackson to their "B" team with Mark Jones, but that plan fell apart as they want to get more reps for JJ Redick and Richard Jefferson.

Burke and Rivers are believed to be popular in the NBA's league office. There is no evidence that the NBA delivered an edict to ESPN to make a change.

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Garrett Temple has agreed to a one-year, $3.2 million deal with the Toronto Raptors.

Temple spent the past two seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans and will be in his 14th NBA season.

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The Phoenix Suns do not currently have any trade options available for Deandre Ayton that would maintain or improve their title odds, sources tell Zach Lowe of ESPN.

Ayton and the Suns have had tension for several years stemming from his lack of extension in 2021 after he was critical in their Finals berth. Ayton's relationship with Monty Williams subsequently deteriorated but the Suns still matched his offer sheet in restricted free agency with the Indiana Pacers.

The Suns have since parted ways with Williams and have new ownership in Mat Ishbia. Frank Vogel is attempting to repair the relationship with Ayton as he begins his first season as head coach.

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The New Orleans Pelicans have been looking to add another center this offseason. Jonas Valanciunas is in the final season of his contract. Valanciunas has sought an extension, but none has come from the Pelicans as of yet.

New Orleans has had rumored interest in Jarrett Allen of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Isaiah Stewart II of the Detroit Pistons. Allen has three years and $60 million (at a flat $20 million per year) left on his contract. Stewart is in the final year of his rookie scale contact, but inked a four-year, $60 million extension that starts with the 2024-25 season.

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The New York Knicks announced today that the team has signed guard Duane Washington Jr. to a contract.

Washington averaged 7.9 points, 2.0 assists and 1.2 rebounds over 12.7 minutes in 31 games (three starts) last season with the Phoenix Suns. He recorded four 20-point performances during the 2022-23 season, including career highs of 26 points and seven assists in a win at Memphis on Dec. 27.

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Josh Hart's contract extension will be in the range of around four years and $75 million, according to Stefan Bondy of New York Daily News.

The contract will reportedly be signed sometime in August.

Bondy adds that Immanuel Quickley will sign a larger contract extension before the October deadline.

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Jaylen Nowell is one of the better free agents still on the market. The Dallas Mavericks were rumored to have interest in signing Nowell, but those rumors seem unfounded, according to Marc Stein.

I know there were some recent reports that Jaylen Nowell from Minnesota is a potential target. I was actually told the Mavericks are not really in that race at this point," Stein said. "So, to this point, I would scratch Nowell as a target for the Mavericks, at least that was that's what I was told yesterday."

Nowell averaged a career-high 10.8 points per game on 45% shooting for the Timberwolves last season.

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The Golden State Warriors have hired Chuck Hayes as director of basketball operations.

Hayes retired in 2015 and spent several seasons with the Denver Nuggets as an assistant coach before joining the Rockets as a scout.

Hayes is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area.

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Aleksej Pokusevski had hoped to suit up for Serbia at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, but he'll miss the event due to rehab from injury. Pokusevski is continuing to work his way back from a small fracture in his right humerus.

The Oklahoma City Thunder big man had hoped to play for the Serbian senior national team for the first time this summer, but that debut will have to wait. Pokusevski is expected to be fully recovered in time for training camp with the Thunder in late-September.

Serbia will be down several key players for the World Cup. In addition to Pokusevski, Nikola Jokic will not play, due to rest reasons after winning the 2023 NBA Finals. Vasilije Micic will sit out, as he transitions to the NBA for the upcoming season. Longtime Serbian national team members Nikola Kalinic and Vladimir Lucic are both out due to injuries.

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In a recent appearance on The Lowe Post, ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk shared some insight into the LA Clippers extension plans with Kawhi Leonard. Youngmisuk said LA and Leonard are in "no rush" to get an extension done.

"I hear it's kind of quiet right now," Youngmisuk said. "There is no rush on an extension for Kawhi Leonard, and then Paul George will be eligible in September."

It was made clear an extension is still expected for both Leonard and George at some point. The most likely path is that the two stars will sign extensions for similar lengths of time, which is what they did when they joined LA ahead of the 2019-20 season.

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The NBA sent a memo to all 30 teams regarding comments surrounding the trade request by Damian Lillard and his agent Aaron Goodwin.

"Recent media reports stated that Damian Lillard's agent, Aaron Goodwin, called multiple NBA teams to warn them against trading for Lillard because Lillard's only desired trade destination is Miami. Goodwin also made public comments indicating that Lillard would not fully perform the services called for under his player contract if traded to another team.

"We interviewed Goodwin and Lillard and also spoke with several NBA teams to whom Goodwin spoke. Goodwin denied stating or indicating to any team that Lillard would refuse to play for them. Goodwin and Lillard affirmed to us that Lillard would fully perform the services called for under his player contract in any trade scenario. The relevant teams provided descriptions of their communications with Goodwin that were mostly, though not entirely, consistent with Goodwin's statements to us.

"We have advised Goodwin and Lillard that any future comments, made privately to teams or publicly, suggesting Lillard will not fully perform the services called for under his player contract in the event of a trade will subject Lillard to discipline by the NBA. We also have advised the Players Association that any similar comments by players or their agents will be subject to discipline going forward."

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Thanasis Antetokounmpo has agreed to re-sign with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Antetokounmpo had other free agent options, including the New York Knicks.

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The Portland Trail Blazers have waived Jeenathan Williams.

Williams averaged 10.6 points in 25.3 minutes over five games last season.

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USA Basketball will continue to recruit Joel Embiid to play for the United States in the 2024 Olympics, Grant Hill told Marc Stein in an interview.

Embiid, who has American citizenship, also became a French citizen in 2022.

Embiid reportedly has yet to make a decision on who to represent in the Olympics.

Team USA recently released its 12-player roster for the upcoming World Cup.

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Ben Simmons completed rehab and is focusing on skill work and conditioning, sources told Ian Begley of SNY.

The 27-year-old is reportedly 100% healthy and is expected to participate from the first day of training camp.

Sources add that Simmons has not experienced any setbacks this summer.

Simmons is expected to be in the mix to start at point guard next season.

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The New Orleans Pelicans will not allow Jose Alvarado to play for Puerto Rico in the upcoming FIBA World Cup due to an injury.

Alvarado missed the end of the 2022-23 regular season due to a stress reaction in his tibia. An MRI performed last week revealed that the injury had yet to fully heal.

Alvarado appeared in 61 games last season, averaging 9 points and 3 assists.

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The NBA laid off "dozens" of employees on Thursday, according to Tom Friend of the Sports Business Journal.

Director of Team Business & Partner Communications Mike Wade, a 17-year league employee, was among those laid off.

"We are reallocating resources to our priority business areas, including digital and international growth, and that has resulted in the elimination of a number of positions at the league office,'' spokesman Mike Bass told SBJ via text.

The report indicated that the layoffs were from departments not focused on revenue generation and that no further cuts are anticipated.

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Bronny James has been discharged from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest on Monday.

James arrived at the hospital on Monday fully conscious, neurologically intact and stable.

James suffered the incident during a practice on Monday at USC.

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The Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics led the NBA in wins during the 22-23 regular season, but it was the Denver Nuggets who won the championship after ranking fourth in the category. The Miami Heat were tied for 11th in wins and reached The Finals.

The Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors ranked atop the NBA in payroll, but they each finished outside the top-10 in wins. The Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings were each top-10 teams in wins while having payrolls in the twenties.

22-23 NBA Regular Season Wins (Payroll Rank)

  1. Bucks (3)

  2. Celtics (4)

  3. Sixers (12)

  4. Nuggets (8)

  5. Grizzlies (26)

  6. Cavaliers (15)

  7. Kings (23)

  8. Knicks (10)

  9. Suns (6)

  10. Nets (9)

  11. Heat (17)

  12. Clippers (1)

  13. Warriors (2)

  14. Lakers (7)

  15. Wolves (22)

  16. Pelicans (19)

  17. Hawks (16)

  18. Raptors (14)

  19. Bulls (13)

  20. Thunder (18)

  21. Mavericks (5)

  22. Jazz (20)

  23. Pacers (29)

  24. Wizards (11)

  25. Magic (27)

  26. Blazers (21)

  27. Hornets (28)

  28. Rockets (24)

  29. Spurs (30)

  30. Pistons (25)

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The San Antonio Spurs have agreed to sign Sidy Cissoko to a three-year deal.

Cissoko was the 44th overall pick in the June draft out of the G League Ignite. In 28 G League games last season, Cissoko averaged 12.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 block in 29.3 minutes.

In Summer League, Cissoko averaged 4.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 23.8 minutes over seven games.

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All 30 NBA teams have been sent subpoenas by Seton Hall as they seek a trove of scouting materials and other documents centered on Myles Powell.

Powell is suing Seton Hall, former basketball coach Kevin Willard and its longtime director of sports medicine Tony Testa for gross negligence over their handling of his injury.

The Memphis Grizzlies filed a motion in federal court seeking to quash or limit the scope of the subpoena to "protect its business interests and confidential trade secrets."

"There exists no good reason to draw Memphis Basketball into a dispute between Seton Hall and a former NCAA basketball player that involves secret text messages, under-the-table pain narcotic administration, and failure to properly diagnose an injury," the Grizzlies' motion states, alluding to the allegations Powell has made against Seton Hall.

Powell originally filed his lawsuit against Seton Hall, Willard and Testa in 2021.

Powell blamed injury management for not being selected in the 2020 NBA draft.

The emerging document dispute calls to mind a similar subpoenaing of NBA teams two years ago by AIG, following a lawsuit filed against the insurance giant by former pro basketball player Chandler Parsons.

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Zion Williamson, his stepfather and his mother allegedly have failed to pay back $1.8 million of a $2 million loan from a California-based technology company.

In a civil lawsuit filed this week in U.S. District Court in New Orleans, Ankr PBC stated that it made the loan in September 2021 to Williamson and family members.

"Based on Williamson's statements to Ankr, Ankr reasonably believed that Anderson possessed the authority to negotiate business arrangements for Williamson," the lawsuit stated.

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Zavier Simpson and the Detroit Pistons have agreed to a one-year deal.

Simpson appeared in four games in 21-22 with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

In 32 G League games last season, Simpson averaged 16.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists in 33.8 minutes.

Simpson went undrafted in 2020 out of Michigan.

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The San Antonio Spurs reportedly considered offering Austin Reaves a restricted free agency sheet for $21 million a season, sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The Spurs instead chose to preserve its cap space as a potential salary dump destination.

Scotto adds that the Rockets were also considering making Reaves an offer if Fred VanVleet didn't sign with the team.

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Juancho Hernangomez signed a two-year contract with Panathinaikos.

The 27-year-old appeared in 42 games last season for the Raptors.

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Jayson Tatum would be eligible for a five-year, $338 million extension if the salary cap jumps 10% over the next two seasons, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN.

The news comes after Jaylen Brown agreed to a five-year, $304 million extension earlier this week.

Brown's contract also comes with a trade kicker for less than 15% the maximum allowed. Brown is also not eligible to be traded next season.

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Dominick Barlow re-signed with the San Antonio Spurs on a two-way deal, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Barlow appeared in 28 games last season for the Spurs.

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The trade kicker in the supermax contract signed by Jaylen Brown with the Boston Celtics is for less than the 15 percent maximum allowed. Brown is not eligible to be traded until the 2024 offseason.

Brown will also be on a six-month pay schedule rather than the NBA's typical 12-month. Brown will receive more of his money upfront.

Brown and the Celtics agreed to a five-year, $304 million extension.

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The NBA Mexico City Game 2023 will feature the Atlanta Hawks and the Orlando Magic playing a regular-season game at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City on Thursday, Nov. 9.

The matchup will mark the league's 32nd game in Mexico since 1992, more than any country outside the U.S. and Canada.

The Magic will be playing its fourth game in Mexico since 2012.

The Hawks will be playing their first game in Mexico.

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Paul Reed said that Nick Nurse planned to mold him into a "Pascal Siakam-type player" during an interview for Sixers Wire.

"I've talked to him plenty of times and it's always been kind of the same kind of idea. He talked about molding me into a Pascal Siakam-type player. Somebody who can kind of do it all. Shoot the ball, drive, pass, but right now, it's all about focusing on my shot mechanics," said Reed about his conversations with Nurse.

The Sixers matched a three-year, $23 million offer sheet from the Jazz for Reed this offseason.

Reed added that he was getting more comfortable with a change in his jumper mechanics.

"I'm feeling more confident. More confident every day. Just about changing my shot mechanics a little bit. That's all they've been focusing on and I'm getting more and more comfortable every day."

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The Memphis Grizzlies moved on from Dillon Brooks this offseason and their motivation in doing so was more due to his desire for an increased role on offense than it was for any off the court issues.

The Houston Rockets agreed to acquire Brooks on a four-year, $80 million sign-and-trade.

"I think the reasons the Grizzlies were ready to move on from him are misunderstood," said Tim MacMahon on The Lowe Post. "The nonsense was kind of like at a point where culturally it was time. That was not the primary reason. The primary reason the Grizzlies were trying to replace Dillon Brooks for a full two years, repeatedly going after players that would have replaced him in the trade market, and he probably would have been sent out, was because of the shot selection issue. Dillon did not want to be a fourth or fifth offensive weapon."

The Grizzlies were linked with trade interest in a number of wings such as OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges.

"Ime Udoka wanted him," added MacMahon. "He valued him. He's in Houston a large part because of that. It's on Ime Udoka to deal with that stuff and get the best version of Dillon Brooks that also creates the best possible scenarios for these young guys to grow."

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The Brooklyn Nets have agreed to a camp deal with Patrick Gardner.

Gardner averaged 5.8 points and 3.3 rebounds in 11.7 minutes over four Summer League games with the Miami Heat.

Gardner went undrafted in 2023 out of Marist.

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The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to hire Mike Longabardi as head coach of the Delaware Blue Coats of the G League.

Longabardi has been an NBA assistant coach since 2003. Longabardi spent last season with the Atlanta Hawks.

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Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics have agreed to a five-year, $304 million supermax extension.

Brown's contract is fully guaranteed and has a trade kicker. Brown, however, doesn't have a player option as part of the deal.

Brown qualified for the supermax after making an All-NBA team this past season.

Brown is ineligible to be traded until the 2024 offseason after signing this extension.

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Bronny James collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest during practice on Monday.

James was taken to the hospital and is now in stable condition and no longer in the ICU.

James is a freshman at USC and has been considered a possible first round pick in 2024.

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The Phoenix Suns remain interested in trading for T.J. McConnell of the Indiana Pacers, sources tell Marc Stein.

The Suns have no readily tradeable players currently on their roster until December 15th when new free agent signings become trade eligible.

McConnell is hopeful of remaining with the Pacers. McConnell, who is represented by Mark Bartelstein and Kieran Piller, cannot become a free agent until 2025.

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The Sacramento Kings never offered Tyrese Haliburton as part of a package to the Philadelphia 76ers for Ben Simmons, sources told Marc Stein.

The Kings were rumored to be interested in trading for Simmons during the 21-22 season and eventually traded Haliburton for Domantas Sabonis.

The Kings turned into a playoff team last season with Sabonis having an All-NBA season, while Haliburton emerged as an All-Star with the Indiana Pacers and would have likely been a better long-term fit for the Sixers than James Harden.

Haliburton signed a five-year designated max extension with the Pacers that could be worth up to $260 million.

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The NBA has created a system of increased parity with their successive collective bargaining agreements. The new second luxury tax apron will make building a sustainable title contender even more difficult.

When viewed independently, each of the penalties aren't excessively punitive, but in the aggregate they make managing a front office particularly difficult.

"Each individual thing is manageable, but all of it together is crippling," an Eastern Conference executive told ESPN.

The Golden State Warriors, for example, traded Jordan Poole as he was beginning a four-year extension due to their luxury tax concerns, whereas in 2020 they took on the long-term contract of Andrew Wiggins while also receiving a protected future first round pick that became Jonathan Kuminga.

The Boston Celtics allowed Grant Williams to leave in restricted free agency in a cost cutting move, while the Los Angeles Clippers also exercised some level of austerity in letting Eric Gordon become a free agent.

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ESPN has held preliminary talks about bringing professional sports leagues on as minority investors. The NBA, MLB and NFL held talks with the media company.

Disney is considering a strategic partner for ESPN as the cable business undergoes transition.

In a statement, an NBA spokesperson said, "We have a longstanding relationship with Disney and look forward to continuing the discussions around the future of our partnership."

The NBA and Disney have broached many potential structures around a renewal of media rights.

Disney owns 80 percent of ESPN. Hearst owns the other 20 percent.

Professional sports leagues could face conflicts of interest if they take a minority stake in ESPN.

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The NBA Board of Governors has approved the sale of the Charlotte Hornets to a group led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall. The sale will end Michael Jordan's run of 13 years as the Hornets primary owner.

The sale is expected to be completed in the next one-to-two weeks. Jordan is retaining a minority stake in the Hornets after the sale.

The Hornets were valued at an approximate $3 billion. Jordan paid $275 million for his majority stake in the Charlotte franchise in 2010.

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Per a report from Mozzart Sport, Nikola Jokic will sit out of the upcoming FIBA World Cup. Jokic has chosen to rest, after the Denver Nuggets run to winning the NBA Finals.

The Serbian National Team is also expected to be without Vasilije Micic, as he's expected to focus on his transition to the NBA. Nikola Kalinic, who plays for Barcelona, is also expected to skip the tournament.

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Austin Reaves didn't want to leave the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency, but he did consider other options. Two teams with cap space this summer were in contention, according to Reaves.

"I really wanted to be in L.A. the whole time, there was a couple situations that were close but like I said, I really wanted to be in L.A. It feels like home to me so that's really where I wanted to be," Reaves said on the All The Smoke podcast.

Reaves said that the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs were teams he considered joining before re-signing with Lakers.

"Houston, before Fred VanVleet signed there, and San Antonio," Reaves answered when asked who else he might have signed with before agreeing to a new deal with Los Angeles.

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Ayo Dosunmu has agreed to a three-year, $21 million deal with the Chicago Bulls.

Dosunmu is a restricted free agent.

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Onuralp Bitim has agreed to a Two-Way contract with the Chicago Bulls.

Bitim was a second-team EuroCup player for Bursaspor in Turkey last season.

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The G League is moving its Showcase from Las Vegas to Orlando this December.

The annual Showcase had been in Las Vegas for the past several years.

The NBA will host the Semifinals and Championship of its In-Season Tournament in Las Vegas on Thursday, December 7th and Saturday December 9th.

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Wesley Matthews has agreed to a one-year deal with the Atlanta Hawks.

Matthews spent three of the past four seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks. Last season, Matthews averaged 3.4 points and 2.2 rebounds in 15.8 minutes over 52 games.

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Longtime NBA guard Kemba Walker has signed with AS Monaco Basket of the LNB Pro A league in France. Walker played for part of last season with the Dallas Mavericks.

AS Monaco are the defending champions of the LNB Pro A league. The title was their first in France's top league. AS Monaco also reached the Final Four of the EuroLeague this past season.

Walker has played for 12 years in the NBA. He began his career the Charlotte Hornets. After eight years with the Hornets, Walker played for two seasons with the Boston Celtics, one season with the New York Knicks, before appearing in nine games with the Mavericks last season.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo was named to Greece's 22-player preliminary roster ahead of this summer's World Cup.

Greece are in Group C alongside Team USA, New Zealand, and Jordan.

Antetokounmpo averaged 29.3 points per game in FIBA EuroBasket 2022.

The Bucks superstar also underwent a cleanup procedure on his knee last month.

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The Miami Heat promoted Andy Elisburg to Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations/General Manager on Thursday.

Elisburg, who joined the franchise in 1988, served as the Senior Vice President, Basketball Operations/General Manager for the last ten years.

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The San Antonio Spurs have interest in trading for Evan Fournier, sources told Ian Begley of SNY.

The Knicks have balked at adding additional draft compensation to trade Fournier thus far.

The Spurs would have to send back additional salary in a deal to satisfy trade rules.

It was reported earlier that the Knicks remain engaged on trading Fournier.

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Ron Harper Jr. has agreed to a Two-Way deal with the Toronto Raptors.

Harper averaged 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 32.7 minutes over 29 games for Raptors 905 in the G League last season.

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Admiral Schofield has agreed to re-sign with the Orlando Magic on a Two-Way deal.

Schofield appeared in 37 games last season with the Magic, averaging 4.2 points and 1.7 rebounds in 12.2 minutes.

Schofield was the 32nd overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft.

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Cade Cunningham, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Green and Keegan Murray are among the players that will join Team USA for training camp in Las Vegas. They will play on the U.S. Select Team as the Senior Team prepares for the FIBA World Cup.

The U.S. Select Team will be coached by Jamahl Mosley of the Orlando Magic.

Team USA has not formally announced its Select Team, which will include as many as 12 players. They will also be eligible to travel with the Senior Team to the Philippines and serve as a replacement if an injury occurs before the start of the Cup.

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The New York Knicks have not expressed any interest in trading for Karl-Anthony Towns, a source tells Fred Katz of The Athletic.

Towns has been linked with the Knicks due to the CAA representation and also their abundance of future draft picks. The Minnesota Timberwolves, however, have set a "sky-high price" on Towns.

With the money owed to Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid at the center position, many have speculated that the Wolves could eventually trade Towns.

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The Chicago Bulls had a "giant" asking price when the New York Knicks reached out with interest in trading for Zach LaVine, a source tells Fred Katz of The Athletic.

The Knicks and Bulls never got close on a trade of LaVine.

In June, there were reports that the Bulls were evaluating LaVine's trade value.

The Knicks have long been considered the next team to make a major draft pick heavy trade for an All-Star caliber player. Last offseason, the Knicks pursued a trade for Donovan Mitchell before he was dealt by the Utah Jazz to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

LaVine has four years remaining on his five-year, $215 million contract signed with the Bulls in 2022.

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The Los Angeles Clippers extended Jason Preston's contract guarantee date to October 1, sources told Law Murray of The Athletic.

Preston appeared in 14 games last season.

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Trevor Keels re-signed with the New York Knicks on a two-way deal, sources told Keith Smith of Spotrac.

Keels appeared in three games for the Knicks last season.

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Ben Simmons received credit for a year of service during the 2021-22 season, sources told Zach Lowe of ESPN.

Simmons held out from the Sixers at the start of the season before getting traded to the Nets. Simmons then continued to sit for the Nets before undergoing back surgery in April 2022.

Counting the season, Simmons has now served seven years in the league.

There were officials from several teams who argued Simmons should not be credited for the year.

The decision is intended as a standalone ruling for Simmons' situation and is not intended to set a future precedent.

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Bryan Gates joined the Philadelphia 76ers coaching staff, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Gates, who spent the last two seasons with the Suns, had recently joined Jason Kidd's staff with the Mavs.

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Joel Embiid and Daryl Morey touched base to discuss his future with the Philadelphia 76ers after the reigning MVP talked about his focus on winning a title "whether it's in Philly or anywhere else."

Embiid wants to remain with the Sixers and win a title with the franchise. Both the Sixers and Embiid envision him remaining the face of the franchise

The Sixers have no plans to entertain trade discussions involving Embiid.

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Jarace Walker has undergone a minor procedure to remove loose bodies in his right elbow. Walker is expected to be fully recovered for the start of camp in September.

The Indiana Pacers selected Walker with the eighth overall pick in the draft.

In four Summer League games, Walker averaged 14.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks in 30.1 minutes.

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Nathan Knight and the New York Knicks have agreed to a Two-Way contract.

Knight spent the past two seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Knight went undrafted out of William & Mary in 2020 and appeared in 38 games with the Wolves last season.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder have waived Rudy Gay.

The Thunder acquired Gay via the Atlanta Hawks, who previously traded for him as part of the John Collins trade with the Utah Jazz.

Gay appeared in 56 games last season, averaging 5.2 points and 2.0 rebounds in 14.6 minutes with the Jazz.

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James Harden remains singularly focused on playing for the Los Angeles Clippers this coming season, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. But sources also add that Harden currently plans to report to training camp with the Philadelphia 76ers if no trade materializes by then.

Harden previously made both the Houston Rockets and Brooklyn Nets feel like they had no option but to trade him previously while in the building.

There have been no substantive trade talks on Harden between the Sixers any any team other than the Clippers. Rival front offices have been briefed that Harden is committed to playing for the Clippers and his camp maintains a confidence he will eventually be traded there.

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The Chicago Bulls emerged as a potential suitor for Christian Wood, sources tell Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times.

The Bulls were recently granted a $10.2 million Disabled Player Exception for Lonzo Ball, which could allow them to use part of it to sign Wood.

The Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers also have interest in Wood. The Dallas Mavericks don't have interest in re-signing Wood after one season with the team.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed Mark Daigneault to a multi-year contract extension.

During the 2022-23 season, Daigneault led the Thunder to a 40-42 record and an NBA Play-In game victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. The Thunder's 16-win improvement ranked second in the NBA and at the conclusion of the season, Daigneault finished second in 2023 NBA Coach of the Year voting.

Daigneault was named the fourth head coach in Thunder history on November 11, 2020 after originally joining the organization in 2014 where he served as head coach of the Oklahoma City Blue for five seasons.

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On the most recent episode of The Lowe Post, ESPN's Dave McMenamin said the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Davis are likely to sign an extension. McMenamin said that extending Davis' deal is far more likely than the Lakers trading Davis.

"Anthony Davis in Rob's (Pelinka) estimation is someone that has represented the Lakers really well, citing how he played through his foot injury last year as a major reason why they won a championship in 2020 and he wants to continue to have Anthony Davis as a Laker," said McMenamin.

"Where things stand right now, I expect some sort of an agreement to be reached," McMenamin added. "A lot of it is one, recognizing that Anthony Davis as a trade chip, there's no way to replicate the value of what he brings to the court combined with LeBron James when he's healthy, you just won't. It's absolutely impossible."

McMenamin closed the Davis conversation by saying, "I'm fairly confident that Anthony Davis will come into training camp with an extended deal."

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The NBA is returning to Paris, France for a third regular season game. This season's NBA Paris Game will feature the Brooklyn Nets taking on the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 11, 2024.

The Nets previously played a preseason game in Paris in 2008. This trip will mark the Cavs first to play in Europe.

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The Denver Nuggets signed Andrew Funk and Armaan Franklin to Exhibit 10 contracts on Tuesday.

Franklin appeared in 121 games for Indiana and Virginia.

Funk played for four years at Bucknell before playing a fifth year at Penn State.

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The San Antonio Spurs renounced the free agents rights to Gorgui Dieng, reported Keith Smith of Spotrac.

Dieng averaged 3.9 points and 3.5 rebounds in 31 games last season.

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The Brooklyn Nets signed Armoni Brooks to a two-way contract.

Brooks appeared in 74 games over the last two seasons for the Rockets and the Raptors.

The team waived RaiQuan Gray earlier in the day.

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The Brooklyn Nets have requested waivers on forward RaiQuan Gray.

Gray was selected 59th overall by Brooklyn in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native signed a two-way deal with the Nets on April 8, 2023. Gray tallied 16 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and a block in 35 minutes in his lone game with Brooklyn on April 9, 2023, against the Philadelphia 76ers. In 44 career NBA G League games (22 starts) with the Long Island Nets, Gray holds averages of 10.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals across 25.8 minutes per contest.

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Nerlens Noel and the Sacramento Kings have agreed to a one-year, $3.1 million deal.

Noel gives the Kings depth at center.

Noel appeared in 17 games last season with the Detroit Pistons and Brooklyn Nets.

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The Portland Trail Blazers have told the Miami Heat to "make your best offer" for Damian Lillard," reports Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Lillard requested a trade to the Heat on July 1st, but the two sides have yet to hold any meaningful dialogue. Both the Blazers and Heat have postured as though they have considerably more leverage than the other side and neither team appears to be in a rush.

"I'm told the sides have spoken but not about anything significant and that there is no real traction on any deal yet," writes Charania.

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The San Antonio Spurs are exploring the idea of a downtown arena to replace AT&T Center, which has been their home since 1999.

The Spurs' lease at AT&T Center expires in 2032.

"People are having a conversation about an arena for the Spurs downtown," said Eddie Aldrete, who ran the successful campaign for public funding for the AT&T Center.

The site of the downtown arena could also include a minor league baseball stadium for the San Antonio Missions. The two projects could be built side by side that would create a downtown professional sports district.

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On a recent appearance with Burns & Gambo on Arizona Sports 98.7, Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia talked about the importance of the G League. He even teased a major announcement when asked by John Gambadoro about the Suns being the only NBA team without their own G League affilitate.

"That won't be something you'll be talking about in a week or two, how about that?" Ishbia replied to the question.

Ishbia later added, "We're gonna continue to invest in our team. We're gonna invest in our future. And a G League team is important."

The Suns previously had a G League team, but former owner Robert Sarver chose to sell the Northern Arizona Suns, who were then relocated. The Portland Trail Blazers recently announced that the Rip City Remix will begin play this upcoming season. That leaves Phoenix as the only NBA team without their own G League affiliate.

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On the most recent episode of The Lowe Post podcast, ESPN's Zach Lowe touched on the James Harden trade situation. Lowe said things with Harden's trade request are at "a total stalemate".

"There's only really one team that he wants to go to, and that team is the Clippers," Lowe said. "Their level of engagement here to me is unclear/not super enthusiastic."

Lowe also said the chances of Harden returning to the Philadelphia 76ers seems unlikely as of now.

"I don't know what to make of the possibility that Harden would ever go back to Philly. I continue to hear from people who would know that the bridge is burned," Lowe said. "But that's what people who would know would say on July 17, with two months or whatever before training camp."

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The Milwaukee Bucks have signed guard Jazian Gortman to a training camp contract. Gortman went undrafted out of Overtime Elite at the 2023 NBA Draft.

In five Summer League games with the Bucks, Gortman averaged 4.8 points in 9.1 minutes per game. The 6-foot-2 guard was a standout player at the G League Elite camp and earned a spot at the NBA Draft Combine. His performance at the combine helped Gortman land a spot with Milwaukee Summer League entry.

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After looking at the top-4 picks in the draft last week, a review of Summer League for the rest of the prospects on San Antonio, Charlotte, Portland, and Houston.

What did we make of players like Nick Smith, Jr., Jabari Smith, Jr., Shaedon Sharpe, Cam Whitmore, Tari Eason, and all the rest?

4 Episodes per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

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Vanderbilt hired Brad Calipari, the son of Kentucky coach John Calipari, as the program's director of on-court player development on Monday.

"He is knowledgeable, high energy, and a strong communicator. We are very excited about his ability to add value with our student-athletes and within our coaching staff," said Vanderbilt coach Jerry Stackhouse.

Calipari spent last season as the director of player development under Rod Strickland at Long Island University.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Houston Rockets 99-78 to win the NBA 2K24 Summer League championship.

Isaiah Mobley, who finished the game with 28 points and 11 rebounds, was named the game MVP.

Sam Merrill finished the game with 27 points, with Emoni Bates adding in 19 points.

Cam Whitmore, who was named the 2023 Summer League MVP, finished with 14 points for the Rockets.

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The Toronto Raptors waived Joe Wieskamp on Monday night.

Wieskamp's contract was to be guaranteed on Tuesday.

The forward appeared in nine games for the Raptors last season.

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Neither Joel Embiid or his representatives have communicated a message to the front office of the Philadelphia 76ers that he has interest in a trade, a source tells Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Embiid recently spoke openly about the possibility of playing for another team in his quest to win a title.

The Sixers' belief is that Embiid would like to spend his entire career with the Sixers, similar to Dirk Nowitzki with the Dallas Mavericks and Kobe Bryant with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Teams are monitoring Embiid's potential availability as the Sixers navigate a precarious situation with James Harden as he's requested a trade.

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Jerome Robinson has agreed to a training camp deal with the Golden State Warriors. Robinson will have a chance to win a spot on the Warriors' regular season roster.

Robinson played for the Santa Cruz Warriors of the G League over the past two seasons.

Robinson was the 13th overall pick in the 2018 draft by the Los Angeles Clippers and last played in the NBA in 20-21 with the Washington Wizards.

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The Utah Jazz have signed center Omer Yurtseven.

Yurtseven (7-0, 255, Georgetown) is entering his third NBA season, having spent two campaigns (2021-23) with the Miami Heat, owning averages of 5.2 points on 53.3 percent shooting and 4.9 rebounds per contest in 65 career games (12 starts). During the 2021-22 campaign, the 25-year-old totaled 11 double-figure scoring outings, including two 20-plus point outings and eight double-doubles. He's appeared in 17 postseason contests in two seasons.

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The San Antonio Spurs have waived Lamar Stevens.

Stevens was traded to the Spurs by the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of the Max Strus sign-and-trade. Stevens appeared in 62 games last season, averaging 5.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 18.1 minutes.

Stevens' $1.93 million salary was set to be guaranteed if he wasn't waived.

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Cam Whitmore headlines the NBA All-Summer League First Team for 2023 as he was also named MVP.

First Team
Keyonte George, Jazz
Sam Merrill, Cavaliers
Orlando Robinson, Heat
Hunter Tyson, Nuggets
Cam Whitmore, Rockets

Second Team
Max Christie, Lakers
Javon Freeman-Liberty, Bulls
Xavier Moon, Clippers
Emoni Bates, Cavaliers
Jabari Smith Jr., Rockets
Jalen Wilson, Nets

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Moussa Diabate has agreed to sign a Two-Way contract with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Diabate was the 43rd overall pick in the 2022 draft by the Clippers out of Michigan.

Diabate was also on a Two-Way contract during the 22-23 season.

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The Philadelphia 76ers would like James Harden to return to the team next season if they are unable to trade him, but sources tell Kyle Neubeck of the Philly Voice "there's still a rift between him/[his camp] and management, and there is a growing expectation that rift could lead to an even uglier battle."

The trade position of the Sixers has been described by rival executives as "unreasonable."

Sources tell Neubeck that the Sixers want to get a return for Harden that either keeps them in the same tier of contention, or to make a trade with enough assets they can flip for another high level player.

The Sixers do not want to take a step back this season.

Harden's trade market beyond the Los Angeles Clippers is unclear.

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Joel Embiid had a revealing interview with Maverick Carter discussing his career and his goals, which he hinted could including playing for another team in order to improve his odds of winning a championship.

"I just want to win a championship, whatever it takes," said Embiid. "I don't know where that's going to be, whether it's in Philly or anywhere else. I just want to have a chance to accomplish that, I want to see what that feels like to win that first one, and then you can think about the next one. It's not easy, it takes more than one two or three guys. Got to have good people around you, and myself, every single day I work hard to be at that level so I can push us to make it happen. Every single day that's working toward that goal, that's where my mindset has always been. MVP is just an added bonus."

The Sixers have had an incomplete offseason after James Harden decided to opt into his contract in hopes of a trade. The Sixers are reportedly comfortable bringing back Harden next season if his trade market doesn't improve.

Embiid cannot become a free agent until 2026 at the earliest.

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Olivier-Maxence Prosper inked his rookie scale contract with the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. He became the final first-round pick from the 2023 NBA Draft class to sign his rookie deal.

In total, 51 out of 58 picks (the Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers each forfeited a second-round pick due to tampering) have signed contracts from the 2023 draft class. A few of the unsigned players are expected to sign standard or two-way contracts in the coming days. The remainder will likely be stashed overseas or in the G League for this upcoming season.

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Bradley Beal is expected to start at point guard for the Phoenix Suns next season, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The news comes after the team traded Cameron Payne and a second-round pick to the Spurs for a second-round pick.

Jordan Goodwin is projected to be the backup point guard.

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The Dallas Mavericks have not ruled out a sign-and-trade deal involving Christian Wood, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

Wood is currently an unrestricted free agent.

The Mavs are currently hard-capped and $9 million away from hitting the first luxury-tax apron.

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New Orleans Pelicans vice president of basketball operations David Griffin said his team never talked about trading Zion Williamson this offseason. Griffin added that those rumors weren't credible and were "manufactured".

"We never had a single (trade) conversation that Zion was part of," Griffin said.

Griffin added that Williamson's relationship with the Pelicans remains a strong one.

"I would say that it's as good as it's ever been," Griffin said of Williamson's relationship with the team.

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The Denver Nuggets are bringing back Collin Gillespie on another two-way contract. Gillespie missed his rookie season due to a fractured right leg.

Denver is also signing Jay Huff to a two-way deal. Huff spent last season with the Washington Wizards on a two-way deal.

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The Phoenix Suns continue to replenish their draft pick coffers, after trading most of their picks in the Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal deals. The Suns latest deal to add future picks was with the Orlando Magic.

Orlando is sending Phoenix three second-round picks in exchange for the right to swap 2026 first-round picks. 2026 is one of the few remaining Suns first-round picks that they own outright.

Phoenix had previously worked a similar deal with the Memphis Grizzlies to add three second-round picks. That brings Phoenix to a total of six second-round selections added over the last two weeks.

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The Phoenix Suns have agreed to a one-year deal with Bol Bol. The Orlando Magic had waived Bol earlier this offseason.

Bol appeared in 70 games with the Magic last season, with 33 starts. He averaged 9.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 21.5 minutes per game.

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The Phoenix Suns are trading Cameron Payne and a second-round pick to the San Antonio Spurs for a second-round pick. Payne's $6.5 million contract for this upcoming season was guaranteed earlier this offseason.

Payne has played the last four seasons for Phoenix. Last season, Payne averaged 10.3 points and 4.5 assists in 20.2 minutes per game.

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Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) talks with Jared Dubin (@JADubin5) about NBA offseason.

They discuss the shifting importance of offseason cap space, how superstars change teams, whether front offices need to change their approach and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will change his jersey number from No. 6 to No. 23 for next season. James wore No. 6 last season with the Lakers for one more season to honor Bill Russell. The NBA has retired the No. 6 jersey league-wide in honor of Russell's achievements on and off the court.

James initially wore No. 23 with the Lakers, before making the change to No. 6 ahead of the 2021-22 season. James previously wore No. 23 during both of his stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers. While with the Miami Heat, James wore No. 6, since the Heat retired No. 23 in honor of Michael Jordan.

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The Dallas Mavericks have signed guard Mike Miles Jr. to a two-way contract. Miles went undrafted out of TCU at the 2023 NBA Draft.

In four Las Vegas Summer League games, Miles has averaged 12.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 18 minutes per game.

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The Boston Celtics and guard Jay Scrubb have agreed to a two-way contract. Scrubb finished last season on a two-way deal with the Orlando Magic.

In four Las Vegas Summer League games with Boston, Scrubb has averaged 16.5 points and 3.8 assists per game.

In 45 G League games with the Lakeland Magic last season Scrubb averaged 23.1 points and 5.5 rebounds.

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The Golden State Warriors are keenly aware that their core is aging. But Warriors owner Joe Lacob feels his team has plenty left in the tank.

"We can be good for several years, not just one, but we definitely want to win," Lacob said. "We're doing everything we can. We're gonna have a huge payroll this year, the biggest in the history of the NBA, and we're trying to win. I can't try any harder, we're trying everything we can."

When the time does come for Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson to finish their careers, Lacob said he hopes it happens in Golden State uniforms.

"Certainly, we'd like Steph, Draymond and Klay to retire as Warriors," Lacob said. "That is my goal, our goal, and I think it's a good likelihood that'll happen."

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Paul Reed said he had to use the business of restricted free agency to land a bigger contract this summer. But Reed said that he's happy the Philadelphia 76ers matched the offer sheet he signed with the Utah Jazz anyway.

"I'm glad they was able to match the offer," Reed said while on The John Kincaide show in Philadelphia. "That's not a place that I had in mind, but business is business."

Reed said he's preparing the upcoming season by diversifying his game. He said he's been taking "like 700" jumpers a day to add range to his shot. Reed is hopeful of being able to play at the 4 more often this season.

"We did it last season against the Bucks. Very limited, but I feel like we didn't look bad. We didn't look bad," Reed said. "It was hard to score on us. We were getting a lot of rebounds. I think we can mess up a lot of teams with that combination."

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The Brooklyn Nets are likely to waive Edmond Sumner.

Sumner averaged 7.1 points in 13.9 minutes per game last season for the Nets.

Sumner is expected to receive free agent interest from multiple teams.

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Dante Exum finalized a two-year, $6.15 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The second year of the deal is not guaranteed.

Exum spent the last two season playing in Europe. He played for Barcelona in 2021-22 and then for Partizan last season. With Partizan, Exum averaged 12.2 points on 52/39/85 shooting splits.

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The Detroit Pistons and Dallas Mavericks discussed a potential trade for Bojan Bogdanovic last week, sources told Tim Cato of The Athletic.

The trade centered around a framework of Bogdanovic and Killian Hayes going to the Mavs, with the Mavs sending back Tim Hardaway Jr. and JaVale McGee.

The trade discussions were an attempt by the Mavs to expand the three-team deal with the Celtics and Spurs involving Grant Williams.

Tim MacMahon of ESPN added earlier this week that the Mavs could revisit a Bogdanovic deal in the future.

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Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics continue to negotiate a supermax extension, which has been a lengthier period of discussion than most deal of this type.

"It's going to take more time," said Adrian Wojnarowski. "Jaylen Brown, Jason Gluchon, his agent, they've been talking with Brad Stevens, with Boston. Jaylen Brown is leaving the country on Players Association business for a period of time. They're expected to reengage again when he gets back. They have time to get this done. This is a deal that would be the richest extension, the richest contract in NBA history. It would be worth up to $304 million and the final year of that deal, Jaylen Brown would be making almost $70 million.

"Remember, when you're negotiating contracts it isn't just 'Hey, are we going to give him the full amount? Is he going to get the max number?'

"There are trade kickers potentially that could be in a deal. Player option years in a deal. Payment schedule. So there's a number of other things that go beyond just the supermax that Jaylen Brown is eligible for.

"I think these sides will continue to talk. They have a lot of runway this summer to get to a deal."

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James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers remain in limbo as no team appears prepared to pay anything close to Daryl Morey's current asking price. The Sixers are believed to be asking for a lot for Harden because they feel comfortable with the idea of him returning to the team next season.

"His asking price is exorbitant," said Adrian Wojnarowski of Morey. "Teams are not engaging the Sixers with the kind of asks that Daryl Morey is asking for James Harden. That's where Daryl Morey always starts in trade talks, really high. Over time, perhaps, you work him back down.

"But like Ben Simmons, there's hope on the Sixers' side that eventually, at some point, they can get James Harden on board about being in Philadelphia in the last year of this deal. This opt-in that he did at $35.6 million. Now they may get to training camp and it may look different in Philly. They may have a James Harden who is not as enthusiastic about his return as they are. And then maybe they get more serious about it.

"But right now, I think the Harden talks, like Lillard, are going to linger into the summer."

The Los Angeles Clippers and Harden are believed to have mutual interest.

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The already drawn out process of a Damian Lillard trade with the Portland Trail Blazers appears to be a byproduct of how there is no impetus for any side to get a deal done.

The Miami Heat are considered the team "most motivated" to trade for Lillard and also his preferred destination, but they are trying to avoid overpaying on a deal if they can as the market is not as high for him considering his age and contract status.

"It could take months," said Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday. "It could take weeks. I think the absence of a real deadline lurking on a Damian Lillard trade. There's no trade deadline coming. There's no NBA draft. There's no July 1 free agency about to start. All those landmarks in the NBA calendar give teams motivation and give them parameters to get big deals done. The next real deadline for any of these teams is the start of training camp in late September.

"So I think for the Portland Trail Blazers, they don't want to rush into what they consider to be a bad deal. The Miami Heat, the team that is most motivated to try to trade for Damian Lillard, where Damian Lillard wants to end up, they don't want to be in a situation where they are bidding against themselves right now. They look out into the marketplace [and] know that the market does not love the idea of paying Damian Lillard a $60 million average at 35 and 36 years old, the last two years of that deal. If this was a contract with two years left, it would be different perhaps. So there's no rush for either side to be real aggressive in their conversations with each other."

"I think for Portland, they're motivated to wait this out and continue to see how we get the most back for Damian Lillard. They don't see it as moving quickly on a deal, unless Miami came with all of their assets. You know what they're able to trade for Damian Lillard. They're not motivated to do that now that they would be bidding against themselves."

The Blazers signed Lillard to a two-year, $122 million extension in 2022 that Wojnarowski referenced as being a factor in depressing his trade value.

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The Phoenix Suns are moving forward with putting their games on free broadcast television after their regional sports network partner declined to match the offer.

The Suns and Mercury intend to show games on several over-the-air stations in Arizona owned by Gray Television.

They expect the move to triple their reach compared to cable. There are also plans to launch a direct-to-consumer option to stream games over the internet.

"I am excited to be able to deliver to our Suns and Mercury fans this industry-shifting partnership with Gray Television," Suns owner Mat Ishbia said in a statement. "We've had an incredible offseason, making a lot of exciting moves to build the championship caliber Suns team our fans want. Now, this deal gives more than 2.8 million homes across Arizona access to Suns and Mercury games for free."

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Dwyane Wade has joined the ownership group of the Chicago Sky of the WNBA.

"We all talk about support, and support looks different for everyone," Wade, who will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame next month, told ESPN. "And so instead of tweeting out and saying 'go support the W,' instead of showing up at the game and supporting, I wanted to take it to that next level, and this was the next level for me.

"It's a great opportunity to be a part of the league in its very early stages. ... Growth is going to happen, and so I want to be a part of the growth of this league."

The Sky sold an approximate 10% stake of the team (at an $85 million valuation) last month to a group including Chicago Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts.

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Darius Bazley and the Brooklyn Nets have agreed to a one-year deal.

Bazley started 118 games in his first three seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder. the Thunder traded Bazley to the Phoenix Suns at the trade deadline.

Bazley has averaged 9.1 points and 5.3 rebounds in his four NBA seasons.

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The Portland Trail Blazers have remained "unmotivated to engage" with the Miami Heat on a Damian Lillard trade, reports Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

This week, Joe Cronin said the Blazers are prepared for a Lillard trade to take months if necessary.

The market for Lillard beyond the Heat has yet to publicly materialize as other teams mentioned as candidates such as the Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers lack the draft capital the Blazers are believed to covet.

Lillard added two additional years at $122 million during the 2022 offseason.

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Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics are pausing their negotiations on his supermax extensions as he heads overseas for an organization event, sources tell the Boston Globe.

There are no signs of tension between Brown and the Celtics, but there are also no signs of an imminent deal. Brown plans to meet with the Celtics when he returns.

The Celtics are believed to be offering Brown the full supermax, but the holdup is likely related to incentive structure, or clauses such as a fifth-year player option.

"It's been all good discussion," Brad Stevens said on Wednesday. "We want Jaylen to be here for a long, long time and we've made that clear. We're looking forward to all sitting down, and we've got time here. I probably shouldn't say anything else, but I feel optimistic."

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The Chicago Bulls have been granted a $10.2 million Disabled Player Exception for the season-ending loss of Lonzo Ball.

Ball missed the entire 22-23 season with his ongoing knee issues. Ball averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists over 35 games during the 21-22 season before suffering a torn Meniscus in January

The Bulls signed Ball to a four-year, $85 million deal during the 2021 offseason.

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The future of James Jones was uncertain when Mat Ishbia assumed ownership of the Phoenix Suns in February.

On of Ishbia's first big personnel moves was hiring Josh Bartelstein to oversee both business and basketball for the franchise, placing someone ahead of Jones on the org chart.

But Jones has embraced the challenge and retains strong influence, which has left him energized, reports ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

"Josh was hired as the CEO and I wanted him to come in and lead as the CEO," Jones said. "Mat became the owner and I was ready for him to come in and set the direction as owner. We had been in limbo for far too long."

Jones was a driving force in the decision to fire Monty Williams, sources tell Windhorst.

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When Chris Paul was traded by the Phoenix Suns in June, he implied that the decision had been made by Mat Ishbia and Isiah Thomas.

Thomas is a close friend of Ishbia and serves on the board of his mortgage company.

Sources tell ESPN's Brian Windhorst that Thomas has spent time in Phoenix informally advising the front office, but his role has reduced in recent weeks. Sources add that Thomas was not part of the Beal recruitment and trade.

"As I said the day I was introduced, Isiah is a friend and has no formal role," Ishbia said. "If that changes, we will announce it."

Ishbia was sitting next to Thomas in the playoffs when he had his viral moment with Nikola Jokic. Thomas was also at Summer League for his broadcast duties with NBATV where he also spent time with the Phoenix front office.

Windhorst's article mentions the active role Ishbia is taking as owner, while also emphasizing that James Jones has a settled place in the org chart.

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During an acceptance speech at the ESPY's on Wednesday, LeBron James confirmed he will return for his 21st NBA season.

"I don't care how many more points I score or what I can or cannot do on the floor," James said. "The real question for me is: Can I play without cheating this game? The day I can't give everything on the floor is the day I'll be done. Lucky for you guys, that day is not today."

James explained his mindset after the Los Angeles Lakers' Game 4 elimination from the playoffs when he said he had to think about "if I want to continue to play."

"When the season ended, I said I wasn't sure if I was going to keep playing," James said. "And I know a lot of experts told you guys what I said, but I'm here now speaking for myself. In that moment, I'm asking myself if I can still play without cheating the game -- can I give everything to the game still? The truth is, I've been asking myself this question at the end of the season for a couple years now. I just never openly talked about it."

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The Utah Jazz have emerged as a team connected to taking on Tyler Herro should the Miami Heat send him out in a package to acquire Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

"Although outside of early rumblings about Brooklyn and Chicago, the only team even loosely connected as a Herro suitor has been Utah," writes Fischer.

The Jazz reportedly were connected to Herro during the 2022 offseason when the Miami Heat were mentioned as a possible trade partner for Donovan Mitchell.

League personnel have optimism that the Heat will acquire a first round pick to send to Portland in exchange for Herro.

There has been speculation of the Brooklyn Nets trying to acquire Herro while also unloading Ben Simmons, but sources tell Fischer that no meaningful conversation on that front has occurred. Simmons has two years and nearly $80 million left on his contract.

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The Boston Celtics and Jaylen Brown worked on negotiating a five-year, $295 million supermax contract, but no deal has been reached after more than 10 days.

One league source told that "there is work to be done." League sources said that there is confidence and hope that an agreement will be reached soon.

The Celtics are believed to be offering Brown the full five-year max, but the hold-up is most likely over a fifth-year player option and/or a trade kicker. Brown is not eligible for a no-trade clause as players need eight years of service and he has only completed seven. Brown, however, could negotiate a trade kicker worth up to 15 percent of his salary.

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Adam Silver has acknowledged the NBA plans on working on expansion once they finalize their next round of media rights deals.

"We will turn to expansion once those new media deals are done," Silver said Monday at the annual APSE conference. "It's not a sure thing but, as I've said before, I think it's natural that organizations grow over time."

The NBA had three major business items on their agenda this decade in its new Collective Bargaining Agreement, followed by media rights negotations, and then expansion.

Seattle and Las Vegas are the two cities that have been floated most heavily as possible expansion sites for the NBA.

Silver called Summer League "our 31st franchise."

"We will look at this market," he said. "There's no doubt there's enormous interest in Seattle. That's not a secret. There are other markets that have indicated interest. For the people who hear or read about this interview, we are not engaged in that process now. We're not taking meetings right now with any potential groups. What we're saying to everyone, privately is the same thing I'm saying publicly that there'll be a very open process at the time already to consider expansion. But that's not yet. That's not yet now."

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Out of ESPN's top-25 free agents for the 2023 offseason, only five of those changed names and all had relatively modest resumes in Fred VanVleet, Donte DiVincenzo, Bruce Brown Jr., Grant Williams and Patrick Beverley. Five of the top-25 remain unsigned and the other 15 either re-signed or declined free agency by exercising player options.

David Falk, who represented Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing and many other players during his peak in the 1990s, laments what has become of free agency.

"I find it sort of a little bit boring," Falk said in an interview with Howard Beck of GQ.

"I don't think free agency is dying," said Falk. "I think that as the rules become more and more restrictive, it's more and more difficult to be creative."

Falk laments the rules the NBA has implemented in which many contracts are for set amounts such as the supermax, max, rookie scales and midlevel exceptions.

"The nature of being an agent, it's become so restrictive that it doesn't require a lot of skills," Falk said. "Mathematically, only 30 percent of the contracts are negotiated. And I think that most players really don't need agents today."

Falk believes the max contract creates situations where truly great players are underpaid and many All-Stars are paid at the same level of the superstars.

"The system becomes so clogged by a whole group of grossly overpaid players that don't bring in revenues, don't sell tickets, don't sell concessions," Falk said. "They're good players, but they're artificially overpaid, because of the foolish restraint in the system."

"How do you differentiate Curry from Klay Thompson?" Falk continued. "How do you differentiate Giannis [Antetokounmpo] from Middleton? How do you differentiate [Jayson] Tatum from [Jaylen] Brown? You know, that's the whole point. They created a system where it's like gross homogenization. For me, that took all my excitement away from being in this business because you can't differentiate yourself."

Falk also believes player empowerment was as strong in the 1990s as it is now, but it is wielded differently.

"You don't think Michael Jordan and Patrick had power?" Falk said. "Of course, they had power. But they were smart enough to know that they would never do those kinds of things publicly, because it was inimical to the game that they love."

With free agency now more restrictive, players have used trade requests to get to the team and situation they want.

"It makes it makes it look less professional," Falk said. "In order to make more money as a 50-50 partner, they have to not attack the business, they have to grow the business."

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The Golden State Warriors are likely to keep their 14th roster spot open as the remainder of the offseason plays out, sources tell Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

The extra flexibility would allow the Warriors to make a trade if something unexpectedly materializes, or they could sign a player that suddenly becomes available such as Rudy Gay.

Gay has $6.5 million remaining on his expiring contract and is on an Oklahoma City Thunder that is overcommitted on guaranteed roster spots. The Warriors have had interest in Gay in the past.

Golden State similarly added JaMychal Green and Ty Jerome late in the 2022 offseason.

If no player materializes for that spot, they could then use it on a non-guaranteed training camp invite. Lester Quinones is a leading candidate for the spot.

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When the Portland Trail Blazers evaluated trade options with the No. 3 overall pick, Zach Lowe reports that no "sensible deal" ever presented itself.

The New Orleans Pelicans and Toronto Raptors weren't ready on draft day to pivot away from Zion Williamson, Pascal Siakam, or OG Anunoby, sources tell Lowe.

The Los Angeles Clippers push back on the idea they genuinely explored Paul George's trade value, but trading away the pick that became Scoot Henderson for a 33-year-old with injury issues would be problematic for the Blazers.

The Brooklyn Nets never showed interest in trading Mikal Bridges for No. 3.

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The Golden State Warriors explored trading for KJ Martin this offseason, sources told Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

The Warriors could have used a trade exception created when they traded Patrick Baldwin Jr. to the Wizards.

Slater adds that discussions never reached the final stages.

Martin was acquired by the Clippers for two first-round picks.

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Zion Williamson admitted it has been a struggle to stay on the court during the first four seasons of his NBA career. Williamson has only played in 114 regular season games over four seasons.

"It's hard, man," Williamson said. "I'm 20, 22, have all the money in the world -- well, it feels like all the money in the world. It's hard.

"I'm at that point now, because of certain things, I'm putting back the wisdom around me. I don't want to say older because they get defensive, but I'm putting people around me with wisdom. Put me on game to certain things. And just go from there."

Williamson played in just 29 games last season, missing the final 45 because of a hamstring injury he suffered Jan. 2.

Williamson knows there are more things he has to do.

"Like [former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski] taught me, I have to own up to my responsibilities," Williamson said. "There are a lot of things I could have done better. I didn't. I'm in the process of fixing those wrongs."

Williamson also emphasized that he isn't missing games because he wants to.

"I'm a hooper," Williamson said. "When I'm sitting on the sidelines watching my teammates in certain games they're losing, I know if I was out there, I could change the outcome.

"What I want people to know about me is I just want to hoop. I want to be out there. Nobody wants to just sit on the sideline. I think that's what I want people to understand. I don't want to be on the sideline. Y'all think I want to sit over there hurt? I don't."

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The NBA Board of Governors has approved two rules changes that will take effect next season.

The rules are a second coach's challenge if the first one is successful and an in-game flopping penalty.

Coaches having access to a second challenge is something that teams have been lobbying for over the past few years. If a team gets a challenge correct, they'll have a chance for a second one. Teams will not get their timeout back if their second challenge is successful.

When a referee calls a flop, there will be a non-sportsmanlike technical foul called on the offending players' team

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Kyrie Irving has signed a five-year endorsement deal with ANTA. As part of the deal, Irving will also be Chief Creative Officer of the company.

Irving will have the ability to recruit and sign players and other collaborators.

Irving was previously with Nike.

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James Harden opted into his contract for 23-24 worth $35.6 million with the Philadelphia 76ers and the expectation was that he would be traded. But no trade appears imminent and the most likely outcome appears to be for him to remain with the Sixers.

"I was speaking to a bunch of folks about [Harden] Sunday evening," said Dave McMenamin on the Dan Patrick Show. "The signals right now is that he will be back with the Philadelphia 76ers."

Harden had a softer than expected free agency market with the Houston Rockets pivoting to Fred VanVleet. The Sixers have evaluated trade options for Harden, but there doesn't appear to be a return package for him they would seriously entertain.

"As of right now, with certainly no momentum appearing on a deal to the Los Angeles Clippers. And Philadelphia obviously still needing what he does without finding a replacement for him. It looks like there's a pathway for him to come back to the Sixers next year."

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D'Angelo Russell waived his implied no-trade clause in re-signing with the Los Angeles Lakers on a two-year, $36 million deal.

Russell is believed to be the first player to agree to waive an implied no-trade clause as it is a new addition to the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Players who are traded on a one-plus-one contract lose Bird rights if traded and waiving the implied no-trade clause can be waive upon signing and not strictly at the time of the trade.

Russell has been considered a potential trade candidate for the Lakers depending on how his first full season back with the Lakers progresses.

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The Portland Trail Blazers are pledging to remain patient in evaluating their Damian Lillard trade options.

"I think what I've learned more than anything is patience is critical," Cronin said in a news conference at Thomas & Mack Center on Monday afternoon. "Don't be reactive. Don't jump at things just to seemingly solve a problem. I think the teams that have ended up in the most positive situations post-trade have been the ones that have been really diligent in taking their time and not been impulsive, or the teams that really kept their urgency under control.

"So I think that's how my approach has been with this and will be with this. We're going to be patient; we're going to do what's best for our team. We're going to see how this lands. And if it takes months, it takes months."

Cronin revealed he hasn't spoken to Lillard since the trade request arrived on July 1st.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the process remains "very early."

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The Minnesota Timberwolves signed Leonard Miller to a four-year, $8.3 million deal on Monday.

Miller was the No. 33 pick of the 2023 NBA Draft.

The first two years of the deal are guaranteed, with the third year half guaranteed, and a team option for the fourth year.

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Adam Silver said that there are currently no plans for a sovereign wealth fund to become the controlling owner of an NBA team for "the foreseeable future."

"It's very important to us ... that individuals are in a position to control our teams, be responsible to the fans, be responsible to their partners and to the players.

"It's very important to us that there be a person [in charge], and this is independent of sovereign wealth funds. I think that in terms of the connection with the community, the connection with the players and their other partners in the league," said Silver during a session at the Associated Press Sports Editors convention.

Currently, the controlling owner of an NBA team has to own at least 15% of the franchise. Sovereign wealth funds can only have up to a 5% investment in a team.

Qatar's sovereign wealth fund purchased 5% of Monumental Sports & Entertainment last month.

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Scoot Henderson will miss the Portland Trail Blazers' Summer League game on Tuesday due to a right shoulder strain.

Henderson has not been ruled out for the rest of Summer League.

Victor Wembanyama was shut down for the remainder of Summer League on Monday.

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Isaiah Stewart and the Detroit Pistons have agreed to a four-year, $64 million extension.

Stewart is the first member of the 2020 draft class to sign a non-maximum extension.

Stewart averaged 11.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 28.3 minutes over 50 games last season.

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When the Portland Trail Blazers moved up to No. 3 in the lottery, they had the opportunity to make a win-now trade to improve their chances of contending with Damian Lillard. But Joe Cronin explained how no win-now trade materialized using the selection that became Scoot Henderson that provided equal value for the Blazers, similar to when they selected Shaedon Sharpe at No. 7 in 2022.

With the Blazers drafting another high upside young player, Damian Lillard decided to request a trade on July 1st.

"Building around Dame has always been the goal all the way, even through the draft," said Cronin via Tim Bontemps of ESPN. "The difficult things we ran into were finding the right deals. In the previous two years, we drafted at seven, then we drafted at three. In the meantime we were scouring the market looking for more win now players and what kept happening was those players just weren't available. So each time we just tried to weigh that.

"In Shaedon's draft, pick seven, what does that look like versus what's available on the market. And the answer was obvious: Shaedon's better. And same thing happened this time. What does pick three look like versus the return to the market? It wasn't close. Had to go three. So it wasn't necessarily intentional, it was just doing what's best for this team, and we kept doing that and I could see why Dame would look at it and say. 'Well this isn't a win now opportunity as much as, or this isn't as much of a win now opportunity as some other places.

"So from that regard, I mean I understand his position and I respect it and it makes sense to me why he would look to go elsewhere."

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The Indiana Pacers have emerged as a legitimate trade partner with the Toronto Raptors for Pascal Siakam, sources tell Marc Stein of Substack.

Siakam is entering the final season of his contract and reports of his potential availability have increased.

The Atlanta Hawks have also logged interest in Siakam, while other teams could also emerge.

Siakam has signaled a preference to remain with the Raptors, but the departure of Fred VanVleet is believed to have led the team to prefer giving more runway to Scottie Barnes and OG Anunoby.

"The Raptors are indeed far more prepared to surrender Siakam than initially realized," writes Stein.

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Trade discussions of Damian Lillard by the Portland Trail Blazers have been slow to materialize as Joe Cronin evaluates the market.

One complicating aspect of the trade is the value of Tyler Herro as the Blazers have signaled they are not interested in taking him back from the Miami Heat. Herro signed a four-year, $130 million extension with the Heat last year.

"I do think, as I talk to teams around the league, there is a framework with Miami where Portland could end up with three, four, at least several first round draft picks," said Shams Charania on the Pat McAfee Show. "I don't know if it will get to four. Miami has two they can trade outright. I think there are multiple teams who would trade at least one first round pick for Tyler Herro.

"So then you're maybe looking at expiring contracts, potentially three first round picks, maybe more. Maybe other assets, swaps."

Charania adds that this is a critical week for the Lillard trade discussions considering most of the NBA is in Las Vegas for Summer League.

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Joel Embiid was asked by Rachel Nichols over the weekend at Vegas Summer League for his reaction to James Harden opting into his contract with the Philadelphia 76ers with the intention of being traded away.

"Disappointed," said Embiid. "But then again, I also understand it's business, people make decisions and I'm more appreciative of the way he's handled the whole situation. We're gonna be boys forever. Want him to come back obviously, so we can go out and accomplish what we want which is to win a championship. So hopefully his mindset can be changed. But other than that, I'm just so happy to be his friend. We're close and we've grown since he got here and that's what I'm excited about. And I'm excited to keep that friendship for the rest of our lives."

The Sixers and Harden have been at a stalemate as they wait for his trade market to develop. While it was initially reported that Harden has likely played his final game with the Sixers already, there has been some follow-up reporting that they hope he remains with the team.

Embiid and Harden spent time together at two recent parties hosted by Michael Rubin since the start of free agency.

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The Philadelphia 76ers matched Paul Reed's three-year, $23 million offer sheet from the Utah Jazz, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

With Reed signing the offer sheet on Saturday morning, the Sixers waited until late Sunday night to match the offer.

Reed has veto power on any trade and cannot be dealt to the Jazz for a year.

With the first season of the deal fully guaranteed, the last two years become guaranteed should Reed's team reaches the conference semifinals in 2023-24.

The Sixers are projected to be $6.6 million over the luxury tax, according to Bobby Marks.

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Gregg Popovich signed a new five-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs, the team announced on Saturday.

The contract is worth more than $80 million, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Wojnarowski adds that with Popovich also the President of Basketball Operations, Popovich could earn out the contract even if he doesn't coach the entire five years of the deal.

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The Utah Jazz signed Paul Reed Jr. to a three-year, $23 million offer sheet, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

With Reed signing the offer sheet on Saturday morning, the Sixers will have until 11:59 ET on Sunday night to match.

The first season of the offer sheet is fully guaranteed, with the remaining two seasons becoming guaranteed if Reed's team reaches the conference semifinals in 2023-24.

Should the 76ers match the offer sheet, the team would incur $14 million in luxury tax penalties. Reed would also have veto power on trades for the first year in Philadelphia.

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Dario Saric and the Golden State Warriors have agreed to a one-year deal.

Saric has fully recovered from an ACL injury that cost him the entire 2020-2021 season.

Saric played for the Phoenix Suns and Oklahoma City Thunder last season.

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Scoot Henderson is set to undergo an MRI on his right shoulder, sources told Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

Henderson suffered the injury against the Rockets on Friday night.

Haynes adds there is optimism that the shoulder is not dislocated.

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Amen Thompson is scheduled to get an MRI on his left ankle on Saturday morning, sources told Kelly Iko and Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Thompson suffered the sprained ankle against the Blazers on Friday night.

The Rockets will likely keep Thompson out for the rest of Summer League.

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Aaron Goodwin, agent for Damian Lillard, believes the Portland Trail Blazers and Miami Heat could reach a trade agreement if the two sides sat down to negotiate.

Lillard requested a trade to from the Blazers last week with the Heat representing the only team he wants to play for.

"I had a positive conversation with Joe and I made it clear that Damian would want (the Blazers) to sit down and have a meaningful negotiation with Miami," Goodwin said. "And I think that's something that Joe and the Blazers will do."­

Goodwin doesn't believe other teams will pursue a trade for Lillard due to his strong preference for the Heat. Under that scenario, Goodwin also believes it is incumbent on the Blazers to proactively reach a deal with the Heat.

"I don't think another team would do a deal like that knowing everything that's going on," Goodwin said. "But if they do, then they don't know Dame."

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Dejounte Murray and the Atlanta Hawks have agreed to a four-year, $120 million extension.

The Hawks traded for Murray from the San Antonio Spurs during the 2022 offseason.

With the extension, Murray benefits from rule changes in the new collective bargaining agreement on extension raises.

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Aaron Goodwin, agent for Damian Lillard, has called prospective trade partners with a "warning against trading for his client," sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Lillard strongly prefers a trade to the Miami Heat.

"Goodwin is telling organizations outside of Miami that trading for Lillard is trading for an unhappy player," writes Wojnarowski.

The Portland Trail Blazers are attempting to broaden the trade market for Lillard beyond the Heat. Other teams interested in trading for Lillard include the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Clippers.

Lillard is owed $216 million over the next four seasons on his contract.

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Aaron Holiday has agreed to a one-year deal with the Houston Rockets.

Holiday appeared in 63 games last season with the Atlanta Hawks, averaging 3.9 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 13.4 minutes.

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The latest in free agency including Malik Beasley, Mason Plumlee, Bol Bol's waiver, and a potential offer sheet for Matisse Thybulle.

We also hit on the new NBA flopping rules, and then catch up on WATFOs, many of which look a lot different in retrospect regarding Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, Kyrie Irving, the Sacramento Kings, and more.

For our complete offseason coverage, subscribe to Dunc'd On Prime with our Mock Offseason Sale!

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Matisse Thybulle has agreed to a three-year offer sheet with the Dallas Mavericks worth approximately $33 million.

Thybulle is a restricted free agent with the Portland Trail Blazers, which gives them match rights.

Thybulle was acquired by the Blazers from the Philadelphia 76ers in February. Thybulle is considered one of the league's best wing defenders, but has been an inconsistent perimeter shooter during his career.

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Mo Bamba has agreed to a one-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers for the league minimum.

Bamba finished last season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Sixers hope to re-signed Paul Reed in restricted free agency.

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The Dallas Mavericks have agreed to acquire Grant Williams in a three-way sign-and-trade with the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs.

Williams gives the Mavericks a young, versatile 3-and-D forward. Wiliams is represented by Erik Kabe and Bill Duffy. Duffy also represents Luka Doncic.

The Mavericks will send Reggie Bullock and an unprotected first round pick swap in 2030 to the Spurs.

The Celtics will receive two second round picks and a $6.2 million trade exception. Dallas will also receive two second round picks.

San Antonio, meanwhile, gets itself to the salary floor by acquiring Bullock.

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Pascal Siakam could be put on the trade market by the Toronto Raptors between now and the start of the regular season, reports Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca.

The Atlanta Hawks and several other teams checked in with the Raptors on the availability of Siakam after Fred VanVleet signed with the Houston Rockets.

The direction of the Raptors is one of the biggest unknowns across the league as they appear poised for a reset around Scottie Barnes, but have been reluctant to do so.

"They're not the easiest team to deal with, I'll just say that," said one league insider.

Siakam turned down a three-year max extension at the beginning of the 22-23 season in hopes of qualifying for a supermax extension worth 35 percent of the cap. Siakam fell 15 voting point shy of an All-NBA team.

Siakam could sign a four-year, $183 million extension this offseason.

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Damian Lillard remains "very adamant about only wanting to play for the Miami Heat," sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The Portland Trail Blazers are reportedly "not impressed" by Miami's offer for Lillard. The Heat are somewhat limited in what they can offer to send out for Lillard, especially because the Blazers would want Tyler Herro sent to a third team.

Because the two sides are in a stalemate that could necessitate the participation of a third or even a fourth team, the process "could still take a few weeks."

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PJ Washington is not considered a realistic target for teams in restricted free agency this offseason.

With teams possessing limited cap space, the most Washington could realistically sign for is $54 million over four seasons. Washington is seeking a deal in the $18 million range annually, making that offer sheet a relative bargain and an easy decision for the Charlotte Hornets to match.

If Washington is unable to come to terms with the Hornets on a long-term contract, he would play out the 23-24 season on the $8.5 million qualifying offer before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2024.

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Bol Bol could be claimed off waivers due to his modest $2.2 million salary.

The Orlando Magic waived Bol this week after they were unable to trade him to clear salary on draft night.

Bol averaged 9.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots per game last season in 21.5 minutes per game for Orlando.

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The Detroit Pistons continue to receive trade interest on Bojan Bogdanovic. The Pistons acquired Bogdanovic from the Utah Jazz before the 22-23 season and then signed him to a two-year, $39.1 million extension.

The Pistons insist they would like to keep Bogdanovic, but that position is widely considered to be posturing.

Bogdanovic was limited to just three games after the All-Star break last season due to an Achilles injury, but it is not considered serious by rival teams.

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Matisse Thybulle intends to sign an offer sheet with the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks can offer up to $54 million over four seasons to a free agent using their non-taxpayer midlevel restriction.

With Thybulle a restricted free agent, the Portland Trail Blazers will have the ability to match.

The Blazers acquired Thybulle from the Philadelphia Sixers in February.

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Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) and draft expert Sam Vecenie of The Athletic and the Game Theory podcast (@Sam_Vecenie) break down the 2023 NBA Draft.

They discuss how to interpret Summer League, major takeaways from Draft night, Cam Whitmore's fall, a quick look at the 2024 class and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo underwent a cleanup procedure on his knee last month.

Antetokounmpo's status for Greece in the FIBA World Cup this summer is uncertain.

Antetokounmpo was limited in the Milwaukee Bucks' first round series in April with a back contusion.

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The Orlando Magic are promoting Anthony Parker to general manager, replacing John Hammond, who decided to transition into a senior advisory role.

Parker moves into the GM role under president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman.

The Magic are also promoting associate GM Pete D'Alessandro to executive vice president of basketball operations.

Hammond and Weltman have been preparing to make the handoff to Parker.

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The NBA will be testing its new in-game flopping penalty during the upcoming Summer League, according to a Tuesday announcement.

A flop will be penalized by awarding the opposing team a free throw and possession of the ball.

The player who commits the flop will be called for an unsportsmanlike technical foul. The technical foul won't count towards personal fouls.

Referees also will not be required to stop live play to call a flopping violation.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves re-signed Luka Garza to a two-way deal.

Garza appeared in 28 games last year for the Wolves, averaging 6.5 points and 2.3 rebounds.

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Alex Jensen and Bryan Gates joined Jason Kidd's coaching staff with the Dallas Mavericks.

Jensen was most recently the top assistant for Quin Snyder with the Jazz.

Gates spent the last two seasons with Monty Williams and the Suns.

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The Orlando Magic have waived Bol Bol.

Bol (7'2", 220, 11/16/99) played in 70 games (33 starts) last season (2022-23) with Orlando, averaging 9.1 ppg., 5.8 rpg., 1.0 apg. and 1.21 blkpg. in 21.5 minpg., while shooting .546 (261-478) from the floor.

Originally selected in the second round (44th overall) of the 2019 NBA Draft by Miami, Bol has played in 123 career NBA regular season games (35 starts) with Denver and Orlando, averaging 6.3 ppg. and 3.8 rpg. in 14.9 minpg., while shooting .533 (315-591) from the field.

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The Philadelphia 76ers have interest in keeping James Harden on their roster next season. Harden is seeking a trade after it became clear the Sixers weren't interested in a long-term contract and he opted into his $35.6 million contract.

"I think there's two rails with this James Harden situation," said Adrian Wojnarowski. "You have a Sixers organization that would still love to keep him in Philadelphia for the season. If there's a way, as the summer goes on, to try to convince them they can still make this work together. That he has a chance to compete for a championship.

"At the same time, they are talking to teams. The Clippers remain a team very interested."

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The Portland Trail Blazers are "not impressed" so far with what the Miami Heat have offered for Damian Lillard, reports ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Blazers have taken incoming calls from a lot of teams with some of those inquiries considered serious and a lot "just checking in" about their "potential asking price" for Lillard.

"One thing so far Portland, I'm told, is not impressed with what Miami has to offer them," said Wojnarowski.

The Heat would have to build any trade package around Tyler Herro, but the Blazers want him sent to a third team in any Lillard scenario. Miami is the preferred destination of Lillard.

"They're going to take their time with this process and start to build out what their best offers would be elsewhere," said Wojnarowski. "When it comes to Miami, I think for the Blazers, their focus is elsewhere on getting maximum value for Damian Lillard."

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The Indiana Pacers have signed Oscar Tshiebwe and Isaiah Wong to two-way contracts. Tshiebwe went undrafted at the 2023 NBA Draft, while Wong was selected by Indiana with the 55th pick.

Tshiebwe averaged 16.5 points and 13.7 rebounds per game in his senior season at Kentucky.

Wong averaged 16.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists as a senior at Miami.

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The New York Knicks signed Jaylen Martin to a two-way deal on Monday.

The 19-year-old played last season with the Overtime Elite's YNG Dreamerz.

Martin was originally rated as a four-star recruit heading into the 2022 class.

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If the Portland Trail Blazers trade Damian Lillard to the Miami Heat, they have the goal of moving Tyler Herro to a third team, league sources told Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

The Blazers have a surplus of combo guards in Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe and Anfernee Simons.

Herro is owed $120 million over the next four seasons following his extension with the Heat.

Lillard has been clear that his preference is a trade to the Heat.

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Jaylen Brown is eligible for a supermax extension worth $270 million over five years with the Boston Celtics this offseason, but no deal has been reached so far this offseason.

"The side are talking," said Brian Windhorst on Sports Center. "This is obviously a very important, fragile deal. I know that there's interest in both sides to get something done. I would expect it to head in that direction.

"The one thing to point out: if Jaylen Brown gets extended on this deal for a year. For any deal at all. He cannot be traded for a year. For any deal at all. He's prohibited from being traded. So the Celtics probably want to make sure all their business is locked down before going into this."

Windhorst was asked to explain why he described the situation as "fragile."

"I think it will get done, but he's eligible for up to 35 percent of the salary cap, but he doesn't have to get that. The Celtics can negotiate on that. They can negotiate on the player option. They can negotiate on several things... There's aspect within the deal you have to negotiate."

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The Los Angeles Lakers signed center Colin Castleton and guard D'Moi Hodge to two-way contracts.

Castleton (6'11", 231) appeared in 26 games (all starts) in his final campaign at the University of Florida last season, averaging 16.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 3.0 blocks in 31.2 minutes per contest, earning him All-SEC First Team honors.

Hodge (6'4", 185) most recently played his final collegiate season at the University of Missouri (2022-23) where he averaged 14.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 2.6 steals in 29.1 minutes per game, while shooting an SEC-best 40.0 percent from 3-point range.

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Malik Beasley has agreed to a one-year, $2.7 million contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Beasley finished last season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers declined their $16.5 million option on Beasley this offseason.

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Robin Lopez has agreed to sign with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Lopez spent last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Lopez previously played for the Bucks, who also re-signed Brook Lopez this offseason.

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Mason Plumlee and the Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to a one-year, $5 million deal.

Plumlee reportedly had bigger financial offers with other teams.

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Torrey Craig and the Chicago Bulls have agreed to a two-year deal with Year 2 a player option.

Craig averaged 7.4 points and 5.4 rebounds in 24 minutes last season with the Phoenix Suns.

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Dalano Banton has agreed to a two-year contract with the Boston Celtics.

Banton spent the past two seasons with the Toronto Raptors.

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Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to a five-year, $260 million maximum Designated Rookie extension.

Edwards will receive the full amount if he makes an All-NBA team in 2024.

The two sides spent the weekend negotiating the finer points of the deal.

Edwards is represented by Bill Duffy and WME Sports.

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Justin Holiday has agreed to a one-year deal with the Denver Nuggets.

Holiday spent last season with the Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks.

The Nuggets lost some depth on the wing with the departures of Bruce Brown Jr. and Jeff Green.

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Lonnie Walker and the Brooklyn Nets have agreed to a one-year deal.

Walker spent last season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

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Miles Bridges has signed a $7.9 million qualifying offer for the 23-24 season with the Charlotte Hornets, which will allow him to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason.

Talks on a new deal with the Hornets stalled and Bridges decided to stop pursuing an offer sheet or sign-and-trade opportunities.

Bridges has veto power over any trade this season. Bridges will be suspended for the first 10 games of the season after his felony domestic violence arrest and no contest plea.

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Eric Gordon has agreed to sign with the Phoenix Suns on a two-year, $6 million deal.

Gordon chose the Suns over the Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks and Houston Rockets. Gordon entered free agency after the Los Angeles Clippers opted not to guarantee his $21 million contract last week.

Gordon averaged 12.4 points, 2.7 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 69 games with the Clippers and Rockets last season.

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Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) and Dan Feldman of Dunc'd On Prime (@DanFeldmanNBA) discuss the NBA offseason.

They break down the Lillard/Harden trade situations, Houston's ambitious first two days of signings, the center market, favorite offseasons and also react live to Domantas Sabonis' renegotiation-and-extension.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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Jordan Clarkson and the Utah Jazz have agreed to a three-year, $55 million contract renegotiation and extension.

The deal includes next season and two additional seasons through 25-26.

Clarkson opted into his contract for 23-24 last month.

Clarkson averaged 20.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 32.6 minutes over 61 games last season for the Jazz as he took on a bigger role following the departure of Donovan Mitchell.

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The Sacramento Kings have used a large chunk of their cap space to lock up one of their stars long-term. Domantas Sabonis and Sacramento are renegotiating-and-extending the All-NBA centers deal to add four new seasons to the deal and $195 million in new money. Sabonis' full deal will now be for five seasons and $217 million.

Sabonis made All-NBA last season, while leading the NBA in rebounding at 12.3 boards per game. He also scored 19.1 points and dished out 7.3 assists per game. Sabonis was a big part of helping the Kings snap their 17-year playoff drought.

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The New York Knicks and Donte DiVincenzo have agreed to a four-year, $50 million contract. The Knicks will use the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception to sign DiVincenzo.

In New York, DiVincenzo will reunite with former Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart. DiVincenzo has also played for the Milwauke Bucks, Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors in his five-year NBA career.

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Jae Crowder has agreed to re-sign with the Milwaukee Bucks. Crowder and the Bucks will ink a one-year deal.

Milwaukee acquired Crowder from the Phoenix Suns at last season's trade deadline. Crowder averaged 6.9 and 3.8 rebounds in 18.9 minutes over 18 regular season games with the Bucks.

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The LA Clippers are acquiring K.J. Martin from the Houston Rockets in exchange for two future second-round picks. The Clippers were looking to add younger, athletic players to their veteran-laden roster.

Martin averaged 12.7 points and 5.5 rebounds for the Rockets last season, while shooting 56.9% from the field.

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Russell Westbrook has agreed to re-sign with the LA Clippers on a two-year, $8 million contract. The Clippers will use Westbrook's Non-Bird rights to give him a minor bump in salary over the veteran minimum.

Westbrook averaged 15.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 7.6 assists in 21 games with the Clippers at the end of last season. LA signed the veteran point guard after Westbrook was bought out by the Utah Jazz following a deadline trade from the Los Angeles Lakers.

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Dillon Brooks and the Houston Rockets have agreed to a four-year, $80 million contract.

Brooks spent the first six years of his career with the Memphis Grizzlies.

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Portland Trail Blazers general manager issued the following statement in the wake of Damian Lillard's trade request:

"We have been clear that we want Dame here but he notified us today he wants out and he'd prefer to play someplace else. What has not changed for us is that we're committed to winning, and we are going to do what's best for the team in pursuit of that goal."

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that rival front offices came away believing Cronin is looking for a star-level of return in any trade for Lillard. He also reported that Portland is looking beyond just the Miami Heat in trade discussions.

Subsequent reports said that any trade between Portland and Miami would likely have to feature a third team. Players who carry undesirable contracts for the Trail Blazers would be sent to other teams in these scenarios.

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LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets have agreed to a five-year Designated Rookie Max extension worth up to $260 million.

Ball would need to make an All-NBA team this season to qualify.

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The Los Angeles Lakers and Austin Reaves have agreed to a four-year, $56 million deal.

The deal is the maximum allowed under the Early Bird.

Reaves emerged this past season for the Lakers as a key guard.

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Brook Lopez and the Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to a two-year, $48 million contract.

Lopez received a similar offer on the open market from the Houston Rockets.

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D'Angelo Russell and the Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a two-year, $37 million contract

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While the Miami Heat are among the teams interested in trading for Damian Lillard, the number of years and dollars remaining on his contract could make the market for him somewhat narrow.

"It's not going to be a big market," said Adrian Wojnarowski on ESPN soon after news broke of his request.

The Brooklyn Nets are another team with interest in Lillard.

"I think ultimately Portland still wanted time and was trying to see if there were some trades in the marketplace... But for Portland now they got a trade request from Damian Lillard and the expectation is they'll accommodate it."

The Blazers will enter a rebuilding period with a core of Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe.

"It's not going to be easy for Portland to get back a lot of value in this trade," added Wojnarowski.

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Thomas Bryant has agreed to a two-year, $5.4 million deal with the Miami Heat.

Bryant will hold a player option for Year 2.

Bryant spent last season with the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets, averaging a combined 7.4 points and 5.7 rebounds in 18.3 minutes over 59 games.

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Jaylen Brown became eligible for a five-year, $295 million supermax extension with the Boston Celtics on July 1st.

A source said that Brown and the Celtics were not expected to instantly agree to a deal, but that a deal is expected soon.

Brown made an All-NBA team for the first time in his career in 22-23.

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The Boston Celtics are considered unlikely to keep Grant Williams in restricted free agency, sources tell Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe.

The Celtics traded for Kristaps Porzingis in June, which gives them depth in the frontcourt beyond Williams. Boston will presumably have a three-man rotation at center and power forward in Porzingis, Al Horford and Rob Williams, while they could also play Jayson Tatum as a small-ball 4.

Williams was seeking a four-year, $54 million extension last year.

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Gary Trent Jr. and the Toronto Raptors are working to finalize a multi-year contract extension.

Trent opted into his $18.5 million deal for 23-24 with the Raptors in June with the expectation of an extension.

Details on the extension are not yet known.

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The Los Angeles Clippers have been in touch with Russell Westbrook at the start of free agency. Westbrook played better than many expected after joining the Clippers upon his buyout with the Utah Jazz.

The Clippers have been active in trade discussions for multiple weeks with interest in James Harden.

The Clippers can only offer Westbrook $3.5 million and it is not yet clear what kind of market he has for teams that can offer more.

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The Philadelphia 76ers have no interest in including Tyrese Maxey in any trade conversations, including a potential pursuit of Damian Lillard.

The Sixers, like many other teams, believe the Miami Heat are Lillard's preferred trade destination.

Philadelphia reportedly won't engage in extension talks with Maxey this offseason as they try to maximize future flexibility.

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The San Antonio Spurs have emerged as a possible dark horse in trading for Damian Lillard following his trade request.

Lillard prefers a trade to the Miami Heat, but sources told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN that he "has a deep respect for the San Antonio Spurs organization."

The Spurs have players and future draft picks available to trade for Lillard.

San Antonio drafted Victor Wembanyama first overall in last month's draft.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder have agreed to sign Vasilije Micic to a three-year, $23.5 million deal.

Micic is a 29-year-old Serbian guard who has played for Anadolu Efes since 2018.

The Thunder acquired Micic's draft rights in 2020 from the Philadelphia 76ers.

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Damian Lillard has requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Miami Heat are his preferred destination, according to multiple reporters. The Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers also have interest. Lillard does not have a no-trade clause in his deal with the Blazers.

Lillard is signed through the 26-27 season with a player option on his two-year, $122 million extension signed last offseason. Lillard was a Third Team All-NBA selection in 2023 as he was having a career season before he shut down with the Blazers in their effort to maximize draft position for the second straight year.

According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, Lillard contemplated asking for a trade when he met with the Blazers on Monday, but wanted to give them every opportunity to improve the roster at the start of free agency. Lillard, who turns 33 this month, made the decision to request a trade Friday evening.

The Blazers were widely expected to use their 2023 draft pick to upgrade their roster, but moving up to No. 3 made a trade where they got back equal value for the pick challenging.

"It's not going to be a big market," said Adrian Wojnarowski on ESPN soon after news broke of his request.

"I think ultimately Portland still wanted time and was trying to see if there were some trades in the marketplace... But for Portland now they got a trade request from Damian Lillard and the expectation is they'll accommodate it."

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Sasha Vezenkov has agreed to a three-year, $20 million deal with the Sacramento Kings.

Vezenkov was Euroleague MVP this past season.

The Kings acquired the draft rights to Vezenkov in 2022 from the Cleveland Cavaliers for the draft pick that became Isaiah Mobley. Vezenkov was originally selected 57th overall in 2017 by the Brooklyn Nets and his draft rights were traded to Cleveland as part of the James Harden trade in 2021.

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Dennis Smith Jr. has agreed to a one-year deal with the Brooklyn Nets.

Smith was a priority for the Nets at the start of free agency.

Smith is coming off a bounce back season for the Charlotte Hornets, averaging 8.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 25.7 minutes over 54 games.

Smith is represented by John Noonan.

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Jaxson Hayes has agreed to a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. Hayes will have a player option in Year 2.

Hayes leaves the New Orleans Pelicans after they decided not to extend a qualifying offer to him.

Hayes is represented by Bill Duffy and Marlon Harrison.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to acquire Max Strus from the Miami Heat on a four-year, $63 million sign-and-trade.

The Heat will require a second round pick from the Cavaliers, while the San Antonio Spurs receive Cedi Osman, Lamar Stevens and a second round pick.

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Desmond Bane and the Memphis Grizzlies have agreed to a five-year, $207 million max extension.

Bane was the 30th overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft out of TCU and instantly became one of the league's best three-point shooters on the wing.

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Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers have agreed on a five-year designated max contract extension that could be worth up to $260 million.

Haliburton would need to make an All-NBA team to qualify for the max.

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The Miami Heat have traded Victor Oladipo and draft to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Oladipo is on a $9.45 million expiring contract. Oladipo previously played for the Thunder during the 16-17 season before he was traded to the Indiana Pacers for Paul George.

Oladipo suffered a torn patellar tendon in his left knee during the playoffs.

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The Detroit Pistons have acquired Monte Morris from the Washington Wizards for a second round pick.

The Wizards will create a $9.8 million Traded Player Exception.

The Wizards had a surplus of guards after trading for Jordan Poole and Tyus Jones.

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Derrick Rose and the Memphis Grizzlies have agreed to a two-year deal worth $6.5 million.

Rose spent the past two-and-a-half seasons with the New York Knicks.

Rose played collegiately for Memphis.

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Seth Curry and the Dallas Mavericks have agreed to a two-year deal.

Curry previously played for the Mavericks until they traded him to the Philadelphia 76ers for Josh Richardson.

Curry is represented by Austin Brown of CAA.

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Oshae Brissett has agreed to a two-year deal with the Boston Celtics.

Brissett will hold a player option in Year 2.

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Dennis Schroder has agreed to a two-year, $26 million deal with the Toronto Raptors.

Toronto is using their non-Taxpayer Midlevel Exception to sign Schroder, who spent last season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Raptors had trade interest in Schroder when they were shopping Kyle Lowry in 2021.

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Julian Champagnie and the San Antonio Spurs have agreed to a new deal worth $12 million over four years.

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Fred VanVleet has agreed to sign with the Houston Rockets on a three-year, $130 million deal.

VanVleet departs the Toronto Raptors after winning a championship and making an All-Star team.

The Raptors were reportedly aggressive in trying to keep VanVleet.

VanVleet is represented by Rich Paul and Erika Ruiz of Klutch Sports.

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Herb Jones and the New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to a four-year, $54 million deal.

The Pelicans declined their option on Jones in order to sign him to a long-term deal in restricted free agency.

Jones was an early second round pick in 2021 out of Alabama and immediately became one of the league's best defensive wings.

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The NBA announced that the Salary Cap has been set at $136.021 million for the 2023-24 season. The Tax Level for the 2023-24 season is $165.294 million.

The Salary Cap and Tax Level go into effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on Saturday, July 1. Teams are permitted to begin negotiating with free agents today at 6:00 p.m. ET -- six hours prior to the start of the league's "moratorium period." The moratorium period ends at noon ET on Thursday, July 6.

The Minimum Team Salary is $122.418 million for the 2023-24 season.
The First Apron Level is $172.346 million for the 2023-24 season.
The Second Apron Level is $182.794 million for the 2023-24 season.

The Collective Bargaining Agreement provides for three different Mid-Level Exceptions depending on a team's salary level. The Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level for the 2023-24 season is $12.405 million, the Taxpayer Mid-Level is $5 million, and the Mid-Level for a team with room under the Salary Cap is $7.723 million.

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Shake Milton has agreed to sign with the Minnesota Timberwolves on a two-year, $10 million deal.

Milton was previously with the Philadelphia 76ers and gives the Wolves depth at guard.

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Yuta Watanabe and the Phoenix Suns have agreed to a deal.

Watanabe spent last season with the Brooklyn Nets where he played with Kevin Durant.

Watanabe shot 44.4 percent on three-pointers last season.

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Joe Ingles and the Orlando Magic have agreed to a two-year, $22 million deal.

Ingles spent last season with the Milwaukee Bucks as he returned from an ACL injury.

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Gabe Vincent and the Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a three-year, $33 million deal.

Vincent played a key role in the run to The Finals by the Miami Heat. In 68 games, Vincent averaged 9.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 25.9 minutes. Vincent is a career 33.9 percent three-point shooter.

Vincent went undrafted out of UC Santa Barbara in 2018.

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Tre Jones and the San Antonio Spurs have agreed to a two-year, $20 million deal.

Jones was a restricted free agent after appearing in 68 games and averaging 12.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 6.6 assists in 29.2 minutes. Jones started in 65 games.

The Spurs drafted Jones in the second round out of Duke in 2020.

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Cam Johnson and the Brooklyn Nets have agreed to a four-year, $108 million deal.

Johnson was a restricted free agent and was expected to receive interest from the Detroit Pistons, amongst other teams.

The Pistons, however, traded for Joe Harris shortly before the start of free agency, which was a signal Johnson would likely remain with the Nets.

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Jakob Poeltl and the Toronto Raptors have agreed to a four-year, $80 million deal.

The Raptors traded for Poeltl from the San Antonio Spurs at the deadline.

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Khris Middleton and the Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to a three-year, $102 million deal.

Middleton opted out of his $40 million option for 23-24 with the Bucks and signed a longer term deal.

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Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks have agreed to a three-year, $126 million deal. Irving will have a player option in Year 3.

The deal is below Irving's maximum and allows the Mavericks to use their full Midlevel Exception.

The Mavericks traded for Irving shortly before the trade deadline and was productive in his play, but they missed the playoffs.

Irving was reportedly set to meet with the Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns and possibly others, but a deal was reached within the first hour of free agency.

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Georges Niang and the Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to a three-year, $26 million deal.

Niang spent the past two seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year, $6.7 million deal.

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Chimezie Metu and the Phoenix Suns have agreed to a one-year deal.

Meet had been with the Sacramento Kings since 2020.

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Jevon Carter and the Chicago Bulls have agreed to a three-year, $20 million deal.

Carter had been with the Milwaukee Bucks since the end of the 21-22 season.

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Nickeil Alexander-Walker has agree to a two-year deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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Reggie Jackson and the Denver Nuggets have agreed to a two-year, $10.25 million deal.

The Nuggets acquired Jackson at the trade deadline.

Jackson figures to play a bigger role for the Nuggets following the departure of Bruce Brown Jr. to the Indiana Pacers.

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Troy Brown has agreed to a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Brown spent last season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

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Kristaps Porzingis and the Boston Celtics are expected to finalize a two-year extension worth approximately $60 million. Porzingis was eligible for an extension worth up to $77 million over two years.

The Celtics traded for Porzingis after he opted into his contract with the Washington Wizards.

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Jerami Grant and the Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to a five-year, $160 million deal.

Grant rejected a four-year, $112 million extension with the Blazers last season.

Grant is represented by Rich Paul.

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Damion Lee and the Phoenix Suns have agreed to a two-year deal.

Lee left the Golden State Warriors for the Suns last offseason.

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Bruce Brown Jr. and the Indiana Pacers have agree to a two-year, $45 million deal.

After a championship season with the Denver Nuggets, the team was limited on what they could offer to Brown in free agency.

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Drew Eubanks has agreed to a two-year deal with the Phoenix Suns.

Eubanks began his career with the San Antonio Spurs and spent the past season and a half with the Portland Trail Blazers.

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Josh Okogie has agreed to re-sign with the Phoenix Suns.

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Keita Bates-Diop has agreed to a two-year, $5 million deal with the Phoenix Suns.

Bates-Diop will have a chance to earn their starting forward spot.

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DeAndre Jordan has agreed to re-sign with the Denver Nuggets.

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Taurean Prince has agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers worth $4.5 million for one season.

Prince spent the past two seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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Coby White and the Chicago Bulls have agreed to a three-year, $40 million deal.

White's value to the Bulls has increased since the injury to Lonzo Ball.

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Kyle Kuzma and the Washington Wizards have agreed to a four-year, $102 million deal.

Kuzma was expected to have free agent interest from the Houston Rockets amongst other cap space teams.

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Caris LeVert and the Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to a two-year, $32 million deal.

The Cavaliers acquired LeVert from the Indiana Pacers in February 2022.

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Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors have agreed to a four-year, $100 million deal.

The deal contains a player option for Green in Year 4.

There was some speculation that Green could take meetings in free agency, but his deal becomes the first to be reported during the 2023 free agency period.

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The Sacramento Kings are close to a trade with the Indiana Pacers for Chris Duarte.

The Pacers will receive draft compensation back from the Kings for Duarte, who was a lottery pick in 2021.

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Ben Simmons will not play for Australia in this summer's Basketball World Cup.

Simmons, who appeared in 42 games last season for the Nets, will instead focus on rehabbing from injuries.

"Ben needs more time to focus on his rehab and he looks forward to being part of the Boomers in the future," announced the Australian Basketball Federation on Twitter.

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The Indiana Pacers are considered "a threat" to sign Bruce Brown Jr., sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

Brown has previously been linked with a move to the Lakers for the non-taxpayer midlevel exception starting at $12.4 million.

Stein adds that several teams are also interested in Max Strus after reports that the Pacers are prepared to offer Strus a three-year, $48 million offer.

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James Harden wants to play for the Los Angeles Clippers and the Philadelphia 76ers are in the process of trying to accommodate his preference, sources on both sides tell Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Harden is "extremely upset at the way in which the Sixers handled his possible free agency and has made his dissatisfaction clear to the organization," sources close to him told Amick.

Both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are supportive of the idea of the Clippers trading for Harden.

"There is strong optimism on Harden's side" that he will be dealt to the Clippers.

Harden took a significant pay cut last offseason when he declined his $47.4 million player option with the Sixers to sign a one-plus-one for less money. The widespread expectation was Harden would then reenter free agency this offseason and re-sign for a long-term deal.

The Sixers, however, were prepared to force Harden to test the market before making any offer. The Sixers were preparing a short-term deal.

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Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks appear to need one another without much leverage in either direction, but both sides are prepared to negotiate as free agency opens. Irving will meet with the Phoenix Suns even though they lack realistic options to match the Mavericks financially.

"Kyrie Irving is trying to create a market out there," said Adrian Wojnarowski. "It may just not be there for him. Certainly, Dallas, I think, is going to try to show some restraint, some discipline on what they're going to offer Kyrie Irving with a new deal in Dallas. It's going to be more than anybody else can offer him.

"I think he's going to try to spend some time here trying to manufacture a marketplace of salary cap space and teams that might actually scare Dallas into thinking they have to up their offer. I'm not sure that's happening. That will be an interesting process as it plays out. I still think Kyrie Irving inevitably will return back to Dallas on a deal to play with Luka Doncic."

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The NBA has entered a period where big stars are less likely to become free agents and will instead change teams via trades, which Adrian Wojnarowski compared to the transfer portal.

"There's fewer and fewer high level players who have gone into free agency the last few years and who are going to be going into free agency," said Adrian Wojnarowski on SportsCenter on the eve of the 2023 free agency period. "I think the belief around the league is you sign the extension where you are and fix the destination later. You give up money by going into free agency. You take less money by not re-upping where you are.

"It's essentially an NBA version of the transfer portal. 'When I decide I'm done, you are going to trade me.'

"For teams who are going to lose a star, it beats what happened to Oklahoma City with Kevin Durant where they didn't get anything for him. You do get a chance to get young players and draft picks.

"I think you'll continue to see free agency periods that lack star power, but the deals are going to be in the trades because more and more star players, when it's not going well, they're going to look to move on and we're in more of a trade mode."

RealGM wrote an article in 2021 about how the era of a "tentpole free agent" dominating an offseason period such as LeBron James in 2014, Kevin Durant in 2016 or Kawhi Leonard in 2019 was likely over due to the way superstar players have been incentivized by the changes to the extension process.

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James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers are working on finding a trade after he opted into his contract for 23-24 at $35.6 million. Given a tepid market for Harden and the way the Sixers have done business on the trade market in the past, a resolution may not be found at the start of free agency.

"He has very likely played his last game in Philadelphia," said Adrian Wojnarowski. Although we saw Daryl Morey go the distance with Ben Simmons, went through the whole next season. I don't think it will go that long. But I'm afraid that this one may go a while before they figure out where that trade destination might be and what's the best package they can get back for him."

Shams Charania of The Athletic has reported that the Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat have interest in trading for Harden. The Heat are considered unlikely to make any major transactions while Damian Lillard remains in limbo with the Portland Trail Blazers.

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The Houston Rockets were long linked with a pursuit of James Harden as he had maintained a fondness for the franchise and for the city. The Rockets also wanted to accelerate their rebuild as they also enter the offseason with cap space.

But the situation may have shifted with the arrival of Ime Udoka as head coach.

"I think once Ime Udoka came in as head coach, they started looking at the roster," said Adrian Wojnarowski. "What they wanted to do in free agency. I think Fred VanVleet has moved to the top of the list in Houston.

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The New York Knicks have been linked with interest in trading for James Harden, but it may just be a cursory level as they continue to seek an even bigger star.

"I think they're trying to save their powder for maybe a huge named player that might become available in the next year," said Brian Windhorst of the Knicks. "So they've got a question: Is it worth using some of their draft assets or some of their young players in a trade for James Harden now, or can they wait for potentially a younger player who might be a better fit?"

Windhorst doesn't specify any names or even what level of star player the Knicks could be considering.

The Knicks had interest in Donovan Mitchell last offseason, but decided not to go all-in with a trade as they had concerns about having enough left over to trade for a second star at a later date.

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Andre Drummond exercised his player option to remain with the Chicago Bulls.

Drummond was reportedly going to join the Dallas Mavericks if he declined his option, but that scenario was dependent on a trade of most likely JaVale McGee.

Drummond averaged 6.0 points and 6.6 rebounds in 12.7 minutes over 67 games last season with the Bulls.

Drummond is represented by Jeff Schwartz and Javon Phillips.

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The Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat have emerged as potential suitors for a trade of James Harden, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Harden exercised his $35.6 million player option with the Philadelphia 76ers after it became clear he wasn't in their long-term plans. The Sixers have already begun trade negotiations.

Harden is not eligible for a contract extension.

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Harrison Barnes has agreed to a three-year, $54 million extension with the Sacramento Kings.

Barnes joined the Kings from the Dallas Mavericks via trade in 2019 and then signed a four-year, $85 million extension.

The deal includes a 10 percent trade kicker.

Barnes played in all 82 games this past season for the Kings, averaging 15.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists.

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Eric Gordon is expected to receive interest in free agency from the Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks and Portland Trail Blazers, sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

Gordon was due $21 million for the 23-24 season, but the Los Angeles Clippers waived him ahead of his guarantee date. The Clippers traded a first round pick for Gordon at the trade deadline.

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James Harden had interest in returning to the Houston Rockets this offseason, but their focus was increasingly upon Fred VanVleet at guard, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

VanVleet declined his $22.8 million player option with the Toronto Raptors.

Harden will look for a trade to a contending team after exercising his opt-in with the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Sixers do not have Harden in their long-term plans, which became evident as they explored contractual scenarios.

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The Los Angeles Lakers have interest in Brook Lopez with their full mid-level exception starting at $12.4 million.

Lopez played for the Lakers during the 17-18 season.

Lopez is coming off a four-year, $52 million deal sign with the Bucks in 2019.

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The New Orleans Pelicans are declining their $1.8 million team option on Herb Jones, which will allow him to become a restricted free agent.

Jones and the Pelicans are expected to work together on a long-term deal.

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The Los Angeles Lakers have waived Mo Bamba while also deciding against picking up the $16.5 million option on Malik Beasley.

The moves will put the Lakers on the track to remain below the $172 million luxury tax cap threshold for 2023-24 and allow them to use the full $12.4 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception.

Bruce Brown Jr. and Brook Lopez are amongst the players the Lakers are targeting with the MLE.

The Lakers could bring back Bamba or Beasley on a new deal.

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Josh Hart has exercised his $12. 9 million option for the 23-24 season with the New York Knicks.

Hart will be eligible for up to a four-year, $80 million extension beginning in August.

The Knicks will have more flexibility in free agency

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James Harden has picked up his $35.6 million player option with the Philadelphia 76ers and the two sides have begun to work together on a trade. The Sixers made it clear that Harden was not part of the Sixers' long-term plans.

Harden is not extension eligible and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2024.

The New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers are among the teams expected to pursue a trade for Harden.

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Kyrie Irving intends to meet with the Phoenix Suns at the start of free agency, sources tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report. Irving will also meet with the Dallas Mavericks and possibly other teams.

The Suns were interested in trading for Irving at the trade deadline before he was traded to the Mavericks.

The Mavericks have long been considered the favorites to sign Irving. Irving could sign with the Mavericks for up to $272 million over five years.

Dallas, meanwhile, has also been linked with a trade for Deandre Ayton of the Suns.

If the Suns were to acquire Irving via a sign-and-trade, they would be hard-capped at $172 million.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers are interested in Miles Bridges in restricted free agency.

Bridges was not signed during the 2022 offseason following his domestic violence arrest and subsequent no contest plea. Bridges received a 30-game suspension with a portion applied to the 22-23 season.

Bridges received a $7.9 million qualifying offer from the Charlotte Hornets, which gives them match rights.

The Cavaliers have the $12.4 million midlevel exception they could offer Bridges, but the Hornets would match. Bridges' camp expects to receive a more lucrative offer.

The Cavaliers have limited trade assets available on a potential sign-and-trade.

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The Dallas Mavericks are widely expected to sign Andre Drummond at the start of free agency, multiple rival teams have told Marc Stein of Substack.

Drummond is expected to decline his $3.36 million player option with the Chicago Bulls.

At center this offseason, the Mavericks have also acquired Richaun Holmes via trade and Dereck Lively II via the draft.

JaVale McGee and Christian Wood are out of their plans.

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The NBA and NBPA have signed their new Collective Bargaining Agreement and have shared the 676-page document with teams approximately 48 hours before the start of the 2023 free agency period.

The deal becomes effective on July 1st and runs through the 29-30 season.

The two parties came to agreement on the new CBA on April 1st, but many of the details were worked through in the subsequent months.

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OG Anunoby has chosen CAA as he new representation.

Anunoby previously parted ways with Klutch Sports. Anunoby's original agent was Omar Wilkes, who left Klutch this year for a role with Fanatics.

Anunoby is expected to become a free agent in 2024.

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The Chicago Bulls and Nikola Vucevic have agreed to a three-year, $60 million extension.

Vucevic appeared in all 82 games in 22-23, averaging 17.6 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 33.5 minutes per game.

The Bulls acquired Vucevic in 2021 for a package that included Wendell Carter Jr. and the picks that became Franz Wagner and Jett Howard.

Vucevic is represented by Rade Filipovich and Bill Duffy.

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The Chicago Bulls have engaged with multiple teams on a potential Zach LaVine trade, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

The Bulls believe LaVine has a higher trade value than what the Washington Wizards recently received from the Phoenix Suns for Bradley Beal, which makes finding a willing trade partner difficult.

LaVine is entering Year 2 of a five-year, $215 million contract.

The New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks were previously interested in LaVine. The Knicks have been cautious and patient when presented with trade opportunities. The Mavericks, meanwhile, have moved on to Kyrie Irving.

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The Phoenix Suns will fill out their roster with league minimum players around max players Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Deandre Ayton.

Yuta Watanabe and Mike James are two potential targets for the Suns.

Watanabe and Kevin Durant played together last season with the Brooklyn Nets. Durant is also a close friend of James, who played for AS Monaco last season.

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Max Strus is expected to receive significant free agent interest above the full midlevel exception that results in his departure from the Miami Heat.

Strus has been linked with the Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic, who are three teams with cap space.

Other teams are working to get under the first tax apron to make the full $12.2 million MLE available.

Strus is a career 37.1 percent three-point shooter.

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Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks are expected to agree to a new contract in free agency, though there will be some level of negotiation over the number of years and how much is guaranteed.

The Mavericks traded for Irving last February and his potential other landing spots have dwindled.

"The market for Kyrie Irving, legitimate places that he would leave Dallas for, that make sense, that are available to him... it's extremely limited," said Adrian Wojnarowski. "Perhaps almost nil. I think the full expectation is that he returns in Dallas. The question will be what kind of deal he goes back on. How many years on a contract? I don't think the money will be as much of an issue as how many fully guaranteed years are there for Kyrie Irving. I think that's where the negotiation is going to be between he and the Mavericks.

"If he wants to maximize his money on this deal, the place to do that is in Dallas."

Irving is coming off a four-year, $141 million contract he signed with the Brooklyn Nets in 2019. Irving opted into his $37 million contract with the Nets during the 2022 offseason.

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James Harden is expected to re-sign with the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason with the main question centered around the years and money the two sides agree to.

"They have been working hard in recent weeks to make sure that James Harden is going to be in the fold for next season," said Brian Windhorst on Wednesday. "Now, there's only a couple of teams out there that have salary cap space. The only one that makes sense for Harden is the Houston Rockets, which we've known for months.

"The Rockets are out there, from what I am told, very aggressively chasing other free agents. They are not acting as if they think they're getting James Harden."

Harden re-signed with the Sixers last offseason on a one-plus-one deal worth $68 million.

"He's very likely to opt out of his deal, because he can get up to I think a $13 million raise. He took a pay cut last year. He's in position to get that money back this year. What kind of terms are the Sixers willing to offer him? He's eligible for a four-year contract, but he is 33. I don't know if the Sixers can go there. Does he accept something shorter? Would there be some sort of partial guarantee? I think these have been the center part of the discussions in recent weeks, not necessarily where James Harden is going to be.

"I would never guarantee anything in the modern NBA, but I would be surprised if Harden wasn't a Sixer and locked in the first few days of free agency."

Harden's pay cut last offseason helped the Sixers sign P.J. Tucker

"He took a significant pay cut last year to help the Sixers build up that roster and they did, they signed P.J. Tucker and they traded for DeAnthony Melton. He, frankly, is in kind of in a little bit of a debit based on his production. I expect the Sixers' offer to be considerably higher, whatever number of years it is. The indications are that James Harden is going to remain in Philadelphia."

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The Golden State Warriors reached out to the Toronto Raptors on a trade centered on Jordan Poole for OG Anunoby, according to Tim Kawakami of The Athletic.

The Warriors and Raptors discussed a trade at the deadline centered on Anunoby with Toronto seeking the inclusion of Jonathan Kuminga.

Anunoby has been one of the most widely coveted players on the trade market throughout the past year, while the Warriors ended up attaching a future first round pick to trade Poole to the Washington Wizards for Chris Paul.

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With James Harden widely expected to re-sign with the Philadelphia 76ers, the Houston Rockets appear to be pivoting to Fred VanVleet.

Marc Stein of Substack reports that the Rockets are preparing a two-year deal for VanVleet at his max of $83.6 million.

The Toronto Raptors continue to also have interest in re-signing VanVleet. VanVleet re-signed with the Raptors in 2020 on a four-year, $85 million deal.

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The Toronto Raptors acquire Jakob Poeltl at the trade deadline from the San Antonio Spurs and are positioned to re-sign him in free agency.

Marc Stein of Substack reports there is "a strong belief that Jakob Poeltl is poised to re-sign with Toronto in the $20 million range annually."

The Raptors drafted Poeltl 9th overall in the 2016 draft out of Utah and traded him to the Spurs in 2018 as part of the Kawhi Leonard deal. The Raptors traded their 2024 first round pick, a 2023 second round pick and a 2025 second round pick to reacquire Poeltl.

Poeltl rejected overtures of an extension from the Spurs early in the 22-23 season as they could only offer a deal that averaged approximately $14 million per season.

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The Los Angeles Clippers continue to seek a trade of Marcus Morris, sources tell Marc Stein of Substack.

The Clippers nearly traded Morris to the Washington Wizards in a three-way trade that would have allowed them to acquire Malcolm Brogdon.

The parties were working against a deadline for Kristaps Porzingis to exercise his option, which didn't allow the Clippers to conduct a physical on Brogdon in time.

The Clippers are believed to be looking for a point guard this offseason.

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The Milwaukee Bucks are in "a promising position" to re-sign both Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez, sources tell Marc Stein of Substack.

Middleton has been considered more likely than Lopez to remain with the Bucks after opting out of his $40 million option for 23-24.

But Stein reports that Lopez "is likewise leaning toward a Bucks return."

Lopez is expected to receive interest from the Houston Rockets.

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In the 9th annual Mock Offseason Kevin Pelton, Danny Leroux, and Dan Feldman join Nate Duncan to simulate the 2023 offseason.

First off, an overall view of the league and what the teams are trying to accomplish.

Then, we start with the Blazers' situation with Damian Lillard, followed by assessing the market for big stars like James Harden, Fred VanVleet, and Kyrie Irving.

Four more episodes with Nate & Danny per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime, plus it's the only place to hear John Hollinger & Nate as well! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

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Jevon Carter will decline his $2.2 million player option with the Milwaukee Bucks for next season. Carter will then become an unrestricted free agent.

The Bucks signed Carter to a two-year deal via the minimum exception ahead of last season. Carter outperformed that contract with the best season of his NBA career. The fifth-year guard averaged 8.0 points and shot 42% on three-pointers in 81 games for Milwaukee.

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Victor Oladipo exercised his $9.4 million player option with the Miami Heat for next season, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Oladipo averaged 10.7 points and 3.5 assists in 42 games last season.

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The Detroit Piston will pick up Alec Burks' team option for next season worth $10.5 million, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Burks averaged 12.8 points and 3.1 rebounds last season.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are planning to exercise its $4.7 million team option for Jarred Vanderbilt for next season, sources told Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

Vanderbilt averaged 7.2 points and 6.7 rebounds in 26 games with the Lakers.

Vanderbilt will be eligible for a four-year, $71 million max extension on September 7.

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Talen Horton-Tucker picked up his player option for next season with the Utah Jazz worth $11 million.

The 22-year-old averaged 10.7 points and 3.8 assists last season.

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Donte DiVincenzo is set to decline his $4.7 million player option, sources told Kendra Andrews of ESPN.

DiVincenzo averaged 9.4 points and 4.5 rebounds last season.

DiVincenzo is drawing interest from the New York Knicks, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports and Ian Begley of SNY.

Begley adds that the Knicks could turn their attention to Bruce Brown should they fail to sign DiVincenzo.

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The Milwaukee Bucks have a pair of key free agents in Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez, but they have also been involved in trade discussions for Bradley Beal. The Bucks also reportedly internally considered a trade for John Collins, who was moved this week by the Atlanta Hawks to the Utah Jazz.

"A team I heard at least had some relatively serious internal discussions about 'Should we wade into the John Collins thing?'" said Zach Lowe. "And I don't know if they contacted Atlanta or how serious it got, was Milwaukee. And that's interesting to me because I do think Milwaukee is looking around for, like, 'Can we get a little just injection of randomness? An injection of, like, balance and athleticism. And just change. Maybe just change more than anything else. I don't think it went anywhere serious.

"I think Phoenix even looked at him this time around and just doesn't have anything left after trading for [Bradley] Beal."

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The Miami Heat will wait patiently to see if Damian Lillard decides to seek a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers this offseason, sources tell Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

Lillard met with the Blazers on Monday and decided to give the front office more time to see if they can make roster upgrades to put them in a position of contention during the free agency period. While some teams took that development as one that will lead them to other options, the Heat view Lillard as "a player worth waiting for."

Lillard has already said he sees the Heat and Brooklyn Nets as two desirable teams to play for should he leave the Blazers.

Miami doesn't believe they are missing out on anything by waiting for Lillard. They will try to re-sign Gabe Vincent regardless of the Lillard situation. The Heat don't view Zach LaVine as an upgrade over Tyler Herro when factoring in the difference of salary and luxury tax.

The Heat won't need clarity until the end of August when they decide if they need to use the waive-and-stretch provision on Kyle Lowry or Victor Oladipo.

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Jordi Fernandez has been hired has head coach of the Canadian national basketball program.

Fernandez, who is also associate head coach of the Sacramento Kings, replaces Nick Nurse. The Philadelphia 76ers hired Nurse as head coach this offseason after his five-year run as head coach of the Toronto Raptors.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray, RJ Barrett and Dillon Brooks are amongst the players that could play for Canada.

Fernandez was a head coaching candidate for a number of jobs this offseason.

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The Los Angeles Clippers are potentially facing a crossroads with their roster as Kawhi Leonard and Paul George become extension available again this offseason. If there is a sense that one of those players, particularly George, might not be amenable to taking a sub-max extension, then they could become available in trade talks. The Clippers, however, are opening up a new arena in 2024 and there is an expectation that they will want to have the most competitive team possible at that point.

"The biggest subplot in the NBA that not enough people are talking about are Paul George and Kawhi Leonard with the Clippers being extension available," said "In Kawhi's case in July. I think in Paul George's case in September. I just don't think, based on what I've heard, that if those guys walk in the door and ask for four-year max extensions, I don't think the Clippers are just giving them to them.

"I think maybe on one or both... I mean Kawhi is a black box. I have no idea what's going on with Kawhi. Maybe in some quarters there would be a willingness to recognize the reality that 'we don't play enough for this' and there is negotiation wiggle room. But sometimes with stars, there isn't. Sometimes with stars you offend them by daring to negotiate. If that's the case, then there's another wild card in the market as soon as next week because if you know, like, this is not an unknown to the powers to be in Los Angeles, or with those representing those players. This is not an unknown playing field."

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James Harden has reportedly not made a decision on whether he will pick up his $35.6 million player option with the Philadelphia 76ers, reports ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Harden signed a one-plus-one deal worth $68.6 million deal with the Sixers last offseason.

"I'm told James Harden and his representatives have not made a decision yet on that $35.6 million player option that he would have to exercise by Thursday afternoon," said Wojnarowski. "It gives him about two days now to figure out whether it makes more sense to decline it and then go into free agency where they can negotiate a new deal with the Sixers, or look elsewhere, including the Houston Rockets."

Wojnarowski adds that Harden has anticipated signing a longer term deal since re-signing with the Sixers in 2022.

Harden is eligible for a four-year, $213 million max extension. The Sixers would like to re-sign Harden on a shorter deal.

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Khris Middleton declined his $40 million option with the Milwaukee Bucks last week, which will make him an unrestricted free agent.

"All signs are pointing" to Middleton and the Bucks quickly agreeing to a new contract, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Middleton participated in the Bucks' head coaching search, which was a signal that he would likely remain with the franchise over the long-term.

The Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings were two teams linked to Middleton as free agent suitors.

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The Sacramento Kings have the capacity to sign Domantas Sabonis to a renegotiate-and-extend deal after creating cap space on draft night.

Sources say the deal is expected to be in the range of $120 million over four seasons. Sabonis is coming off a four-year, $74.9 million extension signed with the Indiana Pacers in 2019.

Sabonis was an All-NBA center in his first full season with the Kings.

Jason Ranne and Greg Lawrence of Wasserman represent Sabonis.

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The New Orleans Pelicans have put Jonas Valanciunas on the trade block, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

The Pelicans are searching for a more mobile, rim-protecting big.

Valanciunas is on an expiring contract after signing a two-year, $33.1 million extension in October 2021. Valanciunas went on record in late May indicating he would like to sign another extension with the Pelicans.

Valanciunas is represented by Mitch Nathan and Drew Morrison of CAA.

The Pelicans have reached out to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jarrett Allen.

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With the Sacramento Kings creating cap space on draft night, there has been "momentum" about a pursuit of Kyle Kuzma in free agency.

Even with a new renegotiate-and-extend deal for Domantas Sabonis, the Kings could have $25 million in cap space.

The Kings nearly acquired Kuzma in 2021 before the Los Angeles Lakers pivoted to a Russell Westbrook trade.

Kuzma has also been linked with the Utah Jazz, but they acquired John Collins via trade. The Jazz now have a logjam in the frontcourt that makes them unlikely to pursue a player at Kuzma's position.

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Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers had a meeting to discuss their future on Monday and he came away with the meeting remaining patient to see what moves they make during the free agency period.

"This was the meeting a lot of the league was watching to see if Damian Lillard requested a trade," said Brian Windhorst on Get Up Tuesday morning. "And he absolutely did not. From what I understand, the tenor of the meeting was that he doesn't want to pressure on the Blazers. He wants to see what they do in free agency. He's going to give them that time do that. This is an interesting strategy move.

"He said at the end of the season 'Get me veterans.'

"The draft came and went and no veterans. He's still not pressing from what I've been told. He's still going to give the Blazers every opportunity to work through this free agency process this week whether it's through trades or signing players.

"I will tell you that this is going to potentially cause some teams that were going to make offers for him to have move on with business. They were waiting to see whether Dame Lillard was going to be on the market before they started to make moves this week. Now, some teams are going to have to make a decision either go forward or wait around. Lillard is going to wait around.

"It's certainly a move. I guess not surprising considering the way Dame has operated with the Blazers now for years. It did take some people in the league by surprise that he didn't go forward with what everyone was expected him to do."

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The Miami Heat are considering using the waive-and-stretch provision on Kyle Lowry if they are unable to trade him, sources tell Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

Lowry is due $29.7 million next season in the final year of his three-year, $85 million deal signed with the Heat in 2021.

If the Heat use the provision on Lowry, he would count against their cap at $9.9 million each of the next three seasons. Miami's 2023-24 salary cap commitments would shrink from $178.5 million to $158.5 million, below the $165 million tax line and the $182.5 million second apron.

The waive-and-stretch provision must be used before Sept. 1.

The Heat have hoped to use Lowry in a trade for Damian Lillard.

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The parent company of the Washington Wizards has held talks with Virginia government officials about building an arena in Northern Virginia near Amazon's new HQ2.

The discussions are described as preliminary and exploratory.

Capital One Arena, which opened in 1997 in downtown Washington D.C., is in need of upgrades. In 2019, Monumental completed a $70 million renovation of Capital One Arena.

Last week, Monumental sold a minority stake to the Qatari Investment Authority.

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The Dallas Mavericks pursued a trade of Clint Capela from the Atlanta Hawks leading up to the draft, sources tell Marc Stein of Substack.

The Hawks either wanted to send John Collins instead of Capela, or receive Josh Green back from the Mavericks in order to send out Collins. Capela is signed through the 24-25 season and is represented by Darren Matsubara and Jason Ranne of Wasserman.

The Mavericks objected to both asks from the Hawks, who traded Collins to the Utah Jazz on Monday.

The Mavericks also discussed a trade for Deandre Ayton with the Phoenix Suns.

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The Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks engaged in advanced discussions on a trade of Deandre Ayton during the draft before talks stalled, sources tell Marc Stein of Substack.

The trade would have sent Ayton to Dallas for Tim Hardaway Jr., Richaun Holmes and JaVale McGee, but the Suns objected to the inclusion of McGee. Even though the Suns wouldn't have acquired any future first round picks, they liked turning Ayton into two rotation players in Hardaway and Holmes.

Sources tell Stein that the talks could be resumed.

For now, the Suns reportedly are moving forward with Ayton on their roster. Ayton is represented by Bill Duffy, who also is the agent for Luka Doncic.

Beyond re-signing Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks have prioritized an upgrade at center this offseason. They previously engaged with the Atlanta Hawks on a trade for Clint Capela. Atlanta insisted on the Mavericks accepting John Collins instead, or adding Josh Green to the deal to include Capela. The Hawks moved on to a trade of Collins to the Utah Jazz on Monday.

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Our long national nightmare is over, as John Collins has actually been traded! We discuss the fascinating and evolving dynamics around trading underperforming salaries, what the Jazz look like now, and why the Hawks needed to do this move.

We also hit on the latest free agency rumors, plus an interesting argument about whether the NBA should allow sovereign wealth funds to invest.

Then, two heavy-hitters this offseason. Toronto has Fred VanVleet and Jakob Poeltl as free agents, plus a number of key extension-eligible players. The pick they owe in the future also complicates matters.

What do we expect Cam Johnson to re-sign for in Brooklyn? Does it make sense to trade for Damian Lillard?

Four more episodes with Nate & Danny per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime, plus it's the only place to hear John Hollinger & Nate as well! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

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Rui Hachimura has decided to skip this summer's FIBA World Cup and will not suit up for Japan. Hachimura is focusing on preparing for his next NBA season and his first period of free agency in July. Hachimura will be a restricted free agent with the Los Angeles Lakers this summer.

Hachimura was acquired by the Lakers from the Washington Wizards ahead of last season's trade deadline. In 33 regular season games with Los Angeles, Hachimura averaged 9.6 points and 4.7 rebounds in 22.4 minutes per game. In the playoffs, Hachimura averaged 12.2 points per game on 56/49/88 shooting splits.

The Lakers have frequently been mentioned as wanting to retain Hachimura. As a restricted free agent, Los Angeles would be able to match any offer that Hachimura gets from another team.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are a "lock" to match any offer for restricted free agent Austin Reaves this summer, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

Reaves could sign a maximum offer sheet of four years and $100 million.

Reaves has reportedly drawn interest from the Rockets this offseason.

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The Toronto Raptors are expected to re-sign Jakob Poeltl to a deal worth around $20 million per season, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

The team traded for Poeltl at this year's trade deadline.

The Raptors also expect Fred VanVleet to command a deal worth around $30 million per season.

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The Toronto Raptors expect Fred VanVleet to command a salary of at least $30 million per season, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

VanVleet declined his $22.8 million player option earlier this offseason.

The Rockets are likely to make a run at VanVleet should they fail to sign James Harden.

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The Memphis Grizzlies picked up Xavier Tillman Sr.'s team option worth $1.9 million for the 2023-24 season.

Tillman averaged 9.7 points and 6.7 rebounds in 29 regular season starts last year.

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Portland Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin released a statement after meeting with Damian Lillard on Monday afternoon, reiterating the team's commitment to the point guard.

"I met with Dame and Aaron Goodwin this afternoon. We had a great dialogue. We remain committed to building a winner around Dame," said Cronin.

The two sides met to discuss the future of the Blazers roster-building process.

Lillard has previously been linked with a move to the Heat this offseason.

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The Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls have been mentioned in league circles as teams with potential interest in Derrick Rose.

The New York Knicks have interest in re-signing Rose at a lower number after declining their $15.6 million option on him.

Rose fell out of New York's rotation in December.

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The Detroit Pistons plan on making an aggressive run at Cam Johnson in restricted free agency, according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, as well as Marc Stein of Substack.

The Nets would like Johnson to re-sign and have been reportedly weighing a four-year, $84 million offer. The Pistons could offer a four-year, $100 million deal.

Johnson is viewed as an ideal 3-and-D wing that would be a great complement to Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey.

Johnson is 27 and has averaged 56 games per season during his four-year career.

Johnson's former head coach, Monty Williams, is now also with the Pistons.

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The Utah Jazz have agreed to acquire John Collins from the Atlanta Hawks for Rudy Gay and a future second round pick. The Jazz and Hawks discussed versions of a Collins' trade for over a year.

Collins has three years and $78 million remaining on his contract.

The trade creates a $25.3 million trade exception for the Hawks. The Hawks now will avoid the possibility of being a second apron team and project to be below the luxury tax for 23-24.

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OG Anunoby has left Rich Paul and Klutch Sports and will soon choose a new agent as he enters the final season of his current contract with the Toronto Raptors.

Anunoby has been the subject of trade rumors over the past year, but the Raptors have resisted very competitive offers.

The Raptors also have Klutch Sports players in Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent.

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The Utah Jazz had strong interest in Kristaps Porzingis before he was traded by the Washington Wizards to the Boston Celtics.

The Jazz were preparing an offer to Porzingis that would have been greater than what the Celtics can offer in the form of an extension.

The Jazz also expressed interest in participating in the three-team trade that sent Porzingis to the Celtics and Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Sources tell Marc Stein of Substack that Porzingis preferred to end up with the Celtics over the Jazz, which led him to picking up his $36 million player option to facilitate the trade.

Porzingis had until midnight last Wednesday on picking up his option, which he was not interested in extending.

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The recent reporting has strongly suggested James Harden will likely re-sign with the Philadelphia 76ers, but a source close to him tells Sam Amick of The Athletic that the Houston Rockets "remain a serious possibility."

The Rockets are still in play for Harden despite the additions at the draft of Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore.

The Rockets are one of the NBA's youngest teams, but hired Ime Udoka as head coach and are reportedly trying to accelerate their timetable.

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The Phoenix Suns will host a workout on Wednesday featuring Jabari Parker, Stanley Johnson and Chasson Randle.

Parker lasted played in the NBA during the 21-22 with the Boston Celtics.

Johnson spent part of last season with the San Antonio Spurs while also appearing in the G League with the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

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Damian Lillard has "serious interest" in a trade to the Miami Heat if he decides he would like to move on from the Portland Trail Blazers, reports Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Lillard has $216 million over four seasons remaining on his contract, which Amick writes will be a factor in Lillard ensuring he is traded to a situation that is to his liking.

In an offseason interview, Lillard talked about playing with the Heat as a hypothetical due to his friendship with Bam Adebayo.

The Heat have enough assets to put together a competitive offer for Lillard if he becomes available. The Brooklyn Nets are widely viewed as the other realistic trade destination for Lillard.

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Damian Lillard is expected to meet with officials from the Portland Trail Blazers after he returns from his trip to Paris, reports Sam Amick of The Athletic.

According to a source, Lillard will discuss the next steps of the roster-building process with the Blazers.

A source also says that Lillard's strong preference to play with the types of players that could make the Blazers contenders hasn't changed despite the team drafting Scoot Henderson, Kris Murray and Rayan Rupert on draft night.

One scenario to appease Lillard that he would be fond of is if the Blazers were to re-sign Jerami Grant while also adding Draymond Green in free agency. The Golden State Warriors are confident of their chances of re-signing Green, while the Blazers also currently lack the necessary cap space to sign him.

Because Joe Cronin and his staff are expected to be afforded time to do business during the free agency period, Lillard likely won't make a final decision on his next steps until those initial days in July play out.

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Ivo Simovic has agreed to join the Toronto Raptors as an assistant coach.

Simovic was most recently an assistant coach with UCLA.

Simovic previously worked with Darko Rajakovic in Serbia and Spain.

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Spanish big man Izan Almansa has signed with G League Ignite for the upcoming season. Almansa is a potential lottery pick at the 2024 NBA Draft.

For the last two years, Almansa has played with Overtime Elite. He'll now switch to G League Ignite to get ready for the 2024 Draft.

"This is the best step to take now to improve my game, play against grown men and also work on my body," Almansa said.

The 6-foot-10 big man won MVP at the FIBA U17 World Cup and the FIBA U18 European World Championship. He came to the United States two years ago with hopes of improving his game, and he feels he's done that.

"My game has improved in a lot of ways in the U.S.; my shooting, physicality and also seeing how the people see the game here, everybody is trying to get to the same place so is super competitive," Almansa said. "I decided to continue my development in the U.S. because I want to play here for the next years so I think that being in this environment is going to help me more."

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Victor Wembanyama's busy summer just got a bit less busy. Wembanyama has chosen to opt out of playing for France at the 2023 FIBA World Cup later this summer. The generational prospect is going to use the time to prepare for his rookie season in the NBA and the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

After selecting Wembanyama with the first overall pick at the 2023 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs spoke about his packed summer and the need to manage it appropriately. The 7-foot-4 big man plans to play in some Summer League games for the Spurs, and then he'll focus on getting ready for his NBA season.

Wembanyama understands there is likely disappointment in his decision to skip the World Cup, but he hopes people will understand his side of things.

"It would not be realistic in terms of development and not prudent in terms of health," Wembanyama said in announcing his decision to French newspaper L'Equipe. "I hope people will understand. It's frustrating for me, too. The France team is still central for me. I want to win as many titles as possible with the team. But I think it's a necessary sacrifice."

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The Houston Rockets have been linked with several players this offseason, including Khris Middleton, Austin Reaves, and Cam Johnson, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.

Other players drawing the Rockets' interest include Brook Lopez, Jordan Clarkson, Rui Hachimura, Bruce Brown, Donte DiVincenzo, Dillon Brooks, Jakob Poeltl, and Dwight Powell.

Fred VanVleet has also been frequently rumored with the Rockets.

James Harden, another rumored target for the Rockets, is likely to re-sign with the Sixers.

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Dillon Brooks is looking to command a deal more than the $12.4 million non-taxpayers' midlevel exception in free agency, according to Marc Stein of Substack.

The Grizzlies decided to move on from Brooks this offseason.

Brooks is drawing interest from the Rockets and Pistons.

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Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren has recovered from a Lisfranc injury and looks "really good", per Sam Presti. The Thunder front office executive said Holmgren has been working out daily. Oklahoma City hopes that Holmgren will play in Summer League.

"It is our hope that he'll be out there, our expectation. Chet is doing great. He has had a great offseason. It is one of those things where you, sometimes, don't appreciate the consistency of somebody because all through the draft process and since the end of the season, you're in the building every day and he is out there - same time, same schedule - just monotonously putting in all of this work with our coaches," Presti said. "He has done a great job. He has followed the plan and looks really good. We're excited for him, but I don't think anybody could be more excited than he is."

Holmgren is entering the second year of his rookie scale contract. Because he didn't play in a game last season, Holmgren will be eligible to win 2024 Rookie of the Year.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves have kept one of the better potential free agent centers from hitting the market. The Wolves and Naz Reid have agreed to a three-year, $42 million extension. The final season will be a player option for Reid.

The extension for Reid will average $14 million per season, which is just above the Non-Taxpayer MLE amount. With Reid now signed for next season, Minnesota will be approximately $8 million under the luxury tax at the start of free agency. If the Timberwolves are willing to go over the tax line, they could use the Non-Taxpayer MLE to help fill out their bench.

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The Phoenix Suns are planning to keep Deandre Ayton. The Suns had reportedly been looking at trading Ayton but will now keep him and have him start alongside Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

Ayton averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds per game for Phoenix last season. Over the first five years of his career, the center has averaged 16.7 points and 10.4 rebounds per game.

Barring any other unexpected moves, the Suns will only have the ability to re-sign their own free agents and to sign players to minimum contracts this offseason. Phoenix will also be able to work non-Ayton trades, should any materialize. In the 2024-25 season, the Suns will be even more limited, as they'll have over $185 million on the books for just Ayton, Beal, Booker and Durant.

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The Phoenix Suns have sought a trade for Tobias Harris from the Philadelphia 76ers, a source tells Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Suns would have to send out Deandre Ayton in order to make a trade for Harris possible.

The Sixers, however, have no interest in taking back Ayton and they have asked the Suns to find a third team.

Harris has $39.2 million remaining on his contract.

If the Sixers keep Harris, Nick Nurse intends to get him more involved in the offense than Doc Rivers did.

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Paolo Banchero has committed to play for Team USA at the FIBA World Cup this summer.

Banchero becomes the 11th player to commit to their 12-man roster. Steve Kerr's roster will also have Anthony Edwards, Jaren Jackson, Tyrese Haliburton, Brandon Ingram, Jalen Brunson, Austin Reaves, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Walker Kessler and Bobby Portis.

Banchero also entertained the idea of playing for Italy with his father being of Italian descent.

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James Harden's upcoming free agency has been a source of speculation as far back as Christmas. At that point it was reported that Harden could pursue a reunion with the Houston Rockets. The latest is that the Philadelphia 76ers are determined to re-sign Harden in free agency.

Harden has a $35.6 million player option for next season that he's expected to decline. Philadelphia has full Bird rights for Harden, so they can offer him up to a four-year max deal, starting at $47.6 million next season. However, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Harden may end up having to take less than the max from the Sixers.

Houston and Harden have maintained interest in reuniting, per Wojnarowski. But the Rockets have a lot of paths they can go down with a projected $60 million in cap space this summer.

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The Portland Trail Blazers are hoping to move forward with a combination of veterans in Damian Lillard and Jerami Grant, while bringing along young potential stars in Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson.

"If Damian Lillard wants to go to a contender, it's going to probably have to be somewhere [else]," said Adrian Wojnarowski. "Unless he's willing to wait a couple of years for this group to grow. There's no magic trade out there for them.

"They'll to try to re-sign Jerami Grant. I have some confidence they're going to be able to do that."

The Blazers didn't like any of their trade options to move No. 3, so they decided to keep the selection for themselves.

"I think Portland did what was right by their organization, their front office," added Wojnarowski. "Trading out of No. 3 for whatever the best available veteran would have been would have been malpractice."

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The Portland Trail Blazers kept the No. 3 pick and used it on Scoot Henderson.

Henderson hopes he has the opportunity to play with Damian Lillard, who is evaluating his options as the Blazers are at a crossroads.

"I'm hoping to get to play with Dame, for sure," Henderson said. "Special talent, special guard. One of my favorites to watch, especially film-wise. Just to pick out how he moves off the court, as well. Yeah, it would be cool to play with him."

Not only do the Henderson and Lillard have positional overlap, but they are on different timelines age-wise.

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The Portland Trail Blazers selected Scoot Henderson at No. 3, which puts the future of Damian Lillard with the franchise under some level of uncertainity.

"As of right now, all signs point to Scoot Henderson being there," said Shams Charania. "I'm told several teams, including the New Orleans Pelicans, reached out and Portland showed no interest in moving him."

Lillard doesn't appear to be in a rush to decide his future and will evaluate what the Blazers do during the free agency period.

"I'm told the timeline for when the future will land with Damian Lillard likely extends now between tonight and the start of free agency and into free agency," said Charania.

Lillard turns 33 in July and is signed through at least the 25-26 season after signing a two-year, $122 million extension in 2022.

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The Dallas Mavericks traded Davis Bertans and the No. 10 pick that was used on Cason Wallace to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the No. 12 pick that became Dereck Lively and a Traded Player Exception.

The Mavericks create additional cap space by unloading the contract of Bertans. Bertans had $17 million due in 23-24 and $16 million in 24-25 though only $5 million is guaranteed.

The Thunder selected Cason Wallace at No. 10.

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The San Antonio Spurs have selected Victor Wembanyama with the first overall selection in the 2023 NBA Draft.

First Round

  1. San Antonio Spurs: Victor Wembanyama

  2. Charlotte Hornets: Brandon Miller

  3. Portland Trail Blazers: Scoot Henderson

  4. Houston Rockets: Amen Thompson

  5. Detroit Pistons: Ausar Thompson

  6. Orlando Magic: Anthony Black

  7. Washington Wizards (via Pacers): Bilal Coulibaly

  8. Indiana Pacers (via Wizards): Jarace Walker

  9. Utah Jazz: Taylor Hendricks

  10. Dallas Mavericks:

  11. Orlando Magic:

  12. Oklahoma City Thunder:

  13. Toronto Raptors:

  14. New Orleans Pelicans:

  15. Atlanta Hawks:

  16. Utah Jazz:

  17. Los Angeles Lakers:

  18. Miami Heat

  19. Golden State Warriors:

  20. Houston Rockets:

  21. Brooklyn Nets:

  22. Brooklyn Nets:

  23. Portland Trail Blazers:

  24. Sacramento Kings:

  25. Memphis Grizzlies:

  26. Indiana Pacers:

  27. Charlotte Hornets:

  28. Utah Jazz:

  29. Indiana Pacers:

  30. Los Angeles Clippers:

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Pascal Siakam prefers to remain with the Toronto Raptors, sources tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

Siakam has been the subject of trade rumors as he enters the final season of his current contract. The Atlanta Hawks and Portland Trail Blazers are two teams that have been connected with Siakam. There has been a growing sentiment that Siakam would not re-sign with a franchise that trades for him.

Siakam has one season at $37.9 million remaining on his four-year, $136.9 million extension signed with the Raptors in 2019.

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The Golden State Warriors have agreed upon a trade with the Washington Wizards to acquire Chris Paul for Jordan Poole. The Warriors will also second a top-20 protected first round pick in 2030, a second rounder in 2027 and Ryan Rollins.

Poole is entering Year 1 of a deal worth up to $140 million over four seasons.

The Wizards agreed to acquire Paul from the Phoenix Suns as part of their Bradley Beal trade, but had spent the past few days trying to reroute him to a third team.

Paul is on a $30.8 million contract this season and a $30.0 million deal for 24-25 that is fully non-guaranteed.

According to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, the Warriors will not waive Paul.

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Amen Thompson reportedly had an impressive workout with the Portland Trail Blazers. The Blazers have been linked with Scoot Henderson at No. 3, but the Charlotte Hornets are strongly considering him at No. 2.

"If Scoot does indeed go No. 2, then at that point at No. 3, you're looking at Brandon Miller," said Shams Charania on the Pat McAfee Show. "Another guy to keep an eye on is Amen Thompson. He had a very strong workout, from what I'm told, in Portland. I'm not saying they would go with him over Brandon Miller if he's there at No. 3. I know Amen Thompson made an impression on him."

Sources also told Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer that Thompson is in consideration at No. 3.

Thompson has been strongly linked with the Houston Rockets at No. 4.

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The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired the No. 40 pick from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for No. 47 and cash.

The Lakers now own Nos. 17 and 40.

The Pacers hold Nos. 7, 26, 47 and 55.

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The possibility of the Charlotte Hornets to selecting Scoot Henderson with the No. 2 pick is "gaining serious momentum," sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The Hornets have been "torn" between Henderson and Brandon Miller with many believing they preferred Miller. The team will have final meetings on Thursday ahead of the draft to settle on a decision.

Henderson and Miller were both in Charlotte on Monday to meet withe Hornets.

"It's really been 50/50 in all these days," said Charania on the Pat McAfee Show. "As close of a selection as you're going to get."

The Portland Trail Blazers select No. 3 and Miller would be a more natural fit with their current roster.

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The New Orleans Pelicans have interest in Scoot Henderson, but it appears as though both the Charlotte Hornets and Portland Trail Blazers will keep their top-3 picks. The Hornets are expected to select Brandon Miller, while the Blazers would then pick Henderson.

The Pelicans were not prepared to trade Zion Williamson in any scenario outside of a move for Henderson.

"It's really the same it's been for the last week," said Brian Windhorst on First Take of a possible Williamson deal. "Seven to 10 days ago, the Pelicans showed interest in seeing if they could get a deal for either the No. 2 or No. 3 pick. We believe they really wanted Scoot Henderson...

"Mitch Kupchak came out yesterday and said 'We're not trading the pick. We're going to draft.'

"And the Blazers have pretty much told anybody's who called recently, and I know we're in disinformation time, but the Blazers have made it known they're going to pick.

"So those were the options for Zion. As far as I know, it wasn't like they were holding him out there and say 'Call and make an offer.'

"They were thinking what it would cost to move into the top-3 in this draft. That does not seem like it's going to happen. I believe Zion Williamson is going to remain a Pelican. I don't think it was ever seriously close to him not. I just think there were discussions that were made and that's why it got out there."

If the Blazers keep the pick, many teams around the league are waiting for the reaction of Damian Lillard as he wants the team to be in win-now mode.

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Ever since they tanked the final games of the season to improve their odds of keeping the No. 10 pick, the Dallas Mavericks have been widely expected to trade the selection.

But sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports that there remains a chance that the Mavericks could keep the pick depending on who slips.

The Mavericks could keep the pick for themselves if Cam Whitmore or Taylor Hendricks falls to No. 10.

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The Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks made progress on a trade of De'Andre Hunter before talks fell apart this week, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

The Pacers have been seeking a trade for a big wing to add to their backcourt core of Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin.

The Hawks have looked for ways to jump up from No. 15 into the top-10 of the draft, but the Pacers were not willing to trade No. 7 in those talks for Hunter.

Hunter signed a four-year, $95 million contract extension with the Hawks last offseason that begins in 23-24.

The Pacers have also contacted the Golden State Warriors on Jonathan Kuminga, while they have also been linked with Harrison Barnes, Kyle Kuzma and Grant Williams in free agency.

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The Los Angeles Clippers are not expected to trade Paul George.

The Portland Trail Blazers registered interest in trading for George with a package built around No. 3, but sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports that those talks didn't gain any traction with the Clippers.

The New York Knicks have been another team linked with George given their need for a star wing and his CAA ties. Ian Begley of SNY.tv reports the Knicks and Clippers have had discussions on George this week.

The Clippers continue to signal they intend to build their roster around George and Kawhi Leonard, which was clear in their efforts to acquire Malcolm Brogdon.

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The Portland Trail Blazers are widely expected to select and keep Scoot Henderson if he's available at No. 3, though they will continue to listen to offers through when they're on the clock.

If the offers they receive don't improve, the Blazers are comfortable keeping the pick even though that means a potential trade of Damian Lillard in the immediate aftermath. The Blazers don't appear to believe that is a possibility, even though the teams across the league with interest in Lillard are preparing for that scenario.

"Portland isn't admitting that, but the rest of the league knows it and they're preparing their offers for what happens over the next 24 to 72 hours with how Lillard might react to them going forward and making the draft [pick]," said Brian Windhorst on Thursday morning.

Lillard has been clear in his public comments that he wants the Blazers to acquire win-now players and isn't prepared to be patient as they bring along young players. For Portland, the plan was likely to trade the pick if it was outside the top-3 but moving up has made that decision more difficult for their front office.

"They are already getting ready waiting for the moment to happen," Windhorst added. "Whether Lillard makes the move, or the Blazers make the move, nobody seems like they want to be the fall guy. Lillard doesn't want to look like the bad guy. The Blazers are still hoping to convince him to stay, but we'll see how long they continue with that position."

The Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets are expected to be among the teams with interest in trading for Lillard and can assemble a package that is enticing for the Blazers.

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Malcolm Brogdon has an injury issue that was significant enough for the Los Angeles Clippers to back out of a proposed three-way trade with the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards. The specific injury has not been reported, but it is apparently significant enough where the Celtics are not expected to be able to trade him this offseason.

Brogdon missed Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals with a partial tear in the tendon in his right elbow. Brogdon returned to play seven minutes in Game 7. Over the final four games that Brogdon appeared, he shot a combined 1-for-15 from the floor.

"Brogdon has a health issue," said Brian Windhorst. "A health issue, from as I understand that is so significant that not only can the Celtics not do this trade, but there is no Malcolm Brogdon trade they can do in the short-term."

After the trade fell apart, the Celtics pivoted to a trade of Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies in order for them to still acquire Kristaps Porzingis.

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The Brooklyn Nets turned down a trade offer of two first-round picks for Dorian Finney-Smith last season, sources told Brian Lewis of the New York Post.

The rumors come following news that Finney-Smith and Royce O'Neale have drawn trade interest heading into the draft.

O'Neale would have returned a first-round pick in a trade, according to the source.

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Tobias Harris has drawn trade interest from the Indiana Pacers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Detroit Pistons, sources told Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Pacers have reportedly shown the most interest.

Sources add that the Sixers are overvaluing Harris and demanding "outrageous packages in return."

Harris is set to make $39.2 million next season.

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Restricted free agent Grant Williams will likely not re-sign with the Boston Celtics this offseason, sources told Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.

The news comes after the Celtics acquired Kristaps Porzingis on Wednesday night.

The Celtics drafted Williams with the 22nd pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.

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Five-star prospect Jarin Stevenson committed to Alabama on Wednesday.

Stevenson will reclassify into the 2023 class.

"I like their NBA-style offense. Coach [Nate] Oats is really into analytics. He makes team decisions based on percentages. I like that. Numbers don't lie," said Stevenson.

Stevenson chose Alabama over North Carolina and Virginia.

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Khris Middleton has declined his $40 million option with the Milwaukee Bucks to become a free agent.

Middleton dealt with injuries this season as his production fell off. Middleton participated in Milwaukee's coaching search, which some took as a signal that he would remain with the franchise even if he did test free agency.

Middleton is coming off a five-year, $178 million contract he signed with the Bucks during the 2019 offseason.

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The Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies are finalizing a three-team trade involving Kristaps Porzingis, Marcus Smart and Tyus Jones.

Porzingis is opting into his $36 million contract for the 23-24 season to facilitate the trade to the Celtics.

The Grizzlies will send Jones to the Wizards as part of the deal while acquiring Smart from Boston. Memphis will also send the No. 25 pick in Thursday's draft as well as the Golden State Warriors' 2024 first round pick to the Celtics as part of the deal.

The Wizards will also acquire the No. 35 pick in the draft from the Celtics as part of the deal, as well as Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala.

A previous version of the trade involved the Los Angeles Clippers, who were set to acquire Malcolm Brogdon. The Clippers reportedly had concerns over Brogdon's injury status.

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The Washington Wizards, Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers are in strong talks on a trade involving Kristaps Porzingis and Malcolm Brogdon.

Porzingis would be traded to the Celtics, while Brogdon would be acquired by the Clippers in the scenario. Porzingis would pick up his $36 million player option as part of the trade. Boston would also include Danilo Gallinari and his $6.8 million contract to make the trade work.

The Clippers would send out Marcus Morris and the No. 30 pick in Thursday's draft as part of the trade.

The Celtics have looked to balance out their roster this offseason after having a surplus of guards.

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The Boston Celtics are pursuing an opt-in-and-trade scenario with the Washington Wizards for Kristaps Porzingis.

The Wizards have received interest in Porzingis from other contending teams as well. Washington also hasn't ruled out keeping Porzingis.

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The Los Angeles Lakers own the No. 17 and No. 47 picks in Thursday's draft and there is a growing expectation they will trade their pick, sources tell Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

As recently as a few weeks ago, the Lakers were leaning toward keeping their pick.

The Lakers could use the pick plus some combination of salary such as Malik Beasley and Mo Bamba to acquire a starter-level player.

The Lakers have been linked with Myles Turner, Buddy Hield, Dorian Finney-Smith, Royce O'Neale, Gary Trent Jr. and Kristaps Porzingis.

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The Denver Nuggets have agreed to trade the least favorable of its 2024 first round picks, as well as the 40th pick in Thursday's draft to the Indiana Pacers for the No. 29 and No. 32 picks.

The Pacers will now have Nos. 7, 26 and 40 in the 2023 draft.

Denver will own Nos. 29, 32 and 37 in the draft as they look to add depth to their roster.

The Nuggets will send the least favorable selection out of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets to the Pacers in 2024.

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The NBA has informed teams that the 23-24 salary cap is projected at $136 million, which is $2 million higher than their previous projection.

The luxury tax will be set at $165 million, which is $3 million higher than their previous projection.

The salary cap for the 22-23 season was set at $123.655 million.

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The New Orleans Pelicans have recently made overtures to improve their relationship with Zion Williamson as the relationship has been rocky.

Williamson and David Griffin met last week at team headquarters to discuss the offseason. Griffin also brought Williamson over to meet with Gayle Benson. The meeting was mostly positive, according to a source.

Benson offered a more direct line of communication with Williamson moving forward if he felt that was necessary.

Multiple sources also tell The Athletic that the Pelicans are "fairly unlikely" to trade Williamson before Thursday's draft. The Pelicans are interested in drafting Scoot Henderson, who will either go No. 2 to the Charlotte Hornets or No. 3 to the Portland Trail Blazers.

Williamson is entering Year 1 of a five-year, $193 million contract extension.

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Bruce Brown Jr. has declined his $6.8 million player option for the 23-24 season with the Denver Nuggets to become a free agent.

Brown outplayed his contract and can sign for up to $7.8 million this offseason with the Nuggets. The Nuggets would have his Early Bird rights next offseason and could sign him for close to the full mid-level exception that he can get elsewhere.

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The Los Angeles Clippers have given teams the impression that they are at the very least trying to gauge the trade value of Paul George and giving consideration to the possibility of actually trading him, sources tell Marc Stein of Substack.

George and Kawhi Leonard joined the Clippers in 2019. They reached the Western Conference Semifinals in 2020 and the Conference Finals in 2021, but injuries plagued them in 2022 and 2023. Both George and Leonard will soon be eligible for four-year contract extensions worth more than $200 million.

The Portland Trail Blazers and the Houston Rockets have been identified as potential trade candidates. The Blazers own the No. 3 pick, which they have been shopping in potential deals to improve the supporting cast around Lillard. Houston owns the No. 4 pick and they are motivated to accelerate their rebuild this offseason.

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Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke said that his company is now budgeting $10 billion for a potential hotel, gaming, and entertainment district in Las Vegas after initially laying out $3 billion.

The group is hoping to build a facility that will attract an NBA expansion team.

OVG led the $1.15 billion rebuild of Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, which is also seen as a frontrunner for a future NBA expansion team.

"It helps when you walk into a room and say to them, 'I do not need your money,'" Leiweke said.

LeBron James is interested in purchasing a team in Las Vegas.

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The Utah Jazz have made Collin Sexton available in trade talks this offseason, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

The Jazz acquired Sexton last offseason on a four-year, $72 million sign-and-trade as part of the Donovan Mitchell deal.

Sexton appeared in 48 games, averaging 14.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 23.9 minutes for the Jazz.

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Gary Trent Jr. will opt into his $18.5 million player option for the 23-24 season with the Toronto Raptors.

Trent wants to remain with the Raptors and the two sides will work on a longer term deal.

Trent had been expected to opt out of his contract to test free agency.

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The Memphis Grizzlies are exploring trade opportunities involving Tyus Jones, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

With Ja Morant suspended for the first 25 games of the 23-24 season, Jones figured to again play a key role for the Grizzlies.

But Jones could land a full time starting point guard spot with another team.

Joes re-signed with the Grizzlies during the 2022 offseason on a two-year, $30 million deal. Jones had discussions with the San Antonio Spurs, but they no longer appear to be an option due to the presence of his brother Tre Jones.

The Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors could be options for Jones.

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The Portland Trail Blazers are pursuing a trade with the Miami Heat for Bam Adebayo, a source tells Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

The Blazers have explored what the No. 3 pick in the draft can yield in a trade and have maintained a high asking price.

Damian Lillard and Adebayo were teammates on Team USA for the 2020 Olympics and have developed a close friendship.

The Heat are unlikely to consider any approach from the Blazers unless it includes Shaedon Sharpe, the No. 3 pick and Anfernee Simons.

The Blazers don't reportedly covet either Pascal Siakam or OG Anunoby with the No. 3 pick. Adebayo and Paul George are the types of targets the Blazers would deem worthy with the pick.

It is unclear how the Blazers value either Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram as the New Orleans Pelicans continue to acquire Scoot Henderson.

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The Portland Trail Blazers continue to signal they intend to use the No. 3 pick in the draft as the trade proposals they have received have not been to their liking, which sets up a difficult situation that potentially leaves Damian Lillard unhappy with the team's direction.

Lillard has been clear that he would like the Blazers to add more win-now players to their roster and he hasn't lessened that stance since the end of the season.

"Dame is on the record saying he doesn't want to play with young players," said Brian Windhorst on ESPN on Tuesday morning. "He wants veteran help now. I've gone back and checked if Dame still feels that way and the answer I received was a forceful 'yes.'"

The Blazers don't necessarily need to trade the No. 3 pick, but they almost certainly need to make some sort of deal that appeases Lillard.

"If the Blazers don't move that No. 3 pick, which is their best asset, and they draft Scoot Henderson or Brandon Miller and say 'This is how we're going forward,' I can't predict what Dame will go in the following days," added Windhorst.

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The Brooklyn Nets have named Kevin Ollie, Will Weaver, Jay Hernandez and Ronnie Burrell as assistant coaches and Corey Vinson as assistant coach/player development. They join assistant coach/director of player development Adam Caporn and assistant coaches Trevor Hendry and Ryan Forehan-Kelly on Jacque Vaughn's staff.

Ollie joins Brooklyn's staff from Overtime Elite, where he served as head of coaching and basketball development for two seasons (2021-23). Prior to his stint with Overtime Elite, Ollie spent six years (2012-18) as the head coach of the men's basketball program at the University of Connecticut.

Weaver rejoins the Nets organization after spending two seasons (2016-18) as special assistant to the head coach and one season (2018-19) as the head coach of Brooklyn's NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets.

Hernandez joins the Nets after spending the past five seasons (2018-23) with the Charlotte Hornets as assistant coach/director of player development.

Burrell joins Brooklyn's staff after spending the 2022-23 season as head coach of the Nets' NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets.

Vinson arrives in Brooklyn after working in the Phoenix Suns organization for three seasons (2020-23).

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Amen Thompson "looks increasingly like the frontrunner" for the Houston Rockets to select at No. 4, reports Jeremy Woo of ESPN.

Cam Whitmore worked out for the Rockets over the weekend and is another option.

Thompson would give a Houston roster with other scores a lead playmaker and perimeter defensive player.

The conventional wisdom has shifted on James Harden where is now considered more likely to re-sign with the Philadelphia 76ers than the Rockets.

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The premier draft YouTuber Keandre Ashley is back to discuss the top of the 2023 draft. Is Victor Wembanyama going to be a generational player, and what are the swing points? Should Brandon Miller or Scoot Henderson go #2 overall? Where do the Thompson twins fit in at the top of the draft? Cam Whitmore, Jarace Walker, or Taylor Hendricks? Gradey Dick or Anthony Black? Plus, Keandre gives some of the players he's higher or lower on than consensus.

And, make sure to check out the Hoop Intellect channel for full scouting breakdowns of all these prospects and more.

For our complete draft and offseason coverage, subscribe to Dunc'd On Prime with our Mock Offseason Sale!

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The Denver Nuggets are reportedly trying to trade into the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft, sources told Mike Singer of the Denver Post.

Singer adds that the team is attempting to use its 2024 first-round pick acquired from Oklahoma City to make a deal.

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The Washington Wizards see a scenario with Chris Paul as the team's point guard for next season, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

"Washington imagines a scenario...where Chris Paul is their point guard this season. They're in a rebuild, they're reshaping this roster. I don't sense they're trying to bottom out and really tank tank," said Wojnarowski on SportsCenter.

The Wizards are currently working to re-route Paul to a third team as part of the Bradley Beal trade to the Suns.

The Clippers are reportedly interested in adding Paul.

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Isaiah Todd was traded to the Phoenix Suns as part of the Bradley Beal trade, reported Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Todd, who mostly played for the Wizards' G League affiliate, has a $1.8 million guaranteed deal for next season.

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Draymond Green will likely re-sign with the Golden State Warriors this offseason, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

"The idea of continuing with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, and certainly Steve Kerr, I think it means the world to [Green]. It's just a matter of negotiation. Is it a four-year deal? Is it a three-year deal?

"I don't sense at all any real sense on either side that this could get sideways. It could happen, he becomes a free agent...but I think these sides are destined to reunite," said Wojnarowski on SportsCenter.

Green declined his $27.5 million player option on Monday and will become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career.

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The Chicago Bulls are considering a trade of Zach LaVine one year after signing him to a five-year, $215 million contract.

Sources say the Bulls are valuing LaVine "highly" as they gauge his trade value.

According to a source, the Bulls are focusing on receiving a good young player and multiple first round picks back for LaVine if they trade him. Another source said one first round pick and an established high-end player could be enough to get a deal done.

The Bulls do not own a first round pick in this week's draft after trading it to the Orlando Magic for Nikola Vucevic.

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The New Orleans Pelicans are interested in trading up to select Scoot Henderson, which could mean a major trade with the Charlotte Hornets at No. 2 or the Portland Trail Blazers at No. 3.

"What Charlotte does is vital for how the NBA moves forward and that includes the Pelicans," said Brian Windhorst on Get Up. "I think if that pick is made available, or if No. 3 by Portland is made available with Scoot Henderson on the board, I think New Orleans would be very interested in getting it and that could lead to Zion Williamson being available.

"But what I just want to caution everybody about: Zion Williamson is not on the trade block. It is not an auction. I think the Pelicans are really interested in moving up and that leads everything on the table, including Zion, but it should be framed that way."

The Hornets hosted both Henderson and Brandon Miller for meetings on Monday as they try to decide which path to take.

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Victor Wembanyama is already officially signed to Nike for his footwear and apparel contract.

Wembanyama's Nike deal is believed to be for several years.

Wembanyama has worn 20.5 pairs of the Nike Zoom GT Run this season.

The San Antonio Spurs are expected to select Wembanyama with the first overall pick in Thursday's draft.

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The Boston Celtics do not intend to trade Jaylen Brown this offseason and all signs continue to point toward the two sides agreeing to a five-year, $295 million supermax extension, a source tells Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe.

Brown became eligible for the supermax after making an All-NBA team this past season.

The Celtics paid $69 million in luxury tax penalties during the 22-23 season.

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This month, James Harden was reportedly "torn" on whether he will sign the Philadelphia 76ers and Houston Rockets. There has been a growing momentum in recent days that Harden is now more likely to re-sign with the Sixers.

"The breaks have now been pumped, like slammed on, around the league to the point that I bet if you poll 50 front office executives, the majority of them would guess he's going back to Philly," said Zach Lowe on his podcast. "I don't know what the hell is going to happen. We'll see."

Lowe also said that Philadelphia's decision to part ways with Doc Rivers as head coach was the starting point in Harden appearing to reconsider remaining with the team. When the Sixers were eliminated in Games 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, there was a report that Harden's future was closely tied to the team's decision on Rivers.

The Rockets entered the offseason confident of their chances of signing Harden where they expected it.

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Under the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement, teams over the second luxury tax apron cannot aggregate their own players in a trade. But they can send a player out for a combination of aggregated players.

There were questions of whether the Phoenix Suns were under a deadline to trade Deandre Ayton as they are now projected to be over the second apron in the future.

Bobby Marks clarified that stipulation during a podcast appearance with Zach Lowe, citing executives with teams he spoke to over the past day.

The NBA's next collective bargaining agreement has not yet been published by the league and NBPA.

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Chris Paul responded to the decision by the Phoenix Suns to trade him in a package for Bradley Beal in an interview with the New York Times.

Paul repeatedly referenced how Mat Ishbia and Isiah Thomas wanted to go in a different direction.

Ishbia said in February that Thomas doesn't have an official role with the Suns.

"It's just - it's tough," Paul told Sopan Deb. "Seriously, it is part of the business, and what you realize is that no one owes you anything. No matter how you are with them or what you do, you realize that in this business, nobody owes you anything, as it should be.

"But when it comes through and my son texts me, I realize that, you know, Mat and Isiah, I guess, just wanted to go in a different direction."

Paul had just been in touch with James Jones, which makes the timing of the trade surprising to him.

"I showed my phone to my wife. Because, I mean, I had talked to James Jones yesterday or whatnot."

Paul joined the Suns in 2020 and re-signed in 2021 after they reached The Finals. Paul was asked to describe his feelings toward the Suns at this moment.

"Like I said, Mat and Isiah, they want to go in a different direction," said Paul. "But my time there has been amazing. You know what I mean? It's been great. And so, get back to work."

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There were multiple teams who asked Bradley Beal to waive his no-trade clause moving forward as part of a trade.

"I know for sure that at least a couple teams, if not all of them, made the ask 'Hey, would you eliminate the no-trade clause if we got you?'" said Zach Lowe on his podcast. "And that was a non-starter. He was keeping the no-trade clause."

The Washington Wizards included a no-trade clause as part of their five-year, $251 million contract with Beal during the 2022 offseason.

The Phoenix Suns decided to trade for Beal despite now having him under contract with the no-trade.

The Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks were among the other teams bidding on Beal.

Because of the no-trade clause, Beal was able to direct himself to the Suns in a trade package the Wizards likely wouldn't have accepted otherwise.

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The Phoenix Suns have received trade interest in Deandre Ayton since they acquired Bradley Beal.

"We'll see if he's going to be there. I do think one thing that has happened since this trade is Phoenix has been getting a lot of calls on Deandre Ayton in the last 12 to 18 hours," Shams Charania said on the Pat McAfee Show. "Teams seeing if now Deandre Ayton is a little bit more attainable. We'll see if he's back on the team next year."

Before their trade of Beal, the Suns reportedly were finding Ayton's trade market "lean."

Ayton is on the second year of a four-year, $133 million contract the Suns matched when he was a restricted free agent.

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The Washington Wizards will discuss rerouting Chris Paul via trade with the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic while on the Pat McAfee Show.

Paul was sent out by the Phoenix Suns as part of their trade with the Wizards for Bradley Beal.

Paul could still be bought out and become a free agent, which would allow him to sign with any team other than the Suns. Under that scenario, Paul would likely choose between the Lakers and Clippers.

Paul was only guaranteed $15.8 million for his 23-24 salary, but his fully $30.8 million is now guaranteed as part of the trade, which makes it a financially lucrative transaction for him.

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OG Anunoby was one of the primary trade candidates at the February deadline before the Toronto Raptors elected to keep him.

The Raptors appear to be taking a similar position on Anuonby again as the draft approaches.

One source from a team with interest in trading for Anuoby described Toronto as having "strong reluctance" to part with him, according to Marc Stein of Substack.

Anunoby, who is represented by Rich Paul, can become a free agent in 2024 if he declines his player option.

The Portland Trail Blazers, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings are among the teams with known interest in Anunoby.

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The future of Damian Lillard with the Portland Trail Blazers is at an inflection point leading up to the NBA draft with two probable scenarios: either the Blazers trade some sort of package involving the No. 3 pick for a significant win-now piece, or they keep the pick and likely begin the process of trading Lillard.

"Right now it is really up to Portland," said Shams Charania on the Pat McAfee Show. "Damian Lillard has really left it up to Portland. He wants to be there. He wants that team to get better. They have the No. 3 pick in the draft, they have the No. 23 pick in the draft, they Anfernee Simons...What can you go get in the marketplace to make this team better?

"If nothing comes about, then I do think Damian Lillard will have to look very hard at his future in Portland.

"But if they do make the team better on Thursday night, then I think you'll see Damian Lillard be there. As much as people want to make this a Damian Lillard thing, it's really on Portland. The ball is in Portland's court."

Lillard has demonstrated a preference publicly to remain with the Blazers, but he has also wants the team to improve after missing out on the playoffs each of the past two seasons.

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The Los Angeles Clippers are interested in acquiring Chris Paul, a source confirmed to Law Murray of The Athletic.

Sources tell Murray that the Clippers could envision a scenario where they acquire Paul while also re-signing Russell Westbrook.

Westbrook played well for the Clippers after he joined the team in March. It is unclear if Westbrook would be receptive to the idea of playing with Paul, particularly because the Clippers can only offer him 120 percent of the veteran's minimum. Westbrook was seriously considering staying with the Clippers on that contract, but the presence of Paul would change his role.

Both Paul and Westbrook reside in Los Angeles.

Ty Lue was an advocate for signing Westbrook, who he started right away. Lue has said he prefers having a traditional point guard in his rotation.

Paul George pushed the Clippers to sign Westbrook and he is known to have a frosty relationship with Paul.

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Draymond Green has declined his $27.5 million player option for 23-24 with the Golden State Warriors, Rich Paul confirmed to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Green will be an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career and was previously a restricted free agent in 2015.

The Warriors are motivated to re-sign Green though he will also explore free agency and sign-and-trades.

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If the Portland Trail Blazers trade the No. 3 pick to the New Orleans Pelicans, sources tell Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer that the belief is they would prefer Zion Williamson over Brandon Ingram.

Williamson would give the Blazers a pick-and-roll option with Damian Lillard. While Williamson has health and conditioning issues, he represents more upside for the Blazers than Ingram.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported last week that the Charlotte Hornets, who own the No. 2 pick, would prefer Ingram over Williamson.

The Hornets are deciding between Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson with the player who is passed upon setup to go No. 3, regardless of who is selecting.

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Ja Morant has received a 25-game suspension from the NBA and must meet conditions set by the league in order to be reinstated.

Morant was filmed on Instagram Live flashing a gun two weeks after the Memphis Grizzlies were eliminated from the playoffs, which followed his eight-game suspension in March for a similar incident.

"I have heard indirectly that Ja and people close to Ja, perhaps people formerly close to Ja, have this feeling that the NBA out to get them," said Tim MacMahon. "That the media is out to get them."

Morant also had other off-court incidents such as a confrontation with members of the Indiana Pacers that allegedly involved a laser pointer, as well as a fight with a teenager during a pickup game at his house.

Morant is beginning a five-year, $195 million contract extension with the Memphis Grizzlies this season.

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While many teams are treating the NBA's punitive second luxury tax apron as essentially a hard cap, the Phoenix Suns have decided it would be advantageous for them to "explode right through it" rather than merely go up the line or barely over it, sources tell ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

The Suns believe going way over the line opens up some options that wouldn't be available to them if they had a mandate to stay below it.

This calculus led them to trade for Bradley Beal on Sunday.

Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Deandre Ayton are due $116 million this upcoming season and $135 million in 24-25. Beal's salary averages more than $50 million over the next four years.

The second apron is $17.5 million above the luxury tax threshold and is largely designed to prevent teams from having more than two max players on their roster. The Suns now have four players on varying degrees of max contract on their roster.

The Suns will try to re-sign Torrey Craig, Josh Okogie, Damion Lee and Jock Landale, while also likely keeping Cam Payne.

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Well that didn't take long! Bradley Beal is now a Phoenix Sun. Was this the right move to boost Phoenix into championship contention? How bad are the financial ramifications for the Suns? Why were the Wizards able to get so little, and was it so little that they should have waited?

We also hit on other big news, including the sale of the Charlotte Hornets and Ja Morant's 25-game suspension.

Then, two prospects with uncommon skill sets for one and dones in Taylor Hendricks and Gradey Dick.

Four more episodes with Nate & Danny per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime, plus it's the only place to hear John Hollinger & Nate as well! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

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Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis is unlikely to play for Lithuania at this summer's FIBA World Cup. Sabonis is still recovering from a right thumb injury that he suffered during the NBA season.

That injury has Lithuanian head coach Kazys Maksvytis doubtful that he'll have his star on this summer's roster.

"We all hope that Domantas will play," Maksvytis said in the Zalgiris on Air podcast. "However, we all know the valid reasons. If I had to say on his chances today, I'd say those chances are less than 50 percent."

Lithuania was drawn into a group that includes Egypt, Mexico and Montenegro. The World Cup is scheduled to run from August 25 through September 10.

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The Milwaukee Bucks registered strong interest in Kelvin Sampson and Monty Williams during their head coach search, according to Marc Stein of Substack.

Stein adds that it was difficult to convince Sampson to make the switch due to his new contract with the University of Houston. The deal includes an assurance that his son will take over the role once Sampson retires.

Williams agreed to a six-year, $72 million deal with the Pistons.

The Bucks would eventually hire Adrian Griffin.

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The Dallas Mavericks appear to be the only bidder to sign Kyrie Irving this offseason, league sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

That impression is a result of the Suns acquiring Bradley Beal and the Lakers reportedly being uninterested in signing Irving.

The Rockets are another possible destination, though Irving would be their third choice behind James Harden and Fred VanVleet.

Irving is eligible for a four-year deal worth $210 million.

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The Miami Heat offered Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson, and several first-round picks for Bradley Beal, sources told David Aldridge and Josh Robbins of The Athletic.

The Wizards traded Beal to the Suns for a package including Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, and draft picks.

The Heat are now reportedly focused on potentially trading for Damian Lillard this offseason.

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The Phoenix Suns will reportedly get some unexpected extra depth in their trade for Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards. Jordan Goodwin has reportedly been informed he's being included in the deal and being sent to the Suns.

Goodwin was signed to a standard contract from his two-way deal in late-February of this past season. In 62 games (seven starts) with the Wizards, Goodwin averaged 6.6 points per game on 44.8% shooting from the field.

Phoenix is short on depth, with only six players under contract after this trade. Beal and Goodwin will join Deandre Ayton, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Cameron Payne as the only Suns with contracts for the 2023-24 season, as free agency opens.

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The Washington Wizards are working on rerouting Chris Paul to a third team after agreeing to a Bradley Beal trade with the Phoenix Suns.

The Los Angeles Clippers are expected to pursue a reunion with Paul.

Paul orchestrated an opt-in-and-trade from the Clippers to the Houston Rockets during the 2017 offseason. After two seasons with the Rockets, Paul subsequently played for the Oklahoma City Thunder for one season, then the Suns for three seasons.

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Bradley Beal used the leverage of his no-trade clause to ultimately choose his destination in the Phoenix Suns.

Beal picked the Suns over the Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Not only did the no-trade clause allow Beal to choose his destination, but also the return package.

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Chris Paul will earn approximately $10 million in extra salary with the Phoenix Suns using his contract to trade to the Washington Wizards for Bradley Beal.

The Suns were planning on waiving Paul if they were unable to trade him, which would have resulted in just $15.8 million of his salary being guaranteed. Paul will now receive $25.04 million in salary assuming the Wizards waive him by June 28th.

Paul will be ineligible to re-sign with the Suns if he clears waivers.

Paul is expected to receive interest from the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, amongst others.

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The Miami Heat did not trade for Bradley Beal as they keep their focus on Damian Lillard, sources tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

There is a "genuine belief this could be the offseason [Lillard] seeks a change of scenery," adds Haynes.

There have so far been no public indications that Lillard is entertaining requesting a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Blazers own the No. 3 pick in this week's draft and Lillard has been clear in his preference for the team to add win-now players to the roster to improve their odds of becoming a contending team in the Western Conference again.

The Heat presumably could have offered the Washington Wizards a more attractive package of assets than the Phoenix Suns considering they own several of their own first round picks outright.

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The Phoenix Suns have agreed to acquire Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards for a package that includes Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, multiple second round picks and pick swaps.

The Suns own their second rounders from 2023 until 2028, as well as pick swaps in 2024 and 2026. The Suns previously owe their first rounders in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029 to the Brooklyn Nets. Brooklyn also owns swap rights in 2028.

The deal is expected to be finalized in the coming days as they work out the details.

Beal had a no trade clause in his contract, which gave him a considerable amount of leverage in the talks.

"This was an extremely complicated process with so many different hurdles to get through and Ted Leonsis and Michael Winger were unbelievable partners in making this happen," Bartelstein told ESPN. "From the day that Ted drafted Brad he has been by our side along with [former general managers] Ernie Grunfeld and Tommy Sheppard. They've always had Brad's back in every way and now we have experienced the exact same thing with Ted and Michael Winger. We are extremely grateful."

The Suns managed to keep Deandre Ayton out of the trade, though they now have four players on varying levels of max contracts. The Suns will have $163 million in salary committed to Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Beal and Ayton for the 23-24 season.

The Wizards will be unloading the final four years and $207 million of Beal's contract

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The Charlotte Hornets are still debating on who to select with the second overall pick in Thursday's NBA Draft. As such, Charlotte is bringing Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller back in for second workouts.

Those second workouts will be watched by Hornets owner Michael Jordan. Last Friday, Jordan finalized a sale of the franchise to a group led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall, but he's still in charge until the sale is approved by the NBA Board of Governors. Jordan will also retain a stake in the team and is expected to remain a presence around the franchise.

Henderson played the last two season for the G League Ignite. He's seen as the top guard prospect in the 2023 draft class. Miller spent his freshman year at Alabama and is ranked as the top wing in this year's draft.

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Bob Huggins has resigned as West Virginia's men's basketball coach in the wake of his arrest on Friday night for allegedly driving under the influence.

Huggins announced his resignation in a statement released on Saturday night in which he said "my recent actions do not represent the values of the University or the leadership expected in this role ... I have let all of you -- and myself -- down."

A source told ESPN's Jeff Borzello that Huggins informed his players of his impending resignation in a team meeting on Saturday.

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The Washington Wizards have advanced discussions on trading franchise star Bradley Beal. The Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns have emerged as finalists for Beal. Both teams are considered serious contenders for the longtime Wizards guard.

Miami has long-been linked to Beal. The Heat could offer a package that revolves around expiring salary after next season, if the Wizards goal is to clear salary. Miami could also offer a package built around guard Tyler Herro, if Washington wanted to build around him in the next iteration of their team.

Any offer from the Suns would have to include either Chris Paul or Deandre Ayton. Paul would likely see his salary guaranteed to near the full amount of $30.8 million to make a trade work. A deal centered around Paul or Ayton would also likely have to include Landry Shamet as matching salary.

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Teams in the top part of the draft appear to be more open to trading than any year in recent memory.

"I don't remember being this much potential picks in the top-10 openly available," said Brian Windhorst on his podcast. "I haven't heard Charlotte is interested in trading. We know Portland is interested in trading. Obviously Houston has been out there. Detroit has been out there. The Magic have the six and 11th picks, they want to package and move up if they can. I doubt they'll be able to, but they're interested.

"Indiana has been talking to people about the seventh picks. I've been told they've been trying get wing players. They've been trying to move out of the seventh pick to get a high wing player now. They might be able to if they're motivated enough.

"Washington is at eight. We have no idea what Washington is going to do."

The Utah Jazz are expected to keep their pick at No. 9, while the Dallas Mavericks are motivated to trade No. 10 for a win-now package.

"I think the bidding war to move up is going to be hard," said Windhorst.

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The Portland Trail Blazers have the capacity to substantially improve their team around Damian Lillard, but it would take trading the No. 3 pick and they so far have been underwhelmed by the offers.

"Portland is trying some pretty aggressive moves from what I've been able to glean," said Brian Windhorst on his podcast. "I have no idea how accurate everything is, but they are swinging."

The Blazers appear to prefer the path of keeping Lillard even though they are in a great position to initiate a rebuild around Shaedon Sharpe, their selection at No. 3, and whatever trade package they could receive for Lillard.

"If they wanted to, they're primed [to rebuild]," added Windhorst. "They can get a haul for Dame. Whatever it is. And they'd have two lottery picks to rebuild around. But that is not the direction they're going at all. That is not the intel I'm receiving at all. If that's being considered, it's not being considered outside."

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While there have been some reporting to suggest the New Orleans Pelicans will not entertain trading Zion Williamson, but Brian Windhorst of ESPN suggests there have been a surprising level of discussions involving the All-Star.

"It's surprising to me how out there it is in the league that the Pelicans are discussing Zion business," said Windhorst on his podcast. "I want to be very careful about the word 'offer' because that word is a dangerous word. I'm not sure the Pelicans have 'offered' Zion to anybody, but every day that passes over the past five or six days, I hear different discussions the Pelicans have had that implies they are going to make Zion available. Him or Brandon Ingram. I wouldn't rule out anything I guess, but the events of the last six months with Zion are what they are."

The Pelicans have been strongly linked with interest in trading up for Scoot Henderson.

"It is extraordinarily out there about how much the Pelicans are interested in Scoot Henderson. To the point where I'm like, 'How is this out there so hard unless the Pelicans want it out there?'

"So I'm nervous about giving that attention, but it is still there."

While the Pelicans may be high on Henderson, there does appear to have been a change in how they view Williamson's future with the franchise at this point.

"The Zion thing is there," said Windhorst. "At the very least, it is very clear that the Pelicans' thought on Zion Williamson's future with the team is evolving. That's putting it mildly."

Williamson and the Pelicans haven't been on the same page for much of his tenure with the team and that appears to be the case currently.

"There is no relationship between Zion and the organization," added Windhorst. "And minimal relationship between Zion and his teammates, from what I understand."

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The NBA will issue a 25-game suspension to Ja Morant.

Morant was seen flashing a gun on Instagram Live this offseason following an eight-game suspension for a similar incident at a nightclub in Colorado.

Morant met with Adam Silver in March after leaving his brief stay at a counseling program in Colorado.

The suspension will come with conditions for his return and it will cost him $7.6 million. Morant is beginning a five-year, $194 million extension he signed with the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2022 offseason.

"Ja Morant's decision to once again wield a firearm on social media is alarming and disconcerting given his similar conduct in March for which he was already suspended eight games," said Silver in a statement released on Friday. "The potential for other young people to emulate Ja's conduct is particularly concerning. Under these circumstances, we believe a suspension of 25 games is appropriate and makes clear that engaging in reckless and irresponsible behavior with guns will not be tolerated.

"For Ja, basketball needs to take a back seat at this time. Prior to his return to play, he will be required to formulate and fulfill a program with the league that directly addresses the circumstances that led him to repeat this destructive behavior."

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Michael Jordan is finalizing a sale of the Charlotte Hornets to Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall. The sale will end Jordan's 13-year run as the majority owner of the Hornets.

Plotkin is currently a minority owner of the Hornets, while Schnall is a minority owner of the Hawks. The sale is expected to be approved in the coming weeks, with Plotkin and Schnall becoming the Hornets co-governors. After the NBA completes the vetting process, the NBA Board of Governors is expected to vote to approve the sale.

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The Golden State Warriors have hired Mike Dunleavy Jr. as the franchise's new general manager. Dunleavy replaces Bob Myers, who stepped down from the role following this past season.

Dunleavy played in the NBA for 15 seasons. He started his career with the Warriors, but also played for the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks.

Following his playing career, Dunleavy joined Golden State as a scout in 2018. A year later, he was promoted to assistant general manager. In 2021, Dunleavy was promoted to vice president of basketball operations. He'll now run the Warriors front office, as the primary decision maker.

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The Portland Trail Blazers are in an intriguing situation with Damian Lillard where they are trying to assemble a roster around him that can compete immediately, but the No. 3 pick is viewed internally as too valuable to trade due to the quality of the draft. At this point, the Blazers haven't received any compelling offers for the selection.

"Contrary to what people think, if the draft were tonight, they're making that pick," said Jonathan Givony on Zach Lowe's podcast. "Unless something crazy comes up. Some type of trade that you just can't say 'no' to. At this stage, they haven't had anywhere near that level of conversation to get fair value for that pick.

"You very rarely have a chance to get that type of talent, like a Brandon Miller or a Scoot Henderson, in Portland. So they're not just going to pass up on that unless something absolutely incredible comes out of thin air, which doesn't appear the case right now."

"I think some teams that have players that they're interested in have kind of turned their noses up at the idea of a package of Simons and No. 3," replied Zach Lowe. "And I wonder how much of that is at least semi-posturing. I asked a lot of people a very simple question yesterday, a lot of people around the league. Normally, there's a cliff between No. 1 and everything else. And we overvalue draft picks for the post part, although the top-5 are pretty valuable. I asked 'Is this No. 3 pick, given it could be Scoot, it could be Brandon Miller, is it more valuable than the average No. 3 pick?' And the answer was almost universally 'Yes.'

"On Simons, every team would want Sharpe over Simons. The Blazers are keeping Sharpe as far as I know. No one is untouchable, untouchable, but that's pretty damn close."

While Lillard has a stated preference to win now, it is not believed he is putting pressure on the Blazers to trade the No. 3 pick for the best available package and that his situation won't change if they keep either Henderson or Miller.

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The Phoenix Suns have been expected to explore the trade market for Deandre Ayton this offseason, but they have reportedly struggled to find any deals to their liking.

"I think the hard part for Phoenix right now is DeAndre Ayton's market is lean," said Adrian Wojnarowski on the Ryen Russillo Podcast. "They have to be prepared that they're going to have Deandre Ayton back."

The Suns are also at a crossroads with Chris Paul as they look to put more depth around Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. Their inability to trade Ayton in a way that is going to upgrade their roster limits what they might be able to do with Paul.

"They've gone through the marketplace and I don't think there is an obvious deal for Deandre Ayton out there," added Wojnarowski.

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Danilo Gallinari has exercised his $6.8 million player option to remain with the Boston Celtics for the 23-24 season.

Gallinari signed a two-year, $13.3 million deal with the Celtics last offseason, but he tore the ACL in his left knee during a FIBA qualifying game and missed the entire season.

Gallinari averaged 11.7 points per game on 38.1% 3-point shooting for the Atlanta Hawks in 2021-22.

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The Dallas Mavericks and Atlanta Hawks have discussed a trade involving John Collins, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

A framework was discussed that would send Collins and the No. 15 pick to the Mavericks for Davis Bertans and the No. 10 pick.

Talks between the two teams do not appear to have progressed at this time.

The Mavericks are motivated to upgrade their roster immediately by moving the No. 10 pick.

Collins is entering Year 3 of a five-year, $125 million contract signed wit the Hawks in the 2021 offseason. Collins has long been a trade candidate by the Hawks and was reportedly close to being moved to the Phoenix Suns before they executed the Kevin Durant trade.

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The Miami Heat are considered to be at the top of Bradley Beal's wish list should he be traded by the Washington Wizards this offseason.

The New York Knicks are somewhere on Beal's list as well and he's told people close to him he loves playing at Madison Square Garden.

Sources tell Fred Katz of The Athletic that the Golden State Warriors have appealed to him in the past.

Beal has a no trade clause in his contract that gives him the power to veto any deal, giving him a unique leverage position.

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The Charlotte Hornets are hoping to bring both Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller back to Charlotte on Monday to meet with Michael Jordan, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

The Hornets are expected to choose between Henderson and Miller if they keep the No. 2 pick.

Jordan is in the process of selling the franchise.

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The Philadelphia 76ers are not expected to target Fred VanVleet in free agency if James Harden decides to sign elsewhere, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

VanVleet has an obvious connection to the Sixers with Nick Nurse becoming head coach.

VanVleet has been linked with the Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, amongst other teams, while he could still re-sign with the Toronto Raptors.

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Kristaps Porzingis is considering picking up his $36 million player option with the Washington Wizards for the 23-24 season, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Porzingis wouldn't become a free agent until 2024 under that scenario, though he could also sign an extension.

If Porzingis exercises his player option, the Wizards could consider trading him.

Before the Wizards parted ways with Tommy Sheppard, the broad expectation was for Porzingis to become a free agent and then re-sign with the Wizards.

Washington acquired Porzingis from the Dallas Mavericks ahead of the 2022 trade deadline.

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The Chicago Bulls have begun "quietly gauging" potential trade interest in Zach LaVine, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

LaVine has four seasons remaining on his new five-year, $215 million deal.

The Bulls are likely to maintain a larger asking price for LaVine than the Washington Wizards will for Beal.

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Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb. No update was provided from the team on when Williams would return to basketball activities.

Williams initially sprained his right thumb in March. He missed the next six games, but returned to play in six of the Hornets final eight contests.

Williams became Charlotte's starting center during his rookie season after the team traded Mason Plumlee at the trade deadline. Williams averaged 9.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.0 blocks in 19.3 minutes per game as a rookie.

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Zion Williamson is set to start a five-year, $194.3 million contract extension with the New Orleans Pelicans next season. However, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, that extension is no longer fully guaranteed.

When Williamson signed his extension with Pelicans, there were protections in the deal for the team related to games played and injuries. With Williamson appearing in only 29 games this past season, it's believed he did not meet the games played threshold. Not meeting that criteria will convert some portion of Williamson's deal to non-guaranteed.

Other examples of these types of projections include Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers and Jonathan Isaac of the Orlando Magic. Embiid met his conditions, completed his deal and went on to sign another extension. Isaac did not meet his criteria around games played and has seen his deal become only partially guaranteed.

A deal becoming partially guaranteed does not give the team any immediate salary relief. The full value of the contract for each season is still on the salary cap. However, should the team waive the player, only the guaranteed amount would stay on the cap.

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The Washington Wizards and Bradley Beal are working together on trade options. Washington needs to work with Beal, because the player has a no-trade clause that allows him to block any deal he doesn't like.

Two teams that are expected to be suitors for Beal are the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks. Miami could put together a trade package around Tyler Herro and other matching salary to bring in Beal and the over $207 million he is owed through 2026-27.

The Bucks have a more difficult path to a Beal trade. That would likely have to involve Khris Middleton going somewhere in a sign-and-trade, but that's unlikely to be something that would interest the rebuilding Wizards. That would necessitate bringing a third team into the mix to complete a deal.

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Paulius Murauskas signed a letter of intent with the Arizona Wildcats on Wednesday, reported Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

The 6-foot-9 forward from Lithuania is one of the top European prospects for his class.

"My decision to go to the NCAA is all about improvement. Especially physical improvement to be able to compete in high-intensity games. Personally, I think that this will be the best place for my further development as a person and as a basketball player," Murauskas told ESPN.

Murauskas is the seventh international player on the Wildcats roster for next season.

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The New York Knicks engaged in internal discussions during the season over potentially trading for Bradley Beal this summer, sources told Ian Begley of SNY.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported earlier on Wednesday that Beal and the Wizards would work together on a trade should the team decide to rebuild.

The Heat and Bucks are listed as potential suitors for Beal.

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Walker Kessler committed to Team USA for this summer's FIBA World Cup, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Kessler joins Brandon Ingram, Jaren Jackson Jr., and several others on the roster.

Team USA opens the World Cup against New Zealand on August 26.

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The Boston Celtics have long been linked with Bradley Beal due to his relationship with Jayson Tatum, but they're not believed to be a realistic trade candidate with the Washington Wizards right now.

The Celtics are believed to be prioritizing signing Jaylen Brown to a supermax contract this offseason.

"My feel from talking to sources is that the Celtics are not necessarily in on this one," said Brian Windhorst. "Their intention is to get Jaylen Brown on a contract extension this year. Even if they got Jaylen Brown done, the idea of bringing in Bradley Beal would be extraordinarily difficult because of the three contracts together.

"I don't think any conversation that involves trading Jaylen Brown is something the Celtics are super interested in right now."

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The Philadelphia 76ers would like to re-sign James Harden, but they believe there are alternate paths they can take if he does to decide to leave the franchise in free agency. Harden has been most closely linked with the Houston Rockets should he leave the Sixers.

"The Sixers are not desperate," said Brian Windhorst of re-signing Harden. "While they absolutely want James Harden back, and I think there's a way they can play together and still be highly successful, the Sixers have other moves they can make. If Harden walks, they have cap space. They have tradeable contracts. They have things they can do. Harden is important but not the end all and be all for the 76ers."

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The future of Zion Williamson with the New Orleans Pelicans is uncertain less than a year after signing a five-year, $193 million extension. Williamson played at an All-Star level until his season abruptly ended in January with a hamstring injury.

The Pelicans are attempting to move up in the draft to select Scoot Henderson, which means they are almost certainly open to trading away Williamson.

"I don't think his value is sky high right now," said Brian Windhorst. "But he has a contract that protects the Pelicans or whatever team from further injury. It's not fully guaranteed. Obviously, his value in January was a lot higher after another injury plagued season."

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Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards are working together on trade scenarios ahead of next week's draft as the franchise looks to rebuild.

"I'm going to tell, if Bradley Beal gets traded between now and next Thursday, I think people are going to be very surprised at the price and how potentially low it's going to be," said Brian Windhorst. "Because his contract is not attractive. And especially going forward, what it would mean to have a $50 million player on your team that may not be a first or second All-NBA type player."

Windhorst believes the climate that saw Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell traded for significant packages last offseason has changed considerably for players of Beal's level.

"I suspect if he's gets traded it would be for a fraction of that," said Windhorst.

Windhorst adds that the no trade clause in Beal's contract also makes trading for him less attractive.

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The Portland Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard continue to appear fully committed to each other as the franchise evaluates its options ahead of next week's draft where they own the No. 3 pick.

"Not at the start of the season, I don't believe, as of right now," said Brian Windhorst on First Take when asked if Lillard will be on a different team when the 23-24 season begins.

"They publicly haven't sounded like they want to trade him. I can tell you privately the Blazers aren't interested in trading him right now either," added Windhorst. "I have to underline 'right now' because we're in a fluid situation."

Windhorst went on to emphasize how clear Lillard was at the end of the season that he wants the Blazers to make roster moves to improve their chances of competing around him.

"I am hearing nothing," said Windhorst. "Nothing from the Dame side. Nothing from the Blazers' side formally that he doesn't want to be there."

With the Blazers owning the No. 3 pick, they have more optionality with what they can do, but it also could be difficult to give up a player with the type of upside possessed by Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller.

"I don't see it happening right now."

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The Brooklyn Nets currently own the No. 21 and No. 22 picks in next week's draft and are believed to be exploring trade options.

Brooklyn could package both picks to move up into the late lottery or the middle of the first round.

If the Nets were to stay in their position, they would represent a pivot point in the final third of the draft.

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What the Houston Rockets decide to do at No. 4 in the draft could tip their hand on whether they expect to sign James Harden in free agency.

While Harden is expected to choose between the Rockets and Philadelphia 76ers, the momentum for him to return to Houston appears to be slowing down.

ESPN's Jeremy Woo writes that Harden signing with the Rockets has become "a situation that rival teams have come to view as increasingly uncertain in recent weeks."

Harden has recently been described as "torn" between the two franchises. The Sixers parted ways with Doc Rivers and hired Nick Nurse as his replacement as head coach.

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The San Antonio Spurs sent their medical staff to France last week to complete their due diligence on Victor Wembanyama ahead of next week's draft.

"With that successfully out of the way, everything looks on track for him to be the No. 1 pick," writes Jonathan Givony.

Despite Wembanyama's height and slender frame, concerns on his medical future have been fairly minimal.

Wembanyama is still playing in the playoffs in France.

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The Dallas Mavericks are evaluating their trade options with the No. 10 pick and one potential partner could be the Detroit Pistons for Bojan Bogdanovic.

Sources tell ESPN's Jonathan Givony that the Mavericks could trade Tim Hardaway Jr. and the No. 10 pick for Bogdanovic.

The Pistons signed Bogdanovic to a two-year, $39.1 million extension shortly after they acquired him last year from the Utah Jazz. Bogdanovic is signed through 2025.

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The Washington Wizards and Bradley Beal will work together to find a suitable trade should the franchise decide to initiate a rebuild.

Michael Winger has been widely expected to engage on a rebuild as he takes over the Washington front office.

Beal has a no trade clause as part of his five-year, $251 million contract he signed with the Wizards last offseason.

The Miami Heat are expected to be prominent suitors if Beal reaches the market. The Milwaukee Bucks could also get involved in bidding on Beal, though they have a more limited array of assets.

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The Golden State Warriors are pursuing a trade of Jonathan Kuminga for a high draft pick, sources tell ESPN's Jonathan Givony.

Kuminga has received inconsistent playing time and is reportedly interested in a trade from the Warriors if they don't anticipate his minutes increasing next season.

Kuminga was the seventh overall pick in the 2021 draft out of the G League Ignite.

With the Warriors trying to maximize their title window over the short-term and their complicated offensive system, it has been challenging for Kuminga to establish himself despite his obvious talent.

The Warriors also own the No. 19 pick that they can include in a package.

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The New Orleans Pelicans are interested in trading up to draft Scoot Henderson and any deal would almost certainly require the inclusion of either Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram.

A source tells Marc Stein that the Pelicans would consider trading Williamson if it meant they could draft Henderson. The position could mean the Pelicans are broadly at the point where Williamson is no longer untouchable. Williamson has dealt with injury issues throughout his career that could be traced to a lack of commitment to his conditioning. Williamson is entering Year 1 of a five-year, $194.3 million extension.

Stein adds that the Pelicans appear to be "less inclined to consider trading Brandon Ingram" in a deal for Henderson.

In order for the Pelicans to trade up for Henderson, they would have to agree to a trade with either the Charlotte Hornets at No. 2 or Portland Trail Blazers at No. 3. A source tells Stein they don't believe the Hornets would risk taking on Williamson.

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With Victor Wembanyama a lock to be drafted first overall at the 2023 NBA Draft, many say the draft starts with the Charlotte Hornets and the second pick. The Hornets are still deciding how to proceed with that selection a little over a week ahead of the draft.

Charlotte recently held a workout with Scoot Henderson of the G League Ignite. Henderson reportedly showed an impressive level of conditioning, intensity, explosiveness and shot-making. That has him in consideration for the second overall pick, along with Brandon Miller of Alabama.

The Hornets have reportedly done their due diligence around Miller's involvement in a fatal shooting in early-January. That work has helped ease concerns about picking Miller with the second selection. Miller is considered the cleaner positional fit for the Hornets over Henderson.

The Hornets are also expected to consider possible trades for the pick. The New Orleans Pelicans are rumored to be looking at moving up in the draft, with eyes on selecting Henderson.

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The 2023 NBA Draft field is set. The final withdrawal deadline for Early Entry Candidates was June 12. The NBA released that 44 international players and four US-based players withdrew from the draft. That was in addition to 108 players who withdrew ahead of the NCAA withdrawal deadline on May 31.

The leaves 92 total Early Entry Candidates for the 2023 NBA Draft. 84 players are NCAA early entrants and eight come from international leagues.

The 2023 NBA Draft will take place on Thursday, June 22. In this year's draft, 58 total players will be selected, as the Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers both forfeited second-round picks due to tampering. The San Antonio Spurs hold the first overall pick in the draft and are widely expected to select Victor Wembanyama out of France.

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The Nuggets have their core under contract, but do have some luxury tax concerns and financial limitations bringing back Bruce Brown and Jeff Green. Can they use the tax mid-level to replace them? And how will they fill their regular season holes at backup point guard and backup center?

Miami is facing a financial apocalypse at $15 million into the tax before re-signing Max Strus and Gabe Vincent. How can they pare salary, but also go big game hunting with their picks?

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Monty Williams' wife was diagnosed with breast cancer shortly before the Detroit Pistons initially reached out about the team's open head coach role, revealed Williams at his introductory press conference.

"I had a situation, personally, in my family that needed attention. I talked to my wife today about whether or not we should talk about that publicly, but that was a huge part of my decision-making. The patience that Troy and Mr. Gores (Pistons owner Tom Gores) had with me as we navigated that told me a lot," said Williams on Tuesday.

Williams was given access to a health and welfare fund to help with medical expenses not covered by insurance.

Williams also has access to a private jet to travel to Phoenix, where his wife's doctor resides.

Williams signed a six-year, $72 million deal with the Pistons.

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Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets averaged 13.08 million viewers on ABC, representing the highest viewership in four years.

The NBA Finals averaged 11.64 million viewers on ABC, a slight decrease from last year.

The playoffs averaged 5.47 million viewers across ABC, ESPN, and TNT, making it the most-watched playoffs in five years.

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The NBA has extended 19 invitations to attend the 2023 draft and sit in the green room.

First 10 Invites
Victor Wembanyama
Brandon Miller
Scoot Henderson
Amen Thompson
Ausar Thompson
Cameron Whitmore
Jarace Walker
Anthony Black
Taylor Hendricks
Gradey Dick

Second Batch of Invites
Bilal Coulibaly
Cason Wallace
Nick Smith
Dereck Lively II
Kobe Bufkin
Jalen Hood-Schifino
Jett Howard
Jordan Hawkins
Keyonte George

Teams are asked to vote on the top 25 players they expect to hear their names called first.

Four or five more players are expected to still receive invites in the coming days.

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The Atlanta Hawks have hired Ekpe Udoh as assistantcoach under Quin Snyder.

Udoh previously played for Snyder with the Utah Jazz.

Udoh most recently played in Japan.

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Bradley Beal re-signed with the Washington Wizards last offseason on a five-year, $251 million and could be traded this offseason as Michael Winger takes over the front office.

"Last week, Michael Winger, the new president of the Washington Wizards, said he has been given clearance from ownership to do a complete rebuild," said Brian Windhorst on Get Up. "That has left everybody in the league wondering what about the future of Bradley Beal.

"Beal has a unique contract unlike anybody else's in the NBA. He has a no trade clause, which means not only can he decide if he wants to leave the Wizards, but he can decide who and what he is traded for. It makes it extremely to find a deal and Michael Winger has said he has not made up his mind yet, but that indecision has led teams to keep a very close eye on the Wizards as they not only have Beal but big free agents Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis."

Windhorst stressed that neither side is there yet on parting ways, but that Beal and the Wizards will have to be in alignment.

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At the 2022 NBA draft, the Denver Nuggets considered trading up with the Washington Wizards for the No. 10 pick as they targeted Jalen Williams.

Williams was selected 12th overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting.

The Nuggets acquired Kentavious Caldwell-Pope from the Wizards and also used the No. 21 pick on Christian Braun. Braun became a rotation wing for the Nuggets in his own right as a rookie.

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The Denver Nuggets are the favorites to win the 2024 NBA championship at +500, according to odds from BetMGM.

Nuggets: +500
Celtics: +550
Bucks: +600
Suns: +850
Mavericks: +1200
Warriors: +1200
Lakers: +1200
Clippers: +1400
76ers: +1400
Grizzlies: +2000
Heat: +2000
Cavaliers: +2500
Kings: +3000
Pelicans: +3500
Knicks: +4000
Timberwolves: +6600
Thunder: +6600
Hawks: +6600
Raptors: +8000
Nets: +10000
Trail Blazers: +10000
Rockets: +10000
Bulls: +12500
Jazz: +15000
Magic: +15000
Wizards: +15000
Pacers: +15000
Spurs: +20000
Hornets/Pistons: +50000
Pistons: +50000

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The Miami Heat made an offer to the Brooklyn Nets for Kyrie Irving this past February shortly before he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks, sources tell Shams Charania.

The Heat are widely expected to pursue a big star this offseason.

"They made an offer for Kyrie Irving at the deadline, right before he was traded to the Mavericks," said Charania.

The Heat could "circle back" on Irving, added Charania.

Miami would build a trade package around Tyler Herro and their available future first round picks.

Irving is an unrestricted free agent with the Mavericks and any deal to the Heat would require a sign-and-trade.

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The Denver Nuggets have defeated the Miami Heat 94-89 in Game 5 to win the 2023 NBA Finals.

The Nuggets finish their championship run with a 16-4 record. Denver was the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, but their uneven play to close the regular season led to some speculation of whether they were capable of winning a title.

But Nikola Jokic has been the clear best player throughout the playoffs and was particularly dominant in The Finals. Jokic finished the playoffs as the leader in total points, rebounds and assists, which has never happened previously in NBA history. Jokic was also named Finals MVP.

Jamal Murray returned from the torn ACL he suffered in 2021 this season and began to fully regain his form in the playoffs.

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The Phoenix Suns have received trade interest on Chris Paul since it was reported that he would be waived by the team if he remained on the roster at the end of his month when his $30.8 million becomes guaranteed.

"It spurred on a flurry of trade talk and trade calls to Phoenix centered around Chris Paul," said Adrian Wojnarowski ahead of Game 4 of The Finals on Friday.

Some teams could have interest in trading for Paul as a potential trade deadline candidate, while others would like him outright.

Wojnarowski also reports that the Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors could pursue Paul if he becomes a free agent.

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The New Orleans Pelicans are set to "aggressively pursue" Scoot Henderson and hope to trade up to either No. 2 or No. 3.

Henderson and Brandon Miller are the two prospects under consideration for the Charlotte Hornets at No. 2.

The Portland Trail Blazers own the No. 3 pick and are at a franchise crossroads given the desires of Damian Lillard to compete for a title.

The Pelicans own the No. 14 pick plus a number of future first rounders.

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Fred VanVleet has declined his $22.8 million player option with the Toronto Raptors for the 23-24 season.

VanVleet has been expected to test unrestricted free agency this offseason.

VanVleet hasn't ruled out negotiating a new deal and a return to the Raptors.

There are several contending teams interested in VanVleet on a sign-and-trade along with multiple teams with cap space.

VanVleet was a target of trade interest at the deadline and some of those teams could reengage.

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Tyler Herro has been upgraded to questionable for Game 5 and is expected to be in uniform for the Miami Heat in attempt to return.

If Herro doesn't suffer a setback and can manage the discomfort in his right hand, he is expected to play.

Herro has been out since suffering a fracture in Game 1 of Miami's first round series against the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Heat trail the Denver Nuggets 3-1 in The Finals.

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The Golden State Warriors do not appear to be in a rush to shed salary ahead of the start of the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement that contain more punitive penalties for high salary teams.

Sources tell Anthony Slater of The Athletic that the Warriors do not plan to pursue a salary dump trade that is purely about reducing payroll.

There has been speculation that the Warriors could look to trade Poole this offseason. But Poole is not being actively shopped and there is no edict from ownership to cut salary.

The second tax apron doesn't kick in until the 24-25 season when Klay Thompson's $43 million comes off the books.

The Warriors could look to trade Poole, but only if it makes sense for their roster. The Warriors are operating under the assumption that Poole and Draymond Green can continue to play together and that the offseason could help mend the situation.

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Chad Forcier is expected to join Will Hardy's staff with the Utah Jazz, according to Marc Stein of Substack.

Forcier was most recently an assistant under Mike Budenholzer with the Bucks.

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The Houston Rockets are well known to be looking at bringing James Harden back home in free agency. Failing that, the Rockets could possibly pursue Kyrie Irving.

If Houston doesn't land either of their potential star targets, they've got several other veteran free agents in their sights. The Rockets have been linked to Fred VanVleet of the Toronto Raptors, Cam Johnson of the Brooklyn Nets, Dillon Brooks of the Memphis Grizzlies, and Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez, both of the Milwaukee Bucks.

VanVleet and Middleton are both expected to decline player options for next season to become unrestricted free agents. Brooks and Lopez are both scheduled for unrestricted free agency, barring late extensions. That's more likely for Lopez than Brooks, who the Grizzlies publicly said they would be moving on from.

Johnson is the lone restricted free agent of that bunch. With nearly $60 million projected cap space, Houston could put together a large offer sheet to try and pry Johnson away from the Nets.

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The Houston Rockets project to have nearly $60 million in cap space this summer. That's the most in the NBA. It's been widely reported that the Rockets will use a chunk of that space to pursue a reunion with James Harden.

If the Rockets don't sign Harden, they've been linked to a number of other free agents. One prominent player that Houston is considering making a run at is Kyrie Irving.

Irving will be an unrestricted free agent in July, when his contract expires with the Dallas Mavericks. Irving and Dallas are known to have interest in inking a new deal, but Houston could get involved if they miss out on Harden.

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The NBA is considering changing the All-Star Game format. Since 2018, the leading vote-getters from each conference have been named captains and have selected their teams. While this change hoped to make the game more competitive, it hasn't really panned out that way.

One change the NBA is considering is a USA vs The World format. In the past, the league has been resistant, as that would give the approximately 100 international players a much greater chance of landing one of the 12 All-Star spots. That would leave over 300 US-born players competing for 12 spots on the USA side.

The only change under immediate consideration, per NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, is reverting back to the traditional Eastern Conference vs Western Conference format. The 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend will be hosted by the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis in mid-February 2024.

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The Toronto Raptors are hiring Darko Rajakovic as their next head coach. Rajakovic has been an assistant with the Memphis Grizzlies for the past three seasons.

Toronto parted ways with Nick Nurse after five seasons as their head coach following the 2022-23 regular season. Nurse subsequently took the job as the Philadelphia 76ers head coach.

Rajakovic has been a long-time NBA assistant. In addition to working with the Grizzlies, the 44-year-old has been an assistant with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns in the NBA. Rajakovic has also coached in the G League, as well as in Spain and his native Serbia. He's also worked as an assistant with the Serbian National Team.

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Paolo Banchero wants to play on the National Team level at some point. As of now, Banchero remains undecided if he'll play for the United States or for Italy.

Banchero's agent Mike Miller said Banchero wishes he could represent both countries, but that the young forward knows that isn't possible.

"For a youngster like Paolo it is always good to have different options. He would like to play for both national teams, but he knows very well he can't do it. So, he will have to make a decision, but we don't know when it will be. It could take two days or three months. At the moment we are not saying yes or no to the possibility of playing in the World Cup, it will never be a choice against one NT or the other. We will get in touch with Italy, we owe it to them. Paolo has had two meeting with Grant Hill for Team USA. He must ponder well the decision that will have an impact on the player's next 15 to 20 years" Miller said to Sky Sport.

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The Portland Trail Blazers fully intend to build their roster around Damian Lillard. That includes retaining a key free agent and trying to add outside talent.

Reports are that Portland plans to re-sign Grant, as part of their efforts to build around Lillard. Grant averaged 20.5 points with the Blazers last season, while shooting 47.5% overall and 40.1% on three-pointers.

The Trail Blazers have also had interest in trading for Deandre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns in the past. It's unclear if acquiring Ayton could be a part of a deal that sees Portland move on from other players. The Blazers are considering trading Anfernee Simons and the third overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

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The Phoenix Suns haven't made a decision on the future of Chris Paul just yet. The Suns are exploring trades and various options for waiving Paul, should a trade not happen.

While doing that, Phoenix has eyes on other options at the lead guard position. Players linked to the Suns include Immanuel Quickley of the New York Knicks, Payton Pritchard of the Boston Celtics, Davion Mitchell of the Sacramento Kings, as well as Monte Morris of the Washington Wizards and soon-to-be free agent Gabe Vincent of the Miami Heat.

One player the Suns seem to have moved on from is Terry Rozier III of the Charlotte Hornets. While Phoenix has had interest in Rozier in the past, that seems to have waned.

Of the list of players the Suns are reportedly looking at, only Vincent is a free agent. The remainder would all need to be acquired via trade.

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Many around the league do not expect Fred VanVleet or Gary Trent Jr. to return to the Toronto Raptors next season, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. Both players have player options this offseason.

Executives around the league believe that the team will build around Scottie Barnes and young talent.

VanVleet has been linked with a move to the Rockets.

The Raptors are also reportedly down to three candidates for its next head coach.

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The Milwaukee Bucks are adding Nate Mitchell and DJ Bakker to the coaching staff, confirmed Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

Adrian Griffin is also retaining Josh Oppenheimer and Vin Baker for his staff.

Terry Stotts was hired on Griffin's staff last week.

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Grant Williams has undergone surgery on his left hand.

Williams will be a restricted free agent this offseason and is expected to be available for the start of training camp. The Boston Celtics have the ability to match any offer sheet, but they will have luxury tax concerns with both Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum becoming eligible for supermax extensions in coming seasons.

Williams suffered the injury in March.

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The Denver Nuggets have agreed to acquire the least favorable of the first round picks owned by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2024, as well as the 37th pick in the 2023 draft and a 2024 second round pick for a protected 2029 first round pick.

The Thunder previously owned as many as four first round picks in 2024 between their own, as well as from the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz.

Oklahoma City is balancing out when they will have future first round picks, while the Nuggets are looking to maximize their title window and have additional opportunities for lower cost contributors.

Oklahoma City still owns Denver's top-five protected 2027 first-round pick from the JaMychal Green trade last year.

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While speaking on The Dan Patrick Show, Chris Haynes of TNT and Bleacher Report gave insight into where Damian Lillard is with his career. Haynes noted that he's in frequent contact with Lillard after the Portland Trail Blazers star's recent Showtime interview sparked a new round of trade speculation.

When asked where Lillard would want to go if he requested to leave Portland, Haynes said "I'll leave it at the Nets and Miami." Haynes also said that Lillard would not want to go to the Boston Celtics in a trade.

For his part, Lillard took to Instagram Live to clear up some fallout from the Showtime interview. Lillard said he also made it clear during that interview that his preference is to stay with Portland and to compete for a title with the Blazers.

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The Phoenix Suns made waves when news leaked that they plan to move on from Chris Paul on his current contract. The Suns will explore the trade market for Paul but could eventually waive the veteran guard. That could lead to re-signing Paul at a lesser salary or waiving and stretching Paul to create salary cap flexibility.

An option that has emerged is Phoenix making a run at Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden. Harden has a player option for next season that most expect him to decline.

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne said that the Suns going after Harden was "in the wind" over the last month or so. Shelburne also suggested that Phoenix wouldn't waive Paul "unless they feel pretty good about someone else". Harden played his college basketball at Arizona State, and he's known to be close with Suns forward Kevin Durant.

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The Milwaukee Bucks have hired Joe Prunty and Patrick Mutombo on the coaching staff of Adrian Griffin.

Prunty has twice been an interim head coach, first with the Bucks in 2018 and with the Atlanta Hawks this past season.

Mutombo previously worked with Griffin with the Toronto Raptors and was most recently under Monty Williams with the Phoenix Suns.

The Bucks previously hired Terry Stotts as an assistant under Griffin.

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Tyler Herro has still not been cleared to return from a broken right hand and will not play in Game 4.

Herro suffered the injury in Game 1 of the first round.

"This is just part of the process," Erik Spoelstra said. "You have to go through stages. First part of it was just shooting, then movement, then contact versus coaches, and then the next level of contact in practice. He has not been cleared for a game, and he is still not cleared yet."

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The Golden State Warriors face an uncertain offseason with the departure of Bob Myers and the looming second luxury tax apron that creates a more punitive system for teams with payrolls as high as theirs.

But the Warriors appear committed to maximizing the title window around Stephen Curry and are expected to remain as competitive as possible.

"I think the most likely scenario is that the Warriors keep most of this together for at least one more season," writes Tim Kawakami at The Athletic. "That's what Curry wants. His opinion sort of matters."

If the Warriors were to cut payroll, Jordan Poole has become the obvious candidate. The Warriors, however, are not prepared to simply salary dump Poole and would want a trade that would make sense for basketball reasons.

"I don't think the Warriors would have to do a straight money dump if they want to move Poole," writes Kawakami.

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Khris Middleton underwent successful surgery on his right knee shortly after the playoffs to address an issue he played through last season.

Middleton is expected to fully recover from the minor arthroscopic procedure, and he should be back on the court in July.

Following a left wrist surgery last offseason, Middleton missed the first 20 games of the season as he waited for the wrist to heal.

Middleton missed 18 straight games during the middle of the season with knee soreness.

Middleton has until June 21st to make a decision on his $40.4 million player option for the 23-24 season.

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The Phoenix Suns met with Chris Paul and his represenatives on Wednesday to discuss his future with the franchise, including the possibility he could be waived by his June 28th guarantee date.

The Suns insist they're still working through multiple possibilities, including trade opportunities including Paul and Deandre Ayton.

Paul is only guaranteed for $15.8 million of his $30.8 million salary for 23-24.

If Paul is waived, the Suns are expected to stretch the $15.8 million over the next five seasons to create more salary cap space and open up the team's ability to use the $12.2 million taxpayer midlevel.

Paul would still like to return to the Suns.

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The Phoenix Suns have informed Chris Paul that he will be waived, which will allow him to become a free agent this offseason, sources tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

The Suns had until late June to waive Paul with only $15.8 million of his $30.8 million salary next season guaranteed.

Paul's production during the 22-23 season dropped off and he also was injured again during their playoff run. Paul plans to play for several more seasons and hopes to join a championship contender.

Brian Windhorst reported earlier in the week that the Suns could bring Paul back at a number below his $30.8 million salary.

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When Michael Winger was hired by the Washington Wizards, sources told The Athletic that Ted Leonsis autonomy to rebuild the roster if that's the direction he decides is best for the franchise.

The Wizards have long resisted embarking on a rebuild and have been firmly in the middle of the NBA since John Wall's injuries in the 18-19 season.

"We spent hours and hours and hours together on the phone, on Zoom, in person," Winger told The Athletic of Leonsis. "I was really moved by Ted's vision for the team. And I thought to myself, 'He is all about the right things and he's proven he's all about the right things because he's done it with the Caps.' There's a real potential here to be great. There's a real potential here to help these players grow. There's a real potential here to give the fans an enjoyable team."

Many rival executives expect Winger to engage on a full rebuild either this offseason or within the next year. At this time, Winger says he doesn't know which direction he'll go.

Bradley Beal has four years remaining on his five-year, $251 million contract signed last offseason. The deal contains a no-trade clause, which would mean partnering with Beal on a trade if the Wizards decide to take that route. Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma are free agents this offseason.

"The raw, unfiltered truth is, I haven't yet crafted the immediate vision for the franchise," Winger said. "There are a lot of talented and high-character players on the team. I want to get to know them a little bit. The construct of a team isn't just a matter of what is demonstrated on the court. It's not just a matter of the box score. Team dynamics are personal, and I think that I need to understand those things before hatching an actionable plan. And I know that that's not necessarily measurable in this moment. But it is the truth.

"Then the question is, well, are you going to trade Brad? Are you going to keep Brad? I don't know. I would like to meet with Brad. I haven't yet met with Brad. What are you going to do with K.P.? What are you going to do with Kuz? I don't know. They have choices. They have the power of choice, as does Brad. So, what I really want to do is I want to get to know these guys. If the visions align for being competitive and doing things the right way with a little bit of patience, absolutely there's a path forward with them.

"I don't think we're going to be an overnight title contender; that I'm pretty confident about. And so, if they would rather pursue immediate winning, then they probably do have to pursue that somewhere else. But I think that there's a very open dialog, a very open invitation to talk about the future of the team - the near-term future and the long-term future - and see where goals align and see where they don't align."

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Duke forward Dariq Whitehead underwent a second surgery on his right foot. Whitehead is expected to fully recover ahead of NBA training camp this fall.

Whitehead is currently ranked by ESPN as the 26th best player in the 2023 NBA Draft. Whitehead initially had surgery last August. He went on to play 28 games in his lone season with the Blue Devils. He declared as an Early Entry Candidate for the 2023 draft. Whitehead chose to stay in the draft despite the right foot injury and has continued to meet with teams ahead of the draft.

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Damian Lillard wants to win. He ideally wants to do it with the Portland Trail Blazers. Lillard knows that changing teams won't guarantee success, so he'd prefer the Blazers try and build a competitive team themselves.

"I want to have an opportunity to win in Portland," Lillard said. "We got an opportunity, asset-wise, to build a team that can compete. If we can't do that...then it's a separate conversation we would have to have."

The Trail Blazers have the third overall pick at the 2023 NBA Draft. It's been suggested that Portland could package that pick with current players to bring in win-now talent.

Lillard has repeatedly said that has no interest in being a part of a rebuild. But the Portland star has also said he's not at the point of asking for a trade from the only franchise he's ever played for.

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Oh, you thought we covered a lot in the last CBA episode? In this one, Larry Coon and Nate hit on every other key aspect of the new CBA, including:

  • The relaxed trade rules
  • The Melo rule has been changed
  • Sign-and-trade restrictions above the Second Apron, the Kevin Durant rule
  • The modifications to the implied no-trade clause
  • More flexibility in stretching players
  • The details of the new combine requirements and changes to agency pro days
  • New Two-Way contract rules
  • International player payment modifications
  • The playing requirements for league honors

Plus, Larry offers an even better discount for Sports Business Classroom Sign up at SportsBusinessClassroom.com

For more salary-cap analysis in podcasts and Daily Duncs, subscribe to Dunc'd On Prime with our Mock Offseason Sale!

Listen to Nate and Danny live call playoff games via Playback. Bookmark the schedule of games.

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Pooh Jeter announced his retirement from basketball on Tuesday, sources told Marc J. Spears of Andscape.

The 39-year-old is set to become an assistant GM for the Blazers new G League team, as well as a player development coach for the Blazers.

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The Dallas Mavericks are evaluating potential trades for the No. 10 pick in the upcoming draft, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports.

The rumors come on the heels of Kyrie Irving reportedly attempting to recruit LeBron James to the team.

It was also reported that the team are looking to bring in Jeff Hornacek and Jeff Van Gundy as assistant coaches.

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Tyler Herro has been ruled out for Game 3 of the NBA Finals as he recovers from a broken hand.

"We're taking it one day at a time. And I know that sounds like a cliche. He did the practice with the group. He is going to do a full-contact workout after this. We'll evaluate that ... he has not been cleared yet, so that's where we are. But we're encouraged by the work that he's been doing," said Erik Spoelstra on Tuesday.

Herro has been out since suffering the injury in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Bucks.

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Top-30 senior prospect Simeon Wilcher decommitted from North Carolina on Tuesday.

The news comes after top-10 guard Elliot Cadeau announced that he was going to reclassify and play for UNC next season.

Wilcher chose the Tar Heels over Nebraska and Overtime Elite. St. John's is now also expected to be a candidate for Wilcher.

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The free agency of James Harden has long been expected to come down between the Philadelphia 76ers and Houston Rockets, but he is not believed to have made up his mind yet on his decision.

"I don't think he knows, as far as what I know about his mindset, I don't think he totally is there," said Shams Charania on the Ryen Russillo podcast. "We're less than a month out from free agency starting. I really think he's torn with the prospect of staying in Philadelphia or moving on to Houston potentially and returning back to his home. That's where his roots are and his family there of course. They've got upwards of $60 million [in cap space]. They can make even more money available. Close to $70 million in cap space.

"They're going to have a ton of money and I think this is a team in Houston where I do believe they are going to be aggressive in the marketplace, potentially two-year deals, balloon-type deals. I've heard whether it's Dillon Brooks, Brook Lopez, obviously James Harden. They're going to be a team that's going to be trying to beef up that roster. Now, whether that's anywhere from three to five veteran players...

"My sense right now is that James Harden is someone who is torn."

The Sixers fired Doc Rivers this offseason and have hired Nick Nurse as his replacement, which is an element Harden would have to figure out on what that looks like moving forward. Houston

"My sense right now is this is someone that is torn," added Charania. "I think whichever way it goes, it's going to be relatively close. That's why as we get closer to July 1, June 30th, those conversations that he's going to have, as he becomes a free agent, with Nick Nurse and with Daryl Morey, what their vision is for him, what their vision is for that team, what that offer ultimately is going to be versus comparing it to whatever Houston comes with on June 30th or July 1, those are all very important factors. This is a guy that you would assume would sit down with both teams. Philadelphia is going to have a window earlier, potentially going in and scheduling meetings. This is a situation now where we're going to see which way it lands."

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The possibility of Kyrie Irving joining the Los Angeles Lakers appears unlikely at this point, but that doesn't mean it won't be revisited again in the future.

Irving can sign for significantly more money with the Dallas Mavericks than he could with the Lakers.

"I don't think they've shut the door completely on Kyrie coming to the Lakers at some point," said Zach Lowe on his podcast. "Just because it doesn't happen this summer, if it doesn't happen this summer, doesn't mean it can't ever happen. I don't think that door is closed."

Irving reportedly tried to recruit LeBron James to the Mavericks this offseason.

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D'Angel Russell will be a free agent this offseason after an uneven playoff run with the Los Angeles Lakers that has led some to believe they will let him move on in free agency.

Russell's market is an open question as he comes off his four-year, $117 million contract signed with the Golden State Warriors in 2019. For some of Russell's flaws, he does eat up minutes during the regular season as a playmaker.

"I actually think there are corners of the organization that would still like D'Angelo Russell back just because they have a void at that position," said Zach Lowe on his podcast. "They need a point guard."

While the Lakers could be open to re-signing Russell, it does appear evident he is lower on their list of priorities than Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura.

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The Portland Trail Blazers have given the impression to inquiring teams that Shaedon Sharpe is unavailable in any trade scenario this offseason, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo. The Blazers are evaluating their trade options with the No. 3 overall pick as they try to rebuild around Damian Lillard.

The Blazers selected Sharpe with the seventh overall pick in the 2022 draft.

Sharpe averaged 9.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 22.2 minutes as a rookie.

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Khris Middleton could become a free agent this offseason if he declines his $40.4 million player option, but he was an active participant in the Milwaukee Bucks' coaching search.

Middleton was included during meetings with Milwaukee's final coaching candidates.

Middleton's participation is a signal there is mutual interest in him remaining with the Bucks over the long-term, according to league executives.

The Bucks re-signed Middleton in 2019 on a five-year, $178 million deal.

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The Houston Rockets have interest in Fred VanVleet, Brook Lopez, Cam Johnson and Dillon Brooks in free agency.

The Rockets will also pursue James Harden with VanVleet viewed as a potential secondary option if Harden re-signs with the Sixers.

The Nets have postured that they will match any offer sheet Johnson signs in restricted free agency, which makes Brooks a more realistic candidate to actually join the Rockets.

The Rockets have over $60 million in cap space and want to add a table-setting point guard along with upgrades on the wing and at center.

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If LeBron James were to ever consider leaving the Los Angeles Lakers, sources say he would be "intrigued" by the possibility of joining the Dallas Mavericks.

James is a well documented admirer of Luka Doncic and maintains close relationships with both Jason Kidd and Jared Dudley.

James has made Los Angeles his home and his son, Bronny James, will play at USC this season. James has expressed a desire to play with Bronny at some point in the NBA.

James can become a free agent in 2024.

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Sunday's Game 2 of the 2023 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets matched the Game 2 average audience from last year - Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics - with 11,910,000 viewers, according to Nielsen.

The broadcast peaked in the 10:15 p.m. ET quarter hour with 15,256,000 viewers.

The series is tied 1-1 with Game 3 set for Wednesday in Miami.

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Phil Knight has interest in purchasing the Portland Trail Blazers, but he has been unable to engage Jody Allen, according to a report from Rachel Bachman of the Wall Street Journal.

Jody Allen is managing the estate of her late brother Paul Allen, including the Blazers and the Seattle Seahawks.

Knight has partnered with Alan Smolinisky on purchasing the Blazers and submitted a $2 billion written offer to buy the franchise last year. Knight and Smolinisky would like to buy the Blazers and also develop the land around the Moda Center.

Knight and Smolinisky reached out again this year expressing a desire to discuss buying the Blazers with a willingness to raise their offer.

Allen's camp responded that the Blazers and Seahawks remain off the market.

John Canzano reports in response to the Wall Street Journal article that Jody Allen is collecting a management fee to be trustee of Paul Allen's estate and could be slow playing a sale of his assets for that reason. With the Blazers worth approximately $3 billion, Jody Allen could possibly collect approximately $100 million per year on the team's value alone.

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Anthony Davis becomes eligible for a contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers this August worth approximately $167 million over three seasons. Davis signed a five-year, $190 million contract with the Lakers during the 2020 offseason following their championship.

There are differing views whether the Lakers intend to sign Davis to an extension or wait until 2024 to settle his future.

"Certainly, the Lakers' thinking ever since they acquired Anthony Davis is that it's an Anthony Davis, LeBron James combo deal," said Dave McMenamin on ESPNLA on Monday. "With LeBron James only under contract for sure for another year with a player option the following year. And with him openly contemplating retirement at this stage of his career... As great as Anthony Davis is and I really think he's a great player. I think he re-proved himself to a lot of people outside in the basketball world and inside the building in El Segundo with his efforts this past year. Especially coming back from his foot injury.

"But you just don't do it. You play out this year with him. You see where things stand with him and LeBron. Obviously, then you risk the second year he has left, he can opt out and leave as a free agent. But, listen, I've said this many times, the best thing about the Lakers' trade for Dwight Howard was not re-signing Andrew Bynum to a long-term deal. And not getting anything out of it.

"You hope Anthony Davis stays healthy and you get the best out of him next year. But I don't think they're going to be in a position to be interested in a long-term extension for him this summer."

Brian Windhorst reported on Monday, however, that the Lakers will prioritize extending Davis in August when he becomes eligible.

"They do not want him messing with free agency in 2024," said Windhorst. "That's a primary offseason thing for the Lakers. Get Anthony Davis locked down. Past even when LeBron James is signed for."

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Reports from The Athletic and Bleacher Report on Monday indicated that Kyrie Irving has been trying to recruit LeBron James to join him with the Dallas Mavericks.

"This is a non-story," said Dave McMenamin on ESPNLA on Monday. "If LeBron James had a different contract situation, perhaps we could begin to get into it. By me saying it's a non-story, of course The Athletic and Bleacher Report are not making up what they're printing. But what they're being told, clearly, this is not coming from LeBron James' side of things. This is a one-man operation. This is from the Kyrie Irving camp."

The parties involved lack the ability for James to join the Mavericks in any realistic way.

"Clearly, people who are close to Kyrie Irving want this out there for a reason," said McMenamin. That reason hasn't shown itself quite yet."

McMenamin also indicated he checked in with sources from both the Mavericks and the Lakers with both sides communicating that there is not any machinations in the works involving this scenario.

"LeBron James had absolutely nothing to do with this story," added McMenamin.

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The Orlando Magic have waived guard Jayden Scrubb from his two-way contract. Scrubb signed a two-year, two-way deal with the Magic last season.

Scrubb only appeared in two games with Orlando last season, but excelled with the Lakeland Magic of the G League. The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 23.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game for Lakeland.

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Victor Wembanyama is a lock to be selected first overall by the San Antonio Spurs at the 2023 NBA Draft. The first overall pick's NBA debut usually comes at Las Vegas Summer League, but that might not be the case this year.

The Spurs are one of six teams scheduled to play in the California Classic Summer League, hosted by the Sacramento Kings. The Spurs and Kings will join the Charlotte Hornets, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat in the two-day league held on July 3 and 5.

Wembanyama and the Spurs are scheduled to take on the Charlotte Hornets, who hold the second pick in the draft. That game scheduled for July 3 at 8:00 PM ET could see the first and second overall picks make their unofficial NBA debuts.

As for the NBA themselves, Adam Silver said they have no issue if Wembanyama debuts in Sacramento, as opposed to Las Vegas.

"All summer leagues are NBA Summer Leagues," Silver told The Associated Press. "I'm very supportive of the Sacramento summer league. I remember when (Kings owner Vivek Ranadive) first came to the league and said this was something he wanted to do. I said, 'As long as you have enough other teams who support it and players who want to play in it, it's a good thing.'"

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The Los Angeles Lakers remain uninterested in adding Kyrie Irving this offseason, sources told Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

The rumors come after reports that Irving is attempting to recruit LeBron James to the Mavs.

Marc Stein added that Irving is looking shut down rumors that he wants to join the Lakers and wants to stay with the Mavs.

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Josh Hart told Taylor Rooks that he'll probably opt out of his option and become a free agent, though he hopes to re-sign with the New York Knicks.

"We'll probably decline (the option) and do the free agency time," Hart told Rooks.

Hart added that he hopes to get a deal done with the Knicks early in free agency.

"I love New York. I love the team. I love the coaching staff, the front office that we have, we have young guys, draft picks, all those sorts of things. I mean, obviously that would be an ideal place for me to just re-sign there ... so, fingers crossed that when free agency starts, I'll say a deal will get done hopefully in the first day or two," said Hart.

Hart could reportedly command a deal approaching $18 million per season.

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Brandon Ingram and Jaren Jackson Jr. committed to Team USA for this summer's World Cup, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The two players are expected to join Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Haliburton, Mikal Bridges, Anthony Edwards, Austin Reaves, and Bobby Portis on the team.

The roster will be finalized sometime in June.

Team USA opens the World Cup against New Zealand on August 26.

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A report indicating that Kyrie Irving is recruiting LeBron James to join him with the Dallas Mavericks has led to some speculation that it could be a ploy to actually get himself to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Due to the implausibility of James joining the Mavericks, it was posited in some corners that Irving could be seeking a series of machinations that get him to the Lakers.

But two sources close to the process insisted to Marc Stein of Substack on Monday that Irving has "consistently expressed a desire to remain a Maverick and actually wants to shut down the notion that he's angling to get to L.A."

"He wants to stay," said one source.

For their part, the Mavericks have not wavered from their wish to re-sign Irving in free agency.

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The Phoenix Suns have agreed to hire David Fizdale as an assistant coach.

Fizdale most recently worked in the front office of the Utah Jazz as an associate general manager.

Fizdale was a longtime assistant coach with the Miami Heat before becoming a head coach with the Memphis Grizzlies and New York Knicks.

Fizdale was an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers under Frank Vogel for one season. Fizdale also has close ties with James Jones from their time together with the Miami Heat.

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The Washington Wizards have agreed to hire Will Dawkins as the No. 2 executive of the front office under Michael Winger.

Dawkins is a longtime executive with the Oklahoma City Thunder, where Winger previously worked before he joined the Los Angeles Clippers. Dawkins was also a candidate for the job that went to Winger.

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Deandre Ayton has been an expected trade candidate this offseason, but the decision by the Phoenix Suns to replace Monty Williams as head coach with Frank Vogel has improved the odds he remains with the franchise.

Ayton is beginning the second season of his four-year, $133 million deal.

"I think there's a better chance than people think," said Brian Windhorst of Ayton remaining with the Suns.

"I think the chances went up by a non-trivial amount with the hiring of Frank Vogel, who has a good track record with centers," replied Zach Lowe.

"I think part of the reason why Frank Vogel got the job is because when he came in he had an idea of what to do with Deandre Ayton," said Windhorst. "It does not mean it's going to work. They obviously, as an organization, have a complicated relationship there. They did not want to pay him the max. For the last year, he was in an adversarial relationship with his coach."

"I've heard Mat Ishbia has a fondness for Deandre Ayton. I'm not sure how true that is, but I've heard he likes his game," added Lowe.

"I know this, they will not start the season with the coach and the player not liking each other," said Windhorst alluding the acrimony between Ayton and Williamson. "Maybe they will get there by January 15th, but they are not there now."

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Chris Paul is due $30.8 million next season with the Phoenix Suns, but his contract is only guaranteed for $15.8 million. If the Suns were to release Paul, they could stretch the $15.8 million to create some level of cap flexibility.

But the Suns could also keep Paul at a lower number in order to keep him while allowing the roster to be added upon.

"I think the Suns have a little bit more than meets the eye, depending on how they handle the Chris Paul situation," said Brian Windhorst on his podcast on Sunday.

"What do you mean by that? Like if they trade Chris Paul and what they get for him?" replied Zach Lowe.

"There are other things to do besides trading Chris Paul," answered Windhorst.

"Stretch Chris Paul?" asked Lowe.

"There are other things that can be done," said Windhorst.

"I might be dumb, but I think Chris Paul is still good," added Lowe.

"I think Chris Paul will be a Sun next year, but what if he's a Sun and they don't have to pay him $30 million," said Windhorst.

"I see," said Lowe.

Paul re-signed with the Suns during the 2021 offseason on a four-year, $120 million contract.

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Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Finals on ABC averaged 11,580,000 viewers across ABC and ESPN2. It peaked with 12,784,000 viewers in the 10:30 p.m. ET quarter hour, according to Nielsen.

The Denver Nuggets beat the Miami Heat 104-93.

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Scoot Henderson is "very interested" in being drafted second overall by the Charlotte Hornets, sources tell Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Henderson grew up in Marietta, Georgia, so playing for the Hornets would allow him to remain close to his hometown.

Henderson also views being selected No. 3 by the Portland Trail Blazers and being mentored by Damian Lillard as "an attractive option."

There is a belief that Henderson, Lillard and Shaedon Sharpe could play together.

The Hornets are also considering Brandon Miller at No. 2.

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The Denver Nuggets acquired Kentavious Caldwell-Pope from the Washington Wizards last offseason, but they previously pursued a trade for him at the 2022 trade deadline.

There was a three-way trade discussed that also involved the Oklahoma City Thunder that would have sent Caldwell-Pope to the Nuggets in time for last year's playoffs.

The Nuggets traded Monte Morris and Will Barton as part of the package for Caldwell-Pope.

"You have to have positionless guys, guys who can contain the ball and make shots," Calvin Booth told Yahoo Sports. "Everybody wants two-way players, but [Jokić] likes to play with guys who know how to play basketball the right way."

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Matas Buzelis, the projected first overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, has signed with G League Ignite for next season. Buzelis is a Chicago native who holds United States and Lithuanian citizenship.

This season, Buzelis played at Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas, after transferring from Brewster Academy in New Hampshire. He won the Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year award for 2023, after winning the same award for New Hampshire the year prior.

The 18-year-old forward has measured in at 6-foot-10. Buzelis will look to follow the same path that led Jalen Green to being a high pick after playing with the Ignite. Scoot Henderson is a projected top-three pick in the 2023 draft, after he played two season for the Ignite.

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Nikola Vucevic and the Chicago Bulls have opened discussions on a contract extension.

Vucevic will become an unrestricted free agent if an extension isn't agreed upon by June 30th.

The Bulls can offer an extension worth up to approximately $118 million over four seasons.

Chicago traded for Vucevic in 2021 when they sent Wendell Carter Jr., the first round pick that became Franz Wagner and the 11th overall pick this year.

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New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas knows this past season didn't go the way he or the team wanted. But Valanciunas is still high on his team and would like to remain in New Orleans.

"I would like to stay and extend my contract," Valanciunas said. "Obviously, during the season, you try to help the team as much as possible, but when the summer comes, you try to take care of your own things - how to extend the contract and stuff."

The veteran center also said he expects there to be changes, after the Pelicans disappointing season.

"We had some talks with them. I think this summer won't be easy for them, because they will have to make a few key decisions. Our season didn't go as planned, so there will definitely be changes," Valanciunas said.

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Team USA will play an exhibition game against Puerto Rico on August 7 as preparation for the FIBA World Cup this summer.

The game will conclude a week-long training camp for Team USA at UNLV.

Team USA will play five exhibition games in the lead up to the World Cup in August.

Team USA finished in seventh place at the last World Cup in 2019.

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North Carolina transfer Caleb Love committed to Arizona on Tuesday.

Love initially committed to Michigan, though he decommitted due to an admissions issue related to transferring credits.

"We look forward to helping Caleb grow his game at Arizona. And as we near the completion of the roster for the upcoming season, we feel great about how everything has come together.

"Now it's time for the real work to start," said Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd.

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The New Orleans Pelicans are set to restructure its player care and performance team this offseason, sources told Christian Clark of Nola.com.

Aaron Nelson, previously of the Suns, has been in charge of the department for four years.

Under his watch, the team has finished seventh, 27th, 20th, and seventh in games lost due to injury.

Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram combined to miss 90 games last season, which reportedly included frustration about Ingram's lost time.

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Scott Perry will leave the New York Knicks with his contract set to expire.

Perry joined the front office of the Knicks in 2017 and spanned multiple front office regimes from Steve Mills to Leon Rose. Perry was hired by the Knicks after he had a brief three-month stint with the Sacramento Kings.

Perry's voice diminished over time with William Wesley and Gerrson Rosas taking prominent roles.

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Joe Lacob admitted he didn't understand the decision by Bob Myers to step down as president and general manager of the Golden State Warriors.

"I'm not going to sit here and tell you I understand it because I don't," Lacob said as he sat beside Myers.

"But it's really not for me to understand why. I just want him to be happy," Lacob continued.

"The bottom line is, this job, the one I'm in ... requires complete engagement, a complete effort, a thousand percent, and if you can't do it, then you shouldn't do it," Myers said. "So that's the answer to the question of why. I can't do that to our players. I can't do that to Joe and Peter [Guber]. Really, I can't do it to myself. And that's the question I've been wrestling with."

Lacob wouldn't address any clear plans for Myers' successor during Tuesday's news conference. Mike Dunleavy Jr. is expected to have a prominent role moving forward.

"[Dunleavey is] as good a GM, if he wants it, it will be great," Myers said.

"I will say that we do have a very strong organization, and there's a good possibility it could be an internal candidate," Lacob said. "But haven't made a decision, so can't really give you an answer. We are going to work on that."

Hiring a prominent outside candidate could be difficult due to the family dynamic with Lacob's sons having major roles within the front office.

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The Boston Celtics and Jaylen Brown can agree to a supermax contract extension this offseason. Brown was a second team All-NBA selection this season, which made him eligible for a supermax contract for up to 35 percent of the cap.

"In talking to people on both sides, I think there's a very good chance they're going to find ground on that," said Brian Windhorst on his podcast.

Brown is currently scheduled to become a free agent in 2024.

If Brown signs a supermax this offseason, he would be ineligible for trade for one calendar year.

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The Phoenix Suns have narrowed their head coaching search down to Doc Rivers, Frank Vogel and Kevin Young, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports.

The Suns are searching for a replacement for Monty Williams.

Phoenix also was considering Nick Nurse for the position, but he accepted the same job with the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.

Young is an assistant coach with the Suns and is reportedly a favorite of Devin Booker.

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Elliot Cadeau, the No. 10 prospect in the 2024 ESPN 100 rankings, has reclassified to enroll at North Carolina as part of the 2023 recruiting class.

Cadeau will be eligible for the 2024 draft should he declare.

"I think I'm ready," Cadeau said. "I think that I can play in college in a couple of months. There's no reason to stay in high school, because I can hang with college players right now."

Cadeau said the decision was also motivated by his desire to reach the NBA more quickly.

"My goal was always to be one and done," he said. "Reclassing doesn't change that. It's definitely my end goal -- to be in the draft as soon as possible -- but this takes pressure off me to be one and done and gives me the option of staying two years if needed."

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Robert Williams threw up during Game 7 as he's been battling a stomach virus.

Williams played in only 14 minutes in the game though he scored eight points on 4-for-5 shooting with six rebounds.

Williams appeared in 35 games during the 22-23 season as he returned from offseason knee surgery.

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Bob Myers has stepped down as president and general manager of the Golden State Warriors. Myers' contract was set to expire at the end of June.

"It's just time," Myers told ESPN.

Myers had been with the Warriors for 12 years and is unsure of his next steps professionally. Myers was offered a contract by the Warriors for him to stay that would have made him one of the highest paid executives in the NBA.

With Myers' departure, Warriors owner Joe Lacob is expected to seek more prominent roles for his son, Kirk, an executive VP of Basketball Operations, and VP of Basketball Operations Mike Dunleavy Jr.

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The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to terms with Nick Nurse to be the franchise's next head coach. Nurse was previously the head coach of the Toronto Raptors.

In five seasons leading the Raptors, Nurse went 227-163 in the regular season. His teams made the playoffs three times and won the NBA Finals in 2019.

The Sixers fired Doc Rivers after three seasons as their head coach. Rivers went 154-82 and made the playoffs in all three seasons in Philadelphia. However, Rivers' 76ers teams failed to advance past the second round in any of those three seasons.

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Golden State Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers is notably working without a contract that extends past this season. Myers and the Warriors have been unable to agree to terms to extend his deal over the past several months.

The sense some are getting is that Myers is poised to leave Golden State later this week. Myers reportedly wouldn't be leaving over money or relationships. The Warriors (players and non-players) all want Myers back, and they are willing to pay handsomely to retain him.

Myers is reportedly looking to take a break from the NBA. He's run the Warriors front office for the last nine seasons and could be looking to step back from the NBA for a while. Should that happen, Golden State is expected to promote Mike Dunleavy Jr. to run the team's basketball operations.

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The 2023 NBA Draft is less than a month away. With the combine in the rearview mirror, teams are hosting player workouts. It's also the time when draft trade chatter picks up.

The Indiana Pacers, who hold three picks in the first round of the draft, are reportedly looking at trading up. Indiana is looking into packaging the #7, #26 and #29 picks together to move up in the first round.

The Pacers are continuing the rebuild their roster around a core that includes Tyrese Haliburton, an extended Myles Turner and roster and cap flexibility. Indiana could have over $27 million in cap space this summer.

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Ricky Rubio has started to think about the end of his career. While on a podcast in his native Spain, Rubio said he's started considering ending his career back home.

"I am starting to consider my return," Rubio said. "Going home. To Barcelona. Close to home."

Rubio previously played for Barcelona prior to joining the NBA in 2011. He's played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns and Cleveland Cavaliers during his 12-year NBA career. Rubio's current contract with the Cavs is what he's focused on completing before considering a return to Spain.

"I have two years left on my contract. Maybe one," Rubio said. "We will see."

The final season for Rubio in 2024-25 is partially guaranteed. His deal for this coming season is fully guaranteed.

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C.J. McCollum was a recent guest on The Ryen Russillo Show. Among the topics McCollum and the eponymous host discussed was Zion Williamson. McCollum detailed how he and other teammates have told Williamson that his career is up to him now.

"I've had serious conversations with him on multiple occasions," McCollum said. "Not just me, Larry (Nance Jr.). I've told him, 'You can be as good as you wanna be, and that's not for everybody'. The level of the best version of him is a level that everybody can't get to."

McCollum said he's told Williamson that only he can want to be the dominant force he's been during brief periods of his career.

"Your ceiling is unlike anything the NBA has ever seen," McCollum said he's told Williamson. "But it's up to you to take full advantage of whatever that is. I can't want it for you. Mom can't want it for you. Dad can't want it for you. Staff can't want it for you. So, it's up to you to decide what that looks like. You've got to figure out what you want to do with this game, because this game will go where you take it."

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Nick Nurse reportedly pulled out of consideration for the Milwaukee Bucks' head coaching job before they hired Adrian Griffin this weekend.

Nurse is also a candidate for the Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns. Nurse is considering his options after meeting with both teams this past week.

Nurse previously worked with Daryl Morey and finds the prospect of reuniting enticing, sources tell Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

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Jordi Fernandez has emerged has an intriguing candidate in the coaching search of the Toronto Raptors.

Fernandez is currently associate coach with the Sacramento Kings under Mike Brown.

Fernandez previously spent six seasons as an assistant coach with the Denver Nuggets under Michael Malone.

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The NBA's Last Two Minute Report from the Boston Celtics' Game 6 win over the Miami Heat found no issues with the foul call against Al Horford on Jimmy Butler's three-point attempt with three seconds remaining.

The play had been controversial as referees moved the clock from 2.1 seconds to 3.0 seconds, which gave Derrick White enough time to convert his put back layup at the buzzer.

The other debate about the Butler play was over whether he double dribbled after losing the ball. The report said he did not, explaining that Butler "fumbles the ball out of his control when he ends his dribble, then recovers it and legally attempts a field goal."

Put of 32 items the league reviewed from the final two minutes, there were just two missed call, which both favored the Heat.

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Boston somehow wins a game that was an all-time classic in its own right, not to mention it gives them a chance to become the first team to come back from a 3-0 deficit.

We go through the craziness of this game that preceded the last few minutes, before a thorough breakdown of the insanity leading up to Derrick White's final tip.

Also, what the heck do we expect to be the key strategic themes of an unprecedented Game 7?

Finally, we discuss some key hirings including Adrian Griffin in Milwaukee and Michael Winger in Washington.

Four more episodes with Nate & Danny per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime, plus it's the only place to hear John Hollinger & Nate as well! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

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Sasha Vezenkov is wrapping up a great season with Olympiacos in Greece. That productive year has many thinking Vezenkov is ready to make the leap to the NBA.

The EuroLeague MVP said he's not ready to make that decision just yet.

"I'm only thinking about how to become the champions of Greece and what will be the right decision for me at this moment," Vezenkov said. "Nobody knows what will happen in a few years, so I will decide how to continue when the time comes."

The Sacramento Kings retain Vezenkov's NBA rights. The Kings acquired Vezenkov's draft rights at the 2022 NBA Draft, when they sent a draft pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers that later became Isaiah Mobley.

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The Dallas Mavericks' intent remains to re-sign Kyrie Irving in free agency this summer. There has been considerable speculation that Irving could head to the Los Angeles Lakers, but that would require the Mavs support to make that happen.

Los Angeles is unlikely to be able to create the requisite cap space to sign Irving. That would mean a sign-and-trade deal would have to be in place to get Irving to the Lakers.

The Mavericks reportedly have no interest in acquiring D'Angelo Russell in a dual sign-and-trade deal, where Russell is the primary player headed to Dallas. That makes it difficult to see how the Lakers would be able to match the salary to bring in Irving, outside of a three-team trade.

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The Milwaukee Bucks are progressing forward to hiring Adrian Griffin as their next head coach. Milwaukee fired former coach Mike Budenholzer following their elimination from the playoffs at the hands of the 8th-seeded Miami Heat.

Griffin has been an assistant coach for the last 15 seasons. Griffin started his coaching career with the Bucks in the 2008-09 season. He's spent the last five seasons as an assistant under Nick Nurse with the Toronto Raptors.

Griffin had a nine-year NBA player career. He played for the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Chicago Bulls and Seattle SuperSonics during his NBA career.

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Brandon Miller met with several teams to do interviews ahead of the 2023 NBA Draft. During those interviews, Miller was unwilling to answer questions about his pending legal situation.

Miller provided the teams he met with a document from his lawyers. He stated that document explains everything those teams need to know, and that he wouldn't be talking about it further. That approach has left teams frustrated. ESPN's Jonathan Givony said that the Charlotte Hornets and Portland Trail Blazers, holders of the second and third picks in the draft, still have questions that need to be answered.

Miller was allegedly present at the site of the murder of a woman. Miller allegedly delivered a gun to a former Alabama teammate that has been charged with capital murder. Miller hasn't been charged with anything related to the crime.

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Kyrie Irving recently told his followers on social media that speculation about his next team is a waste of time. Irving said that any announcements about his free agency will come directly from him.

That hasn't stopped the speculation that Irving could head to the Los Angeles Lakers, potentially as part of a sign-and-trade transaction. However, the Dallas Mavericks have no plans to assist another team in acquiring Irving.

The Mavs can still offer Irving the best deal, in terms of total salary and contract length. And when Dallas acquired the veteran guard at last season's trade deadline, they did so with the intention of re-signing Irving this summer.

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Gabe Vincent was listed as questionable for Saturday's Game 6 against the Boston Celtics due to a sprained ankle.

Vincent, who suffered the injury in Game 4, did not play in Game 5.

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The Atlanta Hawks hired Igor Kokoskov to be Quin Snyder's top assistant, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Kokoskov previously worked with Snyder at Missouri and with the Jazz.

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The Toronto Raptors appear to be at a crossroads with their roster and that is manifesting itself with their continued search for a new head coach. The Raptors appear to be considering whether they should attempt to be competitive immediately by keeping their roster together, or if it would make sense to trade away some of their pieces to rebuild around Scottie Barnes.

Fred VanVleet is an unrestricted free agent, while OG Anunoby has been one of the NBA's most popular trade candidates over the past two transaction cycles as he enters the final season of his contract.

"So I think you have a fascinating situation happening in Toronto right now," said Brian Windhorst on his podcast. "And the reason it is fascinating is in talking to folks that have been in touch with the Raptors recently, the Raptors don't seem to know which direction they're going to take. Whether or not they are going to focus on re-signing Fred VanVleet, extending Pascal Siakam, potentially making other roster upgrades. Or whether or not they're going to send Fred VanVleet in a sign-and-trade, maybe investigate moving other players be it OG Anunoby or Pascal Siakam."

The Raptors also had a similar dilemma at the trade deadline, but stayed pat with their core while adding Jakob Poeltl.

"I think they're kind of back there," said Windhorst.

"They've been in this holding pattern for a while, basically," replied Tim MacMahon.

"They've interviewed a bunch of different coaches and it's not clear which way they're going to go. They probably have to make a decision about whether or not they're going to keep these guys together and that is going to influence the kind of coach you hire."

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There are currently three head coaching vacancies amongst teams that were top-4 seeds in the playoffs in the Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns and Philadelphia 76ers in what has become an unusual coaching cycle.

With the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement taking effect with the expectation that roster construction will be more restrictive amongst existing contenders, there will be an even greater competitive advantage for head coaches who are able to get the most of their roster.

"One of the reasons I think teams are making these moves is they're sort of forecasting that with the new rules that are coming into effect, it's going to be harder to assemble huge groups of talent," said Brian Windhorst on his podcast. "There is a feeling in the league there's going to be more parity. Like we saw this year already without the new rules. So if you have parity, coaching takes on an even more important role. So these teams are making moves and trying to jostle position.

"These are really huge, big decisions that are going to affect the next short-term here, especially in Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Phoenix."

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Keyontae Johnson has been cleared by the NBA's Fitness to Play panel, which will make him eligible for the NBA draft.

Johnson had been previously diagnosed with a heart condition while at Florida before resuming his career at Kansas State.

Johnson is a projected late first or early second round pick.

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LeBron James is expected to return to the Los Angeles Lakers next season, a source close to James told ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

James floated the possibility of retirement following the Lakers' Game 4 loss in the Western Conference Finals to the Denver Nuggets.

James faces an offseason with a potential surgery and an uncertain roster.

James will be entering his 21st NBA season if he continues to play.

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The NBA's Competition Committee is discussing giving teams a second and final challenge if their first one is ruled successful beginning next season.

When teams win currently a successful challenge, they are given back their timeout but are not given an additional challenge.

There have been concerns that giving coaches the ability to have two challenges would increase the length of games, particularly since there will be an incentive to use the first challenge under a system where a second one is given if successful.

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LeBron James could undergo surgery this offseason to repair a torn tendon in his left foot.

James would face a two-month rehabilitation period if he undergoes surgery, which would still allow him to be ready for the start of training camp.

James missed a month during the regular season because of the torn tendon in his right foot.

On March 26th, James returned from the injury and was able to help lead the Los Angeles Lakers to the Western Conference Finals.

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The Boston Celtics comfortably win Game 5 to push Miami to a third closeout game, this time at home. Why was Boston able to win the last 6 quarters so comfortably, and will it travel? What has changed so remarkably in this series?

Then our first draft scouting report on Brandon Miller. What do we know about his possible involvement in the alleged capital murder by a teammate in Tuscaloosa, and what effect should it have on his draft stock?

On the floor, how does Miller compare with the elite wing prospects of the past few drafts, and would it make sense to take him as high as number 2?

For all six Dunc'd On Prime episodes per week, including one with John Hollinger, subscribe with our Mock Offseason Sale!

Listen to Nate and Danny live call playoff games via Playback. Bookmark the schedule of games.

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The New York Knicks attempted to acquire Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt at the trade deadline in a deal with the Utah Jazz that would have sent out Evan Fournier, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo.

The Knicks previously pursued Beasley in 2020 when he was a restricted free agent.

Gersson Rosas, who is now with the New York front office, signed Beasley to a four-year, $60 million deal when he was running the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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D'Angelo Russell was reportedly looking for a four-year extension worth around $100 million when he was with the Minnesota Timberwolves, sources told Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports.

Russell was acquired by the Lakers in February. He struggled in the playoffs and scored just 25 points total in the Lakers series against the Nuggets.

Despite the struggles, sources added that Russell was viewed as a positive presence around the team.

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Contract extension discussions between Josh Hart and the New York Knicks are expected to approach $18 million per season, sources told Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports.

Hart was acquired by the Knicks from the Blazers in February.

It was reported earlier this month that Hart's return to the Knicks was seen as "inevitable" by rival teams.

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LeBron James is re-evaluating whether to undergo surgery to repair a tendon in his foot, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

James suffered the injury in late February.

James would be out for two months should he elect to have the surgery.

Charania added that James considering retirement after the Lakers got knocked out of the playoffs caught many of his inner circle by surprise.

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The Detroit Pistons met with Kevin Ollie on Thursday and will meet with Charles Lee on Friday, sources told Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports.

Jarron Collins is no longer in the running to be the next Pistons coach.

It was revealed earlier this week that Monty Williams turned down an opportunity to coach the team.

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Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) and draft expert Sam Vecenie of The Athletic and the Game Theory podcast (@Sam\_Vecenie) go in-depth on the 2023 NBA Draft.

They discuss how why the lottery results created a more compelling top of the Draft, the Thompson twins, their preliminary prospect tiers and much more.

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Will Dawkins has emerged as a strong candidate to join Michael Winger in the front office of the Washington Wizards.

Winger worked with Dawkins in the Oklahoma City Thunder front office.

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The NBA's Competition Committee will discuss a potential in-game penalty for flops that would result in a technical free throw.

The league could run a trial of the plan during Summer League.

The NBA has stopped fining players for flopping penalties in recent seasons.

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Gabe Vincent has been ruled out by the Miami Heat for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals at the Boston Celtics.

Vincent suffered an ankle injury during the second half of Game 4.

The Heat enter Game 5 with a 3-1 series lead.

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With Boston winning Game 4, what are their chances against Miami?

What is going to happen with all these prime coaching vacancies and prime coaches available? We assess the quality of the openings and the candidates. Plus, what do we think of the calls to fire Joe Mazzulla.

Then, a look back on some of the key coaching questions of the playoffs, and we pick a playoff MVP and first-team all playoffs.

Finally, John discusses some of the topics discussed at the NBA combine.

For every Hollinger & Duncan episode, five additional ad-free episodes per week from Nate and Danny and much more, subscribe to Dunc'd On Prime with our Mock Offseason Sale!

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Kyrie Irving took to Instagram Live on Wednesday and talked about his upcoming free agency. Irving made sure fans would know that any news about his career would come directly from him.

"If you hear something about my career, it's going to happen direct like this," Irving said. "I am an independent agency. It's just me."

Irving said he's in no rush to make a decision about where he'll play next. He'll officially become an unrestricted free agency on July 1, with the negotiating window opening at 6:00 PM ET on June 30.

Irving again stressed that he's going to be the one to give updates on his future, and no one else.

"When they speak on my name talking about potential teams, can y'all please stop paying attention to that?" Irving asked.

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In an appearance on ESPN's Pardon the Interruption, Brian Windhorst said the Philadelphia 76ers do not want to pay James Harden the maximum that they are allowed in free agency.

"The 76ers have not shown an appetite to pay Harden the max; that's why they asked him to take a pay cut last year," Windhorst reported. "The Sixers are not really motivated to pay him that max salary if they don't think anybody else is going to do it.

Harden is eligible to sign a four-year deal with the Sixers for over $210 million. Harden's max deal with another team would be for $201.7 million over four years. Harden is functionally limited to signing a four-year contract due to the Over-38 rule.

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Victor Wembanyama plans to play for France in the 2024 Olympics in Paris. But Wembanyama has a loftier goal than simply playing in the Olympics.

"You know the Olympics are in Paris in 2024," Wembanyama told a French journalist. "And there could be no more perfect occasion for me to win my first title with the French national team."

"My goal," Wembanyama added, "is to beat Team USA in the final."

Before then, Wembanyama will complete his rookie season in the NBA. The 7-foot-4 big man will likely do so as a member of the San Antonio Spurs, who landed the first overall pick in the NBA Draft Lottery.

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Kevin Young has reportedly received a "strong endorsement" from Devin Booker to become the next head coach of the Phoenix Suns, according to Marc Stein of Substack.

Stein added that Young is a "serious candidate" to replace Monty Williams.

It was reported that the team had narrowed down its list to five candidates, though the Suns are also expected to meet with Charles Lee and Kenny Atkinson.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo is reportedly "intrigued" by the Milwaukee Bucks potentially hiring Adrian Griffin as the franchise's next head coach, according to Marc Stein of Substack.

Griffin is currently an assistant with the Raptors.

The Bucks have narrowed down their candidates to Nick Nurse, Kenny Atkinson, and Griffin.

Stein adds that the Bucks are the closest to hiring a candidate out of the five teams currently without a head coach.

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Malcolm Brogdon has been playing through a partial tear of the tendon in his right elbow that leads to the forearm, sources told Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

Brogdon suffered the injury in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Brogdon had been playing with a sore elbow against the Sixers, though he exacerbated the injury when he boxed out Kevin Love in Game 1.

Brogdon, who intends to continue playing with the injury, will evaluate whether he needs surgery after the season.

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Gabe Vincent was listed as questionable for Thursday's Game 5 due to a left ankle sprain.

Vincent suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of the Heat's Game 4 loss on Tuesday.

The Heat lead the Celtics 3-1.

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The Washington Wizards have hired Michael Winger as president of Monumental Basketball. Winger will have full leadership of the franchise and also oversee the WNBA Mystics and the G League Go-Go.

Winger was hired away from the Oklahoma City Thunder by the Los Angeles Clippers in 2017 and worked under Lawrence Frank. Before working with the Thunder under Sam Presti, Winger was an executive with the Cleveland Cavaliers under GM Danny Ferry from 2005 to 2010.

Trajan Langdon was also a prominent part in the Wizards' search.

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Late in the first half of Game 4 of the Denver Nuggets-Phoenix Suns second-round playoff series, things got heated. Nikola Jokic was assessed a technical foul after he knocked Suns owner Mat Ishbia back after a courtside confrontation.

After a play, Ishbia found himself with the ball in his hands. Jokic tried to take the ball to set up a quick inbounds play. When the ball fell into another fan's hands, Jokic pushed Ishbia back with his forearm and Ishbia fell into his seat.

Jokic was given a technical foul for making deliberate contact with a spectator, which neither he nor anyone from the Nuggets thought was fair.

"(Official Tony Brothers) told me I was elbowing the fan," Jokic said. "But the fan put the hand on me first. So, I thought the league's supposed to protect us or whatever, but maybe I'm wrong, so we will see."

Jokic added, "He's a fan, isn't he? He cannot influence the game by holding the ball."

Denver coach Michael Malone said he thought it was "crazy" that Nokic got a technical foul. When asked if it being Ishbia made a difference, Malone was clear in his thoughts.

"I don't give a s***. I really don't care," Malone replied.

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The Toronto Raptors are a "lock" to re-sign Jakob Poeltl, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.

Poeltl, an unrestricted free agent, could command a salary in the range of $13-$15 million per season.

The Raptors are also unlikely to bring back Gary Trent Jr. next season.

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Kristaps Porzingis is expected to opt out of his contract and re-sign with the Washington Wizards, sources told Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.

Porzingis could command a multi-year deal for four-to-five years, ranging in between $134 million and $174 million.

Kyle Kuzma is also expected to opt out and re-sign with the team this summer.

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Game 2 of the series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors averaged 7.35 million viewers with a 3.95 rating.

Game 2 trails only Game 1 as the biggest early round audience on cable since 2012.

The game peaked at 8.39 million viewers around halftime.

The Warriors have now played in five of the most-watched games of the playoffs.

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The Toronto Raptors are not expected to retain Gary Trent Jr. for next season, sources told Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.

Trent has a player option for next season worth $18.8 million.

Trent could potentially opt into his contract then get traded by the Raptors at a later time.

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Kyle Kuzma is likely to opt out of his player option and re-sign with the Washington Wizards this offseason, sources told Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.

Kuzma's player option for next season is worth $13 million.

The Wizards parted ways with general manager Tommy Sheppard in April.

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Bronny James announced his commitment to USC on Saturday.

James, a four-star recruit, is the No. 19-ranked prospect in the 2023 class by ESPN.

James chose USC over Ohio State and Oregon.

James is currently projected as the No. 10 pick in ESPN's 2024 NBA mock draft.

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A federal appeals court panel reinstated Charles Oakley's lawsuit against MSG that was dismissed by a district judge in 2021.

The lawsuit alleges that MSG security used unnecessary force to eject Oakley from the arena back in 2017.

Oakley will also be able to amend his complaint and add James Dolan as an defendant. Dolan allegedly ordered Oakley be removed from the arena.

This is the second time that an appeals court reinstated the lawsuit.

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Jimmy Butler has been cleared to return for Game 3 against the New York Knicks.

Butler missed Game 2 due to a sprained ankle suffered in the fourth quarter of Game 1.

For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle are no longer listed on the injury report after both players were questionable for Game 2 due to sprained ankles.

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The Detroit Pistons have been mentioned as a potential landing spot for Dillon Brooks, according to Marc Stein of Substack.

Brooks, who was informed by the Grizzlies that they would not re-sign him, is set to become an unrestricted free agent.

Brooks is reportedly looking for a bigger role on offense next season.

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Josh Hart's return to the New York Knicks next season is referred to as "inevitable" by rival execs, according to Marc Stein of Substack.

Hart, who was acquired by the Knicks in February, has a player option for next season worth $12.9 million.

Stein adds that he has yet to hear from a team that believes they will be able to pry Hart away from the Knicks should he choose to become a free agent.

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Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle were not listed on the injury report heading into Saturday's Game 3 against the Miami Heat.

Both players were listed as questionable prior to Wednesday's Game 2, though they were able to play.

Jimmy Butler remains questionable for Game 3 due to a sprained ankle.

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Jimmy Butler remains questionable for Saturday's Game 3 against the New York Knicks due to a sprained ankle.

Butler, who missed Game 2 of the series, did work out with the team on Friday.

Erik Spolestra said that Butler's status would not be revealed until closer to tipoff.

Caleb Martin is also listed as questionable due to a back injury.

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Dariq Whitehead is set to undergo a second foot surgery after his initial foot surgery did not heal properly, reported Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Whitehead, who is a projected first-round pick in the upcoming draft, is expected to be ready by the start of training camp.

The 19-year-old first underwent surgery on his right foot last August.

Whitehead recently met with other foot specialists who determined that a second surgery was needed to fully repair the injury.

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John and Nate discuss the key news of the week, with Mike Budenholzer being fired in Milwaukee and Dillion Brooks being told he will not return under "any circumstances" in Memphis.

Then, a look at all 4 second round series through 2 games. Who has the advantage between LA and Golden State? Why has Denver gone out 2-0 against Phoenix, and who would Denver rather face in the Conference Finals?

We also pick our MVP of the playoffs, discuss the best and worst coaching jobs, and biggest surprising and disappointing performances.

And, of course, who has withstood the PLAYOFF CRUCIBLE?

Catch every Hollinger & Duncan Episode on Dunc'd On Prime, plus five more Episodes per week with Nate Duncan and Danny Leroux. You also get Daily Duncs, Dan Feldman's newsletter analysis of the most important NBA writing and news of the day, and Seth Partnow's Nerd Nosh as well. DuncdOn.SupportingCast.fm

Watch playoff games with Nate & Danny live via Playback. Just log in with your TV provider or League Pass and get the game and our commentary all in one window! Bookmark the schedule of games.

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What happened in one snapshot in the NBA Playoffs on Thursday, May 4.

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Jimmy Butler is planning to play in Game 3 for the Miami Heat, a source tells Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Butler missed Game 2 with a sprained ankle he suffered in Game 1 of Miami's second round series against the New York Knicks.

Butler worked out with the Heat on Friday and Erik Spoelsta said "we know what his intentions are."

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The Milwaukee Bucks have a critical decision to make with their next head coach after firing Mike Budenholzer and may take their time with the process to see if a candidate under contract with another team becomes available.

Associate head coach Charles Lee is a probable candidate, while Frank Vogel and Nick Nurse are also potential candidates for the job.

"Outside of the team, I think you look not just at coaches who are available in the marketplace, but Milwaukee is in a position where maybe they can wait out some coaches who are technically not available," said Adrian Wojnarowski on NBA Countdown on Thursday. "Still under contract with other teams. See how these playoffs play out. Is there a coach or two who either becomes free with the team they're at, or if there is a conversation to be had with a team about a potential coach."

While no head coaches were specifically mentioned by Wojnarowski in his report, Doc Rivers and Ty Lue are two logical fits considering their current situations and status as championship winning coaches.

The Bucks remain an attractive job given the presence of Giannis Antetokounmpo.

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The Washington Wizards are in the early stages of finding a new general manager to replace Tommy Sheppard.

The Wizards have had initial conversations with Milt Newton and Trajan Langdon.

Newton is currently assistant general manager of the Milwaukee Bucks, while Langdon is general manager of the New Orleans Pelicans.

Ted Leonsis remains in the information-gathering stage of the process.

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The Dallas Mavericks have concerns within their franchise that Luka Doncic could request a trade as early as the 2024 offseason, which would alter the league given his age and status as one of the top-5 players in the NBA.

The Utah Jazz have accumulated a surplus of draft picks over the past year with their trades of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, which could put them in position to assemble one of the more compelling offers to the Mavericks while also leaving enough of a supporting cast around Doncic to remain competitive. The Jazz could likely outbid almost any team for Doncic.

"With my spies telling me that Utah in particular is keeping a very interested eye on Doncic's situation, even the Nets' kitchen-sink offer for Doncic - the four firsts from Phoenix and one from Philly, plus whatever matching salary not named Bridges is needed to make the deal work - likely falls massively short," wrote John Hollinger at The Athletic.

If Doncic were to seek an exit from the Mavericks, it has yet to be seen which teams he would prefer a trade to.

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The NBA's new collective bargaining agreement has made maintaining a title contender over an extended period of time a difficult proposition for any franchise, especially mid to small market franchises. The strain could be felt first by the Milwaukee Bucks, who face a critical offseason with the free agencies of Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton.

"I also just want to say with the player movement that happens and the various rules, it is hard to keep a team together for six to 10 years like it was before," said Brian Windhorst on his podcast.

"And now it has become that much harder with these new rules," interjected Tim Bontemps. "These new rules are designed to break teams up. That's what they're designed to do."

"The thing about the new rules, this second apron, which the Bucks are going to be headed for... if you hit the second apron, it buries you. You can't sign anybody. You can't really trade for anybody. Your draft picks are automatically kicked to the back of the first round. It is a target on the Clippers, Lakers and at least the Nets when they started negotiating it, the Nets have since broken down. It is an absolute target to keep these teams from being able to maneuver. That's what the Bucks are potentially facing here. They are facing the fall out of the Warriors winning the title and the Nets and the Clippers paying so much money in luxury tax."

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The Milwaukee Bucks face a critical offseason in which they will hire a new head coach after parting ways with Mike Budenholzer while also contending with the free agencies of Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton. Those decisions could impact the extension decision Giannis Antetokounmpo faces in September.

"There is no indication he has given that he wants to leave," said Brian Windhorst on First Take. "But if he doesn't extend, it's a major red flag for what's going on with the organization. He's going to sit there and watch whether they're going to sign Lopez and Middleton and I'm not sure they're going to be able to do it."

Milwaukee not only will have a high payroll if they keep Lopez and Middleton, but they will also have an exorbitant luxury tax bill with the repeater tax.

"That uncertainity is what the league is watching right now," added Windhorst.

"I don't know what's going to happen and that uncertainity is one of the biggest storylines in the NBA."

Windhorst also points to the sale of a portion of the Bucks by Marc Lasry to Jimmy Haslam as an indicator of potential issues the franchise has in keeping their championship core together long-term.

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Charles Lee interviewed for the head coaching vacancy with the Toronto Raptors on Thursday, sources tell Marc Stein.

Lee is also a finalist for the Detroit Pistons' job.

Lee has been an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks since 2018. The Bucks fired Mike Budenholzer on Thursday.

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The Game 1 home loser winning streak continues as the Warriors adjust to blow out the Lakers and even the series. What key factors will affect the outcome of the series going forward?

Mike Budenholzer is out as Milwaukee Bucks coach. Was it the right decision?

Joel Embiid returns, but Boston dominates to even the series. What signal can we take from this Game 2 going forward?

Then, a look at the free agent small forward market with the likes of Khris Middleton, Josh Hart, Dillon Brooks, and Cameron Johnson.

Want analysis of free agents at every position? Subscribe to Dunc'd On Prime.

Four more episodes with Nate & Danny per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime, plus it's the only place to hear John Hollinger & Nate as well! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

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It's been a while since Ben Simmons has suited up for the Australian National Team, but that could change as soon as this summer. Australia's head coach Brian Goorjian said he thinks Simmons may play for the national side at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

"I think Ben's mindset is getting healthy, getting in shape, and getting ready to play. And I think he has been along that line for a while and I felt it last time. As we sit now, there is a really strong chance that he plays," Goorjian said.

Goorjian said that Simmons missing the Tokyo Olympics was disappointing, but that Brooklyn Nets forward is close to playing for Australia again.

"There were unfortunate circumstances he missed the Tokyo Olympics, but I feel like he is going to make himself available," Goorjian said about Simmons.

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Patrick Beverley said he couldn't wait to help knock the Los Angeles Lakers out of the playoffs after the team traded him away. Now, Beverley says both he and Russell Westbrook, another guard the Lakers traded away, want rings if Los Angeles wins the NBA Finals.

The Lakers traded Beverley to the Orlando Magic, where he was bought out before signing with the Chicago Bulls. Westbrook was dealt to the Utah Jazz, where he was bought out before signing with the LA Clippers.

Speaking on his podcast, Pat Bev Podcast with Rone, Beverley said he and Russell Westbrook agreed they want a ring if the Lakers win.

Beverley said Westbrook told him "Hey Pat, Lakers win, I want my ring." Beverley said he told Westbrook "Russ, we gonna be suited and booted, boy. I'm gonna be right there waiting on that ring."

When asked if they'd accept rings, Beverley said "Do I think Westbrook gonna accept the ring? Hell yeah, he ain't gonna say no to it."

As for himself, Beverley made it clear he'd accept a ring.

"If they win, you call me whatever the f*** you wanna call me, I'ma get that ring," Beverley exclaimed. "I might shed a tear. I'll give a speech."

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Former NBA player and front office executive Lance Blanks passed away on Thursday.

Blanks, who was the former general manager of the Suns, also worked for several other teams including the Clippers, Cavs, and Spurs.

Blanks also played for the Pistons and Timberwolves.

"Lance was a light for all those who knew him. It's been a privilege to have called him one of my closest friends. I'm eternally grateful for all the support he has shown me throughout the years. His legacy will be carried on, not only by his family, but by all those whose lives he touched for the better," said NBA executive Joe Dumars.

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Michigan center Hunter Dickinson transferred to Kansas on Thursday.

The junior, ranked the No. 1 player in the transfer portal, also visited Villanova, Kentucky, Maryland, and Georgia.

Dickinson averaged 18.5 points and 9.0 rebounds at Michigan last season.

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Chris Paul has been officially ruled out for Game 3 against the Denver Nuggets due to a groin strain.

Paul did not practice with the team on Thursday.

"Without him, obviously, I think you're going to see Cameron Payne more. I know they've alluded to playing maybe Terrence Ross and TJ Warren off the bench. More scoring. The ball will be in Devin Poker's hands more as we saw in the fourth quarter at our place of Game Two," said Nuggets coach Michael Malone on what he expects from the Suns without Paul.

Paul's status for Game 4 is also in doubt.

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The Milwaukee Bucks have fired Mike Budenholzer following their first round exit.

Budenholzer, who guided the Bucks to the 2021 NBA championship, had two years and $16 million left on his contract. Milwaukee had the best record in the NBA during the 22-23 regular season, but they were eliminated in five games in the first round by the Miami Heat.

"The decision to make this change was very difficult," Jon Horst said in a statement Thursday. "Bud helped lead our team for five incredible seasons, to the Bucks' first title in 50 years, and into an era of sustained success. We are grateful for the culture of winning and leadership that Bud helped create in Milwaukee.

"This is an opportunity for us to refocus and reenergize our efforts as we continue building toward our next championship season."

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Marcus Smart has been named the winner of the 22-23 NBA Hustle Award.

Smart becomes the first player to win the award in consecutive seasons and earns the honor for the third time since its debut in 16-17.

Hustle stats - including deflections, loose balls recovered, charges drawn, screen assists, contested shots and box-outs - have been tracked by the NBA since the 2016 postseason

Draymond Green, Aaron Nesmith, Mitchell Robinson and Herbert Jones finished in the top-5 in the award.

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The Chicago Bulls recently signed Arturas Karnisovas to a contract extension, a source told Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. Chicago signed Karnisovas to an extension "quietly", similar to how they did with Billy Donovan early in the season.

The Bulls lost in the final play-in game after beating the Toronto Raptors as the No. 10 seed.

"People throughout the organization believe the franchise is headed in the right direction," writes Mayberry.

"Karnisovas has a good working relationship with Bulls COO Michael Reinsdorf, which can and likely will keep Karnišovas through a second contract," adds Mayberry.

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Joel Embiid said he felt "pretty good" physically following the Philadelphia 76ers Game 2 loss to the Boston Celtics. When asked if he should have waited until Game 3 to come back from his right LCL sprain, Embiid said he didn't think that mattered.

"With what I have, I'm supposed to be out 4-6 weeks...got this out of the way," Embiid said. "Disappointed by the loss, but that's a step toward getting back to myself."

The newly-minted MVP was asked if he was worried about swelling in the knee after playing Game 2.

"I think I'll be fine. I've played through a lot," Embiid said. "We've got a big chance, and we've got to take advantage of it."

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Diamond Sports sued the Phoenix Suns, Mercury, and their two media partners on Wednesday in an effort to block the formation of a new media outlet.

The Suns announced last week that they would partner with Gray Television and Kiswe Mobile to create a new direct-to-consumer streaming service, in addition to broadcasting games on free over-the-air TV.

Diamond, which released a statement last week following the Suns' announcement, is looking for the court to void the agreement and award damages.

Diamond is currently in Chapter 11 proceedings.

The Suns could not immediately be reached for comment.

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Five-star Baylor center Yves Missi reclassified into the 2023 class on Wednesday.

Missi, who originally committed to Baylor for the 2024 class, is currently ranked the No. 13 prospect in the ESPN 100 for 2024.

Missi joins another five-star recruit in Ja'Kobe Walter in Baylor's 2023 class.

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Game 1 of the series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors averaged 7.36 million viewers on TNT.

The number represents the largest audience on cable for a first or second round series in 11 years and is the fifth largest viewership for this year's playoffs.

Game 2 of the Heat-Knicks series on Tuesday averaged 4.71 million viewers.

All five second round games saw a double-digit increase in viewership as compared to last year.

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Monte McNair of the Sacramento Kings has been named the NBA Basketball Executive of the Year. McNair received 16 first place votes, while Koby Altman of the Cleveland Cavaliers received seven. Justin Zanik, Calvin Booth and Brad Stevens rounded out the top-5.

The Kings broke their playoff drought and finished the regular season as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.

Behind the play of De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, the Kings had the best offensive rating in the NBA.

Sacramento's trade of Tyrese Haliburton for Sabonis was controversial, but it balanced out their roster and allowed Fox to emerge as one of the best guards in the NBA. The Kings also added Keegan Murray at the draft, Malik Monk in free agency and Kevin Huerter via trade.

The Kings hired McNair in 2020.

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The Golden State Warriors had a chance to tie the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 in the final seconds, but Jordan Poole missed a wide open 27-footer coming out of a double-team of Stephen Curry.

The Warriors had no issue with the shot selection from Poole despite there being 10 seconds left with a timeout in hand.

Poole was 6-for-11 from three in the game.

"I thought Jordan did a really good job," Steve Kerr said. "I have the timeout stuff, I saw them double-teaming Steph at half court, so I knew somebody was going to be wide-open if we could just get the ball out, and Steph did a great job. He got the ball out of the trap and Jordan was wide-open, and pretty good look, and you know, that's a shot he can hit."

"It was a shot he was open and flowing," Curry said of Poole. "Considering how they guard us on that possession, you know, trapping me at the half court, Draymond swinging it over to him, it's kind of an in-rhythm shot.

"I'm sure he felt pretty good about it. That's why he shot it. There are no kind of regrets about that. It's just a make-or-miss type situation and a lot of trust in him and his ability to put the ball in the basket."

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Dillon Brooks will not return to the Memphis Grizzlies next season, but he will have a market elsewhere. The Grizzlies informed Brooks that they are not interested in pursuing him in free agency under any circumstances.

Brooks turned down an extension offer from the Grizzlies early in the season and he has interest in a bigger offensive role.

"An early look around at his market does indicate there will be some interest in his services around the league," writes Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Brooks is coming off a three-year, $35 million extension he signed with the Grizzlies in 2020.

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Joel Embiid was listed as doubtful by the Philadelphia 76ers to play in Game 2 against the Boston Celtics, but he is now expected to play.

Embiid reportedly told his teammates "I'm back" after a team celebration of him winning the MVP. Embiid has missed his team's last two playoff games due to a sprained LCL in his right knee.

After miss the closeout game over the Brooklyn Nets, Embiid also missed Game 1 of the 76ers Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Celtics. Despite being without the MVP, Philadelphia won that game in Boston behind 45 points from James Harden.

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Paolo Banchero has said that when he suits up for a national team, he'll play for Italy. Unfortunately, that debut for the Italian National Team may be delayed for a while longer.

Banchero is unlikely to play for Italy at this summer's FIBA World Cup, according to federation president Gianni Petrucci.

"We are currently on stand-by, and if I'm being honest, I feel more pessimistic than optimistic. Banchero has been overwhelmed by events in recent months," Petrucci said. "If he won't be with us for the World Cup, we now hope for the Paris Olympics."

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Chris Paul will be reevaluated in one week after an MRI revealed the severity of a groin injury. Paul left Game 2 with the injury on Monday.

The Phoenix Suns are prepared to be without Paul for at least Games 3-5. The Suns are currently down 0-2 in their second round series against the Denver Nuggets.

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Joel Embiid has been named the 22-23 NBA Most Valuable Player. Embiid finished second each of the past two seasons behind Nikola Jokic.

Embiid beat out Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo to win the award.

Embiid received 73 out of 100 first place votes, compared to 15 for Jokic and 12 for Antetokounmpo. Embiid, Jokic and Antetokounmpo received all but one of the first, second and third place votes.

Jayson Tatum finished fourth while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished fifth.

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The Memphis Grizzlies have informed Dillon Brooks they are not interested in re-signing him in free agency under any circumstances, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Brooks was informed of the Grizzlies' position during his exit meeting.

Brooks' first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers was considered to be a breaking point. Brooks called LeBron James "old" and "tired" after Game 2, then punched him in the groin area in Game 3. Brooks also chose not to speak to the media after three of the losses in the series, resulting in a $25,000 fine by the NBA.

Brooks also struggled on offense during the series.

The Grizzlies made contract extension offers to Brooks early in the season, but those were rejected, sources tell Charania.

At the trade deadline, the Grizzlies pursued trades for both Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby.

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JPMorgan issued a report last week arguing sports rights inflation is unsustainable long-term. When combining sports media rights payments and revenue for network television, regional sports networks and streaming for all the major North American sports, it totals $26 billion in rights fee spending for this year.

Some sports rights, such as the NBA, could still see sizable renewal step-ups in the coming years.

For the major programmers and sports rights distributors that JPMorgan covers, the report estimates $18.2 billion of national sports P&L operating expenses this year, growing about 5 percent per year over the next five years (based on existing contracts and renewal assumptions). By way of comparison, JPMorgan forecasts roughly 2 percent revenue growth of linear plus direct-to-consumer, based on 6 percent annual bundled disconnects and roughly equivalent annual affiliate fee increases.

JPMorgan writes: "We believe the ratings and viewership of sports today, essentially must-haves in an otherwise challenged linear ecosystem, will continue to justify sports rights inflation, but that inflation exacerbates what are already existential challenges for the video distribution business as a whole. Today, it is unclear how DTC/digital platforms will be able to replicate the legacy model's level of profitability, as today's model of low prices and easy on/off on a monthly basis with high churn looks unsustainable in general but especially for sports."

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Sunday's Game 7 between the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings averaged 9.84 million viewers on ABC, marking the largest first round playoff audience since Kings-Jazz Game 5 on NBC in 1999, and the largest first or second round audience since Raptors-Sixers Game 7 in 2001.

The win peaked with 11.93 million viewers and averaged more viewers than all but one game before last year's Finals.

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New Phoenix Suns governor Mat Ishbia touched on a number of topics in a wide-ranging interview with Boardroom. Most of the conversation was about the Suns decision to move their games to free over-the-air broadcasts for next season and beyond.

Ishbia was also asked about Phoenix being the only team without a G League affiliate club. Ishbia said that's something he hopes to change soon.

"100% I will have a G-League team. We were trying to get it done for this upcoming season, but it looks like the timing of it will be for the following season. We're doing that as soon as we can. I'm trying to get it ready for next season, I just don't think it's going to work with getting the location and everything set up," Ishbia said. "But we are 100% going to have a G-League team here in Phoenix, and it's going to be in the local community, not seven states away."

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The NBA announced that the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves will play in the 2023 Abu Dhabi Games. The Mavs and Wolves will meet in preseason matchups on October 5 and October 7 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks played a pair of preseason games in the Arabian Gulf ahead of this past regular season. The NBA and Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi have entered a multiyear collaboration to increase the NBA's visibility in the United Arab Emirates.

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Nikola Jokic has won back-to-back NBA MVPs, so he likely thinks Tuesday's MVP announcement isn't that big of a deal. However, Jokic is completely unmoved by the entire thing.

When asked about the MVP announcement, Jokic said he has "zero interest" and that "It is what it is."

Jokic was pressed about what he'd be doing when the award was announced and he said he hoped to be relaxing. "Hopefully it's gonna be a sunny day so I can be in the swimming pool."

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Chris Paul left the Phoenix Suns' loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 due to left groin tightness and did not return.

Paul will be re-evaluated on Tuesday.

Paul suffered the injury in the third quarter and immediately went to the locker room.

"He just looked like he was boxing out," said Monty Williams, who added that Paul couldn't push off "at all" due to the injury.

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The Sacramento Kings' Game 6 win over the Golden State Warriors on Friday averaged 4.98 million viewers on ESPN, making it the largest audience for a first round NBA series in the network's history.

The game, which beat out the Lakers-Thunder Game 6 from 2010, peaked at 6.51 million viewers in the final quarter-hour.

The Lakers' win over the Grizzlies later that night averaged 4.64 million viewers, making it the third largest first round audience in ESPN history.

Thursday night's Game 6 between the Hawks and Celtics averaged 2.98 million viewers on TNT, up 12% from last year.

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Jimmy Butler is listed as questionable for Tuesday's Game 2 after receiving treatment on his sprained ankle.

Erik Spoelstra said that Butler will likely be a game-time decision.

"He's doing treatment around the clock. Probably won't have any update until before the game," said Spoelstra on Monday.

Butler was injured with 5:05 left in the fourth quarter of Game 1, though he stayed in the game.

"Knowing Jimmy, he might mess around and try to play or whatever, not play, we don't know yet. So we'll see what type of shape he's in with that ankle. But we'll be ready for whatever," added Caleb Martin.

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The Brooklyn Nets have parted ways with a number of their assistant coaches.

Igor Kokoskov, Brian Keefe and Tiago Splitter will exit the franchise.

Jacque Vaughn inherited the assistants from Steve Nash, who he replaced early in the season.

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Joel Embiid is unlikely to play in Game 1 on Monday, but there is "optimism" that he could play in Game 2 on Wednesday. Embiid is dealing with a LCL injury in his knee.

Embiid participated in shootaround and worked out afterward as well.

"There has been improvement and I'm told there is optimism that Joel Embiid could make his return for Game 2," said Adrian Wojnarowski.

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Stephen Curry submits a performance for the ages to conclude one of the best first-round series we've seen. Plus, the adjustments by Steve Kerr, that amazing 3rd quarter rebounding, and what to make of this stirring Kings season.

Miami's experience showed in a Game 1 victory at the Garden, but they may have to navigate without Jimmy Butler.

Four more episodes with Nate & Danny per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime, plus it's the only place to hear John Hollinger & Nate as well! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

Watch playoff games with Nate & Danny live via Playback. Just log in with your TV provider or League Pass and get the game and our commentary all in one window! Bookmark the schedule of games.

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The second round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs is fully underway and oddsmakers believe a rematch of the 2022 Finals between the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors is the most likely scenario.

The Celtics are overwhelming favorites to win the Eastern Conference at -230. Their chances have been buoyed by the first round elimination of the Milwaukee Bucks coupled with the knee injury to Joel Embiid. The Celtics are the biggest favorites to win the championship at +130.

In the Western Conference, the Warriors are narrowly the favorites at +195, followed by the Denver Nuggets at +210, Phoenix Suns at +280 and Los Angeles Lakers at +440. FiveThirtyEight, however, gives the Nuggets a 41 percent chance of winning the West followed by the Warriors at 32 percent.

Eastern Conference
Celtics: -230
Sixers: +550
Heat: +600
Knicks: +800

Western Conference
Warriors: +195
Nuggets: +210
Suns: +280
Lakers: +440

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The Dallas Mavericks are not expected to re-sign Christian Wood in free agency, sources tell Tim Cato of The Athletic.

The Mavericks traded a first round pick to acquire Wood on an expiring contract last June. Wood is a talented offensive player, but his limitations on defense were pronounced.

Wood's agent, Adam Pensack, launched an aggressive behind-the-scenes campaign to media members for his client to be considered an All-Star this season, but sources say the coaching staff of the Mavericks didn't share that view.

When Wood was last a free agent in 2020, he signed a three-year, $41 million contract with the Houston Rockets.

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The Dallas Mavericks signed JaVale McGee last offseason to a three-year, $17.2 million contract that quickly appeared to be a mistake.

Sources say signing McGee had been prioritized by Jason Kidd, but he was benched eight games into the season. McGee and Kidd had familiarity with each other during their time together with the Los Angeles Lakers.

McGee has two seasons remaining on his contract.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are not interested in pursuing Kyrie Irving in free agency, sources tell Tim Cato of The Athletic.

In order to acquire Irving, the Lakers would have to sacrifice several of their deadline acquisitions that have allowed them to balance out their roster.

Irving attended the Lakers' Game 6 win over the Memphis Grizzlies and sat courtside.

Sources say the Dallas Mavericks remain optimistic of their chances of re-signing Irving. Rival teams also expect that scenario to be the most likely one. Despite missing out on the play-in, the Mavericks believe Irving and Luka Doncic can be a successful pairing.

The Mavericks began to conceptualize the possibility of acquiring Irving last November when he was suspended for refusing to apologize for posting a film with antisemitic views to his social media. The front office saw it as an opportunity to acquire a player at a lower cost than is typical for a player of Irving's ability.

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The Dallas Mavericks are targeting James Borrego and Jeff Hornacek for their assistant coach vacancy.

Greg St. Jean left the Mavericks this offseason. St. Jean joined Dallas alongside Jason Kidd from the Los Angeles Lakers.

While Frank Vogel would also be a natural target, he is focused on returning as a head coach.

Terry Stotts could also become a candidate.

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The Boston Celtics will attempt to hire Stephen Silas as an assistant coach this offseason.

Silas was recently fired by the Houston Rockets after three seasons in the job.

Silas would give Joe Mazzulla an experienced assistant coach with head coaching experience.

The Celtics lost Damon Stoudamire toward the end of the regular season when he took the head coaching job at Georgia Tech.

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Rival teams expect the Charlotte Hornets to re-sign Miles Bridges this offseason, according to Marc Stein of Substack.

Bridges sat out the entire 22-23 season after he was charged with three counts of felony domestic violence. Bridges received a 30-game suspension without by the NBA, though the league will only force him to sit out 10 games next season by giving him a "partial credit" for what was an unofficial agreement to sit out this season.

The Hornets have until June 29th to tender the required $7.7 million qualifying offer. Bridges would be a restricted free agent again.

Bridges recently posted a video clip on Instagram of a workout in which he is wearing Hornets' gear.

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Stephen Curry addressed the Golden State Warriors one day after their disappointing Game 6 performance. Curry was frustrated by how the Warriors played when they had a chance to finish off their first round series against the Sacramento Kings at home.

"I don't even talk a lot," Curry said to the team, "but I've got something to say."

Sources told The Athletic that Curry said he believed in the team and they had enough to win. He asked for their trust in return. Curry also implored them to put their feelings aside, which sources say the locker room felt was directed at Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga and other players who might be unhappy with their playing time and role. Curry told them that anyone who got on the bus to Sacramento had to be on board with the mission.

"You're in this space where you gon' fold or you gon' rise up," Draymond Green said, his voice raising with excitement as he relived the speech. "Once he did that, you have no choice but to rise up. He f-ing got everybody locked in. 'If you're getting on this bus, you're making a commitment to this team. No matter if you play zero minutes or 40 minutes. You're making a commitment to do whatever it takes. Prepare your mind and body for this opportunity we have. We got embarrassed the other night and we never f-ing going out like that.'"

Curry followed through on the speech by scoring 50 points in Game 7, leading the Warriors to the series clincher over the Kings.

"He is that guy," Gary Payton II said at his locker after the game. "So when he speaks, everybody better listen. Because 30 is usually quiet and lets his game speak for itself. But he had to say what he had to say, because he knew what type of vibe it was ... and I don't think he wanted to give this one up. So he led and we followed."

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Joel Embiid underwent platelet-rich plasma treatment on his injured knee last week.

Embiid participated in parts of practice on Sunday.

Embiid's LCL sprain is more than a Grade 1. Embiid is unlikely to play in Game 1 of the Philadelphia 76ers' second round series against the Boston Celtics.

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Memphis Grizzlies general manger and president of basketball operations Zach Kleiman was non-committal about Dillon Brooks' future with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Brooks will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Brooks said on Sunday that he doesn't regret his trash talking of LeBron James, including calling James "old" after Game 2.

"No, that's who I am. I don't regret it. I'm a competitor. I compete," said Brooks.

Kleiman admitted that the Grizzlies were a victim of "self-created distractions" during their round 1 loss to the Lakers.

"I think there were certainly self-created distractions we were navigating in this series. As we're looking forward and thinking about what comes next, those are all things that we're going to keep in mind from a competitive standpoint."

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Erik Spoelstra had no update on Jimmy Butler's ankle following the Miami Heat's win over the New York Knicks in Game 1, saying that the team may not even get an update on Monday.

"You just don't know with ankle sprains. I don't even know if we'll know more by tomorrow. We'll just have to see. It'll be a waiting game.

"You just don't know with ankle sprains. I don't even know if we'll know more by tomorrow. We'll just have to see. It'll be a waiting game," said Spoelstra after the game.

Butler injured the ankle with 5:05 left in the fourth quarter, though he stayed in the game. He attempted just one shot after the injury.

Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday, with Game 3 set to take place on Saturday.

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The Golden State Warriors are going to back to a familiar lineup for Game 7 against the Sacramento Kings. After coming off the bench for the last three games, Draymond Green will return to the Warriors starting lineup.

Green has come off the bench since he was suspended for Game 3. Green has still played his regular minutes allotment as a reserve, but Steve Kerr is returning to his best defender with his regular starting group.

The winner of Game 7 will move on to face the Los Angeles Lakers in a Western Conference semifinals series starting later this week.

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New York Knicks forward Julius Randle is expected to be out for Game 1 of the second round against the Miami Heat. Randle is still recovering from a sprained ankle.

Randle was initially injured at the end of the regular season. He reaggravated the injury during the Knicks first-round victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Both Randle and Quentin Grimes were called game-time decisions by New York coach Tom Thibodeau. Without Randle and Grimes, New York will have to begin the series against Miami down two starters.

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Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid's knee injury is believed to be more serious than originally thought. Embiid is considered to have a right knee LCL sprain that is greater than a Grade 1 sprain. Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers said on Saturday that Embiid is doubtful to play in Game 1 against the Boston Celtics on Monday.

A Grade 1 LCL sprain has a possible recovery time of a few days to two weeks. A Grade 2 LCL sprain can take two to four weeks. A Grade 3 LCL sprain is in the range of four to six weeks. LCL sprains can be subject to reinjury of greater severity than the original injury.

It's unknown if Embiid is dealing with a Grade 2 or Grade 3 LCL sprain. By Monday, he'll have sat for 11 days, after missing the Sixers Game 4 victory in their first-round sweep of the Brooklyn Nets.

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The New York Knicks are entering their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Miami Heat a little banged up. New York could be down two starters for Game 1 against Miami on Sunday.

Julius Randle is still dealing with a sprained left ankle. Randle was hurt towards the end of the regular season and reaggravated the injury during the Knicks first-round victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Quentin Grimes missed both Games 4 and 5 against the Cavs due to a right shoulder contusion. Grimes was injured during New York's Game 3 win over Cleveland.

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The Philadelphia 76ers know they have a tough task ahead of them against the Boston Celtics in the second round of the playoffs. But that task will be even tougher if Joel Embiid can't play due a sprained right knee.

Sixers coach Doc Rivers gave an update on Embiid's inactivity at Saturday's practice before casting doubt on the potential MVP's availability for Game 1 on Monday.

"There is no latest," Rivers said. "Obviously, the doctors looked at him, and he didn't do anything today.

"I'll say this, but if I was a betting man, I would probably say doubtful for at least Game 1. But we'll see."

Embiid missed Game 4 of the 76ers sweep of the Brooklyn Nets in the first round. That would give him 11 days off before facing the Celtics in Game 1. However, recovery times from a sprained LCL can vary greatly, and the Sixers haven't said what grade of sprain Embiid is dealing with.

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The Memphis Grizzlies were disappointed after their first-round series loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Multiple Grizzlies expressed that they know they need to be better moving forward, including franchise player Ja Morant.

Morant took ownership of Memphis' shortcomings, starting with himself.

"I just got to be better with my decision-making. Off-the-court issues affected us as an organization," Morant said.

When asked a follow-up, Morant reiterated that making better decisions starts with him, as the team's leader.

"Like I said before, my (takeaways) are off the court and on the court. Just, being disciplined. Off the court, it's about making better decisions. On the court, it's about being locked in even more," Morant said. "Being the leader of the team, it starts with me. However I attack any situation, I know my guys will follow. I just have to be better in that area."

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The drawing for the group stage of the 2023 FIBA World Cup was completed on Saturday. The competition will be jointly hosted by Indonesia, Japan and Philippines and will be played from August 25 through September 10.

The groups are as follows:

Group A

  • Angola
  • Dominican Republic
  • Italy
  • Philippines

Group B

  • China
  • Puerto Rico
  • Serbia
  • South Sudan

Group C

  • USA
  • Greece
  • Jordan
  • New Zealand

Group D

  • Egypt
  • Lithuania
  • Mexico
  • Montenegro

Group E

  • Australia
  • Finland
  • Germany
  • Japan

Group F

  • Cape Verde
  • Georgia
  • Slovenia
  • Venezuela

Group G

  • Brazil
  • Iran
  • Ivory Coast
  • Spain

Group H

  • Canada
  • France
  • Latvia
  • Lebanon

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In addition to broaching the possibility of trading Jalen Green, the Houston Rockets discussed a number of potential free agents with head coaching candidates before settling on Ime Udoka.

Khris Middleton, who has a $40.4 million player option with the Milwaukee Bucks, was discussed by the Rockets with their candidates. Middleton's future with the Bucks is uncertain as he comes off two straight seasons in which he was limited by injury.

The Bucks have little recourse to replace Middleton if he leaves via free agency, but they are facing the repeater tax and that complicates the number of seasons they can comfortably offer.

Middleton is represented by Mike Lindeman and Jeff Schwartz.

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The Houston Rockets discussed the possibility of including Jalen Green in a trade offer for an established star when they interviewed head coaching candidates, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Green was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft and averaged 22.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists in his second season.

The Rockets hired Ime Udoka as head coach and have designs on expediting their rebuild. They have been linked with a free agent pursuit of James Harden, while the possibility of pursuing Khris Middleton in free agency was also discussed.

Jaylen Brown, who has been one of Udoka's most public supporters, becomes extension eligible with the Boston Celtics this offseason. Brown can become a free agent in 2024 if he doesn't sign an extension.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers reaffirmed they will retain J.B. Bickerstaff as head coach next season.

"End that speculation. Yes. Absolutely. Absolutely. There's no question about that," Koby Altman told cleveland.com and one other outlet when asked if Bickerstaff would return for the 2023-24 campaign during a private conversation following his 40-minute end-of-season press conference at Cleveland Clinic Courts on Friday morning. "Look at what he has accomplished. I have not heard that stuff. Maybe because I haven't been reading or been on Twitter. I have not heard that noise. That's not even a question."

The Cavaliers won 51 games during the regular season and finished second in the NBA in Net Rating, but they were eliminated in five games in the first round by the New York Knicks.

"J.B. has been through this rebuild from the ground up and he's done a phenomenal job instilling a culture here of accountability and hard work," Altman said. "You can't fluke your way into 51 wins and you can't fluke your way into the No. 1 defensive rating in the NBA. That's coaching. I know we have great defensive personnel, but you have to have buy-in from that and that comes from the head coach. We're extremely happy with J.B. and the job he's done. I think he's going to look back and reflect on what we could have done better, just like the players look back at what they could have done better.

"We're always looking internally of how we can make improvements from a front office standpoint to put the best team we can out there, but when you look at 95 wins over the last two years, the trajectory of this team, the internal growth of the players, multiple All-Stars over the last couple years, it's hard not to be proud of the job they've done."

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Kevin Durant has signed a lifetime contract with Nike.

Durant first signed with Nike in 2007 when he entered the NBA out of the University of Texas.

The lifetime partnership will continue to include footwear, apparel, and a community and philanthropic collaboration focused on grassroots basketball. With this deal, Durant joins an elite group of Nike athletes, and follows Michael Jordan and LeBron James before him in the basketball division.

"When I first signed with Nike, I couldn't have dreamed of how far we'd go in this partnership. We've done amazing work creatively and philanthropically. We've traveled the world together and built a business that will now last forever. I'm excited for the future and honored to be in rare company with this deal," Durant said on the occasion.

Nike EVP of Global Sports Marketing John Slusher said, "As one of best basketball players in the world, Kevin Durant has been an important part of the Nike family for the past 16 years. We look forward to continuing to serve the next generation of athletes together."

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Before the play-in, there were rumors that Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks could evaluate their future together with the possibility of a trade.

But the Hawks extended their first round series against the Boston Celtics to six games, which could make their offseason less tumultuous. The Hawks hired Quin Snyder at the All-Star break and all sides got to evaluate the situation on the floor rather than conceptually.

"I mean, Quin (Snyder) is the future," Young said. "I believe with him here this city is going to win a championship."

Young was asked to describe Snyder's late-season arrival.

"It's kind of tough when you get in the position (during) the year and you want to put in your stuff but everybody's already played 40, 50 games, or however many we've played at that point," Young said. "I think he's going to be great for us and I'm excited for the future with him."

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The Milwaukee Bucks were eliminated from the playoffs by the Miami Heat in the first round after just five games. The Bucks blew significant fourth quarter leads in both Games 4 and 5.

"I'm told Mike Budenholzer's status with the Bucks is shaky after the team's five-game loss to the Heat," wrote Shams Charania. "A lack of coaching adjustments, especially defensively, seems to be the main reason for the uncertainty."

Zach Lowe of ESPN previously reported that league insiders were "extremely skeptical" Budenholzer would be brought back next season.

Budenholzer has two seasons and $16 million remaining on his contract.

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Qatar will host the 2027 FIBA World Cup, FIBA announced on Friday. Qatar recently hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The drawing for groups for the 2023 FIBA World Cup will be held this Saturday. The tournament is being jointly hosted by the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan. The 2023 FIBA World Cup will take place from August 25 through September 10.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo becomes eligible for a contract extension with the Milwaukee Bucks this September and he could elect to wait before committing long-term again to the franchise. Antetokounmpo can add two more seasons on his deal for approximately $113 million.

Antetokounmpo signed a supermax extension with the Bucks in 2020 following their trade for Jrue Holiday.

This offseason, the Bucks also have critical decisions to make with the free agencies of Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez.

"I think it is unlikely Giannis extends his contract this summer," said Brian Windhorst. "He does have two years left, but with everything that's going on with the team and considering there's new ownership that makes it very difficult.

"And the Bucks are heading into the repeater tax. This is what happens to teams who are contenders year after year and they spend. Everything on this team is about to get more expensive. Plus, we have new rules coming in that is going to limit the way they can improve this roster moving forward. They are a late stage contender with a superstar in his 20s.

"There are teams in this league watching very closely to see what happens with the Bucks this summer."

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The status of Mike Budenholzer as head coach of Milwaukee Bucks was uncertain during the second round of the 2021 playoffs when they were on the brink of elimination by the Brooklyn Nets, but they went on to win that series and then the championship. Budenholzer kept his job and signed an extension, but a disappointing first round exit by the Bucks against the Miami Heat is bringing those questions back into focus.

Budenholzer's coaching during the fourth quarter of both their Game 4 and Game 5 losses has received particular scrutiny.

"There's some losses for which there's just no going back," said Zach Lowe on his podcast. "You cannot come back the same team. And the Bucks cannot come back the same team from this. I don't know how it will go...

"League insiders, you don't really have to be an insider, but league insiders are extremely skeptical that Mike Budenholzer can return as head coach of the Bucks after this. He has, according to [Adrian Wojnarowski], his last extension which happened after they won the title runs through the 24-25 season, so he has two years left. I just don't see any coming back from it. It's just logic.

"I think the league insiders are going to be right. I just don't see any other way."

Budenholzer has been head coach of the Bucks since 2018.

The Bucks face a critical offseason in which Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez will be free agents, while Giannis Antetokounmpo becomes extension eligible in September.

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Jericho Sims underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum and cuff tendon in his right shoulder.

Sims will need five months of recovery and rehabilitation.

For the season, Sims averaged 3.4 points -- on 78% shooting -- and 4.7 rebounds in 15.6 minutes per game.

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The WNBA is projected to bring in between $180 million and $200 million in combined league and team revenue this year, up from about $102 million in 2019, according to people familiar with the matter.

Base salaries as a share of total revenue actually shrank to around 9.3% in fiscal 2022, which ended on Sept. 30, from 11.1% in fiscal 2019. NBA players make 51 percent of basketball related income as part of their CBA.

The current WNBA collective bargaining agreement was agreed upon in January 2020 and the contract runs through 2027. Either the league or players can opt out of the agreement at the end of the 2025 season. The union is expected to exercise the option.

For now, base salaries are locked in at a set rate for the contract's duration, with an annual increase of about 3% for inflation. For the 2023 season, the minimum is $62,285 and the maximum is $234,936.

Viewership for the first WNBA finals game last year was up 171% over 2021.

Unlike in the NBA, team revenue and league revenue are considered separate in the WNBA. Team revenue is largely made up of ticket sales, merchandise, food and beverage sales, local corporate sponsorships and local broadcasting rights. Teams use these funds for player salaries.

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What happened in four snapshots in the NBA Playoffs on Wednesday, April 26, 2023.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo was introspective following the Milwaukee Bucks season coming to an end in five games against the Miami Heat. Asked what happened to cause his Bucks to fall to the Heat in the first round, Antetokounmpo was candid in his response.

"They were playing to beat us and we were playing to win a championship", Antetokounmpo said. "We were a little bit ahead of ourselves, to be honest."

Antetokounmpo went on to say he doesn't consider the season to be a failure.

"It's not a failure," he said. "It's steps towards success. There's always steps to it. Michael Jordan played 15 years. He won six championships. The other nine years, he was a failure? (No.) So why do you ask me that question? It's the wrong question.

"There's no failure in sports. There's good days, bad days. Some days you're able to be successful. Some days you're not. Some days it's your turn. Some days it's not your turn. And that's what sports is about. You don't always win. Some other people are going to win. And this year, somebody else is going to win. Simple as that.

"We're going to come back next year, try to be better, try to build good habits, try to play better. Not have a 10-day stretch of playing bad basketball. And hopefully we can win a championship. So, for 50 years, from 1971 until we won in 2021, that we didn't win a championship, it was 50 years of failure? No, it was not. There was steps to it. And we were able to win one. Hopefully we can win another one."

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Game 4 of the series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies averaged 4.26 million viewers on TNT.

The number, representing a 34% increase from last season, is also the third highest viewership on cable for the first round of the playoffs.

It was also the sixth highest viewership across all networks, with the Lakers-Grizzlies and Warriors-Kings combining for seven out of the top eight most-watched first-round games (Game 4 of the Warriors-Kings included the highest viewership of any first round game in 21 years).

The Bucks-Heat Game 4 averaged 3.5 million viewers, with all four games in the series declining from last year's equivalent window.

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Julius Randle's sprained ankle will be re-examined on Thursday, Tom Thibodeau confirmed following the New York Knicks' series-clinching win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Randle missed two weeks at the end of the season after spraining the same ankle, though Ian Begley of SNY reported that the latest sprain is not as severe as the previous.

"It would be premature for me to comment. We're hopeful that it's not bad," said Thibodeau.

Game 1 of the Knicks-Heat series is scheduled for Sunday.

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The NBA and National Basketball Players Association announced Wednesday night they have ratified the recently agreed-upon new collective bargaining agreement. Both sides came to the new agreement in the early hours of April 1, shortly after the deadline for both sides to opt out of the current agreement had expired at midnight March 31. I

The new CBA will go into effect on July 1st and remain in place until at least the end of the 28-29 season.

The CBA includes provisions to limit the ways big spending teams can build their rosters, aimed at franchises like the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers.

The deal also brings in the in-season tournament.

The NBA last had a work stoppage in 2011 when the owners increased their share of Basketball Related Income from 43 percent to 49 percent.

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Anthony Edwards was cited for third degree assault after he allegedly swung a chair that struck two employees following the Minnesota Timberwolves' Game 5 loss at the Denver Nuggets.

Third-degree assault is a class one misdemeanor in the state of Colorado and is defined as "knowingly or recklessly" causing bodily injury. If convicted, Edwards faces possible jail time and a fine of up to $1,000.

The incident occurred as Edwards headed toward the Wolves' locker room after the loss and swung a folding chair.

The injuries were not serious.

"We are aware of the alleged incident regarding Anthony Edwards following Game 5 in Denver and are in the process of gathering more information," the Wolves said in a statement released Wednesday night. "We have no further comment at this moment."

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CJ McCollum underwent successful surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right thumb. The surgery was performed by Dr. Michelle Carlson at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York.

Additionally, after further consultation with Dr. David Altchek at HSS, it has been determined that McCollum will not require surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. McCollum will undergo an offseason rehabilitation program focused on shoulder stabilization and strengthening.

McCollum is expected to make a full recovery for both injuries prior to the start of training camp.

McCollum publicly played through the injury for a considerable part of the season.

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The future of Damian Lillard with the Portland Trail Blazers is uncertain this offseason as they come off another season in which they were out of the playoff picture well before the end of the season.

Portland has attempted to rebuild around Lillard with win-now veterans such as Jerami Grant, but they have also wanted to keep young players with value such as Shaedon Sharpe.

If Lillard and the Blazers decide to explore trade options, the Miami Heat are a team expected to have interest.

"I think the Heat are on the cusp of looking for another star maneuver," said Brian Windhorst on his podcast. "I would put them on the list for Dame Lillard if Dame ends up getting traded. If he goes to market, I think the Heat are on that list. I don't know if they have enough. A lot of their offer would be built around Tyler Herro, who was just injured. I suspect, I don't know for sure, just to be clear, I don't know for sure if they're going to offer him, but I suspect that would be the type of thing. That and draft picks."

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The Portland Trail Blazers will begin operating a G League franchise for the 23-24 season, which leaves the Phoenix Suns as the only team without an affiliate.

Portland G League team will play their home games at the University of Portland.

"I'm excited to welcome Jody Allen and the Trail Blazers ownership group to the NBA G League family," said NBA G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim. "The NBA G League continues to grow to meet the developmental demands of NBA teams, and today's announcement is further proof of the value the league provides to the NBA every day. I can't wait to watch the team tip off at the Chiles Center next season."

"It was very important to our organization to enter the G League with an affiliate here in Portland and strategically strengthen our dedication to player development," said Joe Cronin, Portland Trail Blazers General Manager. "I would especially like to thank Jody Allen, who is aligned with Dewayne Hankins and myself, to make it a priority to have this team ready for next season as it will serve not only as a developmental tool for players but also for aspiring coaches and staff while we continue to be a mainstay in the community as a whole."

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What happened in three snapshots in the NBA Playoffs on Tuesday, April 25, 2023.

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Adam Silver defended the decision by the NBA to suspend Miles Bridges for 30 games with a 20-game credit applied to this past season in which he was without a contract.

Bridges was arrested in June when he was accused of hitting his girlfriend in front of their children. Bridges pled no contest to a felony domestic violence charge.

On Tuesday, Silver said the league and Bridges had a "mutual agreement" that he would not play during the 22-23 season.

"The process (with Bridges) was that we worked with his representatives and the players association that he sat out the entire season," Silver said. "And so we felt, on the balance, that because he had sat out an entire season and not been paid for an entire season, that we thought in fairness that would give him partial credit, I think, for having sat out that season."

Bridges will lose 30 games of pay next season, even though his suspension will only keep him out of 10 games if he signs a new contract. Players are typically credited for games only when they are eligible and available to play.

Bridges's punishment has been criticized by some reporters and by fans on social media.

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Kawhi Leonard has been diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his right knee.

Leonard played in the first two games of the Los Angeles Clippers' first round series against the Phoenix Suns where he averaged 35 points per game. Leonard missed Games 3, 4 and 5 with the injury in which he was listed as day-to-day.

Leonard is signed with the Clippers through the 24-25 season and he can become a free agent in 2024 if he declines his player option.

Leonard suffered a partially torn ACL during the 2021 playoffs, which led him to miss the entire 21-22 season.

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The LA Clippers were eliminated in five games by the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs on Tuesday night. That followed a season where LA missed out on the postseason entirely, after falling in the 2022 Play-In Tournament.

Despite the recent lack of success, Ty Lue said he expects to return as the Clippers head coach next season. When asked that exact question, Lue responded with a simple: "I do."

In three seasons as the Clippers coach, Lue has gone 133-103 in the regular season and 11-13 in the playoffs. He's dealt with uncertainty with his roster for his entire run as LA's head coach, as Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have missed considerable time in both the regular season and postseason.

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Russell Westbrook reflected on his time with the Los Angeles Clippers after their season came to an end with a Game 5 loss against the Phoenix Suns. Westbrook said he loved his time with the Clippers and said appreciated being embraced by the franchise and the fans.

Westbrook went on to explain the sense of relief he felt was he was traded by the Los Angeles Lakers. When asked when he felt that weight being lifted, Westbrook said it happened right away.

"Once I got traded. Immediately, to be honest. From that moment, honestly, mentally, I was in a better place."

Westbrook joined the Clippers on a deal for the remainder of the season after his buyout from the Utah Jazz.

"You know what, this will be probably my first time actually in my career being able to make a decision," Westbrook said of his future. "One thing I do tell you is that I love it here. I love the people, just the fans overall embracing not just me but my family and close friends. I know a lot of things have happened [this season], but I'm grateful. I definitely love being here.

"As far as making a decision, I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get there. I don't really know my process because it's kind of my first time doing this. So we'll see what happens."

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Paolo Banchero has been named the 22-23 NBA Rookie of the Year.

Banchero received 98 out of 100 first place votes to finish ahead of Jalen Williams and Walker Kessler.

Kessler received two first place votes, but just 17 second place votes. Williams received 75 second place votes.

Banchero is the first player selected first overall to win Rookie of the Year since Ben Simmons in 2018.

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The Houston Rockets agreed to hire Ime Udoka as head coach this week a few months after he was suspended by the Boston Celtics for an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate.

Houston reportedly felt comfortable with the opinion of the NBA league office that Udoka's behavior didn't rise to the level of "disqualifying" him for employment.

"The league office reviewed the independent report that the Celtics had commissioned in the aftermath of Udoka's improper relationship with a woman in that organization within the basketball realm in Boston... that there was nothing the league office was telling them precluded Houston or any other team from hiring Ime Udoka," said Adrian Wojnarowski on Outside the Lines. "There was nothing they found to be disqualifying to work again in the NBA. Certainly, there was an initial year-long suspension that turned into a dismissal as Joe Mazzulla was having success with that team.

"But I think for Houston, certainly they met Udoka in person, they spent time with him. They talked to a lot of people who have worked with him, who have known him, who vouch for him through the years at different organizations and came to the decision they would be willing to offer their head coaching job and make a significant commitment to him contractually."

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When asked by Logan Murdock of The Ringer about what went wrong with the Brooklyn Nets, he said that it would be up to James Harden and Kyrie Irving to explain it. Durant signed an extension in the 2021 offseason and expected Harden and Irving to follow suit before the start of the 22-22 season. Both players eventually asked for trades from the Nets.

"You got to ask them, to be honest," Durant said. "My job is to play, and I think I did that. Rehab, a lot of stuff was out of my control that I didn't ... I can't speak on, to be honest, but I just thought we didn't play enough minutes together. That's all."

Durant was also asked about where his relationship with Irving stands now.

"That's something I'm going to keep internal. I don't want to expose our relationship," Durant said. "I think that's deeper than basketball, but I wouldn't say it was a problem. I didn't think it was a problem."

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The Golden State Warriors' 126-125 win over the Sacramento Kings in Game 4 was the most-watched first round NBA playoff game on any network in 21 years.

ABC had an average audience of 7.52 million viewers and it peaked with 10.406 million viewers at 6:00 PM ET.

The first round series between the Warriors and Kings is tied 2-2 with three of the four games being decided in the final minute.

The game reference in 2022 was between the Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal-led Los Angeles Lakers and the Rasheed Wallace-led Portland Trail Blazers (8,555,000 viewers).

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Kevin Durant has the type of playing style that should allow him to continue his career well into his late 30s, if not his early 40s. But there have been questions of whether he would like to extend his career that long.

In an interview with Logan Murdock of The Ringer, Durant suggested he would like to achieve longevity in the game.

"I want to play until I can't no more, man," Durant said. "A title is incredible, but what it's going to mean to me as an individual? I want to win a title for a city, for my teammates, for the organization. Is it going to get me more notoriety, more attention, a ring? It's not really about me. That's how I look at championships. So I want to do this together. I'm looking forward to going on the journey with these guys."

Durant is now on his fourth NBA team, something he is at peace with.

"I've been a nomad since I was a kid," Durant said. "I done moved in five different cribs as an adolescent. I done went to three elementary schools. I done went to two middle schools. ... I done went to three different high schools. I went to Texas for one year, moved. I went to Seattle for one year, moved on to the next. I just think it's my place as a human being to explore all parts of Earth."

Durant is currently signed with the Phoenix Suns through the 25-26 season.

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What happened in four snapshots in the NBA Playoffs on Sunday, April 23, 2023.

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The Los Angeles Clippers ruled Kawhi Leonard out for Game 5 against the Phoenix Suns due to a right knee sprain.

Leonard suffered the injury in Game 1 and made it worse by playing in Game 2.

Leonard received treatment on Monday, but did not practice.

Ty Lue defended Leonard on Monday, saying that the Clippers star is "definitely hurt."

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Kyle Anderson will miss Game 5 against the Denver Nuggets with an eye injury.

Anderson suffered the left eye and facial contusion in Game 4 after getting hit by Anthony Edwards.

Anderson is averaging 8.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 26 minutes for the series.

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Jimmy Butler scored 56 points in a 119-114 comeback win by the Miami Heat over the Milwaukee Bucks to go up 3-1 in their first round series. Butler went 19-for-28 from the field and 15-for-18 from the free throw line.

After the game, Butler was asked if "Playoff Jimmy is a thing."

"It's not a thing," said Butler. "I just be hooping."

Butler tied the fourth-best scoring performance ever in a playoff game.

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The Toronto Raptors will interview Adrian Griffin for their head coaching vacancy.

Griffin was an assistant coach under Nick Nurse, who the Raptors parted ways with at the end of their season.

Griffin has been an assistant coach since his retirement in 2008.

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Lauri Markkanen has been named the 22-23 NBA Most Improved Player.

Markkanen received 69 first place votes, 27 second place votes and four third place votes to finish with 430 total points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished second, while Jalen Brunson finished third.

Markkanen averaged 25.6 points per game on 49.9 percent shooting overall and 39.1 percent from 3-point range.

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Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) and Seth Partnow of The Athletic (@SethPartnow) discuss the first round of the NBA playoffs.

They break down the importance of De'Aaron Fox's injury, takeaways from Knicks/Cavs, officiating, teambuilding and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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Ime Udoka has agreed to become the next head coach of the Houston Rockets.

Udoka was also a strong candidate for the Toronto Raptors' head coaching vacancy, while he was also considered by the Atlanta Hawks and Brooklyn Nets for their jobs.

Udoka was suspended and later dismissed by the Boston Celtics after findings of an inappropriate workplace relationship. Udoka led the Celtics to an appearance in The Finals in his first season as head coach.

According to sources that spoke with ESPN, "the Rockets probed the circumstances around Udoka's Celtics departure with the team and league office."

Nick Nurse and Sam Cassell were among the other candidates linked to the Rockets' vacancy.

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Dejounte Murray has been suspended for Game 5 for making contact with and verbally abusing a game official in Game 4.

The Atlanta Hawks trail the Boston Celtics 3-1 in the series.

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Joel Embiid suffered a sprained LCL in his right knee in Game 4.

When Embiid suffered the injury, the Philadelphia 76ers were expecting a one- to two-week recovery.

The second round could start as early as Saturday, April 29th.

Embiid is "moving around better" and the swelling has subsided, but it remains to be seen if he will be available for Game 1.

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De'Aaron Fox has been diagnosed with a fracture at the tip of his left index finger. Fox will be doubtful for Game 5, but there is still hope he could try to play through the injury.

Fox sustained the injury midway through the fourth quarter of the Sacramento Kings' Game 4 loss at the Golden State Warriors.

Fox is averaging 31.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists through the first four games of the first round series.

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The Golden State Warriors want to retain Draymond Green next season, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Green has a $27.6 million player option with the Warriors for the 23-24 season. The Warriors and Green have several options available whether it's an extension off that season, a brand new contract, or him opting in.

If Green were to become available as an opt-in and trade or an outright free agent, Charania reports that "several contenders across the league will value Green."

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The NBA is phasing in its new second luxury tax apron over a two-year period, sources tell John Bollinger of The Athletic.

The Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors are both about $40 million above the line currently and are locked into payrolls around the same level for next season. Both teams would struggle to lower their payroll much without substantially making their roster worse.

The penalties for teams who go into this tax will be so draconian that it will essentially act as a "soft hard cap." Teams will rarely if ever go beyond it.

The Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns are all over the $17.5 million line this season, but each of them could fairly easily get below it. Only the Bucks and Suns face any possibility of issues with the line next season.

Teams above the second apron will have no midlevel exception, not even the taxpayer MLE.

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Dillon Brooks will be a free agent this offseason and his future with the Memphis Grizzlies is uncertain considering his liabilities on offense and the fact they sought out upgrades at small forward at the deadline. Brooks is a very effective defensive player, but he doesn't space the floor at the wing in a way to maximize the Memphis offense and has questionable shot selection.

The Grizzlies pursued trades at the deadline for Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby.

"They tried to upgrade at the trade deadline," said Tim MacMahon on the Brian Windhorst Podcast. "They threw four picks at the Nets trying to get Mikal Bridges. They really weren't able to get the Raptors in serious conversations, but they would have given up a few picks to get OG Anuoby. They've tried to move on from Dillon Brooks already.

"I don't know if Dillon Brooks is on this team after this series. We'll see if the Grizzlies can comeback and win it. I certainly don't know if he's on this team after free agency this summer, but the problem is if he's not, who's guarding all the best players? All the stars on the other teams?"

MacMahon suggests the Grizzlies could reengage the Nets on a trade for Dorian Finney-Smith, who could be a more feasible trade target.

"If they're letting Dillon Brooks, they absolutely have to get a really, really, really good defensive wing player. They can let him go in free agency, they just have to figure out how to replace me. Trust me, they've put a lot of thought into that."

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Giannis Antetokounmpo will return to the lineup for the Milwaukee Bucks for Game 4 against the Miami Heat.

Antetokounmpo missed Games 2 and 3 with a back injury.

The Bucks trail the Heat 2-1 in the series.

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What happened in four snapshots in the NBA Playoffs on Sunday, April 23, 2023.

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Former top overall recruit Emoni Bates has entered the 2023 NBA Draft as an Early Entry Candidate. Bates began his college career at the University of Memphis before transferring and playing his sophomore season at Eastern Michigan.

With the Eagles, Bates averaged 19.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. He started all 30 games for Eastern Michigan this season after playing in 18 games with 13 starts as a freshman at Memphis.

Bates is projected to go in the second round in most mock drafts. He will be one of the younger players in the 2023 draft, as Bates only turned 19 in late-January of this year.

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The NBA is investigating Dejounte Murray's actions towards an official following the Atlanta Hawks' 129-121 loss at home to the Boston Celtics in Game 4, sources told Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

Murray appeared to make contact with referee Gediminas Petraitis before leaving the court at the end of the game.

The team did not make Murray available for a post-game interview.

The league usually makes a decision on any disciplinary action before the next game in the series.

Down 3-1 in the series, the Hawks play the Celtics on Tuesday night.

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Draymond Green will return to the Golden State Warriors for Game 4 after a one-game suspension. However, Green's return to the Warriors starting lineup will have to wait.

Golden State will bring Green off the bench for Game 4 of their first-round series against the Sacramento Kings. The Warriors won Game 3 behind starting group that included Jordan Poole elevated to starting alongside regular openers Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney.

Green has only sporadically come off the bench since becoming a regular starter in 2014-15. Green's last playoff game off the bench came nearly nine years ago on April 24, 2014.

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Victor Oladipo of the Miami Heat has been diagnosed with a torn patellar tendon in his left knee. Oladipo was injured during Miami's Game 3 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.

This is Oladipo's second major left knee injury. In January of 2019, the guard tore the quadriceps tendon in his left knee while playing for the Indiana Pacers.

Oladipo holds a $9.45 million player option for next season. He's likely to pick up that option and to spend a large chunk of next season rehabbing from this latest injury.

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The Brooklyn Nets have said that Cam Johnson was as big a part of their haul from the Kevin Durant trade with the Phoenix Suns, as were Mikal Bridges and all the draft picks. Now, the Nets are determined to keep Johnson in Brooklyn.

The Nets are sending signals that they intend to match any offers Johnson receives as a restricted free agent this summer. Because of is shooting, and ability to play 2-4, Johnson is an attractive target for teams with cap space in July.

In 25 games with Brooklyn, Johnson averaged 16.6 points on 47/37/85 shooting splits, to go along with 4.8 rebounds per game. Overall, in 42 games with the Nets and Suns, Johnson averaged a career-high 15.5 points on 47/40/84 shooting splits.

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Memphis Grizzlies wing Dillon Brooks will face no further punishment after being ejected from Game 3. Brooks was ejected after picking up a Flagrant 2 foul for a shot to the groin of Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James.

Brooks had previously stated that he wouldn't respect James until the Lakers star "dropped 40 on him". Brooks later clarified that he did respect James, but that he wasn't afraid of him. He also took the opportunity to call James "old", while suggesting that the NBA's all-time leading scorer isn't the player he once was.

For his part, James said those comments don't bother him. Following Brooks' ejection, James said he was "Just focusing on the game plan. There was a lot of game to be played when that incident happened. So just tried to get up, protect my crown jewels, and move on to the next play."

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Kevin Durant defended the reputation of Russell Westbrook following the Phoenix Suns' Game 4 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Westbrook scored 37 points for the Clippers as they played without both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

"People going to always criticize when you're successful and doing your thing for this long," Durant said of Westbrook. "Russ has been resilient his whole life. He comes to work, doesn't say much. Just come hoop."

Durant said he believes that people will not truly appreciate Westbrook until he is done playing.

"When he retires, people are going to really tell the truth about his game," Durant said. "Right now, the fun thing to do is to make a joke out of Russ. But the way he's been playing since he got with the Clippers is showing everybody who he really is."

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Dillon Brooks called LeBron James old after the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2, which setup a highly anticipated matchup in Game 3.

James and Brooks had brief words before the game, and Brooks was ejected 17 seconds into the second half after the Memphis agitator struck James in the groin while guarding him near midcourt.

"I didn't make a statement," James said. "I've been doing this too long. I'm not making any statements. We had the opportunity to come home and play well on our home floor, and we did that. No statement was made. We just wanted to play well, and we got a win. I don't need to make statements."

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Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the Milwaukee Bucks' Game 3 loss at the Miami Heat, falling to 2-1 in the series.

Antetokounmpo has not played since Sunday, when he injured his back .

"He's just not ready to go," Mike Budenholzer said Saturday before Game 3. "I don't think it's always a linear thing. He's not in a place where he can go. We'll continue to monitor him, work with him and hope for the best."

Antetokounmpo has not practiced with the team since, but he did some individual work on the court Friday in Milwaukee. Following Saturday morning's shootaround, Antetokounmpo was getting stretched out by the team's training staff and walked toward the team bus with his back taped and iced.

He was listed as questionable heading into the game.

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Draymond Green was suspended for Game 3, which the Golden State Warriors won to move their first round series against the Sacramento Kings to 2-1.

Green promises not to change the way he approaches the game.

"They created a Draymond rule before, that s--- don't work. I'm still sitting here," Green said after practice Saturday.

"Draymond won't be moved by the Draymond rule," Green added. "I'll continue to play the game how I play the game, operate how I operate, be exactly who I am because that leads to winning. If I was losing, they wouldn't be creating Draymond rules. As long as they create Draymond rules, that means we're winning and that's great ... but it doesn't change Draymond."

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Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has been ruled out for Game 3 against the Miami Heat due to a back contusion. Antetokounmpo also missed the Bucks Game 2 victory over the Heat.

Antetokounmpo took a hard fall early in Game 1. He was unable to finish that game, and then was unable to suit up for Game 2. Now, Antetokounmpo will remain sidelined as the series transitions to Miami.

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The Toronto Raptors are willing to make anyone on their roster available via trade this offseason outside of Scottie Barnes.

"Outside of Scottie Barnes, who is coming off a disappointing follow up to his Rookie of the Year campaign, everybody and everything is on the table as the off-season kicks into high gear ahead of the draft in late June and free agency at the beginning of July," writes Josh Lewenberg.

This leaves Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby as high impact, possibly available players on the trade market. Fred VanVleet, Jakob Poeltl and Gary Trent Jr. will be free agents.

"I think changes are going to be made on all fronts," Masai Ujiri said. "We're going to address that with the team. We saw how different players on our team would rise, would do well, but we never did it collectively. Maybe that could be fit. Maybe that could be system, sometimes role orientation, sometimes accountability - all the things we are going to really look at it how our roster is built. We believe in the players we have. Whether it's tweaks or major changes, we're definitely going to look at everything."

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Trae Young and Dejounte Murray combined for 57 points in the Atlanta Hawks' Game 3 win over the Boston Celtics.

Young and Murray are in their first season together. Murray compared his partnership with Young to what he has witnessed from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

"I don't want to talk about Boston too much, but I look at Jayson and Jaylen a lot," Murray said. "Two guys who were going through it a lot, just not working out. And just to get to where they're at, the level they're at -- obviously last year going to the Finals and this year being at the top of the East -- so great things don't happen overnight.

"Great things take time and me and [Young] both want to learn the game and work at the game at the same time."

"First of all, [it was] kind of figuring out what they were thinking together playing off each other," Snyder said. "At one point, I was like, I should just be quiet. Usually when that's happening, as a coach, if you feel that and you respect those guys and they are communicating like that and if they're on the same page, people will play off of them. That's what happened us.

"That's when we're going to be playing our best basketball."

Young believed it was a step in the right direction with Murray.

"You don't want to live in the moment too much. I mean, we won a game in the playoffs, it's big," Young said. "But we've had some really good games together. I don't consider this our best game together. It's definitely one of them, but it came at the right time and we needed it."

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What happened in three snapshots in the NBA Playoffs on Friday, April 21, 2023.

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The Golden State Warriors defeated the Sacramento Kings 114-97 in Game 3 despite the controversial suspension of Draymond Green.

Stephen Curry scored 36 points with six three-pointers.

The NBA cited Green's history of prior incidents in their explanation of why he was suspended, which Curry alluded to.

"We did what we're supposed to do," Curry said on the court after the game. "They say Draymond's got a history, so do we. We know how to bounce back."

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The Detroit Pistons began interviewing head coaching candidates this week, sources told James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.

Early front-runners for the role include Bucks assistant Charles Lee, Pelicans assistant Jarron Collins, and Overtime Elite coach Kevin Ollie.

All three have interviewed with the team, with Edwards describing Collin's interview as "stellar."

There is currently no rush to fill the vacancy, with the team expected to hold at least one more round of interviews with different candidates.

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Ja Morant is questionable for Game 3 on Saturday against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Morant, who missed Game 2 due to a sore right hand, was able to complete a full practice on Friday.

Taylor Jenkins said that Morant is doing "so much better than he was two days ago" but is still having some issues with the hand.

"It's just catching the ball he's having to navigate," added Jenkins.

The Grizzlies will make a decision on Morant's availability following Saturday's shootaround.

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Game 3 of the Golden State Warriors win over the Sacramento Kings averaged 4.12 million viewers as the series continues to lead the playoffs in viewership.

The Kings win in Game 2 averaged 4.32 million viewers.

All three games of the series represent a double-digit increase in viewership over the Warriors-Nuggets last season.

Game 3 of the Suns-Clippers averaged 486,000 viewers on NBA TV, though Game 2 averaged 3.86 million viewers.

The two series account for five of the largest audiences of the postseason thus far.

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From the opening tipoff on Oct. 18 through the close of the 22-23 NBA regular season on April 9, local NBA deliveries were up two percent compared to last season, giving regional sports networks their highest ratings in five seasons.

When weighted by market size and duration, the RSNs averaged 39,801 household impressions per NBA game, topping the deliveries for TNT (26,342) and ESPN (20,531). This means local sports networks are drawing a larger crowd of NBA fans than their larger TV rivals.

The Golden State Warriors this season averaged 132,286 households per game on NBC Sports Bay Area, eclipsing the 42,309 local households that tuned into TNT's competitive coverage.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo did not practice with the team Friday but did some individual work on the court.

Antetokounmpo suffered a back injury in Game 1 and missed Game 2.

"He's doing everything he can to make himself available to play," Mike Budenholzer said.

The series is tied at 1-1 ahead of Game 3.

"We're just going to monitor him the rest of [Friday]; we'll monitor him [Saturday] and see where he is," Budenholzer said.

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Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out by the Los Angeles Clippers for Saturday's Game 4 against the Phoenix Suns with a right knee sprain.

Leonard also missed Game 3 in an unexpected move. Leonard aggravated his right knee sprain in Game 1 but played through it in Game 2. Leonard was not on the injury report for Game 2 or ahead of Game 3 before he was ruled out.

Leonard's injury is considered day-to-day by the team.

With Game 5 scheduled for Tuesday, Leonard would have a week of recovery before seeing if he can play when the series returns to Phoenix.

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Joel Embiid sustained a right knee sprain in the Philadelphia 76ers' Game 3 win over the Brooklyn Nets and will miss Game 4 on Saturday.

Embiid returned to Philadelphia on Friday to undergo an MRI on the knee. Embiid could return as early as next week, possibly for Game 5.

Embiid injured the knee contesting a third-quarter drive by the Nets' Cam Johnson on Thursday.

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Victor Wembanyama officially declared for the 2023 NBA draft on Friday and has submitted paperwork to the league office.

"Declaring for the draft ... it's something crazy I'm not realizing yet," Wembanyama told ESPN. "I realized pretty young I wanted to play in the NBA but it becomes a reality more every day. I'm so lucky to have this dream within the reach of my hand."

Wembanyama is in the midst of a historic season in France, averaging 21.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.1 blocks and 2.3 assists per game.

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Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) talks with Jared Dubin (@JADubin5) about the first round of the NBA playoffs.

They discuss how the first week has (and has not) changed their view of the title picture, the fascinating Warriors/Kings series, what to take away from the first two games of Knicks/Cavs, the Raptors firing Nick Nurse and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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What happened in three snapshots in the NBA Playoffs on Thursday, April 20, 2023.

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The Toronto Raptors are expected to consider Ime Udoka for their next head coach. Toronto fired Nick Nurse with one season remaining on his contract.

Udoka has one year of head coaching experience, as he led the Boston Celtics to the 2022 NBA Finals. Udoka was then suspended by the Celtics shortly before the start of this season, due to inappropriate workplace behavior. Boston and Udoka have since fully parted ways.

Udoka and Toronto president Masai Ujiri have an existing relationship from the work they've done through basketball throughout Africa. Ujiri offered praise for Udoka in the past when he was an assistant coach interviewing for head coach opportunities.

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The Toronto Raptors have fired head coach Nick Nurse. Nurse and Toronto were reportedly considering parting ways at the end of the season, as far back as midseason.

Nurse was the Raptors coach for five seasons from 2018 until 2023. In his first season a head coach, Nurse led Toronto to their first, and only, championship in 2019. Following the 2019-20 season, Nurse was named as Coach of the Year.

Overall, Nurse went 227-163 in five regular seasons. He was a further 25-16 in three playoff appearances.

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Malcolm Brogdon has been named the 22-23 NBA Sixth Man of the Year.

Brogdon averaged 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists; among those who played primarily off the bench this season.

Brogdon received 60 of 100 first-place votes and 408 points overall from a media panel. Immanuel Quickley was second at 326, getting 34 first-place votes. Bobby Portis had six first-place votes and 97 points.

"This is such an honor. It has definitely been a transition for me, coming from Indiana to Boston," said Brogdon, who had started every game the past four years in the NBA before embracing his role to come off the bench when he was acquired by the Celtics. "My last two seasons, they weren't super successful, so for me that was another gut check for me in understanding that maybe I'm not a No. 1 guy but I can be a great No. 2, 3 or 4."

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Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out of Game 3 of the Los Angeles Clippers' first round series against the Phoenix Suns due to a right knee sprain.

Leonard is expected to be day-to-day ahead of Game 4 on Saturday.

The injury isn't related to his previous ACL injury.

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There continues to be dialogue in the media linking James Harden with a potential return to the Houston Rockets this offseason. The Rockets will have max cap space and Harden has interest in a return to the franchise he played for between 2012 and 2021.

How the Philadelphia 76ers fare in the playoffs could go a long ways in determining what happens with Harden.

"James Harden's future is very unclear in Philadelphia," said Adrian Wojnarowski on his podcast. "Houston is very much in play for him. And I think a lot may depend on [whether] they make a run and win and it's easy to pay him long-term big money, or he just wants to be in Houston. Win or lose he goes, or it's dependent on the team's success."

Harden re-signed with the Sixers last offseason on a two-year, $68.6 million deal.

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The Washington Wizards have parted ways with Tommy Sheppard as general manager.

Sheppard was promoted from interim general manager in 2019 after replacing Ernie Grunfeld and had been with the franchise since 2003.

During Sheppard's tenure, the Wizards traded John Wall and subsequently signed Bradley Beal to a supermax contract. The Wizards reached the playoffs in just one of Sheppard's four seasons in charge.

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The NBA suspended Draymond Green for Game 3 in what was widely considered a surprise decision and one in which Joe Dumars defended in multiple interviews with ESPN. Dumars implied that the league took the totality of Green's career and his behavior following the stomping on Domantas Sabonis after his leg was grabbed by Sabonis.

"The Warriors were shocked and caught off guard last night," said Zach Lowe on his podcast about the reaction of the franchise when they learned of the NBA's decision. "There is some anger within the organization toward the league. There's a sense in the organization that Sabonis is shoving people on offensive rebounds and playing with his elbows out and using the ball as a weapon on offense. 'So of course someone eventually retaliated.' You can give that any validity you want."

The Kings enter Game 3 up 2-0 against the Warriors.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo has been upgraded to questionable for Game 2 of the first round series between the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat.

Antetokounmpo did not practice Tuesday and had been listed as doubtful because of the lower back injury he suffered in Game 1.

The Bucks trail Miami 1-0 in the series.

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Domantas Sabonis is questionable for Game 3 due to a sternum contusion, the Sacramento Kings announced.

Sabonis suffered the injury after getting stepped on by Draymond Green in the fourth quarter of Game 2. X-rays on the injury returned negative.

Green was suspended for Game 3 for stepping on Sabonis.

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The NBA suspended Draymond Green for Game 3 of the Golden State Warriors first-round series against the Sacramento Kings for stepping on Domantas Sabonis' chest.

The league's statement notes that part of the reason for the suspension is due to Green's "history of unsportsmanlike acts."

The incident in question occurred with 7:03 remaining in the fourth quarter of Game 2. Sabonis grabbed Green's right ankle, to which Green responded with the step.

Green, who asked for an x-ray after the game, believed he injured his right ankle in the incident.

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De'Aaron Fox has been named the 22-23 NBA Clutch Player of the Year.

Fox was widely considered the favorite to win the award with DeMar DeRozan and Jimmy Butler the other two finalists. Fox received 91 first place votes, while Butler finished second and had one first place vote, 24 second place votes and 27 third place votes.

Jalen Brunson and Joel Embiid rounded out the top-5.

Fox led the NBA in clutch points during the season.

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Ja Morant will be a game-time decision for Game 2 of the Memphis Grizzlies' first round series against the Los Angeles Lakers.

X-rays after the Grizzlies' loss in Game 1 on Sunday were negative. An MRI on Monday revealed an aggravation of soft-tissue bruising in Morant's hand. The injury was originally suffered on April 7th, but it was made worse when Morant used his right hand to break his fall after committing a charge against Anthony Davis.

"I do not sense a great deal of optimism around this Grizzlies team that Ja Morant will be ready to play in Game 2," said Adrian Wojnarowski.

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The NBA and NBPA have agreed to major changes to the draft process as part of its new collective bargaining agreement.

Beginning in 2024, all invited players will be required to attend and participate in the NBA draft combine or be ineligible to be drafted until the "first subsequent draft for which the player attends and fully participates."

Participation will include league medical examinations, sharing of medical history and biomechanical and functional movement testing, as well as strength and agility testing, shooting drills, performance testing and anthropometric measurements.

This represents a significant shift in favor of NBA teams that have long lobbied for this rule change. Agents of elite prospects have regularly strategized to keep medical information away from franchises they have perceived as less appealing.

Players who are physically unable to participate, because of playing with a FIBA club still in-season, family tragedy, the birth of a child, or an injury, as determined by the medical director of the combine, will be required to complete components at a later date.

The second major change that will be instituted in the new CBA involves doing away with automatic eligibility for high school or collegiate players who sign professional contracts with entities such as G League Ignite, Overtime Elite (OTE) or the Australian NBL.

In the past, players who signed with such entities would be automatically eligible for the subsequent NBA draft, regardless of whether they were interested in doing so or not, provided they were turning 19 in that calendar year.

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Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green asked for an x-ray after his team's Game 2 loss to the Sacramento Kings. Green believes his right ankle was injured when Domantas Sabonis grabbed his leg during a scramble in the middle of the fourth quarter of Game 2.

After the Warriors came up with a loose rebound, Sabonis fell to the floor. He initially grabbed Green's right leg. When Green shook his leg loose, he stepped on Sabonis' midsection/chest area and pushed off.

Sabonis was assessed a technical foul for grabbing Green. Green was given a Flagrant 2 foul and ejected from the game. It's unknown if the NBA will levy any further punishment from the incident.

Green indicated he felt soreness in his right ankle, which he believes was caused by Sabonis grabbing it. The results of that x-ray are unknown at this time.

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Ime Udoka will interview with the Houston Rockets for their head coaching vacancy on Wednesday.

The Boston Celtics parted ways with Udoka after he was suspended by the franchise for violations of team policies with an inmate relationship with a member of the staff.

The Rockets are searching for a new head coach after parting ways with Stephen Silas.

Udoka was nearly hired as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets after the team fired Steve Nash.

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There is "optimism" that Giannis Antetokounmpo will be available for Game 2 after leaving Game 1 with a back injury.

Antetokounmpo's ability to play through the pain will likely be the determining factor on whether or not he plays.

Antetokounmpo is also dealing with a ligament in his wrist.

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Tyler Herro was diagnosed with a broken right hand, the Miami Heat announced.

Herro suffered the injury after diving for a loose ball late in the first half of Game 1 against the Bucks.

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Ja Morant left the Memphis Grizzlies' Game 1 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in the fourth quarter with a right hand injury and did not return.

X-rays were negative, though Taylor Jenkins said that Morant was in "some pain."

Jenkins also added that Morant's status for Game 2 was "in jeopardy."

Morant fell on his hand after charging into Anthony Davis on a drive midway through the quarter.

Morant was already playing with the hand wrapped due to an injury suffered during the last week of the regular season.

Morant returned to the Grizzlies bench but did not re-enter the game. The Grizzlies medical staff is currently evaluating Morant's hand and wrist.

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Paul George is likely to be out for the entire first round of the Los Angeles Clippers playoff series against the Phoenix Suns due to a sprained knee, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

George has been progressing since suffering the injury on March 21, but the Clippers are prepared to play without him for the first round.

George averaged 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists on the season.

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Unrestricted free agent Nikola Vucevic said that he will test the market this summer, though added that the Chicago Bulls will have the inside track on re-signing him.

"The Bulls will have priority. I'd like to stay here. But that's on the front office to decide and work with my agent," said Vucevic.

Bulls vice president Arturas Karnisovas said that he wanted to re-sign Vucevic, as well as bring back the core of the team.

Vucevic averaged 17.6 points and 11.0 rebounds last season.

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The Dallas Mavericks were originally planning to tank back in March, according to Kevin O'Connor of Fan Duel TV.

The decision was met with pushback from Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic, who both refused to sit out games.

"In late March, Dallas coaches met with players to discuss a plan for Markieff Morris and Javale McGee to play heavier minutes.

"That is when the tanking was supposed to begin, but Luka and Kyrie were agitated that the team was waving the white flag and both refused to sit," according to O'Connor.

The Mavs were fined $750,000 by the NBA on Friday for tanking actions and comments pertaining to their April 7 game against the Bulls.

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Comcast's NBCUniversal wants an NBA package including playoff games for its broadcast network and regular-season games for its Peacock streaming platform, according to CNBC. The interest is likely mutual between the NBA and NBC.

Under their current rights deals, incumbents ESPN and TNT pay a combined $24 billion, or $2.6 billion annually. ESPN and TNT have an exclusive negotiating window with the NBA.

Comcast chairman/CEO Brian Roberts has a rivalry with Disney's Bob Iger.

"Brian Roberts and Bob Iger are personal rivals - as well as business rivals," noted Matthew Belloni, former editor of The Hollywood Reporter turned co-founder of Puck News.

"If they can make a smart choice for their own company - and screw over the other guy - they are going to do it."

There have been reports that Disney could spin off ESPN, but Iger has resisted that notion. The rising costs of live rights could make it difficult for Disney to continue to keep ESPN.

"There may come a time when [Iger] is essentially forced to sell [ESPN] by the economics of that business," warned Belloni. "If the rights fees keep going up, the cable fees keep going down, and the streaming business does not mature in the way they hope it does, then it just doesn't make sense for them to stay in that business.

"But I think Iger wants to stay in that business."

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Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic have been announced as the top-3 finalists for the 22-23 NBA Most Valuable Player award.

With a strong second half, Embiid is widely expected to win the award.

MVP
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Joel Embiid
Nikola Jokic

Defensive Player of the Year
Jaren Jackson Jr.
Brook Lopez
Evan Mobley

Rookie of the Year
Paolo Banchero
Walker Kessler
Jalen Williams

Sixth Man of the Year
Malcolm Brogdon
Bobby Portis Jr.
Immanuel Quickley

Most Improved Player
Jalen Brunson
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Lauri Markkanen

Clutch Player of the Year
Jimmy Butler
DeMar DeRozan
De'Aaron Fox

Coach of the Year
Mike Brown
Mark Daigneault
Joe Mazzulla

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The NBA announced the Dallas Mavericks organization has been fined $750,000 for conduct detrimental to the league in an elimination game against the Chicago Bulls on April 7.

The Mavericks violated the league's player resting policy and demonstrated through actions and public statements the organization's desire to lose the game in order to improve the chances of keeping its first-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. The league did not find that the players who participated in the game were not playing to win.

"The Dallas Mavericks' decision to restrict key players from fully participating in an elimination game last Friday against Chicago undermined the integrity of our sport," said Joe Dumars, NBA Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. "The Mavericks' actions failed our fans and our league."

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The NBA is suspending Miles Bridges for 30 games with 20 games considered already served.

Bridges was arrested and charged with multiple domestic violence counts on June 27, 2022. Bridges entered a plea of no contest to a felony domestic violence charge on November 3, 2022 and the remaining counts against him were dismissed.

Bridges will serve the remaining 10 games at the start of the 23-24 season.

Bridges did not sign a contract with any team for the 22-23 season.

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Rudy Gobert was suspended by the Minnesota Timberwolves for their 7/8 Play-In game at the Los Angeles Lakers, which they lost after blowing a 15-point lead.

Gobert said he probably wouldn't have been healthy enough to play the Lakers anyway.

"Still pretty sore, still not moving like I would like to be able to move, but small progress every day," said Gobert.

The Wolves said the air had long been cleared before Gobert rejoined them on the floor Thursday.

"We both apologized to each other and you move on. That's life," Gobert said. "It's different when you have millions of people all watching videos and have an opinion on things that happened, but that we can't control. What we can control is the respect that we have for each other and our relationship."

Gobert's back trouble had him listed as questionable for that game against New Orleans on Sunday

The Wolves aren't sure if Gobert will play on Friday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"I hope so. I really can't say," Chris Finch said. "But we haven't ruled him out."

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Fred VanVleet is widely expected to decline his $22.8 million option with the Toronto Raptors for the 23-24 season, but he wasn't ready to commit to doing so one day after they were eliminated from the playoffs.

"I know we're very dramatic around here," he said. "It's a tough way to go out. Not too much rush to jump into a decision about opting out. It will take some time."

Though VanVleet denies the team made a formal offer, he reportedly declined a four-year, $114 million extension before the 2022-23 season.

VanVleet re-signed with the Raptors in 2020 on a four-year, $85 million deal.

VanVleet averaged 19.3 points, 7.2 assists and 4.1 rebounds this season.

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Damian Lillard isn't asking to leave the Portland Trail Blazers. He also says he's not issuing threats, but Lillard made it clear he wants the Blazers to be all-in on a direction.

"It ain't a threat. I ain't gonna say I'm putting them on the clock, I'm just saying if those things can't be done, (if) we can't do something significant like that then we won't have a chance to compete on that level," Lillard said. "Not only will I have a decision to make, but I think the organization will too because at that point, it's like, 'Are you gonna go young or are we gonna get something done?'"

Lillard went on to say that Portland needs to be "fully committed" to picking a direction. He also said he recognizes the impact this summer will have on the Trail Blazers and his future with the team.

"I think this is our most important offseason since I've been here," Lillard said.

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Whenever Russell Westbrook faces Kevin Durant, he's inevitably asked about their relationship given the end of their tenure together with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Westbrook says there are no issues between him and Durant.

"It's nothing, it'll be normal for me," Westbrook said of facing Durant for the first time in a playoff series. "I think people still think there's some beef or something. There's no beef of any sort. I think that's the narrative for media, for people to talk about. But there's no beef that I got. Nothing but respect for him and things he's done with his career. Happy to see him back from injury. There's no beef at all. He knows I'm gonna compete, I know he's gonna compete, and that's all it is."

Durant echoed that point from his former teammate.

"I think Russ is competitive against any player he plays against," Durant said of Westbrook. "I don't think it was just specific to me. I think a lot of the fans and the people that were watching, it was high-intensity for them, it was entertainment for them. For us players, it's just another game, it's regularly scheduled programming, but Russ is that way. I've played with him for so long and watched him for so long, he was that way against everybody, so I don't expect anything different."

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The future of Nick Nurse with the Toronto Raptors is uncertain following a disappointing season and his comments to the media that he plans to consider his future. While Nurse certainly could exit as head coach and end up with another team, there is a scenario where he remains with the Raptors.

"I know this, both Nick Nurse and Masai Ujiri have been communicating lately," reported Adrian Wojnarowski before the Raptors' Play-In loss. "There's still very much a pathway forward for Nick Nurse with the Raptors beyond this postseason."

Nurse and Ujiri will meet in the near future.

"I still think both sides believe there is a way forward here. If there isn't, especially the Rockets, they are monitoring what goes on with Nick Nurse. I think he's very high on their list if he becomes available."

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What happened in two snapshots in the NBA Play-In on Tuesday, April 11, 2023.

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As part of the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement, teams will be allowed to begin contract negotiations with their own free agents one day after the conclusion of The Finals in June.

This will move up the timetable considerably than what is currently allowed.

The start of free agency for all teams is currently the early evening of June 30th.

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When it comes to NBA awards, Jaylen Brown said he wishes his team's and his own accomplishments stood for themselves. But Brown also gets how the game is played.

"I see myself as a guy who is constantly having to prove myself. That's fine. But in reality, I don't feel like I have anything to prove to anybody," Brown said. "I'm going to come out and do my job each and every night, what's asked of me on a consistent basis. I'm going to come out and get better every year until the day I die. That's just the type of guy I am. That's how my brain functions. I like to concern myself less with what others think, but now you get put into these moments and it's like you don't have a choice... [Bleep] it, I'm campaigning for myself."

Brown also said the last couple of weeks of media coverage have taken a bit of a toll on him.

"It's been a lot, to be honest," Brown said. "Just a bunch of people chiming in. I see other people kind of running off things that I never said. Rumors lead to speculation. Speculation leads to misquotes and people going out and saying things that I don't remember saying. It's just a part of it. I get it that it's the industry we're in. Last couple of weeks have been - what's the word I'm looking for? - It's been a lot."

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The NBA instructed its staff to reduce expenses and limit hiring for the rest of the fiscal year due to "economic headwinds," according to The New York Times.

Travel, entertainment, and other expenses will also get cut.

"Like other businesses in the U.S. and globally, the league office is not immune to macroeconomic pressures and taking steps to reduce expenses," said league spokeperson Mike Bass.

Bass did not address which initiatives would get cut or whether there would be a round of layoffs.

The NBA's next fiscal year begins in October.

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Kyle Filipowski, a potential first-round pick, announced that he will return to Duke for his sophomore season.

Filipowski was ranked No. 16 in ESPN's draft rankings for 2023.

Shortly after the announcement, Mackenzie Mgbako requested his release from his letter of intent from Duke.

Mgbako was ranked the No. 2 power forward in the 2023 class and the No. 8 player overall.

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The Houston Rockets have received permission to speak to Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson and Phoenix Suns assistant Kevin Young, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The Rockets are looking to hire a candidate with head-coaching experience, but will also look at intriguing assistant coaches.

The Rockets are also interested in talking to Ime Udoka, Frank Vogel, Adrian Griffin, and James Borrego, as well as Nick Nurse should he become available.

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The Dallas Mavericks are optimistic of their chances of re-signing Kyrie Irving this offseason in free agency.

"I think the things that he said along the way about how he feels here, how he feels appreciated, how he feels accepted and allowed to be himself -- those are the things that he said kind of consistently," Nico Harrison said Tuesday, a day after meeting with Irving. "That's what gives me the optimism that he wants to be here."

Irving is eligible to sign for as much as $272 million over five years with the Mavericks, who possess his Bird rights as he enters free agency, or approximately $202 million for four years with another franchise.

The Mavericks acquired Irving to give Luka Doncic another star offensive player.

"I think Luka and Kai work together," said Harrison.

"I think when we have that talented of a player -- that talented of two players -- I think they work together. I really think it's the players around them ... kind of knowing their role with having those two guys out on the floor at the same time. I think that's the thing that we need to work on."

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Zion Williamson spoke with the media following a report that he is unlikely to play in the first round of the playoffs should the New Orleans Pelicans advance out of the Play-In.

Williamson said he feels good physically, but it's more about "when I feel like Zion again."

"When I go to make certain moves, there is that hesitation," said Williamson. "Sometimes there's not and sometimes there is. And I understand the magnitude of these games coming up and I don't want to be out there hesitating or doing something that may affect my team in a bad way."

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The future of Trae Young with the Atlanta Hawks has become a topic of intrigue around the league following a report from The Ringer that there is a belief their front office has the "green light" to trade him should that be their preferred course of action.

Young responded to the report on Tuesday and there was additional reporting from Shams Charania.

While Young and Quin Snyder "both have genuine respect for each other," the team appears to be in wait and see mode.

"I'm told the Hawks are continuing to closely monitor Trae Young's day-to-day commitments and his habits on a day-to-day basis on the floor and off the floor," said Charania. "What Trae Young is willing to do to be a leader, what it takes to be a leader. Clearly, there's been continued question marks, I think, around that organization as far as Trae Young. An unbelievable player on the floor...

"The one thing that is of note, his agent is Rich Paul, and that's someone that we know the expectation is going to be there will be conversations, I think, between Trae Young's camp and the Hawks and their ownership as far as what direction the Hawks are going to in the future as far as with Trae Young."

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Trae Young responded to a report from The Ringer that indicated the front office of the Atlanta Hawks have the authority to trade anyone on their roster this offseason, even Trae Young.

Young said nobody within the Hawks has told him he could be traded, but "stuff like that comes out all the time."

"It could be false, could be true, you never know," Young said.

Young was also asked if the Hawks' Play-In games felt bigger as they can determine his fate with the franchise.

"It's hard - you can't look at it.

"Especially as the player in the moment, you can't look at what's gonna come on next year," Young said. "After the game, if the game doesn't go your way tonight, what's gonna happen? Like, you can't focus on things like that. That messes up your head and then you're not ready to play so, me, I'm not worried about that. I'm gonna let my game play. After the season, whatever happens, happens. I mean, I'm focused on the next task at hand. I can't worry about the outside noise or whatever fake stories come out, or what's true, whatever."

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Cam Whitmore is leaving Villanova for the 2023 NBA draft. Whitmore is a projected lottery pick.

Whitmore averaged 12.5 points and 5.3 rebounds in 27.3 minutes over 26 games in his freshman season at Villanova.

Whitmore was also the Big East Freshman of the Year.

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Tim Cato of The Athletic confirmed a report from ESPN's Tim MacMahon that there are fears within the Dallas Mavericks that Luka Doncic could request a trade as early as 2024.

"Team sources, in recent weeks, have expressed similar concerns to The Athletic about the impact this season's collapse could have on Doncic's future in Dallas and willingness to be patient," wrote Cato. "They have reiterated those same fears of complacency all season, and especially now."

Doncic attempted to deflect MacMahon's report during his media availability on Sunday by indicating it didn't come from him.

"It was funny, you know, because I didn't know that was true. I didn't say it," said Doncic.

MacMahon clarified his reporting by saying that it was fears from within the Mavericks and not Doncic's camp.

Sources told Cato in 2021 that they were motivated to speak openly about the frustrations of Doncic because of the "urgency" around the coming seasons. The Mavericks went on to reach the Western Conference Finals that season, but didn't even qualify for the Play-In in 2023.

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The Dallas Mavericks consulted with the NBA league office last week before they announced a number of players would be unavailable for Friday's game against the Chicago Bulls, sources tell Marc Stein of Substack.

The Mavericks remained mathematically alive for a Play-In spot when they decided to sit a number of players in the game against the Bulls, which was reportedly a clear indication that they decided to "prioritize lottery position." The Mavericks keep their pick this year if it is in the top-10, but if it is 11 or lower it is conveyed to the New York Knicks.

The Utah Jazz were similarly still in contention for a Play-In spot as of last Thursday, but sat a number of key players and lost at home to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The NBA, however, announced they are investigating the Mavericks for how they shut down players for game 81.

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Zion Williamson is not expected to be available for the first round of the playoffs should the New Orleans Pelicans win the two games needed through the Play-In, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic. If the Pelicans advance, they would be matched with the No. 1 seed Denver Nuggets.

Charania reports that Williamson's conditioning is just not where it needs to be in order to play.

Williamson has been out since Jan. 2 with a hamstring injury.

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The NBA set new records in total and average attendance, percentage of capacity, and number of sellouts this season, the league announced.

The league recorded 791 sellouts this year, up from the previous record of 760 set during the 2018-19 season.

Games were also filled at an all-time high of 97% capacity.

The league registered a total attendance of 22,234,502 this season. It was also the first time that teams collectively averaged over 18,000 fans per game.

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Paul George is expected to miss the start of the Los Angeles Clippers' first-round series against the Phoenix Suns, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Charania adds that George is making "tangible progress" on his sprained right knee.

ESPN reported over the weekend that George was beginning to exercise, though there is no timetable for his return.

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The Indiana Fever selected former South Carolina star and 2022 Naismith Player of the Year Aliyah Boston with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA draft on Monday night at New York City's Spring Studios.

Boston -- a 6-foot-5 forward who grew up in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands before moving to Massachusetts as a teenager to pursue her basketball dream -- became the second top overall pick out of South Carolina, joining two-time league MVP A'ja Wilson in 2018.

Maryland's Diamond Miller was selected second by the Minnesota Lynx, while Maddy Siegrist became Villanova's highest-ever WNBA draft pick at No. 3, going to the Dallas Wings.

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Rudy Gobert won't play for the Minnesota Timberwolves in their play-in game at the Los Angeles Lakers due to a suspension. Gobert will serve a one-game suspension and is expected to return for either another play-in game on Friday, or Game 1 of the Western Conference playoffs if the Wolves beat the Lakers.

Gobert and Kyle Anderson had a physical altercation during Sunday's win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Gobert then tweeted Anderson an apology after the game.

"Emotions got the best of me today. I should not have reacted the way i did regardless of what was said. I wanna apologize to the fans, the organisation and particularly to Kyle, who is someone that i truly love and respect as a teammate," wrote Gobert.

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Many high-level decision-makers from opposing teams believe Quin Snyder now has the final say on personnel decisions with the Atlanta Hawks.

Snyder was hired by the Hawks as head coach in February.

Sources say during the months of negotiations leading up to his eventual hire, Snyder demanded and now wields significant influence over personnel decisions.

The Hawks' front office is described as a collaborative effort between Snyder, Landry Fields and Kyle Korver.

Snyder signed a five-year contract with the Hawks and began his tenure during the middle of the season, which is somewhat unusual for a coach of his stature.

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The front office of the Atlanta Hawks has "the green light from ownership to do whatever it wants to with the roster, which includes considering trade opportunities involving All-Star point guard Trae Young," sources tell Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer.

Travis Schlenk exited the front office in December and the decision-makers are now Landry Fields, Kyle Korver and Quin Snyder. While negotiating his contract to become head coach of the Hawks, Snyder demanded and now wields substantial influence over personnel decisions.

Young is on Year 1 of a five-year, $215 million contract extension he signed during the 2021 offseason.

While Young is a talented on-ball player and would raise the floor on offense of any team in the league, he drifts off-ball and is also one of the NBA's biggest liabilities on defense.

The more likely scenario than a Young trade this offseason is that the Hawks retool around him and Dejounte Murray.

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If the Dallas Mavericks retain their draft pick on lottery night, sources tell Marc Stein of Substack they will explore trading it.

The Mavericks will only keep their pick if it is in the top-10, otherwise it will be conveyed to the New York Knicks as part of the Kristaps Porzingis trade. If the Mavericks keep the pick, they can also trade the 2027 selection.

After missing the play-in altogether one season after reaching the Western Conference Finals, the Mavericks are firmly in win-now mode ahead of their own fears of a Luka Doncic trade request as early as 2024.

The Mavericks will also navigate the free agency of Kyrie Irving this offseason, who they hope to keep.

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The Dallas Mavericks will retain Nico Harrison as general manager. When giving Jason Kidd a vote of confident last week, Harrison opened up the possibility of his own job being under scrutiny given the Mavericks' disappointing season.

"If we don't make the playoffs, we all have to be evaluated," Harrison said. "I have to be evaluated by my boss."

Sources tell Marc Stein of Substack that Cuban is "a Harrison fan and pleased with his work and presence as he continues to make the transition from Nike executive to an NBA front office."

The Mavericks hired Harrison from Nike during the 2021 offseason.

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An argument in the huddle between Rudy Gobert and Kyle Anderson led to Gobert punching Anderson, sources described to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Anderson reportedly told Gobert to block some shots, with Gobert responding by telling Anderson to grab a "bleeping" rebound.

Gobert then lost his temper when Anderson told him to "Shut the f--- up, b----."

"That's what set Rudy off," a source told Wojnarowski.

Gobert then tweeted Anderson an apology after the game.

"Emotions got the best of me today. I should not have reacted the way i did regardless of what was said. I wanna apologize to the fans, the organisation and particularly to Kyle, who is someone that i truly love and respect as a teammate," wrote Gobert.

Gobert nearly didn't play in the game after hurting his back on Saturday against the Spurs.

Anderson said afterwards that the situation would be handled within the team.

"We'll move forward. We want to win games. It is what it is. We'll keep it in house," said Anderson.

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Luka Doncic reiterated his long-term commitment to the Dallas Mavericks following their 138-117 loss to the San Antonio Spurs to close out the season.

"I'm happy here, so there's nothing to worry [about]," said Doncic after the game.

ESPN reported earlier in the weekend that the Mavs feared Doncic requesting a trade as early as 2024.

"Something's got to change, for sure. I mean, last year we went to Western Conference finals. We were having fun. I always talk about the chemistry we had. It was great. But something's got to change for sure," added Doncic.

The Mavs finished 38-44 on the season, representing Doncic's first losing record since his rookie season.

Doncic did acknowledge his frustration with the losing season, along with difficulties in his personal life.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves had an eventful Sunday afternoon. Minnesota clinched the eighth seed in the upcoming Western Conference Play-In Tournament. That was the good news.

On the downside, Rudy Gobert was sent home after punching teammate Kyle Anderson during a timeout late in the first half. However, an injury to Jaden McDaniels is the bigger immediate concern.

McDaniels suffered a fractured right hand in the first half of Sunday's win over the New Orleans Pelicans. McDaniels was spotted punching a wall after being removed from the game late in the first quarter.

McDaniels is in the midst of a breakout season for Minnesota. He's averaged 12.2 points on 52/40/74 shooting splits and 3.9 rebounds per game. In addition, McDaniels has emerged as one of the best defensive forwards in the NBA.

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With the 2022-23 NBA regular season complete, here is the 2023 NBA Draft order (pre-Draft Lottery):

First Round

1. Detroit Pistons

2. Houston Rockets*

3. San Antonio Spurs*

4. Charlotte Hornets

5. Portland Trail Blazers

6. Orlando Magic

7. Indiana Pacers*

8. Washington Wizards*

9. Utah Jazz

10. Dallas Mavericks

11. Oklahoma City Thunder*^

12. Orlando Magic (via Chicago Bulls)*^

13. Toronto Raptors^

14. New Orleans Pelicans^

15. Atlanta Hawks^

16. Utah Jazz (via Minnesota Timberwolves)^

17. Los Angeles Lakers^

18. Miami Heat*^

19. Golden State Warriors*

20. LA Clippers*

21. Brooklyn Nets*

22. Brooklyn Nets (via Phoenix Suns)*

23. Portland Trail Blazers (via New York Knicks)

24. Sacramento Kings

25. Indiana Pacers (via Cleveland Cavaliers)*

26. Memphis Grizzlies*

27. Charlotte Hornets (via Denver Nuggets)

28. Utah Jazz (via Philadelphia 76ers)

29. Indiana Pacers (via Boston Celtics)

30. LA Clippers (via Milwaukee Bucks)

Second Round

31. Detroit Pistons

32. Indiana Pacers (via Houston Rockets)*

33. San Antonio Spurs*

34. Charlotte Hornets

35. Boston Celtics (via Portland Trail Blazers)

36. Orlando Magic

37. Sacramento Kings (via Indiana Pacers)*

38. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Washington Wizards)*

39. Charlotte Hornets (via Utah Jazz)

40. Denver Nuggets (via Dallas Mavericks)

41. Washington Wizards (via Chicago Bulls)*

42. Charlotte Hornets (via Oklahoma City Thunder)*

43. Portland Trail Blazers (via Atlanta Hawks)

44. San Antonio Spurs (via Toronto Raptors)

45. Memphis Grizzlies (via Minnesota Timberwolves)

46. Atlanta Hawks (via New Orleans Pelicans)

47. Los Angeles Lakers

48. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Golden State Warriors)*

49. LA Clippers*

50. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Miami Heat)*

51. Brooklyn Nets*

52. Phoenix Suns*

53. Minnesota Timberwolves (via New York Knicks)

54. Sacramento Kings

55. Indiana Pacers (via Cleveland Cavaliers)*

56. Memphis Grizzlies*

57. Chicago Bulls (via Denver Nuggets) - Pick is forfeited due to tampering

58. Philadelphia 76ers - Pick is forfeited due to tampering

59. Washington Wizards (via Boston Celtics)

60. Milwaukee Bucks

*Tie to be broken by drawing on to be announced date

^To be determined after 2023 Play-In Tournament

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The 2023 NBA postseason fields are now set.

Eastern Conference Playoffs

1. Milwaukee Bucks vs 8. Miami Heat/Atlanta Hawks/Toronto Raptors/Chicago Bulls

4. Cleveland Cavaliers vs 5. New York Knicks

3. Philadelphia 76ers vs 6. Brooklyn Nets

2. Boston Celtics vs 7. Miami Heat/Atlanta Hawks

Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament

7. Miami Heat vs 8. Atlanta Hawks

9. Toronto Raptors vs. 10. Chicago Bulls

Western Conference Playoffs

1. Denver Nuggets vs 8. Los Angeles Lakers/Minnesota Timberwolves/New Orleans Pelicans/Oklahoma City Thunder

4. Phoenix Suns vs 5. LA Clippers

3. Sacramento Kings vs 6. Golden State Warriors

2. Memphis Grizzlies vs 7. Los Angeles Lakers/Minnesota Timberwolves

Western Conference Play-In Tournament

7. Los Angeles Lakers vs 8. Minnesota Timberwolves

9. New Orleans Pelicans vs. 10. Oklahoma City Thunder

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Late in the first half of the Minnesota Timberwolves regular season finale against the New Orleans Pelicans, Rudy Gobert appeared to punch teammate Kyler Anderson in the shoulder. The incident happened while the two were arguing during a timeout.

Gobert was sent to the locker room before halftime. During the break, the Timberwolves announced Gobert was out for the remainder of the game.

Following Minnesota's victory, Timberwolves president of basketball operation Tim Connelly released the following statement:

"We made the decision to send Rudy Gobert home after the incident in the second quarter. His behavior on the bench was unacceptable and we will handle the situation internally."

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With Dwane Casey leaving coaching to head to the Detroit Pistons front office, the team will have to fill a vacancy on the sidelines. Casey was the Pistons head coach for the last five seasons.

Detroit is expected to consider Charles Lee, Adrian Griffin, Ime Udoka and Chris Quinn for their next head coach.

Lee is currently a Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach under Mike Budenholzer. Lee has been finalist for several head coaching opportunities over the last few years.

Griffin is an assistant coach to Nick Nurse in Toronto. He's also been a finalist for several head coaching jobs in the past. Griffin could also be under consideration in Toronto, should Nurse leave the Raptors.

Udoka led the Boston Celtics to the 2022 NBA Finals in his first year as their head coach. He was suspended for one year shortly before this season began, due to workplace misconduct. Udoka and Boston have since parted ways, and he's now free to pursue other coaching opportunities.

Quinn has been a long-time assistant under Erik Spoelstra with the Miami Heat. As a former player, he's been considered a rising start among the assistant coach ranks.

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Detroit Pistons head coach Dwane Casey announced after his team's last game on Sunday that he will no longer be coaching the team. Casey said he's moving into the Pistons front office.

Casey completes a five-year run as Detroit's head coach. The Pistons went 121-263 with Casey at the helm.

Casey has also coached the Toronto Raptors and the Minnesota Timberwolves in his 14-year head coaching career. Casey led the Raptors to six consecutive playoff appearances.

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The Houston Rockets are expected to decline their fourth-year option for head coach Stephen Silas. This will end Silas' three-year tenure as Rockets head coach.

Houston is expected to go after an experienced head coach. Names under consideration are Ime Udoka, Kenny Atkinson, Frank Vogel and Nick Nurse.

Udoka has not coached this season after being suspended by the Boston Celtics for inappropriate workplace conduct. Udoka and the Celtics have parted ways and he's eligible to interview for new jobs this offseason. Udoka led Boston to the 2022 NBA Finals in his lone season as Celtics head coach.

Atkinson was initially named as the Charlotte Hornets head coach last offseason, before changing his mind. He returned to the Golden State Warriors as an assistant coach. Atkinson previously ran the sideline for the Brooklyn Nets for four seasons.

Vogel has sat out this season after being fired by the Los Angeles Lakers after the 2021-22 season. Vogel won the 2020 title with the Lakers. He has also coached the Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic.

Nick Nurse is widely expected to consider other opportunities this summer as a coaching free agent. Nurse has coached the Raptors for five seasons, including winning the 2019 NBA Finals.

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The Houston Rockets will part ways with head coach Stephen Silas. The Rockets are declining their fourth-year option for Silas, ending his tenure as Houston's head coach after three seasons.

Silas went 59-177 in three seasons as the Rockets head coach. He entered an unexpected rebuilding season in his first year in 2020-21 as James Harden requested a trade. Harden was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in mid-January, and Houston spiraled to a 17-65 record.

The next two seasons saw little progress, as the Rockets won only 20 and 22 games. Houston is expected to begin a wide-ranging coaching search as soon as next week.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are doing some roster shuffling on the final day of the NBA regular season. The Lakers will sign Shaq Harrison and Tristan Thompson. To create the space to add the two players, Los Angeles will waive Davon Reed. The Lakers already had one roster spot open.

Harrison is coming off a five-game stint with the Portland Trail Blazers. He averaged 8.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.2 assists in 24 minutes per game with the Blazers.

Thompson has not played in the NBA this season. He split last season between the Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls. Thompson was previously teammates with LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Reed was acquired by the Lakers at the trade deadline. That deal saw Los Angeles send Thomas Bryant to the Denver Nuggets.

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The NBA is investigating the Dallas Mavericks for sitting several healthy players for their game against the Chicago Bulls on Friday. The Mavs were still alive for a spot in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament, but chose to sit several regular rotation players. Postgame, Dallas head coach Jason Kidd said the team chose to "go in another direction" as opposed to chasing a postseason spot.

The Mavericks ultimately lost to the Bulls and were eliminated from postseason contention. During the game, Dallas pulled the handful of rotation players did play, as the game went along. This included star player Luka Doncic, who played only briefly into the second quarter.

The NBA statement reads:

"The NBA commenced an investigation today into the facts and circumstances surrounding the Dallas Mavericks' roster decisions and game conduct with respect to last night's Chicago Bulls-Mavericks game, including the motivations behind those actions."

It's unclear what sort of punishment could be levied against Dallas. In the past, the NBA has fined franchises for sitting healthy players in games. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was fined in the past for openly saying his team was better off to tank for draft position than trying to win games.

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With Steven Adams likely to miss the playoffs, the Memphis Grizzlies are making a series of moves to fortify their roster. The Grizzlies, as do all NBA teams, face a Sunday deadline for any roster shuffling to be completed.

Memphis is signing forward Kenneth Lofton Jr. to a multi-year standard contract. Lofton has appeared in 23 NBA games this season while on a two-way contract with the Grizzlies and Memphis Hustle of the G League. In 30 G League games, Lofton averaged 22.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals.

Adding the 6-foot-8 forward will give the Grizzlies some additional frontcourt depth for the playoffs. This also keeps Lofton in Memphis into next season, as opposed to him being a restricted free agent this summer.

To clear the roster space to sign Lofton, Memphis is waiving Kennedy Chandler. The 6-foot guard was signed to a four-year contract worth $7.1 million before this season. That deal included $1.7 million in guaranteed money for next season and $2 million in guaranteed salary for the 2024-25 season.

Memphis will round out their roster moves by signing Jacob Gilyard to fill their open two-way spot. in 49 games with the Memphis Hustle of the G League, Gilyard averaged 8.6 points, 8.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game.

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The Memphis Grizzlies are expected to be without starting center Steven Adams for their upcoming playoff run. Adams has been out with a PCL strain in his right knee since late-January.

Adams underwent a stem cell injection in his injured right knee in early-March. The hope was that would help him to be ready to return to the Grizzlies lineup by the start of the postseason. Now, Memphis will prepare for the playoffs without their starting center.

Xavier Tillman Sr. has been the most-often used starter in place of Adams. Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins has also experimented with some small-ball lineups featuring Jaren Jackson Jr. as the lone big on the floor. Memphis is also without backup big man Brandon Clarke, as he tore his left Achilles tendon in early March.

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The Dallas Mavericks have some degree of fear that Luka Doncic could request a trade as soon as the summer of 2024 if they don't make significant progress by then, team sources tell Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

Doncic just finished Year 1 of a five-year, $215 million supermax extension. Doncic has a player option for the 2026 offseason.

The Mavericks missed the play-in entirely after reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2022.

Doncic participated in personnel discussions with the front office for the first time this season and pushed for a major upgrade, which led to their trade for Kyrie Irving.

MacMahon wrote that Doncic "appeared relieved" after their loss to the Chicago Bulls, which officially eliminated them from play-in contention. When MacMahon shared the observation with a member of the Mavs' staff who knows Doncic well said, "Good eyes."

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Jaylen Brown cut a finger on his shooting hand and had to get five stitches on Thursday evening. Brown said he suffered the injury picking up a glass vase he knocked over while watering his plants.

Brown expects to be restricted for at least the next two days.

Brown was wearing a protective wrap on Friday.

The Boston Celtics begin their playoff run next weekend.

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Dwane Casey could transition from head coach of the Detroit Pistons to a front office role this offseason, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo.

While various staffers with the Pistons are preparing for Casey to not remain as head coach, one source insists it will be Casey's decision.

Casey maintains a strong relationship with Tom Gores and he has received support despite four straight losing seasons.

Casey delayed his media availability after Wednesday's game due to a meeting with Gores. Casey and Gores will meet again once the season is over.

Casey has one more season remaining on his contract.

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The Houston Rockets are "widely expected by league officials" to part ways with Stephen Silas this offseason.

Silas was hired by the Rockets in 2020 when all candidates were required to meet with James Harden and Russell Westbrook. Westbrook was traded to the Washington Wizards before the season started and Harden was dealt to the Brooklyn Nets in January.

Silas was then asked to navigate a clear rebuild.

Nick Nurse, Scott Brooks and Rex Kalamian are three potential candidates to replace Silas.

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Raymond Brothers is leaving Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports and returning to IAM Sports.

Brothers represents Makelle Fultz, Immanuel Quickley, Taylor Hendricks and others.

"I have the highest regard for Roc Nation and wish them well," said Brothers.

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Kyrie Irving was unable to come to terms with the Brooklyn Nets on an extension, which ultimately led to his trade to the Dallas Mavericks. Irving now finds himself in a situation where he appears to have considerably more leverage considering what the Mavericks gave up to trade for him and their lack of viable paths to replace him should he leaving in free agency.

"I think it's going to be at least four, if not the full five for $272 million," said Tim MacMahon on The Hoop Collective Podcast.

When Irving requested a trade from the Nets, the Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns pursued him. The Clippers are off the board entirely because they're above the apron, while the Lakers and Suns would likely need a sign-and-trade to acquire Irving at a number approaching his max.

The Nets were interested in signing Irving to max money, but wanted it to either be short-term or to have games played stipulations.

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Until Mark Cuban addressed the media this week to convey his version of the Dallas Mavericks' moves that have led to a disappointing season, he has had a lower profile. Cuban's availability with the media came one day after Luka Doncic spoke candidly about his assessment of the Mavericks' season.

"He has been, and he says by design, letting Nico Harrison the new GM kind of take the reins [and] Jason Kidd," said Tim MacMahon on The Hoop Collective Podcast. "He has been much, much less accessible than in years past.

"Also, he has been not around the team nearly as much. The last time I'm aware of Cuban going to a road game was in L.A. the first game that Kyrie Irving played in a Mavericks' uniform. This miserable five-game trip that they just went on with their season on the line... Cuban wasn't there for any of it.

"But Cuban decided impromptu [on] Wednesday night, 'Hey, I'm going to make myself available.'

"Coincidentally Luka talked Tuesday and bemoaned how much worse the Mavs' chemistry is this season."

Doncic specifically talked about how much the Mavericks miss Jalen Brunson.

"Cuban came in there with a pretty clear agenda. The top thing on the agenda was 'Let's set the record straight, I didn't screw up the Jalen Brunson situation. It's all Rick Brunson's fault.'"

MacMahon and Brian Windhorst assume that Doncic's comments led to the timing of Cuban's media session.

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The Brooklyn Nets have exercised the standard NBA contract conversion option for two-way guard David Duke Jr.

Duke Jr. (6'4", 207) originally signed as a free agent with the Nets on Aug. 8, 2021, and had his contract converted to a two-way deal on Oct. 16, 2021. He then re-signed a two-way contract with Brooklyn on Sept. 16, 2022. In 43 games (seven starts) over two NBA seasons, Duke Jr. holds career averages of 4.0 points and 2.0 rebounds in 12.1 minutes per game. The Providence, R.I., native has appeared in 21 games off the bench for Brooklyn this season and is averaging 3.1 points and 1.0 rebounds in 8.6 minutes per contest.

The 23-year-old has also played in 35 career regular season games (all starts) for Brooklyn's NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, posting averages of 20.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.7 steals in 32.5 minutes per game.

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Milwaukee Bucks wing Khris Middleton has been dealing with right knee soreness for most of the season. As such, Middleton underwent an MRI on the knee on Thursday.

While the results of the MRI came back clean, Middleton is now going to rehab his knee for the next week-plus. This is in hopes of being ready to play when the playoffs start on April 15 or 16.

Middleton has appeared in only 33 games this season for Milwaukee. He made his debut in early-December, before being shut down two weeks later and missing a month's worth of action. Since then, the Bucks have given Middleton sporadic rest days. He also only returned to the Bucks starting lineup a month ago, in an effort to keep his minutes down.

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Zion Williamson is unlikely to play for the New Orleans Pelicans in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament. The Pelicans announced on Thursday that Williamson was continuing his rehab from a hamstring injury, but did not give a timeline for him to return.

New Orleans still has a chance to make the top-six in the Western Conference, but they currently sit in the eighth spot. That would mean playing in the first Play-In game, with a chance at the seventh seed. If the Pelicans lost, they'd have a second shot to win and enter the playoffs as the eighth seed.

Williamson has appeared in only 29 games this season. He's been out since January second with his hamstring injury. Overall, Williamson has played in only 114 games in the first four seasons of his NBA career.

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Andrew Wiggins won't play in either of the Golden State Warriors final two regular season games, but he's rapidly ramping up to be ready for the playoffs. Wiggins recently returned to the Warriors after a seven-week absence from the team. Wiggins was dealing with a family matter while away from the team.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said the team is ramping Wiggins up quickly, given the looming postseason.

"Obviously if this were the middle of the season, this would be a couple of weeks, and so with the playoffs starting next week, obviously we're trying to ramp him up as quickly as possible, but we have to do that making sure we do it safely," said Kerr.

Wiggins has responded positively to the increased workload.

"He'll be getting more work in the next few days and the performance staff is monitoring everything," Kerr said. "He told me this morning he feels pretty good and he's on a good track."

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Several players for the Sacramento Kings are listed as questionable for Friday night's game against the Golden State Warriors, including De'Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Keegan Murray, and Domantas Sabonis.

Trey Lyles, Malik Monk, and Davion Mitchell are also listed as questionable.

Matthew Dellavedova is out after undergoing finger surgery on Wednesday.

The Kings, currently third in the Western Conference, could catch the Grizzles for second place if they win their final two games and the Grizzlies lose both games.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and Khris Middleton are among players who are listed as out for the Milwaukee Bucks game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday.

Brook Lopez, Grayson Allen, and Pat Connaughton are also set to miss the game.

The Bucks clinched the best-record in the league following their win over the Bulls on Wednesday night.

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The Utah Jazz signed Luka Samanic through the 2023-24 season, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The 23-year-old was drafted by the Spurs with the 19th pick in 2019 draft.

Samanic is averaging 7.3 points and 4.3 rebounds through four games with the Jazz this season.

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The New Orleans Pelicans have waived Two-Way guard Dereon Seabron.

Seabron, 6-7, 180, appeared in five games off the bench this season with New Orleans. Originally signed to a two-way contract on September 9, Seabron appeared in 28 games (25 starts) with the Pelicans' G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, averaging 17.8 points, 5.1 assists, and 4.8 rebounds in 33.3 minutes per contest.

New Orleans' roster now stands at 16 players, including one Two-Way player.

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The New Orleans Pelicans continue to not have an idea on when Zion Williamson may return from a hamstring injury.

David Griffin released the following statement with an update on Williamson:

"After further evaluation, it has been determined that Zion Williamson will continue his rehabilitation and conditioning regimen. We will continue to monitor his progression and updates will be provided as warranted."

Williamson has been out since early January with the injury.

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Jaime Jaquez will declare for the 2023 NBA draft and forgo his remaining college eligibility.

"I had an amazing journey graduating from UCLA," Jaquez said. "I want to thank all my coaches, teammates and staff for helping me along this journey."

Jaquez is the No. 34 ranked prospect in the 2023 NBA draft after coming off a season in which he was a consensus All-American, the Pac-12 player of the year and the winner of the Lute Olson National Player of the Year.

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The Dallas Mavericks have lost their protest over their 127-125 loss to the Golden State Warriors on March 22nd.

The protest contended that referee did not properly administer an out-of-bounds call and subsequent throw-in that created an uncontested field goal by the Warriors.

The incident occurred with nearly 14 minutes remaining in the game and the Mavericks took the lead twice in the final four minutes.

The NBA said that the Mavericks were not deprived of a fair opportunity to win the game and the protest failed on that basis alone.

The NBA also concluded that although the referees could have taken steps to better manage the situation, it did not provide a basis for upholding a game protest.

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As they complete their third straight season with one of the worst records in the NBA, the Houston Rockets believe they have the pieces in place to begin to accelerate their rebuild. The Rockets have drafted Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. with their first two high lottery picks and will get a third this year.

"I think we're kind of coming to the end of the first stage of it," Rafael Stone said. "When my group took over, we didn't have draft picks and we didn't have cap space. We had a team that was kind of singularly built. It was built to play a single style of play based around kind of a generational talent. And so we kind of felt like we had the right set that starting at the bottom floor."

The Rockets are projected to have more than $60 million in cap space this offseason.

Including the team option for Kenyon Martin Jr., Houston has 11 players under contract for next season and 10 of those players are 22 or younger.

"They need to continue to improve and they need to improve at a really great rate," Stone said of the team's young core. "That doesn't mean anybody needs to be an All-Star next year, but we need to see really good progression, which starts with really good work ethic. And to date, I have no complaints about how hard our guys work. That needs to continue. As they get older and their capacity for hard work grows, they need to then exceed that capacity. It's an exponential thing. That's the challenge for them."

The Rockets plan on bringing in some veterans with their available cap space.

"We're definitely gonna bring in some veteran players this offseason," Stone said. "But that's largely because if you go draft a guy, they're not gonna be ready to play in the NBA with a one in a million exception. So we want to bring in people who help our guys and we know what we're getting. And, by definition, that's a veteran."

Stone and Tilman Fertitta are ready for their next step.

"Everything worth doing is at some level or another really hard," Stone said. "And, certainly I think every team and every organization would rather have unlimited success year over year, forever. That's not where we were when I took over. That realistically was not something I felt confident we could achieve. And so then the question becomes, 'What's your goal?'

"My goal, our goal, the Fertittas' goal, our organization's goal is to win championships. And so we tried to plot out what we thought was the best path to get there. And that's what we're trying to execute on."

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While the Los Angeles Lakers struggled in the first half of the season while keeping Russell Westbrook on their roster, the cost of trading him for players who could help them this season decreased dramatically closer to the trade deadline.

Sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo that during the preseason both the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers indicated it would take two future first round picks for them to take on Westbrook and his $46.2 million salary.

As the trade deadline approached, the Jazz informed the Lakers they were willing to accept just one first round pick for Westbrook while also including Jarred Vanderbilt.

The Lakers were able to acquire Vanderbilt, D'Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley for Westbrook and a protected future first round pick. Westbrook was eventually bought out and signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.

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Utah Jazz forward and breakout start Lauri Markkanen is going to have a different kind of summer from most of his NBA contemporaries. This summer, Markkanen will complete his requirement of serving in the Finnish military.

All male citizens of Finland must complete mandatory military service before they turn 30 years old. Markkanen has previously postponed his service while in college at Arizona, playing for the Finnish national team, and last season when the Cleveland Cavaliers made the Play-In Tournament.

Markkanen said while the service is mandatory, it's something he's proud to do.

"It's mandatory, we have to do it, but at the same time we take pride in it, too," said Markkanen. "I think it sets an example to serve. And I'm confident I can do it in a way that it's not going to affect my preparation for next season, either. Of course, I'd rather be working out like I normally do (in the offseason), but I've heard they do a good job of combining the two. You're able to do your job working as an athlete and your basic training at the same time."

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Duke center Dereck Lively II has declared as an Early Entry Candidate for the 2023 NBA Draft. Lively is projected to be selected in the middle of the first round of this year's draft.

In his lone season with the Blue Devils, Lively started 24 of 34 games. He averaged 5.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 20.6 minutes per game.

At 7-foot-1, Lively is one of the biggest prospects projected to go in the top half of the draft, outside of Victor Wembanyama. Scouts project Lively to be an instant impact player as a defender and rebounder.

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Grayson Allen's sprained ankle is more severe than the Milwaukee Bucks expected, according to Mike Budenholzer.

Allen, who suffered the injury on Sunday against the Sixers, is expected to miss the rest of the regular season with the hope he can return for the playoffs.

"That gives us seven to 10 days to see how he's doing. There's a lot that can happen in that time frame, so we'll hope for the positive," said Budenholzer.

Khris Middleton may also miss the rest of the regular season due to right knee soreness.

The Bucks clinched the best record in the NBA on Wednesday.

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Khris Middleton left the Milwaukee Bucks' 105-92 win over the Chicago Bulls due to right knee soreness in the first quarter and did not return to the game.

Mike Budenholzer described the injury as a re-aggravation of the knee soreness that bothered Middleton throughout the season.

Budenholzer said he was unsure of Middleton's status for the final two games of the regular season.

"We'll learn more going forward. So, I couldn't say tonight," said Budenholzer.

The team is also likely to be without Grayson Allen for the rest of the regular season.

The Bucks clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference on Wednesday.

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The Milwaukee Bucks secured the best record in the NBA and clinched the No. 1 in the Eastern Conference following their 105-92 win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.

The Bucks won the game without Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was out due to right knee soreness. The team now is 11-6 without Antetokounmpo.

"A great advantage and something to be proud of for the regular season," said Brook Lopez after the game.

Khris Middleton also left the game due to right knee soreness and did not return.

Mike Budenholzer was unsure whether Middleton would appear in the final two games of the season.

Grayson Allen is also expected to miss the rest of the regular season.

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Andrew Wiggins will sit the final two games of the regular season, according to Steve Kerr.

Wiggins, who last played on February 13, rejoined the Warriors on Tuesday after missing 23 games.

"He'll continue to work and he'll ramp it up pretty quickly," said Kerr.

Wiggins will need to be cleared by the Warriors training staff before he returns to the court.

Wiggins will have another week of preparation should the Warriors avoid the play-in tournament.

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During an unexpected media availability on Wednesday, Mark Cuban was asked whether he gets a sense Luka Doncic remains optimistic about the long-term future of the Dallas Mavericks.

"Look, players don't talk like that, just like, 'Hey, I'm here for the next 17 years.'" said Cuban. "He'd like to be here the whole time, but we've got to earn that."

Cuban was then asked how the Mavericks can do that.

"Win championships," Cuban said. "It's amazing how that cures all. I mean, before Giannis [Antetokounmpo] won, everybody was like, 'Where's he going? Where's he going? He's not staying. He's not staying.' [Nikola] Jokic, while they haven't won, da, da, da, da, da. Dirk [Nowitzki] before [the Mavs won the 2010-11 title], right?

"There's no great player, no superstar, where they don't question, 'What are you gonna do if you haven't won yet?"

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Mark Cuban said Jason Kidd will "absolutely" remain head coach of the Dallas Mavericks next season.

The Mavericks were in the Western Conference Finals last season and have had a disappointing follow-up season after losing Jalen Brunson. Two of the Mavericks' big offseason additions, Christian Wood and JaVale McGee, didn't have the type of impact for Kidd that the front office anticipated.

The presence of Kidd as head coach is also believed to be of importance to Kyrie Irving, who will be a free agent this offseason.

When the Mavericks hired Kidd during the 2021 offseason, he was signed to a four-year contract, which puts him at the halfway point of that deal.

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The Dallas Mavericks gave up a lot to acquire Kyrie Irving, who will be a free agent this offseason. The Mavericks hope to keep Irving though it remains to be seen if they will be on the same page on a contract.

"We want to keep him," said Mark Cuban of Irving.

Cuban also said the Mavericks acquired Irving with "the long-term" in mind.

"I think we have a good shot," added Cuban.

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Joel Embiid may have sewn up the MVP award in a dominating performance, as he led the Philadelphia 76ers to victory over the Boston Celtics. Embiid scored 52 points on 20-of-25 shooting, grabbed 13 rebounds, dished out six assists and blocked two shots in the Sixers 103-101 victory.

In the eyes of his coach, that should have been enough for Embiid to wrap up the MVP award.

"There were so many things that we did wrong. But what we did right was Joel Embiid. The MVP race is over. Tonight, we couldn't make shots. The man just scored half our points in an NBA game," Doc Rivers said. "And I'm biased but the MVP race is over."

Embiid was leading the tightly contested three-way MVP race as of the latest, and final, straw poll conducted by ESPN. The Sixers center led Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo atop tentative awards ballots, which don't need to be finalized until the completion of the regular season.

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The Dallas Mavericks have had a disappointing 22-23 season after reaching the Western Conference Finals last year.

The Mavericks didn't re-sign Jalen Brunson, traded for Christian Wood, and then traded Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith for Kyrie Irving as much of the roster has been shuffled around Doncic.

Doncic described this as "a very disappointing season" for the Mavs.

"I think you don't see that chemistry we had before -- I mean, especially last year," Doncic said. "I think that chemistry was at the top, everybody. But chemistry builds not just not right away. It's a long process."

Doncic said the Mavericks need to be better on defense and took accountability for his own shortcomings on that side of the floor. Doncic said he has struggled with fatigue after having little time off over the past three years.

"But that's not an excuse," Doncic said. "I'm still young, age-wise, but it's a lot of basketball. But I gotta be way better.

"I'm the leader of this team. The one to blame is me."

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The NBA has a few stipulations in its new 65-game requirement for postseason awards, according to reporting from ESPN's Baxter Holmes.

Players must play 20 minutes per game for it to count as a game except in two of the 65 games a player can play between 15 and 20 minutes and it will still count.

Two of the three primary candidates for MVP this season have yet to play in 65 games with Giannis Antetokounmpo at 62 and Joel Embiid at 64. Nikola Jokic has played in 67 games.

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Jay Huff has been named the 2022-23 NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year for his performances this season with the Capital City Go-Go, the NBA G League affiliate of the Washington Wizards, and the South Bay Lakers.

Huff, who signed a Two-Way contract with the Wizards on March 1, led the NBA G League with 3.1 blocks per game in the regular season in 28 games played. He also ranked second in the league for block percentage (among players with at least 20 games played) with 65.9 percent. With a rating of 16.0, Huff had the league's third-highest player impact estimate (a metric used to gauge a player's all-around contribution to the game). For 2022-23, Huff recorded averages of 15.0 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game along with his 3.1 blocks.

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Luka Doncic does not plan on shutting down his season as long as the Dallas Mavericks have a mathematical chance of reaching the play-in.

Reports surfaced this week that the Mavericks are debating shutting down Doncic and Kyrie Irving now that their odds of the play-in have dropped with an eye on keeping their top-10 protected pick.

"I'm playing tomorrow," said Doncic on Tuesday. "When there's still a chance, I'm going to play."

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The NBA and NBPA did not hold any serious discussions about creating a provision where players on a supermax contract who request a trade lose the extra five percent of the cap. Zach Lowe called the concept the Ben Simmons rule, referring to his trade request from the Philadelphia 76ers while on the Rose rule rookie max.

"I didn't even really hear a peep about it," said Lowe.

"No and I dug in on that," said Bobby Marks. Because I had been asked by a couple teams about that. If there were 200 items talked about, that wasn't [one of them]."

Players who sign a supermax contract are already ineligible to be traded for the first year after signing it.

For a rule such as the one discussed by Lowe and Marks to be enforced, it would have to be proven that a player even requested a trade and that would likely mean these situations would go to arbitration.

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Zion Williamson will be reevaluated later this week and there is still no timetable for his return from a hamstring injury.

Williamson did participate in low intensity three-on-three with the New Orleans Pelicans over the weekend, but he didn't practice with the team on Monday.

While Williamson has made progress and hasn't had any new setbacks, but he could be running out of time to return in time for the play-in.

Williamson last played on Jan. 2nd against the Philadelphia 76ers.

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Jared Dudley will be the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks Summer League team, sources told Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

The 37-year-old was reportedly set to become Kenny Atkinson's lead assistant had Atkinson become the head coach of the Hornets last year.

Dudley is currently finishing his second season as an assistant for the Mavs.

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The Dallas Mavericks are still planning on re-signing Kyrie Irving despite their struggles since trading for the point guard, sources told Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

Haynes adds that Irving, who will be eligible for an extension, will become a free agent this summer.

It was also reported earlier in the day that the Mavs could shut down both Irving and Luka Doncic if they fall out of the play-in picture.

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Walker Kessler entered concussion protocol on Monday, likely signaling the end of his rookie season.

Kessler suffered the injury on Sunday against the Nets.

Kessler averaged 9.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in his rookie season.

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The NCAA women's national title game between LSU and Iowa set a new viewership record by averaging 9.9 million viewers.

LSU beat Iowa 102-85 to win the school's first women's national title.

ESPN's viewership represented a 103% increase from last season's title game, and is also the most-watched title game in the history of the women's tournament.

The game peaked with 12.6 million viewers.

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UConn defeated San Diego State 76-59 to win the NCAA men's championship on Monday night.

UConn has now won five national titles in the last 24 years under three different coaches.

Adama Sanogo, who finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds in the game, averaged 20.2 points and 9.8 rebounds in the first five games of the tournament.

UConn lead by as much as 16 points in the first half.

San Diego State would cut the lead down to 5 points before UConn went on a 16-4 run to finish off the game.

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The Boston Celtics will sign Justin Champagnie.

Champagnie spent parts of the past two seasons with the Toronto Raptors.

In 23 G League games this season, Champagnie has averaged 18.2 points and 8.1 rebounds in 31.7 minutes.

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Anthony Davis and Mikal Bridges have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for Week 24.

Davis averaged 38.7 points and 11.7 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers went 3-0.

Bridges averaged 33.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists as the Brooklyn Nets went 3-0.

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As part of the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement, revenue from licensing will be included in Basketball Related Income. Previously, the revenue was excluded from BRI and given only to the owners.

For the 23-24 season, licensing revenue is expected to be worth $160 million. This means players will receive approximately $80 million of that revenue.

The revenue total is expected grow in coming years and players will be incentivized to help in the area.

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Andrew Wiggins is nearing a return to the Golden State Warriors and is expected back this week.

Wiggins has missed 21 games attending to the health of his father Mitchell Wiggins. Wiggins has missed a total of 41 games this season with left foot soreness, a strained adductor and a bout with a non-COVID-19 illness.

Wiggins was the Warriors' second best player at certain points of last year's playoffs.

Wiggins signed a four-year, $109 million extension with the Warriors before the season.

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The NBA is requiring a 65-game minimum for postseason awards as part of their new collective bargaining agreement.

"To me, this is a ceremonial rule," said Adrian Wojnarowski on his podcast. "This is a 'Look, we're trying to do something. We're trying to show you we're doing something to curb load management. To impact all these lost games we're having with star players.

"I don't know this is going to change much behavior. I'm rolling my eyes a little bit at that one... I don't see this impacting star players playing in any more or less games than they would have before."

The broader issue is that the majority of games missed is due to injury, not load management. Load management is also largely dictated by teams rather than players.

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The Dallas Mavericks could shut down Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving for the final games of the season if they completely fall out of the play-in picture.

As of Monday, the Mavericks are one game behind the Oklahoma City Thunder for 10th. The Thunder also own the tiebreaker over the Mavericks. When pivoting to the lottery, the Mavericks are currently 10th and could get to ninth depending on how they and the Utah Jazz finish.

If their pick is outside the top-10, it conveys to the New York Knicks.

"I'm told the organization is seriously considering the possibility of shutting down those two guys," said Shams Charania. "They have a top-10 protected pick. Being out of the play-in race, it behooves them not to try to keep their pick and at that point you have the flexibility of potentially having that top-10 pick, you have three first round picks you can trade this offseason to go get a star and potentially more players on the marketplace. They are going to be one of the more active teams."

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The NBA has had more parity in recent years, which was touted heavily by Adam Silver during All-Star weekend as part of the reason why he feels the league is in a healthy state.

The level parity, however, worked against the league in their efforts to create a hard cap.

"When you look at this CBA and the spending of the upper level teams, the league certainly wanted to rein that in," said Adrian Wojnarowski on his podcast. "I think a little bit, especially with the hard cap, because of the parity we're seeing in the league this year, it was hard to say over the last, certainly this season anyway, that there was such a distinct advantage for spending so much more than everybody else. The standings weren't reflecting that."

Wojnarowski said the peak of the Warriors during the Kevin Durant era was when there were stronger calls for a hard cap.

"The level of parity we are seeing in the league probably deflated the league's case that there needed to be this upper spending limit. That there were just teams and franchises that had to be stopped."

In the new CBA, there is a second luxury tax apron that will minimize the ways those teams will be able to add to their roster.

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The NBA and NBPA discussed the possibility of eliminating one-and-done and lowering the minimum age as part of their new collective bargaining agreement, but neither side felt passionate enough about the issue to push for it.

In exchange for allowing high school players to enter the NBA directly, the NBA reportedly wanted an extra rookie scale year, which would delay when they can sign an extension or become a restricted free agent.

"I think the league wanted the rookie scale to go another year so it would be another year before players could get their rookie extension or restricted free agency," said Adrian Wojnarowski. "That was something they obviously didn't get in talks, but I think was tied a little bit to one-and-done."

Under the current system, players can sign an extension after Year 3 and become a restricted free agent after Year 4. If an extra rookie scale season was given, then they would have to wait until Year 4 to sign an extension and Year 5 to become a restricted free agent.

Part of the reason why there was less urgency from both sides on the issue is because it is no longer a moral one due to the increase in ways non-NBA players are able to earn income whether it is through G League Ignite, Overtime Elite or NIL.

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The NBPA was adamant in their opposition to a hard cap, which was initially proposed by the owners but fairly quickly abandoned in negotations. There was some concern from small market teams how a hard cap could hurt them as much as the traditionally high payroll teams it would ostensibly be instituted to punish.

"Even what a lot of small market teams were worried about a hard cap in places, like let's say Cleveland, where all of a sudden you're good enough to win a championship," said Adrian Wojnarowski on his podcast. "You have a team and you're willing to go into the tax to keep that team together. Then all of a sudden with a hard cap and guaranteed contracts, the Cavs, using them as an example, or Oklahoma City four or five years from now, the smaller market teams worried 'This is going to work against us.'

"If Cleveland can't keep Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell. Or Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. They have to pick one of them and one of those guys leaves and goes to a market, it defeats the purpose of why you wanted a hard cap to protect yourselves from Steve Ballmer spending or Joe Lacob spending and that didn't happen. That was off the table fairly early."

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LSU defeated Iowa 102-85 to win the 2023 NCAA women's basketball championship, their first in school history.

Angel Reese was named the most outstanding player for the Final Four, finishing with 15 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals. Jasmine Carson scored a team-high 22 points, including 21 in the first half on 7-of-7 shooting.

The Tigers finished 11 for 17 on 3-pointers - more than keeping up with Iowa's 14 for 30.

Caitlin Clark scored 30 points to go with eight assists in a losing effort for Iowa. Clark dealt with foul trouble and was assessed her fourth personal foul when she received a technical foul.

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Players will be able to invest in NBA and WNBA teams via a private equity firm as part of the new collective bargaining agreement, sources told Shams Charania and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.

The new CBA will also give players the ability to promote or invest in gambling and cannabis companies, including the ability to sign non-gambling endorsements with sports betting companies.

The new CBA will still need to be ratified by players and team governors.

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Houston guard Tramon Mack entered the transfer portal while also declaring for the NBA Draft over the weekend.

Mack, who started all 37 games this season, averaged 10.1 points.

"I am excited for the next steps of my journey. I will continue to work to be the best person I can, both on and off the floor," said Mack.

Mack is the third Cougars player to enter the draft, following Marcus Sasser and Jarace Walker.

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Under the current CBA, when a player signed a rookie scale contract extension, there are some limitations. Players can only sign for five years, if they are signing a max extension. Non-max extensions have a limit of four years.

In the new CBA, teams will be allowed to offer a fifth year to players on a non-max extension. This is a valuable tool to aid in teams retaining their own drafted and developed players. Having the ability to give a fifth year to a non-max player should be a benefit with longer deals for more overall salary.

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It had already been reported that in the new CBA that teams above the newly created second luxury tax apron would have restrictions on acquiring players. Those teams will lose the Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception and will be restricted to re-signing their own players, draft picks and players via the minimum exception.

In addition, there will be further restrictions on the NBA's most expensive teams. Those teams will not be able to send cash out in trades, trade first-round picks within a seven-year window and will not be able to sign players on the buyout market.

In addition, trade rules will be tweaked for those teams. Teams that are above the second tax apron, set at $17.5 million above the tax line, will not be able to receive more money in a trade than they send out.

That trade restriction could have impacted several recent high-profile deals. That includes Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns, Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks and James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets.

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In 2016, the NBA saw the salary cap spike from $70 million to $94.1 million as new TV rights deals kicked in. That caused a scenario where the 2016 free agent class received contracts that were out of balance with the rest of the league.

With the NBA set to sign new media rights deals in 2025, another cap spike was looming. In order to avoid another spike, the NBA and NBPA have agreed to cap smoothing in the new CBA.

The smoothing agreement will see cap increases limited to 10%, while pushing any additional percentage increase into subsequent years. By smoothing out the increases, that should provide more balance to free agent classes over multiple years.

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Albama freshman center/forward Noah Clowney announced he's declaring for the 2023 NBA Draft. Clowney is projected first-round pick in the 15-25 range.

At 6-foot-10 and a good athlete, Clowney projects to play both the four and the five in the NBA. He played both inside and outside in his only season with the Crimson Tide.

Clowney averaged 9.8 points and 7.9 rebounds in 25.4 minutes per game. He joins teammate Brandon Miller as freshmen to leave Alabama following this season.

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Aliyah Boston officially declared for the 2023 WNBA draft Saturday.

Boston was eligible to stay at South Carolina for a fifth season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Indiana Fever hold the top selection, which they're expected to use on Boston.

"When I first arrived on campus on that warm day in May of 2019, I had no idea what to expect as a 17 year old," Boston wrote in her post. "Four years later, I can honestly say this was the best, first decision of my life... There is a quote that says - Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. In this moment, I am truly breathless as I make the next best decision of my life. I have decided to further pursue my dream by declaring for the 2023 WNBA Draft."

"She's great. She's ready," South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said Friday of Boston. "She has been the cornerstone of our program for the past four years. She elevated us. She raised the standard of how to approach basketball. She's never had a bad day. She's never come into practice sulking. She's always just the person that you saw so very, very consistent.

"I slept very well knowing she was with our program, and I'll sleep well knowing that she's okay and she will definitely make her mark at the next level."

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All-NBA teams will be positionless as part of the new collective bargaining agreement.

The All-NBA teams will now essentially represent the top-15 players in the league as opposed to having a positional distinction.

With supermax contracts tied to the All-NBA voting, going positionless is a more fair system even though it ends the historical aspects of the award.

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Milwaukee Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo has been suspended for one game for headbutting Boston Celtics big man Blake Griffin. Antetokounmpo will miss the Bucks game on Sunday against the Philadelphia 76ers.

The incident occurred with 1:25 remaining in Milwaukee's 140-99 home loss to Boston on Thursday. Antetokounmpo was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul and ejected from the game after headbutting Griffin, following the two getting tangled up under the basket.

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The Portland Trail Blazers have been eliminated from postseason contention. As such, Portland has shut down some of their veteran players. Now, the Blazers are pivoting to looking at younger players.

As part of that pivot, Portland is waiving veteran guard Ryan Arcidiacono. The Trail Blazers are signing guard Jeenathan Williams out of the G League on a two-way contract.

The 6-foot-5 Williams averaged 12.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in the G League. Williams shot 52% from the field, including 43% on three-pointers.

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The NBA and NBPA have agreed to remove marijuana from the league's anti-drug testing program.

The process for removing testing for marijuana began during the 19-20 season.

The NBA will continue to have penalties for other drugs.

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The NBA and NBPA have agreed to tie eligibility for postseason awards to a mandatory 65 games played.

The 65-game minimum does come with some conditions.

The new rule is an attempt to reduce load management and lost games among star players.

All-NBA determines whether certain players become eligible for supermax contracts.

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The NBA and NBPA have agreed to increase the upper limits on contract extensions from a 120 percent increase on a current deal to 140 percent.

This could have an impact on players like Jaylen Brown and Domantas Sabonis who have dramatically outplayed the contracts they signed coming off their rookie deals.

Under existing rules, Brown would be limited to a four-year, $165 million extension with the Boston Celtics.

With the extension rules increased to 140%, however, Brown would be able to reach his four-year maximum of $189 million as he is set to earn $31.8 million in the final season of his contract.

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The NBA and NBPA have agreed to play an in-season tournament under their next collective bargaining agreement with play beginning as early as next season.

The event will include pool-play games as part of the regular season schedule starting in November with eight teams advancing to a single-elimination tournament in December.

The Final Four of the tournament will be held at a neutral site, possibly Las Vegas.

Each in-season tournament game would count toward regular-season standings.

The two finalists of the tournament will play an 83rd game that won't count toward the regular season standings.

Winning players and coaches will earn prize money.

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The NBA and NBPA have agreed to create a third Two-Way contract for every team as part of its next collective bargaining agreement.

The Two-Way contract under the current CBA has given teams an extra roster spot and allowed second round picks and undrafted players to emerge at a salary below a standard NBA deal.

Under this CBA, a player on a two-way deal can be with the team for 50 games and will make half of the rookie minimum.

Lu Dort, Jose Alvarado, Alex Caruso, Austin Reaves, Anthony Lamb and Duncan Robinson are some of the NBA's best success stories using the Two-Way.

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The NBA and NBPA have created a second salary cap apron as part of their new collective bargaining agreement.

Once a team is $17.5 million over the tax line, they will no longer have access to the taxpayer mid-level in free agency. This change will be eased into the salary cap over a period of years.

Under these changes, Golden State's Donte DiVincenzo, Milwaukee's Joe Ingles, Boston's Danilo Gallinari and former Clippers guard John Wall wouldn't have been able to sign with those teams last summer.

As a countermeasure to the second salary cap apron, there will be more spending and trade opportunities for teams at the middle and lower tiers of spending.

The league initially sought a hard cap, euphemistically called an Upper Spending Limit, which the NBPA was prepared to fight all the way to a work stoppage.

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University of Kentucky freshman guard Cason Wallace is declaring for the 2023 NBA Draft. Wallace is a projected top-10 pick in this June's draft.

In his lone season with the Wildcats, Wallace averaged 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.9 steals per game. He shot 45% from the field and 35% on three-pointers.

The 6-foot-4 combo guard is considered one of the best defenders in this draft class. Wallace's wingspan and length as a perimeter defender are intriguing to teams. He also showed an ability to play as an on-ball facilitator late in the season. That increases Wallace's value, as he showed he can be more than just a scorer.

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The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association agreed to a new seven-year collective bargaining agreement on Friday night, reported Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The deal starts with the 2023-24 season and includes a mutual opt-out after the sixth year.

The agreement includes several key new details, including the creation of a second salary cap apron of $17.5 million over the tax line where teams will no longer have access to the taxpayer mid-level in free agency.

The deal will also have larger trade exceptions as a way to create more spending and trading opportunities for middle- and lower-spending teams.

The new CBA will also add a mandatory games played of 65 games (with conditions) in order to be eligible for postseason awards.

A new in-season tournament will also start during the 2023-24 season, which includes pool-play games baked into the regular season schedule. Eight teams will then advance to a single-elimination tournament, with the final four possibly taking place in Las Vegas. With in-season tournament games counting towards regular season standings, the two championship teams will play 83 games in a season.

The prize money for the championship team will be $500,000 per player, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic. Charania also adds that marijuana has been removed from the anti-drug testing program.

The two sides also agreed to increase the upper limit on extensions from the current 120% to 140%.

The agreement will also add a third two-way contract slot on team rosters.

Both the owners and players are expected to ratify the agreement in the future.

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The NBA and NBPA have tabled the possibility of lowering the minimum age to enter the draft as part of its next collective bargaining agreement, which will mean the "one-and-done" rule will continue.

The league wanted to eliminate the rule, but the players wanted to ensure veteran players would be taken care of as part of the change.

NBA owners and executives were largely indifferent or fully against returning to high school gymnasiums to evaluate players, and even less enthusiastic about that idea without concessions from the NBPA on providing increased access to pre-draft player medical information and increased participation in several elements of the draft combine.

The rise of financial opportunities for non-NBA players has softened the NBPA's belief there needed to be an aggressive push for lowering the draft limi

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Naz Reid suffered a broken wrist, sources told Shams Charania and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

Reid is set to miss "a significant period of time."

Reid is averaging 11.5 points and 4.9 rebounds this season.

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Brandon Miller has declared for the 2023 NBA draft after his freshman season at Alabama.

Miller is expected to be a top-3 pick with a chance of going No. 2.

Miller told ESPN that that he thanked "God, my family, my fans and all the coaches at the University of Alabama," and now planned to forgo his college eligibility.

Miller was the nation's leading freshman scorer at 18.8 points a game.

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Although Giannis Antetokounmpo is widely regarded as the best player in the NBA and is having a historic season on the team with the best record in the league, he only placed third in ESPN's final MVP straw poll. It has been suggested that Antetokounmpo may not be as concerned about winning the MVP award this season since he has already won two MVP awards and a championship.

"That's a lie," Antetokounmpo told Yahoo Sports recently. "I won't say I don't care. I want to compete. If you say I don't care, it's a lie. Do I think it's a priority for me? No. The priority for me is to get better, to help my team win a championship, to get that feeling again.

"If God can bless me with an MVP again, I'll take it."

Antetokounmpo knows the conversation revolves more around Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid, to which he says, "That's OK."

While Antetokounmpo is not apathetic about the MVP, winning another championship remains the priority.

"I want a championship," Antetokounmpo said. "It's the truth. The truth is the only thing that exists. I want ... to win ... a championship. More."

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Kevin Durant is on his fourth NBA team and trying to win his third championship, but his first outside the Golden State Warriors. Durant's initial trade request came soon after the Warriors won the 2022 championship.

"I don't care about legacy," Durant told The Athletic. "I used to. I used to want to carve out a lane or space in this game for myself that people can remember, but it's become too much of a thing now. It just becomes too much of a focus on other people. What's he done, what's he done? Comparisons. Before, when we wasn't doing all this debating, I cared about it ... I'm about to be in the same breath as these top guys. It was big.

"Nowadays, I truly, truly don't care. I truly just want to go out there and produce, be the best that I could be, go home, hang with my family, that's it."

When Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder to sign with the Warriors, he had a realization that it would be impossible for many people to view his career in a logical way since it was the type of path never taken by another superstar.

"Once I left to go to the Warriors (in 2016), I figured any logical thing, when it comes to me it's out of the window," Durant said. "When it comes to me, people are not going to think in a logical way or simply look at what I've done and say that's it. They gotta add a narrative to it, they gotta push something to discredit me. Once I left to go to the Warriors, it's been the gymnastics on how to discredit me every step of the way. It's like, damn, that's not even fun no more like engaging with people because y'all aren't even being truthful. You move the goalpost every time, you expect the most out of me and if I don't reach it I'm a failure. It's like, what's the problem?

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The Dallas Mavericks have dropped four out of their past five games after losing 116-108 to the Philadelphia 76ers. The Mavericks are one game out of 10th behind the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"I think that now, again, just where we are in the season, and where other teams are positioned already, it kind of looks like a bit of a clusterf---, to be honest with you," Kyrie Irving said. "Because we're 37-40, and we're trying to fight to get into the play-in game. It's not the expectations I don't think any of us had in that locker room."

Irving is still adjusting to his new situation with the Mavericks.

"I didn't expect to ask for a trade at that point in the season," he said. "So I wanted to finish out with Brooklyn, finish out with the season that we had going, and I didn't get a chance to do that. So some of the goals I had previously this season had to be shifted, and I had to be more than willing, which I am, to be flexible and adaptable and live with the results, whether we make the playoffs or not.

"I just have to be at peace with where I am and which I am, and trust of the guys that I'm going to be in that war room with every single day. So, I'm appreciative of them giving me the opportunity. It's been nothing but great here. And I've been at peace."

Irving added: "So it's been good -- outside of the losses, of course. We'd like to win every game."

Irving will be a free agent this offseason.

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Stephen Curry has signed a long-term contract extension with Under Armour that will extend into his retirement. Curry's deal was set to expire in 2024.

Curry's new agreement could be one of the richest-ever endorsement deals in sports once annual base pay, stock equity, royalties on signature products and on-court incentive bonuses are tallied.

Under Armour signed Curry away from Nike in 2013 and launched the Curry Brand in 2020.

"We started with the signature business, and with the opportunity to deepen the partnership, with an expectation of it going past my playing days and the added investment in the great things that we both bring to the table, it's an exciting time to strengthen that partnership," said Curry, who is currently on his 10th signature sneaker with Under Armour. "We understand that it's a mutually beneficial venture to do some great things, build a great roster, build more scale to the business and create great storytelling."

Phil de Picciotto, the Octagon agency president and founder who negotiated on behalf of Curry, framed the structure as a "really comprehensive deal" that is "meant to stand the ages."

"Belief is a big part of who I am on and off the court," Curry said. "I believe in Under Armour and Curry Brand, the team now in place, and what we're doing together. We share a vision for a big future ahead."

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Following the Philadelphia 76ers victory over the Dallas Mavericks, James Harden addressed his recent absences due to left Achilles soreness. The Sixers guard said it's something he's been dealing with for longer than previously known.

"I don't know where it came from. It's been bothering me for some months, I would say," Harden said. "I just wanted to continue to play on it, and there was one point to where the last game I played, [it was] just really unbearable so I couldn't even go out there."

Harden was spotted limping off the court following the 76ers overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls on March 21. The star guard then missed Philadelphia's next four games. Harden said the injury is something he'll be monitoring for the remainder of the season.

"After the game, I went into the weight room and did some tendon-loading and things like that, for the Achilles, my lower body, my calves, things like that," Harden said. "Tomorrow I'll do something, after the game [against Toronto], Friday I'll do something, it's just making sure I'm on it."

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Joel Embiid has a narrow lead over Nikola Jokic in ESPN's final MVP straw poll for the 22-23 season.

Embiid has 790 total points to Jokic's 788, but Jokic has 42 first place votes compared to 40 for Embiid.

Embiid finished in second place on 45 ballots, six more than Jokic.

Giannis Antetokounmpo received 18 first place votes, 15 second place votes and 64 third place votes.

Rounding out the top-5 are Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic. Tatum appears to have a firm grasp on the fourth spot, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Domantas Sabonis as threatening Jokic for the fifth spot.

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Julius Randle missed the second half of the New York Knicks' 101-92 win over the Miami Heat due to a sprained left ankle.

Tom Thibodeau said that Randle, who was hurt after Bam Adebayo landed on him following a shot fake, will be re-evaluated on Thursday.

Randle has appeared in all 77 games this season.

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The NBA and NBPA share optimism on the state of the collective bargaining agreement negotiations ahead of Friday's deadline, sources on both sides told ESPN's Tim Bontemps.

Adam Silver said the NBA plans to opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement if a deal is not reached by Friday. Talks, however, could continue until June 30th before a lockout.

Silver said the league and the NBPA have separated the various issues on the table into different groups, from player health to systemic issues with the league to various economic discussions, adding that both sides can "acknowledge we've come closer together."

"This word never gets old but becomes often used in these negotiations, with the goal being let's just make sure it's still fair," Silver said. "Sometimes in partnerships, you have to fall back on words like 'good faith' and 'fairness.'"

Silver said there was a "gap" between where things currently stand and where they'll need to get to in order for a deal to be done.

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Adam Silver said at a press conference on Wednesday that he expects negotations between the NBA and NBPA to go down to the wire ahead of Friday's deadline.

While the two sides have made progress, there is still significant work to be done to complete a new collective bargaining agreement.

"There still is a gap, though, between where we feel we need to be in order to get a deal done," said Silver.

The NBA intends to opt-out of the current collective bargaining agreement if a deal isn't reached by midnight on March 31st, though Silver did raise the possibility of another extension.

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Kristaps Porzingis and the Washington Wizards are in serious talks on a contract extension, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

As part of an extension, Porzingis would opt out of his $36 million player option for 23-24 to sign a long-term deal.

The Wizards can offer Porzingis up to $180 million over four years.

Porziņģis has averaged 23.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 blocks over 65 appearances this season.

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DeMarcus Cousins has had a few NBA workouts, but none have led to a contract. That's something that puzzles and bothers Cousins.

"That's honestly my biggest issue. That's kind of the untold secret of the NBA," Cousins said on SiriusXM Radio when asked why he doesn't have an NBA roster spot. "I'm the type of guy that whenever I go through my hard times, my hardships, I look at myself first. What can I do to better myself? That's something I pride myself on."

Cousins said the harder part is that he can't get a straight answer from teams either.

"I've asked many questions. I've reached out to former teams. I kind of get sugar coated answers. I can never really get the raw honest truth," Cousins said. "I've struggled with that as well. I would love to get a real answer."

The 12-year veteran finished last season with the Denver Nuggets. In 48 total games between Denver and the Milwaukee Bucks, Cousins averaged 9.0 points and 5.6 rebounds in 15 minutes per game.

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Zion Williamson is participating in on-court workouts and will be re-evaluated next week ahead of a potential return, according to Chris Haynes of TNT.

"As of right now, the plan is to be re-evaluated at some point in the middle of next week. And at that juncture, the Pelicans will only have about two games left on the schedule," said Haynes.

Haynes added that it is not a given that Williamson will be cleared at that time.

Williamson has been out since early January with a hamstring strain.

"During the process of trying to return, he did suffer a setback which is prolonging his return," said Haynes.

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Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore closed a second, $290 million payment towards full ownership of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx, sources told Shams Charania and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

They both now own 40% of each franchise.

Lore and Rodriguez recruited other investors to join Purple Buyers Holdings LLC, who are limited partners of the Timberwolves.

Lore and Rodriguez will now need to purchase another 40% of the team by December 31.

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Steve Kerr said he was hopeful for Andrew Wiggins' return to the Golden State Warriors lineup this season, though he had no specific timeline.

"There's hope but it's I guess indefinite, it's also appropriate because we don't know," said Kerr on Tuesday.

Wiggins has missed 20 straight games due to a private family matter.

Kerr added that Wiggins, who has been working out by himself, will still need to be evaluated by the Warriors' training staff once he returns.

"Once he's back our training staff will be able to get with him and see where he is," added Kerr.

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Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Gregg Popovich, Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, and Becky Hammond were voted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2023, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

A formal announcement will take place this Saturday during the men's Final Four in Houston.

The enshrinement ceremony is scheduled for August 12.

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Damian Lillard has been shut down for the remainder of the season, sources tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

The Portland Trail Blazers have faded from the play-in picture with a disappointing second half.

With Lillard out for the season, the Blazers could finish with as low as the fifth pick in the draft. Portland sits on 32 wins along with the Orlando Magic, while the Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards each have 33 wins.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported earlier on Tuesday that Lillard and the Blazers will have "serious conversations about what's next" after yet another disappointing season.

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Kevin Durant will make his return from a sprained ankle on Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Durant sprained his ankle pregame before what would have been his home debut with the Phoenix Suns.

Durant missed 10 games with the injury.

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The Brooklyn Nets have announced they will shut down Ben Simmons for the remainder of the season.

Simmons hasn't played since the Nets' final game before the All-Star break last month because of a nerve issue in his back.

Simmons sat out all of last season and has missed large portions of this season due to knee and back injuries.

Simmons has another two years remaining on his contract, paying him $37.8 million in 2023-24 and $40.3 million in 2024-25.

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Mikal Bridges has the NBA's longest active consecutive game streak at 385 and counting. Bridges is one of just four players on pace to play in 82 games. Bridges also never missed a game during his three seasons at Villanova.

"Always just been blessed," Bridges told The Athletic. "I think my body might get hurt, heals a little faster. Everybody's body is a little different, but my body will hurt and next day the swelling will go way down. And every time I did get hurt it's been in the preseason or offseason, I was like in high school or stuff so that kind of helps as well."

Bridges recently played in just one quarter in a loss at the Milwaukee Bucks, which was the front end of a road back-to-back.

Jacque Vaughn called the light workload for Bridges that night "a negotiation tactic."

"There is a balance to saying I want you to play but I'm also going to protect you at this time of the year with some nagging injuries," Vaughn said.

Bridges isn't against load management, but believes it can get excessive.

"There's sides," Bridges said. "There's 82 (games)... people coming off injuries, we play so much, we're traveling - I get it health-wise. I sometimes think in perspective just resting just because ... I don't think so. I just feel like if it's injury-wise that makes the most sense obviously you're not going to force somebody to play injured. Coming off injury, you want to calm it down. I think if the guy is fully healthy, I don't think so."

Bridges doesn't believe he will catch A.C. Green's record of 1,192 straight games, which went from 1986 to 20021.

"I don't think I'm going to make it there," Bridges said. "That's a lot of games. That's untouchable."

Bridges is valuing longevity over attendance.

"I just want to play every game," Bridges said. "That's my thing. Even if I'm banged up and I'm hurt a little bit, if I feel like I can go, I'm gonna go."

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The Charlotte Hornets have signed Xavier Sneed to a 10-day contract.

Sneed averaged 12.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in 31.2 minutes per game across 32 contests (all starts) with the Greensboro Swarm this season.

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Darius Days has been named the NBA G League Player of the Month for games played in March.

Days averaged 25.7 points and 9.9 rebounds in 10 games for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (8-2).

Days is on a Two-Way contract with the Houston Rockets.

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The Utah Jazz have agreed to sign Luka Samanic to a 10-day contract.

Samanic is averaging 22.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 29.3 minutes over 27 games in the G League this season with the Maine Celtics.

Samanic was the 19th overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs and was waived before his third season.

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Damian Lillard has "essentially" been shut down for the remainder of the season. While Lillard is dealing with a calf injury, the reality of Portland falling out of the Play-In spot is the reason for the decision.

The Blazers have a lottery-protected first round pick that they will retain.

Portland could also entertain the idea of trading Lillard.

"You now have to wonder if Lillard ever steps on the court again for Portland," writes Shams Charania at The Athletic.

Lillard is due $216 million over the next four seasons and has privately considered the possibility of a trade even though his public statements have demonstrated a desire to win with the Blazers.

"I expect there to be serious conversations about what's next for both sides," adds Charania.

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Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal is under investigation by the Orlando Police Department after a confrontation with a fan. The incident occurred following the Wizards loss at the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, March 21.

As Beal and the Wizards were exiting through the visiting tunnel at the Amway Center, a fan approached Beal and reportedly yelled at him about a losing bet. The fan yelled, "You made me lose $1,300 you f---."

Beal is accused of swatting the hat off another fan's head, and making contact with the man's head while doing so. That fan then told Beal he didn't make the initial contact, before the two then reportedly got into a verbal confrontation.

As of Tuesday, March 28, no charges have been filed against Beal.

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The Brooklyn Nets have signed center Moses Brown to a second 10-day contract. Brown appeared in one game for Brooklyn on his first 10-day deal.

The Nets added Brown for additional frontcourt depth behind Nic Claxton. Following the trade deadline, Claxton and second-year player Day'Ron Sharpe were the only centers Brooklyn's roster.

Following this second 10-day deal, the Nets would have to sign Brown for the remainder of the regular season to keep him. Players are limited to signing only two 10-day contracts with one team.

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Norm Powell is expected to make his return to the Los Angeles Clippers lineup during their road trip this week, according to Law Murray of The Athletic.

The Clippers have two away games against the Grizzlies and an away game against the Pelicans coming up.

Powell has been out since March 2 due to a shoulder injury.

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Nic Batum will start for the Los Angeles Clippers at power forward, confirmed Ty Lue.

Batum is set to replace Marcus Morris in the lineup.

Batum hit eight 3s on Monday in his new role, playing 31 minutes.

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James Harden is targeting a return to the Philadelphia 76ers lineup sometime this week, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Wojnarowski adds that Harden, who has missed four straight games due to a sore Achilles, is looking to return for a home game.

Joel Embiid also missed Monday night's 116-111 loss to the Nuggets due to a sore right calf.

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Rodney Terry has agreed to become head coach of the University of Texas on a five-year deal.

Terry has been the Longhorns' interim head coach since Chris Beard was suspended in December and ultimately fired a month later.

Terry became emotional when asked Sunday about his desire to become the head coach at Texas.

"I haven't really had a lot of time to give a lot of thought to that, to be honest," he said. "I've been so wrapped up and invested in my team. Again, I love these guys. Not only will I just love these guys for the time I got to coach them, I'll love them for the rest of their lives. I'll be at their weddings. I'll be talking to those guys when they have their firstborn.

"It was all about this team, man, and I enjoyed every single day of this journey with this group. I'm going to really miss -- I'm going to really miss working with this group. It was never about me. It was always about these guys. I love these guys."

With Terry at the helm, Texas went 22-8 overall and 12-6 in conference play.

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Mfiondu Kabengele has been named NBA G League Player of the Week for games played Monday, March 20 through Saturday, March 25.

Kabengele averaged 27 points, 16.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists for the Maine Celtics.

Kabengele is a Two-Way contract with the Boston Celtics.

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Brandon Ingram and Jaylen Brown have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for Week 23.

Ingram averaged 31.3 points, 10.0 assists and 6.3 rebounds for the week as the New Orleans Pelicans went 3-0.

Brown averaged 31.7 points on 55.9 percent shooting and 8.3 rebounds as the Boston Celtics went 3-0.

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Joel Embiid has been ruled out of Monday's game against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets due to a calf injury.

Embiid attempted to work out on Monday morning, but the Philadelphia 76ers decided to take a precautionary approach with the team playing their third game in four days.

James Harden, however, is on track to return to the Philadelphia lineup.

Embiid, Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo are considered the three favorites for MVP and Monday's game was expected to have extra significance in the race.

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The NBA has rescinded a technical foul assessed to Luka Doncic during the third quarter of Sunday's loss by the Dallas Mavericks to the Charlotte Hornets.

Doncic will be eligible to play in Monday's game at the Indiana Pacers.

Doncic was suspended for the game after accumulating his 16th technical. Doncic will now be suspended for a future game should he receive a technical foul this season.

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Tyrese Proctor will return to Duke for his sophomore season. Proctor is a potential lottery pick in 2024.

"This is the best decision for my career, both present and future," Proctor told ESPN. "Coach [Jon] Scheyer and I share the same vision; we have unfinished business. We have the best staff in the country, and they will push me each and every day."

Proctor was the No. 30 prospect in ESPN's 2023 draft projections.

At 6-foot-5, Proctor has dynamic shot-making ability, creativity as a playmaker and strong competitiveness defensively.

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What will the landscape of the NBA look like in 2025? Dan Feldman joins to predict the two best teams in each conference, the NBA champion, and the two worst teams in the league.

But first, we catch up on the latest news and the state of the playoff race after the weekend.

Four more episodes with Nate & Danny per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime, plus it's the only place to hear John Hollinger & Nate as well! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

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The Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James appear to have been on different pages on his injury timeline as he returned from his foot injury on Sunday earlier than expected.

James missed 13 games before returning from the torn tendon in his right foot.

James said he consulted with a doctor who is "the LeBron James of feet." James declined to close the doctor's name or where he practices.

"He told me I shouldn't [get surgery]," James said.

Last week, James Tweeted a stern response to the announcement from the Lakers that he was reevaluated.

Before the game, James sat before his locker tying his shoes and listening to music through headphones.

"Stay the f- up out my business," James yelled and repeated as he quoted lyrics of the song he was listening to, according to The Athletic.

James said surgery remains possible after the season.

"I don't know," James said. "Right now, I don't need it, so we'll see what happens. I'll probably get another MRI at the end of the season and go from there. But if I end up having to get surgery after the season, you guys won't know. I don't talk to you guys in the offseason, and by the time next season starts, I'll be fine. I'll be ready to go."

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Jaylen Brown gave multiple in-depth interviews that were published last week, one in the New York Times and another in The Ringer. Brown's future with the Boston Celtics and happiness with the team and the city were called into question.

For all of Brown's uncertainity with the Celtics, his situation can be quickly clarified this offseason if he makes an All-NBA team and becomes eligible for a supermax extension. If not, Brown will almost certainly become an unrestricted free agent in 2024 due to how the Celtics are limited on a raise from his current below market contract.

"I feel great," Brown said. "I'm on a 50-win team right now that you can't take for granted. Tonight was the 50th win. And right now I'm focused on helping to lead my team for another playoff run. In terms of speculation, et cetera, I can't speculate on anything above what I'm doing right now. I think sometimes when people write articles they get taken out of context especially when writers have their own agendas or whatever. So for me personally, I'm thinking about clarifying some of the things that have been recently said. But other than that, I'm just focused on my team. I'm focused on playing basketball and winning games."

Brown was asked what he would like to clarify.

"Nothing right now," Brown said. "Right now the only thing I want to clarify is that the Celtics need to play better and win more games. If I want to say something in the future about the kind of things that have been floating around I will. But in terms of right now, I like when people hear things from the horse's mouth and you can see my reaction, my face and everything how I feel about what I'm saying. Sometimes those things can get lost in translation, you know? So if I feel the need to do so I will. I keep constant communication with my teammates and my organization and we've gotta have everybody on board if we want to do what we say we want to do. So right now I'm focused on that."

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Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid touched on a lot of subjects in a wide-ranging interview with Shams Charania of The Athletic. Embiid said this is the best he's ever felt this late in a season, that his foot feels better and, of course, he talked about the MVP race.

Embiid said he no longer cares about winning MVP as much as he once did. For him, the goal is different now.

"What matters - it's just about winning, winning, winning. I've been focused on that. We've been doing that. Whatever happens, happens. If I win MVP, good. If I don't, it's fine with me," Embiid said.

The Sixers center also said he agrees with Giannis Antetokounmpo that the criteria to be MVP seemingly changes from year to year.

"The criteria does change. If we want to talk about the last three years since I've been in the running for it, the first year it was that I didn't play enough games. Last year, I came back, I played enough games, I led the league in scoring, and obviously, Nikola deserved it and he won it. But then again, he won as a sixth seed in the West. And then this year, I'm leading the league in scoring, I'm doing all of these things defensively ... I should be making an All-Defensive team too," Embiid said.

"I don't care, but every year it's something. And when you add analytics into it, which don't make sense. You can talk about analytics all you want. When you got some guys in the league, the eye test tells you that they're not good defensively, but analytics tell you they're the best defenders. That's when analytics don't make sense at all. I don't make the rules, I don't choose whatever criteria that they use, so it's really about whatever people's preferences are."

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Deandre Ayton is listed as probable to return to the Phoenix Suns lineup on Monday.

Ayton missed the last four games due to a hip injury.

The Suns went 1-3 without Ayton.

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Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic was called for his 16th technical foul on Sunday afternoon. If that technical is not rescinded, Doncic will be suspended for the Mavs game on Monday at the Indiana Pacers.

After losing at home to the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, Dallas dropped a road game at Charlotte on Sunday. The second loss to the Hornets was the Mavericks fourth consecutive loss overall. That saw Dallas drop to 36-39 on the season and pushed the Mavs out of the Play-In Tournament picture.

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After being upgraded from out to doubtful to questionable over the last few days, LeBron James will be available to play for the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. James tested his foot pregame and will play for the first time since a 13-game absence due to a sore right foot.

In a twist, James will come off the bench for Los Angeles against the Chicago Bulls. This is just the second time James has appeared in a game as a reserve in his 20-year NBA career. The last time James came off the bench, was following a thumb injury early in the 2007-08 season. He played 23 minutes and scored 17 points as a reserve in a Cleveland Cavaliers victory over the Indiana Pacers on December 11, 2007.

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DaQuan Jeffries and the New York Knicks have agreed to a multi-year deal.

Jeffries recently completed two 10-day deals with the Knicks, but hasn't appeared in any games.

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The Los Angeles Lakers have upgraded LeBron James to questionable for Sunday's game against the Chicago Bulls. James will reportedly test his sore right foot in pregame warmups to determine if he can play Sunday afternoon.

James has missed the Lakers last 13 games. Los Angeles has gone 8-5 during that time to climb up to a three-way tie for seventh place in the Western Conference.

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Brooklyn Nets forward Ben Simmons was recently diagnosed with a nerve impingement in his back. That injury will keep him out indefinitely, but Nets coach Jacque Vaughn is being realistic about Simmons' timeline to return.

"For me as a coach, there's some things that I can control, some things that I can't control," Vaughn said. "What I can't control is the impingement. What I can control is getting this group ready to play. And then in all honesty, the realism that he's probably not going to join us for the rest of the year ... certainty will come once he continues to be looked at by specialists."

After missing all of last season due to a holdout with the Philadelphia 76ers and subsequent back injury, Simmons appeared in 42 games for the Nets this season. He averaged career-lows across the board with 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game.

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Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has been upgraded to doubtful for Sunday's game against the Chicago Bulls. This is the first time James has been listed as anything but "out" since February 26.

In that game on February 26, James reported that he felt a pop in his right foot. James has been out since then, with what's been listed as right foot soreness.

The 20-year veteran has missed the Lakers last 13 games. During that time, Los Angeles has gone 8-5. That solid play has seen the Lakers push up to eighth place in the Western Conference. As of the start of play on Saturday, the Lakers are only two games out of fifth place in the conference.

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The Portland Trail Blazers have fallen 3.5 games behind in the race for the Western Conference Play-In Tournament. Having fallen that far behind, with only nine games to play, the Blazers are leaning towards shutting down star guard Damian Lillard for the season.

Lillard is dealing with a calf injury. The Blazers star has also recently talked about how sometimes you have to be smart when your team is no longer competitive in a season.

This is looks like it will be the second consecutive one where Portland misses the playoffs. That's after a run of eight consecutive playoff appearances from 2014 through 2021.

Lillard has appeared in 58 of the Trail Blazers 73 games this season. He's averaged a career-high 32.2 points per game, in his 11th NBA season.

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The Golden State Warriors will not pursue any further action, grievance or review by the NBA for their trade with the Portland Trail Blazers for Gary Payton II.

The Warriors considered rescinding their trade for Payton after the Blazers failed to disclose the extent of his injury.

Payton is expected to return from his injury soon.

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CJ McCollum has been playing through a right thumb injury this season that will require offseason surgery.

"I knew the final outcome would probably be surgery, and I was notified that that's what it's going to have to be" wrote McCollum in his diary for Andscape. "It's my shooting hand, so you're always a little nervous. So, I just been checking in with a hand specialist out of New York and just making sure things are progressing and continue to get images every couple weeks to track the progress as to what type of surgery I may need, what's the process going to look like and I'm comfortable with what I've been hearing so far, so I'll be all right. But I'm not making any excuses. I've been in the league for a long time, and I pride myself on being the best leader I can be on and off the court. We don't have the luxury of sitting certain games at this stage of the season based on standings. I would like to compete in the playoffs for my 10th straight season or at least give ourselves a chance and address what needs to be addressed after our fate has been determined.

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Jarace Walker has announced he will leave Houston after his freshman season to enter the 2023 NBA draft. Walker is a projected lottery pick.

Walker was the top power forward of his high school class and Kelvin Sampson has expected him to leave after one season.

Walker finishes his college career averaging 11.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 27.6 minutes per game.

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The Dallas Mavericks lost at home to the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, falling to 7-12 since trading for Kyrie Irving. The Mavericks are 3-7 when Irving and Luka Doncic play together.

"We got to fight hard, play harder," said Doncic. "That's about it. We got to show we care and it starts with me first. I've just got to lead this team, being better, playing harder. It's on me."

Doncic also acknowledged that he is struggling to find joy on the court.

"I think you can see it with me on the court," Doncic said. "Sometimes I don't feel it's me. I'm just being out there. I used to have really fun, smiling on court, but it's just been so frustrating for a lot of reasons, not just basketball."

Asked what else was bothering him, Doncic cited issues in his private life.

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D'Angelo Russell missed the Los Angeles Lakers' 116-111 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night due to a sore right hip.

Russell, who aggravated the injury on Wednesday night against the Suns, is day-to-day.

Russell has now missed seven games since getting traded to the Lakers.

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Ben Simmons has been diagnosed with a nerve impingement in his back.

Simmons hasn't played since the Brooklyn Nets' final game before the All-Star break in February with a combination of left knee and back soreness.

Jacque Vaughn insisted there had been "zero" discussions about shutting down Simmons for the season at that point.

"Definitely operating under that belief," Vaughn said, when asked directly if he's expecting Simmons to play again this season. "There's zero discussions about him not playing. We expect him to be back, waiting for him to be back, watching the last Sacramento game, it was great to see him and his physicality versus [Kings All-Star Domantas] Sabonis last time, so looking forward to seeing that again, for sure."

Simmons has another two years remaining on his contract, paying him $37.8 million in 2023-24 and 40.3 million in 2024-25.

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James Harden missed his second straight game on Friday due to left Achilles soreness.

Doc Rivers believes Harden's Achilles started bothering him before Monday's game.

"It definitely was bothering him in that game," Rivers said. "And ... if this was a normal playoff game, James would be playing. But we're just not going to do that right now. So we decided, especially now with guys, if they show something, they're out."

Harden could play on Saturday night at the Phoenix Suns though it could wait until Monday's game at the Denver Nuggets.

"Probably a bigger chance against Denver," said Harden. "We're hoping on this road trip. Usually, when you bring guys on the trip, that means you think he may play."

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Kevin Durant is targeting a return from his sprained ankle on Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Durant has yet to play in a home game since joining the Phoenix Suns as he was injured during warmups before what would have been his home debut.

The Suns will have seven games remaining for Durant to be available to appear in.

Phoenix is currently the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference.

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The eternal Jokic/Embiid debate continues in our center rankings, while further down we grapple with the offensive stars vs two-way role players conundrum.

For rankings of every position (with text of our lists and stats we consult, including Seth Partnow exclusives), subscribe to Dunc'd On Prime:

duncdon.supportingcast.fm

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Monty Williams has been fined $20,000 for public criticism of the officiating.

Williams made his comments to the media following the Suns' 122-111 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on March 22 at Crypto.com Arena.

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Luka Doncic has been fined $35,000 for directing an inappropriate and unprofessional gesture toward a game official.

Doncic made the money sign toward a referee.

The incident occurred with :01.7 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Mavericks' 127-125 loss to the Golden State Warriors on March 22 at American Airlines Center.

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The Dallas Mavericks passed on two opportunities to sign Jalen Brunson to a four-year, $55.5 million extension, first in the offseason and again in January 2022.

When the Mavericks were finally ready to offer Brunson the extension after the trade deadline in 2022, it was too late as his value across the NBA was already far higher than that.

Brunson left the Mavericks to sign a four-year, $104 million deal with the New York Knicks.

"I can't say anything bad about Dallas," Brunson told B/R, "but obviously I wish things would've happened differently."

Brunson detailed his willingness to sign an extension with the Mavericks, which would have been very team friendly.

"There were two times that I thought we had offers on the table before the season, and then around, I think December or January, they looked the other way," Brunson said. "They had every right in the world to do so. I don't blame them for making any business decisions. That's on them."

Brunson is still complimentary of the Mavericks.

"At the same time, I respect them," Brunson told B/R. "They brought me into this league and jump-started my career. Business is business. My four years in Dallas were special. When I first got drafted there, I had that mindset of seeing myself being there for a very long time. My vet at the time, J.J. Barea, he taught me so much and he was there for such a long time. I wanted that role of being with the Mavericks for the long haul of my career. I truly loved that place. As I continued to get older, I got better, and I got more opportunities to showcase my game.

"Both coaching staffs I had there were amazing. Jason Kidd helped unlock something in me that I didn't think would happen that fast. I was growing as a player, but when the playoffs hit, he pushed me to a new level. It was great there. The whole organization and the city of Dallas was special to me and my family. Those four years were amazing."

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Anthony Davis can become a free agent in 2024 and his future with the Los Angeles Lakers is uncertain. The deal Davis is on aligns with LeBron James, who is 38 and has spoken about trying to play on the same team as his son, Bronny James, before retiring.

Davis, however, continues to have a goal of winning another title with the Lakers.

"To be a part of the legacy already of winning a championship, you want to win more," Davis said. "We're tied with Boston at 17, it's like, I want to be part of the one that makes it 18 and this franchise No. 1."

Davis signed a long-term deal with the Lakers in 2020 even though he could have made more money by signing a short-term deal that would have allowed him to get 35 percent of the max in 2022.

"I love being in L.A. My family loves it. I love playing for the Lakers," Davis said. "When the time is up, honestly, I'm not sure the direction the team wants to go or who knows the conversation we'll have. But when the time comes, we'll sit down, have those conversations and go from there."

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The state of Anthony Davis' relationship with LeBron James came under scrutiny when James broke the all-time scoring record while Davis showed a lack of emotion. Davis had just returned to the Los Angeles Lakers' bench after letting out a scream

"From the outside looking in, they don't know," Davis said of his perceived bad body language. "It's not for them to know seriously, but me and Bron are fine. You can tell when we had our moments, for sure. But I think it's people just looking for a story."

Davis was unwavering in describing his bond with James.

"Me and Bron have one of the best relationships I think in the NBA as far as duos or teammates, regardless," Davis said. "But they don't see that. They don't see the stuff we do off the court and time we hang out with each other. They see on-court stuff."

Dennis Schroder sees a change in Davis now compared to his first stint with the Lakers.

"It's better than the first time I was here," Schroder told ESPN. "More vocal. ... I mean, I didn't know him the first time I was here. But this year he's doing a great job. I think he learned from LeBron as well. Talking to his teammates, especially on the defensive end. It's a big growth from that first year to this year."

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The Orlando Magic will sign guard Jay Scrubb to a two-way contract. Scrubb has spent this season playing with the Lakeland Magic of the G League.

In 44 G League games this season, Scrubb has averaged 23.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard shot 47.5% from the floor and 31.2% on 7.1 three-point attempts per game.

Scrubb spent the first two years of his NBA career with the LA Clippers on Two-Way contracts. He went to training camp with Orlando before joining Lakeland for this season.

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The Charlotte Hornets already rough season continued to get a little rougher on Thursday. Charlotte lost guard Terry Rozier III and wing Kelly Oubre Jr. to injuries during the team's loss at the New Orleans Pelicans.

Rozier exited the game in the first half due to right foot soreness. Oubre also left the game in the first half, leaving due to a right shoulder strain. Neither player returned for the second half.

In addition to losing Rozier and Oubre, the Hornets were without backup guard Dennis Smith Jr. for most of the second half. Smith left the game in the third quarter due to an illness.

The Hornets started the game without starters LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams and reserves Cody Martin, James Bouknight and Theo Maledon. That left Charlotte head coach with only seven healthy players to finish the game.

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Paul George avoided torn ligaments in his right knee and is not expected to require surgery.

George will remain out at least 2-3 weeks due to the sprained right knee.

"I think we got the best case scenario as far as what we thought it could be. And so, being reevaluated in two, three weeks is something that we are looking forward to," said Ty Lue on Thursday.

Should the Clippers make the playoffs, George's potential return in the first round is considered optimistic.

Eric Gordon will start in George's place.

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Ben Simmons is currently practicing in an individual setting, according to Jacque Vaughn.

"It is not with teammates, and so I'll say that piece of it. He hasn't scripted with our group - first group, second group or anything of that nature," said Vaughn on Thursday.

Simmons has now missed 15 straight games due to left knee and back soreness.

With no return timeline, Vaughn added that he hasn't thought about Simmons' potential comeback this season.

"I don't even wanna look that far ahead. Ben's in the same position he was the last time I talked to you [on Tuesday]. Nothing further to comment on. I don't think I can give you anything else. There's nothing to add, really," said Vaughn.

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Gary Payton II could return to the Golden State Warriors lineup on Sunday.

Payton, who last played on February 8, is set to practice on Saturday.

Payton has played just 15 games this season due to a core muscle injury.

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NBA player agent Charles Briscoe was arrested on Thursday morning in Katy, Texas on felony charges in which he alleged defrauded his clients.

Briscoe is accused of duping one player into transferring $7 million as a supposed payment to become the "full owner" of a pro women's basketball team.

Briscoe is also accused of forging the signatures of another player and the player's mother on a player contract as a ruse to dupe yet another player into loaning him $1 million.

Briscoe is not currently listed by the National Basketball Players' Association as an active agent.

Briscoe has represented Dwight Howard, Michael Beasley and Chris Duarte.

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Jett Howard will declare for the 2023 NBA draft, leaving Michigan after his freshman season.

Howard is the No. 16 prospect in ESPN's draft rankings.

"This was a great learning year for me," Howard told ESPN. "It's what I needed. It taught me how to play within a pro-style offense and be effective, to get out of my comfort zone, and play with other good players."

Howard says he relished playing for his father, Juwan Howard, a former NBA All-Star and two-time NBA champion who won Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2021 after taking Michigan to the Elite Eight.

"Playing for my dad was a beautiful experience," Howard said. "It was a little rough at first, as he wants things done a certain way, but overall it was easy playing in his offense. He's a fun person to be around on a day-to-day basis."

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LeBron James is making progress in his rehab from a right foot injury and could play in "a few" goes during the final week of the regular season.

James has resumed on-court activity and is on a "gradual basketball movement progression."

James suffered a tendon injury on Feb. 26th.

The Lakers' final three regular-season games are all in Los Angeles, against the Clippers on April 5, the Phoenix Suns on April 7 and the Utah Jazz on April 9.

The Lakers are currently No. 10 in the Western Conference.

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The Detroit Pistons have signed Eugene Omoruyi to a contract for the remainder of the season.

Omoruyi was on two straight 10-day day contract with the Pistons where he averaged 8.8 points and 3.6 rebounds in 21.3 minutes.

Omoruyi also appeared in 23 games with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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Mike Brown is the heavy favorite to win Coach of the Year at -800, according to odds from DraftKings. Brown has the Sacramento Kings set to finish the regular season in either second or third in the Western Conference after entering the year as a possible play-in team.

Joe Mazzulla, Mike Budenholzer, Michael Malone and Tom Thibodeau round out the top-5.

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Ja Morant played in his first game since receiving an eight-game suspension on Wednesday. Morant came off the bench and checked in with 3:05 left in the first quarter.

The Memphis Grizzlies' crowd cheered loudly for Morant when he brought the ball up the court for the first time and again after his first basket.

"It meant a lot, man," said Morant. "Obviously, I'm thankful and grateful for everybody who's been supporting me during this time. It definitely helped me a lot, definitely made me feel a little better. Eased everything that was going on. Felt good to be back. Super excited. Glad we was able to get the win."

Morant said he meditated before the game to attempt to calm his nerves.

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Nick Richards and the Charlotte Hornets have agreed to a three-year, $15 million extension.

Richards will avoid restricted free agency this offseason.

Richards was the 42nd overall pick out of Kentucky in the 2020 NBA draft and has averaged 7.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 18 minutes per game this season.

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DJ Augustin has agreed to sign with the Houston Rockets for the remainder of the season.

Augustin last played in the NBA last season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Rockets have received criticism for an absence of veteran players as they rebuild.

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Paul George has been diagnosed with a sprained right knee and will be reevaluated two to three weeks. George is not expected to return before the playoffs.

George was helped off the floor during the Los Angeles Clippers' loss on Tuesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

George is averaging 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 34.6 minutes over 56 games this season. George has played in fewer than 60 games in each of his four seasons with the Clippers.

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Zion Williamson has been cleared to return to on-court activities, but he won't be evaluated again for two more weeks and is in jeopardy of missing the rest of the regular season.

The New Orleans Pelicans play their final regular season game on April 9th and the earliest he can be cleared based on the current timetable is April 5th.

Williamson has been out since January 2nd with a hamstring injury.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are unlikely to pursue Kyrie Irving in free agency, sources tell Jovan Buha of The Athletic. The Lakers prefer to keep their trade deadline additions rather than gutting their roster to create the necessary cap space to sign Irving.

To create enough cap space to sign Irving, the Lakers would have to renounce D'Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura while also declining their team option on Malik Beasley, and also waiving Jarred Vanderbilt and Mo Bamba.

The Dallas Mavericks traded for Irving shortly before the deadline and are interested in re-signing him in free agency. The Phoenix Suns also pursued a trade for Irving and have also been linked with him for the upcoming offseason depending on how their season plays out.

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Taylor Hendricks will forgo his remaining college eligibility at UCF and enter the 2023 NBA draft.

Hendricks says he has signed with attorney Raymond Brothers, president of Roc Nation basketball.

Hendricks is the No. 12 prospect in ESPN's NBA draft projections.

"I want to thank my mom and brothers Tyler and Jamal," Hendricks said. "Also, UCF and Coach Johnny Dawkins for pushing me to develop my game and help get me where I am now. Also, I want to thank the Lord for ordering my steps through this whole journey."

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The New York Knicks have had a successful 22-23 season despite deciding not to trade for Donovan Mitchell in the offseason. With Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle as their core, they will have trade optionality this offseason.

"Here's what I think about the Knicks," said Brian Windhorst on his podcast. "They have two handfuls of trade material, in my opinion. They can make, in my opinion, two big trades if they had to coming into this summer.

"They have the expiring contract of Evan Fournier, which can act as ballast in a trade. They have a bunch of younger players that people are interested in. And they have something like nine tradable first round picks.

"In my view, they can trade for two star-level players if they needed to. It doesn't mean they'd have to do those deals in the summer of '23. Those deals can be made within the 23-24 season, they can be in '24. But they can hold, in my opinion, they can hold Jalen Brunson, they can hold Julius Randle, and they can make two giant trades.

"Whether they can hold Brunson, Randle and [RJ] Barrett and make two giants trades, that would depend on the players. But there is even a window that they can hold all three of those and make two giant trade.

"It's going to require, I think, a player to say 'Send me to New York.' And potentially another star player to say 'Oh, I'll go to New York too.'

"Or for New York to pull a big trade and a star player going 'Ah, man. They got this and they still have this. I want to do that.'

"I kind of compare it to where the Cavs were in 2014. The Cavs had stuff and they had space. They used the space on LeBron and they used the stuff for Kevin Love."

Windhorst then talked about the favorable contract of Brunson, which declines in value over the four years.

"The Knicks are positioned," said Windhorst. "Leon Rose has put them in position. Getting into position is not the hard part. Executing is the hard part. But he's put them in position."

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Karl-Anthony Towns plans to return fro this Grade 3 calf strain on Wednesday night against the Atlanta Hawks.

Towns has missed 51 straight games with the injury as he had a setback in January.

The Wolves have nine games remaining as they attempt to qualify for the playoffs.

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Alabama and Houston enter the Sweet 16 as the two favorites to win the 2023 NCAA Tournament, according to odds from BetMGM.

Alabama sits at +350 while Houston is at +400. UCLA is next at +800, while Texas and UConn are at +900.

Princeton has the longest odds at +15000.

2023 NCAA Tournament Winner Odds
- Alabama: +350
- Houston: +400
- UCLA: +800
- Texas: +900
- UConn: +900
- Creighton: +1000
- Gonzaga: +1100
- Tennessee: +1100
- Michigan State: +2500
- Kansas State +2500
- Arkansas: +3000
- Xavier: +3000
- San Diego State: +4000
- Miami: +5000
- Florida Atlantic: +5000
- Princeton: +15000

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The Oklahoma City Thunder won a big game on Tuesday over the LA Clippers. That win pushed the Thunder to .500 on the season and into seventh place in the Western Conference. That success has the team rethinking their plans for their star player's schedule for the remainder of the season.

Oklahoma City previously said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was unlikely to play in both ends of back-to-back sets for the remainder of the season. Now, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said it's something the team will consider moving forward.

"Because of how he's responded, the back-to-backs are more on the table now than they've been," Daigneault said when asked about Gilgeous-Alexander's abdominal strain.

Oklahoma City has two remaining back-to-back sets. That includes this Thursday and Friday with pivotal postseason positioning matchups against the Clippers again and then the Los Angeles Lakers. The Thunder also play the struggling Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons in a back-to-back next week.

While Daigneault wouldn't commit to Gilgeous-Alexander playing both ends of the back-to-back later this week, it appears it's on the table.

"We didn't know when we put this plan in place how he was gonna respond, and based on how we've managed it and how he's managed it, he's responded well, especially right after games, which is most important for back-to-backs," Daigneault said. "We're open-minded to it, but we haven't played one yet."

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When the Cleveland Cavaliers traded for Caris LeVert ahead of the 2022 NBA trade deadline, it wasn't just to aid in a playoff push for that season. The Cavs traded for LeVert with intentions of keeping him Cleveland long-term.

Despite opportunities to trade LeVert ahead of this season's trade deadline, Cleveland held onto the wing scorer. Now, with LeVert set to become an unrestricted free agent, the Cavaliers would like to re-sign him to a multi-year deal.

Playing in a more high-powered lineup, LeVert has seen his shots drop, but his efficiency rise. LeVert is averaging 11.9 points, his lowest since his rookie season, but LeVert is shooting a career-best 37.6% on three-pointers. He's also adding a solid 3.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 30 minutes per game, mostly off the Cavs bench.

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Paul George left the Los Angeles Clippers' 101-100 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the fourth quarter due to a right leg injury.

George suffered the injury when his knee appeared to collide with Lu Dort's knee in mid-air. George then awkwardly landed and stayed on the ground.

Ty Lue said that George was still being evaluated after the game.

George left the arena with his leg extended on the back of a cart.

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Ja Morant participated in his first practice with the Memphis Grizzlies following an eight-game suspension and is scheduled to play in his first game on Wednesday.

"Obviously took that time to better myself, get in a better space mentally," Morant said. "It's an ongoing process, a continued process for me. Obviously, I've been there for two weeks, but that doesn't mean I'm completely better. So that's an ongoing process for me that I've still been continuing since I've come out."

Morant said that he had become concerned about his stress level before the controversy in Colorado.

said he has realized over the past two weeks how much he has at stake.

"Obviously, I've made mistakes in the past that cause a lot of negative attention -- not only to me, but my family as well, my team, the organization -- and I'm completely sorry for that," said Morant. "So my job now is, like I said, to be more responsible, more smarter, and don't cause any of that no more."

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Dillon Brooks has been suspended one game without pay for receiving his 18th technical foul of the 2022-23 season.

Under NBA rules, a player or coach is automatically suspended without pay for one game once he receives his 16th technical foul during a regular season. For every two additional technical fouls received during that regular season, the player or coach will be automatically suspended without pay for an additional game.

Brooks received his most recent technical foul with 7:26 remaining in the third quarter of the Grizzlies' 112-108 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on March 20 at FedExForum.

Brooks will serve his suspension March 22 when the Grizzlies play host to the Houston Rockets at FedExForum.

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Willis Reed has passed away at the age of 80.

Reed played 10 seasons in the NBA and was an All-NBA selection five times and won MVP in the 69-70 season. Reed spent his entire career with the New York Knicks.

"The Knicks organization is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved Captain, Willis Reed," the Knicks' statement read. "As we mourn, we will always strive to uphold the standard he left behind - the unmatched leadership, sacrifice and work ethic that personified him as a champion among champions.

"His is a legacy that will live forever. We ask everyone to please respect the family's privacy during this difficult time."

Reed was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982 and was on the 50th and 75th anniversary teams.

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The Boston Celtics reportedly discussed a trade with the Brooklyn Nets for Kevin Durant last offseason with a package built around Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and future draft picks. Jayson Tatum and Durant are friends dating back to their time together with Team USA in the Olympics.

Brown commented on the trade discussions in an interview with Logan Murdock of The Ringer.

"[KD] and JT are friends. They was working out together and whatnot," Brown said. "So, I wasn't sure what the energy was. I wasn't sure what the direction of the organization was."

Brown placed a three-way call to Stevens and Tatum. During that discussion, Stevens says he assured Brown that he wouldn't be traded.

"You just have to have a direct conversation," Stevens tells The Ringer of the meeting. "And you just have to be able to say, 'This is what's real. This is where we are. Obviously, you and Jayson are the two guys that we've built the whole roster around. And our every expectation is for us to come and compete together and try to be two games better than we were last year.'"

"Once we all got together and kind of talked it through, we all left on the same page," Brown said. "But the actions that was taking place during that time, it just didn't seem like that was the direction that the organization was going in. I don't know. It was hard to tell, at least."

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Jaylen Brown is noncommittal on his future with the Boston Celtics as he is one year away from free agency. Brown is unlikely to sign an extension with the Celtics because he would make considerably more money as a free agent. The situation could change if he makes an All-NBA team this year and is offered a supermax.

"I don't know. As long as I'm needed. It's not up to me," Brown told The Ringer. "We'll see how they feel about me over time and I feel about them over time. Hopefully, whatever it is, it makes sense. But I will stay where I'm wanted. I will stay where I'm needed and treated correct."

When asked how long he wants to play with Tatum, Brown keeps his focus on the immediate future.

"I just enjoy the time that you have now," he says. "If it's your whole career, it's your whole career. If it's not, it's not. Some of the greatest players of all time haven't finished with their organization. Michael Jordan retired a Wizard. As much as we like it here and enjoy being here, you see where life takes you. You see how the process goes. All you do is really focus on what's in front of you right now, to be honest. But I don't really know or want to answer that question because that type of stuff makes Celtics fans speculate and go crazy. Especially right now, I'll just say we'll get there when we get there."

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The Minnesota Timberwolves are battling for seeding in the Western Conference. Now, the Wolves might have some reinforcements arriving soon. Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns could both return from injuries as soon as Minnesota's game on Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks.

Edwards has missed the Timberwolves last two games, after suffering a sprained right ankle against the Chicago Bulls last Friday. Those were the first two games Edwards has missed this season. Minnesota fell at the Toronto Raptors on Saturday without Edwards, but bounced back to win at the New York Knicks on Monday.

Towns has been out since late-November with a Grade 3 tear in his right calf. Towns recently said he suffered a "major setback" in late-January, but that he's close to returning now.

Minnesota is one game under .500 and in a seven-way fight for postseason seeds in the Western Conference. That seven-team mix is all within two games of each other in sixth to 12th place in the West.

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Karl-Anthony Towns hasn't played in a game since late-November but is finally closing in on a return game action. For Towns, that return can't come soon enough, after going through a rehab he says he "hated every moment of".

"I feel good there is a day (coming)," Towns said. "There's a time. I've been in the darkness of the tunnel and trying to figure out where I'm going. It's good to know that there's some light at the end of the tunnel."

Towns suffered a Grade 3 tear of his right calf in the Wolves loss at the Washington Wizards on November 28th. Towns said his calf was 95% torn and that speculation of a four-to-six-week return was always way off.

The Timberwolves All-Star big man also said that he suffered a "major setback" in January during his recovery.

"It was obvious. You have a boot one day, then you're out of a boot and now you're back in a boot. That's a setback," he said, declining to say what specifically happened. "I think there will be a time and place to talk about that. But not right now."

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Memphis Grizzlies wing Dillon Brooks was called for his 18th technical foul of the season. That technical came from taunting Dallas Mavericks reserve Theo Pinson during the Grizzlies win on Monday night.

Picking up an 18th technical foul means Brooks will serve another one-game suspension. Brooks had already been suspended for a game when he got his 16th technical foul on the season. The NBA suspends players one game for every other technical foul they accrue, starting with their 16th. The count then resets at the start of the NBA Playoffs, with suspensions starting on the seventh technical foul of the postseason.

Brooks is aware he's hurting his team with the suspensions and admitted it's something he needs to better about.

"I've got to tone it down and get back to my mindfulness practice and find ways to channel it better," Brooks said.

Memphis is current battling the Sacramento Kings for the second seed in the Western Conference. Barring an unlikely rescinding of his latest technical foul, Brooks will miss the Grizzlies game on Wednesday vs the Houston Rockets. That game appears to be when Ja Morant will make his return to action for Memphis, following and eight-game suspension.

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Taylor Jenkins said he was 'hopeful' that Ja Morant would return to the Memphis Grizzlies' lineup on Wednesday against the Houston Rockets.

"We're hopeful for Wednesday, so long as everything medically clears out," said Jenkins before the Grizzlies' win against the Mavs on Monday.

Morant rejoined the Grizzlies following his eight-game suspension. The team held him out against the Mavs so he could ramp up his conditioning.

"The reception was great. Everyone welcomed him with open arms. Excited to have him back," said Jenkins about Morant's return.

The Grizzlies went 5-3 without Morant.

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LaMelo Ball said that his goal was to be ready for next season's training camp on Monday, speaking to reporters for the first time since undergoing season-ending ankle surgery on March 1.

"It's tough. I mean probably annoying just going through it, but I'm still alive and stuff like that, so you can't really be too mad. Just go through the rehab, do that whole process and try to come out on top," said Ball.

Ball played just 36 games due to ankle injuries this season.

Ball added that he was still unsure whether he would wear ankle braces next season.

"I haven't really looked into that yet. I gotta see how I feel first when I come back. Then I will make a decision."

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Kyrie Irving was seen wearing a walking boot on his right foot following the Dallas Mavericks' 112-108 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Irving, who said that the boot was "just precautionary," was hoping to play against the Warriors on Wednesday.

Irving added that his concern was re-aggravating a foot injury that cost him to miss games last week.

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Lonzo Ball underwent cartilage transplant surgery on Monday, his third procedure on his left knee in just over a year.

"I do know that Lonzo, just based on the information he was able to gather from different sets of doctors, [was] making the decision that he felt like this was the best chance to be able to get him back on the court.

"We all understand that that is going to be an uphill battle for him, but I know he's going to do everything possible in his rehab to get himself back on the court," said Billy Donovan on Monday.

Donovan added that Ball would be out "indefinitely," with Adrian Wojnarowski reporting that the guard could potentially miss all of next season.

Ball hasn't played since January 14, 2022.

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Disney is preparing to cut approximately 7,000 jobs and $5.5 billion in costs with ESPN amongst the subsidiaries impacted.

"Have you all been paying attention to the business landscape? Disney itself announced that over 7,000 employees are going to be let go," Stephen A. Smith said on his podcast. "ESPN is under the Disney umbrella. They're going to have cuts coming.

"Hell, for all I know, I might be one of them. Now, I doubt that. But it's possible. No one knows."

In 2017, ESPN laid off approximately 100 anchors, reports and analysts. ESPN previously laid off 300 employees in 2015.

"I don't think it will be as bad as 2017. But it might be bad," said one source.

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Rick Pitino has been named head coach of St. John's on a six-year deal. Pitino had been head coach of Iona since 2020.

Pitino is the only coach to lead three programs to the Final Four (Providence, Kentucky and Louisville), and won national titles with Kentucky and Louisville.

Pitino thanking the Iona administration and his players in a series of tweets Monday.

"... I'm not sad it ended. I'm so grateful it happened," he tweeted, adding: "To my players, the last three years. All I can say is you know how much I love you."

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Joel Embiid and Domantas Sabonis have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for the second straight week.

Embiid averaged 35.0 points, 12.7 rebounds and 3.3 blocks as the Philadelphia 76ers went 3-0.

Sabonis averaged 22.8 points, 16.0 rebounds and 10.0 assists as the Sacramento Kings went 3-0.

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The New Orleans Pelicans were involved in trade discussions with the Utah Jazz on a deal for Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley, but those players were eventually traded to the Los Angeles Lakers instead. The Lakers and Pelicans are competing for a spot in the play-in and New Orleans also gets to swap picks if the one belonging to Los Angeles is more favorable.

As part of a three-team trade, the Jazz also traded Mike Conley to the Minnesota Timberwolves with D'Angelo Russell going to the Lakers. That element may have prevented the Pelicans from getting a deal done for Vanderbilt and Beasley.

"The Pelicans were close to getting Beasley and Vanderbilt from Utah at the trade deadline," said Zach Lowe on his podcast. "Or close-ish. They had a pretty good offer on the table. It was a draft equity based offer with a pick that maybe was not as good as the Lakers' pick they ended up trading, but pretty close I think from what I've heard.

"But one of the issues was Conley and the Jazz' determination to get off Conley and could the Pelicans figure that somehow? And it became pretty complicated.

"That trade ends up helping the Lakers, helping the Wolves, and the Pelicans don't get involved in it and now they're falling apart."

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The Los Angeles Lakers and Austin Reaves have mutual interest on a deal when he becomes a free agent this offseason, sources tell Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

The Lakers can offer Reaves up to a four-year, $50.8 million using his Early Bird Rights, but they also can match any offer sheet he signs with another team in restricted free agency.

Reeves figures to receive interest from multiple teams this offseason.

"It's special," Reaves said of playing for the Lakers. "I mean, I grew up a Lakers fan. To do it for this organization, especially, is surreal. Sometimes I gotta stop and really think about what I am doing. ... All I'm really happy about is the win."

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A look at where we went right and wrong in our over/under picks for the season. After a rough 2021-22, were Nate and Danny able to get back on the winning track. Plus our best and worst picks, lucky wins, bad beats, and of course the Nate vs Danny head-to-head.

4 Episodes per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM

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The Los Angeles Lakers are set to work out Tristan Thompson and Tony Bradley this week, sources told Shams Charania and Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

Thompson has not appeared in an NBA game this season.

Bradley appeared in 12 games for the Bulls this year.

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The Los Angeles Lakers haven't attached a timeline to when LeBron James will return from right foot injury. However, speaking ahead of Sunday's game, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham gave the most positive update yet on where James is at.

"We anticipate him coming back at some point (this season)," Ham said.

James himself recently posted a positive update to social media. He tagged a picture of his feet with a caption that read "recharging" with a photo of a battery at nearly full charge.

The Lakers star has been out since injury his right foot on February 26 in a win over the Dallas Mavericks. Los Angeles has gone 5-5 without James in the lineup over the last three weeks. The Lakers enter Sunday's contest a half-game out of the 10 seed, which is the final spot in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament.

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Ja Morant will remain out for the Memphis Grizzlies game on Monday against the Dallas Mavericks. The Grizzlies are listing Morant out for return to competition reconditioning.

Morant has completed his eight-game suspension. However, Memphis has not committed to when their star guard will return to play. Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said that Morant will need time to get back up to speed before playing again.

Memphis went 5-3 while Morant was away from the team. That includes wins in five of their last six games.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves got some good news regarding star guard Anthony Edwards. Edwards' swelling has decreased in his sprained right ankle and it out of a walking boot. Edwards will be considered day-to-day as far as a return to the court.

Edwards was injured early in Friday's double-overtime loss at the Chicago Bulls. He played just eight minutes before being forced from the game.

The first-time All-Star then missed Saturday's game at the Toronto Raptors. That was Edwards' first missed game of the season. That snapped a string of over 90 consecutive games played for the Wolves guard.

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Throughout the Memphis Grizzlies win over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, Dillon Brooks and Klay Thompson could be seen jawing at each other. Brooks and Thompson were talking trashing, with Brooks yelling "You suck!" at Thompson, while Thompson reminded Brooks of how many rings the Warriors have won.

Following the game, Brooks said the Grizzlies used that as motivation.

"He's got four rings. That's all he was saying. It's motivation to us," Brooks said. "We want a ring as well. Being able to go through the process of steps that we did last year, we keep going and learning from it all. It's friendly trash talk, but I just hold a lot of real estate over there in San Francisco."

From Thompson's side, he didn't seem overly phased by Brooks' trash talk.

"I don't care about Dillon Brooks," Thompson said. "When he retires, I don't think anyone will ever talk about Dillon Brooks ever again. I promise you. It's sweet right now, but wait 10 years."

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Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards will be out indefinitely after suffering a sprained right ankle on Friday night. Edwards was injured after playing only eight minutes in Minnesota' double overtime loss at the Chicago Bulls.

Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch said Edwards is still in a walking boot on Saturday. Finch also said that there is no timetable for Edwards to return and that his star guard will be out indefinitely.

Edwards was a first time All-Star this season. He had appeared in all 71 games for the Wolves this season, and 93 consecutive games overall for Minnesota before this injury.

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Ben Simmons and Klutch Sports have mutually agreed to part ways, sources tell ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

Rich Paul had represented Simmons since he entered the NBA in 2016.

Klutch negotiated his five-year, $177 million extension with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019.

"He just needed a fresh start," a source said of Simmons.

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LeBron James has been out since February 26th with a tendon injury in his foot. The next official update from the Lakers is expected next week, but it is not expected to be one where he is close to returning.

"From what I've heard on LeBron, he is not close," said Brian Windhorst on his podcast. "That's what I've been told. He's not close."

The Lakers are 5-4 since James was injured.

"LeBron is not close to returning from what I'm told. I know everybody said the three weeks, but I think it was very clear three weeks is when he will get an official reevaluation. It didn't mean he was coming back in three weeks."

Windhorst added that this injury may not be one where he can play through.

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Lonzo Ball will undergo a third surgery on his left knee that is expected to cause him to miss most, if not all, of the 23-24 season.

Ball hasn't played since January 2022.

There is optimism that this procedure will allow Ball to play again.

The Chicago Bulls signed Ball to a four-year, $85 million deal during the 2021 offseason.

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Bogdan Bogdanovic and the Atlanta Hawks have agreed to a four-year, $68 million contract extension.

Bogdanovic declines his $18 million player option for 23-24 as part of the extension.

Bogdanovic is averaging 14 points on 40 percent three-point shooting this season.

The Hawks originally acquired Bogdanovic in 2020 on a four-year, $72 million deal in restricted free agency.

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Joel Embiid has moved from a 2-1 underdog to an odds-on favorite to be NBA Most Valuable Player this season.

The odds began to shift on Tuesday when the Brooklyn Nets beat the Denver Nuggets.

By Thursday, Jokic and Embiid were co-favorites at Caesars, but Embiid is the outright favorite at other sportsbooks such as DraftKings and PointsBet.

Over the past week at Caesars Sportsbook, 85% of the bets and 79% of the money wagered on the MVP market has been on Embiid.

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Ja Morant sat down for an interview with ESPN's Jalen Rose following a meeting with Adam Silver. Morant was suspended eight games without pay by the NBA and Silver called Morant's conduct "irresponsible, reckless and potentially very dangerous."

Morant recently exited a counseling program in Florida.

"Honestly, I feel like we put ourselves in that situation with our past mistakes, and now it's only right that we focus in and lock in on being smarter and more responsible, holding each other accountable for everything," Morant said referring to his inner circle. "I feel like in the past we didn't know what was at stake. And now finally me having that time to realize everything, have that time alone, I realize that now.

"I realize what I have to lose, and for us as a group, what we have to lose. It's pretty much just that being more responsible, more smarter and staying away from all the bad decisions."

Morant said the gun displayed in the video "wasn't mine" but did not specify who it belonged to or how it ended up in his hands.

"It's not who I am," Morant said. "I don't condone it or any type of violence, but I take full responsibility from my actions. I made a bad mistake. I can see the image that I painted over myself with my recent mistakes. But in the future, I'm going to show everybody who Ja really is, what I'm about and change this narrative that everybody got."

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The New York Knicks and DaQuan Jeffries are signing a second 10 Day contract. Jeffries' first 10 Day deal with New York expired earlier this week.

Despite being with the Knicks since late-November on a two-way deal, and then a 10 Day deal, Jeffries has not appeared in an NBA game this season. In 35 G League games with Westchester, Jeffries has averaged 19.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.6 steals and a block per game.

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The Brooklyn Nets are continuing to tinker with their frontcourt depth. The latest move will reportedly see Brooklyn sign Moses Brown.

Brooklyn had Nerlens Noel in on a 10 Day contract, but he was fairly ineffective. Rather than sign Noel to a second 10 Day deal, the Nets are moving on to bring in Brown to back up Nicolas Claxton at center.

Brown was with the LA Clippers for the majority of the season, along with a very short stint with the New York Knicks. When he hit the 50-game maximum on his Two-Way deal, Brown and the Clippers mutually agreed to part ways. In 34 NBA games with LA, Brown averaged 4.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in 8.5 minutes per game.

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Draymond Green picked up his 16th technical foul of the season on Wednesday night and is facing a one-game suspension.

Green received the technical with 40 seconds left in the first half after appearing to throw the ball at Russell Westbrook.

The league has 24 hours to decide whether to rescind the technical.

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Andre Iguodala suffered a fractured left wrist against the Phoenix Suns and is set to undergo surgery next week.

There is no timetable for Iguodala's return.

Iguodala missed the first 39 games of the season due to a left hip injury, then missed 21 games due to right hip soreness.

The Warriors currently have 13 available players on the roster.

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The Phoenix Suns hired Gerald Madkins as assistant general manager and vice president of personnel evaluation on Wednesday.

Madkins worked for the Clippers in multiple roles before becoming the assistant general manager for the Knicks from 2017-2020.

The 53-year-old will report to James Jones and "lead the team's approach and efforts in evaluating player personnel," according to the Suns.

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The NBA announced today that Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has been suspended eight games without pay for conduct detrimental to the league. The discipline is in response to Morant's live streaming of a video on March 4 in which he is holding a firearm in an intoxicated state while visiting a Denver area nightclub.

Morant will be eligible to return for the team's game against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, March 20.

A meeting took place on Wednesday in the NBA's New York offices between NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and Morant to discuss Morant's conduct. NBA Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars and NBPA Executive Director Tamika Tremaglio, among others, attended the meeting.

The league office conducted an investigation of the March 4 incident. Based on the information obtained during the investigation, the league did not conclude that the gun at issue belonged to Morant, was brought by him into the nightclub or was displayed by him beyond a brief period. The investigation also did not find that Morant possessed the gun while traveling with the team or in any NBA facility, and the Colorado authorities did not find sufficient cause to charge Morant with a crime.

"Ja's conduct was irresponsible, reckless and potentially very dangerous," said Silver. "It also has serious consequences given his enormous following and influence, particularly among young fans who look up to him. He has expressed sincere contrition and remorse for his behavior. Ja has also made it clear to me that he has learned from this incident and that he understands his obligations and responsibility to the Memphis Grizzlies and the broader NBA community extend well beyond his play on the court."

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Trey Lyles has been suspended one game without pay and Brook Lopez has been fined $25,000 for their roles in an on-court altercation.

The incident began when Lyles fouled and then pushed Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo in the back. Lopez escalated the situation by confronting Lyles. Lyles further escalated the situation by striking Lopez in the face and grabbing and holding Lopez around the neck area.

The incident, for which Lyles was assessed two technical fouls and ejected and for which Lopez was assessed one technical foul and ejected, occurred with 15.4 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of the Bucks' 133-124 win over the Kings on Mar. 13 at Golden 1 Center.

Lyles will serve his suspension on Wednesday, March 15 when the Kings play the Chicago Bulls at United Center.

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Brandon Miller has emerged with the potential to go No. 2 in the 2023 NBA draft ahead of Scoot Henderson. Miller is a 6'9 multi-dimensional wing while Henderson is a 6'2 super athletic combo guard.

"NBA teams are telling me he is firmly in the mix at No. 2," said ESPN's Jonathan Givony on NBA Today.

"I talked to a veteran executive just in the last week and he told me he currently has Brandon Miller No. 2 on his board," said Brian Windhorst on his podcast on Wednesday. "So it is a thing."

Sam Veccine of The Athletic shared a similar sentiment this week as well.

"It is not a foregone conclusion that Henderson will be picked at No. 2. I've talked with a number of lead front-office executives as well as high-level scouts who either think the margin between Miller and Henderson is razor thin or just have Miller ahead at this point," wrote Veccine.

While the No. 2 pick is a subject of debate, Victor Wembanyama remains the consensus option at No. 1.

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Karl-Anthony Towns is continuing to progress in his rehabilitation program and has been participating in basketball activities, according to a press release from the Minnesota Timberwolves. He is expected to return in the coming weeks and further updates to his playing status will be provided when available.

In 21 games (all starts) this season, Towns is averaging 20.8 points on 50.5% shooting, 8.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game.

Towns has been out since November 28th with a calf strain.

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The next payment for Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore to purchase the Minnesota Timberwolves is due on March 28th and the pair has the funds ready.

"The money is in the bank and ready to be funded today," a spokesman for Rodriguez and Lore told The Post on Tuesday night.

Some within the industry speculated that Rodriguez and Lore would be unable to raise the cash to make the payment.

Rodriguez and Lore spoke to at least one potential investor about selling a stake in the team at a $3 billion valuation. The Wolves were purchased by Rodriguez and Lore at a $3 billion valuation.

"It is a ridiculous pitch," said the source.

They have until March 28, 2024, to buy the remaining 40% to secure majority ownership.

Taylor plans on keeping the other 20 percent of the franchise.

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New York Knicks starting center Mitchell Robinson took to Instragram to complain about his role in the team's offense. It wasn't the first time Robinson has taken to social media to vent about his role this season.

Robinson wrote: "Tired asf of just being out there for cardio fam like I want to play basketball to really just wasting my time and energy (facepalm emoji)"

Despite the Knicks rolling to a 123-107 victory at the Portland Trail Blazers, Robinson was unhappy. He played 21 minutes and took just two shots. Backup center Isaiah Hartenstein played 27 minutes and also only took two shots. But Hartenstein was more involved in the offense, as he dished out four assists.

New York re-signed Robinson to a four-year $60 million deal this past offseason. The Knicks also added Hartenstein for two years and $16 million last summer.

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LeBron James has missed the Los Angeles Lakers last eight games as he deals with a right foot tendon injury. The Lakers have gone 5-3 during that stretch with James out of the lineup.

Now, with Los Angeles just a game under .500 and in the middle of the race for the Play-In Tournament, James may start ramping up towards a return this season. James' foot is reportedly feeling "much better". The Lakers are preparing for James to need a significant chunk of the remainder of the regular season to ramp up.

Los Angeles has 13 games left in the regular season. The Lakers are currently in 10th place in the Western Conference, one game ahead of both the New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz.

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Diamond Sports, the parent company of Bally Sports Regional Networks, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Tuesday.

The company stated that its 19 regional sports channels will continue to operate as it negotiates with creditors to reduce its debt by an expected $8 billion.

There was a possibility for Diamond to drop underperforming RSNs, though that no longer appears to be the case.

Diamond currently has a streaming contract with 16 NBA teams, including the Hawks, Heat, Mavs, Clippers, Bucks, and Suns.

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There is no definitive timetable for Mark Williams' return from a sprained right thumb this season, according to Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer.

Boone adds that Williams' status for the rest of the season is "murky."

"It's just going to be kind of watching and waiting to see how he feels. I don't think we really have a great idea how long it'll be as of right now," said Steve Clifford.

Williams is averaging 8.2 points and 6.4 rebounds in his rookie season.

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Luka Doncic has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the San Antonio Spurs due to a left thigh strain.

Doncic will now miss his third straight game with the injury.

Kyrie Irving, who has missed the last two games with a sore right foot, remains questionable for Wednesday's game.

The Mavs lost twice to the Grizzlies without Doncic and Irving.

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Meyers Leonard has agreed to sign with the Milwaukee Bucks for the remainder of the season.

Leonard's second 10-day deal with Bucks expired on Monday.

Leonard has appeared in five games, averaging 2.8 points and 2.0 rebounds in 6.9 minutes.

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The Western Conference is wide open this season, which gives the Denver Nuggets their best chance to reach The Finals in franchise history.

"I think given the state of the West, there's enormous pressure on this team right now," said Zach Lowe on his podcast of the Nuggets.

"I don't know if it's championship or bust, but if this team loses before the conference finals, it's going to be a disappointment. If they lose in the first round, it's going to be a catastrophe that I think will push some potential changes."

Later in the conversation with Adam Mares, Lowe directly said he was alluding to Michael Malone regarding potential changes.

"This is the year where Michael Malone, I think, is facing an enormous amount of pressure," said Mares.

"That's kind of what I was alluding to," replied Lowe.

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Kris Dunn has agreed to a contract with the Utah Jazz for the remainder of the season.

Dunn is averaging 11.6 points, 4.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds for the Jazz.

Dunn was on two consecutive 10-day contracts with the Jazz.

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Scoot Henderson has been shut down by the G League Ignite for the remainder of the season.

The Ignite are unlikely to make the playoffs and the feeling is that Henderson has shown enough this season ahead of the NBA Draft.

Henderson is expected to either be the second or third pick in the draft.

In 19 G League games, Henderson averaged 16.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.5 assists in 30.7 minutes.

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Ja Morant has entered a counseling program in Florida and remains without a timetable on a return to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Morant has been seeking assistance for what he described in a statement as a need "to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being."

Morant brandished a gun at a suburban Denver nightclub on his Instagram live feed March 4.

Taylor Jenkins told reporters on Monday that, "Ja's fully engaged in this process and ready for whatever comes after the next two games."

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As part of the NBA's ongoing collective bargaining agreement talks with the NBPA, a stipulation is being discussed that a player must play in a minimum number of regular season games to be eligible for major awards, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Both sides are in agreement on tying major awards to games played over the course of the season, sources said.

There's already one precedent that the parties can point to, where a player must appear in at least 58 games to qualify for the league's scoring title.

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LeBron James is out of his walking boot and is now back with the Los Angeles Lakers after about a week away from the team. James is dealing with a right foot injury.

Darvin Ham said it "was good for [James] to unplug a little bit."

The Lakers are currently out of the play-in and may need James back even to qualify for it.

"Everything is going according to plan," said Ham of James' injury.

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The Denver Nuggets streak hit three straight losses on Sunday. Given the Nuggets still have a five-game lead atop the Western Conference, a more pressing concern is the health of Jamal Murray.

Denver's starting point guard exited Sunday's loss to the Brooklyn Nets early in the second half. Murray was dealing with some left knee soreness, but is reportedly "fine".

Murray missed all of last season, while recovering from a torn ACL suffered near the end of the 2020-21 season. Murray has missed time sporadically this season due to knee soreness, including a six-game stretch leading up to last month's All-Star break.

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The New York Knicks signed Trevor Keels to a two-way contract on Sunday.

Keels was selected with the 42nd pick in the 2022 draft.

The Knicks waived Moses Brown, who was signed last week, to make room for Keels.

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Kyle Lowry returned to game action with the Miami Heat for the first time since Feb. 2nd and came off the bench. Lowry last played as a reserve in 2013, breaking a streak of 677 games starting.

Lowry wanted to simply help as he can after missing 15 games.

"At this point right now, no," Lowry said when asked if he cared about still starting. "I know in my heart I'm a starter, but right now we have to figure out things. And me and [Heat coach Erik Spoelstra] talked. He wants to make sure I'm healthy enough to not have a setback and have to change the lineup again and have to change the rotation again."

Spoelstra and the Heat players were pleased by what they saw from Lowry.

"He came back, and he looked great to me," Butler said. "Right back in rhythm. But we got to win. With him out there, without him out there, we're expected to win. We're in the fight for our life right now. Glad to have my guy back. I think we all know that. I think everybody is. Now we just got to get him back and win."

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Cam Reddish believes his lack of minutes with the New York Knicks wasn't due to basketball reasons. Reddish has been a consistent part of the Portland Trail Blazers' rotation since he was traded by the Knicks at the deadline.

"It was tough but at the same time, it ain't even about basketball," Reddish told the Daily News. "It had nothing to do with basketball. It was all the politics, all the favoritism. S--t like that. That's why I wasn't too worried about it."

"They put a reputation on you [when you get traded twice like Reddish]. What's wrong? Why is he going from team to team without getting an opportunity?" Damian Lillard said. "You just don't know what goes on behind closed doors until you become attached to the situation and it's our job to encourage him, to speak life into him. Things change and you start to see who they really are."

The Knicks traded a first round pick to acquire Reddish from the Atlanta Hawks. Leon Rose had to attach another first round pick to send him to the Blazers for Josh Hart.

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Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors still hope Andrew Wiggins will be able to return this season. Wiggins has been out since Feb. 13th tending to a family matter.

"I think that's the hope," Kerr said during his pregame press conference. "But really, there's nothing to report on."

Wiggins was a key part of Golden State's championship a year ago.

"We're giving him his space, as we've talked about, as he deals with something that's way more important than a game," Kerr said. "If he's able to come back, that would be great. And if not, then that's the case. Whatever happens, we'll handle it accordingly."

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The New Orleans Pelicans expect Zion Williamson to return before the end of the regular season, a source tells Sam Amick of The Athletic.

The Pelicans announced this week that Williamson will be reexamined in two weeks.

Williamson has been out since early January with a hamstring injury.

In 29 games this season, Williamson is averaging 26.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 33.0 minutes.

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If Karl-Anthony Towns returns this season, the Minnesota Timberwolves could bring him off the bench.

When Towns does return, he could be on a minutes restriction.

"We feel KAT is able to help us regardless of what the situation is," Finch said. "If it's a minutes restriction, maybe you're strategic and he comes off the bench to start with that, depending what the minutes are. I think he would be open to anything at that point in time."

Towns suffered a calf strain in November and was initially expected to only be our four to six weeks.

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Despite the dramatic upheaval of the Kevin Durant era of the Brooklyn Nets, Sean Marks appears secure in his position running the front office.

A source tells Brian Lewis of the New York Post that Marks and Joe Tsai are "in lockstep" and another source said that "ownership has full confidence in that front office to build for the future."

Marks built a competitive team without draft assets when he assumed his position in 2016. The Nets will attempt to retool this time around with 11 first round picks and eight second rounders. Brooklyn also has a number of tradable two-way wings and will presumably build around Mikal Bridges.

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Ben Simmons has yet to play since before the All-Star break as he's dealing with both back and knee issues.

Simmons has now missed 24 games this season and his eighth straight.

"We want Ben back when he's capable of being back for us," Jacque Vaughn said. "The day-to-day thing, that's just for me to say some term to you guys. When the back gets better, and when the knee gets better, then he'll be with us."

Simmons has $78 million owed over the next two seasons.

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Cam Johnson and the Phoenix Suns were unable to agree to a contract extension before the start of the season before he was eventually traded to the Brooklyn Nets. Johnson will be a restricted free agent this offseason.

Sources tell Brian Lewis of the New York Post that Johnson has a floor of $18 million per season and could easily hit the $20 million mark.

"I've said this - because this was a topic of discussion when I didn't sign the extension - that I'm still under contract at this moment," Johnson told the Post. "I still had that year; I still have the rest of this year. And my goal right now is to win games and make a playoff push."

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The Brooklyn Nets are "pleasantly surprised" by how Mikal Bridges has elevated his game since joining the team, sources tell Brian Lewis of the New York Post.

Bridges has averaged 25.8 points per game on 17.3 field goal attempts since joining the Nets from the Phoenix Suns. Bridges has scored 45 points in one game and has finished with 30 or more in five others.

"He's the ultimate competitor," Jacque Vaughn said. "I love that piece about him. He plays every single night. He's very unselfish. He gives off his time, of his knowledge in the locker room, during the games. It's really been a joy to be around him and learn him as an individual."

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Luka Doncic will miss Saturday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies due to a left thigh strain.

An MRI on the injury returned negative. Doncic is listed as day-to-day and will return when the discomfort subsides.

Kyrie Irving is listed as questionable due to personal reasons.

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Jalen Brunson will miss Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers with a sore left foot.

Brunson left Thursday's game against the Kings at halftime after aggravating the injury.

The Knicks play the Lakers on Sunday in a back-to-back.

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Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) and Tim Cato of The Athletic (@tim\_cato) go in-depth on the Dallas Mavericks.

They discuss how Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are fitting together, what the Mavs need to do to become legit championship contenders, their young players, Jalen Brunson's departure and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga was injured during his team's pregame warmups on Thursday night. Kuminga rolled his right ankle while the Warriors warmed up before playing at the Memphis Grizzlies.

NBC Sports Bay Area cameras spotted Kuminga leaving the arena in a walking boot. Kuminga had previously tweaked the ankle in a recent game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The second-year forward has been a key rotation player for the Warriors off the bench this season. Kuminga is averaging 9.2 points and 3.3 rebounds in 20.2 minutes per game. His improved passing and defense have been cited by Golden State coaches as key improvements Kuminga has made since his rookie season.

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New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson's return to the lineup lasted only two quarters. Brunson left Thursday's game at the Sacramento Kings at halftime after reaggravating his left foot soreness.

Brunson had missed the Knicks prior two games with a sore left foot. In 19 first-half minutes against the Kings, Brunson scored 19 points. However, the point guard seemed to be hampered on the defensive end of the floor, as he had trouble keeping up with De'Aaron Fox and other Kings guards.

Postgame, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said he wasn't sure what Brunson was dealing with beyond reaggravated soreness. At this point, it's unknown if the injury will keep Brunson out for New York's next game on Saturday afternoon at the LA Clippers.

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D'Angelo Russell is expected to return to the Los Angeles Lakers lineup on Friday against the Toronto Raptors.

Russell has missed the last six games with a sprained right ankle.

Darvin Ham added that Russell will be "pretty much a full go" when asked about a minutes restriction.

Dennis Schroder averaged 14.3 points and 8.5 assists starting in place of Russell.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo missed Thursday's 118-113 win over the Brooklyn Nets with a sore right hand.

Antetokounmpo had missed Tuesday's win against the Magic with a non-COVID illness.

Antetokounmpo was listed as questionable for Thursday's game before getting downgraded with the hand injury.

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Isaiah Stewart will miss the next 3-4 weeks with a left shoulder impingement, the Detroit Pistons announced on Thursday.

With the Pistons' regular season finale on April 9, Stewart may be out for the rest of this year.

The 21-year-old had missed the previous four games with hip soreness.

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Fred VanVleet has been fined $30,000 for public criticism of the officiating.

VanVleet made his comments to the media following the Raptors' 108-100 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Mar. 8 at Crypto.com Arena.

After being asked about the calls in the recent games, VanVleet initial said it's on the Raptors then paused before responding, "I don't mind, I'll take a fine, I don't really care."

VanVleet then stayed calm and poised, but didn't hold back with his thoughts.

"I thought Ben Taylor was f-----g terrible tonight," VanVleet said. "I think that most nights, you know out of the three [referees] there's one or two that just f--k the game up. It's been like that a couple of games in a row. Denver was tough, obviously."

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Georgetown has parted ways with Patrick Ewing as head coach after six seasons. Ewing had a 75-109 record for the Hoyas.

"I am very proud to be a graduate of Georgetown University," Ewing said in a statement. "And I am very grateful to President [John J.] DeGioa for giving me the opportunity to achieve my ambition to be a head basketball coach. It is particularly meaningful for me to be in charge of the basketball program at my alma mater. I wish the program nothing but success. I will always be a Hoya."

Prior to joining Georgetown as its head coach in 2017, Ewing spent 14 seasons as an assistant coach in the NBA with the Charlotte Bobcats, Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets and Washington Wizards.

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Kevin Durant is expected to be reevaluated in two weeks after suffering a left ankle sprain.

Durant suffered the injury on Wednesday ahead of what would have been his home debut with the Phoenix Suns.

The swelling has gone down in Durant's ankle.

Durant and the Suns are hopeful he will return before the start of the playoffs.

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Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball has already been shut down for the remainder of this season. Now, Ball is facing a third surgery on his right knee that would extend that absence into next season, as well.

Ball hasn't played since suffering a torn meniscus on January 14, 2022. At the time of injury, Ball was in the midst of the best all-around season of his career and the Chicago Bulls were one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

The veteran point guard still can't run, cut or jump without pain, following two surgeries over the past year-plus. A third surgery is considered the best path for Ball to play again. Ball and his representatives are consulting specialists, but a third surgery would likely come with an additional sixth months of recovery and rehab. That would put Ball in a tough spot to be ready for the start of the 2023-24 season.

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There is concern within the Phoenix Suns organization that Kevin Durant suffered a grade 2 ankle sprain on Wednesday night, according to Greg Moore of Arizona Republic.

A grade 2 sprain would keep Durant out for 4-6 weeks. The Suns' regular season finale is on April 9.

Durant suffered the injury after slipping and turning the ankle during warmups ahead of what would have been his home debut.

Durant is scheduled for an MRI on Thursday.

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The Memphis Grizzlies have announced Ja Morant will miss at least the next four games.

The Grizzlies will play the Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks twice, and the Miami Heat during the four-game span.

Morant has already missed two games stemming from an incident in which he was videoed at a nightclub flashing a gun.

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Police in Glendale, Colorado have closed its investigation of Ja Morant and will not charge him over an alleged possession of a gun in a nightclub.

Police said they did not receive any calls for service at the nightclub regarding a weapon of any type and their investigation concluded that no one was threatened or menaced with a firearm.

Media reports of the video posted by Morant led to the investigation by police.

Morant is currently out indefinitely.

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Sunday's matchup between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers averaged a 2.1 rating with 3.95 million viewers on ABC.

The Lakers, lead by Anthony Davis' 39 points, won the game 113-105.

The numbers represent the highest non-Christmas game viewership of the this season, and the largest such audience on ABC since the Warriors and Lakers played in February 2019.

The Lakers have now played in seven out of the 12 most-watched games this season.

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Ibou Badji underwent successful left knee surgery Monday in Vancouver, WA. The arthroscopic patellar chondroplasty and debridement was performed by Portland Trail Blazers Team Physician Evan Ellis, MD of Rebound Orthopedics.

Badji is expected to make a full recovery and will miss the next eight weeks.

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D'Angelo Russel is close to his return from his ankle injury.

Sources tell ESPN that Russell went through a contact workout with coaches on Monday and would likely return for Friday's game.

Russell last played on February 23rd.

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Karl-Anthony Towns is entering the "final stages" of his rehab from a calf injury, but there is still no timetable for when he will return.

Chris Finch gave the update on Towns to reports before the Minnesota Timberwolves lost to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Towns has been out since November with the injury.

"He's doing some basketball activities now, which is good to see," said Finch. "Still no real timeline for him though."

The Wolves still expect Towns to return despite his extended absence.

"There's a sense of real urgency for him to, I think now, he can see the end in sight, and I think he's getting excited by that," said Finch.

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Mac McClung has been named NBA G League Player of the Week for games played Monday, Feb. 27 through Sunday, March 5.

The 2023 Slam Dunk champion averaged 28.7 points, 4.3 assists and 1.7 steals in three games for the Delaware Blue Coats (3-0).

McClung is on a Two-Way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.

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The Milwaukee Bucks have signed Lindell Wigginton to a Two-Way contract.

A 6-1 guard, Wigginton has played in 35 games (18 starts) with the Wisconsin Herd this season and is averaging 18.6 points, 5.8 assists and 3.9 rebounds in 33.5 minutes per game. This is Wigginton's second stint with the Bucks after he appeared in 19 games with the team last season while on a Two-Way contract. In those 19 games, the Iowa State product averaged 4.2 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 10.5 minutes of action.

After going undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft, Wigginton has played in 117 NBA G League games over the last four seasons, including 60 games (36 starts) with the Herd since 2020. The 24-year-old also played professionally in both Israel and Canada.

Milwaukee's roster is now at 17 players.

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The Utah Jazz have ruled Collin Sexton out for another week due to a hamstring strain. Sexton has missed Utah's last five games with this current injury. He previously missed 13 games due to an earlier hamstring strain.

In his first year with the Jazz, Sexton has averaged 14.3 points on career-best 50.7% shooting from the field, including a career-high 41% on three-pointers. The fifth-year guard took over as a starter for Utah after the Jazz traded Mike Conley to the Minnesota Timberwolves ahead of the trade deadline.

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Jalen Brunson was listed as questionable for Tuesday's game against the Charlotte Hornets with a sore left foot.

Brunson missed Sunday's win against the Celtics with the injury.

Immanuel Quickley replaced Brunson in the starting lineup.

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The NBA rescinded Giannis Antetokounmpo's last second rebound against the Washington Wizards on Sunday night, denying him his fourth triple-double of the season.

With the clock running out, Antetokounmpo dribbled to the hoop the Bucks were shooting at and intentionally threw the ball against the bottom rim before catching the ball.

"Kind of stole one," said Antetokounmpo after the game.

The NBA removed the rebound, citing league rules that a player has to shoot "with intent to score a field goal."

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Police in Colorado are investigating Ja Morant after he posted an Instagram Live video in which he displayed what appeared to be a gun while at a nightclub.

The Glendale Police Department confirmed the incident took place at a bar in Glendale.

A source told ESPN it happened at Shotgun Willie's, which bills itself as a "gentleman's club."

NBA rules prohibit a player from possessing a firearm while on team property or traveling on team business. In the video livestreamed by Morant, it is not clear whether he is intoxicated, but others are shown drinking.

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Taylor Jenkins said that there was no definitive timetable for Ja Morant returning to the Memphis Grizzlies.

The team initially stated on Saturday that Morant would miss at least two games after the point guard was seen showing what appeared to be a gun on an Instagram Live video.

"We have said that it's going to be at least these two games. I mean, this is going be an ongoing healing process. ... It's really not a timetable situation," said Jenkins on Sunday.

Jenkins continued to reiterate the team's support for Morant.

"There's a supportive element for someone that's got to get better and needs some help. But then there's also accountability to the team that we've got to stand for," added Jenkins.

Morant released a statement on Saturday that he was going to take time away from the team to focus on his well-being.

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Jalen Brunson will be re-evaluated on Monday due to a sore left foot.

Tom Thibodeau said that he was unsure whether Brunson would need further testing, adding that the point guard is currently day-to-day.

"I don't think it's anything serious. He just woke up with soreness. So we want to make sure he's good," said Thibodeau on Sunday.

Immanuel Quickley is set to replace Brunson in the starting lineup.

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Robert Williams is set to miss the next 7-10 days due to a left hamstring injury, said Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla.

Williams, who has played in just 28 games this season, suffered the injury Friday night against the Nets.

The Celtics expected starting lineup of Williams, Al Horford, Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown has appeared together in 10 games this year.

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The Washington Wizards are signing Xavier Cooks through the 2023-24 season, reported Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Cooks, who is the MVP of Australia's National Basketball League, will join the Wizards following the NBL Finals this week.

The 27-year-old will become the fifth player from the NBL to join the NBA in the last five seasons.

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The New York Knicks signed DaQuan Jeffries to a 10-day contract on Sunday.

The 25-year-old averaged 20.6 points and 6.5 rebounds with the Westchester Knicks this season.

Jeffries originally signed with the Knicks on a two-way deal in November.

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Steph Curry and Andre Iguodala are probable to return from injury against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

Curry has missed the last 11 games with a lower left leg injury. The Warriors are 14-12 without Curry this season.

Iguodala hasn't played since January 13 due to right hip soreness.

It is unclear whether both players will be on a minutes restriction.

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The Phoenix Suns hired Josh Bartelstein as the team's new CEO on Saturday.

The 33-year-old Bartelstein was previously an assistant general manager with the Pistons.

Bartelstein began his career at Palace Sports and Entertainment under Arm Tellem and worked on several major projects, including the team's move to a new arena downtown.

Current president of basketball operations and general manager James Jones will continue to report directly to Mat Ishbia.

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Ja Morant released a statement on Saturday after the Memphis Grizzlies announced that he will be away from the team for at least two games.

"I take full responsibility for my actions last night. I'm sorry to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis and the entire Grizzlies organization for letting you down.

"I'm going to take some time away to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being," wrote Morant.

Morant was seen displaying a gun on his own Instagram Live account from a nightclub on Saturday morning.

Morant is set to miss games against the Clippers and Lakers.

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The Utah Jazz signed Kris Dunn to a second 10-day contract.

Dunn's original 10-day contract expired on Saturday.

Dunn is averaging 12.0 points and 4.5 assists in 22.3 minutes with the Jazz.

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Brandon Clarke will miss the rest of this season after tearing his left Achilles.

Clarke is averaging 10 points per game on 65% shooting from the field this season.

Clarke signed a four-year, $52 million extension in October.

The Grizzlies will also be without Ja Morant for at least the next two games.

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The Memphis Grizzlies announced that Ja Morant will be away from the team for at least the next two games.

The decision comes on the heels of the NBA investigating Morant for an Instagram Live post in which he was seen showing a gun from a nightclub.

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Goran Dragic is set to sign with the Milwaukee Bucks for the rest of the season, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Dragic was bought out by the Bulls earlier this week.

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Dillon Brooks will get a one-game suspension after receiving his 16th technical foul of the season in Friday night's matchup against the Denver Nuggets.

Brooks was called for a double technical along with Nikola Jokic.

The Grizzlies play the Clippers on Sunday.

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Norm Powell will undergo treatment for his injured left shoulder and will be re-evaluated in one week.

Powell suffered a left shoulder subluxation on Thursday night against the Warriors.

The Clippers added that they will have a better timeline for Powell's return after the week of treatment.

Powell is averaging 16.6 points per game this season.

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Jonathan Isaac will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn left adductor, the Orlando Magic announced on Friday.

The 25-year-old, who played just 11 games this season, had missed two full seasons after tearing his ACL in the bubble.

Isaac averaged 5 points, 4 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 11.3 minutes this season.

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Eugune Omoruyi has signed a 10 Day contract with the Detroit Pistons. Omoruyi was recently waived by the Oklahoma City Thunder. That happened after Omoruyi signed a standard contract from his two-way deal with the Thunder.

In 23 NBA games this season, Omoruyi averaged 4.9 points and 2.3 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per game. The 6-foot-6 forward also played for the Dallas Mavericks last season during his rookie year.

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The San Antonio Spurs claimed big man Sandro Mamukelashvili off waivers on Friday. Mamukelashvili's two-way deal was immediately converted to a standard contract with the Spurs. Mamukelashvili was waived from his two-way deal by the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday.

To create the roster space to add Mamukelashvili, San Antonio waived Isaiah Roby. Roby had joined the Spurs after being claimed off waivers before the start of this season.

Mamukelashvili appeared in 65 NBA games with the Bucks over two seasons. He averaged 3.3 points and 2.1 rebounds in 9.6 minutes per game.

Roby played in 42 games with the Spurs this season. In 11.3 minutes per game, he averaged 4.1 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed Jared Butler to a two-way contract. Butler was waived by the Utah Jazz before the start of this season.

In 41 games with the Grand Rapids Gold of the G League this season, Butler has averaged 18.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game. He's shot 40% from behind the arc on 7.2 three-point attempts per game.

Butler spent last season with the Jazz after being selected in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft. He appeared in 42 games as a rookie last season.

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The LA Clippers have lost four straight games and have fallen in the standings. After getting blown out in the second half by the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night, the Clippers find themselves in seventh place in the Western Conference. That currently sees LA in the Play-In Tournament.

After blowing a 12-point third quarter lead to remain winless since the All-Star break, Clippers coach Ty Lue challenged his team to be confident moving forward.

"For us, we just got to stay the course, got to be mentally tough, mentally strong, can't give in, and just got to be tougher," Lue said. "That's the bottom line. When stuff doesn't go your way, it shows you what you're made of. I'm confident that we have a good team and they have to be the same way. They've got to feel the same confidence.

"I don't care about missed shots, it's going to happen. You're going to turn the ball over some, but you can't give in and my thing is just having that toughness and that mindset that, OK, things are not going well, then let's do something about it."

LA star Paul George agreed with his coach and said the Clippers need to play with more urgency.

" These are games that we can [not] allow ourselves to slip, and these [are] the games you shoot yourself in the foot when it comes to the end of the season, and we look at where we're at and we're not happy with where we're at. So we gotta have some desperation going into these games," George said.

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Mike Brown and Mike Budenholzer have been named the NBA's Coaches of the Month for February.

Brown's Kings finished with a 8-4 record last month.

Budenholzer lead the Bucks to a perfect 10-0 record.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo, along with a new group of minority owners, bought a stake in Nashville SC of Major League Soccer on Thursday.

Also part of the group is Thanasis, Kostas, and Alex Antetokounmpo, along with Filip Forsberg of the Nashville Predators.

"My father was a professional soccer player, and it was the first sport I fell in love with in Greece. I've always had the dream of owning a soccer team.

"When my brothers and I explored Nashville SC, we knew it was a team and a city that we wanted to get involved with," said Antetokounmpo.

Kevin Durant and James Harden also have ownership stakes in the Philadelphia Union and Houston Dynamo of MLS.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder have agreed to sign Jared Butler to a Two-Way deal.

Butler has appeared in 23 G League games this season with the Grand Rapids Gold, averaging 17.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 30.2 minutes.

Butler played in 42 games last season with the Utah Jazz.

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Stephen Curry is targeting a return from his leg injury this coming Sunday at the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes.

Curry will return that day if he doesn't experience any setbacks before then.

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The Washington Wizards have agreed to sign Jamaree Bouyea to a 10-day contract.

Bouyea appeared in four games earlier this season with the Miami Heat.

In 18 G League games with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Bouyea is averaging 18.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.9 assists in 35.3 minutes.

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The Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to sign Meyers Leonard to a second 10-day contact.

Leonard has appeared in four games with the Bucks, averaging 2.8 points and 2.0 rebounds in 6.7 minutes.

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The Milwaukee Bucks have emerged as the strong favorites to sign Goran Dragic.

Dragic cleared waivers on Thursday after his buyout agreement with the Chicago Bulls.

Dragic strongly considered the Bucks last season when he instead joined the Brooklyn Nets.

The Bucks believe Dragic will add depth in the backcourt.

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LeBron James has been diagnosed with a right foot tendon injury and will be reevaluated in three weeks.

James suffered the injury on Sunday at the Dallas Mavericks.

When James returns could be determined by how the Los Angeles Lakers play without him as they attempt to at least qualify for the Play-In.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder announced today that guard/forward Kenrich Williams suffered a scapholunate ligament rupture in his left wrist during Tuesday's game against the Sacramento Kings. The injury will require surgery and he is expected to miss the remainder of the 2022-23 season.

Williams has appeared in 53 games (10 starts) this season and averaged 8.0 points on 51.7% shooting from the field, 4.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 22.8 minutes per game. His 26 charges drawn lead the NBA.

Williams is expected to make a full recovery, and further updates will be provided as appropriate.

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LeBron James will not need to undergo surgery on his foot.

James will be out at least two weeks with the injury that was sustained in the Los Angeles Lakers' win at the Dallas Mavericks.

James finished out the game despite the injury.

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Kevin Durant further expounded on his desire to leave the Brooklyn Nets dating back to the 2022 offseason. The Nets initially resisted the idea of trading Durant, but eventually accommodated him after they also traded Kyrie Irving.

"What do you think it was?" said Durant. "I was looking at the year we was in the last year and then this year, what are we doing [for the future]? I'm here. I signed the contract [extension], but nobody else around me signed. It was too much confusion. I'm glad I can move forward."

The Nets traded James Harden for Ben Simmons at last year's trade deadline and it appeared Irving's time with the franchise was coming to an end despite their status as contenders in the Eastern Conference.

"I was thinking about who's in the building, then when s*** started happening. We're not playing well. KI requested a trade. It felt like a lot of s*** wasn't happening for us. But I was locked in. I felt like my play showed people that I was really committed to the organization.

"I looked up, like what am I gonna do? I don't know who's gonna be my teammates, so I was a little nervous with that happening. And we were able to work something out."

Durant was also asked if he regrets signing an extension with the Nets in 2021, which limited his optionality after things fell apart with the Nets.

"I don't regret nothing. Nothing I do in my life I regret," Durant said. "[Not] signing an extension worth that much money?"

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The Cleveland Cavaliers and Sam Merrill have agreed to a 10-day contract. Cleveland has an open roster spot after completing a buyout agreement with Kevin Love.

Merrill has played in 35 games with the Cleveland Charge of the G League this season. The 6-foot-4 guard has averaged 16.4 points for the Charge this season. Merrill has shot 43.1% on 8.2 three-point attempts per game.

Merrill appeared in 36 NBA games over the previous two seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies. He attended training camp with the Sacramento Kings before being waived at the end of the preseason.

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The Los Angeles Clippers continued their shuffling of the bottom of their roster with a pair of transactions on Wednesday. LA waived Keaton Wallace from his two-way deal. In his place, the Clippers signed Xavier Moon to a two-way contract.

Moon played in 10 NBA games with the LA Clippers last season. This year, he's appeared in 39 games with the Ontario Clippers of the G League.

Moon has averaged 19.5 points, 4.9 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game in the G League. He's shot 52.8% from the field, including 37% on 3.9 three-point attempts per game.

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Sunday's game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks averaged a 2.0 rating with 3.5 million viewers on ABC.

The game represents the seventh-biggest audience this season.

The Lakers have played in four out of those top seven games. Individually, LeBron James has appeared in five out of the top 11 highest-rated games this season.

The Celtics-Sixers game from the previous night on ABC's NBA Saturday Primetime drew a 1.4 rating with 2.38 million viewers.

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The Los Angeles Lakers sat Anthony Davis against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night due to a right foot stress injury.

Darvin Ham described it as a "precautionary" measure.

"He wants to be out there, but he also understands the process of us managing his foot the right way. ... It's just something we're monitoring that we want to be extra careful and cautious about," said Ham.

Davis missed 20 games in December and January with the injury.

Ham added that the rest had been previously planned.

"It's something that was discussed weeks ago, and we're just sticking to a plan," said Ham.

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Joel Embiid missed the Philadelphia 76ers' 119-96 win over the Miami Heat due to left foot soreness.

Embiid was ruled out 30 minutes before the game.

Embiid has now missed 13 games this season, with the Sixers going 9-4 in those games.

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LaMelo Ball is set to miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a fracture in his right ankle, the Charlotte Hornets announced on Wednesday.

Ball suffered the injury on Monday night against the Pistons.

The 21-year-old played just 36 games this season.

Ball is expected to make a full recovery.

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Ja Morant and people close to him to have been accused of threatening and even violent behavior in a string of incidents dating from last summer, according to a report from Molly Hensley-Clancy of the Washington Post.

The head of security at a Memphis mall told police that Morant "threatened" him during an altercation in the parking lot, leaving him alarmed enough that he filed a police report.

Four days later, Morant repeatedly punched a teenage boy in the head during a pickup basketball game at Morant's house, the boy told police.

When Morant threw the ball hard at the boy's chest as he attempted to check it in, the boy threw it back just as hard. The ball "slipped through [Morant's] hands," the teenager said, and it hit Morant's chin.

The teenager told police Morant then put his chin on the boy's shoulder and asked his friend, "Do I do it to him?" The friend responded, "Yeah, do it."

Morant then punched the boy in his jaw, the boy told police, and without warning, the friend struck him on the other side. "I fell to the ground, trying to cover my face, so I wouldn't get hit in the face," the boy told police. "I got, started getting hit, punched in my head, everything else."

"Ja hit me like 12 to 13 times," the boy said.

The teenager told detectives from the Shelby County Sheriff's Office that, after the fight, Morant went into his house and re-emerged with a gun visible in the waistband of his pants and his hand on the weapon, according to police interviews obtained by The Post, which have not previously been reported.

In an interview with police, Morant said he acted in self-defense.

In a statement, Morant's agent, Jim Tanner, characterized the allegations as "unsubstantiated rumors and gossip are being put out by people motivated to tear Ja down and tarnish his reputation for their own financial gain."

The Grizzlies declined to comment. An NBA spokesperson said the league "takes allegations of inappropriate conduct very seriously."

Nearly two weeks after the altercation, on Aug. 8, Morant and his family filed a police report about the boy allegedly saying he would "come back and light this place up like fireworks." In that police report, Morant and several family members told police they believed the boy would return and shoot them, "putting [Ja] Morant and his family in fear."

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The Milwaukee Bucks have requested waivers on Two-Way forward Sandro Mamukelashvili.

Mamukelashvili appeared in 65 games with the Bucks over the last two seasons while on a Two-Way contract and averaged 3.2 points and 2.1 rebounds in 9.6 minutes per game. Originally selected with the 54th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Mamukelashvili also played in 30 games (23 starts) with the Wisconsin Herd over the past two seasons where he averaged 20.5 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.

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It's time to look at each team with big expectations this season and figure out whether they are contenders or pretenders.

Also, a look at why Quin Snyder took the Atlanta job and what his task looks like from a coaching and personnel perspective.

But first, John and Nate rule two teams out of the playoffs and discuss where this season leaves them.

Catch every Hollinger & Duncan Episode on Dunc'd On Prime, plus five more Episodes per week with Nate Duncan and Danny Leroux. You also get Daily Duncs, Dan Feldman's newsletter analysis of the most important NBA writing and news of the day, and Seth Partnow's stats nuggets as well. DuncdOn.SupportingCast.fm

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The Washington Wizards have agreed to sign Jay Huff to a Two-Way contract.

Huff was averaging 14.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 26.2 minutes over 19 games this season with the South Bay Lakers of the G League.

Huff is represented by Michael Siegel.

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The Washington Wizards have waived center Vernon Carey Jr.

Originally acquired from Charlotte during the 2021-22 season, Carey Jr. appeared in 11 games for the Wizards this season.

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Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) and Mo Dakhil of The Athletic NBA Show (@MoDakhil\_NBA) talk about the NBA season so far.

They discuss the Clippers' recent struggles, the importance of the regular season, which young teams are taking a significant step forward and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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During last offseason, Monty Williams called Jae Crowder to inform him he was losing his starting spot with the Phoenix Suns to Cam Johnson.

Crowder went on to request a trade from the Suns, which they accommodated him with while not requiring him to play for the team in the meantime.

Crowder was asked by Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports for more context on why the partnership couldn't move forward. Crowder would only confirm his strained relationship with Williams was central.

"Yeah, we had differences," he told Yahoo Sports. "They asked me to keep it in house, I'll keep it in house. I'm now gone, same thing I've told everybody else: I've moved on from the situation. I wish them the best, I'm leaving that behind."

Crowder was part of the Suns' trade for Kevin Durant, but he was rerouted by the Brooklyn Nets to the Milwaukee Bucks.

"I landed where I wanted to land at the end of the day," Crowder said. "I think I gained just knowing myself as a player and my mental. I never wavered. Never wavered on the process. From a month, to two months ... I stayed with the plan of what it was and what I wanted to accomplish. So I give kudos to my mental and me staying sane throughout the entire process, because I did want the process to end fairly sooner than when it did."

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The Golden State Warriors have agreed to sign Lester Quinones to a 10-day contract.

Quinones plays for the Santa Cruz Warriors and was named G League Player of the Week last week.

Quinones is averaging 21 points per game this season.

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The Golden State Warriors are optimistic Stephen Curry will return at some point during their three-game road trip next season.

Curry has been since suffering a lower leg injury on February 4th.

Curry is averaging 29.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.4 assists in 34.6 minutes per game this season.

Curry will turn 35 on March 14th.

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Omar Wilkes has left Klutch Sports to join Fanatics Collectibles as Head of Athlete Relations, sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Wilkes represented Trae Young, Anthony Edwards, OG Anunoby and others.

Wilkes will now serve as an ambassador between Fanatics Collectibles and the world of athletes and entertainment.

Fantics is owned by Michael Rubin, who recently sold his stake in the Philadelphia 76ers.

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The Houston Rockets are expected to pursue James Harden if he declines his player option for the 23-24 season with the Philadelphia 76ers, which is considered very likely.

Sources tell Kelly Iko and Sam Amick of The Athletic that Harden is as serious about a possible return to the Rockets as he was when he first left the franchise.

When the Rockets traded Harden, Tilman Fertitta told him he would always be welcome back to the team. Harden made it clear the feeling was mutual and there were strong indications he could be back in the summer of 2023. There were no promises made that day from either side even if the possibility was tangible.

Sources say his relationship with Tilman Fertitta and his son, Patrick Fertitta, remains strong. Harden spent a considerable amount of time working out with the Rockets' young players during the offseason. Sources say the Rockets are confident they'll at least land a meeting with Harden.

A high-ranking Sixers source with knowledge of the team's operation tells The Athletic they are "unconcerned" about possibly losing Harden this offseason considering they can offer him a chance to contend for a title and also maximize his earning potential.

The Sixers can offer up to $272 million over five years compared to four-year, $201 million offers for rival teams with max cap space.

"Everything in this league is leverage," one source close to Harden said. "But that doesn't mean he won't go to Houston."

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Ben Simmons has been out due to a sore left knee since the Brooklyn Nets returned from the All-Star break. Net coach Jacque Vaughn said on Tuesday that there is no timeline for when Simmons may return. Vaughn also said that Brooklyn has had no discussions about shutting Simmons down for the season.

"No, that's a zero on that one. Go zero. Think I went zero last time, going zero again, no discussion," Vaughn said.

Simmons has appeared in 42 games this season after missing the entirety of last season. It's been a down year for the versatile 6-foot-10 player, as Simmons has averaged just 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists. All are career-lows for Simmons in his seventh NBA season.

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The Sacramento Kings are 11 games over .500 and pushing for their first playoff appearance since 2006. To make that happen, the Kings need De'Aaron Fox to be on the floor. Despite Fox missing Tuesday's game, Sacramento got good news on his injury left wrist.

Fox underwent an MRI on his sore wrist, and it showed no significant damage. Fox could even be back in the lineup as soon as this coming Friday or Saturday.

Fox was a first-time All-Star this season. The sixth-year point guard has averaged 25.4 points, 6.3 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game. Fox has also improved to career-best shooting at 51.5%. He's teamed with Domantas Sabonis to key the Kings to NBA's best offense.

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Larry Nance Jr. will be re-evaluated in two weeks after suffering a low ankle sprain against the New York Knicks on Saturday.

Jose Alvarado, who was diagnosed with a stress reaction in his right tibia, will be re-evaluated in three weeks.

Jonas Valanciunas and Josh Richardson are listed as questionable for Wednesday's game against the Blazers.

The team also announced that Zion Williamson continues to make progress on his hamstring strain.

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Zion Williamson is making progress on his right hamstring strain, according to the New Orleans Pelicans.

Williamson, who has missed nearly the past two months, is scheduled to undergo medical imaging next week.

The Pelicans have gone 7-18 without Williamson in the lineup.

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Will Barton has agreed to sign with the Toronto Raptors.

Barton recently agreed to a buyout with the Washington Wizards. Barton has appeared in 29 career playoff games in his career.

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LeBrno James will have his right foot reassessed in two weeks to determine how much progress he's made in hopes of returning this season.

James is will likely be out more than two weeks as the timeline on his return is expected to extend beyond that checkpoint.

The determination on when James returns could be impacted by where the Los Angeles Lakers are in the standings.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves made a bold move in trading for Rudy Gobert and the follow-up to it if it continues to be a disappointment could be a trade of Karl-Anthony Towns to try to repair the situation. Towns has been out since November with a calf injury and the franchise has tiled even more heavily toward Anthony Edwards in his absence.

"It has felt like the inevitable end game where at the very least it is something that is talked about between teams," said Zach Lowe on his podcast of potential chatter around the Wolves trading Towns.

"Teams are already talking about it," Jon Krawczynski replied. "There's no doubt that other teams are eyeing this situation and looking to see if KAT will become available.

"I can tell you from everyone that I've talked to within the organization, they very much believe in KAT. They believe that once he comes back and they have some time to build around ANT and Gobert and KAT, they very much believe that can still work. Chris Finch believes it. Tim Connelly believes it. They don't have any plans to trade him.

"But if the bottom falls out of this thing and they go forward that way, there are going to be teams knocking on the door. I do think that overall, especially locally here, there's a lack of appreciation among fans for what Karl-Anthony Towns is as a player."

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The most likely rule change for next season is coaches keeping their challenge if successful, sources told Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.

The primary concern for challenges remains keeping games at around 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Pincus adds that the league could also implement a target score for overtime next year, with responses generally favorable among league personnel.

With the G League currently experimenting with target scores, the length of overtimes has decreased from 13 minutes to 8.5 minutes.

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The Brooklyn Nets ruled Ben Simmons out for Tuesday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks due to left knee soreness.

Simmons will now miss three consecutive games with the injury.

Simmons said last Friday that he plans to get re-evaluated in a week.

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Nerlens Noel was bought out of his contract by the Detroit Pistons, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The Heat and the Sixers were linked with Noel prior to the trade deadline.

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An MRI on Draymond Green's right knee came back clean on Monday, according to Steve Kerr.

Green is questionable for the Warriors' game against the Blazers on Tuesday.

Green has missed two straight games after suffering the knee contusion last Thursday against the Lakers.

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LaMelo Ball suffered a fracture in his right ankle in Monday's game against the Detroit Pistons.

Ball missed a portion of the first part of the season with a left ankle injury.

Ball's third NBA season is now almost certainly over after playing 35 games and averaging 23.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 8.5 assists.

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LeBron James is likely to be out indefinitely with a right foot injury.

James suffered the injury in Sunday's win over the Dallas Mavericks, but he stayed in the game.

James will seek multiple opinions on the injury as they evaluate their options.

The Los Angeles Lakers are bracing for James to be out multiple weeks.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder have converted Lindy Waters from a Two-Way contract to a two-year, $3.8 million deal. The Thunder will hold a team option on Waters for 23-24.

Waters has appeared in 25 games with the Thunder this season, averaging 4.4 points and 1.7 rebounds in 11.2 minutes.

Waters is represented by Aaron Turner.

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  • UTA and OKC play an OT classic. Lauri Markkanen begins the next step in his evolution, plus Mark Daignault and Will Hardy on a unique Thunder tactic that makes them hard to guard.
  • SAS: Malaki Branham has shown some unexpected skills.
  • DEN and MEM: The Grizz get revenge for a blowout loss to the Nuggets. Did they expose any particular weaknesses?
  • NOP: Their key players without Zion were great last year, but have struggled this year. Why?
  • HOU: It could be a rough watch the rest of the year without Eric Gordon.
  • GSW and MIN: A key fight for playoff positioning goes the Warriors' way in a shorthanded duel between Klay Thompson and Naz Reid.

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The NBA and NBPA are negotiating new luxury tax tiers and rates as part of their ongoing collective bargaining agreement talks.

The sides are interested in increasing the lower tier to make it more viable for teams to spend money into the tax. With salaries increasing across the league, increasing the lower tax bracket tier allows the tax tiers to match up with the money being spent on payroll.

Currently, for between $0 and $4,999,999 over the cap, the tax rate is $1.50 for every dollar over the cap. For teams between $5,000,000 and $9,999,999 over the cap, the tax rate is $1.75 for every dollar over the cap.

The two sides can redo the dividing lines to make a small dip into the tax more manageable while stepping up the charges for franchises willing to heedlessly go into the tax.

The owners previously sought a hard cap as part of the new CBA, which was treated as a non-starter by the players.

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The Houston Rockets have agreed to sign Willie Cauley-Stein to a 10-day deal.

Cauley-Stein played in 20 games last season with the Dallas Mavericks and Philadelphia 76ers.

Cauley-Stein appeared in 10 games this season with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the G League, averaging 9.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists over 27.7 minutes.

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As part of their ongoing CBA discussions, the NBA and NBPA could loosen the current limits on contract extensions.

Under the current CBA, teams and players can only increase the player's salary by 120 percent in the first new year of the extension unless that player qualifies as a designated player/rookie or makes well below the league's average salary.

The sides have discussed shifting that to potentially 140-150 percent, which would open the door for players who signed contracts that eventually become below-market deals to get enough of a raise to commit to a deal before becoming a free agent.

O.G. Anunoby, Domantas Sabonis and Lauri Markkanen are three players who could be impacted by a rule change in this area.

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The NBA and NBPA are making progress on negotations on a new collective bargaining agreement.

There has been significant progress in recent weeks on key issues and there is hope a deal can be finalized in the coming weeks. The two sides recently extended their opt-out deadline to March 31st.

The NBPA has informed the league office that it is their intention and goal to complete a deal in March.

"We want to finish this deal soon and certainly want this wrapped up before the (March 31) deadline," one high-ranking source involved in the players' negotiations, who was granted anonymity so they could speak freely, told The Athletic. "It's close - we need to dot the I's and cross the T's."

Among the most critical issues, the NBA and NBPA are negotiating new luxury-tax tiers and rates to increase the lower tier and make it more viable for teams to spend money into the tax. The NBA and NBPA are attempting to identify where the tax bracket tiers should be set.

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Damian Lillard scored a career-high 71 points in the Portland Trail Blazers' 131-114 win over the Houston Rockets.

Lillard becomes the eighth different player to score 70 or more points in a game. He's also the oldest player to score 70 or more at the age of 32.

"I enjoy those moments in the game when I'm just going after people," Lillard said, "when I'm in attack mode."

Lillard's 13 3-pointers on 22 attempts were one shy of the NBA record set by Golden State's Klay Thompson in 2018.

Lillard left the game with 44 seconds remaining in the game.

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Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry has reached agreement to sell his stake in the team to Jimmy and Dee Haslam of Haslam Sports Group. The valuation agreed to was $3.5 billion.

Lasry is selling his 25 percent share of the Bucks after nearly nine years of ownership. Lasry and Wes Edens bought the majority of the franchise from Herb Kohl in April 2014. Kohl still retains a significant minority investment in the Bucks.

Under Edens and Lasry's ownership, the Bucks won the 2021 NBA Finals. The duo also helped push through the building of the Fiserv Forum. The Bucks have played there since October 2018.

The $3.5 billion valuation is the second-highest in NBA history, following the recent $4 billion valuation of the Phoenix Suns when Mat Ishbia purchased the team earlier this year. Haslam Sports Group also owns the NFL's Cleveland Brown and MLS's Columbus Crew.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder have waived forward Eugene Omoruyi. Oklahoma City signed Omoruyi to a standard contract on February 10. Prior to that, Omoruyi had been with the Thunder on a Two-Way deal.

In 23 NBA games, Omoruyi averaged 4.9 points in 11.8 minutes per game. The 6-foot-6 forward briefly played with the Dallas Mavericks last season on a Two-Way deal.

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Draymond Green missed his second consecutive game due to a knee contusion on Sunday, with Steve Kerr calling the situation a "setback."

Green was set to undergo further testing, and could possibly get an MRI.

Green initially injured the knee last Thursday against the Lakers.

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The Dallas Mavericks blew a 27-point lead to the Los Angeles Lakers, which was the biggest comeback of the NBA season.

"I'm not the savior here. I'm not playing," Kidd said when asked why he used only one timeout in the second and third quarters as the lead was slipping away. "I'm watching, just like you guys.

"As a team, we've got to mature. ... We've got to grow up -- if we want to win a championship. There's no young team that's ever won a championship, mentally or physically."

The Mavericks are now 1-3 in games played together by Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

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LeBron James sustained a right foot injury in the second half of the Los Angeles Lakers' comeback win over the Dallas Mavericks. James stayed in the game.

"It's been better," James said when asked about his foot afterward. "That's for sure. But I definitely wasn't going to go to the locker room and not finish the game out tonight. Just understood the importance of the game and then with the momentum that we had, I felt like we could still win after being down.

"We'll monitor it the next couple days, see how it feels and go from there."

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Draymond Green missed his second consecutive game due to a right knee contusion.

Green sustained the injury in the Warriors' first game out of the All-Star break Thursday against the Los Angeles Lakers, when he bumped knees with Jarred Vanderbilt.

Green's knee unexpectedly flared up Sunday afternoon, something Steve Kerr categorized as a "setback."

Green will undergo further testing Sunday, Kerr said, possibly including an MRI.

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The Atlanta Hawks have hired Quin Snyder on a five-year contract to be their head coach.

Snyder is expected to make his debut as soon as Tuesday at home against the Washington Wizards.

The Hawks pursued Snyder immediately after firing Nate McMillan.

Snyder and Trae Young have both expressed enthusiasm about working together, and that partnership will go a long way to determining the success of the franchise. After a recent game, Donovan Mitchell praised Snyder in a private conversation with Young.

There are pronounced chemistry and leadership issues in the Hawks locker room.

Joe Prunty and the rest of the Hawks' coaching staff are expected to be retained with Snyder for the remainder of the season

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After a year away, veteran guard Michael Carter-Williams is making a return to the NBA, and it's in a place he's familiar with. Carter-Williams has agreed to a two-year deal with the Orlando Magic. Carter-Williams' contract will cover the rest of this season, with Orlando holding a team option for next season.

Carter-Williams last played in the NBA during the 2020-21 season with the Magic. He averaged 8.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 25.8 minutes over 31 games (25 starts).

The 2014 Rookie of the Year missed last season while recovering from offseason surgery on his left ankle. The Magic waived Carter-Williams at the 2022 trade deadline, when they needed to clear roster spots for deadline maneuvering.

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Derrick Rose claims there have been no discussions with the New York Knicks about a buyout amid potential interest from the Phoenix Suns.

"No, I haven't talked to anybody about that. I haven't talked to anyone," Rose said Saturday when asked if he had considered seeking a buyout. "I haven't even thought about it. I'm locked in to my thing right now. It's kind of hard to think about something that I've never pursued and never talked about with them."

Rose fell out of the New York rotation earlier in the season.

Rose is making $14.5 million this season with a club option for the 2023-24 season worth $15.6 million.

"No. Y'all heard something? I've just been locked in, doing my recovery. [I] talk to Thibs about the team, talk to Leon about the team, but other than that, I haven't talked to them about [a buyout]," Rose said. "I think that we've been so transparent in the past that if I was thinking about moving, or they was to move me somewhere, they'd give me a heads up."

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Madison Square Garden is open to moving to a new location across Seventh Avenue if a new permit deal can be reached.

The block is now occupied by the Pennsylvania Hotel.

"Well that would probably satisfy us," said MSG Executive Vice President Joel Fisher. "But ultimately, who's going to pay for that? Where is the money? That plan hasn't come to us. But that would satisfy being right on top of a transportation hub."

The Garden's 10-year permit to operate the building expires in July, with officials filing an application for a special permit to run the facility in perpetuity.

Redeveloping the new space would likely cost at least $8.5 billion.

Transit advocates contend that relocating the arena would create room for a new Penn Station on the current site.

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Warner Bros. Discovery said Friday night that it is abandoning its regional sports network business.

AT&T SportsNet has deals with the Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz in the NBA.

The SportsNet announcement comes on the heels of news that Diamond Sports Group is also prepping to file for bankruptcy this spring. DSG owns and operates the Bally Sports regional networks and has the local television rights for over 40 MLB, NBA and NHL teams.

While WBD is attempting to exit from the RSN business, they are also negotiating with the NBA on extending its national television deals.

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Andrew Wiggins will remain away from the Golden State Warriors indefinitely due to a family matter.

Wiggins missed the Warriors' final game head of the All-Star break and didn't play on Thursday against the Los Angeles Lakers or on Friday against the Houston Rockets.

The Warriors have stressed that Wiggins is in good health and will return to the team when he's ready to do so.

Wiggins has played in just 37 of 59 games this season.

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Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) and Kevin Pelton of ESPN (@kpelton) set up the NBA's final twenty-plus games of the regular season.

They discuss the important new faces in new places, which Western Conference teams have the highest ceiling, whether the Celtics and Bucks are the two most likely champions, young teams to watch and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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The Sacramento Kings waived KZ Okpala and signed P.J. Dozier for the rest of the season on Friday night.

Dozier was with the Kings on consecutive 10-day contracts.

Okpala is set to undergo season-ending knee surgery.

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Quin Snyder and the Atlanta Hawks are on the verge of agreement on a contract for him to be the next head coach of the franchise.

The deal is expected to be in the $8 million per year range.

Snyder stepped down as head coach of the Utah Jazz after the 21-22 season.

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Quin Snyder and the Atlanta Hawks are making progress on a contract for him to become their next head coach with a deal possible in the coming days.

Snyder has become the full focus of Atlanta's coaching search. The two sides are deep in conversations on a vision for what their future together will look like.

Landry Fields, Kyle Korver and Tony Ressler have been in talks with Snyder.

Snyder stepped down as head coach of the Utah Jazz after the 21-22 season.

The Hawks fired Nate McMillan during the All-Star break.

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James Harden can become a free agent again this offseason and his market is expected to extend beyond the Philadelphia 76ers to the Houston Rockets. While the Rockets have been a rebuild mode since trading Harden to the Brooklyn Nets in 2021, there appears to be serious mutual interest between the parties dating back to a report on Christmas Day from Adrian Wojnarowski.

"I also believe the Harden situation is one of the more under talked about things with what's going on in the season here," said Brian Windhorst on his podcast. "We are always guilty of looking ahead. And there has been very little discussion about Harden. Probably because Philly has played generally really well for the last two months.

"Christmas Day, Woj comes out with that story that Houston wants to go over Harden and it was like 'Whoa.'

"Not just that Houston wants to, but Houston believes it is a legitimate possibility and that's not coming out of thin air," said Tim MacMahon. "James Harden still spends a lot of time in Houston. Spends his summers in Houston. Works out at the Rockets' facility on a regular basis. It's a very real possibility. And Harden, by the way, never shot it down. He just said 'I don't know where that came from.'"

"It was kind of a non-denial," added Windhorst. "And that [storyline has] just gone way."

Harden took a one-plus-one deal with the Sixers as a free agent last offseason worth $68.6 million. Harden took a $15 million discount in order to help the Sixers add P.J. Tucker and Danuel House.

While Harden and the Rockets may have serious interest in reuniting, it could also be Harden attempting to increase his chances of signing a lucrative contract with the Sixers. Harden recently hired Troy Payne as his agent.

"It's also a leverage point," said Windhorst.

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The Los Angeles Clippers signed Russell Westbrook following his buyout, which was a decision made more by their stars in Paul George and Kawhi Leonard than their front office.

"The Clippers are pretty much admitting Paul George drove this decision," said Brian Windhorst on his podcast. "And from what I understand, they were internally against it at the start. Paul pushed for it publicly and privately. Kawhi supported it. And they looked more into it and they were like 'Well, you know, there are some things he can potentially help us with. One of the things that's a factor for us is we tend to kind of get a little loafy.

"They talked themselves into it is the long story short."

When the Los Angeles Lakers traded for Westbrook in 2021, it is believed that LeBron James and Anthony Davis similarly pushed for it. The enthusiasm from James and Davis is what led to the Lakers choosing Westbrook over trading for Buddy Hield or a sign-and-trade for DeMar DeRozan.

The difference between the Lakers and the Clippers, however, is the former gave up three key rotation players and took on two years of max salary for Westbrook.

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The NBA is currently at around 88 percent for season ticket renewals ahead of a normal rate of 83 percent. This is expected to be the second consecutive season of record season ticket renewals.

During his All-Star Game press conference, Adam Silver cited the "single most competitive season in our history" for their record number of tickets sold despite widespread complaints about inconsistent player availability.

"Competitive parity is at an all-time high, which generates greater interest," said NBA Team Marketing & Business Operations President Amy Brooks.

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The New York Knicks are seeking a jersey ad deal worth approximately $30 million per year.

"They're looking for Rakuten money," a team marketer told Sports Business Journal, referencing the Golden State Warriors' patch deal signed in 2017 reportedly worth $20 million annually. "Not sure there's any of that left," the source said.

The Knicks are one of four teams without a jersey sponsor currently. The franchise previously was paid approximately $15 million per year by Squarespace, but about half of that was going to the New York Rangers and other MSG-owned teams and assets.

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The Milwaukee Bucks have listed Giannis Antetokounmpo as doubtful for their game on Friday vs the Miami Heat. Antetokounmpo is dealing with a sprained right wrist.

Antetokounmpo was injured in the Bucks final game before the All-Star break. The two-time MVP fell awkwardly to the floor against the Chicago Bulls and came up with an injured wrist.

Antetokounmpo then "played" in the All-Star game on Sunday night. Really, all the Bucks star did was make an uncontested dunk immediately after tip-off, before exiting for the night.

Milwaukee has said they don't believe the injury will cost Antetokounmpo considerable time, but that they will be cautious with him moving forward. The Bucks are one game behind the Boston Celtics for the NBA's best record and homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs.

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Qualifying for the FIBA World Cup is often a thankless task. It's generally done without NBA players or NBA coaches leading the way. Done outside of that spotlight, it's up to G League players and fill-in coaches to get Team USA on the big summer stage.

The United States pulled off a come-from-behind victory in Uruguay on Thursday to qualify for this summer's FIBA World Cup. Team USA was led by NBA veteran Langston Galloway with 21 points, while former LA Clipper Xavier Moon added 17 points and six assists.

Steve Kerr and a team full of NBA stars will now take over for Jim Boylen and the G Leaguers for the World Cup in the Philippines in late-August. That tournament will see Team USA looking for a record sixth World Cup title, as well as serving as a means of qualification for the 2024 Olympics.

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The Detroit Pistons have signed guard R.J. Hampton to a rest-of-season contract. Hampton was recently waived by the Orlando Magic.

Hampton has averaged 5.7 points in 13.9 minutes over 26 games this season. With Orlando having several other young, and finally healthy, guards, there was no longer a place for Hampton in the Magic's rotation.

Detroit is bringing Hampton in to take a look, as they play out the string in a rebuilding situation. This is the sort of bottom-of-the-roster churning that often unearths a solid rotation player moving forward.

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The New York Knicks signed Travis Keels to a 10-day contract on Thursday.

Keels was originally signed to a two-way deal back in July, and appeared in one game for the team.

Keels averaged 14.9 points and 3.6 assists per game for the Westchester Knicks this season.

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D'Angelo Russell left the Los Angeles Lakers game against the Golden State Warriors in the first quarter with a sprained ankle.

The Lakers ruled Russell out for the rest of the game.

The injury occurred when Russell stepped on Donte DiVincenzo's foot as Russell went to inbound the ball.

Russell finished his night with two points and three assists in nine minutes.

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Ben Simmons is questionable for the Brooklyn Nets game against the Chicago Bulls on Friday.

Simmons hasn't started a game for the Nets since the trade deadline.

Simmons is currently averaging 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists on the season.

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Mitchell Robinson is "progressing well" and could make his return to the New York Knicks lineup on Friday.

Robinson has been out since January 18 after undergoing surgery on a fractured thumb.

Robinson participated in a full practice on Thursday and is currently listed as questionable.

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Carmelo Anthony was presented as a global ambassador for this summer's 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Anthony joins Luis Scola and Pau Gasol in the role.

The Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia will host the World Cup from August 25 to September 10.

The 38-year-old Anthony remains a free agent this season.

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Kevin Love's relationship with the Cleveland Cavaliers front office is currently strained, sources told Chris Fedor of cleveland.com.

Love was yanked from the Cavs rotation in the lead up to his buyout request last week, with the forward eventually signing with the Heat.

The Cavs were growing uneasy with Love's growing unhappiness while sitting on the bench and were willing to buy him out to prevent a potential blowout.

J.B Bickerstaff said he reached out to Love after the buyout, though has yet to hear back.

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Kevin Durant participate in an intense, two-hour workout and scrimmage with the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.

The Suns brought in referees to make it a gamelike atmosphere.

Durant has already been ruled out for Friday's home game with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Durant is most likely to return from his MCL injury and make his debut with Phoenix on Wednesday against the Charlotte Hornets.

During the All-Star break, Durant worked out at the Suns' facility with teammates, including Devin Booker. The two played several one-on-one games

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NBA China has announced a "comprehensive strategic collaboration" with Chinese fintech Ant Group.

The two parties will create original online content and a customised consumer experience on Ant's mobile payments platform Alipay through technologies such as blockchain.

Under the deal, NBA fans in China will have access to the NBA's video content on Alipay for the first time and services such as joint memberships, an NBA mini-program, joint marketing campaigns and digital collectibles.

Following Daryl Morey's Tweet in support of Hong Kong in 2019, the partnership between the NBA and China has been strained. CCTV only resumed broadcasts of NBA games in March 2022, apart from the one-off showing of the NBA Finals in October 2020.

The NBA's deal with Ant Group signals a normalizing of their relations again.

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The Atlanta Hawks have Quin Snyder as their focus for their next head coach, but they have identified a number of other potential candidates, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Milwaukee Bucks assistant Charles Lee, Sacramento Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez, Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson, San Antonio Spurs assistant Mitch Johnson and G League South Bay's Miles Simon are all potential candidates.

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The Atlanta Hawks have begun formal discussions with Quin Snyder. Atlanta is attempting to move swiftly to hire Snyder as their next head coach.

Atlanta parted ways with Nate McMillan on Tuesday. The Hawks named Joe Prunty as their interim head coach, but general manager Landry Fields said he would immediately start working on finding a permanent replacement for McMillan. Prunty himself indicated that the process could move quickly, when asked following the team returning to practice after the All-Star break.

Snyder went 372-264 in eight years as the head coach of the Utah Jazz. Snyder's teams made six playoff appearances in those eight seasons. Following the 2021-22 season, Snyder and the Jazz mutually agreed to part ways.

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Kevin Durant is targeting March 1st as his return from a sprained MCL and his debut with the Phoenix Suns.

Durant suffered the injury on January 8th and was traded by the Brooklyn Nets to the Suns ahead of the February 9th trade deadline.

Durant is averaging 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 36.0 minutes over 39 games this season

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The Atlanta Hawk are considering Ime Udoka for their head coaching vacancy, sources tell Marc Stein of Substack.

The Boston Celtics recently elevated Joe Mazzulla to permanent head coach, replacing Udoka. The Celtics suspended Udoka for the entire 22-23 season due to a relationship with a staff member that the team deemed a violation of team policy.

The Brooklyn Nets were close to hiring Udoka as the replacement for Steve Nash before instead keeping Jacque Vaughn in the position permanently.

Nate McMillan was fired as head coach of the Hawks on Tuesday.

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The 2023 NBA All-Star Game was the least watched in league history with a combined 2.2 rating and 4.59 million viewers across TNT and TBS.

The previous lows were a 3.1 (2021 and 2022) and around six million viewers (2021).

Ratings declined 29% and viewership 27% from last year's All-Star Game (3.1, 6.28M).

Stephen Curry missed the game entirely, while LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo exited early due to injury.

The game was marred by a lack of defense and general apathy from most players.

The MLB All-Star Game averaged 7.51 million viewers last year.

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Miles Bridges has missed the entirety of the 2022-23 NBA season after pleading no contest to domestic violence charges. Those charges stemmed from allegations that Bridges assaulted his girlfriend in front of their two children in June.

Bridges attended the Michigan State-Indiana game in East Lansing, Michigan on Tuesday and told The Associated Press that his return to the NBA might be coming soon.

"It's been a long process," Bridges said. "I might be back in March."

The NBA has yet to levy any punishment on Bridges, because he remains an unsigned free agent. The Charlotte Hornets control Bridges' restricted free agent rights. When asked about Bridges earlier in February, Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak gave no indication of what the team's plans are with 6-foot-7 forward.

"The NBA is conducting an investigation and I don't know when that is going to end," Kupchak said. "When it ends, we'll have more information and we'll go from there. I'll leave it up to you to decide what kind of impact that had on our team this year."

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Bronny James is projected as a top-10 selection in ESPN's first mock draft for 2024, which is significantly higher than many have expected based on his recruiting ranking.

James is a 6-foot-4 senior combo guard at Sierra Canyon School in California. He's undecided on his college of choice, as of this moment. With the NBA and NBPA seemingly no closer to eliminating the "one-and-done" rule in collective bargaining, James will likely attend one year of college before becoming draft eligible.

James, who is the eldest son of LeBron James, will become draft eligible for the first time in 2024, should he enter the draft after one year in college. James could also choose to play for the G League Ignite next season and get a jump-start on his professional career that way.

The draft eligibility of the younger James will coincide with the elder James having the ability to become an unrestricted free agent by declining his player option for the 2024-25 season. The elder James has indicated he'd like to play with his son in the NBA before he retires.

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Brandon Miller is accused of bringing a teammate a handgun used in a fatal shooting last month, according to police in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The information was revealed during a preliminary hearing for Darius Miles and Michael Lynn Davis, who face capital murder charges in the death of 23-year-old Jamea Jonae Harris.

Miles admitted to providing the weapon used in the incident, with Davis accused of firing the gun. Miles allegedly told Davis where he left his gun in Miller's car.

Miller has not been charged with a crime.

"Brandon hasn't been in any type of trouble, nor is he in any type of trouble in this case. Wrong spot at the wrong time," said Alabama coach Nate Oats on Tuesday, though he later backtracked his comments.

"Our understanding is that they have all been fully truthful and cooperative. In no way did I intend to downplay the seriousness of this situation or the tragedy of that night," added Oats.

Miller is a projected top-5 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

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The Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to sign Keaton Wallace to a Two-Way contract.

Wallace is averaging 14.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 31.8 minutes over 18 games with the Ontario Clippers of the G League.

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The Atlanta Hawks have fired Nate McMillan as head coach.

The Hawks elevated McMillan to interim head coach in 2021.

Joe Prunty will take on interim head coaching duties.

Atlanta has Quin Snyder at the top of their list of prospective coaches. Charles Lee and Kenny Atkinson will also be considered.

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Kris Dunn has agreed to a 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz.

Dunn has played for the Capital City Go-Go in the G League this season.

Dunn appeared in 14 games last season with the Portland Trail Blazers, averaging 7.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 24.0 minutes.

Dunn is represented by Bernie Lee.

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Frank Jackson has agreed to a 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz.

Jackson is averaging 22 points per game in the G League this season.

Jackson appeared in 53 games last season with the Detroit Pistons, averaging 10.6 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 22.0 minutes.

Jackson is represented by Troy Payne and Mike Silverman.

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Will Barton has agreed to a buyout with the Washington Wizards.

Barton will be eligible for the playoffs once he signs with a new team. Barton appeared in 40 games with the Wizards, averaging 7.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 19.6 minutes per game.

Barton is represented by Richard Beda, Drew Morrison and Austin Brown of CAA.

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With their trade for Kevin Durant ahead of the deadline, the Phoenix Suns became the favorites to win the Western Conference at +220 on FanDuel.

The Denver Nuggets, who currently have the best record in the West, are second at +300.

The Los Angeles Clippers are third at +500, followed by the Memphis Grizzlies at +700, Dallas Mavericks at +800 and Golden State Warriors at +900.

The New Orleans Pelicans and Los Angeles Lakers are longshots at +3000. The Sacramento Kings are at +5500.

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Mat Ishbia doesn't see the trade the Phoenix Suns made for Kevin Durant as having any risk at all given the timeframe in which he plans to own the franchise.

"I think there is no risk," said Ishbia to Sports Illustrated. "I don't look at it as a risk at all. I look at it as a vision and a decision. And you go with your decisions and you run with it. It doesn't mean everything's going to work out or that we're going to win multiple championships and you know it was right. You have to play the games.

"However I don't look at it like a risk at all. I know what the vision is. I'm going to own this team for 50 years, so like zero [risk]. I don't need to come in and win in the first year. But at the same time, there's nothing in my life that I don't want to win at. We're going to try to win everything we do. And so I don't look at it as risk at all. Everyone can say what they want to say. If something happened and we didn't win, it was still the right thing. You make the decision with the best available information you have at the time, you make the decision and then you run with it and you try to make it work."

Ishbia was also asked to describe what type of owner he sees himself being in support of James Jones.

"I think my job as an owner is to put great people in position with all the resources they need to make the right decisions and then support them, good or bad, with those decisions," said Ishbia. "I'm not watching film on the draft picks. James will recommend who he thinks and we'll talk about and he might understand my vision on how character really matters and leadership really matters and that I'm not willing to sacrifice that. So he'll know my vision of what matters to me and what I believe in as a human being and as a leader of an organization. But James will pick the best player. And that's his job. I'm not calling Monty Williams to ask him why we played someone. That's not my thing. I'll watch the game like a fan and cheer the team on. That's what my job is to do, is to be the biggest supporter, to give Monty Williams all the support he needs, to give James Jones all the support they need, to give the players all the support they need."

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Patrick Beverley chose to sign with the Chicago Bulls, but he very nearly joined the Golden State Warriors instead.

"I'm going to be taking my talents back home," Beverley said on his podcast. "It was between Golden State and the Bulls. Obviously, it's always good to play with a lot of great talent in Golden State, but y'know, a lot of guards over there. So, I figured I could make a playoff push with the Bulls right now, and kinda pop them up a little bit. The east is kinda weak. I'm excited man, I'm excited. I get to take my son to school. I get to take my son and baby girl to school, I get to pick them up, I get to rep my city on my chest."

The Warriors have a surplus of guards though the availability of both Stephen Curry and Gary Payton II is uncertain as they deal with injuries.

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Executives at Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Investment Co. and Qatar Investment Authority have expressed their interest in NBA ownership and are actively hunting for a possible match.

Mubadala and QIA's interest is preliminary and there is no certainty that either will buy a stake in an NBA team.

The prospect of NBA ownership became possible late last year after the league's Board of Governors approved a rule change to allow sovereign wealth funds to buy as much as a 20% stake in teams. Previously, such funds could only do so through indirect exposure.

"The NBA Board of Governors recently decided to allow direct, passive investments in NBA teams by institutional investors," NBA spokesman Mike Bass said in a statement. "All such investments are subject to league review and NBA Board approval."

The New York Knicks could be a potential target. MSGS's biggest equity shareholder is investment firm Silver Lake Management, which has strong ties with Abu Dhabi, and is a co-investor in Premier League giant Manchester City.

"The NBA Board of Governors recently decided to allow direct, passive investments in NBA teams by institutional investors," NBA spokesman Mike Bass said in a statement. "All such investments are subject to league review and NBA Board approval."

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The Chicago Bulls are shutting down Lonzo Ball for the remainder of this season. Ball hasn't played this year, while dealing with pain and discomfort in his surgically repaired left knee.

Ball was diagnosed with a bone bruise and small meniscus tear in his left knee in January of 2022. He underwent surgery and was initially given a potential return date before the end of last season. Ball had a setback in March and missed the remainder of the 2021-22 season.

While rehabbing, Ball had fits and starts with his recovery, including needing to be shut down at different points due to continued soreness in his left knee. Now, the Bulls have made the decision to close the door on the sixth-year guard playing this season. Chicago is signing Patrick Beverley to a rest-of-season contract, as the Bulls continue to push for a playoff spot.

Ball averaged 13 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.8 steals and nearly a block per game in 35 games for Chicago last season. At the time he was injured in mid-January, the Bulls were near the top of the Eastern Conference standings. Chicago ultimately fell to sixth in the conference and lost a 4-1 series to the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs.

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The Chicago Bulls are expected to waive backup center Tony Bradley. This move will free up the roster spot Chicago needs to sign guard Patrick Beverley.

Bradley is finishing the second season of a two-year minimum contract he signed with Chicago in 2021. He'll be on the Bulls books for roughly $2 million in dead salary upon being waived. Bradley is expected to garner interest from teams that are still in the market for a backup center.

Bradley's role significantly reduced after Chicago traded for Nikola Vucevic last season and signed Andre Drummond this past offseason. The sixth-year center has appeared in 12 games for the Bulls this season.

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The Brooklyn Nets have signed head coach Jacque Vaughn to a multi-year extension through the 26-27 season. Vaught became the Nets head coach when Brooklyn fired Steve Nash earlier this season.

Vaughn has gone 32-19 while leading Brooklyn this season. He was previously 7-3 as the Nets interim head coach in the NBA bubble during the completion of the 2020 season.

Brooklyn players have praised Vaughn for his leadership, attention to detail and focus on defense since he took over for Nash. The Nets will now have him leading the sidelines as they retool their roster following trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving at the 2023 trade deadline.

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Russell Westbrook is expected to eventually takeover as the starting point of the Los Angeles Clippers, sources told Law Murray of The Athletic.

Westbrook is set to sign with the Clippers for the rest of the season after negotiating a buyout with the Jazz.

Murray adds that Terance Mann, who had been starting at point guard, would likely move to the bench.

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Meyers Leonard will sign a 10-day contract with the Milwaukee Bucks after the All-Star break.

Milwaukee had an open roster spot and wanted to bring in a big man with shooting ability and a playoff history.

Leonard has been out of the NBA since March 2021 when he used an antisemitic slur on a video game livestream before rehabilitating post-surgical nerve damage on his right leg.

Leonard received a one-week NBA suspension and a $50,000 fine for the antisemitic slur. Leonard claims he didn't know the meaning or history of the slur he used.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo underwent further testing that revealed he did not suffer any serious damage to his right wrist.

Antetokounmpo sprained his wrist last Wednesday.

Antetokounmpo will return once swelling in his wrist subsides.

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Patrick Beverley has agreed to sign with the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls will have to waive a player to create a roster spot to sign Beverley.

Beverley was bought out by the Orlando Magic following his trade from the Los Angeles Lakers.

Beverley grew up in Chicago.

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Russell Westbrook will sign with the LA Clippers for the remainder of the season. Westbrook negotiated a buyout with the Utah Jazz, after a deadline deal from the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Clippers were looking for point guard depth, after trading both Reggie Jackson and John Wall in deadline day moves. LA added Bones Hyland at the trade deadline, but wanted another veteran option on the roster.

Westbrook averaged 15.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 7.5 assists in 28.7 minutes per game off the Lakers bench. Clippers All-Star Paul George campaigned for his team to add Westbrook on the buyout market. George and Westbrook were teammates on the Oklahoma City Thunder for two seasons from 2017 to 2019.

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Victor Wembanyama is aware NBA teams are positioning themselves to select him at the 2023 NBA Draft. Wembanyama even humorously noted that he hasn't spent a lot of time watching the teams positioning for the best draft lottery spots.

"Let's just say I've been following along, but it's easier to watch teams at the top of the standings," Wembanyama said. "It's a little hard to look down."

That said, Wembanyama will be happy to go to whatever team drafts him.

"There is no wrong team," Wembanyama said. "I am not worried; there is no bad organization. I never tell myself I don't like to go there."

When he gets to whatever NBA team he'll play for, the 7-foot-4 big man said his focus is a simple one.

"The only thing I can tell you is I love winning, and I hate losing. I want to build something that eventually is going to be remembered. But it's more about building every day, adding a little piece to the building every day," Wembanyama said.

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Team Giannis defeated Team LeBron in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game by a final score of 184-172.

Jayson Tatum was named MVP with an All-Star Game record 55 points. Tatum scored 27 points in the third quarter alone.

The game itself was widely panned due to its lack of defense and competitiveness.

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The Miami Heat will sign Cody Zeller.

Zeller appeared in 27 games last season with the Portland Trail Blazers. Zeller was waived by the Utah Jazz before the start of the season after appearing in three preseason games.

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Kevin Love plans to sign with the Miami Heat once he clears waivers.

Lowe believes he can play a sizable role in the frontcourt rotation of the Heat. Love also discussed joining the Philadelphia 76ers.

Love and the Cleveland Cavaliers agreed to a buyout on Saturday. Love had $8.5 million remaining on his contract. Love requested a buyout after he fell out of Cleveland's rotation.

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The NBA and NBPA have extended their opt-out deadline of the current collective bargaining agreement twice as they continue to negotiate a deal. During All-Star weekend, both sides expressed optimism talks are moving in the right direction.

"I would just say it's an absolute priority for us as well to get a deal done as soon as possible," Silver said at his annual news conference.

Tamika Tremaglio echoed Silver's sentiment a couple of hours earlier, after the NBPA spent the past two days meeting to elect members to its executive committee and discuss the CBA talks.

"We are very motivated to get this done," Tremaglio said. "Our players are very competitive, and we want to see [this to] completion as well. So, it is absolutely a priority for us."

"I would say that we're in a great space," said CJ McCollum, who is president of the NBPA. "We continue to move forward, and I'm happy with the progress that we continue to make, although there is room for more improvement in areas in which we'll continue to grow. I think we're definitely heading in the right direction."

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Adam Silver answered multiple questions about load management during his press conference at All-Star weekend in Salt Lake City.

"I'm not sure," said Silver when asked if the number of games missed without serious injury is a big problem for the NBA. "You see, I hesitate to weigh in on an issue as to whether players are playing enough because there is real medical data and scientific data about what's appropriate.

"Sometimes to me the premise of a question as to whether players are playing enough suggests that they should be playing more; that, in essence, there should be some notion of just get out there and play. Having been in the league for a long time, having spent time with a lot of some of our great legends, I don't necessarily think that's the case.

"The world that we used to have where it was just get out there and play through injuries, for example, I don't think that's appropriate. Clearly, I mean, at the end of the day, these are human beings - many of you talk to and know well - who are often playing through enormous pain, who play through all kinds of - you know, I hesitate to label them injuries, but play through all kinds of aches and pains on a regular basis.

"The suggestion I think that these men in the case in the NBA somehow should just be out there more for its own sake, I don't buy into.

"I think, on the other hand, then there's the fan aspect it of saying, all right, well, if that's going to be the case, that players are not going to be able to participate in a certain amount of games, what should the response be from the league, and how should you be presenting your product?

"It's interesting, because even given where we are now, I don't think the issue is quite what some suggest. I mean, our stars are not missing that many games for resting. I mean, we have injuries. I think we would all agree that's a separate issue. But sort of as a measure of single games missed, it's not that bad."

Silver also addressed the possibility of lengthening the schedule to accommodate 82 games over a longer period of times to avoid as many games on back-to-back nights as possible.

"We are very focused on it. We hear it from our fans when players aren't there," Silver said. "We think we can do a better job, but we don't have a specific solution yet."

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If the NBA eliminates the "one-and-done" rule during its next collective bargaining agreement, the union would like to make sure the sudden influx of young players doesn't result in a surplus of lost roster spots for veteran players.

When the rule is changed, the first year where high school players become eligible to be drafted will essentially be a "double draft" with more second round picks and undrafted players projected to make NBA rosters than in a normal year.

"This is something that we have had conversations about," Tamika Tremaglio said. "In our meetings today, we spent a lot of time talking about that.

"We recognize that we really do need to make sure that we have the structure in place, if we're going to have people join the league at the age of 18. We also appreciate that there is a lot of benefit to really having veterans who can bring those 18-year-olds along. And so you know, certainly anything that we would even consider, to be quite honest, would have to include a component that would allow veterans to be a part of it as well."

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Mac McClung won the 2023 Slam Dunk Contest, beating out Trey Murphy III in the final.

McClung recorded a perfect score in three of his four dunks, receiving a 49 from Lisa Leslie on his second dunk.

McClung was initially selected to participate while in the G League, but he recently signed a Two-Way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.

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Damian Lillard won the 2023 Three Point Shootout, beating Buddy Hield and Tyrese Haliburton in the final.

Lillard had never won the contest, participating previously in 2014 and 2019.

Lillard wore a Weber State uniform, representing his college located near Salt Lake City.

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The NBA continues to maintain the position that expansion will not be addressed until after the league finalizes a new Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NBPA, as well as new national media rights deals with its broadcast partners.

The NBA is widely expected to expand to Seattle and possibly Las Vegas or Mexico City by the end of the decade.

"There haven't been any discussions on expansion recently," said Adam Silver during his All-Star Game press conference. "What I've said before, because the topic comes up a lot, I would say mainly people asking me or others in the league about it is that it is natural at some point that an organization expands. In this case because we're both in a CBA cycle and a national media cycle, our current deals are up in two and a half years.

"The view from our governors has been let's figure out exactly what the new CBA looks like, let's figure out what our new media deals look like. Then let's think about expansion.

"So invariably we will. There's no active discussions in the league office right now, but we'll turn back to it in a few years."

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The Milwaukee Bucks are submitting bids to host either the 2025 or 2026 NBA All-Star Game at Fiserv Forum.

The Bucks opened Fiserv Forum in 2018. Milwaukee most recently hosted the All-Star Game in 1977.

The 2024 All-Star Game will be hosted by the Indiana Pacers.

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Kyrie Irving was asked how he feels about the trend in the NBA for players to generally reduce the number of games they play in order to prevent or reduce injuries.

"I don't know who created the term 'load management' or guys sitting out games or this narrative that continues to play on about star players or guys not being available," said Irving. "I don't know who started the narrative, but it's completely run amok.

"I think it's dehumanized some of us in terms of just the way we prepare ourselves day-to-day. This is a 24/7 job. We have cameras on us all the time. It's a high-level, combative sport. It's very aggressive.

"Nobody knows how anyone else's body heals. The only person that knows is the person that is hurt or injured. We try our best to tell you guys what is going on, but you have doctors online telling everybody that he needs to be back in two weeks. You've got this person over here saying that he is not really hurt. He doesn't want to play.

"So I think the narratives have run amok. But us as players, we really take pride in preparing ourselves at a very high level and performing not only for our families, but for the fans that support us. We're nothing without our fans.

"I just think the narrative needs to change in terms of load management. Eighty-two games is a long season. I'm not saying we can't do it. We're in 2023. We have all the technology necessary. We have to use it wisely, and we have to be very communicative about what the plan is for everybody individually.

"Everybody's body is different. So you may see somebody heal in two weeks, but it may take someone else a month and a half to heal. It's just different."

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Kevin Durant believes trade requests are "great for the league" because it brings more attention to the NBA and also gives players the opportunity to improve their situation.

"Teams have been trading players and making acquisitions for a long time," said Durant during his Saturday media availability at All-Star weekend. "Now a player can dictate where he wants to go, leave in free agency or demand a trade, it's just part of the game now."

Durant requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets to the Phoenix Suns before the deadline. It was Durant's second trade request in under a year though the first one was not granted.

Durant previously left the Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors during his two prior free agency periods.

Kyrie Irving echoed Durant's comments when he was asked the same question.

"When did it become terrible to make great business decisions for yourself, your happiness and your peace of mind?" said Irving. "Not every employer you're going to get along with."

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Grant Williams has been elected First Vice President of the National Basketball Players Association and will serve a four-year term. Williams will replace Andre Iguodala, who is coming off a Four-Year term as First Vice President.

Jaren Jackson Jr. and Donovan Mitchell have been voted as Vice Presidents on three-year terms.

Kyrie Irving's tenure as Vice President is now over.

CJ McCollum was elected President of the NBPA in August 2021.

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Flashback (Nov. 8, 2016): Kevin Pelton of ESPN joins to discuss which current NBA players will and should make the Hall of Fame. We run through our criteria for the Hall of Fame and examine the credentials of over 40 current players and coaches. The analysis runs from locks like Dirk Nowitzki and LeBron James, to borderline cases like Joe Johnson, Derrick Rose, and Kevin Love, and finally which young players have the best shot of making it.

For six (nearly all modern) episodes per week, including Hollinger & Duncan, subscribe to Dunc'd On Prime:

DuncdOn.SupportingCast.fm

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Jose Alvarado was named Most Valuable Player in the Rising Stars game.

Alvarado had five points in the title game, including the game winner. Alvarado also had 13 points in the first game.

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Kevin Love and the Cleveland Cavaliers have completed a buyout agreement, reports Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Miami Heat are the favorites to sign Love once he clears waivers, reports Shams Charania.

Love will also meet with the Philadelphia 76ers before making a final decision. Love has been with the Cavaliers since the 2014 season, but had recently fallen out of their rotation.

Love was in the final season of a four-year extension he signed with the Cavaliers in 2018. Love had $8.5 million remaining on his contract.

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Fred VanVleet officially signed with Klutch Sports Group, the company announced on Friday.

VanVleet is widely expected to decline his player option this summer and become a free agent.

VanVleet was the subject of several trade rumors at the deadline, including drawing interest from the Bucks.

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Andscape's Marc J. Spears (print) and ESPN's Holly Rowe (electronic) have been named the recipients of the 2023 Naismith Hall of Fame Curt Gowdy Media Award.

Spears began his career covering college basketball at various stops, including the University of Arkansas, University of Louisville, the University of Kentucky and Cal-State Northridge. But he began covering the NBA in 1999 when he began covering the Denver Nuggets for The Denver Post, and said his career changed forever when, in 2007, he took over the Boston Celtics beat at The Boston Globe in the wake of Kevin Garnett being traded there.

"When I got that job, in 2007, or when I was up for it, I remember in the midst of me, the week before I interviewed, they got Garnett," Spears said. "And I was like, 'I've got to get this job.' I got that job, and I remember [NBA journalist] Ric Bucher telling me, 'People are going to see your work differently now.' Not that they didn't think it was good in Denver. But it's the Celtics, and Boston."

Spears went on to spend several years at Yahoo before joining Andscape in 2016.

Rowe has worked for ESPN since August 1998 and has become its lead men's and women's college basketball reporter in addition to holding the same role with the NBA, and also working on the Utah Jazz broadcast.

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Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol and Gregg Popovich headline the list of finalists for the 2023 class of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

"I love the class," Jerry Colangelo, chairman for the Hall of Fame, said in a news conference. "I think this is a loaded class. ... I think this is unique in that we have a lot of first time people and it's unusual when somebody makes it on the first ballot. But this is going to be that unique of class. Because there could be four or five first timers. So, I'm very excited about it."

Other player finalists included former Spurs point guard and 2007 Finals MVP Tony Parker; Becky Hammon, a six-time All-Star in her WNBA career; and Jennifer Azzi, a collegiate national champion at Stanford, an Olympic gold medalist for USA Basketball in 1996 and a five-year WNBA veteran.

Induction is determined through voting conducted by an honors committee comprised of 24 members. A finalist must receive a minimum of 18 votes from the committee to earn entrance to the Hall.

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The Los Angeles Clippers will waive Moses Brown from his Two-Way contract, sources tell Law Murray of The Athletic.

The move opens up a Two-Way slot for the Clippers in addition to their open standard contract slot.

Brown appeared in 34 games for the Clippers, averaging 4.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in 8.5 minutes. Brown reached his 50th game active cap with the Clippers on Thursday.

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The future of Anthony Davis with the Los Angeles Lakers has come into question in recent weeks, largely due to his strange body language when LeBron James broke the scoring record, followed by his comments to the media attempting to explain it.

"While I admit there might be something amiss there, I don't think Anthony Davis wants to not be a Laker," said Brian Windhorst on the Dan Patrick Show. "My understanding is he still is 100 percent bought in on that."

Davis has an Early Termination Option he can exercise in 2024 on the five-year, $190 million extension he signed in 2020.

Davis was also the subject of trade rumors after the 21-22 season, which he publicly addressed.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are among the teams interested in signing Kevin Love. Love has previously been linked with the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat.

"I think the Lakers are definitely kicking the tires there and looking," said Brian Windhorst on the Dan Patrick Show.

The Cavaliers may be unwilling to let Love sign with the Heat if he is bought out, which is something they are currently discussing.

Windhorst says the Lakers may not be a good fit, while the Suns could be limited in the minutes they offer Love. Love has fallen out of Cleveland's rotation, which is what started the buyout talks.

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Around the trade deadline, the Chicago Bulls told interested teams they could get upward of two first round picks for Alex Caruso, sources told Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Caruso signed a four-year, $37 million deal with the Bulls during the 2021 offseason.

Caruso is a 36.8 percent career three-point shooter on relatively low volume, but his perimeter defense is amongst the best in the NBA.

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There was a surge of second round picks traded during the NBA's transaction window leading to the 2023 trade deadline with 71 changing teams from Jan. 1 until Feb. 9.

That number compares to 29 in 2022, 32 in 2021, 17 in 2020 and 32 in 2019.

In order for the Milwaukee Bucks to acquire Jae Crowder, they sent two second rounders to the Brooklyn Nets as well as three second rounders to the Indiana Pacers to match salaries. The Atlanta Hawks traded five second rounders to acquire Saddiq Bey, while the Memphis Grizzlies sent out three second rounders for Luke Kennard. The Los Angeles Lakers sent three second rounders to the Washington Wizards for Rui Hachmiura while later getting three back for Thomas Bryant.

A number of teams have gone all-in in which they have traded multiple future first round picks and swaps that leave them bereft of currency to help facilitate trades.

"You can't trade first-round picks if you don't have first-round picks to trade," an Eastern Conference analytics staffer told Jake Fischer of Yahoo.

"Any time there's market imbalance, there's going to be some wild trades," one team cap strategist said.

"Second-round picks are currency," one assistant general manager

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After several high-profile officiating errors, players and fans have questioned if NBA officials are ever disciplined for egregiously missed call. According to NBA commissioner Adam Silver, officials are disciplined, but that discipline is not made public.

"We don't publicize discipline for officials. We don't think that will be appropriate," Silver said Friday in an interview with ESPN's Sage Steele on SportsCenter. "But their assignments are affected by the quality of their calls, whether or not they progress into the playoffs and then round by round is impacted by the accuracy of their calls and their demeanor on the floor. So there is a system for overseeing and making those judgements about officials. But more to your earlier point about getting the calls right, that's again not a new issue."

Silver said the NBA will continue to look at how they can improve officiating. On the subject of missed calls, he said the league would look at a mechanism for officials to correct a missed call, but that there is only so much that can be done. This answer was in reference to officials missing LeBron James being fouled at the end of a recent game against the Boston Celtics.

"But so what's the beginning and the end of the play? And if indeed the officials missed the foul but then the other team is saying, well, go back 15 seconds, they missed something else there, it's not an easy issue, but it's something we're going to look at because my personal view is I don't mind the challenge system but also think the ultimate goal is to get it right, not put the pressure on the coach in terms of that additional tactic on using their challenge appropriately."

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Ernie Johnson announced on TNT that the NBA All-Stars won't have to worry about who gets picked last in the All-Star draft. The NBA has switched up how selections will be made, in order to try and avoid a "last picked" situation.

All-Star captains Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James will make their first selections from the pool of reserve players. They will then finish the draft by selecting from the other eight starters.

The All-Star draft will take place on the court, just ahead of the game. This is another effort to juice competitiveness of the game, while also introducing a pickup game feel to the contest.

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The Phoenix Suns have emerged as contenders to sign Kevin Love, following Love's buyout from the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Miami Heat are also interested in the veteran big man.

Phoenix still has one open roster spot after signing Terrence Ross, following his buyout from the Orlando Magic. The Suns also have their prorated Taxpayer Midlevel Exception to offer in terms of salary, which would likely beat Miami's offer of a prorated veteran minimum contract.

Love was also teammates with Phoenix GM James Jones on the 2016 title-winning Cavaliers. Phoenix has been looking to add one more big man to their rotation, after trading away Dario Saric at the trade deadline.

This season Love has averaged 8.5 points and 6.8 rebounds in 20 minutes per game. All are career-lows for the 34-year-old. Love was dropped from the Cavs rotation nearly a month ago, which caused him to seek a buyout of his $28.9 million expiring contract.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo left the Milwaukee Bucks' 112-100 win over the Chicago Bulls in the second quarter due to a sprained right wrist and did not return.

X-rays returned negative, with Mike Budenholzer adding that initial reports of the injury were minor.

"We'll just see how he feels tomorrow, see how he feels the next few days and continue to evaluate it," said Budenholzer.

Budenholzer added that he was unsure of Antetokounmpo's status for the upcoming All-Star Weekend.

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The Miami Heat are looking to sign a big from the buyout market instead of a guard like Russell Westbrook or Patrick Beverley, sources told Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

The Heat are rumored to be interested in Kevin Love should he finalize a buyout from the Cavs, with Winderman also mentioning Serge Ibaka as a possible candidate.

The team previously had discussions with Westbrook.

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The Los Angeles Clippers have opened conversations with Russell Westbrook about potentially signing with the team should he get bought out by the Utah Jazz, sources told Law Murray and Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The Jazz have given Westbrook permission to talk to teams around the league about having a larger role.

Other interested teams include the Heat, Bulls, and Wizards.

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Anfernee Simons was diagnosed with a grade 2 ankle sprain following an MRI on Thursday.

There is no timetable for Simons' return.

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Mat Ishbia bought a 57 percent controlling stake of the Phoenix Suns for $2.28 billion, sources told ESPN's Baxter Holmes. Ishbia is buying his stake at a $4 billion valuation.

Robert Sarver personally sold his 37 percent stake to Ishbia for $1.48 billion. Sarver's group bought the franchise from Jerry Colangeo for $401 million in 2004.

Ishbia assumed ownership of the Suns shortly before the trade deadline and their trade for Kevin Durant.

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Kevin Durant had his introductory press conference with the Phoenix Suns on Thursday, one week after he was traded by the Brooklyn Nets.

Durant said he ultimately pushed for a trade to Phoenix largely because Kyrie Irving put in his own trade request to get out of Brooklyn. Durant acknowledged that Irving's trade request "took away our identity" as a team.

"I was upset that we couldn't finish," Durant said. "I thought we had some good momentum. We were finally building a culture that we always wanted. I felt like every game we were building our chemistry, but I didn't know what was going on with Kyrie and his situation with the organization, so I didn't really focus on that. I only focused on what we were doing on the court, and it was a blow to our team. It just took away our identity. He was a huge, huge part to what we do. His game, he's a Hall of Fame player, a great, great player, that can do everything on the floor and we relied on that.

"So without him we didn't have a clear identity. So that was tough for me to stomach. I love playing with those guys throughout the year. I felt like we had dudes that were stepping up and doing stuff that they didn't do on their previous teams. So I enjoyed everything about it -- it was tough not finishing the season, but I just tried to move forward as quickly as I can and try to figure something out for myself, but also still focus on trying to rehab and get back. So it all happened so fast, but I'm glad it worked out this way."

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The San Antonio Spurs have claimed forward Julian Champagnie off waivers on a two-way contract.

Champagnie, 6-8/220, was most recently on a two-way with the Philadelphia 76ers before being waived on Feb. 14. He appeared in two games with the 76ers and 18 G League games with the Delaware Blue Coats, averaging 14.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 28.5 minutes.

Champagnie went undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft after spending three years (2019-22) at St. John's University, where he garnered All-Big East First Team honors as a sophomore and junior. The former Red Storm forward averaged 16.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.6 steals in 30.7 minutes in 88 games.

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The Utah Jazz have waived Leandro Bolmaro.

Bolmaro appeared in 14 games with the Jazz, averaging 4.9 minutes. Last season, Bolmaro appeared in 35 games with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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Nikola Jokic is the runaway leader in the second ESPN NBA MVP Straw Poll for the 22-23 season with 77 out of 100 first place votes and 913 total points.

Giannis Antetokounmpo finished second and had 11 first place votes, while Joel Embiid round out the top-3.

NBA MVP Straw Poll 2.0 Results
1. Nikola Jokic: 913
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo: 552
3. Joel Embiid: 490
4. Jayson Tatum: 410
5. Luka Doncic: 218
6. Ja Morant: 8
7. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 4
8. Donovan Mitchell: 4
9. Stephen Curry: 1
10. Kevin Durant: 1

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The Boston Celtics have named Joe Mazzulla the 19th head coach in franchise history and have agreed upon a contract extension with him.

Mazzulla replaces Ime Udoka, who was suspended by the Celtics for the entire season.

"As he has shown, Joe is a very talented coach and leader," said Brad Stevens. "He has a unique ability to galvanize a room around a mission. We are thankful for the work he has done to help get us to this point, and excited that he has agreed to lead us into the future."

The Celtics currently own the best record in the Eastern Conference at 42-17. Mazzulla, a native of Johnston, RI, was recognized as the NBA Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for games played in October and November after leading the team to a league-best 18-4 record (.818). Mazzulla was also named the NBA All-Star Head Coach on Jan. 30, and will coach Team Giannis in Salt Lake City. Mazzulla becomes only the third first-year head coach over the last 24 seasons to helm an All-Star team, and is the eighth coach in Celtics history to earn the honor.

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Kevin Love is finalizing a buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Sources add that the Heat are expected to register interest for Love.

Love, who was recently removed from the team's rotation, was currently in the final year of a 4-year, $120 million extension signed in 2018.

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Anfernee Simons will undergo an MRI on his right ankle.

Simons sprained his ankle on Tuesday night and x-rays were negative.

Simons is averaging 21.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 56 games this season for the Portland Trail Blazers.

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Grant Riller has been named the NBA G League Player of the Week for games played Monday, Feb. 6 through Sunday, Feb. 12.

Riller averaged 38.5 points and 3.0 assists in two games, helping the Legends to a 2-0 record.

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Shortly after the Dallas Mavericks traded for Kyrie Irving, there was speculation that he could still end up with either the Phoenix Suns or Los Angeles Lakers. Both the Suns and Lakers tried to trade for Irving before he was moved to the Mavericks. The Suns went on to trade for Kevin Durant, while the Lakers traded for a package that included D'Angelo Russell. The Lakers could conceivably create cap space to sign Irving, or possibly incentivize the Mavericks to participate in a sign-and-trade.

Either way, the Mavericks acquired Irving to keep him and they have the capacity to offer him the most money.

"I think it's more likely than not Kyrie Irving stays in Dallas," said Adrian Wojnarowski on ESPN. "Just because of what they invested in him. And his chance to get the kind of contract he wants... I think given of what they gave up and Dallas' track record of being willing to pay players who want to be there. I think it's more likely than not Kyrie Irving is in Dallas. Of course it can all change.

"I do think [the Lakers] traded for Russell with the idea they'll go forward with him on a new deal."

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The Houston Rockets have bought out three players during this regular season in Danny Green, Justin Holiday and John Wall.

The Rockets have $81.7 million in dead money, which represents $27 million more than the combined salaries of active players on the roster.

The Rockets previously bought out Wall from his $40.867 million salary for 22-23, so they have two separate dead money slots on him.

Houston also bought out Derrick Favors, Maurice Harkless, Theo Maledon and Ty Jerome before the season.

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Rich Paul is launching a sportswear brand this spring called Klutch Athletics. The brand will work in partnership with New Balance.

Klutch Athletics plans to endorse athletes across all men's and women's sports and levels.

"I'm thrilled to create Klutch Athletics to focus on supporting athletes and the communities in which they live and play," said Paul.

Paul released his own capsule with New Balance in 2021.

"There's no one better than New Balance to build this with," he said. "Everything they are doing right now from product to athletes to collaborations is leading culture."

Paul's most prominent client, LeBron James, is on a lifetime deal with Nike.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed veteran wing Danny Green. Green recently reached a buyout agreement with the Houston Rockets following a trade deadline deal from the Memphis Grizzlies.

Green played in 43 minutes over three games with the Grizzlies before being traded to the Rockets. That action came after Green returned far quicker than expected from torn ligaments in his knee, suffered in last season's playoffs while playing for the Philadelphia 76ers.

The 14-year veteran started his NBA career with the Cavs back in the 2009-10 season. Green was a second-round pick by Cleveland at the 2009 NBA Draft.

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Diamond Sports, the parent company of Bally Sports, has elected to skip a $140 million interest payment. This triggers a 30-day grace period, which is expected to lead to the company filing bankruptcy.

Bally Sports is the regional sports network that provides local coverage for 16 NBA teams. If Bally Sports is unable to meet their contractual obligations to the teams and the NBA, it could cause major problems for the teams and the league as a whole. Beyond obvious local coverage issues, media rights are part of the Basketball Related Income (BRI) calculation, which drives how the NBA derives its salary cap figures.

Teams who are currently broadcast by Bally Sports are the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, LA Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs.

Diamond Sports released the following statement: "The company intends to use the 30-day grace period to continue progressing its ongoing discussions with creditors and other key stakeholders regarding potential strategic alternatives and deleveraging transactions to best position Diamond Sports Group for the future. Diamond Sports Group expects that its business will continue as usual, and it will keep broadcasting quality live sports productions for fans while it addresses its balance sheet."

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Boston Celtics guard Derrick White did not travel home with the team following their loss at the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night. White stayed in Milwaukee to meet with an ear specialist, after having trouble hearing out of his left ear.

In the second quarter, White collided with Bucks guard Grayson Allen as both went for a loose ball. Following the play, White was seen repeatedly shaking his head, and cupping his ears. He remained in the game and nearly led the very shorthanded Celtics to an overtime victory.

Boston played the game without starters Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford. Fifth starter Rob Williams played only 13 minutes off the bench. The Celtics play at home against the Detroit Pistons in a back-to-back on Wednesday, before heading into the All-Star break.

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The Denver Nuggets have signed guard Reggie Jackson to a rest-of-season contract. Jackson was recently waived by the Charlotte Hornets after being acquired in a trade deadline deal that sent Mason Plumlee to the LA Clippers.

In 52 games with the Clippers this season, Jackson averaged 10.9 points and 3.5 assists. He'll fill the backup point guard role for Denver, who traded Bones Hyland to the Clippers in a deadline day deal that brought Thomas Bryant to the Nuggets.

The move to Denver brings Jackson back home to Colorado. He played his high school ball at Palmer High School in Colorado Springs.

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The NBA and National Basketball Players Association are discussing tying the league's postseason awards to the number of regular season games played, sources told Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.

The topic is being discussed as part of negotiations for the next collective bargaining agreement.

Tying awards with game appearances could be one way to solve the league's load management issues.

The league and the union are currently in talks over a new CBA, with the next deadline for either side to opt out of the current agreement on March 31.

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An MRI revealed that DeMar DeRozan has a Grade 1 thigh strain, the Chicago Bulls announced on Tuesday.

DeRozan revealed that he had been bothered by the thigh for over a month.

Billy Donovan downplayed the seriousness of the injury.

"I don't think it's significant. But we'll see how he progresses and how he feels. He knows his body well. He's always very conscientious about taking care of it. We hope with treatment and how diligent he is, he'll progress," said Donovan.

DeRozan was not ruled out for Thursday's game against the Bucks.

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Bronny James was named as one of 26 players to represent Team USA at the upcoming Nike Hoop Summit.

James, currently ranked No. 28 in the class of 2023 by ESPN, is the only player on the men's roster to not yet have committed to a college.

The U.S. teams will compete against an international roster on April 8 at the Moda Center in Portland, OR.

Historical rosters for the Nike Hoop Summit can be found here.

Roster

Omaha Biliew, Iowa State

Blake Buchanan, Virginia

Isaiah Collier, USC

Eric Dailey Jr., Oklahoma State

Justin Edwards, Kentucky

Ron Holland, Texas

Bronny James, Undeclared

Jared McCain, Duke

Jackson Shelstad, Oregon

Sean Stewart, Duke

D.J. Wagner, Kentucky

Ja'Kobe Walter, Baylor

Cody Williams, Colorado

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The San Antonio Spurs have agreed to sign Charles Bassey to a four-year, $10.2 million deal.

Bassey was on a Two-Way contract with the Spurs.

Bassey will have $5.2 million of his contract guaranteed.

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The Dallas Mavericks made a risky move ahead of the trade deadline in acquiring Kyrie Irving.

Sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo that Doncic gave the Mavericks his approval on the trade before it was executed.

While Doncic strongly indicated his desire for the Mavericks to upgrade their roster this season, sources tell Fischer that Doncic has "remained far from contemplating any future with another franchise." In other words, Doncic is nowhere close to seeking an exit from the Mavericks. Doncic cannot become a free agent until 2026 at the earliest.

Doncic can sign his next supermax extension 2025.

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When the Phoenix Suns and Cam Johnson discussed a contract extension before the 22-23 season, the two sides were unable to agree to terms. Johnson was eventually traded to the Brooklyn Nets as part of the Kevin Durant deal.

The Suns' best offer to Johnson was $72 million over four years. One year prior, the Suns signed Mikal Bridges to a four-year, $90 million extension. They were unable to sign Deandre Ayton to an extension that offseason.

Johnson will be a restricted free agent this offseason with the Nets.

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James Harden has hired a full time agent for the first time since 2017 in signing with Troy Payne.

Payne is a former Adidas executive who will partner with Mike Silverman and Brandon Grier to lead Equity Basketball.

Harden declined his $47.4 million player option last summer to return to the 76ers on a two-year, $68 million with a player option for next season. Harden can become a free agent again this offseason.

Harden was previously represented by Rob Pelinka, who departed the agency side of the business to work in the front office of the Los Angeles Lakers. Harden then was represented by Brandon Rosenthal.

When Harden requested a trade from the Rockets in 2020, he retained Jason Ranne and Chafie Fields of Wasserman to help facilitate his eventual move to the Brooklyn Nets in January 2021.

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The Memphis Grizzlies pursued a trade for Mikal Bridges both before he was dealt from the Phoenix Suns to the Brooklyn Nets and also afterwards.

Bridges is on a value contract at an annual average of $22 million and cannot become a free agent until 2026.

The Nets did not serious entertain offers for Bridges after they acquired him as part of the Kevin Durant trade with Phoenix. There will likely be many teams interested in trading for Bridges again this offseason should the Nets bring him to market.

Sources say the Grizzlies are a suitor to keep an eye on when it comes to Bridges.

Memphis also pursued OG Anunoby of the Toronto Raptors.

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The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to sign Mac McClung to a Two-Way contract.

Philadelphia will waive Julian Champagnie to create the roster spot for McClung.

McClung will be in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest this weekend.

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A report in 2021 that suggested the NBA could make as much as $7 billion to $8 billion per season in its next media rights deal appears to be overly optimistic.

Sources tell CNBC this week that an annual increase closer to 100 percent is more likely given the secular declines in linear pay TV combined with streaming businesses that are still losing billions of dollars annually.

The NBA currently makes $2.6 billion per year in its agreement with TNT and ESPN. A 100 percent increase would put the NBA at around $5 billion per season.

When the current deal was negotiated, the league did not open up talks with outside bidders as TNT and ESPN agreed to extensions. During these talks, it is expected to open up to Apple, Amazon, NBC and possibly others.

The NBA's salary cap is based on a percentage of basketball related income with their national media rights deals comprising a significant portion of those revenues.

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NBC is bidding on the NBA more than 20 years after the company lost their rights to ESPN and Turner.

NBC Sports wants a package that would include playoff games to air on NBC's broadcast network. As part of the deal NBC is seeking, they would also air some regular season games exclusively on Peacock.

The NBA could also decide to force media companies to simulcast all games on streaming to increase reach.

Amazon and Apple also have interest in streaming packages.

The NBA cannot engage formally with non-incumbent bidders until April 2024, though TNT and ESPN could waive their exclusive negotiation windows.

The NBA's current deal with ESPN and TNT expires after the 24-25 season. The three parties reached an extension in 2014 without opening talks with outside bidders.

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Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro has accepted an invitation to compete in the 2023 Three-Point Contest at All-Star Weekend. The NBA is expected to announce the full field of competitors later this week.

Herro is shooting 36.9% on 8.1 three-point attempts per game. As a full-time starter for the first time in his career, Herro has averaged 20.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game.

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The Boston Celtics chose not to trade Grant Williams ahead of last week's trade deadline. Boston sees Williams is a key rotation player in their bid to make a return trip to the NBA Finals. But Williams' long-term future is a bit more up in the air.

Several teams are monitoring Williams as he heads into restricted free agency this summer. Some believe Williams is seeking a $20 million per season contract, similar to the one Keldon Johnson signed with the San Antonio Spurs.

Williams has averaged 8.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in 27.6 minutes per game this season. He's hit 41% of his three-pointers over each of the last two seasons. In individual games this season, Williams has set or equaled his career-high in points, rebounds and assists.

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DeMar DeRozan left the Chicago Bulls' 100-91 loss to the Orlando Magic in the fourth quarter due to a right hip injury.

DeRozan is set to undergo testing on the hip on Tuesday.

"It was bothering me the whole game. I just felt it. I didn't want to risk nothing. Hurting it anymore, what it was or anything. Just the accumulation of what it's been, attempting to play on it," said DeRozan.

DeRozan missed last Monday's game against the Grizzlies with the injury.

DeRozan did not rule himself out for the rest of the week, or for the upcoming All-Star Game.

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Jae Crowder won't make his Milwaukee Bucks debut until after the All-Star break, Mike Budenholzer said on Monday.

Crowder, who has yet to suit up this season, was initially traded from the Suns to the Nets in the Kevin Durant deal, then traded again to the Bucks before the trade deadline.

Crowder did not specify his rift with the Suns on Monday.

"I just feel like it's behind me now. We had some stuff happen internally that they asked me to keep inside, so I'm going to grant their wishes.

"Obviously I've been working with these guys for a trade partner for months now. I think give or take they did exactly what they said they was going to do," said Crowder.

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Gary Payton II will be out for at least a month due to an injured abdomen, according to Bob Myers.

The Warriors hope to have Payton in time for the playoffs.

The Warriors approved the trade for Payton on Sunday after the guard initially failed a physical, with the team believing that the Blazers withheld medical information during the process of the trade.

The Warriors asked the league to investigate the failure to provide medical information.

The NBA could punish the Blazers with a fine or a loss of draft picks.

"What do I want [from the investigation process]? Whatever the NBA says is fair. I just want a fair result," said Myers on Monday.

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The Golden State Warriors will re-evaluate Steph Curry after the All-Star break, though there is no specific date for his return from a left lower leg injury.

Curry said that he will miss the team's first game following the break against the Lakers, and may miss several more.

"Ligaments can heal in all different types of timelines. So there's a window for each checkpoint.

"After the All-Star break, I will hopefully get back on the court, and then depending on how things go from there, we can key in on a specific date to get back," said Curry.

Curry added that he can currently do almost any activity not related to on-court basketball, including lifting weights and biking.

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Tyrese Haliburton will compete in the 3-point contest during All-Star Saturday, league sources confirmed to Fieldhouse Files.

Joining Haliburton in the competition is his Pacers' teammate Buddy Hield.

Haliburton was named as a reserve for the All-Star Game earlier this month.

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NBCUniversal is reportedly planning to make a "strong bid" for NBA streaming rights, sources told Alex Sherman of CNBC.

NBCUniversal executives have made their interest known to league circles. NBC Sports is looking to air playoff games on NBC, with some regular season games exclusive to its streaming service Peacock.

The NBA could instead force companies to simulcast all games on streaming to increase its reach.

No formal discussions can take place with non-incumbent bidders, unless Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney waive their exclusive negotiating window, until April 2024.

Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery own NBA streaming rights through the 2024-25 season.

The league is likely to create one or two new packages for bidders and could have up to four media rights partners.

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Kyrie Irving made it clear in comments to the media that he does not intend to discuss his future with the Dallas Mavericks publicly during the season.

Irving and the Mavs agreed to not discuss a potential contract extension until after the playoffs. Irving will be a free agent this offseason and the Mavericks traded for him without any assurances he would remain with the franchise after his contract expires.

"It puts unwarranted distractions on us and our team," Irving said before making his home debut for the Mavericks against the Minnesota Timberwolves. "I've dealt with it before, and it's very emotionally draining to ask questions like, 'What's the long term? What's the long term?'"

Irving is only eligible to sign up to a two-year, $83 million contract with the Mavericks during the season because he was recently traded.

Irving could sign a four-year, $220.6 million supermax extension during free agency or re-sign with the Mavs for up to $272 million over five years as a free agent.

The Los Angeles Lakers are among the teams expected to be interested in Irving if he becomes a free agent.

"I don't see any risk involved," said Mavs general manager Nico Harrison, a former longtime Nike executive whose relationship with Irving dates to the guard's high school days. "I've known Kyrie for a long time. I know his core. I know what kind of person that he is. I think anybody that's ever watched him play basketball knows the type of basketball player he is.

"So I don't see the risk involved. I actually see the risk in not doing the deal."

"I will say that from the start, from when I came here, there's been nothing but a warm embrace, nothing but genuine love and nothing but a familiarity of relationships that I can really look to in times of questioning or confusion," Irving said. "There's just a positive note there. I'm just taking it one day at a time. That's all I can do in this life. What the future holds is really only going to be dictated on what I do right now and how I prepare for those next steps, and that's being the best teammate that I can be in that locker room and a great leader out here and within the Dallas community and within the NBA. I'll just continue to be myself.

"So I'm just putting that to bed and just focusing on what we have ahead of us as a team."

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LaMarcus Aldridge is working out for the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.

Aldridge is preparing to play in his 17th season. Aldridge averaged 12.9 points in 47 games for the Brooklyn Nets a season ago.

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The Orlando Magic have signed free agent center Goga Bitadze.

Bitadze (6'11", 230, 7/20/99) has played in 21 games this season with Indiana, averaging 3.3 ppg. and 2.3 rpg. in 9.6 minpg., while shooting .519 (27-52) from the floor. He led (or tied) the Pacers in rebounding once.

Originally selected in the first round (18th overall) of the 2019 NBA Draft by Indiana, Bitadze has played in 170 career NBA regular season games (21 starts), all with the Pacers, averaging 4.8 ppg. and 2.8 rpg. in 11.5 minpg.

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LeBron James will miss Monday's game for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Portland Trail Blazers with left ankle soreness.

This will be the third straight game James has missed since breaking the NBA's all-time scoring record last Tuesday.

The injury is widely believed to be more in the foot than the ankle.

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The Indiana Pacers have re-signed James Johnson.

The Pacers had to waive Johnson last week to create a roster spot to accommodate a deadline trade with the Milwaukee Bucks.

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Derrick White and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for Week 17.

White averaged 24.5 points, 7.5 assists and 4.8 rebounds as the Boston Celtics went 4-0.

Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.3 points and 6.3 assists as the Oklahoma City Thunder went 2-1.

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Justin Holiday plans to sign with the Dallas Mavericks once he clears waivers following his buyout from the Houston Rockets.

Holiday was traded by the Atlanta Hawks to the Rockets at the deadline.

The Mavericks were previously linked with Terrence Ross, who ultimately agreed to sign with the Phoenix Suns.

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Derrick Rose has been rumored as a potential buyout candidate following last week's trade deadline. Despite interest from the Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings, the New York Knicks chose to hang on to Rose.

For his part, Rose said he's not seeking a buyout.

"I'm still here," Rose said. "So my mindset has to be, 'OK, I'm gonna be here.'"

The veteran point guard said his mindset hasn't change. He's trying to be a leader for the Knicks, as they compete for a playoff spot.

"It's still the same thing. I'm still locked in with the team, talking to the guys, mentoring and just being pretty much a leader," Rose said.

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The Philadelphia 76ers plan to sign center Dewayne Dedmon to a contract for the remainder of the season. Dedmon was recently waived the San Antonio Spurs.

The Spurs acquired Dedmon from the Miami Heat in a salary-reducing trade for Miami. San Antonio received a second-round pick in exchange for eating Dedmon's $4.7 million salary for this season.

In 30 games with the Heat this season, Dedmon averaged 5.7 points and 3.6 rebounds in 11.7 minutes per game. The Sixers had been looking for additional center depth behind Joel Embiid prior to last Thursday's trade deadline.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed forward/center Olivier Sarr to a Two-Way Contract.

Sarr (6-11, 240) has appeared in four games this season for the Thunder's G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, and averaged 11.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.50 blocks in 20.9 minutes per game. During the 2021-22 season, Sarr saw action in 22 games (two starts) for the Thunder and averaged 7.0 points on 57.4 percent shooting to go along with 4.2 rebounds in 19.1 minutes per game.

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The Orlando Magic officially waived Patrick Beverley on Sunday.

Beverley was acquired along with a second-round pick at the trade deadline for Mo Bamba.

The Magic are currently negotiating a buyout with Terrence Ross and may waive R.J. Hampton.

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The Golden State Warriors will approve the four-team trade that sees them acquire Gary Payton II ahead of Sunday's 9:30 PM ET deadline.

Golden State found a core muscle injury when completing Payton's physical. That put the trade in jeopardy of being finalized. The Warriors are reportedly working the NBA, as they believe the Portland Trail Blazers withheld key medical information during the process of completing the four-team trade.

Once pushed through, Golden State will acquire Payton and two second-round picks. The Atlanta Hawks will acquire Saddiq Bey, while the Detroit Pistons will acquire James Wiseman. The Portland Trail Blazers will acquire Kevin Knox and five second-round picks.

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Veteran wing Danny Green is nearing agreement with the Cleveland Cavaliers for a rest of the season contract. Green is finalizing a buyout from the Houston Rockets to free him up to join Cleveland.

The Cavaliers had searched for a wing on the trade market. They Cavs will now add a veteran with championship experience in Green.

Green was traded to the Rockets from the Memphis Grizzlies at last week's trade deadline. That trade saw Luke Kennard head to the Grizzlies and Eric Gordon land with the LA Clippers.

Green also drew interest from the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns. The Suns are reportedly adding Terrence Ross in the coming days. Ross recently reached a buyout agreement with the Orlando Magic.

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Zion Williamson aggravated his hamstring injury and will likely miss multiple weeks after the All-Star break.

Williamson had already been ruled out for the All-Star Game, but was expected to return soon after the break.

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Danny Green and the Houston Rockets have agreed to a buyout.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics have emerged as frontrunners to sign Green. The Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns will also be involved in trying to sign Green once he clears waivers.

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Payton Pritchard was mentioned in trade rumors leading to the deadline and hoped he would be moved by the Boston Celtics.

Pritchard's minutes have diminished as he plays behind Marcus Smart, Derrick White and Malcom Brogdon.

"I definitely was expecting and hoping [for a trade]," Pritchard told the Globe. "But you know, I [have to] look at the good things. We're the best team in the NBA right now and we have a great team with really great players, so for me it's an opportunity to learn and to keep growing."

Pritchard has watched his minutes steadily decrease each of his three seasons since being drafted 26th overall in 2020. He's averaging 12.6 minutes and 4.7 points this season, both career lows.

Brad Stevens offered Pritchard in a package with Danilo Gallinari for San Antonio's Jakob Poeltl, but the Spurs declined the offer and traded center to the Toronto Raptors ahead of Thursday's deadline.

"It was an emotional day, but you know I'm here and I quickly changed my mind and I'm here to do a job to the best of my ability," Pritchard said. "For me my mindset is just come in every day and keep getting better. The only thing I can do is focus on that."

Pritchard is eligible for a rookie extension this summer.

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Reggie Jackson has agreed to a buyout with the Charlotte Hornets and plans to sign with the Denver Nuggets once he clears waivers.

Jackson was traded by the Los Angeles Clippers to the Hornets at the deadline.

The Nuggets have a need for depth at point guard following their trade of Bones Hyland to the Clippers.

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Paul George and Marcus Morris are pushing for the Los Angeles Clippers to sign Russell Westbrook should he agree to a buyout with the Utah Jazz.

George brought up Westbrook when he was asked if the Clippers should add a point guard with their open roster spot in the buyout market.

"I mean if there's, you know, somebody out there -- Russell," George said after the Clippers lost 119-106 to the Milwaukee Bucks at home on Friday night. "If it makes sense and obviously it goes with our team, we're all for it. You know, we need a point guard. But you know, [at] the same [time], I think we're good as well. If nothing happened, we got enough in this locker room to be able to make it work.

"But it would definitely improve our team if we had that traditional point guard to kind of get us in things and make the game easy. So hopefully Russell sees this and we figure something out."

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Rob Pelinka described the moves the Los Angeles Lakers made leading up to the trade deadline as pre-agency.

The Lakers acquired Rui Hachimura, D'Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley and Mo Bamba.

"I think a deep dive into this, you can almost look at it as 'pre-agency,'" Pelinka told reporters on a conference call on Saturday. "We very intentionally planned these moves to provide optionality in July. ... It really is an exciting time, I think, for Laker Nation."

The Lakers drafted Russell and traded him to the Brooklyn Nets in 2017 to accommodate Lonzo Ball, who was later traded in 2019 for Anthony Davis.

"I think D'Angelo has shown a lot of growth since we had him here," Pelinka said of Russell, whose contract expires this summer but is extension eligible. "We do see him not just as a player that's a short-term rental. So, we think that he's a player that can really fit nicely, again, with our core pieces of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, just bringing spacing and shooting and playmaking and efficiency."

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James Harden returned to Barclays Center for the first time since he pushed for a trade from the Brooklyn Nets to the Philadelphia 76ers last year.

When asked whether he could have imagined a scenario in which both Durant and Irving would have been gone by the time he played his first game against the Nets.

"Yeah," Harden said.

Harden was asked to explain further.

"I didn't just ask to leave for no reason," Harden said. "I was in a really good place in Houston. Obviously, we didn't have a chance to win a championship, but I was comfortable. So for me to up and leave my family, all the things I created there, to come to Brooklyn for a year and a half to try to just get up and leave, it was for a reason, you know what I mean? But I'm happy for the organization and what they've got back. They got some really good pieces."

Harden said there were things he felt the Nets could have done to keep him but did not elaborate specifically.

"Yeah, there was," he said. "Like, a lot of things. But it was just a lot of dysfunction. Clearly. But it was a lot of internal things that I'm not going to ever just say, put in the media or anything. And that was one of the reasons why I chose to make my decision.

"But now, fast-forward to date, I don't look like the crazy one. I don't look like the guy or the quitter or whatever the media want to call me. I knew what was going on and I just decided to ... hey, I'm not built for this. I don't want to deal with that. I want to play basketball and have fun and enjoy doing it. And fast-forward to today, they've got a whole new roster."

Harden said he pushed for the move because he knew things were already moving in a bad direction for the Nets.

"It was wrong," Harden said. "It definitely ... it was wrong. It wasn't right. It wasn't right."

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The Indiana Pacers have waived Serge Ibaka. Indiana acquired Ibaka at the trade deadline in a deal that sent Jae Crowder to the Bucks, while the Pacers got multiple second-round picks.

Ibaka appeared in just 16 games with the Bucks this season. The veteran big man and Milwaukee had worked on finding him a new home ahead of the trade deadline, but nothing materialized. Ibaka will now try to catch on with a playoff team for the stretch run.

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The Toronto Raptors have signed forward Joe Wieskamp to multi-year contract. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed by the team.

Wieskamp appeared in two games with Toronto earlier this season, while on a pair of 10 Day contracts. He averaged 4.5 points in 8.5 minutes per game.

In 19 G League games this season, Wieskamp averaged 16.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. He shot 49.3% from the floor, including 41.2% on 6.9 three-point attempts per game.

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The Orlando Magic and wing Terrence Ross are working towards a buyout. The Dallas Mavericks are the frontrunners to sign Ross when he clears waivers from Orlando.

Ross has seen his playing time drastically reduced this season with the Magic. In 42 games, he's averaged 8.0 points on 43.1% shooting from the field, including 38.1% on three-pointers.

Ross will likely give back a portion of his $11.5 million salary for this season. If Ross signs with the Mavericks, the max they can offer him is a prorated veteran minimum contract.

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Jerami Grant has signed with Klutch Sports Group, he confirmed on Friday night.

Grant is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer and will be eligible to sign a five-year, $233.2 million with the Blazers.

Grant reportedly turned down a four-year, $112 million extension from the Blazers during the season.

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Diamond Sports Group LLC., the owner of 19 Bally Sports regional sports networks, will declare bankruptcy next week.

The company has $140 million in interest payments due next week. Instead of paying the amount, the group will instead file for Chapter 11.

The group has local broadcasting rights to over 40 teams in the NBA, NHL, and MLB. Diamond has $1.8 billion in rights fees due this year to the three sports leagues.

Diamond renewed its streaming contract for 16 NBA teams last year, including the Hawks, Heat, Mavs, Clippers, Bucks, and Suns.

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Mitchell Robinson will not return to the New York Knicks lineup until after the All-Star break, Tom Thibodeau confirmed on Friday.

Robinson suffered a fractured right thumb in mid-January.

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Nick Smith is set to return from his knee injury on Saturday against Mississippi State.

Smith has not played since December 17, and has only appeared in 5 games for Arkansas this season.

Smith is currently projected as the No. 6 pick in the 2023 draft by ESPN.

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Eugene Omoruyi will have his Two-Way contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder converted to a regular NBA contract through the 23-24 season.

Omoruyi has appeared in 21 games with the Thunder, averaging 5.1 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12.2 minutes per game.

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The Memphis Grizzlies were interested in a major upgrade and pursued a number of options in a strategy that was a departure from their emphasis on the draft.

"They tried really hard [on] OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges," said Adrian Wojnarowski. "I think those kind of wing players they felt could catapult them."

The Grizzlies reportedly offered three future first round picks to the Toronto Raptors for Anunoby.

Wojnarowski has also reported that the Grizzlies could revisit those talks in the offseason.

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A four-team trade between the Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons and Portland Trail Blazers is in peril following concerns over Gary Payton II's physical exam.

The Warriors ruled Payton as a failed physical and have until Saturday to through with the deal or rescind the trade.

Payton has been playing through a core muscle injury and the Blazers' training staff had been pushing him to gut through it with Toreador shots. This information had not been relayed to the Warriors during the negotiations.

Payton had abdominal surgery during the summer.

"Player safety is super important to us," said Blazers general manager Joe Cronin. "It's a super important thing around the league. We were playing him ... he had been cleared and we were confident that he was healthy when he was playing. We would not have brought him back if we thought he wasn't healthy or if we thought he was at risk. You trust that we did the right thing, and you trust that our process was correct, and these reports, you know, I think if you knew our clearance process was proper, so I will have to rely on that."

The Warriors sent out James Wiseman to the Pistons to acquire Payton, while Detroit traded Saddiq Bey to the Hawks for five second round picks, which were sent to Portland.

Payton has two years and $17.8 million remaining on his contract after this season.

Payton signed a three-year, $26.1 million deal with the Blazers.

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Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) and Ben Golliver of the Washington Post (@BenGolliver) break down the NBA trade deadline.

The two discuss Kevin Durant's fit with the Phoenix Suns, how superstars pair up, Kyrie Irving in Dallas, the looming 2025 cap increase and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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When Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman requested a meeting with Sean Marks less than 24 hours after the Brooklyn Nets traded it was described as "somber." Durant told Marks he wanted to be traded and specifically asked to be dealt to the Phoenix Suns. Durant, Kleiman and Marks then Facetimed Joe Tsai, who was at his home in San Diego.

Durant wanted the situation to remain private as he didn't want a bidding war and days of being the target of speculation.

"At some point, there's just a fatigue," one source close to the process said. "There's just too much drama. Too much uncertainty."

Durant told the Nets he'd play out the rest of the 22-23 season if they couldn't find a way to execute the trade with the Suns and he'd find a way to get excited about their new additions in Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith from the Dallas Mavericks.

The Durant deal started as an owner-to-owner call on Monday afternoon as Tsai told Mat Ishbia that Durant wanted a trade to the Suns. Ishbia had attended several Nets' games over the years as a guest of Tsai and the two had grown to like each other.

Marks and James Jones began working on the details of a trade, and the Nets never came off their asking price.

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The Brooklyn Nets never budged from their asking price on a trade of Kevin Durant as their talks with the Phoenix Suns progressed during the week of the deadline. The Nets maintained a high asking price and received it from the Suns soon after Mat Ishbia assumed ownership.

Not only did the Nets acquire the full assortment of future first round picks and swaps from the Suns, but both Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson. The Suns were entirely unwilling to trade Bridges and Johnson for Durant last offseason.

"What I know is Brooklyn put out an offer on Monday, I believe, at least the beginning of the week, and pretty much didn't budge from that offer," said Brian Windhorst. "And I don't know how close they got with any other teams. I have no idea, but they pretty much said 'This is what it's going to take.'

"And the Suns, at the end of the day, acquiesced to it. They did because Ishbia was there, but as the week went on and they discussed it more and more, and they looked at it, I believe from my discussions that James Jones was in alignment with Mat Ishbia. I think that it is easy to make an assumption and I kind of was thinking that might have been the case, but I did the reporting and I feel comfortable in saying there was alignment in the organization."

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The Memphis Grizzlies have been prepared since July to trade every future first round pick and pick swap to the Brooklyn Nets for Kevin Durant, sources told ESPN's Zach Lowe.

The Grizzlies, however, were unwilling to include Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. in any discussion.

Memphis also offered three first round picks to the Toronto Raptors for OG Anunoby, sources tell Lowe. The Raptors also wanted a high-level player or prospect included in any deal for Anunoby.

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The Toronto Raptors kept OG Anunoby at the trade deadline despite considerable interest. ESPN's Bobby Marks said approximately half the league submitted offers to the Raptors for Anunoby.

Zach Lowe detailed the interest in Anunoby from the Memphis Grizzlies and Indiana Pacers.

"For instance, I've heard Memphis offered three first round picks for Anunoby," said Lowe on his podcast. "But Toronto made it clear to these teams like 'we want a player too.' I don't think that sort of player was on the table at least from their view at least in Memphis.

"Indiana, I heard offered three first round picks and the Rockets' second round pick, which I believe they own in this upcoming draft. Which is almost like another first round pick.

"But again, the player chip wasn't there for Toronto and they moved to fight another day."

The Golden State Warriors also discussed a trade for Anunoby, but are not believed to have been close to discussing the details of a move.

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The Brooklyn Nets received considerable trade interest in Mikal Bridges after acquiring him as part of the Kevin Durant trade, but decided to keep him at the deadline.

Bridges is on the first year of a four-year, $90 million extension he signed with the Phoenix Suns before the 21-22 season.

"I know of one team, and I've confirmed this," said Zach Lowe on his podcast. "I know of one team who offered four first round picks for Mikal Bridges.

"Now, I know of at least three first round picks. I think the fourth one may have had some protections or something, but I'm pretty sure that was a thing."

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The Brooklyn Nets attempted to convince Kevin Durant to remain with the franchise by indicating they thought they had a chance to add another star either at the trade deadline or in the offseason.

Pascal Siakam was one of the players the Nets pursued at the trade deadline, but the Toronto Raptors didn't make him available.

"I think they told him, 'Hey man, in the summer, we can get some big names. There are going to be some big names who might ask out. We are going to collect stuff to give ourselves a shot at it.'

"I'm not going to name who those names are, but I think that's a conversation that was had.

"They tried to get Pascal Siakam now in the intervening 96 hours because K.D. made it known he likes Pascal Siakam. He thought he would be a good fit."

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The Milwaukee Bucks pursued trading for Fred VanVleet from the Toronto Raptors at the deadline, reports Shams Charania.

The Raptors decided to keep VanVleet, who will be a free agent this offseason.

Charania didn't detail how the Bucks would send out matching salary to acquire VanVleet.

The Los Angeles Clippers were one of the other teams who strongly pursued VanVleet and the Raptors asked them for Terence Ross at a minimum.

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Will Barton and the Washington Wizards are working on a buyout agreement that will let him become a free agent.

Barton has had a limited role with the Wizards this season.

Barton started 71 games and averaged 14.7 points per game last season for the Denver Nuggets.

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Reggie Jackson and the Charlotte Hornets will likely agree to a contract buyout.

The Hornets traded for Jackson from the Los Angeles Clippers at the deadline.

Jackson will be one of the top point guard options on the buyout market and he will prioritize playing for a contender.

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The Los Angeles Clippers had interest in acquiring Fred VanVleet at the deadline, but the Toronto Raptors required the inclusion of Terance Mann and possibly additional pick compensation.

VanVleet is on an expiring contract after turning down a four-year, $114 million extension from the Raptors, which was the most they can offer him under the cap. VanVleet can sign for more money in the offseason. Toronto could re-sign VanVleet or potentially participate in a sign-and-trade.

Mann became the starting point guard of the Clippers in January.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves are not expected to pursue Patrick Beverley if he becomes available following a buyout with the Orlando Magic.

Beverley was traded by the Los Angeles Lakers to the Magic for Mo Bamba at the deadline.

The Wolves traded Beverley to the Utah Jazz last summer as part of the Rudy Gobert deal.

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The Golden State Warriors have agreed to acquire Gary Payton II from the Portland Trail Blazers for five second round picks and Kevin Knox.

Payton left the Warriors last offseason on a three-year, $28 million deal.

The Warriors wanted to keep Payton, but were concerned about the financial viability of doing so while also holding James Wiseman under contract.

The deal is folded into a multi-team trade with the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks.

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The Atlanta Hawks plan on keeping John Collins past the trade deadline.

The Hawks had discussions on Collins with at least the Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons and Brooklyn Nets.

Collins has been on the trade market for multiple transactions windows.

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The Los Angeles Clippers have agreed acquire Mason Plumlee from the Charlotte Hornets for Reggie Jackson. Plumlee is on a $9 million expiring contract.

Plumlee gives the Clippers a second big man behind Ivica Zubac.

The Clippers have remade their backcourt in sending out Jackson and John Wall while acquiring Bones Hyland and Eric Gordon. The Clippers have also been linked with Russell Westbrook, who is expected to be bought out.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder agreed to trade Darius Bazley to the Phoenix Suns for Dario Saric and a second round pick.

The Suns previously attempted to unload Saric as part of the Kevin Durant trade.

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The New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to acquire Josh Richardson from the San Antonio Spurs for Devonte' Graham and four second round picks.

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The Los Angeles Lakers remain in discussions with the Detroit Pistons on Bojan Bogdanovic.

The Lakers still own their 2029 first round pick despite acquiring D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt.

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The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to trade Patrick Beverley and a second round pick to the Orlando Magic for Mo Bamba.

Bamba gives the Lakers frontcourt depth around Anthony Davis after trading away Thomas Bryant.

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The Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to acquire Eric Gordon from the Houston Rockets as part of a three-team trade. The Clippers will send Luke Kennard to the Memphis Grizzlies and John Wall to the Rockets. Memphis will send Danny Green to the Rockets as part of the deal. Memphis will send three second round picks to the Clippers.

The Rockets will receive the right to swap the Milwaukee Bucks' first round pick with the Clippers' this year.

Gordon was drafted by the Clippers and traded to New Orleans as part of the Chris Paul trade in 2011.

Gordon signed a three-year, $54.5 million extension with the Rockets in 2019.

Wall will presumably be bought out again by the Rockets.

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The Golden State Warriors have joined the New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies in pursuing a trade with the Toronto Raptors for OG Anunoby.

Toronto has been listening to Anunoby trades for several weeks, but do not appear to be committed to dealing him by the deadline.

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The Atlanta Hawks have agreed to trade Justin Holiday and Frank Kaminsky to the Houston Rockets for Garrison Matthews and Bruno Fernando. The Hawks will also send two second round picks to the Rockets.

The deal saves money for the Hawks, who also acquired Saddiq Bey at the deadline.

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The Golden State Warriors have agreed to trade James Wiseman to the Detroit Pistons, while Saddiq Bey will be moved to the Atlanta Hawks.

Atlanta will send five second round picks to the Warriors. The Warriors will save significantly on salary and luxury tax in trading away Wiseman.

Wiseman is the former No. 2 pick in the draft and the Pistons have previously acquired Marvin Bagley as a second draft prospect who similarly struggled with the Sacramento Kings.

Kevin Knox will also be included in the deal with the Pistons sending him to the Warriors.

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The Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to acquire Bones Hyland from the Denver Nuggets for second round picks in 2024 and 2025.

The Nuggets were determined to trade Hyland by the deadline.

The Clippers have searched for a point guard though Hyland is a score first guard.

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This past offseason, the Brooklyn Nets had the opportunity to acquire Bam Adebayo as part of a three-way trade with the Miami Heat and Utah Jazz.

The Nets would have sent Ben Simmons to the Jazz, while the Heat would have acquired Donovan Mitchell.

Brooklyn reportedly declined to move forward with the trade. Utah went on to trade Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Simmons has not been a productive player this season and is now widely considered to be one of the NBA's worst contracts.

Kevin Durant was frustrated by Brooklyn's trade of James Harden for Simmons, particularly after Simmons was clearly nowhere near his former All-Star form.

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The Golden State Warriors have explored a trade of James Wiseman with the Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers.

The Warriors have pursued a two timelines approach, but there is skepticism Wiseman will ever become a productive rotation player for the team.

Golden State selected Wiseman with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 draft.

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The Los Angeles Lakers traded away Russell Westbrook in a move that improves their roster, but also could make their vibes better.

A source told ESPN's Dave McMenamin that by trading away Westbrook "you remove a vampire from the locker room. That meaning a vampire sucks the blood out of the locker room. Russell Westbrook moves on."

Westbrook and Darvin Ham had a heated verbal exchange at halftime of Tuesday's game when LeBron James broke the scoring record.

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Russell Westbrook is expected to reach agreement with the Utah Jazz on a buyout and will be a free agent.

Sources tell Law Murray of The Athletic that Westbrook will have interest in joining either the Los Angeles Clippers or Miami Heat once he clears waivers.

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The New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls are revisiting trade discussions on Zach LaVine, a source tells Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Talks between the Knicks and Bulls began on Wednesday, but broke off and are now back on.

LaVine is in the first season of a five-year, $215 million deal with the Bulls.

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The Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to acquire Matisse Thybulle from the Philadelphia 76ers as part of a three-way trade with the Charlotte Hornets. The Sixers will acquire Jalen McDaniels in the trade while the Hornets will receive multiple second round picks.

The Sixers were expected to trade Thybulle, who was largely out of their rotation. Thybulle will be a restricted free agent and is represented by Aaron Goodwin, who is also the agent for Damian Lillard.

McDaniels will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

Portland will also reroute Svi Mykhailiuk, who was part of the Josh Hart trade with the Knicks, to the Hornets.

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The Houston Rockets have inquired with the Brooklyn Nets on the potential availability of Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

The Nets acquired Bridges and Johnson from the Phoenix Suns as part of the Kevin Durant trade.

The Rockets own a number of future first round picks from the Nets, which could be appealing to the Nets as they begin their reset coming out of the Durant-Kyrie Irving era.

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The Golden State Warriors and Detroit Pistons have held trade talks on Saddiq Bey.

The Warriors have shown an increased willingness to trade James Wiseman at the deadline. The Pistons have interest in Wiseman, who was the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NBA draft. Wiseman has not been in Golden State's rotation and there have been doubts he remained a long-term fit for them.

Bey will be a restricted free agent in 2024 and is averaging 14.8 points, 4.6 rebound and 1.6 assists in 28.8 minutes over 52 games this season with the Pistons. Bey is a career 35.7 percent shooter on three-pointers.

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The Indiana Pacers will acquire Jordan Nwora, Serge Ibaka, George Hill, and two second round picks as part of the Milwaukee Bucks' acquisition of Jae Crowder.

Milwaukee sent out five second round picks in exchange for Crowder.

The Pacers will waive Goga Bitadze to accommodate the transaction.

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The Brooklyn Nets accommodated Kevin Durant with a trade to the Phoenix Suns in large part due to the relationship he had with Joe Tsai and Sean Marks, according to Nick Friedell.

Tsai and Marks "adored" Durant, according to Friedell, and the Suns were the team he wanted to play for.

Durant rescinded his trade request last offseason and played at an MVP level for the Nets without any subsequent issues.

Even after the Irving trade, Durant remained silent on the situation and worked behind the scenes with the Nets on a resolution.

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The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to trade Thomas Bryant to the Denver Nuggets for Davon Reed and three second round picks.

Denver had been searching for a backup center behind Nikola Jokic.

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The Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to acquire Jae Crowder from the Brooklyn Nets for five second round picks.

The Nets acquired Crowder as part of their trade with the Phoenix Suns of Kevin Durant.

The Suns had shopped Crowder for months and the Bucks were always widely considered the team most likely to acquire him by the deadline.

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Bog Iger went on record this week to say Disney has no plans to spin off ESPN despite a push to do so from activist investors.

"ESPN is a differentiator for this company," said Iger. "It is going through some obviously challenging times because of what's happened in linear programming. But the brand of ESPN is very healthy, and the programming of ESPN is very healthy."

Disney saw its linear networks slip 5 percent to $7.3 billion in revenue, with operating income falling $244 million to $1.3 billion. Streaming revenue rose 13 percent to $5.3 billion, but losses climbed to just over $1 billion.

ESPN spent less on NFL and College Football Playoff rights, but saw sports production costs tick upward.

ESPN is currently in negotiations with the NBA over the league's next set of deals.

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The Boston Celtics have agreed to acquire Mike Muscala from the Oklahoma City Thunder for Justin Jackson and two second round picks.

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The Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns have yet to conduct a trade call with the league office on their trade of Kevin Durant as Sean Marks looks to expand the deal.

If the Nets find another team to participate, it will not include rerouting Mikal Bridges. The Nets have received significant interest in Bridges, but they intend to keep him.

Brooklyn similarly tried to expand their trade of Kyrie Irving, but were unsuccessful as teams began to realize that Durant could be coming to the trade market and didn't want to help the Nets.

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Kyrie Irving spoke about Kevin Durant's trade to the Phoenix Suns hours after he made his own debut with a new team in the Dallas Mavericks.

"I'm just praying for his happiness, praying for his well-being," Irving said. "We had a lot of conversations throughout the year of what our futures were going to look like. There was still a level of uncertainty, but we just cared about seeing each other be places that we can thrive -- whether that be together, whether that be apart. There's never been one moment where I felt like he's been angry at me for decisions I've made or I've been angry at him. We just tried to understand each other a lot better and grow as human beings, grow as brothers.

"This business changes so quickly. He's getting a little bit older. I'm getting a little bit older. I just love the competition now that we can be in the same conference, and I welcome all that. Get to see him a little bit more, probably playing against Phoenix a lot more, and that's what I'm looking forward to. Everything else in between -- I'm just glad that he got out of there."

Irving and Durant joined the Nets together as free agents in 2019. Both players requested trades from the Nets during the 2022 offseason after Irving and the Nets were unable to agree to an extension. Both players were traded by the Nets within days of each other ahead of the trade deadline.

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The Portland Trail Blazers have informed teams inquiring about the availability of Damian Lillard that he "unequivocally" won't be traded at the deadline sources tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

Lillard sign a two-year, $122 million extension with the Blazers during the 2022 offseason.

While the Blazers have upgraded their roster around Lillard by trading for Jerami Grant, they remain outside the inner circle of title contenders.

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The Toronto Raptors acquired Jakob Poeltl from the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Khem Birch, a protected 2024 first-round pick, and two future second-round picks.

The Raptors are aiming to re-sign Poeltl this summer, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

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The Brooklyn Nets are trading Kevin Durant and TJ Warren to the Phoenix Suns for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round draft picks, and a 2028 pick swap.

The unprotected picks are in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Durant was reportedly looking for a move, with Mat Ishbia looking to complete the deal on Wednesday night.

Durant reportedly had a strong interest in getting traded to the Suns when he asked for a trade last summer. Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report adds that the trade was a collaborative effort from Durant and the Nets, and the two sides part ways on good terms.

There is optimism that Durant can return from his MCL injury following the All-Star break.

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The Los Angeles Clippers plan on buying out John Wall if they are unable to trade him at the deadline.

Wall agreed to a two-year, $13.2 million deal with the Clippers upon his buyout by the Houston Rockets this past offseason.

Wall has averaged 11.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 22.2 minutes over 34 games with the Clippers.

Wall last played for the Clippers on January 13th.

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The New York Knicks have agreed to acquire Josh Hart from the Portland Trail Blazers for Cam Reddish, Svi Mykhailiuk, Ryan Arcidiacono and a protected first round pick.

The pick is lottery protected by the Knicks in 2023 and converts to four future second round picks if not conveyed this year.

Hart has a $12.96 million player option next season that becomes non-guaranteed if he exercises.

Hart played collegiately at Villanova with Jalen Brunson.

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The Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls will be two of the teams with interest in Russell Westbrook should he secure a buyout with the Utah Jazz.

The Clippers have an uncertain situation at point guard and have been looking to upgrade the position at the trade deadline.

Westbrook is a Los Angeles native and remaining in the area figures to be important to him.

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The Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz have agreed to a three-team trade.

The Lakers will acquire D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt while sending out Russell Westbrook, a lightly protected 2027 first round pick, Damian Jones and Juan Toscano-Anderson to the Jazz. The first round pick from the Lakers to Utah in 2027 is protected 1-to-4 and will convert to a 2027 second round pick if it does not convey. The Lakers have no other picks encumbered by trading this selection to Utah.

The Wolves will acquire Mike Conley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and a second round pick from the Lakers.

The Jazz will acquire Westbrook, who will be bought out as well as the 2027 first rounder from the Lakers. Westbrook had been on the trade block for several months with the Lakers scouring the market for ways to use his expiring contract to upgrade their roster.

Russell is on an expiring contract and can sign an extension for up to $67.5 million over two years. Russell is represented by Aaron Mintz and Austin Brown of CAA.

The Lakers have team options on Beasley and Vanderbilt.

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The Boston Celtics continue to seek more depth at center and have been exploring the combined value of trading out Danilo Gallinari and Payton Pritchard, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo.

Gallinari suffered a torn ACL during the offseason and has missed the entire season. Pritchard's value to the Celtics as a rotation guard has decreased after they acquired Derrick White and Malcolm Brogan in sequential transaction windows.

Fischer adds that Jakob Poeltl and Mo Bamba are a pair of available big men that match that outgoing salary.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are exploring the point guard market and have engaged the Minnesota Timberwolves on a deal for D'Angelo Russell, reported Adrian Wojnarowski on NBA Today.

Russell is on an expiring contract and has only had tepid discussions on an extension with the Wolves. The viability of the trade appears to hinge on how Russell's value is viewed by the Wolves, who have discussed trades involving him elsewhere as well.

The Lakers previously pursued a trade for Kyrie Irving and have also been linked with a trade for Mike Conley as they search for a point guard.

Russell was drafted by the Lakers in 2015 and traded to the Brooklyn Nets in 2017.

Shams Charania and Tony Jones of The Athletic report that the Utah Jazz are involved in the talks with the Lakers and Wolves with Conley going to Minnesota. The Jazz would take on Westbrook and receive draft compensation. Utah is widely expected to buyout or waive Westbrook if they acquire him at the deadline.

Jake Fischer of Yahoo reports that various versions of these discussions have included Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt also going to the Lakers.

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Zion Williamson has been ruled out of the final three games for the New Orleans Pelicans before the All-Star break as well as the All-Star Game itself.

Williamson will be reevaluated for his hamstring injury after the All-Star break.

Williamson was voted an All-Star starter for the first time. Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry are two other All-Star starters who will not play in the game.

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The Dallas Mavericks were loosely linked to Kyrie Irving this past offseason, but their interest in acquiring him is believed to have picked up in November when he was suspended by the Brooklyn Nets for linking to a documentary with antisemitic tropes. At that time, Zach Lowe characterized Irving's value around the league as being radioactive.

Irving returned to the Nets in mid-November and they went on an extended streak of excellent basketball and his comments to the media completely avoided controversy. But when extension talks with the Nets broke down, he requested a trade and was dealt to the Mavericks two days later.

"For Dallas, here's something: they've been looking at Kyrie Irving as a guy who could be their co-star for Luka Doncic," said Shams Charania on the Basketball Illuminati podcast. "They've been looking into this since November. Since Kyrie Irving had that Tweet link situation, the Mavericks quietly were the one team that were like 'Yo, if we could trade for him now, or if he gets released by the Nets somehow, someway, he's coming here. We want him bad.'

"I think that comes from Mark Cuban having the aggressiveness... Nico Harrison, Jason Kidd, they wanted Kyrie Irving as well. Nico Harrison has a relationship with him from Nike. Jason Kidd had a long relationship with him just as point guards, Jersey... Jason Kidd played in New Jersey, Kyrie Irving grew up in New Jersey. I think there were a lot of reasons."

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Russell Westbrook and Darvin Ham had a brief but heated verbal exchange in the locker room at halftime of Tuesday's loss by the Los Angeles Lakers to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Ham expressed frustration with how Westbrook lingered on the playing floor after getting subbed out of the game late in the second quarter. Ham put LeBron James back into the game with 59.1 seconds as James was trying to chase the all-time scoring record.

Ham closed the game with Westbrook and dapped each other up before leaving the arena.

The Lakers have attempted to trade Westbrook since the offseason and last week made an offer to the Brooklyn Nets for Kyrie Irving.

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The Seattle Storm have sold minority stakes in their franchise at a record valuation of $151 million.

The sale of stakes to 15 investors will help finance a $64 million, 50,000-square-foot practice facility and business office for the Storm.

The Storm's valuation is about 15 times the sale price of several WNBA teams sold previously.

"Investors don't go off of anecdotes. They go off of [comparables]," owner Ginny Gilder said. "So hopefully, we've just set the floor. We've set a real-live floor. Not just the WNBA, but women's soccer, women's hockey, where women's sports is going."

Two decades ago, the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority paid $10 million as an expansion fee for the WNBA's Connecticut Sun, according to an SEC filing.

In 2021, Mark Davis reportedly bought the Las Vegas Aces for just over $2 million.

The WNBA's TV ratings are on the rise, and a year ago the league raised $75 million from a group of investors that included Nike Inc., and businessman Michael Dell.

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The Detroit Pistons are open to trading Nerlens Noel, who would give any team acquiring him depth at center.

The Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers are among the teams interested in Noel.

The Pistons acquired Noel from the New York Knicks last offseason.

Noel has appeared in 13 games for the Pistons.

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The Brooklyn Nets discussed a trade involving OG Anunoby or Pascal Siakam with the Toronto Raptors following their agreement with Dallas Mavericks on a Kyrie Irving deal, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

There were also reports that Brooklyn was interested in Fred VanVleet.

The Raptors are engaging teams across the NBA on potential trade scenarios involving a number of their players, but they are hedging on what they will do.

"There's definitely trade discussions happening between the Raptors and teams about their players," said Windhorst. "And definitely concepts going back and forth. That is absolutely true. I've talked to several teams who have talked to me about this.

"At the same time, from what I understand, the Raptors are also saying, 'Well, we haven't decided whether we're going to do this or not. Or we may wait until summer.' They're definitely hedging.

"The Nets absolutely had interest in doing business with the Raptors after this trade. Whether it was OG Anunoby. Whether it was Pascal Siakam.

"The Raptors have had interest in some Nets' players in the past, including Nic Claxton, who they almost traded for last year at the deadline.

"But if you're Toronto, if Kevin Durant comes back to market in the summer, Toronto has a very compelling potential offer for him. And I'm wondering how much the Durant, and I say wondering because I don't know, but I wonder how much Durant's availability is affecting Toronto and how they're doing business. And how Toronto is doing business is dramatically affecting the deadline right now."

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The Brooklyn Nets may be coming off their position that they unequivocally won't trade Kevin Durant, which is a change from their posture last offseason. Brooklyn's position appears to have changed following the trade request of Kyrie Irving. While Durant and the Nets are discussing their future together, a trade could still be more likely in the offseason than at the trade deadline.

"Now that Kyrie has been traded, maybe the Nets' position on not trading Durant as it really was kind of last summer may change," said Brian Windhorst. "That is an interesting development that has happened over the last 48 hours since the Kyrie trade from people that I've talked to."

When Durant requested a trade last offseason, he had the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat atop his list. The Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors and New Orleans Pelicans were three other franchises widely considered as having the necessary assets to trade for Durant.

Durant has three more seasons remaining on his contract with the Nets.

What Durant is thinking about his situation is one of the biggest questions in the league that remains largely unknown.

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The Denver Nuggets have removed Bones Hyland from their rotation in the days leading up to Thursday's trade deadline. That's expected to be a precursor to trading Hyland.

The Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans and Toronto Raptors have all shown interested in trading for the second-year guard. The Nuggets believe they can get at least a first-round pick in exchange for Hyland.

Hyland has averaged 12.1 points in 42 games off Denver's bench this season. He's shot 37.8% on 5.7 three-point attempts per game. Hyland is also a developing playmaker, who has averaged three assists per game.

The 6-foot-3 guard has been looking for a bigger role than the one he has with the Nuggets. Some reports said Hyland would like to start, or play significant minutes off the bench, with a chance to be a part of a team's closing lineups.

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Versatile wings are always in demand ahead of the trade deadline. If that player is on a team-friendly contract, so much the better. The Houston Rockets have such a player in Jae'Sean Tate.

The Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards have all expressed interest in Tate ahead of Thurday's trade deadline. The Rockets are not shopping the 27-year-old wing, but are open to listening to offers when teams call.

Tate has appeared in just 16 games this season, after suffering a serious ankle injury. However, teams hold a high regard for Tate's defensive ability, including his ability to defend much larger players than his 6-foot-4 frame.

Tate is in the first year of a three-year, $20.6 million deal. This season is worth just over $7 million, with next dropping to $6.5 million, while the final season goes back up to just over $7 million but also contains a team option.

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For what feels like the umpteenth season, Eric Gordon is available on the trade market. The Houston Rockets have yet to deal the veteran guard, but the Phoenix Suns and LA Clippers are the most recent teams to express interest in dealing for Gordon.

Gordon started his career with the Clippers. He played his first three seasons in Los Angeles before being traded to the then New Orleans Hornets as part of the deal that brought Chris Paul to the Clippers. Gordon spent five years with the Hornets/Pelicans, before joining the Rockets in 2016.

The Suns have been on the hunt for additional shooting and wing help. Phoenix has offered Jae Crowder, as well as other package to various teams to bring in more bench depth.

If Gordon isn't traded by Thursday's deadline, it's not likely he'll work a buyout with Houston. Both sides will continue together into the offseason, when Gordon has a $20.9 million non-guaranteed contract.

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The Denver Nuggets have "registered some interest" in Cam Reddish, sources told Ian Begley of SNY.

The Knicks and Pistons also recently engaged in discussions over Reddish, with the Knicks interested in Saddiq Bey.

The Knicks are reportedly looking for two second-round picks for Reddish.

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Kevin Durant will not play in the All-Star Game as he recovers from an MCL sprain, sources told Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier in the day that there is still no timetable for Durant's return to the court.

Durant and the Nets are currently engaging in discussions over the direction of the franchise.

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Kyle Lowry is set to miss at least the next three games with a knee injury, and could potentially miss more time.

Lowry will be re-evaluated next week.

"The encouraging thing about it is there doesn't need to be a procedure or anything like that. We just need to calm it down and that's where we are right now," said Erik Spoelstra on Tuesday.

The Heat are reportedly now open to trading Lowry.

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Isiah Thomas will not have a role in the Phoenix Suns front office, a spokesperson for Mat Ishbia said on Tuesday.

The news refutes a tweet from Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report earlier in the day.

Ishbia, who assumed control of the Suns on Tuesday, is looking to make a "major and immediate impact" on the team.

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LeBron James has broken the NBA's career scoring record, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 38,387 points.

James broke Abdul-Jabbar's 39-year record with 10.9 seconds remaining in the third quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers' 133-130 loss on Tuesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena. James scored the record-breaking basket near the left elbow on a fadeaway while being guarded by Kenrich Williams.

James accelerated his quest to break the record over the past few weeks, averaging 34 points per game in January. James entered the game 36 points away from breaking the record and he appeared determined to do so in this game rather than wait for Thursday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

James reached Abdul-Jabbar in his 20th season, which was also the total number of seasons the big man played in the NBA.

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Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets have engaged on ongoing conversations on the direction of the franchise following their trade of Kyrie Irving, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The Nets have thus far told teams they don't plan on trading Durant before the deadline.

Durant requested a trade from the Nets last offseason, which the franchise declined to fulfill.

The Phoenix Suns were atop Durant's list offseason and so far the Nets haven't shown a willingness to trade him there or anywhere else.

A number of teams have reached out to the Nets on Durant's potential availability before the trade deadline.

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The Dallas Mavericks are attempting to trade JaVale McGee ahead of the trade deadline, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

McGee signed a three-year, $17 million deal with the Mavericks and expected to be their starting center. McGee has fallen out of Jason Kidd's rotation and has played sparingly since the beginning of November.

McGee spent last season with the Phoenix Suns.

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Kevin Durant was reportedly upset when he learned of Kyrie Irving's trade request from the Brooklyn Nets. Durant's opinion of what has transpired with the Nets and how he sees his future with the franchise is the currently biggest single question in the NBA.

"This is biggest question in the NBA right now that people on opposing teams are trying to find out," said Brian Windhorst on Sports Center on Monday evening about Durant's mindset. "I've talked to agents who have been trying to reach out to Durant, reach out to his representation, and haven't been hearing back. It's a struggle.

"I've been told that Kevin was upset when Kyrie asked for a trade. But the question I don't have the answer to, and I'm not going to try to get in Kevin's head, was he upset at the Nets or was he upset at Kyrie?"

The Nets traded Irving for a pair of role players that could conceivably help them compete with Durant. Brooklyn is continuing to seek trades that improve their roster and some of the teams they've discussed a deal with or also teams that could try to trade for Durant should that situation arise at some point.

"The interesting thing right now is that some of the teams that the Nets might be going to to potentially help bring in pieces to try to keep Durant satisfied, potentially could be Durant suitors whether he wants to come to the market again in the next three days, or wants to come to the market in July.

"The question teams are asking themselves is 'why should we maybe help the Nets now and do a deal if that could help them keep Durant?'"

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The Miami Heat are now open to trading Kyle Lowry after initially expressing resistance to the idea, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Lowry has missed multiple games this season due to lingering left knee soreness and hasn't been as effective as he has historically been. The Heat acquired Lowry during the 2021 offseason.

Lowry is owed $29.6 million next season.

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Fred VanVleet will be a free agent this offseason and the Toronto Raptors are receiving significant trade interest in him ahead of the deadline.

The Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns have been mentioned as interested in VanVleet, while the Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic and Minnesota Timberwolves also have registered interest.

VanVleet will decline his $22 million option with the Raptors for 23-24 and will seek a contract with an annual average over $30 million.

The Clippers appear especially motivated to upgrade their point guard position.

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Multiple teams are quietly preparing for the possibility of a Kevin Durant trade this offseason, which will likely temper a bidding war for OG Anunoby at the trade deadline, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

There has been no indication that a Durant trade request is coming soon, and the Brooklyn Nets resisted his efforts to be moved last offseason.

Durant has three more seasons remaining on his contract and the Nets remain hopeful they can surround him with a championship caliber roster.

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The Toronto Raptors continue to receive substantial interest on a trade for OG Anuoby ahead of Thursday's trade deadline, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

The New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets have all been linked to Anunoby in recent days.

The Raptors have maintained a "quite steep" asking price for Anuonby, who can become a free agent in 2024.

A bidding war for Anunoby is tempered by the expectation that Kevin Durant could become available this offseason.

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The Miami Heat have agreed to trade Dewayne Dedmon and a second round pick to the San Antonio Spurs.

The Heat create a roster spot with the move while also giving them additional clearance below the luxury tax.

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The title odds of the Dallas Mavericks initially improved when Kyrie Irving was acquired, but have now settled back to +1400, which ranks eighth in the NBA. The Brooklyn Nets' odds to win the 2023 NBA championship have dropped to +2200.

The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks remain the favorites at +300 and +450 respectively.

If the Los Angeles Lakers would have been successful in their efforts to trade for Irving, they surely would have improved from their current position of +5000, especially given their status as a public team.

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The New York Knicks are looking for ways to upgrade their rotation. New York would like to land a wing and potentially another big. That's led a member of their front office to a couple of familiar faces.

The Knicks and Utah Jazz have talked a trade that would see Evan Fournier, Obi Toppin and draft picks sent to the Jazz for Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt. Both Beasley and Vanderbilt were signed to their current contracts by Knicks assistant GM Gersson Rosas when all were member of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Toppin would fill the Jazz goal of continuing to build around players under team control, while adding additional draft picks. Beasley and Vanderbilt would be rotation upgrades for New York as they chase a playoff spot.

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The Utah Jazz have been as active as any team ahead of Thursday's trade deadline. One team that Jazz continue to circle back to with trade talks is the Los Angeles Lakers.

Utah and Los Angeles have discussed many iterations of trades, most of which involve the Jazz sending rotation players like Mike Conley and Malik Beasley to the Lakers for Russell Westbrook and the Lakers 2027 and 2029 first-round picks. If such a deal were to happen, it's expected Westbrook would accept a buyout vs reporting to Utah.

Jazz CEO Danny Ainge said the Jazz are looking to get better, but won't panic based on recent results. Building sustained success is the goal.

"We'll try to be careful, but we're trying to get better as fast as we can -- without being panicked, without rushing," Ainge said. "We're in control, and we feel like we've got to be smart about the decisions that we make."

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The Houston Rockets lost their third consecutive game on Monday night. In that loss, the Rockets allowed the visiting Sacramento Kings to score 140 points. Following the game, Houston head Stephen Silas didn't hold back on what he thought of his team's play.

When questioned about what went wrong on defense, Silas simply said "The effort. The effort."

When asked to expand on that, Silas let his team have it.

"It was getting into the body, getting over the screen, being in help, spreading the close outs, doing what we're supposed to do, acting as if it doesn't matter. It matters. It matters. Disappointing," Silas said. "These are the lessons we have to learn, I guess, and all that stuff, but that? That's not right. What we did tonight on that floor was not right. It's not right."

Asked if the Rockets struggles where due to lack of communication on defense, Silas wasn't giving his team any outs.

"They're not giving the effort on the defensive end," Silas exclaimed while slamming his hand on the table. "They're not getting after it like they're supposed to. They're not getting into their man and fighting over and helping each other. Not doing what they're supposed to do."

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After the Brooklyn Nets traded Kyrie Irving, speculation immediately turned to Kevin Durant's future with the team. The main question: Would Durant reissue the trade request he made over the summer?

To date, Durant hasn't said anything publicly about the Irving trade, or his desires following that deal. But NBA insiders don't think it's likely Durant gets moved ahead of the trade deadline.

While speaking on The Lowe Post, Zach Lowe of ESPN said he doesn't think a Durant trade is coming in the next few days.

"I've been saying since the James Harden trade, that it just feels like the inevitable end of this is that (Durant) asks for a trade a second time, having already done it for the first time. I just don't know how likely that is, or when it would happen," Lowe said. "Around the league, I think there would be some surprise-even within the Nets-if it happened in the next four days. Because that's an avalanche of stuff happening in a very short amount of time that all of the league needs to prepare for if it becomes a thing."

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The Utah Jazz have held trade conversations with every team in the league, sources told Tony Jones of The Athletic.

With multiple offers on the table for Jarred Vanderbilt, Mike Conley, and Malik Beasley, the team will approach the trade deadline with an open mind.

Vanderbilt is the most likely player to be dealt out of the group.

Conley would prefer to be moved to a contender should he be traded, according to sources.

The team is not discussing trades for Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler, or Ochai Agbaji.

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The NBA's board of governors approved the sale of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury to Mat Ishbia on Monday.

The sale is expected to close on Tuesday.

Ishbia was approved as the Suns' new governor by a 29-0 vote, with the Cavs choosing to abstain.

Ishbia could be introduced by the Suns as early as Wednesday.

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Kevin Love is out of the Cleveland Cavaliers rotation to make room for Dean Wade, reported Chris Fedor of cleveland.com.

Fedor adds that the decision was made following a discussion between Love and J.B. Bickerstaff.

Love is averaging 8.5 points and 6.8 rebounds this season.

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The Brooklyn Nets were unable to expand their Kyrie Irving trade with the Dallas Mavericks to include a third team and have finished their call with the league to make it official.

The Nets were said to be attempting to expand the deal to include the Toronto Raptors with interest in Fred VanVleet.

The Mavericks wanted to call in the trade by the end of the day on Monday in order to allow Irving to practice on Tuesday and play in Wednesday's game.

The final trade is Irving and Markieff Morris to the Mavericks with Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 first round pick and two future second rounds picks going to the Nets.

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Furkan Korkmaz has requested a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers before Thursday's trade deadline.

Sources have said that Korkmaz has been informed the Sixers will try to package him in a trade elsewhere.

Korkmaz has appeared in just three of Philadelpha's past 12 games.

Korkmaz also asked to be moved during the 2018-19 season. Korkmaz went on to receive more playing time and signed a two-year deal in 2019. Korkmaz re-signed in 2021 on a three-year, $15 million deal.

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The Brooklyn Nets are exploring the possibility of expanding their trade of Kyrie Irving to include the Toronto Raptors to acquire Fred VanVleet, sources tell Marc Stein of Substack.

VanVleet is on an expiring contract and has been included in a number of trade rumors.

The Nets could package Spencer Dinwiddie and draft capital from the Dallas Mavericks to the Raptors for VanVleet.

Brooklyn also reportedly has interest in OG Anunoby.

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The Brooklyn Nets and Dallas Mavericks have yet to submit their trade of Kyrie Irving to the league office as the sides work to expand the deal to involve a third team, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The Nets are actively evaluating opportunities to widen the scope of the trade.

But the deal is expected to become official in a couple of hours unless the Nets find something bigger to fold into it by then.

The Mavericks want Irving to be available to practice on Tuesday and play in Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

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Jason Rowley has stepped down as CEO of the Phoenix Suns.

The sale of the Suns from Robert Sarver to Mat Ishbia will become official this week.

On December 19th, ESPN published a story detailing allegations of misconduct that extended beyond Sarver with Rowley amongst those named for misconduct.

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LeBron James clearly wanted the Los Angeles Lakers to trade for Kyrie Irving, but he publicly revealed he's already moved on following Sunday's trade between the Brooklyn Nets and Dallas Mavericks.

"I can't sit here and say I'm not disappointed on not being able to land such a talent, but [also] someone that I had great chemistry with and know I got great chemistry with on the floor that can help you win championships," James told ESPN's Michael Wilbon as part of a wide-ranging interview Monday. "In my mind, in my eyes [Irving would help win championships in L.A.].

"But my focus is shifted now. My focus is shifted back to where it should be and that's this club now and what we have in the locker room."

The Lakers made an offer to the Nets for Irving centered on Russell Westbrook and first round picks in 2027 and 2029.

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Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for Week 16.

Lillard averaged 38.3 points, 6.8 assists and 4.5 rebounds as the Portland Trail Blazers went 3-1.

Antetokounmpo averaged 41.0 points, 17.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists as the Milwaukee Bucks went 3-0.

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The Los Angeles Lakers hoped Kyrie Irving would agree to a two-year, $78 million extension if they traded for him from the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell Brian Windhorst of ESPN.

The Lakers wanted to protect themselves against the possibility of trading a significant package to the Nets to only have him leave in free agency.

The $78 million over two years was the most Irving was allowed to sign for as part of a trade under league rules and less than what he figures to command in July.

The Lakers still offered Russell Westbrook and two first round picks, but were unwilling to go further such as pick swaps and young players.

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The Brooklyn Nets are reportedly interested in trading for OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors and their ability to trade for him or another potential member of that core could have improved following their trade of Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks.

"I still don't know what the Raptors are going to do," said Brian Windhorst.

"The Nets are definitely calling the Raptors over the last 24 hours," replied Zach Lowe.

"If the Nets could flip some of this stuff that they got and pry OG Anunoby out of there, you may have something there with the Nets, but I don't know if they're going to be able to," added Windhorst.

The Nets could potentially reroute Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith while they also own future first round picks from the Dallas Mavericks and Philadelphia 76ers.

The Raptors previously had interest in Nic Claxton and offered Brooklyn a first round pick last year.

"I'm just telling you the Nets' offering ability with what Toronto has is suddenly very interesting," said Windhorst. "I'm just going to leave it at that."

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Following the trade of Kyrie Irving by the Brooklyn Nets to the Dallas Mavericks, the future of Kevin Durant is the biggest question among NBA circles. Durant has yet to publicly weigh in on the trade of Irving, who arrived to the Nets in 2019 as a package deal. The Nets are believed to be hoping to maintain a supporting cast around Durant that can compete for a title.

Stephen A. Smith, however, reports that calls are being made about the availability of Durant via trade. The Boston Celtics were linked to a trade for Durant last offseason before the Nets pulled him from the market. Boston would almost certainly build a trade package around Jaylen Brown should a move be made between the teams.

"I'm hearing he's on the verge of potentially being moved," said Smith. Obviously, we've all been speculating about that, that he may be moved. They're on the phone. I'm hearing Boston is making some calls. Keep your eye on that. Jaylen Brown. Keep your eye on that."

Durant is signed through the 25-26 season, while Brown can be a free agent in 2024 and the Celtics are unable to extend him unless he makes an All-NBA team.

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The NBA owners have given up their desire to add a hard cap to its next collective bargaining agreement with players.

The NBPA was prepared to fight against the hard cap, which the league office has euphemistically called an upper spending limit, and there likely would have been a lockout over the issue.

Beyond the inevitable resistance from the union, there was also skepticism among smaller market teams that a hard cap would even be successful in creating competitive parity that was the goal of the initiative.

The hard cap would have ended the current luxury tax system, so the league would have had to create a new mechanism to supplement revenue sharing.

The league is now focused on keeping the current elements while also finding other ways to limit high spending teams from retaining and acquiring talent in what is considered by some to be funnier.

The union would also like to create more opportunities for middle and lower spending teams to sign players as well.

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The Chicago Bulls are open to listening to trade offers on Alex Caruso, a league source told Jamal Collier of ESPN.

The Bulls signed Caruso to a four-year, $37 million deal during the 2021 offseason.

Chicago "would likely have to be blown away by a deal" to trade Caruso. Caruso is one of the best perimeter defensive players in the NBA, making him a natural fit on nearly any contender.

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The Chicago Bulls have shown little interest in entertaining a Zach LaVine trade leading up to the deadline.

LaVine re-signed with the Bulls on a five-year, $215 million contract last offseason. The New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks have expressed interest in trading for LaVine.

LaVine recently reiterated his commitment to the Bulls.

"Team's not playing well, so you're always going to hear those stories," LaVine told ESPN last week.

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The Los Angeles Lakers discussed a Kyrie Irving trade with the Brooklyn Nets on Friday and Saturday, but were unable to gain traction. The Lakers were offering a package around Russell Westbrook and a pair of future first round picks, while the Nets wanted additional young players and a pick swap.

The Lakers needed the involvement of a third team in order to get Brooklyn the

"I think it was harder for Brooklyn to do a one-on-one deal with the Lakers without getting a third team involved to get the kind of pieces they got... Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, who fit into the Nets' lineup right now," said Adrian Wojnarowski on Monday morning.

"I think for Brooklyn to win now and to get those draft picks to shop and move. They had a deal, in their minds, that made more sense in Dallas than a Lakers' deal that was again harder to do one-on-one and get the kind of pieces they want to plug in right now."

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The NBA and NBPA will extend an early opt-out deadline of the current collective bargaining agreement as talks continues without a new deal.

The NBA's seven-year CBA expires following the 23-24 season and has been pushed back once already from Dec. 15th.

There had been some hope from teams that a deal would be in place by the trade deadline in order to inform future payroll planning based on potential rule changes.

The league has shown a willingness to give up its push to implement a hard cap, which has been called an upper spending limit.

The top priorities remaining in CBA talks include finding mechanisms to incentivize top players to participate in more regular season games, a "smoothing" plan for the next cap spike, and to end the one-and-done rule.

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The Dallas Mavericks have traded for Kyrie Irving, but they aren't done dealing after that move. Dallas is still looking for additional trades to fortify their roster around Luka Doncic and the newly acquired Irving.

Tim Hardaway Jr. is one player Dallas was involved in various trade discussions on before making the Irving deal. Hardaway is owed $53.7 million through the 2024-25 season. His contract for this year is $19.6 million, which is large enough to help the Mavs bring back a $20 million-plus player in a trade.

The Mavericks have also talked various trades involving Christian Wood. Wood is playing out the final season of his deal for $14.3 million this season. Dallas can extend Wood for four years at nearly $77 million, but talks between the big man and the Mavs haven't approached that sort of deal in terms of years or salary.

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The Brooklyn Nets are resetting a bit after trading Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks. Brooklyn is very familiar with one of the players they acquired for Irving, as Spencer Dinwiddie was with the Nets from 2016 to 2021.

But that reunion may not last long. Brooklyn could flip Dinwiddie in another deal, as the Nets figure out how to build the most complementary roster around Kevin Durant.

Dinwiddie cannot be aggregated with any other players to increase the amount of salary the Nets can send in a trade. But Dinwiddie's $20.2 million salary for this season is enough that Brooklyn could still get a good player for him alone. The veteran guard's contract for next season recently became fully guaranteed at $21 million, by virtue of Dinwiddie hitting games-played markers.

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The Brooklyn Nets plan to be aggressive leading up to the trade deadline to upgrade their roster around Kevin Durant following their trade of Kyrie Irving for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a first round picks and two second round picks.

"Now for Brooklyn, they want to get back to work," said Adrian Wojnarowski on Sunday. "They got the three picks they got in this trade, they have a future Philadelphia first round pick. They'll be aggressive with those picks between now and Thursday's trade deadline to try to get more help around Kevin Durant.

"Quite honestly, this is an organization that wants Kevin Durant to stay committed. Stay the course with this reshaping of this roster. They're going to continue between now and Thursday to do that."

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The Phoenix Suns offered Chris Paul, Jae Crowder, and a first-round pick for Kyrie Irving, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The Nets reportedly would have accepted the Suns deal had they increased the amount to three first-round picks.

The Suns made the proposal within 18 hours of Irving's original trade demand, but then lost interest over time and never made an improved offer.

The Suns are expected to be active before the upcoming trade deadline.

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The Los Angeles Lakers initially offered the Brooklyn Nets a trade package of Russell Westbrook and two first-round picks in 2027 and 2029 for Kyrie Irving, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The Nets informed the Lakers that the package would also need to include pick swaps and young players like Austin Reaves and Max Christie.

Although Irving did not give the Nets a list of his preferred destinations, it is believed that he would have welcomed a deal to the Lakers.

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The Phoenix Suns offered a package of Chris Paul, Jae Crowder, and an unspecific number of draft picks for Kyrie Irving, sources told Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

Haynes adds that the Lakers offered both their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks for Irving.

The Clippers reportedly offered Luke Kennard and Terance Mann, along with a first-round pick and two picks swaps for Irving.

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The Los Angeles Clippers offered Luke Kennard, Terance Mann, a future first-round pick, and two first-round draft swaps for Kyrie Irving, sources told Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer.

The Nets instead traded Irving to the Mavs for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, and several draft picks.

It was reported earlier in the weekend that the Clippers, looking to upgrade both their frontcourt and backcourt, were monitoring Christian Wood and D'Angelo Russell.

Zach Lowe of ESPN reported that he does not believe this was genuinely offered by the Clippers.

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Acquaintances of Ja Morant reportedly confronted members of the Indiana Pacers' traveling party following their game on January 29, with someone in an SUV in which Morant was riding in training a red laser on the group.

Two members of the Pacers' group, who felt like they were in "grave danger," said they did not see who was shining the laser and believe it was attached a gun.

"That's 100 percent a gun," said a Pacers security guard at the time.

The Pacers reported the incident to the NBA, with the league probing the matter.

"While we substantiated that a postgame situation arose that was confrontational, based on interviews and other evidence gathered, we could not corroborate that any individual threatened others with a weapon," said league spokeperson Mike Bass.

The January 29 game featured verbal confrontations between several members of the Pacers and Grizzlies, with a friend of Morant getting escorted off the court after a situation between Morant and Andrew Nembhard.

A spokesperson for the Grizzlies said that the team "complied completely with the league's investigation and are abiding by its findings."

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The Phoenix Suns will pursue Kevin Durant should have become available in trade talks, sources told Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

The news comes on the heels of the Nets trading Kyrie Irving and Markieff Morris to the Mavs for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, and several picks.

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Steph Curry was diagnosed with a partial tear to the superior tibiofibular ligaments and interosseous membrane, and a contusion in his lower left leg.

The team will determine a timeline for his return over the next couple days.

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The Dallas Mavericks have agreed to acquire Kyrie Irving and Markieff Morris from the Brooklyn Nets for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, an unprotected first round pick in 2029, and second round picks in 2027 and 2029.

Irving is currently set to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Irving and the Nets were unable to agree to terms on a contract extension.

Irving joined the Nets in free agency in 2019 and had a tumultuous tenure with the franchise. Irving initially requested a departure from the Nets in 2022, but that was rescinded after no deal materialized.

Irving has familiarity with Jason Kidd and Nico Harrison of the Mavericks. The Mavericks have been searching for a second star to pair with Luka Doncic after letting Jalen Brunson walk in free agency.

According to Marc Stein of Substack, the Mavericks consulted Doncic before agreeing to the trade.

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The Los Angeles Clippers have made a "strong offer" for Kyrie Irving, sources told Law Murray of The Athletic.

Ty Lue is reportedly open to a reunion with Irving.

The Suns, Lakers, and Mavs are also possible landing spots for Irving.

In other Clippers trade rumors, it was reported that the team could buy out John Wall should they fail to find a trade for the point guard.

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The Brooklyn Nets will keep Kyrie Irving on the sideline until a trade is completed, sources told Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

Irving has drawn interest from the Suns, Lakers, and Mavs, with the Clippers most recently engaging in discussions.

The trade deadline is on February 9.

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Steph Curry left the Golden State Warriors' 119-113 win over the Dallas Mavericks due to an apparent knee injury.

X-rays on the knee came back negative, though Curry did not return to the game.

Curry is set to undergo an MRI.

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The NBA suspended Mo Bamba four games and Austin Rivers three games for their on-court altercation on Friday.

Jalen Suggs was also suspended one game for escalating the incident.

Jaden McDaniels was also fined $20,000 for getting involved in the altercation.

Taurean Prince, who was also ejected, did not receive any further punishment.

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The Los Angeles Clippers have joined the trade market for Kyrie Irving, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Clippers join the Suns, Lakers, and Mavs as possible destinations for the point guard.

Irving has not given a list of preferred teams to the Nets, who are determined to trade him before Thursday's deadline.

It was also reported earlier this week that the Clippers could buy out John Wall should the team fail to trade him before the deadline.

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John Wall could get bought out by the Los Angeles Clippers should the team fail to find a trade partner before the upcoming deadline, sources told Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times.

Sources add that the Clippers have been proactive in trying to find a trade for Wall.

Kawhi Leonard recently told the team that he'd welcome a trade for another point guard, with the likes of Mike Conley, Kyle Lowry, or Fred VanVleet mentioned as possibilities.

Greif adds that the Clippers are not viewed as an obvious destination for Kyrie Irving.

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The Atlanta Hawks are interested in acquiring Matisse Thybulle, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

The Hawks join the Warriors and Kings as potential landing spots for Thybulle.

Stein adds that the possibility of Thybulle getting traded before the upcoming deadline is "very real."

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Josh Hart is drawing trade interest from the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

Hart is expected to opt out of his deal this summer and become an unrestricted free agent.

The Blazers have also made Jusuf Nurkic available in trades while looking for other center options in the trade market. The team has most recently been linked with a trade for Jarred Vanderbilt.

Nurkic is currently out through the All-Star break with a calf strain.

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The Utah Jazz are looking for a first-round pick for each of Mike Conley, Malik Beasley, and Jarred Vanderbilt, sources told Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports.

The Jazz have discussed trades for each individual player, as well as Beasley and Vanderbilt together. The Hawks, Blazers, and Knicks have registered interest in both players.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker has also been included in trade frameworks involving both Beasley and Vanderbilt.

The Sixers and Pacers have registered the most interest in Vanderbilt, according to sources. The Blazers were also mentioned as a possible Vanderbilt destination earlier this week.

The Lakers and Jazz have also discussed a potential trade involving Russell Westbrook in recent days.

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The Los Angeles Lakers have held trade discussions surrounding Russell Westbrook with the Charlotte Hornets and the Utah Jazz, sources told Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports.

Any deal with the Jazz would most likely include Mike Conley, Malik Beasley, and Jarred Vanderbilt.

The Lakers, who are still searching for ways to improve the roster, are reluctant to include both their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks in a trade.

Fischer adds that the Heat have little interest in a swap involving Westbrook and Kyle Lowry.

Westbrook has also been mentioned as part of a trade package involving Kyrie Irving.

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Damian Lillard will participate in the 3-point contest at All-Star Weekend, sources told Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

Lillard is shooting 37% from 3 this season.

Lillard joins Buddy Hield in the shootout.

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Labaron Philon announced his commitment to Auburn on Friday.

Philon, who is the No. 1 prospect in Alabama, is ranked No. 29 in the ESPN 60 for the class of 2024.

Auburn has now landed two top-30 recruits this week following the commitment of No. 20 Tahaad Pettiford.

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Zaire Wade, the son of Dwyane Wade, has signed for the Cape Town Tigers of the Basketball Africa League.

Wade averaged 4.6 points and 1.9 assists for the Jazz's G League team last season.

The BAL will feature the top 12 teams in Africa playing a total of 38 games this season.

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The Brooklyn Nets would "covet" Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith should they trade Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

The Mavs have tossed around the idea of acquiring Irving since last summer and are confident that Jason Kidd could connect with the point guard.

The Mavs would also insist that the Nets take back one of their long-term contracts in Tim Hardaway Jr. or Davis Bertans.

Irving has also been linked with the Suns and the Lakers.

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Kyrie Irving will miss the Brooklyn Nets' game on Saturday against the Washington Wizards due to right calf soreness.

Irving requested a trade from the Nets on Friday, with the Suns, Mavs, and Lakers reportedly interested.

Ben Simmons will also miss the game due to left knee soreness.

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Luka Doncic is set to miss the next two games and will likely return Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

Doncic suffered a bruised heel on Thursday against the Pelicans.

The Mavs are 0-6 this season without Doncic.

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Russell Westbrook is listed as questionable for the Los Angeles Lakers matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday.

Westbrook has been the frequent subject of trade rumors, with the latest sending him to the Nets as part of a package for Kyrie Irving.

LeBron James is also listed as questionable due to left ankle soreness.

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Austin Rivers and Mo Bamba were among five players ejected following a fight where both players threw punches.

Jaden McDaniels, Taurean Prince and Jalen Suggs were also ejected.

Bamba appeared to be talking trash to Rivers on multiple trips down the floor.

"This isn't like a cool moment for me," Rivers said after the game. "I feel embarrassed. I'm the oldest on the team. I consider myself the leader of the team, or one of the leaders of the team. It was a weird game, and I don't think that helped at all. If anything right now, I'm just [ticked off] that we lost, and that I had [something] to do with that. It doesn't make me feel good."

"You obviously want to have your teammate's back and at the same time, you've got to be a professional," said Moritz Wagner.

Rivers approached Bamba about his comments.

"I'm not going to snitch on the dude or whatever, but I just didn't like the way he was talking to me," said Rivers. "For no reason, too. I don't even know that dude. I don't know anything about him. Obviously, I just know he's a player for the Magic. And he proceeded to talk, so that next possession, when I went down there, I just said, pretty much, 'Just keep it respectful, bro.'"

Markelle Fultz, when asked what Bamba said to Rivers, told reporters it was "normal trash, nothing disrespectful or crazy."

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Dillon Brooks was suspended for one game and Donovan Mitchell was fined $20,000 for their altercation on Thursday during the Cleveland Cavaliers' 128-113 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

Brooks and Mitchell were both ejected from the game during the third quarter after Brooks hit Mitchell in the groin. Brooks was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul, with Mitchell thrown out for escalating the incident.

"That's just who he is," said Mitchell on Brooks after the game.

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Luka Doncic will miss the Dallas Mavericks' game against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday due to a bruised heel.

Jason Kidd did not rule Doncic out for the rest of the Mavs five-game road trip.

"It's too soon today to give an update on that. As we get the MRI, we'll be able to give an update on status," said Kidd.

Doncic suffered the injury during the third quarter of Thursday's win against the Pelicans.

The Mavs are 0-6 this season without Doncic.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are interested in trading for Kyrie Irving, sources told Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

A framework of a trade could involve Russell Westbrook along with the team's 2027 and 2029 first-round picks, with protections involved in one of the picks. The Lakers would then push for the Nets to add another player, likely to be Joe Harris.

The deal could also expand with a third team, who would send the Nets another competitive player.

Buha adds that the Lakers are not interested in including Austin Reaves or Max Christie in any deal.

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While the Brooklyn Nets were engaged with Kyrie Irving on a contract extension and the talks were clearly not progressing well, they are believed to be surprised with how he escalated the situation by requesting a trade less than a week before the trade deadline.

"I honestly think this caught the Nets to a certain extent by surprise," said Brian Windhorst on his podcast Friday evening. "They certainly knew this was a bubbling issue. But I think the trade demand might have caught them by surprise based on what I have heard."

Brooklyn's offer to Irving reportedly contained certain incentives such as one for the Nets winning the championship, which displeased his camp.

Irving previously tried to leave the Nets during the 2022 offseason before he opted into his contract. The Nets have shown a willingness not to cave into trade demands when they declined to accommodate Kevin Durant last offseason.

Irving is on an expiring contract and was named an All-Star starter.

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The Brooklyn Nets presented a contract extension to Kyrie Irving tied to the franchise winning a championship, sources tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

Irving did not negotiate after the Nets presented the offer as it was considered "a big insult."

The issue for Irving is no longer even about money and he wouldn't re-sign with the Nets even if they offered him a full max contract.

Haynes said he would be surprised if the Nets don't fulfill his trade request and remains with the franchise past the deadline.

The Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks are the teams believed to be interested in trading for Irving.

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Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets discussed a contract, but the stipulations that the team put into his proposed deal included conditions he had issues with. There is now a disconnect between the two sides and he responded with his second trade request in under a year.

"The sense right now is whether it is ahead of the February 9th trade deadline, or in the offseason in July, Irving is set to move on [from the] Brooklyn Nets," said Charania.

Irving joined the Nets with Kevin Durant during the 2019 offseason.

The Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks are the three teams believed to have the strongest interest in Irving.

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The Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks have emerged as teams with interest in trading for Kyrie Irving, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The Lakers have had the strongest links to Irving dating back to last offseason, while the Mavericks have been reported at various points as well.

The Suns are a new addition to the Irving market and have some level of uncertainty at point guard due to age of Chris Paul. Paul is on a partially guaranteed contract for 23-24 and a non-guaranteed deal for 24-25.

Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes reported that the Suns are considered one of the few teams that could offer a package to the Nets that would keep both teams in pursuit of a championship.

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Jusuf Nurkic left Wednesday night's game at Memphis in the first quarter with a left calf injury and did not return. An MRI conducted on Thursday revealed a left calf strain.

Nurkic is expected to return after the All-Star break.

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The Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks are among the teams expected to be engaged by the Brooklyn Nets on a trade of Kyrie Irving ahead of the trade deadline, sources tell Marc Stein of Substack.

Irving previously had interest in joining the Lakers, who have yet to trade their pair of available future first round picks and Russell Westbrook.

The Mavericks have also been linked with Irving the past, though their level of interest is unclear.

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Kyrie Irving has informed the Brooklyn Nets that he would like a trade by the deadline and that he plans to leave as a free agent this offseason if he is not accommodated.

Since he nearly left the Nets during the 2022 offseason, Irving has been most closely tied with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers don't project to have max cap space to sign Irving outright, but they still hold the expiring contract of Russell Westbrook plus first round picks in 2027 and 2029.

Last month, Irving's agent went on record to say he was interested in an extension with the Nets and that the ball was in their court on his future with the team.

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Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) talks with Jared Dubin (@JADubin5) about the NBA and the trade deadline.

They discuss Jared's piece on Aaron Gordon's role and the Nuggets more broadly, the jumbled Western Conference playoff picture, which East teams they trust and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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The New York Knicks could have interest in trading for Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt from the Utah Jazz, reports Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

Gersson Rosas works in the Knicks front office and traded for Beasley and Vanderbilt while working for the Wolves.

Beasley is a high volume three-point shooter that is drawing interest from a number of teams.

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If OG Anunoby becomes available by the Toronto Raptors, Brian Windhorst of ESPN reports that the New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies are among the teams that would consider a strong offer.

"If they trade OG, I think there's an auction that develops," said Windhorst. "I think you have two different types of bidders: teams that can offer draft picks and teams that can offer young players. First question: do the Raptors sell? Second question: what kind of sale is it going to be?"

Tim MacMahon added that there are teams that can offer both picks and young players. Tim Bontemps suggested the Pelicans could offer Dyson Daniels and a pick swap from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Raptors, which would be appealing.

Based on how the Grizzlies have operated to date and valued both their core pieces and future draft picks, they are considered less likely to submit a winning offer to the Raptors for Anunoby.

Windhorst also floated the possibility of the Golden State Warriors trading for Anunoby, but there are doubts on whether their package of young players and picks would be the best offer Toronto were to receive.

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The Portland Trail Blazers started the season fast, but are currently in the play-in mix. However, the Blazers are continuing to look at add to their roster for this season whether it is a marginal move in their rotation or a bigger one for a difference maker such as OG Anunoby. The Blazers have remained committed to building a contender around Damian Lillard and that position continues to be unwavering.

"From all the folks I'm talking to in the league, Portland is absolutely in a buying mode," said Brian Windhorst. "They are attempting to add pieces. I've heard them attached to some role playing bench players they're interested in.

"If Anunoby became available, I think they would be very interested. You would probably start an offer there with Shaedon Sharpe, their lottery pick they got out of Kentucky."

Sharpe is considered one of the most promising rookies of the current class and has considerable value around the league.

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For weeks, the Toronto Raptors have been widely considered to be the team that will control the trade deadline and that appears to still be the case now that were mere days away from February 9th.

"The whole league is in a circle around the Raptors, watching what they're going to do," said Brian Windhorst.

The Raptors are in a position to trade multiple players that could help shift the balance of power among title contenders, particularly OG Anunoby, Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. The Raptors are widely expected to not consider trading Pascal Siakam.

"To me, the whole deadline pivots on the Raptors," said Windhorst.

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The Toronto Raptors could consider trading one of their core players such as OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr. or Fred VanVleet. The current reporting suggests a trade of Pascal Siakam is extremely unlikely.

"I would be stunned if they trade Siakam," said Brian Windhorst on his podcast on Friday.

"Yes," replied Tim MacMahon.

"I think that's the least likely thing they'd be trading."

"I would agree with that too," interjected Tim Bontemps.

Siakam's name surfaced in trade rumors in 2021, but he went on to be an All-NBA selection for the second time in his career. Siakam missed out on the All-Star Game this season in what was one of the biggest snubs.

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Rival teams believe that the Utah Jazz have trade offers that include a first-round pick for Malik Beasley. Utah has been rumored to be shopping Beasley, almost since acquiring him over the summer.

Beasley has averaged 13.6 points in 53 games this season, mostly off the Jazz bench. The seventh-year wing is knocking down 36.2% of his 8.6 three-point attempts per game. Beasley is considered to be one of the best shooters available on the trade market.

Utah acquired Beasley from the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of the Rudy Gobert trade this past summer. The veteran wing is owed $15.5 million for this season, with a $16.5 million team option for next season.

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The Orlando Magic have made Mo Bamba available in trade talks. Bamba has fallen out of Orlando's rotation, now that the Magic are mostly healthy. Multiple teams remain intrigued by Bamba's potential.

Last season, with his most significant playing time, Bamba put together a career-best season. The 7-footer averaged 10.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. That led to Orlando re-signing Bamba to a two-year, $20.6 million contract in free agency.

This season, Bamba has slipped behind Wendell Carter Jr. and Moritz Wagner in the team's center rotation. With Paolo Banchero and Bol Bol playing most of the minutes at the four, the fifth-year center has played just 16.9 minutes over 39 games.

Bamba's contract is essentially an expiring $10.3 million deal. For next season, Bamba's $10.3 million contract is non-guaranteed with a late-June full-guarantee date ahead of 2023 free agency.

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Will Barton has fallen out of the Washington Wizards rotation. Barton has played in only three of Washington's last 10 games. The recent inactivity has Barton ready for a change of scenery.

The Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks are teams that could make a run at acquiring Barton before the trade deadline. The veteran wing is on an expiring $14.4 million contract.

The Nets have been looking for depth upgrades all season. The Bucks have been mentioned as suitors for most available wings, including Jae Crowder and Eric Gordon.

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The Los Angeles Lakers believe they need to make another trade to firm up their roster for a playoff run. That's led Los Angeles back to discussing Russell Westbrook trades. This time, those discussions were with the Utah Jazz.

The Lakers are continuing to search around the league for a trade, or trades, that will give them the depth they need to compete for a title this season. Despite Westbrook's improved play since moving to the bench, he's continued to be available for trade.

Utah and Los Angeles already linked up for one deal this season. The Jazz traded Patrick Beverley to the Lakers for Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson. Utah is rumored to be listening on several of their veteran players ahead of next week's trade deadline.

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Midway through the third quarter of Thursday's game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Memphis Grizzlies, chaos broke out. Following a foul, Grizzlies wing Dillon Brooks rolled on the ground before throwing a backhand into the crotch of Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell responded by throwing the basketball at Brooks before charging at him.

Both players were ultimately ejected from the game. Brooks was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul, while Mitchell was thrown out for escalating the incident. After the game, Mitchell had some pointed comments about Brooks.

"That's just who he is," said Mitchell. "We have seen it a bunch in this league with him. Him and I have had our personal battles for years. Quite frankly, I've been busting his ass for years. Playoffs. Regular season. And the one game he does an alright job on me today, he decides to do something like that. No place for that in the game. Gotta protect yourself. This has been brewing for years. With me. With other guys in the league. You all see it. This isn't new. Tonight was just the end of it."

Mitchell went on to challenge Brooks and said he resorts to cheap tactics when he can't guard someone.

"This has been a habit for years and this isn't new to anybody in this room," Mitchell said. "If you can't guard somebody then just say that. Just get a switch. You know what I mean?"

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The Toronto Raptors were close to getting Deandre Ayton in a sign-and-trade with the Phoenix Suns last summer, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.

Ayton instead re-signed with the Suns on a four-year, $132.9 million contract.

The news comes on the heels of the Suns reportedly being interested in OG Anunoby.

It was reported earlier in the day that Anunoby was ready to be traded from the Raptors.

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Buddy Hield has committed to the 3-point contest at All-Star Weekend, sources told Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files.

Hield is shooting 42.5% from three this season.

All-Star Weekend runs from February 17-19 in Salt Lake City.

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Austin Reaves could return to the Los Angeles Lakers lineup on Saturday against the New Orleans Pelicans, according to Darvin Ham.

Ham added that Reaves, who has been out due to a hamstring strain, needed to clear "one more thing" before his return.

The Lakers are 8-7 without Reaves.

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The Portland Trail Blazers have interest in trading for Jarred Vanderbilt, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Vanderbilt is "increasingly likely" to be dealt before the trade deadline.

There are several other teams interested in Vanderbilt, who was traded to the Utah Jazz as part of the Rudy Gobert trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Vanderbilt is signed through 23-24 and is represented by Rich Paul.

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Chris Paul is under contract with the Phoenix Suns next season with a partial guarantee of $15.8 million and a non-guaranteed deal for 24-25. Paul hasn't played at an All-Star level this season and they have simultaneously been linked to point guards on the marketplace such as Fred VanVleet. Trading Paul would effectively allow the Suns to reset their timeline around Devin Booker if they are not the title contender they were in 2021 and appeared to be before the Western Conference Semifinals in 2022.

The Suns, however, don't appear to be considering a trade of Paul.

"Let me be clear, I don't think they're trading Chris Paul," said Zach Lowe. "I've heard nothing about trading Chris Paul. In fact, I've heard the opposite."

Paul re-signed with the Suns in 2021 on a four-year, $120 million contract, but only the first two seasons were fully guaranteed.

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The NBA announced the All-Star Game Reserves.

Eastern Conference
Bam Adebayo
Jaylen Brown
DeMar DeRozan
Joel Embiid
Tyrese Haliburton
Jrue Holiday
Julius Randle

Western Conference
Paul George
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Jaren Jackson Jr.
Damian Lillard
Lauri Markkanen
Ja Morant
Domantas Sabonis

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If the Chicago Bulls decide to make Zach LaVine available via trade, he is expected to have a number of teams interested in dealing for him.

The Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks have been consistently mentioned by league executives as teams with a desire to trade for LaVine. The Portland Trail Blazers also had interest in signing LaVine last offseason.

LaVine signed a five-year, $215 million contract with the Bulls as a free agent.

In 46 games this season, LaVine is averaging 23.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists. LaVine was an All-Star in 2021 and 2022.

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The Toronto Raptors are receiving lots of interest in OG Anunoby. The New York Knicks have reportedly offered three first-round picks for Anunoby. The Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans are also interested in the Raptors forward.

There is an increasing belief that Anunoby is ready to move on from Toronto. The Raptors are considered the key team to watch a week from the trade deadline. It's unclear what Masai Ujiri's plan is for his underachieving team.

Both the Grizzlies and Pelicans have a host of young players and draft picks that they could offer to the Raptors in a trade for Anunoby. Also, both teams reportedly do not want to see the other land the talented two-way forward.

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The Atlanta Hawks have significantly decreased their asking price on a trade of John Collins.

Sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic that they've dropped their mandate for a first round pick and are instead focused on landing a quality player, or players, in return for Collins.

The Hawks are more focused on salvaging the current season rather than recouping assets that were sent out to the San Antonio Spurs for Dejounte Murray.

The Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets are known to be among the teams interested in Collins.

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Zion Williamson has been out since early January with a right hamstring strain.

Williamson was cleared on Tuesday to begin running. The plan is for him to be reevaluated next Tuesday.

Williamson was voted as an All-Star starter, but his status for the game is likely to be determined by whether he plays for the New Orleans Pelicans before the break.

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Referees missed an obvious foul committed by Jayson Tatum on LeBron James at the end of the Los Angeles Lakers' eventual overtime loss at the Boston Celtics this past Saturday.

James was irate on the court and his comments have suggested that the Lakers have been treated unfavorably by referees.

"It's been building," James added of his frustration level following several recent last-second non-whistles. "You guys have seen some of the games we've lost this year with late-game missed calls. We had an opportunity to literally win the game. ... I don't understand what we're doing. I watch basketball every single day. I watch these games every single day, and I don't see it happening to nobody else. It's just weird."

But according to research completed by Ben Rohrbach of Yahoo Sports, the Lakers actually rank second in receiving favorable calls during the last two-minute reports released by the NBA.

The NBA deemed its officials had missed a total of 34 calls or no-calls in those games, and 21 of them (or 61.8%) had favored the Lakers.

The Los Angeles Clippers rank first with 63.2 percent of calls being in their favor, while the Golden State Warriors rank third. The Utah Jazz and Sacramento Kings rank last in favorable calls with just 38.1 percent and 36.1 percent respectively.

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Meyers Leonard hasn't played in an NBA game since January 9, 2021. In March of that year, Leonard was suspended after using an antisemitic slur while live-streaming himself playing a video game.

Leonard served that suspension and has spent two years rehabbing from ankle and shoulder injuries. The 30-year-old center offered no excuses for what he said, but acknowledged he expects to get another shot at the NBA.

"I feel like I'm living in a bad dream," Leonard told Jeremy Schaap of ESPN. "There's not a hateful cell in my body. And I know that I made a huge, huge mistake."

Leonard recently worked out for the Los Angeles Lakers and believes he's ready to return to the court after his two-year absence. Leonard has spent time holding himself accountable for using antisemitic language, while also trying to educate others on that harm of such language.

Said NBA spokesman Mike Bass: "Since his use of a derogatory and unacceptable term in 2021, Meyers Leonard has been held accountable and has dedicated considerable time and effort to understand the impact of his comment. He has met with numerous leaders in the Jewish community and participated in community programs to educate himself and use his platform to share his learnings with others."

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Daniel Theis has yet to play for the Indiana Pacers, after being acquired as part of the July trade that sent Malcolm Brogdon to the Boston Celtics. Theis has been rehabbing after undergoing knee surgery in November. After completing his first full practice with the Pacers, Theis is looking forward to getting some game action.

"I got no pain, no issues right now," Theis said after practice. "I did some running for me. It was good for me and for the team."

Theis recognizes he's not going to step in and play a big role for Indiana. But he believes that he can still help the Pacers as a limited-minutes rotation player.

"I don't think I'm going to go out there like, 'Yeah, I'm 30 minutes,'" Theis said. "Whatever I can get. If I can get out there for five minutes and I can run up and down, I'll probably be exhausted anyway. You can't replicate game. Whatever you do in here, running, shooting, practice, but as soon as you go out there, it's so fast. Especially the way we play, I'll probably be good after three, four, five minutes."

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Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. hasn't played in a game since January 11 at the Sacramento Kings. Early in that game, Porter injured his left big toe. He's missed the Rockets last nine games, and Porter doesn't seem like he'll be returning anytime soon.

Porter said he hasn't resumed any basketball activities and that he has no targeted return date.

"It's just irritated. It's something to do with my joint, but it'll be fine," Porter said. "We've just been taking it a day at a time, really. You know, I sometimes shoot in my free time. I dribble the ball all day every day when I'm at home, and I do those little things but as far as participating, everything like that, we're taking it a day at a time."

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The Detroit Pistons have been granted a disabled player exception for Cade Cunningham. The DPE is worth $5,276,400 and will be available for Detroit to use through March 10 of this season.

The Pistons were eligible to apply for the DPE, as it's very likely Cunningham will miss the remainder of this season. Cunningham underwent surgery on his left leg in mid-December. The second-year guard had been having pain in his left shin, and the surgery was done to promote healing of a stress fracture.

Cunningham appeared in just 12 games in his second season. The former number one overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft is expected to make a full recovery and to be ready for the start of next season.

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The Boston Celtics win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night averaged a 2.05 rating with 3.69 million viewers on ABC.

The numbers represent the most-watched regular season game outside of Christmas Day in three years (Blazers-Lakers on ESPN in January 2020, the first Lakers game following Kobe Bryant's passing).

Taking out Christmas games, it was the first regular season game to get over a 2.0 rating since the Lakers-Clippers on ABC in March 2020.

The Knicks-Nets earlier in the day averaged a 1.3 with 2.45 million viewers, with the Nuggets-Sixers getting a 1.0 with 1.76 million viewers.

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Ben Simmons and TJ Warren will miss the Brooklyn Nets matchup against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday.

Simmons will miss his third straight game with left knee soreness, while Warren is out with a knee contusion.

Yuta Watanabe is listed as probable with back tightness.

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The New York Knicks are among several teams who have shown an interest in Saddiq Bey, sources told Ian Begley of SNY.

"In general, a name that has been talked about recently is Saddiq Bey in Detroit. The Knicks are among the teams that have registered some interest in Saddiq.

"I don't know how far discussions have gotten, but Bey, obviously a Villanova guy, wing, could help the Knicks from a depth perspective," said Begley.

Bey is averaging 14.4 points and 4.9 rebounds this season.

The Pistons, meanwhile, are reportedly not eager to trade Bey.

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Ben McLemore has signed a one-year deal with the Shandong Heroes in the Chinese Basketball Association, reported Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

McLemore averaged 10.2 points last season with the Blazers.

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The Detroit Pistons have fielded trade calls for Bojan Bogdanovic, Alec Burks, Saddiq Bey, and Nerlens Noel, according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.

The team is reportedly not eager to trade Bogdanovic, Burks, or Bey.

The Pistons are looking for an unprotected first-round pick for Bogdanovic.

The Knicks have recently shown an interest in Bey.

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The NBA announced today the 28 players who have earned spots to compete in the 2023 Jordan Rising Stars, which will take place on Friday, Feb. 17 at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City as part of NBA All-Star 2023.

NBA Rookies
Paolo Banchero
Jalen Duren
AJ Griffin
Jaden Ivey
Walker Kessler
Bennedict Mathurin
Keegan Murray
Andrew Nembhard
Jabari Smith Jr.
Jeremy Sochan
Jalen Williams

NBA Sophomores
Jose Alvarado
Scottie Barnes
Josh Giddey
Jalen Green
Quentin Grimes
Bones Hyland
Evan Mobley
Trey Murphy III
Aleperen Sengun
Franz Wagner

NBA G League Players
Side Cissoko
Scoot Henderson
Mojave King
Kenneth Lofton Jr.
Mac McClung
Leonard Miller
Scotty Pippen Jr.

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Nike's Jordan Brand brought in $5.1 billion during the fiscal year of 2022, which reportedly nets Michael Jordan $256.1 million.

Jordan earns five percent of Jordan Brand revenue under his deal with Nike.

Jordan earned $90 million in salary during his NBA career with much of those earnings coming in his final seasons.

Jordan Brand earned $19.4 billion in revenue over the last five fiscal years.

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The Dallas Mavericks have agreed to sign Chris Silva to a 10-day contract.

Silva has averaged 14.2 points and 7.6 rebounds for the College Park Skyhawks.

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Jerami Grant acknowledged that the Portland Trail Blazers have offered him a contract extension. Grant also said he's in no rush to ink that deal, but said it has nothing to do with his happiness level in Portland.

"I'm kind of focused on the season at hand right now. Probably will wait until after the season and talk to (GM) Joe (Cronin)," Grant said. "Everything is good. I like it here. Really enjoying it. So, yeah...we will discuss it when it's time."

Reports came out that the Blazers offered Grant a four-year, $112.6 million extension. That's the max Portland can offer Grant as a veteran extension. If Grant doesn't extend by the June 30 deadline, he'll be an unrestricted free agent on July 1. At that point, Grant will be eligible to sign up to a five-year, $233.2 million deal with the Trail Blazers, or a four-year, $172.9 million deal with another team.

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Kyrie Irving has made it known that he hopes to get an extension done with the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets would presumably like to keep Irving, but reportedly feel no pressure to get anything done in a swift manner.

There have been no significant extension discussions between Irving and Brooklyn. Both sides have until June 30 to agree to extend Irving's deal. If no agreement is reached, Irving will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

If Irving chose to leave the Nets in free agency, it's likely that would have to be via a sign-and-trade. Most of the teams in position to sign Irving outright in free agency aren't a fit at this time. That means getting to a non-cap space team would have to involve Brooklyn agreeing to a deal.

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In part 2 of 3, huge and unexpected deals continue to go down as contenders try to shore up their lineups, more former All-Stars are on the move, and Jae Crowder finally gets traded!

Subscribe to get the full episode and Part 3 of the Mock Trade Deadline only on Dunc'd On Prime with our special Mock Trade Deadline sale, and you'll get an insane amount of NBA content from Nate Duncan, Danny Leroux, Dan Feldman, Seth Partnow, and John Hollinger all year long.

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Bones Hyland is one of the players most likely to get traded before the upcoming deadline, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

The Nuggets are looking for a defensive option with size in return for Hyland.

The Timberwolves have been linked with a move for Hyland, with Tim Connelly originally having drafted Hyland in 2021.

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The Sacramento Kings are monitoring the potential availability of Matisse Thybulle, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

The team is reportedly looking for a defensive-minded option at the wing position.

Stein also adds that the Kings are unlikely to buy out Richaun Holmes due to contract complications.

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The Atlanta Hawks have told teams around the league that they are comfortable with keeping John Collins beyond the upcoming trade deadline, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

Another source is adamant that the Hawks will continue to explore all trade possibilities up until the deadline.

Collins, the frequent target of trade rumors, has been linked with the Pacers, Pelicans, and Jazz.

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LeBron James continues to experience soreness in his left foot, according to Darvin Ham.

"He's experiencing some really significant soreness.

"So it's gonna be the idea to kind of ease off him a little bit, let his body calm down a little bit, specifically his foot," said Ham after James sat the Lakers game against the Nets on Monday.

James has been averaging 37.6 minutes over the last 13 games, mostly played without Anthony Davis.

James will be re-evaluated on Tuesday morning before the Lakers play the Knicks later that night.

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Joe Mazzulla and the Boston Celtics staff will coach Team Giannis at next month's All-Star Game, the league announced on Monday.

With the Sixers losing on Monday, the Celtics were guaranteed to have the best record in the Eastern Conference through Sunday.

Mazzulla becomes the third first-year head coach to coach the All-Star team during his first season on the job in the last 24 years.

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OG Anonuby is set to miss at least the next four games due to a left wrist injury.

With the Raptors currently on a road trip, Anunoby is set to get re-evaluated after the team returns home following their February 5 game at the Grizzlies.

The subject of several trade talks, the Knicks reportedly offered multiple first-round picks for Anunoby.

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In part 1 of the 2023 Mock Trade Deadline, we take the league's temperature by setting out the goals for all 30 teams, and then get right to it with some of the big names that may or may not be available this deadline. We've got some mind-bending deals this year, and it starts with a bang.

Subscribe to get the last 2 hours of the Mock Trade Deadline only on Dunc'd On Prime with our special Mock Trade Deadline sale, and you'll get an insane amount of NBA content from Nate Duncan, Danny Leroux, Dan Feldman, Seth Partnow, and John Hollinger all year long.

Five more Episodes per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime, as well as Nate's weekly podcast with John Hollinger DuncdOn.SupportingCast.fm

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If Jerami Grant continues to decline a contract extension offer from the Portland Trail Blazers, "teams are going to sniff" about his potential availability via trade before the deadline, writes Brian Windhorst.

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported last week that Grant has not accepted the offer of $112 million over four years as he expects to make more as an outright free agent this offseason. The Blazers can offer more money and an extra year to Grant this offseason.

The Blazers acquired Grant from the Detroit Pistons this past offseason.

Grant is averaging 21.3 points, 2.4 assists and 4.4 rebounds this season with the Blazers.

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Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for Week 15.

Lillard averaged 42.3 points and 7.7 assists as the Portland Trail Blazers went 2-1.

Antetokounmpo averaged 38.3 points, 12.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists as the Milwaukee Bucks went 4-0.

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The Phoenix Suns have emerged as a team interested in trading for OG Anunoby, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The New York Knicks have offered multiple first round picks for Anunoby.

The Suns control all of their first round picks, eight in total, through 2030.

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The Toronto Raptors have informed teams they will make a decision whether they will be a buyer, seller or stand pat near NBA trade deadline day, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The Raptors are currently 23-28 and in 12th place in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors were widely expected to be a playoff team entering the season.

Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. are considered more likely to be moved than other players given their ability to become free agents in the offseason.

OG Anunoby is also receiving significant interest on the trade market.

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The Dallas Mavericks are open to trading Dorian Finney-Smith in a trade for a star-caliber player, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Finney-Smith signed a four-year, $55 million extension with the Mavericks last offseason. Finney-Smith holds a player option for 25-26.

If the Mavericks are successful in trading for a major upgrade, it almost certainly would require the inclusion of Finney-Smith. The Mavericks have a high price threshold for teams interest in Finney-Smith. The Utah Jazz are a team who has expressed a strong interest in Finney-Smith.

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Nick Nurse has an uncertain future as head coach of the Toronto Raptors as he will be entering the final season of his current contract this offseason.

Nurse previously signed a contract extension worth $8 million per season that expires after 23-24.

Head coaches typically avoid entering the final year of their contract as it creates a lame duck situation.

Shams Charania of The Athletic also reports that some of the frustration with Toronto's play has been directed at Nurse.

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The Phoenix Suns have had Jae Crowder on the trade market since before the season began. With less than two weeks to the trade deadline, Phoenix may finally be moving closer to trading Crowder.

The Suns gave the Milwaukee Bucks permission to meet with the veteran forward. The Bucks have been interested in dealing for Crowder for a few months now. Milwaukee is believed to be the only team that Phoenix gave this permission to. The Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat are also known to be interested in acquiring Crowder ahead of the deadline.

Crowder is owed $10.2 million in the final season of his three-year contract with the Suns. The 10-year veteran asked for a trade before the season, when Phoenix made it known that they planned to start Cam Johnson over him this season.

The Bucks are currently offering Jordan Nwora, Serge Ibaka, George Hill and second round picks for Crowder.

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OG Anunoby will miss the Toronto Raptors game against the Phoenix Suns due to a wrist injury.

Anunoby was injured during last Friday's game against the Warriors.

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LeBron James and Anthony Davis will miss the Los Angeles Lakers' game against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday due to injury.

James is diagnosed with left ankle soreness while Davis will sit due to a right foot stress injury.

Austin Reaves will also miss the game due to a left hamstring strain.

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The LA Clippers have been linked to several high-profile point guards on the trade market. This is reportedly after Kawhi Leonard told the Clippers he'd welcome an addition at the lead guard spot.

LA has reportedly expressed interest in trading for Mike Conley of the Utah Jazz, Kyle Lowry of the Miami Heat and Fred VanVleet of the Toronto Raptors. Leonard won the 2019 NBA Finals while teammates with Lowry and VanVleet in Toronto.

The Clippers can put together the necessary contracts to add the large salaries of any of the veteran point guards. They can also offer win-now veteran talent to teams looking to remain in the playoff hunt, or looking to reset quickly for next season. In addition, the Clippers haven't shied away from taking on additional salary in recent years.

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The Phoenix Suns are widely expected to trade Jae Crowder before the February 9 trade deadline. The Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks are known to have pursued Crowder for months. Now, we can add the Chicago Bulls to the list of suitors for the veteran forward.

The Bulls have had talks with the Suns about trading guard Coby White for Crowder. Chicago has a surplus of guards and have a need for frontcourt depth. Phoenix has suffered several injuries in their backcourt throughout this season.

Both Crowder and White are on expiring contracts. Crowder is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer, while White is eligible for restricted free agency.

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Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso has been mentioned in trade rumors for weeks, if not months. But the Bulls have no plans to trade Caruso. In fact, Chicago has set the asking price so high for Caruso that he's considered to be virtually untouchable.

The veteran combo guard's stat-line doesn't pop, but that belies Caruso's impact for the Bulls. He's been Chicago's best backcourt defender, and he helps set a tone for the team.

"High-IQ, knows what's happening, what's coming, what he's going to do, where his man is, is he going over, under?'' Bulls coach Donovan said about Caruso. "He really reacts pretty spontaneously, and he has such a good feel for it. And then, like we've all talked about, he throws his body into everything all the time.''

Chicago has reportedly told rival teams they would need two first-round picks to part with Caruso. The veteran guard has two years and $19.4 million left on his contract through 2024-25, and the final season is only partially guaranteed.

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Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball is "nowhere close" to returning, per Bulls coach Billy Donovan. Ball still hasn't progressed to consistent running a year after having meniscus surgery.

"He's made some progress, but I'd be the first one to tell you he's nowhere near playing," Donovan said. "He's just not. Because he's not running on a consistent basis. When he can get to that place where he can do that consistently and be able to come back the next day and do it again, do it again and do it again - I think you'll feel a little bit more optimistic."

Ball last played in a game on January 14, 2022. Ball still can't run at full speed and do more than light jumping to shoot or dunk. Donovan said Bulls leadership would need to see significant improvement before the All-Star Break, or it's time for some difficult conversations.

"If you start to get to that point, I think there will probably end up being some conversations: 'OK, what if he's still not close to playing? What's the plan going forward?'" Donovan said.

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Myles Turner and the Indiana Pacers have reached agreement on a rare renegotiation-and-extension. Turner will up his currently salary by over $17 million, while adding two new years and nearly $41 million to his deal.

Because Turner is extension-eligible and the Pacers have cap space, they were able to push Turner's salary from $18 million to $35 million for this season. From there, Indiana added two years to the deal through the 2024-25 season.

This extension should take Turner off the trade market ahead of next month's trade deadline. In addition, the renegotiation will bring Indiana over the salary floor for this season. The Pacers will still have roughly $10 million in cap space to work with before the February 9 trade deadline.

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The Portland Trail Blazers have offered Jerami Grant a four-year, $112 million extension, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Grant has not accepted the offer as the Blazers can sign offer a five-year contract worth more money when he becomes a free agent.

Grant can sign for up to $233 million over five years, though the upper range of that contract appears unrealistic.

Grant is interested in signing with the Blazers long-term.

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In December, the New York Knicks reached out to the Toronto Raptors about forward OG Anunoby's availability. In those talks, New York reportedly offered multiple first-round picks to Toronto for Anunoby.

While nothing advanced beyond the initial discussions phase, that offer signaled the Knicks are looking to add to their roster. New York has been in a battle all season long to get up to the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. That would allow the Knicks to avoid the Play-In Tournament.

New York has all of their own first-round picks moving forward. They also have protected first-rounders coming their way from the Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks and Washington Wizards. The Mavericks and Bucks picks both project to convey as soon as possible (this year for Dallas and in 2025 for Milwaukee), while the Pistons and Wizards picks have sliding protections on them through 2027 and 2026 respectively.

The Knicks can also easily put together matching salary for Anunoby in a trade. New York has expiring contracts and young players they can send to Toronto, along with draft picks.

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Luka Doncic left the Dallas Mavericks' Thursday game against the Phoenix Suns in the first half with a left ankle injury.

X-rays on the ankle were negative for Doncic.

Doncic was scoreless in the game.

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The Miami Heat have remained interested in trading for Jae Crowder, but have yet to bring frameworks to the Phoenix Suns that have been appealing. Other teams have a clearer pathway to a trade for Crowder than the Heat and their talks with the Suns haven't gained traction.

The Suns have no interest in taking back Duncan Robinson, who has three seasons remaining on his deal. Meanwhile, the Heat haven't shown any inclination to offer Caleb Martin for Crowder.

The Heat would pursue Crowder if he's bought out, but the Suns remain hopeful they will trade him by the deadline.

Crowder went to the Heat in February 2020 and started throughout their run to The Finals. Crowder went on to sign a three-year, $29 million deal with the Suns that offseason.

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The 2023 NBA All-Star starters were announced on Thursday, headlined by LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo as the team captains. James and Antetokounmpo will pick their respective teams shortly before the start of the game.

James is now tied with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most All-Star selections.

Eastern Conference starters

  • Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
  • Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets)
  • Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)
  • Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers)
  • Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn Nets)

Western Conference starters

  • LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers)
  • Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
  • Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans)
  • Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
  • Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)

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Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) and Keith Smith of Spotrac and CelticsBlog (@KeithSmithNBA) break down the upcoming 2023 NBA Trade Deadline.

They discuss the lack of aggressive buyers, being proactive vs. reactive, team-specific situations around the league and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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The Boston Celtics are considered unlikely to sign Jakob Poeltl at the deadline, sources tell Jay King of The Athletic.

The Celtics are searching for another big man, but a team acquiring Poeltl would likely be positioned to offer him the starting job next season. Poeltl will be a free agent in the offseason.

For Boston, Poeltl would be a third big man and give them injury depth behind Rob Williams and Al Horford.

The Celtics are also more willing to play small lineups now.

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Stephen Curry was ejected in the fourth quarter of the Golden State Warriors' eventual 122-120 win over the Memphis Grizzlies when he threw his mouthpiece after what he thought was an ill-advised three-point attempt.

"It was a crucial time in the game, and the way that our season has gone, questions about a heightened sense of urgency ... when you want something really bad ... I reacted in a way that put myself out of the game and put the team in a tough place," Curry said.

Curry has been ejected three times in his career and all have involved his mouthpiece.

Poole went on to make the game-winning layup.

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The Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, and Los Angeles Clippers have been mentioned as possible landing spots for D'Angelo Russell, sources told Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported earlier this month that the Timberwolves were shopping Russell, mentioning Mike Conley as a potential target.

Russell is currently in the final year of a four-year, $117 million deal.

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Fred VanVleet is drawing trade interest from several teams, including the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, Washington Wizards, and Orlando Magic, sources told Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.

The Magic are reportedly looking to bring in a point guard for the long term to develop next to their young talent, which assumes that VanVleet would re-sign with the team should he get traded.

VanVleet is widely expected to opt out of his player option this summer.

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Kyrie Irving is seeking a contract extension with the Brooklyn Nets, but his agent tells Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report that discussions have yet to commence.

Irving is in the final season of his current deal and would become an unrestricted free agent this offseason if an extension isn't reached.

"Around Kyrie and staying with the Nets? I have reached out to the Nets regarding this," his agent Shetellia Irving told Bleacher Report. "We have had no significant conversations to date. The desire is to make Brooklyn home, with the right type of extension, which means the ball is in the Nets' court to communicate now if their desire is the same."

Irving is eligible for a max extension of four years and roughly $200 million.

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The sale of the Phoenix Suns to Mat Ishbia is expected to become official within the next two weeks with the new owner assuming control ahead of the NBA trade deadline.

The NBA's Board of Governors is expected to ratify the Ishbia purchase with a vote in early February.

Ishbia is buying a majority stake in the Suns at a $4 billion evaluation.

Even though Robert Sarver is suspended, he still retained the authority over the signing, acquisition or trade of any player with a salary in excess of the league-wide average player salary.

One pressing issue for the Suns is the trade of Jae Crowder. With Ishbia assuming control, that deal could be easier for the Suns to execute.

Ishbia is expected to be a hands-on owner in matters of team building.

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Brandon Ingram is finally set to make his long-awaited return to the New Orleans Pelicans lineup. After missing nearly two months due to a left big toe injury, Ingram will return on Wednesday night when New Orleans hosts the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Pelicans have gone 15-14 without Ingram in the lineup. That includes New Orleans current five-game losing streak.

Ingram's return comes a day after the Pelicans announced that Zion Williamson would be out at least two more weeks with a hamstring injury. The Pelicans have also dealt with injuries to several other rotation players while Ingram and Williamson have been out.

Ingram has appeared in only 15 games this season, but has played great when he's been in the lineup. The seventh-year wing has averaged 20.8 points on 47/47/87 shooting splits this season.

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Anthony Davis is set to make his return to the Los Angeles Lakers lineup on Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs, sources told Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

Davis, who has missed over five weeks with a fractured bone spur and a stress reaction in his right foot, will be on a 20-24 minute restriction.

Rui Hachimura will also be available for the Lakers on Wednesday.

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Monte McNair and the Sacramento Kings have agreed upon a contract extension.

McNair was entering the final months of his original three-year deal with the Kings.

The Kings are currently third in the Western Conference and are on pace to end their 16-year playoff drought.

McNair was hired by the Kings in 2020. The Kings hired McNair after 13 seasons as a front office executive with the Houston Rockets.

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The Portland Trail Blazers are "intensely engrossed" with trying to improve their roster ahead of the deadline and have no plans to tank, sources tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

The Blazers continue to believe they can build a contender around Damian Lillard. But the Blazers have lost 13 of 19 games and are now 13th in the West.

The Blazers are looking for shooting, size and depth. Portland ranks last in points off the bench with just 24.0 points per game.

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The Washington Wizards trade of Rui Hachimura to the Los Angeles Lakers has many speculating about their roster plans moving forward. From all indications, those plans include keep Kyle Kuzma in Washington.

The Wizards have reportedly told interested teams that Kuzma is not available in trade discussions. That includes the Atlanta Hawks and Phoenix Suns, who have had various trade talks with Washington in recent weeks.

Kuzma hasn't committed to anything beyond this season, as far as his future goes. Kuzma holds a $13 million player option for next season that he'll surely decline. Signing an extension with the Wizards is likely off the table, because such a deal wouldn't pay him near his market value.

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Evan Fournier's second season with the New York Knicks has been a frustrating one. He's appeared in only 20 games and was removed from the rotation in mid-November.

Fournier has only played when New York has been down other guards and wings. That's now where Fournier wants to be at this point in his career.

"Best-case scenario, I want to stay here. I want to play here," he said. "I had a bunch of different choices in free agency, and I wanted to be a Knick. I love New York. I wanted to play for (Tom Thibodeau). So, I'd love to stay, but I'd love to play."

Fournier is owed $18 million this season, $18.8 million next season, before the Knicks hold a $19 million team option for 2024-25. That makes trading the veteran wing a tricky proposition. And asking for a trade isn't something Fournier wants to do, but he knows he can still help a team on the court.

"I'm in the best shape of my career. I should be in my prime. I am in my prime," he said. "You want to play, for sure. Especially as a competitor. It's not like I forgot how to play. Last year I had a different role and somehow, I was able to break a 30-year-old franchise record. So, I am going to find a way to adapt to any situation."

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At least one NBA team has offered the Toronto Raptors three first-round picks for OG Anunoby, sources told Bruce Arthur of the Toronto Star.

The Raptors have reportedly made it known that it would take multiple unprotected first-round picks for them to think about trading Anunoby.

Gary Trent Jr. is the only player the team is seriously considering trading at the deadline, according to other reports.

Meanwhile, the Suns are targeting Fred VanVleet as a potential replacement for Chris Paul.

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The Phoenix Suns are targeting Terry Rozier, Immanuel Quickley, and Fred VanVleet as trade targets to eventually replace Chris Paul, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

Paul has played just 27 of the team's 48 games this season due to injuries.

While Quickley is reportedly off the table, Rozier is seen as "attainable" from the Hornets.

VanVleet's status is in flux due to the Raptors' struggles this season and his potential to decline a player option and become a free agent this summer.

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The Washington Wizards plan to re-sign both Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis this offseason, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

The trade of Rui Hachimura was a step to clear cap space for both players.

Kuzma and Porzingis both are likely to decline their player options for next season and become free agents this summer.

The team is increasingly confident of being able to re-sign Kuzma.

Stein adds that Porzingis currently likes his situation with the Wizards.

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The NBA and NBPA continue to negotiate their next collective bargaining agreement. One part of the talks that is not expected to be part of the final agreement is a hard cap, which the NBA has euphemistically called an "Upper Spending Limit."

In early December, Marc Stein of Substack reported that the NBA was genuine in their pursuit of a hard cap and that it wasn't simply a negotiating tactic.

"There's not going to be a hard salary cap... I don't think," said Brian Windhorst on his podcast. "I don't want to talk in absolutes. I think if that was really on the table, I don't think we'd be hearing there's momentum in talks.

"There sounds like there will be changes to the luxury tax system. Potentially making the high payrolls even more penal to try to get them under control. Also, possibly changing the levels of which teams are taxed, so there may be a give and take."

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Chris Grant has removed his name from consideration on a job in the front office with the Atlanta Hawks, reports ESPN's Brian Windhorst. The Hawks were on the market for an experienced executive to join a relatively young front office led by Landry Fields. Grant previously worked for the Hawks and was general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Grant was in "serious talks" to join the Hawks as a senior adviser, according to a report last week from Shams Charania of The Athletic.

"Recently, they were interested in hiring Chris Grant away from the San Antonio Spurs," said Windhrost on his podcast. "From what I'm told even though they were interesting in bringing him in, Chris has actually pulled his name from consideration. He's going to stay with the Spurs. He's happy in San Antonio."

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The Los Angeles Lakers are finalizing a trade with the Washington Wizards of Kendrick Nunn and three second round picks for Rui Hachimura.

Hachimura has been on the trade block for at least one week.

Hachimura was the ninth overall pick in 2019, but the Wizards have a surplus of players at forward and would like to re-sign Kyle Kuzma.

The Lakers are trading for Hachimura expecting to re-sign him in restricted free agency this offseason.

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The Los Angeles Clippers are not considering trading Kawhi Leonard, sources tell Law Murray of The Athletic.

The Clippers have had a frustrating season and have struggled to evaluate their roster due to the inconsistency of when their players are available to play.

Leonard has a trade kicker in his contract and cannot become a free agent until 2024.

Leonard is averaging 20.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 30.8 minutes over 24 games this season.

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Kristaps Porzingis will be listed as week-to-week with a sprained left ankle.

The injury originally occurred in the third quarter of the Washington Wizards' win over Orlando on Jan. 21.

Porzingis is averaging 22.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game this season for the Wizards.

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Likely number one overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft Victor Wembanyama has been called up to the France national team for 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers. France will play two qualifiers at the end of February against Czech Republic and Lithuania.

France has already qualified for this edition of the World Cup. They are using their final two qualifying games to continue to evaluate their non-NBA and non-EuroLeague players.

Wembanyama played in two previous qualifiers for France. He averaged 19.5 points and 6.5 rebounds, as the French team clinched a spot in this summer's World Cup back in mid-November.

The 2023 FIBA World Cup will be jointly hosted by Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines. The event will run from late-August to mid-September.

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  • OKC and SAC: Two surprise teams reveal their huge contrasts against one another.
  • POR: Despite the presence of Dame Lillard, their failures in the clutch have led to a recent cold streak.
  • GSW: What does the new starting lineup with Jordan Poole mean for their future?
  • DEN: They've improved without Jokic, and they're quietly putting together a spectacular 3-point shooting season as a team.
  • DAL: Their shooters have some of the easiest 3s in the league. Why could that be? Plus, the Christian Wood at center experience.
  • MIN: They've held it together as Anthony Edwards has consolidated his improvement from last year.
  • MEM: A top-2 seed in the West looks likely-how has their formula changed from last year?
  • NOP: They're 3-8 in January, as health and opponent shooting luck have caught up to them.
  • LAL: Is it possible that LeBron and Russ together.....has actually worked?
  • SAS: The curious case of Jakob Poeltl's rim protection.

Five more Episodes per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime, as well as Nate's weekly podcast with John Hollinger DuncdOn.SupportingCast.fm

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Jakob Poeltl is reportedly looking to receive $20 million per season in his next contract, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

Poeltl is currently in the final year of a three-year, $26 million deal.

The Spurs are looking to hold onto Poeltl, who has been the target of trade rumors this season.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton are both listed as probable to return against the Detroit Pistons on Monday.

Antetokounmpo has been out since January 11 with a knee injury.

Middleton has not played since December 15 due to knee soreness.

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Brandon Ingram played 5 on 5 on Sunday and is making progress towards a return, according to Willie Green.

Ingram has been sidelined with a toe injury since November 26.

The Pelicans are also currently without Zion Williamson due to a hamstring injury.

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The Phoenix Suns have won two games in a row after a long slide. Now, Phoenix is starting to get a bit healthier, as well. The Suns got Cam Johnson back recently, and are set to welcome their veteran leader back, as well.

Chris Paul is likely to play for the Suns on Sunday against the Memphis Grizzlies. This will be Paul's first game after seven-game absence due to right hip soreness.

Overall, Paul has missed 21 games for the Suns this season. Phoenix has gone 12-9 without Paul in the lineup. He also missed 14 games in mid-November to early-December with a heel injury before this latest absence.

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Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac last played in an NBA game on August 2nd, 2020 in the bubble at Walt Disney World. That day, Isaac tore the ACL in his left knee. After a year-plus of rehab, Isaac suffered a setback with a serious hamstring injury.

Those two injuries have cost Isaac the last two full NBA seasons and over half of this season. Now, two-and-a-half years after his initial injury, the Magic expect Isaac to return to the NBA court on Monday vs the Boston Celtics.

Isaac recently appeared in three games for the Lakeland Magic of the G League. Isaac was productive, by scoring 15.7 points in 17.7 minutes per game. More importantly, Isaac looked good physically and made it out of the three contests with no physical issues.

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In recent days, it surfaced that that the Washington Wizards are talking trades involving Rui Hachimura. Following Saturday's home win over the Orlando Magic, Hachimura offered his thoughts on his game and the trade rumors.

After tying his career-high with 30 points, Hachimura expressed confidence in his game.

"I just got to play my game. I know what I can do, and I can help the team to win," Hachimura said. "It's either here or another team. I can help teams."

On the rumors, the fourth-year forward said he wants to go somewhere that he'll be appreciated.

"I just want to be somewhere that wants me as a basketball player," Hachimura said. "And I want to be somewhere that loves my - likes my game, you know? I just want to be somewhere that trusts, believes in me. Just I can be myself - that's my goal."

Hachimura is eligible for restricted free agency this summer, with the Wizards or with a team that trades for him. When asked if he's asked for a trade, Hachimura didn't want to discuss those specifics and said, "No comment."

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A year ago, the Charlotte Hornets looked to be set at the forward position. A year later, it's a position in flux for Charlotte.

Both of this season's starters, P.J. Washington and Jalen McDaniels, will be free agents this summer. And Miles Bridges remains unsigned after domestic violence charges last summer.

With McDaniels an unrestricted free agent and Bridges' status still up in the air, Charlotte has rising interest in re-signing Washington. The fourth-year forward has started and played in 46 of the Hornets 47 games this season.

Washington has averaged a career-high 15.4 points per game, while maintaining solid shooting percentages. Charlotte can make Washington a restricted free agent this summer, by tendering him a $7.99 million qualifying offer.

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The Charlotte Hornets have fallen to 12-34 on the season and are positioning for ping pong balls in the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery. Given that, the Hornets are ready to talk trades for some of the veterans on their roster. Charlotte is prepared to talk deals for Gordon Hayward, Terry Rozier and Kelly Oubre Jr.

Hayward is owed $30.1 million this season and $31.5 million next season. He's continually battled injuries throughout his Charlotte tenure, and since as far back as 2017 when he suffered an opening night injury with the Boston Celtics.

Rozier signed a four-year, $96.3 million contract extension before last season. He's on the Hornets books through the 2025-26 season at an average of $24 million per season.

Oubre underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left hand on January 3. He's expected to miss 4-6 week, which would have Oubre in line to return right around the February 9 trade deadline. He's on an expiring $12.6 million contract, which could make him attractive to a contender looking for a rotation wing.

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The Utah Jazz find themselves hovering around .500 after an impressive start. That has many around the NBA believing Utah is ready to listen to offers for almost their entire roster.

The Jazz are expected to take forward Lauri Markkanen and center Walker Kessler out of the mix, but will listen to proposals involving anyone else. Markkanen is in the midst of a breakout season, and Kessler has had an impressive rookie season.

Utah has been rumored for months to be open to moving veteran Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, Malik Beasley, Rudy Gay and Kelly Olynyk. All five of those players have contracts that could expire following the season. Clarkson and Gay both have player options, the Jazz have a team option for Beasley, while Conley and Olynyk are both partially guaranteed for next season.

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The Milwaukee Bucks are seeking to upgrade their bench. The challenge for Milwaukee is that they owe three future first-round picks to other teams from previous trades.

In 2019, the Bucks sent four second-round picks to the New Orleans Pelicans for Nikola Mirotic. Milwaukee is trying a similar tactic now, as they've offered four second-round picks to the Houston Rockets for Eric Gordon. The Bucks have eight second-round picks to offer in trades over the next seven years.

Gordon has averaged 12.2 points over 39 games for the Rockets this season. Houston has been expected to explore the trade market for the veteran guard ahead of the trade deadline. Gordon has one more season left on his contract after this season, but the $20.9 million deal is non-guaranteed unless Gordon's team wins the 2023 NBA Finals.

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Anthony Davis is making progress from his right foot injury and could make his return to the Los Angeles Lakers lineup late next week, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Davis, who has been ramping up his activity recently, has been out with a foot fracture since mid-December.

The Lakers start a five-game road trip against the Celtics on January 28.

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This week it was reported that Luka Doncic has "strongly indicated" he would like the Dallas Mavericks to upgrade the roster around him. ESPN's Tim MacMahon elaborated on his reporting during Friday's episode of the Hoop Collective podcast.

"Really, the newsworthy thing here is that Luka is starting to be much more involved in the personnel discussions," said MacMahon. "Where previously it's always been like 'Y'all can let me know, but I don't really want to be involved right now.'

"He's starting to be much more involved. The ideas aren't just being bounced off him is my understanding. He's bouncing some ideas the other way as well."

The Mavericks reached the Western Conference Finals last season while also winning 52 regular season games. The Mavericks were sixth in the NBA in defense. This season, they are 25th in defense and are on pace to be just a little over .500.

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The Milwaukee Bucks and Serge Ibaka have mutually agreed to find a new team via trade.

Ibaka remains away from the Bucks at this time.

Ibaka has appeared in 16 games this season with the Bucks and hasn't played since January 1st.

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The San Antonio Spurs will sign Gorgui Dieng to a second 10-day contract.

The Spurs initially waived Dieng when they completed a trade with the Boston Celtics.

Dieng has appeared in 14 games this season with the Spurs, averaging 3.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 10.9 minutes.

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Bronny James is currently the highest rated point guard of the 2023 high school class who has yet to commit to a college. James will most likely wait until after his high school season to take more college visits and a late decision is expected.

Ohio State, Oregon, USC and Michigan have emerged as possible landing spots for James.

James took an official visit to Ohio State in early September, which is only known campus visit.

Given the fact that James already signed a Nike shoe deal, his likely college path will be a Nike program.

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Matt Ishbia attended his first Phoenix Suns game since announcing he's buying the team from Robert Sarver. That was seen a first step towards transition to Ishbia's ownership of the team.

Another big change is that Phoenix has told rival teams that they are willing to move a first-round pick in trade talks to improve the team. In addition, the Suns have let teams know that they will take on salary ahead of the trade deadline on February 9.

In recent weeks, it was suggested that Sarver would need to approve any deals that put money on the Suns books. Now, it seems that Phoenix GM James Jones has the go-ahead to make whatever moves he feels can improve the Suns chances this season.

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The Miami Heat are not looking to trade Kyle Lowry this upcoming deadline, team sources told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

The Heat have recently won 13 out of their last 19 games, likely ruling out any big roster-changing trades.

Jackson adds that the Heat would likely not hesitate to trade either Duncan Robinson or Dewayne Dedmon.

The team also continues to be interested in Jae Crowder.

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Christian Wood was diagnosed with a fractured left thumb and will be re-evaluated next week.

Wood suffered the injury during the Mavs' 130-122 loss to the Hawks on Wednesday night.

With Maxi Kleber already out, JaVale McGee and Dwight Powell are currently the team's only healthy big men.

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Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) and Rob Mahoney of The Ringer (@RobMahoney) break down the NBA Conference Finals.

They discuss the wide-open Western Conference playoff picture, trade deadline, exciting young teams and much more.

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Mitchell Robinson underwent successful surgery on Thursday to repair his fractured right thumb.

Robinson will be reevaluated in three weeks.

Robinson is averaging 7.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 26.9 minutes per game this season.

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The Golden State Warriors are expected to eventually convert Anthony Lamb from a Two-Way contract into a standard NBA deal on their 15-man roster.

The Warriors have an open roster spot and that void will inevitably be filled by someone for the playoffs.

Lamb has already used 36 of his 50 eligible games and is averaging 25.9 minutes per game in January.

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The Golden State Warriors are likely to keep Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman and Moses Moody beyond the upcoming trade deadline, sources tell Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

The Warriors are protective of their future at this juncture and aren't in a mode of desperation to maximize the present.

The Warriors are not actively shopping any of that trio. Golden State believes Kuminga will be a playoff rotation contributor, while they don't want to sell-low on Moody or Wiseman.

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Eric Gordon has seemingly been on the trade market since the Houston Rockets traded away James Harden to kick off a rebuild. With Gordon's deal nearing its end, the expectation has been the Rockets would look to trade him by next month's trade deadline.

However, sources indicate that Houston isn't in any rush to trade Gordon. One reason is the Rockets rumored pursuit of a reunion with Harden in free agency this summer. Harden enjoys playing with Gordon, and the Rockets may see that as a potential recruitment advantage.

Gordon's $20.9 million contract for next season is fully non-guaranteed, unless the team he is on wins the 2023 NBA Finals. At $19.6 million for this season, Gordon is an easily attainable player via trade for teams looking to add wing scoring and shooting.

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The Sacramento Kings are set to sign PJ Dozier to a second 10-day deal, reported Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Dozier is averaging 1.0 points in three games for the Kings.

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Maxi Kleber announced that he would not be missing the rest of this season and was instead hopeful of returning by the All-Star break in an interview on Wednesday.

"I'm not out for the season, I can't give an exact date but I hope I'm gonna be back within the next week, preferably before All-Star break.

"I don't want to jinx anything, or say anything, or make promises but that's the plan. There's so many factors that come into that, but that's the goal," said Kleber.

Kleber was initially ruled out indefinitely following surgery on a torn hamstring.

Kleber is averaging 6.2 points in 22 games on the season.

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LaMelo Ball left the Charlotte Hornets' 122-117 win over the Houston Rockets with a sprained ankle and did not return.

Ball seemed unconcerned by the severity of the injury.

"I can walk and everything, so I'll just take it day by day and see what it is," said Ball after the game.

Steve Clifford was unsure if the injury would rule Ball out for Saturday's game against the Hawks.

Ball has now injured the same ankle three times this season, missing 24 total games with the injury.

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The New York Knicks have ramped up their efforts to trade Cam Reddish, sources tell Marc Stein.

The Dallas Mavericks have joined the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers in pursuit of Reddish. The Knicks are only a seeking second round pick plus matching salary.

Reddish has been unable to secure regular minutes in the rotation of Tom Thibodeau since they acquired him last season from the Atlanta Hawks.

Reddish most recently played on December 3rd.

The Knicks would like to take back Reggie Bullock from the Mavericks, who is a favorite of Thibodeau. Bullock remains in high regard by the Mavericks though he has struggled with his shot.

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Luka Doncic has "strongly indicated" he would like the Dallas Mavericks to upgrade their roster via trade before the February 9th deadline, sources tell Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

Doncic has not shown a desire to be involved in personnel matters in the past.

The Mavericks, however, still owe a first rounder to the New York Knicks as part of the Kristaps Porzingis deal.

The Mavericks lost Jalen Brunson to the Knicks in free agency last offseason after they declined the opportunity to sign him to a four-year, $55 million extension.

Doncic can become a free agent in 2026 and MacMahon has previously stated that the Mavericks have a two-year window to prove they can build a contender around him.

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Draymond Green admitted that the environment in TD Garden during The Finals impacted his play in the series. Green said on his podcast in November that he was repeatedly called racist names throughout the three games played in Boston.

"It was such a beautiful thing," Green told ESPN of closing out the series in Boston in Game 6. "It's not something they hadn't experienced before. So I think it's great that they experienced it from us. With Steph Curry doing what Steph Curry does and the guy they chose to call the N-word. It was beautiful."

Green scored just two points each in Games 3 and 4, netting a minus-13 and zero in those games, respectively.

"You usually have situations where people talk crazy, but not the entire arena," Green told ESPN. "You'll have a situation where an entire arena will boo you, but not what the Boston fans were doing. So, it was just a different situation than I had ever seen. It took a while to adjust to it ... it was just so unexpected. It caught me off guard."

Green said he heard "f--k Draymond" chants, and names like "b---h" and the N-word.

"Whenever you know what to expect, you can plan for it. I've been around for 11 years so I thought I had seen it all. But that, I had never seen before," Green told ESPN. "I guess with this, there was no real way to prepare for it. Except mentally know what you're walking into. When that happens I can tune it out. But that first time I couldn't tune it out."

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The Boston Celtics are looking to add depth at center due to the injury concerns surrounding Robert Williams, sources tell Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

Al Horford increased his minutes during last year's playoffs with Williams out and the Celtics realize it isn't realistic to ask him to replicate that again.

The Celtics are one of the teams interested in Jakob Poeltl, who would provide insurance at center. Boston has maintained interest in Poeltl for several seasons, though the San Antonio Spurs have sought two first round picks in exchange.

Poeltl will be a free agent in the offseason and re-signing him would be difficult to envision for the Celtics barring another trade.

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The San Antonio Spurs are known to be listening to trade offers for Jakob Poeltl. However, San Antonio is asking for a significant return for their prized center.

The Spurs are telling teams they want two first-round picks in any deal that involves Poeltl. San Antonio doesn't feel they are in a position where they have to move Poeltl, as they hold his Bird rights as an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Multiple teams, including the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors, have shown interest in trading for Poeltl. The Spurs are willing to trade him, but would need an offer they can't refuse, per reports.

Last season, San Antonio put a similar asking price on guard Derrick White. He was eventually traded to Boston for a single first-round pick and top-one protected swap rights in a future draft.

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The Washington Wizards have waived guard Devon Dotson from his Two-Way contract. Dotson was signed by Washington in late-November.

The third-year guard was signed when the Wizards had several injuries at the point guard position. With both Monte Morris and Delon Wright now healthy, fellow Two-Way guard Jordan Goodwin playing well, Washington no longer need Dotson for depth.

Dotson appeared in six NBA games with the Wizards. He also played in 21 games with the Capital City Go-Go of the G League. With the Go-Go, Dotson averaged 13.1 points, 5.9 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game.

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Michael Malone missed the Denver Nuggets' 122-113 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday after entering the NBA's health and safety protocols.

David Adelman replaced Malone on the Nuggets' sideline.

"Everyone will step up. Different roles, but same expectations as if he's here.

"That's where Coach has been so good over the years -- there's an expectation of how we prepare, how we go about our business, and we'll try to do that for him tonight," said Adelman after the game.

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Kyrie Irving sat out the Brooklyn Nets' 106-98 loss to the San Antonio Spurs due to a sore right calf.

Jacque Vaughn said that he does not believe the injury is serious, and that Irving will not need an MRI.

"Just reported a little tightness. It's essentially just day to day. We'll check on him [Wednesday], and hopefully this is short-term," said Vaughn.

Seth Curry, starting for Irving, finished with 16 points and seven rebounds.

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Dorian Finney-Smith and Josh Green are likely to return to the Dallas Mavericks lineup on Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Finney-Smith last played on December 21 and has missed 14 games with a hip injury.

Green has been out 20 games due to a right elbow sprain.

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The Charlotte Hornets are considered a team that could become sellers as the trade deadline approaches.

Terry Rozier, Mason Plumlee, Jalen McDaniels and Kelly Oubre are amongst the players expected to receive interest.

The Hornets are expected to listen to trade offers on Rozier, who has three years remaining on his four-year, $97 million extension.

The Hornets currently rank last in the Eastern Conference.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves have joined the Los Angeles Clippers with interest in trading for Mike Conley Jr.

Conley has averaged 10.3 points, 7.5 assists and 2.3 rebounds this season.

Conley is signed for the 23-24 season as $24.36 million.

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The Atlanta Hawks are in serious talks to hire Chris Grant as a senior adviser to Landry Fields, sources tell Shams Charania of the Athletic.

Grant spent nine seasons with the Hawks from 1996 until 2005 before serving as an assistant general manager and general manager for the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2005 to 2014.

Grant is currently a scout for the San Antonio Spurs.

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The Toronto Raptors have signed guard-forward Joe Wieskamp to a second 10-day contract.

Wieskamp, 6-foot-6, 205 pounds, appeared in one game with Toronto's G League affiliate, Raptors 905, during his first 10-day contract with the Raptors. He posted 19 points (6-9 FG, 4-6 3PT, 2-2 FT) and seven rebounds in the 905's 122-119 win over Capital City on Jan. 9.

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The Atlanta Hawks have signed Donovan Williams to a two-way contract.

Williams appeared in 26 total games (19 starts) for the Long Island Nets of the NBA G League this season, tallying 15.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 28.6 minutes (.481 FG%, .407 3FG%, .658 FT%). He scored 20-or-more points six times, including pouring in a career-best 30 points in a win on Nov. 23, 2022, over the Raptors 905.

The 6-6 guard saw action in five games with the Brooklyn Nets during the NBA 2K23 Summer League in Las Vegas, registering 3.6 points and 1.2 rebounds in 7.8 minutes (.667 FG%, .750 3FG%, .750 FT%). Undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft, Williams was signed by the Brooklyn Nets on Oct. 12, 2022, before being placed on waivers on Oct. 16, 2022.

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The Toronto Raptors have let rival front office know that it would take multiple unprotected first round picks for them to even consider trading OG Anunoby, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Anunoby is earning under $20 million this season and next and can become a free agent in 2024. Because Anunoby's contract is so low, the Raptors almost certainly will be unable to extend him. Anunoby is also represented by Klutch Sports.

The Raptors would seek a trade package in the neighborhood of what the Atlanta Hawks sent to the San Antonio Spurs for Dejounte Murray. That trade included three first round picks and a draft swap.

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Fred VanVleet has refused to address his contract status with the Toronto Raptors beyond saying "I'm completely focused on his team. My loyalty is to this team and to this franchise and trying to get us back to the level that we're accustomed to around here." However, with a player option for next season, VanVleet's potential pending free agency will remain a source of speculation.

The Phoenix Suns and Orlando Magic have emerged as potential teams that could pursue the veteran point guard in free agency. Orlando is expected to have north of $30 million in cap space this offseason. Phoenix would likely have to work a sign-and-trade or a deal where VanVleet opts in and is traded.

VanVleet projects to be one of the better free agents available, and one of the better point guard options. The soon-to-be 29-year-old signed a four-year, $83 million deal to remain with Toronto in 2020. VanVleet's option for next season is worth $22.8 million, but he's expected to opt out for a long-term deal as he heads into his early-30s.

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The Toronto Raptors are being monitored by rival teams with the anticipation they will be active heading into the trade deadline. The Raptors have had a disappointing season and have a number of players that would be of interest on the trade market.

"They've told teams they're going to do something," said an assistant general manager.

The Raptors could look to improve their roster and focus on playmaking on the perimeter and rim protection.

If the Raptors continue to lose, they could pivot to maximizing their lottery odds while accumulating additional assets for one or more of their players.

Sources say Gary Trent Jr. is the only player the Raptors are expected to seriously listen to trade offers on.

Trent is expected to decline his $18.5 million player option for next season and test free agency. Trent will be seeking an annual average of $25 million on his next contract.

The Raptors have signaled they intend to keep OG Anunoby, Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam.

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D'Angelo Russell is in the final season of the four-year $117 million contract he signed as a part of a sign-and-trade to the Golden State Warriors in 2019. As such, Russell's current team, the Minnesota Timberwolves are figuring out how to proceed with the veteran point guard.

Minnesota is exploring the trade market for Russell, while prioritizing adding a point guard under team control. One rumored target for the Wolves is Mike Conley of the Utah Jazz.

Given that Russell isn't a lock to stay in Minnesota, the Wolves are exploring his trade market, as opposed to losing him for nothing in the offseason. The Timberwolves are expected to be well over the cap, so they would have no way to replace Russell, or his salary slot, if he left as an unrestricted free agent.

Russell is shooting a career-high 46% from the field, while averaging 17.1 points and 6.2 assists per game. He's served as a stabilizer of sorts in a Wolves backcourt that has seen both injuries and inconsistent play this season.

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The Detroit Pistons have told teams they don't really want to trade Bojan Bogdanovic. But opposing teams feel an offer of unprotected first-round pick could change the Pistons minds.

The Los Angeles Lakers, New Orlean Pelicans, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Dallas Mavericks have all expressed interest in trading for Bogdanovic. All have needs for additional wing depth and perimeter scoring.

Bogdanovic is putting together a career-year, as he's averaging 21.2 points per game. The eight-year veteran is shooting 48.7% from the floor, including 41.5% on three-pointers. Bogdanovic is also getting to the free throw line a career-best 5.2 times per game and knocking down 88.5% of his free throws.

After being acquired from the Utah Jazz before the season, Bogdanovic signed a two-year contract extension worth $39 million. Next season is fully guaranteed at $20 million, while only $2 million of Bogdanovic's $19 million deal is guaranteed for the 2024-25 season.

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Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan plans to return to the lineup for Thursday's game in Paris, France against the Detroit Pistons. DeRozan had missed the last three games due to a strained right quad.

The Bulls went 1-2 with DeRozan missing his first games of the season. The 33-year-old is turning in another All-Star season for Chicago. DeRozan has averaged 26.1 points 5.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game this season.

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The Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets, and Dallas Mavericks have engaged in trade discussions over Nerlens Noel, sources told James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.

Should Noel not get traded by the Pistons, he is unlikely to accept a buyout this season.

Alec Burks is reportedly receiving trade buzz, though the Pistons have shown little interest in dealing him.

The team is also setting a high price for Saddiq Bey, with others around the league under the impression that the Pistons are looking for a "deal they can't refuse."

Edwards also confirms rumors that the Pistons are looking for at least an unprotected first-round pick for Bojan Bogdanovic, though they are not anxious to trade the small forward as they value his veteran leadership.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo missed his third consecutive game for the Milwaukee Bucks due to a knee injury on Monday, a 132-119 win over the Indiana Pacers.

Antetokounmpo remains a question mark for Tuesday's game against the Raptors.

"We don't think it's anything more than that. Him being healthy, taking care of him is always our priority. We're probably always going to err on the side of caution. We know how important he is to us," said Mike Budenholzer after the game.

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Ian Jackson announced his commitment to North Carolina on Monday.

Jackson, ranked the No. 2 recruit in the 2024 class, chose UNC over Kentucky.

"The people were so friendly and welcoming. They were telling me how much they wanted me to go there. It was so cool to see all the Hall of Fame jerseys and the names of their great players. I saw Michael Jordan's name and jersey. I even said hello to Roy Williams. He said, 'We want you here,'" Jackson told ESPN.

Jackson added that he's currently staying in the 2024 class over potentially reclassifying into 2023.

UNC has landed four top-50 prospects in the 2024 class.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are hoping to get Anthony Davis back to game action before the All-Star break.

Davis has a bone spur and stress reaction in his foot.

Davis last played on December 16th and is averaging 27.4 points and 12.1 rebounds per game this season.

If Davis returns before the Feb. 9th trade deadline, the Lakers may be able to better gauge whether they should make a bold move to maximize their chances of contending this season.

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Jalen Brunson and Domantas Sabonis have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for Week 13.

Brunson averaged 34.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists as the New York Knicks went 3-1.

Sabonis averaged 18.5 points, 14.3 rebounds and 10.3 assists as the Sacramento Kings went 4-0.

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Clint Capela will return from a calf injury on Monday after missing the past 10 games.

Capela will begin on a minutes restriction.

Capela is averaging 11.2.0 points, 11.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 27.5 minutes over 27 games this season for the Atlanta Hawks.

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Jordan Clarkson recently held an online session with Manila, Philippines-based reporters. During the session, Clarkson clarified he had not turned down an extension from the Utah Jazz.

"I've really had no communication in terms of extension from my side or my team that I know of," Clarkson said. "And if those talks are happening, sometime soon, I would love to be here in Utah, continue to play with my teammates further."

Clarkson is eligible to sign a four-year, $72 million extension with the Jazz, if he declines his player option for next season. The eight-year veteran could also opt out of the final season and become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have been looking to add another wing shooter to their rotation all season. That pursuit has the Cavs considering a three-team trade with the Atlanta Hawks and Utah Jazz.

In the rumored construction, Cleveland would land Malik Beasley from Utah. The Jazz would acquire John Collins, who they've had rumored interest in for months. The Hawks would likely acquire players from both Cleveland and Utah, with Caris LeVert potentially included in a deal.

Beasley has averaged 13.8 points and 3.5 rebounds in 46 games off the Jazz bench. The seventh-year guard has shot 40% from the field, and 36% from behind the arc.

On potential holdup for Utah is taking on the remainder of Collins' contract. The Jazz have asked the Hawks for draft compensation for taking on the $102 million that Collins is owed through 2025-26.

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The LA Clippers are going to be without backup point guard John Wall for at least two weeks. Wall has an abdominal strain that will keep him out of action for the Clippers, who are battling to stay out of the Western Conference Play-In Tournament.

Wall's absence, and overall concerns about their point guard depth, has LA interested in trading for Mike Conley of the Utah Jazz. After a great start to the season, the Jazz have slipped to 10th in the West, and are on the precipice of missing the postseason. That has some believing Utah could look to move some veterans at the trade deadline.

In his 16th NBA season, Conley's play has started to slip. He's averaging 10.2 points, which is his lowest figure since his rookie season. Conley is also shooting just 38% from the field. On the flip side, the veteran point guard is averaging a career-high 7.5 assists per game.

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The LA Clippers announced that John Wall has an abdominal strain. Wall will be reevaluated in two weeks.

Wall was injured during the Clippers loss on Friday night to the Denver Nuggets. Wall was in the midst of a strong game with 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists when he was hurt.

With Wall out, LA coach Ty Lue said that Reggie Jackson will be elevated to the backup point guard role. Last week, the Clippers installed Terance Mann as their starting point guard and Jackson was removed from the rotation.

In his first season with the Clippers, Wall has averaged 11.4 points and 5.2 assists in 22.2 minutes per game off the bench. The 12-year veteran had returned to the court after sitting out all of last season while with the Houston Rockets.

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The NBA announced punishments from the Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings on-court altercation on Friday night in Sacramento.

In the fourth quarter of the Kings victory, Garrison Mathews of the Rockets and Malik Monk of the Kings got tangled up while pursuing a loose ball. As things escalated, Mathews, Monk and Tari Eason of the Rockets were ejected from the game.

Jalen Green and Jae'Sean Tate of the Rockets left the bench area during the altercation. They have both been suspended for one game for those actions.

Matthews was fined $35,000 for initiating the altercation and taunting Monk. Monk was fined $25,000 for continuing the altercation and taunting Mathews. Eason was fined $30,000 for escalating the altercation and making inadvertent contact with a game official.

Green and Tate will both serve their suspensions during Sunday's game at the LA Clippers.

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The Chicago Bulls season hasn't gone at all how they expected. Chicago is approaching the trade deadline in a battle to simply make the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament.

That sort of middling year has many expecting the Bulls to shake things up at the trade deadline. However, others think Chicago may be in for a very quiet deadline.

The Bulls could explore the trade market for veterans DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic ahead of the deadline. The former is playing at all All-Star level, but will turn 34 years old ahead of next season. The latter is on an expiring contract and may not be a part of the long-term future in Chicago.

For now, Bulls coach Billy Donovan isn't asking for trades. He simply wants his players to play hard and to be focused from play-to-play. Donovan is asking the questions, but he thinks he already knows the answers.

''Can we sustain that competitive, heightened level for a long period of time?'' Donovan said. ''That's our challenge, and I have a lot of confidence and belief in the group because of the people they are. But you want to be able to get better at those things.''

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The San Antonio Spurs and Jakob Poeltl have some decisions to make in the near future. The seventh-year center can be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and he's expected to garner lots of interest on the open market.

That interest has already started, as several teams are pursuing Poeltl ahead of next month's trade deadline. Much like happened with Dejounte Murray, San Antonio could get offers that force them to change their plans on keeping Poeltl. It's expected that the Spurs will get significant offers for Poeltl ahead of the trade deadline.

San Antonio can offer Poeltl a four-year, $58 million extension now, but the talented center is expected to get bigger offers in free agency. The Spurs are in position to have top odds in the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery. If they come away with the chance to select Victor Wembanyama, many see Poeltl as the ideal frontcourt partner for the talented young big man.

Before the trade deadline, both the Spurs and Poeltl will have to make an important decision on how long their partnership is likely to continue.

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Aaron Goodwin nd Eric Goodwin have sued Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani for more than $92 million in damages, alleging the law firm and two of its former partners conspired in a fraud scheme over the sale of their enterprises.

In the complaint, they claimed the San Francisco-based firm helped to commit "a brazen bait-and-switch fraud to mislead the Goodwins into selling their thriving sports management business."

Goodwin represents Damian Lillard and DeMar DeRozan amongst many other NBA players. Goodwin also represented LeBron James and Kevin Durant early in their careers.

The Goodwins' 61-page lawsuit details a series of bids for their businesses, including the final one, when Gordon Rees client Decade S.A.C. LLC closed a deal in 2016 to purchase the Goodwins' businesses for $35 million.

Decade, which would later file for bankruptcy, has failed to pay more than $25 million owed to the Goodwin brothers, according to the lawsuit. The Goodwins' lawsuit, which seeks lost profits from player salary and endorsement contracts, alleged Decade's fraud scheme "unraveled" amid loan defaults and bankruptcy proceedings.

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Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane missed 17 games earlier this season due to a right big toe injury. Bane revealed on JJ Redick's "Old Man and the Three" podcast that the injury won't fully heal until after the season.

"That's something I'll probably have to get taken care of in the offseason," Bane said. "You never know how much you need to use your big toe until you can't use it."

Bane spoke about how he had to see multiple doctors and specialists before being diagnosed with a bone injury. He also said his right sesamoid bone is still in two pieces. That's led the Grizzlies guard to wearing different sneakers to help alleviate his pain. But Bane said things are going well with his toe.

"I'm glad that it is doing as well as it's been," Bane said after Friday's practice. "I feel like I'm in a good spot and trending in the right direction."

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The Atlanta Hawks are waiving Jarrett Culver from his Two-Way contract. Atlanta will replace Culver by signing Donovan Williams to a Two-Way deal.

Williams has spent this season with the Long Island Nets of the G League. The 6-foot-6 wing has averaged 15.5 points per game on 48% shooting from the field. Williams has also shot 40.7% on 4.7 three-point attempts per contest. Williams undrafted at the 2022 NBA Draft as an Early Entry Candidate out of UNLV.

Culver averaged 4.4 points across 10 NBA games with the Hawks. In 11 games with the College Park Skyhawks, Culver appeared in 11 games and averaged 18 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.

Sunday, January 15 is the deadline for NBA teams to sign players to a Two-Way contract for the remainder of this season.

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The Philadelphia 76ers sit just above the NBA's luxury tax line, but don't expect them to finish there. The Sixers are currently approximately $1.2 million over the tax line but can get out of the tax by shedding a salary or two.

That ability to avoid paying the tax, has the expectation around the NBA that Philadelphia will shed the salaries for either Furkan Korkmaz or Jaden Springer. Moving either player without taking significant salary back would get the 76ers under the tax line. Neither Korkmaz nor Springer have been a regular rotation player this season in Philadelphia.

Korkmaz carries a cap/tax hit of $5 million for this season, with $5.4 million fully guaranteed to him next season. Springer is in Year 2 of his rookie scale contract at $2.1 million. He's on the books for $2.2 million in the third year of his rookie deal, with a team option for 2024-25 at $4 million.

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The trade market for Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins continues to swirl. The Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, Brooklyn Nets and Indiana Pacers all have registered vary degrees of interest in trading for Collins.

Recently, the Hawks gave Collins representatives to seek a deal on their own. Atlanta is currently in a front office transition, as Travis Schlenk stepped aside from leading the basketball operations. Landry Fields was promoted to general manager, and Kyle Korver was elevated to assistant GM.

Collins' production has dipped this season, as he's often the Hawks third to fifth option on many nights. The sixth-year big man is taking just 10.3 field goal attempts per game, which is his lowest figure since his rookie season. Without consistent touches, Collins' field goal percentage has fallen under 50% (49.6%) for the first time in his career, including a career-low 23.6% on three-pointers.

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The Utah Jazz aren't moving from their current arena anytime soon. But their home confines will soon have a familiar name again.

The Jazz announced that on July 1, 2023, their downtown Salt Lake City arena will again be named the Delta Center. The current naming rights belong to Vivint and have since 2015. Vivint will terminate their agreement two years early, in exchange for rights to in-game promotions, advertising packages and digital ads during broadcasts.

The Delta Center name returns in Salt Lake City for the first time since the 15-year run from 1991 to 2006. Jazz owner Ryan Smith, who also owns the arena, said he hopes the Delta Center name remains for "years to come". Delta recently agreed to a lease agreement to keep a hub in Salt Lake City through at least mid-2044, with a 10-year option beyond that.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are on the lookout for rotation upgrades. This isn't anything new, but the Lakers stance on trading future first-round picks may be softening, which could actually lead to a deal.

Los Angeles discussed a trade with the Detroit Pistons that would send both Bojan Bogdanovic and Nerlens Noel to the Lakers. The Pistons have insisted on a first-round pick in exchange for Bogdanovic, meaning the Lakers would have to give in and move a future first to the Pistons. Los Angeles would also need to send players to Detroit to satisfy the salary-matching rules in a trade.

There is still a sense around the league that the Lakers aren't willing trade both of their trade-eligible first-round picks. But it is known that Los Angeles is looking to upgrade their rotation, following LeBron James recent comments and the team's run of strong play.

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Nikola Jokic missed the Denver Nuggets road win over the LA Clippers due to a sore right wrist. However, the injury is not considered to be serious.

Nuggets coach Michael Malone said the team chose to sit Jokic to let his wrist "calm down". Malone did say that the injury has "been bothering (Jokic) for a while".

Jokic has missed four games for Denver this season. During those games, the Nuggets have gone 2-2 without the two-time MVP. On the season, Jokic is waging a third consecutive MVP campaign by averaging 24.9 points, 11 rebounds and 9.7 assists, while shooting 61.8% from the field.

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Golden State Warriors big man Draymond Green has a player option for next season. That's led to speculation that Green could opt out, and potentially even leave the only NBA team he's ever known.

Green himself told Bleacher Report that he knows the day might come when he's no longer a Warrior. Asked if that's hard for him to say, Green said it isn't.

"No. Quite frankly, the writing is on the wall," Green said. "I understand the business. We tend to get into this mindset of someone owes us something because of what we've accomplished. You'd be an idiot to walk around feeling that way. I feel like you're just setting yourself up for failure. You're setting yourself up for heartbreak. You're setting yourself up for disappointment. As opposed to saying, 'No, let me learn this business.'"

Green went on to explain he'd love to stay with the Warriors. However, he understands they have luxury tax concerns and young players who will need to get paid soon too. He didn't say he'd leave Golden State, but that he knows the business and won't get blindsided if they part ways.

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Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has been dealing with a sore left knee at times this season. He missed the Bucks loss at the Miami Heat on Thursday, and Antetokounmpo is set to miss the second game of the mini-series on Saturday too.

This will be the second time this season that Antetokounmpo has missed consecutive games. In early-November, the Bucks big man missed games at the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.

Overall, Saturday would be the eighth game Antetokounmpo has missed this season. Milwaukee is 4-3 in the seven previous games that Antetokounmpo has sat out.

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The Miami Heat's home stadium will temporarily be called Miami-Dade Arena after the team officially terminated the county's naming rights deal with previous sponsor FTX.

"Effective immediately, Miami-Dade County and the Miami Heat have agreed that, until such time as there is a new naming rights partner, to refer to the arena as Miami-Dade Arena. The removal of the facility's existing signage and the changeover of branding elements will be ongoing in the coming weeks," the Heat and Miami-Dade County released in a joint statement.

The team is still in the process of removing all FTX logos from the arena.

The county owns the arena and negotiated a 19-year, $135 million deal with FTX. The Heat were to receive $2 million per year from the deal.

The Heat, along with the county, are currently looking for a permanent naming-rights partner.

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The Brooklyn Nets have agreed to sign Dru Smith to a Two-Way contract.

Smith played five games for the Miami Heat earlier this season and is averaging 18.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.9 assists in the G League.

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D'Angelo Russell and the Minnesota Timberwolves were unable to make progress on a contract extension this past offseason, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo.

Russell is in the final season of a four-year, $117 million deal he initially agreed to as part of a sign-and-trade with the Golden State Warriors. The Wolves traded for Russell in 2020 under Gersson Rosas.

"Yeah, it's my life," Russell told Yahoo. "That's it. Just be conscious of it."

The Miami Heat have registered interest in Russell, but a direct deal for Kyle Lowry appears unlikely. The Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns are two teams known to be monitoring potential improvements in the backcourt before the deadline. The Suns were linked to Russell in 2019 as he has a close relationship with Devin Booker.

Russell was asked by Yahoo how he is currently helping to push Anthony Edwards.

"I'm an Alpha as well, you know what I mean?" said Russell. "And I feel like I'm better than a lot of shooting guards and I'm better than a lot of point guards."

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The trade the Atlanta Hawks made this past offseason for Dejounte Murray was "beginning of the end" for the tenure of Travis Schlenk as president of the franchise, according to reporting from Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Schlenk expressed concerns about the price the Hawks had to pay the San Antonio Spurs for Murray, sources tell Amick. Nick Ressler, who is the son of owner Tony Ressler, has taken a bigger role within the front office and is "known to be a driving force behind the deal." The Hawks traded three first round picks, a pick swap and Danilo Gallinari in exchange for Murray. The Hawks essentially also had to trade Kevin Huerter for a future first round pick from the Sacramento Kings to get under the luxury tax.

The effect of Nick Ressler on the decision-making process played a role in Schlenk's exit.

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Travis Schlenk no longer has an active role in the Atlanta Hawks in any way and is free to leave to work for another team, sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic.

When the Hawks parted ways with Schlenk,they said he would still play a complementary role in their decision-making.

Schlenk joined the Hawks in 2018 after an extended tenure with the Golden State Warriors.

The Hawks promoted Landry Fields to run the Atlanta front office in place of Schlenk.

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The Atlanta Hawks will promote Kyle Korver to assistant general manager.

Korver will move up in the front office under Landry Fields after several months as director of player affairs/development.

Korver played for the Hawks from 2012 until 2017. Korver worked with the Brooklyn Nets in a player development role during the 21-22 season.

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The Brooklyn Nets played and lost their first game after Kevin Durant suffered a knee sprain. The Nets got good defense, rebounding and playmaking from Ben Simmons in the loss, but Simmons knows he needs to do more.

After taking just three shots, and missing all of them, Simmons admitted he has to look to score while Durant is out.

"I think I'm giving the ball up way too many times when I know who I am. I know I need to get to the rim and get buckets," Simmons said.

Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said he doesn't want Simmons to worry about scoring too much. Vaughn said he wants Simmons to focus on his defense. Vaughn believes that the defense will help create opportunities for the offense.

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The Indiana Pacers are reportedly open to the idea of trading second-year wing Chris Duarte. Rival teams have indicated that Indiana has been willing to discuss Duarte in talks leading up to next month's trade deadline.

After a solid, but injury-plagued, rookie season, Duarte has been unable to find the same traction this season. He's been in and out of the lineup with injuries and has seen his role reduced in the Pacers wing-heavy rotation.

The lack of minutes, combined with the injuries, has resulted in a big drop in production for Duarte. Still, the 25-year-old can score and shoot, along with showing signs of being a solid defender, rebounder, ballhandler and passer. Duarte has two more seasons left on his rookie scale deal after this season, making him a logical target for a team looking for wing depth.

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The Indiana Pacers have nearly $28 million in remaining cap space a month out from the NBA trade deadline. That makes the Pacers a popular trade partner for almost every team in the league.

However, Indiana is also making a playoff push. That has the Pacers looking at upgrading their roster, ideally by adding a young forward. And that desire has Indiana linked to John Collins of the Atlanta Hawks.

The Hawks have struggled this season, and Collins has been in trade rumors since last summer. Atlanta has been rumored to be interested in moving Collins and the $102 million he's owed from this season through the 2025-26 season.

Given Indiana could absorb the entirety of Collins' $23.5 million salary this season with ease, it makes them a natural trade partner for Atlanta. The question comes with what the Pacers could send the Hawks, beyond the ability to rebalance their cap sheet.

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Nassir Little has began on-court activities in preparation for a return, the Portland Trail Blazers announced on Thursday.

Little was ruled out due to a right hip fracture suffered in early December.

The team also announced that Justise Winslow will miss at least two more weeks with a sprained left ankle.

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A version of the G League All-Star Game called the G League Next Up Game will be played during All-Star weekend this year.

The game will feature 24 players, with 10 players voted in by the fans.

All players currently on a G League roster and two-way players with a minimum of four games played will be eligible to compete.

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TD Bank and Delaware North agreed to extend the naming rights of TD Garden through the 2045 season.

The financial terms were not disclosed.

The arena was renamed TD Garden in 2005, with the original contract set to expire in 2025.

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The Indiana Pacers announced Thursday that Tyrese Haliburton suffered a left elbow sprain and a mild left knee bone contusion during the third quarter of last night's game at New York. He underwent an MRI this afternoon on his elbow and knee in Indianapolis and the team is awaiting additional opinion on the results of those scans.

Haliburton will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks and updates will be provided as appropriate.

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Jaylen Brown missed Thursday's win by the Boston Celtics at the Brooklyn Nets due to a right adductor strain.

Joe Mazzulla said Brown could miss "a week or two."

"I anticipate it being pretty short," Mazzulla said. "Probably a week or two."

Brown scored 41 points in Wednesday's win over the Pelicans. Brown told reporters after the game that he tweaked his groin.

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Meyers Leonard will work out for the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.

Leonard last played in the NBA in January 2021 when he had season-ending shoulder and ankle surgeries.

Leonard used an anti-semitic slur in March 2021 and subsequently was away from the Miami Heat for the remainder of his contract.

The Lakers will also work out DeMarcus Cousins on Friday as they search for additional size on their roster.

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The Washington Wizards have signaled to other teams they intend to keep Kyle Kuzma past the trade deadline and hope to re-sign him in free agency.

Kuzma can become a free agent if he declines his player option for 23-24.

Kuzma signed a three-year, $40 million extension with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 before he was traded to the Wizards in 2021 as part of the Russell Westbrook deal.

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Bradley Beal has been cleared to resume full basketball activities after undergoing a re-evaluation of his low-grade left hamstring strain.

His return to play will be based on his progression.

The injury originally occurred in the second quarter of the team's game at Milwaukee on Jan. 3.

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The Brooklyn Nets have requested waivers on Alondes Williams.

Williams originally signed a two-way contract with Brooklyn on July 4, 2022. He appeared in one game with the Nets, logging five minutes of action on Dec. 10 at Indiana. Williams also played in 11 games in the 2022 NBA G League Showcase Cup with Brooklyn's NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, registering averages of 9.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 26.2 minutes per game, as well as five 2022-23 regular season NBA G League games with Long Island, averaging 10.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 19.6 minutes per contest.

Brooklyn's roster now stands at 16 players, including one two-way player.

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The Sacramento Kings have made Richaun Holmes available in trade talks, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo.

Holmes signed a four-year, $46 million deal with the Kings during the 2021 offseason.

Mike Brown has not had Holmes in his rotation this season. Holmes has appeared in 26 games, averaging 2.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in 9.0 minutes.

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The Utah Jazz have discussed a deal surrounding John Collins for Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

The Jazz have sought a first round pick from the Hawks in addition to Collins to complete that framework of a trade.

Collins is in Year 2 of a five-year, $125 million deal with the Hawks. The Hawks have been reportedly interested in trading Collins since at least this past offseason.

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Tyrese Haliburton was injured on a fall late in the third quarter of the Indiana Pacers loss to the New York Knicks on Wednesday. Haliburton appeared to injure his left knee and left elbow on the play.

After the game, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle confirmed that Haliburton was on crutches leaving the arena and would be examined on Thursday. Carlisle said it's unlikely his star guard would play Friday or Saturday.

Indiana also lost Myles Turner right before tip-off. Turner had back spasms and ruled out shortly before starting lineups were announced.

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The future of LeBron James with the Los Angeles Lakers has come under question based on their ability to build a roster around him and Anthony Davis that is capable of being a title contender. The Lakers have been reluctant to part with their two tradeable future first round picks unless it is a move that makes a dramatic difference.

Despite whatever frustrations James may have currently, he is not believed to have interest in leaving the Lakers this offseason. James signed a two-year extension with the Lakers this past offseason, which made him ineligible to be traded during the 22-23 season. The preference of James is believed to still finish his career with the Lakers.

"I last checked in on this last week and I don't even remember what LeBron's comments were last week," said Zach Lowe. "They've since been superseded by more recent comments. Oh, they were to you when you asked the question at the press conference it was about how the 'Losing is not in my DNA. I don't want to end my career... blah, blah blah, like this.'

"I just keep hearing despite this rush of 'What could the Lakers get if they traded LeBron? How much of a flight risk is he?'

"I keep hearing he wants to stay with the Lakers. He wants to finish his career with the Lakers. His comments though should be interpreted as his patience is not infinite and if this is just a continued morass of losing, maybe that changes. But if you force me to bet, I'd still bet on him finishing his career with the Lakers. And I'd feel pretty confident in that."

Dave McMenamin detailed that James can opt out in 2024, which could allow him to sign a new deal for more guaranteed years, or he can also play with his son Bronny James. Bronny becomes draft eligible in 2024 and LeBron could choose to play on his son's team if he enters the NBA that year.

"I think if he had his druthers, he plays on the Lakers until he hangs it up," said Dave McMenamin. "Bronny James is on the Lakers. And the Lakers are back in the playoffs every single season. I think that would be enough. It's not championship or bust. It's competitive basketball or bust. I think that's his breaking point."

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The Phoenix Suns have agreed to sign Saben Lee to a 10-day contract.

Lee has played 87 NBA games over the past three years and was previously with the Philadelphia 76ers this season.

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Derrick Favors has agreed to sign a 10-day deal with the Atlanta Hawks.

Favors averaged 5.3 points and 4.7 rebounds last season with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Favors was waived before the season by the Houston Rockets.

Favors played college basketball at Georgia Tech.

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The Phoenix Suns have been looking for upgrades to their rotation, but have yet to find a deal to their liking. Phoenix seems primarily focused on adding another forward and that has the Suns interested in Jalen McDaniels of the Charlotte Hornets.

McDaniels is putting together a career-best season in his fourth year with Charlotte. The 6-foot-9 combo forward has averaged 10.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 26.5 minutes per game, which are all career-highs.

McDaniels is in the final season of the four-year deal he signed with Hornets as a rookie. His salary is just $1.9 million, making him an easy player to match salary for in a trade. McDaniels will be an unrestricted free agent following this season.

Phoenix is also continuing to try to find a home for Jae Crowder. The veteran forward hasn't played for the Suns this season, after he and the team agreed he'd sit out until a trade was found.

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The Los Angeles Lakers continue to linger in the playoff chase despite the injury to Anthony Davis, mainly due to the excellent play of LeBron James.

The question surrounding the Lakers largely remains unchanged from the offseason when they pursued trade scenarios involving Russell Westbrook and their first round picks in 2027 and 2029.

The Lakers continue to be open to that trade structure, but there doesn't appear to be an urgency for them to find one if it doesn't make a meaningful difference.

"I think the big question that will be pertinent to the LeBron James' view of the now versus the future is are the Lakers actually committed to moving those picks if the right deal occurs?" said Dave McMenamin on the Brian Windhorst podcast. "From the information I have, they are. But they will not do a deal now if they don't feel like it's the right deal."

Earlier in the podcast, Windhorst suggested his sense is that James has no interest in forcing his way off the Lakers this offseason should they not upgrade the roster around him but he is merely applying pressure to make the front office and ownership uncomfortable until they take action.

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LeBron James refuted the way a walk and talk interview with Sam Amick of The Athletic was characterized.

Amick indicated that "James made it clear this his patience is waning."

James was initially asked by Amick to describe his communication with Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss is like given his high level of play and the Los Angeles Lakers' inactivity so far on the trade market.

"Man listen, I play the game," James told Amick. "I worry about who's in the locker room. I can't - it's not my ... it's not my job. I can't do nobody else's job."

James was asked if the conversation with Pelinka and Buss is evolving.

"I'm working," said James. "I don't have time. We're playing every other day, three (out of) four nights. I don't have time to be..."

Amick asked to describe his patience level.

"They're doing what they feel is best for the franchise," said James.

Amick then asked James how he feels about that.

"I'm doing what's best for my guys in the locker room. That's all I can worry about. I'll let y'all ..."

Amick reported that James paused as he walked away and then shouted.

"Y'all know what the f- should be happening. I don't need to talk."

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Kevin Durant left the Brooklyn Nets' 102-101 win over the Miami Heat in the third quarter with a knee injury and did not return to the game.

The injury occurred with 1:05 left in the third quarter, when Ben Simmons fell back on Durant's knee after blocking a shot.

Durant continued to rub his knee while walking up and down the court before he was subbed out of the game.

Durant is likely to get an MRI on Monday, according to Jacque Vaughn.

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The Sacrament Kings signed PJ Dozier to a 10-day deal, his agent told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Dozier appeared in 18 games for the Nuggets last season.

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The Indiana Pacers guaranteed Oshae Brissett and James Johnson's contracts for the rest of the season.

Brissett is averaging 6 points and 3 rebounds in 16 minutes per game.

Johnson has appeared in 9 games this season.

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KJ Martin has committed to the Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Martin joins Shaedon Sharpe in the competition.

All-Star Weekend runs from February 17-19 in Salt Lake City.

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The San Antonio Spurs signed Gorgui Dieng to a 10-day deal, reported Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Dieng, who was waived on Thursday to make room for Noah Vonleh's acquisition, has played 13 games for the Spurs this season.

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The San Antonio Spurs are within 5,000 ticket sales of breaking the NBA's all-time attendance record for their January 13 game against the Golden State Warriors at the Alamodome.

The team is also 8,000 seats away from reaching the Alamodome's 65,000 seat capacity.

The current all-time record attendance is 62,046, set between the Hawks and Bulls in 1998 at the Georgia Dome.

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Cameron Payne is set to be re-evaluated in two weeks with a right foot sprain.

Payne, who missed nine games last month, re-injured his foot on Wednesday.

Chris Paul is also day-to-day due to right hip soreness.

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The New York Knicks guaranteed the contracts of Svi Mykhailiuk and Ryan Arcidiacono for the rest of the season.

Mykhailiuk is averaging 3.3 minutes in 12 appearances.

Arcidiacono has appeared in 10 games, averaging 2.5 minutes.

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Fred VanVleet turned down a $114 million contract extension from the Toronto Raptors before the start of this season, sources told Josh Lewenberg of TSN.

VanVleet is set to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

The Raptors front office has spoken about its desire to keep VanVleet beyond this year. There's no indication that the team has changed its stance on VanVleet despite their current struggles.

Tyler Herro's recent four-year, $130 million contract could be a baseline of what VanVleet would expect in the open market.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers, Phoenix Suns, and Toronto Raptors reportedly had interest in trading for Kelly Oubre Jr. prior to Oubre's hand injury, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

Oubre is set to be out for 4-6 weeks after undergoing surgery on a torn ligament in his left hand.

Oubre is in the final year of a two-year, $26 million deal with the Hornets.

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Jordan Clarkson has rebuffed contract extension offers from the Utah Jazz, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

Clarkson currently has a player option for $14.2 million next season.

The Jazz are looking to sign Clarkson to a long-term contract.

Clarkson is averaging 20.6 points, 4.5 assists, and 3.9 rebounds in 32.6 minutes this season.

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Myles Turner is reportedly turning down contract extension offers from the Indiana Pacers, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

Turner, who changed management agencies in November, has been the frequent target of trade rumors this season.

The two sides opened up contract extension discussions in late December. The Pacers, who have $25 million in cap space this season, have discussed a renegotiation-and-extend deal where Turner could make an extra $19.1 million on top of his $18 million contract this season.

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The Los Angeles Lakers worked out Cody Zeller last week as they look to fill their 15th roster spot, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

Zeller averaged 5.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in 13.1 minutes last season with the Blazers.

The team will also work out DeMarcus Cousins next week.

The Lakers recently signed Sterling Brown to a 10-day contract.

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The Houston Rockets are reportedly looking for an unprotected first-round pick in exchange for Eric Gordon, league sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

Stein adds that the Rockets are looking for Gordon to fetch a return similar to Bojan Bogdanovic of the Pistons.

The 34-year-old Gordon is averaging 11.5 points in 29.7 minutes this season.

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Bojan Bogdanovic is drawing trade interest from a double-digit amount of teams, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

The Pistons have told opposing teams that they do not want to trade Bogdanovic ahead of the February 9 trade deadline, though getting an unprotected first-round pick in return may change their minds.

Other teams believe that the Pistons' trade demands are a negotiation ploy, and the price will drop as the deadline gets closer.

Bogdanovic is averaging 21.0 points per game this season on 41.8% shooting from 3.

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Bob Myers is without a contract for next season with the Golden State Warriors. Myers has been with the Warriors since 2011 when he left behind his work as a player agent.

"I'm not going to negotiate in the press, in the media, but I will say this: We love Bob," said Joe Lacob to Tim Kawakami of The Athletic. "He's family, he's been here, what, 10 years, really got his big break here and made the most of it, deserves everything he gets. He has been compensated very well to this point, in the top three of general managers in this league. ... All I will say is that it is not accurate that he hasn't been offered anything. There have been two offers at this point. I'm trying. Have you ever known me not to be aggressive? So that is crazy to sit here and say, and I'm sorry, I'm not trying to violate ... I hope Bob doesn't get upset or his agent, I just want to clarify ... that he hasn't been offered anything, that's just not true. He's got to make a decision what he wants to do with his life, what's the appropriate compensation he feels is fair, we feel is fair, and it's really just a negotiation.

"To be honest with you, I fully expect Bob will be back. He's a great negotiator. What do you want him to do? He's supposed to do this. We love Bob and we want him back."

Lacob went on to talk about everything Myers has done leading the Warriors' front office.

"He's very important. He's done a phenomenal job," Lacob said. "He's been Executive of the Year (twice) and deservedly so. You look back over his 10-year career, we don't tend to talk about Bob, but Bob's done an incredible job. The Andre Iguodala signing (in July 2013), I look back and say ... actually, you guys will never understand how difficult that actually was. He had to clear a lot of space to do that. He did a phenomenal job. Kevin Durant was really his idea and execution and that brought us two championships. So, look, Bob's great. Bob's done a great job. But we also do have a tremendous organization beneath him. Great depth. I'd like to think more depth than almost any organization. ...

"Look, I don't want him to go, I don't think he'll go anywhere. I expect him to be here. It would hurt to lose him, certainly. But we have to just go forward. There are circumstances that do evolve sometimes. I guess it's conceivable, there's some chance that for some reason he or Steve wouldn't be here. I don't think it's likely. But it is possible. If so, we'd have to figure out how to go forward."

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The Dallas Mavericks will waive Kemba Walker.

Walker would have had his contract guaranteed if he remained on the roster on Saturday.

McKinley Wright IV has earned minutes out of his Two-Way contract and the Mavericks also want to ensure there is enough playing time for Jaden Hardy.

Walker has averaged 8.0 points in 16.0 minutes over nine games with the Mavericks.

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After the Golden State Warriors signed Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins to extensions before the start of the season, they project to have somewhere around $450 million in payroll plus luxury tax penalties next season.

The Warriors would prefer to get that number under $420 million in order to avoid losing money.

"It's not possible without losing quite a bit of money at the bottom line, let's put it that way," Lacob said on the Tim Kawakami podcast earlier this week. "I did say that (it was impossible). And it is from a business perspective an almost insane thing to even consider. But I think we're going to have to wait and see, because the truth is, winning matters. And I want to win another championship. We want to win another championship this year, and I'll probably say it at the end of this year too. ...

"And right now, we're in the present and we're trying to win. And I think we've got a good shot to do that. I think we're coming together. And the trade deadline is coming up, we'll see if there's a way we can improve our team, and if we can obviously improve our financial situation going forward, we would love to do that. But not at the sacrifice of being able to win. We've got to evaluate this in real-time but with a look toward the future as well.

"I can't really answer the question right now other than to say: When have you ever known me not to be aggressive? We are aggressive. We'll do whatever we can do if it makes sense and we're in a winning, real championship mode."

The Warriors claim to have lost money for the first time last season despite netting about $40 million from their playoff ticket sales.

"I don't know the exact answer, but it's probably close," Lacob said when asked if they will lose money this season. "It depends how far we go in the playoffs. If we go to the finals, we should be OK. If we don't, we'll probably lose money. ...

"All I could tell you is we're just trying to keep up. We have a unique situation in that we have this aging but still great set of players. We have championship aspirations, and it costs a lot of money to do that. And we're going to try like heck to rectify our finances going forward, but not at the expense of being able to win."

Klay Thompson or Draymond Green could be a player to exit the team early due to financial concerns despite everything they've done for the franchise both on and off the floor.

"Whether we like to hear this or not, players do get older and their skills erode; the question is trying to time all that," Lacob said. "We would like them to retire, all three of them, as Warriors. I really would like that. We really would like that. And I think they would like that. And we're going to try to do that if it makes sense.

"But unfortunately, if you look through the history of professional sports, let's look at the NBA in particular, it usually doesn't end that way. Players want to hang on sometimes a little longer than they can or should. Organizations sometimes want to hang on to a dream longer. So you're trying to put all that into perspective and trying to balance it all. Bill Walsh, I think I've quoted him before, once said, 'Better to trade a player a year too early than a year too late.' I'm not saying we're thinking like that necessarily, but it's really an important statement. You don't want to go through a decade of being bad, either, for our fans, right? It's a very difficult calculus.

"I want to keep those guys here. I want them to be here. As long as they're playing at a very high level, rest assured they will be here. I would love obviously for some of them to sacrifice (in salary) a little bit, or what they perceive as a sacrifice, to stay and to help our organization maintain a great roster. You always hope for that. It usually doesn't happen. And I can't blame them because they have limited life spans as players and they want to make as much money as they can."

Curry is signed through 25-26, but Green and Thompson can become free agents earlier.

"Draymond and Klay, first of all, they're both under contract for next year, so let's not get too far ahead of ourselves here," Lacob said. "They're under nice contracts for next year. Making a lot of money. We'll have to wait and see how this season ends and then we'll decide and they'll decide. In Draymond's case, he gets to decide, he has the power. He gets to opt in or opt out, do what he wants. I'd love for him to stay. That may be staying under his existing contract, it may mean he opts out and renegotiates something, a new deal that works for everyone, or it may mean that he gets offered a huge amount of money and we could sit here and be saying, 'Man, how could we do that,' and we'd have to make a decision. And that would involve other people's careers.

"It's complicated. Everyone knows that. Unfortunately, I'm sitting in the hot seat along with Bob Myers. It's going to stay hot for a while."

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The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to sign Sterling Brown to a 10-day contract.

Brown has played for Raptors 905 in the G League this season and will provide wing depth to the Lakers.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are set to work out veteran center DeMarcus Cousins next week. The Lakers have an open roster spot and could be looking to sign additional frontcourt help while Anthony Davis recovers from a stress injury in his foot.

Cousins played in 48 games last season between the Denver Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks. He averaged 8.9 points and 5.6 rebounds in 14.9 minutes per game as a backup center for both teams.

The 12-year veteran could be a candidate to sign a 10 Day contract, which became allowable on Thursday. Cousins played on a series of 10 Day deals in recent years, before signing rest-of-season contracts.

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Kevin Durant discussed a lot of topics about the NBA, the Brooklyn Nets, and his offseason trade request in a series of sit-downs with ESPN. On his trade request, Durant said it had no impact on the Nets season.

"This was a summertime thing. We wasn't playing no games. I didn't interfere with what we were doing on the court every day. It wasn't a question of what you were asking my teammates every day after a game or a practice. What I did didn't get in the way of the games that was being played, so I felt like that's the difference in everything. So, we hashed that all up right before camp, and it was cool, it didn't get in the way of the hoops," Durant said.

Durant also said that he and Kyrie Irving were able to move on to have success this season, because they were never not together.

"Because we was together regardless. I think coming into the training camp, we understood that it's going to be a lot on us from a media standpoint, from just the noise in general around our team, so I think that made us tighter once camp started. So, we was able to take the Kyrie stuff and move in stride because we were already stuck together before that," Durant said. "We started to win some games, started to get better as a team, and do some things out there that work for us. And now it seems like everything was patched all together, but it felt like it was always cool, to be honest."

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Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart was fined $35,000 for directing inappropriate language toward a game official. Smart was ejected from the Celtics loss on Tuesday in Oklahoma City. Following the ejection, Smart was seen running towards and yelling at the officials.

Throughout the game, Smart had complained about calls and non-calls. That eventually led to his second technical foul and ejection late in the third quarter. Boston went to lose the game by a 150-117 margin to the Thunder.

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Shaedon Sharpe has agreed to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Sharpe is currently averaging 7.9 points in 19.7 minutes per game this season.

All-Star Weekend runs from February 17-19 in Salt Lake City.

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Tyler Dorsey had a workout with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources told Krysten Peek of Yahoo! Sports.

Dorsey was waived by the Mavs in December.

The Lakers may be looking to sign a player on a 10-day contract, according to Marc Stein.

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Marvin Bagley will miss the next six weeks after undergoing hand surgery.

Bagley suffered a fracture of the third and fourth metacarpals on Monday.

Bagley is averaging 10.6 points and 5.9 rebounds on the season.

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Devin Vassell will undergo an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee. The procedure will be performed by Dr. Riley J. Williams III at HSS in New York on Wednesday, Jan. 11.

The San Antonio Spurs will provide updates on his return to the court as appropriate.

Vassell is averaging 19.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 31.3 minutes over 29 games this season.

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Bradley Beal was diagnosed with a low-grade left hamstring strain after undergoing an MRI examination.

The injury occurred in the second quarter of Tuesday's game at Milwaukee.

Beal will be out for the team's next three games and will be re-evaluated in one week.

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The Boston Celtics have agreed to trade Noah Vonleh and cash considerations to the San Antonio Spurs.

The Spurs will waive Gorgui Dieng to create a roster spot. San Antonio will waive Vonleh after the trade is complete.

The Celtics will save on $7.15 million toward the luxury tax with the move.

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The Detroit Pistons are seeking at least one first round pick and either a young player with upside or additional draft capital in exchange for Bojan Bogdanovic, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo.

The Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers are among the teams interested in Bogdanovic.

The Cavaliers will likely struggle to match Detroit's asking price considering everything they traded to the Utah Jazz for Donovan Mitchell.

The Pistons acquired Bogdanovic before the start of the season from the Jazz and subsequently signed him to a two-year, $39.1 million extension.

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The Dallas Mavericks and Christian Wood have opened discussions on a contract extension, sources tell Marc Stein of Substack.

Wood became extension eligible on Dec. 24th. Wood can sign an extension with the Mavericks for as much as $77 million over four years.

Dallas is unlikely to offer Wood the full four years. If the Mavericks are unable to come to terms on an extension with Wood, then they will likely explore his trade market ahead of the Feb. 9th deadline.

Wood has played for seven teams in seven NBA seasons and is in Year 3 of a three-year, $41 million deal he signed with the Houston Rockets in 2020.

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The Charlotte Hornets have refuted a report from ESPN that they are engaged in contract talks with Miles Bridges.

Bridges pled no contest to a felony domestic violence charge in November. Bridges' partner posted a series of images to Instagram detailing the abuse, which included a photo of a hospital report and injuries of a concussion, broken nose, rib contusion and bruising.

"We have not been engaged in contract negotiations with Miles Bridges," the Hornets told the Charlotte Observer in a statement this week.

The Hornets declined to comment on the possibility of bringing Bridges back next season.

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Miami Heat rookie Nikola Jovic will miss three-to-four weeks due to a lower back stress reaction injury. Jovic was shut down after playing for the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the G League on December 31.

The Heat drafted Jovic with the 27th pick in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft. In 15 NBA games (eight starts), the 19-year-old has averaged 5.5 points in 13.6 minutes per game.

In six games with the Skyforce, Jovic has averaged 7.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 29.2 minutes per game. Miami drafted the 6-foot-11 forward as a long-term project. However, Jovic has had to spend more time with the Heat than planned in the early season, due to injuries in Miami's frontcourt.

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Ja Morant was sued for allegedly punching a 17-year-old during a pickup game at his Memphis home.

The lawsuit was filed on September 9.

Documents state that a pickup game became heated when the minor threw a basketball that hit Morant in the face. Morant then allegedly knocked the teenager down after punching him in the face, then continued hitting him while he was on the ground.

Morant admitted that he did strike the teenager, though did so under self defense.

Police investigated the incident and submitted the case to the district attorney. The DA declined prosecution.

It is unknown what the plaintiff is seeking in the lawsuit.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers were issued tests for performance enhancing drugs on Tuesday afternoon, just one day after Donovan Mitchell scored 71 points.

Players are typically subject to four random tests for PEDs during the season and two during the offseason.

"Andddd just like that we are drug tested this morning," Mitchell wrote on Twitter to his teammate, Robin Lopez, along with three crying-laughing emojis.

Mitchell's 71 points were the most since Kobe Bryant scored 81 in 2006.

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Nic Claxton re-signed with the Brooklyn Nets last offseason as a restricted free agent on a two-year, $20 million deal. The Nets had an opportunity to trade Claxton at last year's trade deadline, but declined to do so with the intent of keeping him.

"They got real trade offers for him at the deadline last year, including a protected first round pick I believe," said Zach Lowe on his podcast And turned it down."

The fit of Claxton with Ben Simmons has been uncertain due to their lack of spacing as two non-shooters.

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The New Orleans Pelicans announced that medical imaging confirmed Zion Williamson sustained a right hamstring strain during Monday night's game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Williamson will be re-evaluated in three weeks.

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The Dallas Mavericks have interest in signing Christian Wood to a two-year, $36 million extension, sources tell Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

The Mavericks can sign Wood for up to $72 million over four years currently. The $36 million represents the most the Mavericks can sign Wood to on a two-year deal.

The Mavericks could have significant salary cap space in 2025 and a short-term deal with Wood would preserve that.

"I can't answer that," said Wood when asked if he needs a four-year commitment.

MacMahon appears to suggest the Mavericks could explore Wood's trade market if he doesn't commit to an extension.

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Robert Sarver is suspended from running the Phoenix Suns, but he is still in control of any trades that surpass a certain agreed-upon dollar amount.

Sam Garvin is in charge of the day-to-day as acting governor and said he has a sign-off on trades, but only to a certain point.

Sarver has agreed to sell the Suns to Mat Ishbia, but the vetting process on him is not expected to be complete before the Feb. 9th trade deadline.

The Suns continue to seek a trade of Jae Crowder and the Sarver situation is a contributing factor on why a deal hasn't been reached. The Suns have had talks about various multiplayer trades over the past few months that would all likely have to end up being approved by Sarver.

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Donovan Mitchell scored 71 points for the Cleveland Cavaliers in their 145-134 overtime win over the Chicago Bulls.

The output is the most since Kobe Bryant scored 81 on January 22, 2006. Mitchell is the seventh player in league history to score 70 or more points in a game.

Mitchell went 22-for-34 from the field, 7-for-15 from the three-point line and 20-for-25 from the free throw line. Mitchell played nearly 50 minutes in the game.

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Jalen Brunson returned to the New York Knicks' lineup for the first time since suffering a hip injury on Christmas Day against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Brunson scored 24 points to go with four rebounds and six assists in 39 minutes in New York's win over the Phoenix Suns.

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The NBA plans to send the Dallas Mavericks to play in Abu Dhabi next season, sources tell Marc Stein of Substack.

The NBA staged its first exhibition games in the region last October.

The Mavericks are expected to play a game against Real Madrid next year.

Adam Silver said in October that it's "important to us [as a league] that we create a permanent presence in the region."

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Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for Week 11.

Doncic averaged 48.7 points, 13.0 rebounds and 10.7 assists as the Dallas Mavericks went 3-0.

Porzingis averaged 24.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks as the Washington Wizards went 4-0.

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Our experts have pinpointed the seven best Ohio sportsbook promos for Buckeye State bettors to claim just in time for tonight's huge Monday Night Football showdown between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills. Even if you aren't an NFL fan, you can claim these offers all week and use for Cavaliers, Blue Jackets and Buckeyes basketball too!

These welcome bonuses are available at high-quality, reputable Ohio sports betting apps that have gained licenses from the Ohio Casino Control Commission. You can claim all seven of them by signing up for accounts with each of the Ohio sportsbooks we have highlighted. That will give your bankroll a major boost, so keep reading to learn more about the leading Ohio sportsbook promos.

Top Ohio Sportsbook Promos

Ohio Sportsbook PromosWelcome Promo Offer
BetMGM Ohio REALGMFirst-Bet Insurance up to $1,000
Caesars Sportsbook Ohio REALGM1BET

First-Bet Insurance up to $1,500

FanDuel Ohio

Bet $5, Get $200 in Bet Credits

DraftKings OhioBet $5, Get $200 in Bet Credits
bet365 OhioBet $1, Get $200 in Bet Credits
Tipico OhioDeposit $10, Get $50
PointsBet Ohio$500 in second-chance bets

Must be 21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. For Caesars: OH only. 21+. New users and first wager only. Must register with eligible promo code. Bet amount of qualifying wager returned only if wager is settled as a loss. Maximum bet credit $1,500; must be used within 14 days of receipt. See Caesars.com/promos for full terms. Void where prohibited. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

BetMGM Ohio Sportsbook Bonus Code

BetMGM Ohio Bonus CodeBetMGM Ohio is offering first bet insurance of up to $1,000 for any new customers in the Buckeye State. You can use the BetMGM Ohio bonus code REALGM to claim this large sign-up bonus today. If you click the "BET NOW" option we have provided to visit the site, this BetMGM bonus code will be automatically applied to your sign-up form.

Place a bet worth at least $10 on any of the sports events featured at BetMGM OH. You will be paid in cash if it wins. If your first bet loses, BetMGM Ohio Sportsbook will issue a 100% rebate, up to a maximum of $1,000. Rebates worth less than $50 will be paid as a single bonus bet, whereas larger rebates are split into five - for instance, 5 x $200 bonus bets if you lose a $1,000 wager. Each bonus bet has a 1x playthrough requirement. BetMGM Sportsbook OH will then allow you to withdraw your winnings.

Caesars Sportsbook Ohio Promo Code

The Caesars Sportsbook Ohio promo code REALGM1BET rewards new customers with up to $1,500 in first bet insurance. This is the largest of all the Ohio sportsbook promos you can claim right now. Once again, all you need to do is hit that "BET NOW" button to automatically redeem the promo code.

Place an initial bet on a sports event of your choice, and you will get a full refund if it settles as a loser. The refund is worth up to $1,500, and it is paid as a single free bet.

All of the Ohio sports betting promos we have aggregated on this page come with a straightforward 1x rollover requirement. That means you just need to make a single bet, and you can then cash your winnings out immediately. There are lots of additional Caesars Ohio Sportsbook promos to claim each week too, including odds boosts tonight for the Bengals-Bills, and prize draws.

DraftKings Sportsbook Ohio Promo Code

DraftKings Ohio Sportsbook Promo CodesThe DraftKings Sportsbook Ohio promo code offer is a "Bet $5, Get $200" bonus for all new customers. As is the case with all the Ohio sportsbook promos we have highlighted, you just need to click "BET NOW" to qualify for it. That will take you through to the site, where you can sign up, make a deposit and place a qualifying $5 wager on any game listed. Jump on tonight's Bengals game now and you will have those free bets to use during the game!

DraftKings OH will then immediately give you site credit worth $200. It will be provided irrespective of whether your $5 qualifying bet results in a win, loss or push. The site credit is split into eight $25 bonus bets. Play each of them through once, and all of your profits will build up in your cash balance. You can then withdraw those funds or use them for more sports bets.

Tipico Sportsbook Ohio Sign-Up Bonus

Tipico Sportsbook's sign-up bonus for Ohio bettors is a simple and appealing "Deposit $10, Get $50" offer. Just create your sports wagering account today and make an instant deposit using any of the methods listed, and the Tipico Ohio promo code will reward you with a $50 bonus wager that you can use tonight.

This bonus wager must be used in one lump sum, and you can use it on any of the thousands of betting options displayed at the Tipico app or website. It has a 1x rollover requirement, and you can then request a cash withdrawal of any winnings. There are plenty of recurring Tipico Ohio sportsbook promos too.

FanDuel Ohio Sportsbook Welcome Offer

FanDuel Maryland Promo CodeThe FanDuel Ohio promo code is a "Bet $5, Get $200" sign-up offer. It is very similar to DraftKings Sportsbook's welcome bonus, and it is quick and easy to claim both deals by registering with these rival sports betting apps.

The process is very similar too: click "BET NOW," sign up, make a deposit of $10 or more and wager $5 on any event within any sport. You will then get $200 in bonus credits. They are not divided into increments, but you can chop the $200 up any way you like. Just roll it over 1x and then cash out.

bet365 Ohio Sportsbook Promo Code

bet365 has launched one of the most exciting Ohio sportsbook promos available. This bet365 Ohio promo code will provide all new players with a "Bet $1, Get $200" bonus. It is almost identical to the FanDuel bonus, but it only requires a $1 risk.

The $1 qualifying bet can be placed on any event - including tonight's Monday Night Football showdown between the Bills and Bengals that could go a long way to determining the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

You will then receive your $200, even if the $1 wager is unsuccessful. You can use the $200 in site credit to pay for as many wagers as you like. When you have played through the entire $200, you will be ready to cash out any profits you have earned.

PointsBet Ohio Sportsbook Promo Code

The PointsBet Ohio promo code wraps up our top seven Ohio sportsbook promos to redeem right now. It awards you a second chance bonus bet of up to $100 on each of your first five days after setting up an account.

Just place a bet of $10 or more on a fixed-odds market. If you lose, PointsBet Ohio will issue a rebate of up to $100. It will be dropped into your account as a single bonus wager, with a 1x turnover requirement. You can follow the same process the next day. Repeat it on your third, fourth and fifth days, so you will receive up to $500 in second-chance bonus wagers.

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The Boston Celtics have a deep backcourt with Marcus Smart, Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon all capable of playing either guard position. In addition, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum occasionally play the two in bigger lineups. That's left third-year guard Payton Pritchard out of the rotation when the team is healthy.

But don't expect Boston to trade Pritchard before next month's trade deadline. The Celtics still see him as a valuable part of the organization. This is especially true with Smart and Brogdon having gone through periods of missed time in their careers.

It's expected to be a fairly quiet trade season for the Celtics. They have no glaring needs and a deep roster. It may be more about what other contenders do to shore up their rosters, as opposed to anything Boston does by the February 9 trade deadline.

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Joe Mazzulla returned to the Boston Celtics bench after missing two games due to an eye injury.

Mazzulla, who was diagnosed with corneal abrasions in both eyes, suffered the injury during a pickup game.

Damon Stoudamire went 2-0 after replacing Mazzulla as the head coach.

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Andrew Wiggins will miss Monday's game against the Atlanta Hawks due to a non-covid related illness.

Wiggins has now missed 14 consecutive games between an adductor injury and the illness.

Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman, and JaMychal Green will also be out against the Hawks.

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Gary Payton II is listed as available and could make his Portland Trail Blazers debut against the Detroit Pistons on Monday.

Payton, who signed a three-year, $26.1 million contract last summer, has been out following offseason surgery.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves have underachieved this season. After dropping a home game to the Detroit Pistons, Minnesota finished the 2022 portion of their schedule at 16-21 and in 11th place in the Western Conference. That's a far bit off last season's pace and well below where the team thought they would be after trading for Rudy Gobert.

Following the loss to the Pistons, the Timberwolves held a players only meeting. While no one would say exactly what was talked about, Minnesota center Naz Reid said it was productive.

"I mean, I feel like every team does at some point," Reid said. "So, moving forward, I feel like we could be heading in the right direction. I feel like we had the right conversation."

Reid was frank when asked if it's a mystery as to why the Wolves are struggling.

"Not really. We know. We know. We know why. And ya know, I'm gonna kinda keep that in house. But we know why. That's why I said before, I feel like we can change this. We know we can change it. So, we just got to buy into the things that we know."

Head coach Chris Finch said he has a couple of ideas of how to fix his team's inconsistent effort level.

"Just try to be honest with them, as honest as possible. Try to up the accountability. And maybe I need to think differently about who plays when and how. Maybe I've just got to shuffle it up totally different."

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Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon is by far his team's longest-tenured player. As such, the veteran is somewhat regularly asked about where his young team stands. After the Rockets were blown out at home on New Year's Eve, Gordon offered a harsh assessment.

"There's no improvement," Gordon said when asked what improvment he's seen from Houston since the beginning of the season.

Gordon went on to explain that the Rockets continue to struggle with turnovers, as they have all season long. Part of them comes from the team not always playing together as a group.

"Same old thing all year. We have a small margin for error," Gordon said. "It's a lot of things. It's mindset. You got to play for one another. Do what's right by your teammates. If you do that, it'd be more fun. You give yourself a better chance to win"

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If you're in Ohio and like online sports betting, the DraftKings Ohio promo code is all you need. A $5 bet automatically provides $200 in bonus bets.

Get excited, Ohio bettors. Online sports betting just launched in the Buckeye State, and along with it come a number of great welcome bonuses that all players can take advantage of right now. One you absolutely need to grab is the DraftKings Ohio promo code offer, which is handing out $200 in bonus bets to players instantly once you make your first bet of $5 or more. And it doesn't even matter how that first bet turns out.

It's one of the top Ohio sportsbook promo codes, and it's incredibly easy to earn and redeem. The DraftKings Ohio promo code offer is well worth your time if you're ready to start betting on sports. Not only that, DraftKings has a special odds boost on Jan. 1 good until 1 p.m. - you can bet up to $50 on the Browns scoring a point or more vs Washington and win an equal amount back in CASH!

We're letting you in on everything you need to know about earning the DraftKings Ohio welcome bonus along with unlimited access to one of the top online sportsbooks in the state. Let's get going.

DraftKings Ohio Promo Code Details

DraftKings Ohio Promo CodeAutomatically applied
DraftKings Ohio promoBet $5, Get $200 In Bonus Bets Instantly
Terms & ConditionsNew customers, 21 and over, in Ohio. $200 in bonus bets comes as eight $25 bets; 7-day expiration; 1x playthrough
Verified
Jan. 1

What's the easiest $200 you've ever received? It's about to change. While there are a number of different bonuses that Ohio sports betting apps hand out to their players, simply receiving bonus bets just for signing up and making a $5 wager is pretty slick. That's what the DraftKings Ohio promo code offer is providing its players.

Claim the Draftkings Ohio Promo

Simply follow these steps and you'll be ready to roll:

  • Use any of the BET NOW links provided in this article to begin your registration for a new DraftKings Ohio account; there is no code to type in, so simply clicking unlocks the DraftKings Ohio promo code offer
  • Create your new account by providing DraftKings Ohio with all your relevant personal information to verify your identity; note that you must be 21+ years old and physically located in Ohio to earn this specific offer
  • Make a qualifying deposit of at least $5 to fund your new account

And then it's time to start betting. This is the simple part: Place a $5 real-money wager on any set of odds in any sports betting market on DraftKings Ohio. The Browns play later today; the Bengals on Monday night. Wager on the Rose Bowl, NBA ... anything. As soon as you place that bet, DraftKings Ohio will place $200 in bonus bets into your account.

You don't need your real-money wager to win (or lose), and it doesn't even need to settle first before earning your funds! Of course, bettors can also earn cash profit on their original wager in addition to the DraftKings Ohio promo code bonus.

DraftKings Ohio Promo Code Bonus Bets

Once you place that first money bet, you'll receive eight $25 bonus bets (totaling $200) to use on DraftKings Ohio. We love that they spread these bets out eight ways so new bettors can try out different bet types and markets.

Bettors get seven days to use their eight bonus bets, which is plenty of time considering the NFL, NBA, college football, and NHL action going on in the sports world right now. You'll always have thousands of options at DraftKings Ohio.

The best part? There's an industry-leading 1x playthrough requirement on your bonus bets. That means any winnings that stem from the bonus bets become automatic cash into your account. It doesn't get any better than that thanks to the DraftKings Ohio promo code offer.

DraftKings Ohio Promos: Special Browns Odds Boost

The DraftKings Ohio promo code offer is the first great feature that bettors will use, but the fun is just getting started after that.

There is a specific launch day feature from DraftKings Ohio related to one of the local NFL teams. There's a single-use odds boost to use on Browns over 0.5 in their game against the Washington Commanders. The boosted odds are +100 on a maximum bet of $50.

You must select the boost in your betslip before placing the bet. The offer excludes live bets, parlays, same-game parlays, free bets, profit boosts and cash-out bets. The offer ends at 1 p.m. EST on Jan. 1. You won't find another operator that has this type of boost in Ohio.

These feature is available to bettors who register with the DraftKings Ohio promo code offer. Don't forget, I'll earn your $200 in bonus bets by registering and placing that first bet. You'll be up $200 in bonuses before you know it.

Other Ohio Sportsbook Promo Codes:

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In Ohio you can now enjoy online sports betting. With the FanDuel Ohio promo code, new customers can bet $5 and get $200 in guaranteed bonus bets.

Online sports betting in Ohio has just launched! That's great news for bettors in the Buckeye State. It makes it the perfect time for them to take advantage of the FanDuel Ohio promo code offer, which is delivering $200 to all new players who register for a new account and place a $5 wager - guaranteed!

Bettors have options when it comes to Ohio sports betting apps, but grabbing $200 in bonus bets is as easy as it is a great deal. That's what the FanDuel Ohio promo code offer is providing all new players.

We'll go over everything you need to know about the FanDuel Ohio promo code offer so you're ready to start betting and earning just in time for the heart of the winter sports season. The Browns play today, plus there's the Rose Bowl and that huge Monday night showdown between the Bengals and Bills. Don't sweat it though, as signing up takes just minutes.

FanDuel Ohio Promo Code Offer

FanDuel Ohio promo codeApplied automatically
FanDuel Ohio promotionBet $5, Get $200 In Bonus Bets
Terms & ConditionsNew customers aged 21 and over in Ohio. Receive bonus bets whether your bet wins or loses.
Verified
Jan. 1

The Ohio sportsbook promo codes come in all different shapes and sizes. But the ones that offer site credit simply for registering are the easiest ones to earn. That's where the FanDuel Ohio promo code offer comes into play. Register for a new account, make a $5 real-money wager, and the $200 in bonus bets are yours no matter what happens. Simple, right? Here's what you need to do to enjoy one of the best sportsbook promo codes:

  1. Use any of the BET NOW links provided in this article to begin your registration for a new account, which will trigger the FanDuel Ohio promo code offer to unlock your welcome bonus; simply clicking the link is all you need to do to earn it since there's no physical code to type in
  2. Create your new FanDuel Ohio account by providing them with the personal information to help verify your identity; note that only players who are 21+ years old and physically located in Ohio may earn this specific welcome bonus offer
  3. Make a qualifying deposit to fund your new account using any of the available banking methods

And now we get to the good stuff. Choose any set of odds in any sports betting market and place a $5 real-money wager on its outcome. As soon as your bet settles - win or lose-you will earn $200 in bonus bets thanks to the FanDuel Ohio promo code offer. It's as easy as it sounds. You can also win cash profit on your first real-money wager, but the bonus bets are yours no matter what happens.

FanDuel Ohio Promo Code Bonus Bet Redemption

Once your bet settles and you have the $200 in site credit (and hopefully cash from a win) in your account, it's time to start using those bonus bets. What we love about the FanDuel Ohio promo code offer is bettors can split up the $200 however they choose. That's a unique feature that isn't offered by all online sportsbooks.

Bettors have seven days to use up that site credit, and that should be easy to do with so much great sports action happening this winter in Ohio and across the country.

The best part? A 1x playthrough that means bettors are earning real cash as soon as they win their bets using site credit earned from the FanDuel Ohio promo code offer. That's a leading feature among sports betting apps

Other FanDuel Ohio Features

As if a guarantee of $200 in bonus bets wasn't good enough, there's even more in store for bettors who sign up using the FanDuel Ohio promo code offer.

Some of the most popular features that bettors are already using include free-to-play contests that can earn bettors real cash, an elite mobile betting experience that lets players take their sportsbook on the go, and some of the best odds boosts in the entire country.

It's all available to bettors who take advantage of what FanDuel Ohio is offering right now. Get $200 in site credit and unlocked access to an elite operator offering daily perks and offers. It doesn't get better than that. Use our FanDuel Ohio promo code BET NOW link right now, register and get in on the action.

Other Ohio Sportsbook Promo Codes:

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Zach LaVine was asked if his strong performance in the Chicago Bulls victory over the Detroit Pistons meant he was feeling like himself again. LaVine confirmed that he was, but that feeling good didn't start with Friday night's win.

"I've been for a while," LaVine said. "Go look at my last 10, 15 games. I've been saying that. I've been feeling good."

In 14 December games, LaVine has produced at an All-Star level. He's averaged 25.2 points on 53% shooting, including 43.2% from behind the arc, while also adding 4.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.

Bulls coach Billy Donovan agreed with LaVine's assessment that he's played well for a while now.

"If you look at his numbers from the middle of October and then you start to look at the middle of November and then the middle of (December), I think you start to see a trend upward as he's gotten his legs under him," Donovan said.

"I give him a lot of credit of just sticking with the process of just continuing to work. Because I think when you're as elite as him offensively and you start the year off the way he did offensively and just trying to find himself, he's put a lot of work into it just to stay the course."

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The Milwaukee Bucks had lost four straight games headed into Friday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Giannis Antetokounmpo made sure there wouldn't be a fifth straight loss for the Bucks.

Antetokounmpo scored 43 points and grabbed 20 rebounds for Milwaukee. That was his second consecutive 40/20 game. That's the first time since Moses Malone in 1982 that a player has recorded at least 40 points and 20 rebounds in consecutive games.

Antetokounmpo also dished out five assists, while shooting 14-of-23 from the field. This was Antetokounmpo's second time he's record at least 40 points, 20 rebounds and five assists, while shooting at least 60% from the floor. He joined Charles Barkley as the only players to achieve those numbers in multiple games over the last 45 years. Antetokounmpo is also one of only seven players with multiple such games in NBA history.

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New Orleans Pelicans guard C.J. McCollum set a team record with 11 three-pointers in his team's victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday. Postgame, McCollum wasn't taking the hot shooting night for granted.

"I know this is something that doesn't last forever," McCollum said. "You don't get to play forever. You don't get to have these moments forever. So, I was just trying to take it all in."

McCollum scored 42 points in the win for New Orleans. The big effort came one game after Zion Williamson scored 43 points in a victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. This was the first time in Pelicans' history that teammates have gone for 40+ points in consecutive games.

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Andrew Wiggins would love to represent his home country at the Olympics someday. But Wiggins isn't interested in making the commitment Team Canada now requires of their players.

Canada Basketball recently announced that they would have a core group of 14 players who represent the team during a three-year cycle. That sort of long-term commitment isn't one Wiggins had an interest in making.

"They wanted a long-term commitment. Right now, (my priority) is for the Golden State Warriors. I got kids. I got family. I got a life outside of basketball," Wiggins explained. "So, to commit three years to the Warriors and to Canada Basketball, it wouldn't make sense to me... I spend the whole time in-season with the Warriors, and summertime I get to decide."

Team Canada coach Nick Nurse said that players who don't commit to the three-year cycle will "have to hope there is a spot" for them when it's time to pick the Olympics squad. Wiggins hopes that could include him, but he's got no hard feelings if it doesn't.

"I would love to play if they made the Olympics," Wiggins said. "But I won't do no three-year commitment, you know? If not - I wouldn't lose no sleep over it if they didn't let me. If they didn't, that would be on them."

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The Miami Heat assigned Nikola Jovic to its G League affiliate Sioux Falls Skyforce.

The rookie is averaging 5.5 points and 2.1 rebounds on the season.

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Nate McMillan denied a report from The Athletic that he has considered stepping away as the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks.

"I read that article briefly. I've never spoke to that reporter before. I think the last two weeks he's written a couple of articles with some sources in our organization that are making some comments about me and some things that I'm saying and doing," said McMillan on Friday.

McMillan added that he'll coach out the rest of this year, then re-assess his situation during the offseason.

McMillan added that retirement is potentially in the picture.

"Look, at the end of the year, I'll do as I've always done. I'll talk with my family and see if that flame, that fire, to continue next season, but that's the end of the season.

"All of us think about retiring, but that's at the end of the season. We're going to move past that, that story."

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Bogdan Bogdanovic has been fined $25,000 for kicking the game ball into the spectator stands.

The incident occurred at the conclusion of the Hawks' 108-107 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Dec. 28 at State Farm Arena.

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Anthony Davis spoke to reporters on Friday for the first time since suffering a stress injury in his right foot two weeks ago.

"Feeling a lot better, pain has subsided tremendously," Davis said. "I think the next step is [the foot] healing right now. I don't want to use timetables because that's a whole different thing, but it's healing pretty quickly.

"So when we get back to L.A., we'll do another image of the foot, and see how far it's healed."

The injury was identified before it could get worse. "The stress reaction (can lead to) a stress fracture, and that's a whole different ballgame," Davis said.

One option available to Davis would be to undergo a procedure to remove the bone spur. One doctor surmised that the bone spur was present in his foot since his college days at Kentucky more than a decade ago, it just hadn't caused him any problems.

"I don't like surgery," Davis said. "I feel like, if it can be avoided, then let's avoid it."

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Nate McMillan has strongly considered stepping down as head coach of the Atlanta Hawks this season, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

McMillan's job has been considered safe and the Hawks have wanted him to finish out the sideline. But McMillan appears at the end of his tenure with the Hawks after the season unless he steps down.

No resignation from McMillan is imminent.

The Hawks have a 17-18 record and have had issues with Trae Young and John Collins.

McMillan took over as Hawks head coach in 2021 after the firing of Lloyd Pierce and had immediate success.

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The Denver Nuggets are currently tied atop the Western Conference. But finishing with a good regular season record isn't enough for Denver anymore.

The Nuggets expect to contend for the NBA Finals. To aid them in that goal, Denver is searching for upgrades to help what has been an inconsistent bench. In particular, the Nuggets are looking for wing help. They'd like to get bigger, more athletic and versatile with a defensive-minded player.

One challenge for Denver during trade season is that they don't have any imminently tradable assets. The players who would fetch the most in trade are all filling rotation roles for Michael Malone's squad.

General manager Calvin Booth's best hope of acquiring an impact player is to stack together a few contracts, some belonging to interesting younger players, and to combine them with draft picks to make a deal. A compounding factor in trading draft picks is that the Nuggets still owe first-round picks to the Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic and Oklahoma City Thunder.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers are expected to explore the trade market for an improvement on the wing, sources tell Zach Lowe of ESPN.

The Cavaliers cycle through Isaac Okoro, Lamar Stevens, Caris LeVert and Cedi Osman as the wing to play with their core.

Cleveland will also get Ricky Rubio and Dean Wade back from injuries.

With their trade for Donovan Mitchell this past offseason, the Cavaliers have limited assets available to trade for a meaningful upgrade.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers lost a third consecutive game when they lost at the Indiana Pacers on Thursday. But the Cavs have bigger concerns than just losing games when it comes to point guard Darius Garland.

The All-Star guard was injured early in the fourth quarter on a drive to the rim. Oshea Brissett of the Pacers hit Garland in the right hand while trying for a steal. Garland was spotting flexing his hand and right thumb, while avoiding the action on the floor.

After leaving the game for a few minutes, Garland returned with a heavy wrap on the thumb. He was in obvious discomfort and didn't attempt a shot from the field while wearing the wrap. Garland also uncharacteristically missed two free throws late in the game.

Cleveland didn't provide an official update on Garland's status, but the Cavs are reportedly worried their star guard could miss time. For his part, Garland said he would "try to fight through it" and hoped to be ready to play in Chicago on Saturday.

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The Toronto Raptors announced Thursday they have waived forward Justin Champagnie. Toronto's roster now stands at 14, with two two-way players.

Champagnie, 6-foot-6, 202 pounds, averaged 2.2 rebounds, 1.9 rebounds and 7.5 minutes in 39 career games with the Raptors. He scored in double figures twice, including a career-high 14 points Jan. 4, 2022 against San Antonio. Champagnie originally signed a two-way contract with Toronto in the summer of 2021.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are giving serious consideration to riding out the current season without making a major move if they can't find one that would make them a realistic championship contender, sources tell Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times.

The Lakers turned around their season a few weeks ago when Anthony Davis began playing at an All-NBA level, but they have struggled since his injury.

Rob Pelinka said on media day that the Lakers were committed to maximizing the roster during the tenure of LeBron James.

The Lakers have tested the trade market by offering the expiring contract of Russell Westbrook and future first round picks in 2027 and 2029, but that package is unlikely to yield the type of move that turns the team into a contender.

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Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez have exercised their option to purchase the next 20 percent of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx.

Lore and Rodriguez had until the end of the day Saturday to inform Glen Taylor that they had exercised the option.

The next step will be to purchase another 40 percent of the team. Lore and Rodriguez have until Dec. 31, 2023 to exercise that option.

Lore and Rodriguez have recruited other investors to join their Purple Buyers Holdings LLC, which joined the Timberwolves as limited partners in the summer of 2021.

The unique structure of the acquisition satisfied Taylor's timeline for not yet wanting to relinquish control while also giving Lore and Rodriguez enough time to raise the capital needed to buy the franchise at a $1.5 billion valuation. Taylor plans on holding on to the final 20 percent of the franchise for some time after relinquishing majority control.

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Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) talks with Jared Dubin (@JADubin5) about the NBA in 2022.

Which teams and players have a brighter future now than they did a year ago, whose fortunes have dimmed over the last twelve months, some favorite moments and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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D'Angelo Russell wasn't happy after the Minnesota Timberwolves loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday. He directed most of his unhappiness towards Pelicans star Zion Williamson.

"He ran through my guy, took the ball. He's playing football, we playing basketball. We can't touch him or guard him. So, good for him," Russell said.

Russell was initially upset about a play where Williamson scored on Rudy Gobert to tie the game with just under a minute to play. Russell thought Williamson should have been called for an offensive foul for pushing off. On the ensuing possession, Williamson stole Russell's pass and went in for the go-ahead dunk.

Russell asserted that Williamson ran through Wolves forward Jaden McDaniels to make the steal. Anthony Edwards re-tied the game, but Williamson then made one-of-two free throws with four seconds left to win the game for New Orleans.

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Following the Los Angeles Lakers loss at the Miami Heat, LeBron James spent some time musing about his future. Top of mind for James was that he's still playing to win.

"I'm a winner, and I want to win," James said. "And I want to win and give myself a chance to win and still compete for championships. That has always been my passion. That has always been my goal since I entered the league as an 18-year-old kid out of Akron, Ohio.

"And I know it takes steps to get there, but once you get there and know how to get there, playing basketball at this level just to be playing basketball is not in my DNA. It's not in my DNA anymore. So, we'll see what happens and see how fresh my mind stays over the next couple years."

When asked how long he'd continue to play, James didn't have a definitive answer.

"I don't have a number," James said. "I know as long as my mind stays in it, I can play at this level for a minute. Now, that's up to my mind. My body is going to be OK because if my mind is into it, I will make sure my body is taken care of and I'll continue to put in the work."

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RJ Barrett will likely miss at least one week with a lacerated right index finger.

Barrett suffered the injury early in the New York Knicks' overtime loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

Barrett had played in every game this season for the Knicks.

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Aleksej Pokusevski will be out at least six to eight weeks with a non-displaced tibial plateau fracture in his left leg.

Pokusevski is averaging a career-high 8.8 points with 5.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game this season in 31 games, with 25 starts.

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Marc Lasry is exploring a sale of his stake in the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell Marc Stein of Substack.

Lasry could sell his shares to Wesley Edens.

Mat Ishbia was in talks to buy Lasry's stake before he pivoted to buying the Phoenix Suns from Robert Sarver.

The Bucks are valued at $2.3 billion while they were purchased by Lasry and Edens in April 2014 for $550 million. The Suns were recently valued at $2.7 billion, but sold at a valuation of $4 billion.

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Devin Booker will miss at least the next four weeks with a left groin strain.

Booker has missed six of the Phoenix Suns' past nine games due to hamstring and groin ailments.

Booker tried to return for the team's Christmas Day matchup against the Denver Nuggets but played just four minutes before having to leave the game.

The Suns currently have a 20-15 record and are in fifth place in the Western Conference.

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Zach LaVine re-signed with the Chicago Bulls this past offseason on a five-year, $215 million, but his future with the franchise is uncertain given their struggles this season. The Dallas Mavericks are a team who could potentially have interest in LaVine given their motivation to pair a second star with Luka Doncic.

"I just know that there are fans of him that hold prominent positions within the Mavericks," said Tim MacMahon on the Lowe Post podcast. "Again, I'm not sitting here and telling you there's some great consensus. I think there's enough fans of him where I wouldn't totally rule it out."

Zach Lowe interjected that the Bulls do not appear prepared to entertain trading LaVine at this point. The trade value of LaVine given his contract and injury issues is also difficult to gauge.

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An ESPN report last week indicated James Harden has interest in returning to the Houston Rockets this offseason as a free agent depending on how the next few months plays out with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Harden was also a free agent last offseason and signed a two-year, $68.6 million deal with the Sixers that contains a player option for 23-24.

At the age of 33, Harden could continue signing shorter term deals in order to maintain flexibility.

"There are a lot of whispers around the league that he wants to continue cycling through one-plus-one kind of deals," said Zach Lowe.

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The Boston Celtics have no plans to remove the "interim" tag from Joe Mazzulla's job title during the 22-23 season.

The Celtics have the NBA's best record coming out of Christmas at 24-10.

Reportedly, Mazzulla is aware and understanding of that situation. He's also been told that he'll be coaching the team for the entire season, no matter how things go.

Mazzulla was elevated to interim head coach when Ime Udoka was suspended for the season. Udoka was suspended following an investigation into his improper relationship with a female staffer.

It's possible that Mazzulla may have been given more information privately about the Celtics plan, but there are no plans for any changes in title. If Udoka takes another coaching job, he was reportedly close to coaching the Brooklyn Nets, that could change. But, for the time being, Mazzulla will remain the interim head coach.

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Justise Winslow exited the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder with a left ankle sprain on Wednesday, December 21. Further evaluation confirms a grade 2 ankle sprain.

Winslow will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

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The Dallas Mavericks have agreed to sign AJ Lawson to a Two-Way contract.

Dallas will waive Tyler Dorsey to create the roster spot for Lawson.

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The Detroit Pistons have agreed to sign Jared Rhoden to a Two-Way deal.

The Pistons will waive Braxton Key to create a roster spot for Rhoden.

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The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to sign Louis King to a Two-Way contract, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

King is averaging 20 points per game for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

The Sixers will waive Saben Lee to create a roster spot for King, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

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Pascal Siakam and Luka Doncic have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for Week 10.

Siakam averaged 38.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists as the Toronto Raptors went 2-1.

Doncic averaged 31.5 points, 9.0 assists and 8.0 rebounds as the Dallas Mavericks went 3-1.

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Christian Wood has played the best basketball of his career since joining the Dallas Mavericks this past offseason. Wood is averaging 17.3 points on 54/38/71 shooting splits. Wood is also grabbing eight rebounds and blocking a shot per night.

After dropping in 30 points, while grabbing eight boards and handing out seven assists, on Christmas, Wood was asked about being extension-eligible with the Mavericks.

"I'm happy to be here," Wood told ESPN. "That's what I'll say. The vibe is good. ... I'm open to it."

When asked if he'd need to get the maximum of four years, Wood laughed and said, "I can't answer that."

Because enough time has now elapsed since Wood was traded to the Mavs from the Houston Rockets, he's eligible to sign an extension worth $77 million over four years. If no extension is reached, Wood will be one of the better unrestricted free agents available this summer.

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The Golden State Warriors had targeted their Christmas Day matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies as the return game for Andrew Wiggins. However, Wiggins remains out with a strained adductor and missed his 10th consecutive game.

Before the game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said that Wiggins injury has "lingered longer than we expected". Kerr reiterated that the team hopes Wiggins will return soon, but that there is no firm timeline. He also said Wiggins has to do live on-court work before returning to the lineup.

Golden State has gone 3-7 without Wiggins in the lineup, which has overlapped with star guard Stephen Curry also missing games. Wiggins has averaged 19.1 points on 51% shooting from the floor, including 45% from behind the arc.

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Philadelphia authors a comeback win against the Knicks behind Joel Embiid and James Harden.

Dallas exposes the Lakers' defensive deficiencies with a Christmas record 51-point quarter.

The game of the day was Phoenix and Denver with a rollicking OT finish.

Boston shot the cover off the ball to put up 139 against the vaunted Bucks defense while holding Giannis to two baskets in the paint.

The Warriors outshoot Memphis with some quality contributions from their bench, while some old Grizzlies bugaboos rear their heads once again.

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The New York Knicks have held internal discussions over the possibility of trading for Tobias Harris, reported Ian Begley of SNY.

"The Knicks have talked internally about the idea of acquiring Tobias Harris via trade before their winning streak started ... Tom Thibodeau spoke highly of him before the game, so that's just one name to keep an eye on," said Begley following the Knicks' 119-112 loss to the Sixers on Sunday.

Harris is averaging 17.0 points and 6.3 rebounds on the season.

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Devin Booker left the Phoenix Suns game against the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter with a groin injury.

Booker had missed the previous three games with groin soreness.

The Suns would lose the game 128-125 in overtime.

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The Dallas Mavericks unveiled a statue of Dirk Nowitzski in front of American Airlines Center on Sunday.

"It's a promise that gives me joy to deliver on, because you earned it," Mark Cuban told Nowitzski during the ceremony.

The white bronze statue measures 24 feet tall and pays tribute to Nowitzski's one-legged fadeaway jumper. The base of the statue reads "Loyalty never fades away," alluding to Nowitzski spending his entire 21 year career with the Mavs.

The statue was designed by Omri Amrany, who has also designed statues of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Jerry West, among others.

"I just kind of sat down, like, 'What do people associate you with in Dallas?' It was these two things. It was the fadeaway and the loyalty. We kind of combined that. It was just a fun fact that it was 21 letters for the 21 years," said Nowitzski of the statue.

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Zion Williamson cleared the NBA's health and safety protocols and is expected to return to the New Orleans Pelicans lineup on Monday.

Williamson missed two games, both wins against the Spurs and Thunder.

The team is 5-2 in games Williamson has missed this season.

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James Harden is seriously considering returning to the Houston Rockets this offseason as a free agent if he decides against a new deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Harden and his camp have been openly weighing a return to Houston in recent weeks and months.

Harden requested a trade from the Rockets before the 20-21 season.

Harden signed a two-year, $68.6 million contract with the Sixers, including a player option for 2023-2024 that allows him to re-enter free agency this summer.

Harden remains drawn to the community, lifestyle and family in Houston.

The Houston front office would have to evaluate how bringing back Harden would impact their young core of talent of Jalen Green, Jabari Smith and Kevin Porter Jr.

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Stephen Curry has missed the last four games for the Golden State Warriors. However, the Warriors shared some good news on Saturday.

Curry suffered a subluxation of his left shoulder in a game against the Indiana Pacers on December 14. A recent re-evaluation showed that Curry is making good progress in his return from that injury. Curry will be re-evaluated again in two weeks.

The Warriors have gone 1-3 since Curry got injured. The defending champions are 1-6 in the seven games Curry has missed this season. Overall, Golden State sits at 15-18 and are in 11th place in the Western Conference.

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The Charlotte Hornets and Miles Bridges are holding talks on a new deal as he remains a restricted free agent.

There is optimism a deal between Bridges and the Hornets could be reached in the near future.

Bridges is expected to be suspended by the NBA for his no contest felony charge on a domestic violence incident.

Bridges and Klutch Sports have been in contact with the Hornets and are are working together on Bridges' plans to work with local domestic violence groups and community organizations to start reacclimating himself to the Charlotte community.

During his three-year probation, Bridges will be required to complete 52 weeks of domestic violence counseling and 52 weeks of parenting classes and serve 100 hours of community service.

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Nate returns from the G-League Showcase with thoughts on the Elam ending, trade candidates, the CBA, and the NBA players at the Showcase.

But first, we discuss the Suns sale to Matt Ishbia, the Hawks moving on from Travis Schlenk, the Pistons recommitting to Troy Weaver, the Bulls seemingly less committed to each other, and the rest of the latest league news.

John, Danny, and Nate rank the top prospects 23 and under in the NBA. Which of these players would we most want on our franchise for the rest of their careers?

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Kevin Durant played the Golden State Warriors this week for the first time since his former team won a title without him.

"I can't lie: Watching the Finals, I knew so many people would turn their focus on me once they won. I was like, I hate that they won, because y'all not going to make it about them; it's going to be all about me," Durant told Michael Lee of the Washington Post. "I think it's just a childish way of looking at that experience. I feel like you can take it all in and appreciate what they did and not even talk about me. I was just sitting at home. But I get how it is."

There was reported speculation that Golden State's title contributed to his trade request from the Nets this past offseason.

"That's my family over there," he says. "I can be a Brooklyn Net and y'all can be the Golden State Warriors, and it'll still be love. ... When they succeed, I succeed, because I'm a part of that history forever."

From 2011 until 2019, Durant's teams finished no worse than the Conference Finals in all but one season he was able to finish. In his first two healthy seasons with the Nets, Durant has won one playoff series. But Durant doesn't regret his decision to leave the Warriors for Brooklyn.

"It was another pivot," Durant said of leaving Golden State. "I just wanted to play ball somewhere else. But a lot of people see it as I'm chasing something. And I think it probably stems when I said, 'I don't want to be number two no more.' I was number two in high school, in the draft. But what I had to explain to people was, I had just lost in the Finals. I wanted to go back and win the Finals. It wasn't about: 'I want to be the best ever. I want to be better than LeBron or [Michael Jordan].' I don't give a s--- about that. I want to wake up every day and do what I do. If we win, I know that stuff comes with me being the best that I can be."

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The Atlanta Hawks have been shopping John Collins for a while now. It seems inevitable that Collins and the Hawks will eventually part ways, but the team is moving slowly in trade talks at the moment.

The Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers, Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards are all known to have an interest in acquiring Collins. The Jazz have been often linked to Collins since the offseason, while the Pacers have been mentioned as a strong candidate in recent weeks.

Collins was nearly traded to the Sacramento Kings this past offseason in a deal that would have sent Harrison Barnes to Atlanta. That trade fell apart, and it's unknown if Sacramento still interest in the Hawks power forward.

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Desmond Bane was upgraded to questionable for the Memphis Grizzlies game on Friday at the Phoenix Suns. The upgraded status, along with comments made in recent days, indicate Bane is closing in on returning after a 17-game absence. If Bane doesn't return Friday, he could be back for the Grizzlies Christmas Day matchup at the Golden State Warriors.

Bane was off to a terrific start this season before spraining his right big toe in a victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on November 11. That injury has caused Bane to miss over a month's worth of action.

In 12 games, Bane was putting together an early All-Star case. He's averaged 24.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game, all of which are easily career-highs. Bane also has terrific 46/45/91 shooting splits.

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Michael Porter Jr. hasn't played in over a month. The Denver Nuggets forward now says he's ready to return for Friday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Porter last played on November 22 in a home loss to the Detroit Pistons. In that game, Porter suffered a heel contusion that's caused him to miss the Nuggets last 13 games.

The scoring forward missed most of last season, after having to undergo back surgery. There was a thought Porter could return late in the season, but Denver chose to be cautious and held him out.

Porter was off to a strong start this season. He's averaged 16.4 points on 47/43/80 shooting splits in 16 games.

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Brandon Ingram is set to miss at least the next two games for the New Orleans Pelicans with a left toe contusion.

Ingram, who has already missed 11 games with the injury, has no timetable for a return.

Willie Green admitted that the process for Ingram's return has been slow.

"We're still evaluating him and coming up with a plan and a timeline (for his return). He's getting better. It's just been slower process than we all expected," said Green.

The Pelicans are currently 9-6 on the season without Ingram in the lineup.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are likely to make a smaller deal that would involve at most one of their first-round picks following Anthony Davis' injury, sources told Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

Davis will miss at least one month due to a right foot injury.

The likeliest trade package would involve some combination of Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn, and one of their first-round picks in 2027 or 2029, likely with a protection.

The Lakers are looking for a 3-and-D wing or a combo forward to play next to LeBron James and Davis, though they do not believe there is a player out there that would put the team in immediate contention.

Some names to watch include Jae Crowder, Eric Gordon, Alec Burks, P.J. Washington, and Kelly Oubre Jr., according to sources.

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Gary Payton II is looking to make his Portland Trail Blazers debut next week, sources told Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

The Blazers originally thought Payton would return a month earlier, though the guard took the extra time to recover physically and mentally from offseason surgery.

In other injury news, Justise Winslow will undergo an MRI on his left ankle.

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Rival executives believe Trae Young could be the next superstar to request a trade if the Atlanta Hawks don't show progress in the playoffs.

Young can become a free agent in 2026.

The Hawks won just one game in last season's playoffs after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021. Atlanta responded in the offseason by trading for Dejounte Murray.

Landry Fields replaced Travis Schlenk as the lead decision-maker for the Atlanta front office this week. Fields and Young meet routinely and have a great relationship.

Young is represented by Omar Wilkes of Klutch Sports.

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The Washington Wizards are not interested in entertaining a trade of Bradley Beal, who signed a five-year, $251 million contract this past offseason.

Beal has been the subject of trade rumors for years and his commitment to the Wizards hasn't stopped them, especially given their struggles this season.

"They want to keep Beal and upgrade the roster around him, going with a 'middle-build' strategy," writes Josh Robbins at The Athletic.

Beal has a no-trade clause in his deal, which means he would effectively have to request a trade and then approve the destination and terms to be moved. Beal maintains great relationships with Tommy Sheppard and Ted Leonsis.

The opinions on the value of Beal's contract are mixed throughout the season and the no-trade clause limits Washington's leverage.

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Ja Morant did a recent interview with Malika Andrews of ESPN. The two touched on a lot of items about Morant's season and the Memphis Grizzlies getting off to a good start. When Andrews asked Morant about who Memphis would need to beat to get to where they want to be, the Grizzlies star gave a surprising answer.

Andrews asked Morant "Who do you look at around the league as you're studying and say, 'We're gonna have to run through them'?". Morant quickly answered, "Celtics."

Andrews followed up by asking, "No one in the West?" Morant smiled and said, "Nah. I'm fine in the West."

The Grizzlies are currently 19-11 and tied atop the Western Conference with the Denver Nuggets. Memphis finished 56-26 a season ago and lost in the Western Conference semifinals to the Golden State Warriors.

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Steve Kerr is taking over the reins from Gregg Popovich as the head coach of USA Basketball. Kerr is hoping a familiar face will join his squad at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Kerr joked that he'd make a "recruiting pitch" to Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets to join Team USA for another run. Durant and Kerr were previously together on the Golden State Warriors. Durant has said it's too early for him to commit to playing in the next Olympics.

Durant has played for Team USA in three different Olympics. He's helped lead the United States to the gold medal in the 2012, 2016 and 2020 (played in 2021) games. Durant is also the all-time leading scorer in Team USA history.

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The NBA investigated the New York Knicks over the hiring of Rick Brunson and the signing of Isaiah Hartenstein.

The league found no violations with either move.

The news comes on the heels of the team getting penalized a 2025 second-round pick for tampering surrounding Jalen Brunson's signing.

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Several high-profile figures became eligible for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for the first time on Wednesday, including Dirk Nowitzki, Gregg Popovich, and Dwyane Wade.

Other first-time nominees include Tony Parker, Pau Gasol, and the 1976 U.S. Olympic women's team.

Finalists for the 2023 class will be announced during All-Star Weekend, with the induction ceremony taking place on April 1.

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Arkansas guard Nick Smith Jr. will be out indefinitely due to right knee management, the school announced on Wednesday.

"He's out indefinitely. That's what it is. There's nothing else. He's out indefinitely and he's going to continue to rehab the best he can," said Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman.

Smith missed the first six games of the season due to the injury.

Smith is currently ranked No. 4 in ESPN's draft rankings, and is the highest rated player currently playing college basketball.

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Zion Williamson has entered the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols and will at least miss Thursday's game against the San Antonio Spurs.

Williamson is averaging 25.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 33.4 minutes over 25 games this season.

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The Detroit Pistons signed Troy Weaver to an extension over the summer.

Weaver became the franchise's GM in June, 2020, signing a four-year contract.

The Pistons have the NBA's worst record, but have a promising young core around Cade Cunningham.

The Pistons went 20-52 in Weaver's first season, when COVID-19 canceled the Pistons' final 10 games.

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Jason Kidd has been fined $25,000 for coming onto the court to confront and direct inappropriate language toward a game official.

The incident, for which Kidd was assessed two technical fouls and ejected, occurred with 2:00 remaining in the third quarter of the Mavericks' 116-106 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Dec. 19 at Target Center.

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The New York Knicks have been penalized their 2025 second round pick due to the NBA's investigation into tampering surrounding the Jalen Brunson signing.

The league found that the Knicks engaged in free agency discussions involving Brunson prior to the date when such discussions were permitted.

The Knicks have a number of ties to Brunson including his father, Rick Brunson, as well as his agent, Sam Rose, being the son of Leon Rose.

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Monty Williams and Deandre Ayton had a heated exchange during a timeout late in the Phoenix Suns' 113-110 loss Tuesday night to the Washington Wizards.

The exchange occurred with Phoenix down, 107-100, with 43.4 seconds left.

"It was the whole team in those moments," Williams said after the game. "It wasn't just Deandre, it was the whole group out there not executing properly. It was a bit of frustration, but that happens. That was not an isolated one-person or one-player thing."

"We weren't really exchanging words," Ayton said. "We're a family. He knows how to talk to his boys and his boys know how to just communicate. Obviously, the whole world see it, but it's really all love and just getting us back to regroup and just take out the confusion."

Williams and Ayton had issues during their Game 7 elimination in last year's playoffs and didn't speak again until the start of training camp.

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Atlanta Hawks president of basketball operations Travis Schlenk is moving into a senior advisory role with the team. General manager Landry Fields will take over the Hawks day-to-day basketball operations.

This shift in responsibility comes at an interesting time. The NBA trade deadline is roughly a month-and-a-half away. The Hawks have spent most of the year around .500 and in range to be in the Play-In Tournament.

Atlanta has been heavily involved in trade rumors, with John Collins the player most often mentioned. Schlenk ran the Hawks basketball operations for six-plus years, and acquired every player on the current roster. Now, those decisions will be made by Fields, who was promoted to the GM role this past offseason.

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The Chicago Bulls' half-time dispute against the Minnesota Timberwolves last Sunday revolved around Zach LaVine's defense, sources told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.

The Bulls would lose the game 150-126.

There were reportedly several "blow-ups" during half-time, with Billy Donovan having to come into the locker room to calm down the players.

Donovan confirmed that there was an incident before Wednesday's game against the Heat.

Cowley adds that while LaVine's name was not specifically called out during the dispute, much of the criticism was directed at him.

The Athletic reported earlier in the day that LaVine and DeMar DeRozan have been navigating an on-court disconnect throughout the season.

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The New York Knicks have reached out to the Toronto Raptors with interest in trading for OG Anunoby.

Anunoby was mentioned in trade rumors during the offseason, but the Raptors elected to keep him.

Anunoby can become a free agent in 2024 if he declines the final year of the four-year, $72 million extension he signed with the Raptors in 2020.

Anunoby is averaging 18.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game this season, which are both career highs.

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Mo Bamba could be the most realistic trade candidate for the Orlando Magic this season considering his value relative to other dispensable players on their roster.

Bamba re-signed with the Magic last offseason on a two-year, $20.6 million deal.

Sources tell Jake Fischer they expect the Magic to seek a protected first round pick or a late first round pick for Bamba.

The Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings and Brooklyn Nets are expected to be on the market for a big man and could be willing to trade a pair of second rounders.

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Mat Ishbia is finalizing the purchase of the Phoenix Suns at a valuation of approximately $4 billion.

Ishbia is a billionaire mortgage lender as the President and CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage. UWM was founded by Ishbia's father, Jeff Ishbia, in 1986.

Ishbia played college basketball at Michigan State.

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Maxi Kleber has undergone surgery to address a right hamstring tear. Kleber suffered the injury during practice last week.

Kleber will begin rehabilitation immediately but there is no timetable for a return.

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In the wake of Anthony Davis being injured, and potentially out long-term, trade speculation has continued to ramp up for the Los Angeles Lakers. When asked about potential deals, Lakers star LeBron James said trades aren't something he's focused on.

"Not a question for me," James said. "I have no idea. When I'm playing, I show up, prepare, go to work and get my guys ready to go win a basketball game. I play the game, I'm not in the front office, so we'll see. But I'm focused on the game and us trying to win basketball games, especially when I'm out on the floor."

On his way out of his media availability, James had some advice for the reporter who asked him about trades.

"Go ask (GM) Rob (Pelinka) those questions."

The Lakers haven't released any information as to the nature of Davis' injury or how long he may be out. Reports are that Davis will miss up to a month, but what the injury is exactly has yet to be confirmed.

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In a wide-ranging interview, Donovan Mitchell admitted that racial tensions in Utah drained him while he played for the Utah Jazz. Mitchell said it changed the way he thought about things away from the court.

Asked if he feels more comfortable in Cleveland, where the population is more Black, Mitchell said there is more comfort there.

"It's a little comforting for me, 100%. I'm not going to lie about that. It's no secret there's a lot of stuff that I dealt with being in Utah off the floor. If I'm being honest with you, I never really said this, but it was draining. It was just draining on my energy just because you can't sit in your room and cheer for me and then do all these different things. I'm not saying specifically every fan, but I just feel like it was a lot of things. A (Utah) state senator (Stuart Adams) saying I need to get educated on my own Black history. Seeing Black kids getting bullied because of their skin color. Seeing a little girl (Isabella Tichenor) hang herself because she's being bullied," Mitchell said.

"Man, it was just one thing after another," Mitchell added. "And I will say, it's not the only place it happens. But for me, I'm continuing to be an advocate for (racial equality) and to receive the amount of pushback I got over the years, it was a lot."

Additionally, Mitchell explained that he and Rudy Gobert don't hate each other, but that things just didn't work basketball-wise. Mitchell also said his Cavaliers team has a chance to be "special".

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Damian Lillard passed Clyde Drexler on Monday night to become the all-time leading scorer of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Lillard surpassed Drexler's 18,040-point mark in the third quarter of the Blazers' loss to the Thunder.

"It's a great feeling to reach the top. It's been a goal of mine, and the list has so many players, great history of our organization, so to finally be No. 1 is a special accomplishment that I'm proud of," said Lillard after the game.

Drexler played 867 games for the Blazers, with Lillard breaking the record in his 730th game for the team since getting drafted in 2012.

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  • TOR and BRK: Scottie Barnes shines down the stretch but Kyrie gets the game-winner
  • PHI: James Harden since his return, and why spacing is so important for this team
  • NYK: Quentin Grimes' ascension into the starting lineup has coincided with a Knicks win streak
  • MIL: Joe Ingles will return tomorrow, while Bobby Portis has helped keep them afloat with his postups
  • MIA: Their offense is 25th. Why, and can it improve?
  • IND: The Pacers are top-4 in a stat that shows why they're so hard to guard
  • DET: The Pistons are 14th in offense since Cade went down!
  • CLE: How is Lamar Stevens working as the starting 3?
  • ATL: AJ Griffin is a bright spot for the Hawks
  • CHI: The age-old question of how Patrick Williams is developing

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The Chicago Bulls were blown out by the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night. It was the Bulls fourth straight loss and dropped Chicago to 11-18 on the season.

Bulls guard Zach LaVine echoed the fans frustration with the losing. Then he took it a step further.

"It's frustrating for all of us," LaVine said. "I know it's frustrating for the fans. It's embarrassing. We're all a little embarrassed about it."

Veteran guard Goran Dragic said that the Bulls don't play for each other. LaVine agreed with that sentiment.

"You can name whatever you want to. We're just not getting it done as a unit," LaVine said. "And until we band together and start helping each other, you're not going to see a different result. I think that's the first thing you have to bring. You can't ask your team for effort each and every night. I think that's the first thing you have to bring top to bottom. Guys in here are talking. We're trying to be leaders in our own way, but we've got to find a way to get it done."

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There is a "growing expectation" that the Sacramento Kings will extend general manager Monte McNair's contract, according to Marc Stein of Substack.

An official deal is expected to be agreed upon sometime in early 2023.

McNair is currently in the last year of his three-year deal.

With the success of the team this season, Stein adds that the fact that the Kings have yet to extend McNair is an "undeniable curiosity" around the league.

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Lonzo Ball is making progress towards being able to run, according to Billy Donovan.

Donovan added that there is still no timetable for Ball to be cleared to run.

"We haven't had anything that's been like, 'Oh, geez, we're back at square one.' It's just slow unfortunately. It's just managing the pain and discomfort he's feeling," said Donovan.

Once Ball gets cleared, he will then have a "significant ramp-up period" for conditioning.

Adrian Wojnarowski reported last week that there are "no guarantees" that Ball suits up for the Bulls this season.

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The Detroit Pistons have had many suitors for Bojan Bogdanovic over the last several weeks. The Los Angeles Lakers, and others, have tried to pry the scoring wing away from Detroit. But the Pistons continue to tell teams that they don't intend to trade Bogdanovic.

Detroit wants to keep the veteran scorer to help a healthy Cade Cunningham. The Pistons believe that with Cunningham back, along with Bogdanovic, that their young core can make a playoff push next season.

Bogdanovic signed a two-year, $39 million extension shortly after the season started. Next season is fully guaranteed at $20 million, while the 2024-25 season is only partially guaranteed for $2 million.

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The Los Angeles Lakers have rallied somewhat after a poor start to the season. Now, things are about to get a lot more difficult for the Lakers.

Anthony Davis will be out indefinitely due to a right foot injury. Early reports are that Davis will miss at least one month due to the injury.

Davis was hurt when he landed awkwardly during the Lakers victory over the Denver Nuggets on Friday night. Davis left the game, returned briefly but was ineffective and wasn't moving well. He then missed the second half of that game and was ruled out for Sunday's game a day in advance.

Davis has played some of the best basketball of his career this season. He's averaged 27.4 points and a career-best 12.1 rebounds per game. Davis has also keyed the Los Angeles defense.

The Lakers currently sit at 12-16 and are in 12th place in the Western Conference. Los Angeles is 1.5 games behind the Minnesota Timberwolves for 10th place and the final spot in the Play-In Tournament.

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With the NBA staging what has become an annual game in Mexico City, expansion has been a popular topic of conversation. A day or so after Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum talked about the possibility of adding new teams, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver took his turn.

After years of saying expansion was a non-discussion for the NBA, Silver has said it's something the league is starting to look into. However, Silver cautioned putting a timeline on it.

"We want to get a new collective bargaining agreement, our media rights deals are up soon, so we need to renew those, as well, but then we will turn to expansion," Silver said.

Silver also said the NBA will seriously look at Mexico City when it's time to expand. Silver reiterated that there are challenges to adding a franchise outside of the United State but added that Mexico City is well set up to do so. As he has in the past, Silver remarked that Mexico City can be the NBA's gateway to further growth throughout Latin America.

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The Los Angeles Lakers have been active in trade talks. To this point, Los Angeles has refused to part with the only tradable future first-round picks in 2027 and 2029, but that hasn't stopped the Lakers from dreaming big.

Should any one of Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard or Bradley Beal seek a trade, the Lakers would hope to be their destination. Until then, LA is focused on smaller, more likely deals.

Durant asked for a trade this offseason, but retracted his request when the Nets were unable to find a deal they liked. Lillard has continually said he intends to play his entire career in Portland. And Beal signed a five-year, maximum extension with the Wizards this past summer, one that includes in the NBA's only true no-trade clause.

The Lakers would have trouble matching salary in a deal for any of Durant, Lillard or Beal without involving Russell Westbrook and his expiring $47 million contract. To this point, Los Angeles hasn't found a deal involving Westbrook that they like, and it's been termed increasingly unlikely that Westbrook will be traded at all.

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James Harden's time with the Brooklyn Nets was short and injury filled. Harden owns his own health issues of being part of where things went wrong with Brooklyn, but said there was more to it than him being hurt.

"I don't mean to, like, just down talk to anybody or whatever. It was just, there was no structure and even superstars, they need structure. That's what allows us to be the best players and leaders for our respective organizations," Harden said.

The Philadelphia 76ers star said things didn't seem that way when he was trying to get traded to Brooklyn. Harden also knew people were going to say he quit on the Nets, but that the accusations don't really bother him.

"I just feel like," Harden continued, "internally, things weren't what I expected when I was trying to get traded there. I think everybody knows that. And I knew people were going to talk and say, 'You quit' and all that stuff, but then the following summer, the other superstar there (Kevin Durant) wanted to leave. So, it's like: Am I still the quitter?"

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Oklahoma City Thunder rookie forward Ousmane Dieng will be out at least six weeks after suffering a non-displaced fracture in his right wrist. Dieng was injured while playing with the Oklahoma City Blue of the G League in a game on Wednesday.

In 14 games with the Thunder, Dieng has averaged 4.4 points and 2.9 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game. In the G League, Dieng has appeared in 11 games and averaged 15.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.2 blocks.

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The NBA is set to return to Mexico City on Saturday night. The San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat will play in Mexico as part of the NBA's international series.

Part of the appeal of staging games in Mexico is to continue to grow the game of basketball in the country. Basketball is now the second-most played sport in Mexico, behind soccer.

As the sport continues to grow, there is the chance Mexico City could eventually have an NBA franchise of their own.

While saying that expansion isn't in the NBA's immediate plans, NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum said that Mexico City "has to be in consideration" when the league does expand next.

The NBA G League launched the Mexico City Capitanes last season. COVID-19 restrictions kept the Capitanes from making their debut in their home city until this season. But now the NBA has a chance to see how Mexico City can operate as a professional basketball city.

"G League teams in the United States and Canada are going down there to play," said Tatum. "So we're getting that experience of, 'How does a G League team operate in that market? How are the fans responding to having their own team down there?' It's been a great learning experience so far."

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Kyle Kuzma has played his best basketball in two seasons with the Washington Wizards. That improvement has Kuzma thinking about free agency this coming summer.

Kuzma said he won't sign an extension with the Wizards and that he plans to decline his player option for the 2023-24 season. The veteran forward will then become an unrestricted free agent.

In a relatively weak free agent class, Kuzma could be poised to cash in. He should get a first-year salary well north of $20 million. In an extension with Washington, Kuzma could get a first-year salary of just $16.25 million.

In his sixth season, Kuzma has averaged career-highs of 21.4 points and 3.6 assists. He's also shooting a career-best 46.2% from the field.

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The Miami Heat were fined $25,000 for violating the NBA's injury reporting rules. Miami had several players listed as questionable or probable for Wednesday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. A handful of those players sat out, but others, who played, never had their status updated to available prior to the game.

In response, the Heat have listed every player on their active roster on the injury report prior to their game against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. That matchup is taking place in Mexico City as part of the NBA's international series.

Only Jamal Cain (G League Assignment) and Gabe Vincent and Omer Yurtseven (injured) are listed as out. The remaining 13 players are listed as questionable or probable to play in the game.

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The NBA fined Mike Brown $25,000 for "aggressively pursuing and directing profane language towards an official" on Friday.

The game in question took place during the Kings' 124-123 win over the Raptors on December 14. Brown was ejected after being assessed with two technical fouls with 9:09 left in the third quarter.

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David Nwaba signed a G League contract ahead of next week's G League Showcase in Las Vegas.

Nwaba's move follows Sterling Brown, who also signed a G League contract.

The heavily scouted showcase runs from next Monday to Thursday.

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Anthony Davis missed the second half of the Los Angeles Lakers' 126-108 win over the Denver Nuggets with a right foot injury.

While Davis is experiencing discomfort, sources say the team is hopeful that the injury is not severe.

Davis is likely to undergo an MRI.

Thomas Bryant started in place of Davis for the third quarter.

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The Chicago Bulls have signed Carlik Jones to a Two-Way contract and waived Kostas Antetokounmpo.

Jones was with the Bulls for training camp this season.

Antetokounmpo had yet to appear in a game with the Bulls.

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Joe Ingles is targeting his return from a torn ACL on Monday against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Ingles is expected to participate in a final 5-on-5 workout on Saturday.

Ingles signed with the Milwaukee Bucks this past offseason.

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Jayson Tatum is the leader of ESPN's first NBA MVP straw poll for the 22-23 season. Tatum received 47 first place votes and was on 98 of 100 ballots.

Tatum led the way with 759 total points, followed by Giannis Antetokounmpo (36 first-place votes, 687 total points) in second and Luka Doncic (10 first-place votes, 392 total points) in third.

Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic rounded out the top-5.

Straw Poll Results
1. Jayson Tatum: 759
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo: 687
3. Luka Doncic: 392
4. Stephen Curry: 250
5. Nikola Jokic: 195
6. Ja Morant: 70
7. Kevin Durant: 61
8. Zion Williamson: 55
9. Devin Booker: 40
10. Joel Embiid: 22
11. Donovan Mitchell: 10
12. Anthony Davis: 4
13. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 1

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Adam Silver was a recent guest on the NCAA's official podcast. While speaking with Bonnie Bernstein as part of her series on Title IX and its impact, Silver said he believes the NBA is ready for their first female head coach.

"I would be hugely disappointed if, certainly, in five years we haven't seen our first female head coach in the NBA," Silver said.

NBA teams currently employ five women as assistant coaches. They are Jenny Boucek (Indiana Pacers), Lindsey Harding (Sacramento Kings), Sonia Raman (Memphis Grizzlies), Kristi Toliver (Dallas Mavericks) and Teresa Weatherspoon (New Orleans Pelicans).

Silver said there is more work to be done though.

"I've said this before, as much as professional sports has led, and the WNBA and NBA have led in certain areas, we're a bit behind in this area," Silver said. "We should have more women head coaches. We should have a female head coach right now. We should have more women referees. It's something we're working very hard on right now."

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Bennedict Mathurin has signed a sneaker and apparel deal with Adidas, reported Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files.

Adidas basketball also announced several other signings across the rookie class, including Jabari Smith Jr. and Keegan Murray.

The 20-year-old, who has worn Adidas sneakers since training camp, is averaging 17.8 points and 4.1 rebounds in his rookie season.

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Gordon Hayward is looking to make his return to the Charlotte Hornets lineup on Friday against the Atlanta Hawks.

Hayward, who is averaging 16.3 points and 4.3 rebounds this season, has been out nine games due to a left shoulder injury.

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The Brooklyn Nets were fined $25,000 by the NBA for "failing to comply with league policies governing injury reporting."

The game in question was a 136-133 win over the Pacers last Saturday in which the team rested eight players, including Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. The game was a second of a back-to-back.

Jacque Vaughn said at the time that the Nets could sit the players due to having previously documented their injuries, though he did apologize to Pacers fans for not being able to see Durant in person.

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Robert Williams has been upgraded to questionable and is expected to make his season debut on Friday against the Orlando Magic.

Williams has been out since having knee surgery this offseason.

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Tyrell Terry announced his retirement from basketball on Thursday, citing the anxiety that caused him to fall out of love with the sport.

"To the point where instead of building me up, it began to destroy me. Where I began to despise and question the value of myself, much more than those surrounding me could ever see or know.

"Intrusive thoughts, waking up nauseous, and finding myself struggling to take normal breaths because of the rock that would sit on my chest that seemed to weigh more than I could carry. This is just a brief description of the anxiety this sport has caused me, and while I'm grateful for every door it has opened for me, I can't continue this fight any longer for something I have fallen out of love with," Terry wrote in an Instagram post.

Terry was selected with the No. 31 pick by the Mavs in the 2020 draft. Terry also played two games for the Grizzlies last season, and was not signed on a roster this year.

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Stephen Curry is expected to miss multiple weeks with his left shoulder injury.

Curry suffered the injury on Wednesday.

The Warriors enter Thursday with a 14-15 record and are in 10th place in the Western Conference.

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The New York Knicks have been active on the trade market, but are not interested in attaching any assets to unload any contracts such as Evan Fournier.

"They seem to be a heavy trade market team," said Brian Windhorst. "Number one because they have like, I don't know what it is, like 11 tradable first round picks. So they have the currency. They have a bunch of guys on their roster. They have a deep team. I wouldn't say it's all quality depth, but they have pieces and parts other teams might [want].

"I can just tell you that it's my understanding, because this has come up with Fournier since he's on the bench right now, there's this belief out there that the Knicks are looking to get off contracts. Or looking to get off Fournier because he's under contract next year."

Fournier is due to make $19 million next year.

"From what I understand, the Knicks are not interested in shedding salary going forward. They'll do business but I think there's been a concept they might attach a pick to get off Evan Fournier or something like that. To my understanding, that's not true. I think they would trade Evan Fournier. He's not playing right now. Of course they'd trade him. They're not feeling any desperation to clear cap space."

The Knicks continue to seek a play-in spot after being in the lottery last season.

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Maxi Kleber will miss six to eight weeks with a sprain in his right knee and a torn hamstring.

Kleber suffered the injury during Tuesday's practice.

Kleber has appeared in 22 games this season, averaging 6.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in 25.7 minutes.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are "increasingly unlikely" to trade Russell Westbrook before the Feb. 9 deadline, a source tell Sam Amick of The Athletic.

This is due to the way Westbrook has become a contributing factor in the Lakers' improved play. Westbrook has averaged 15.2 points, 7.9 assists, 5.8 rebounds, 3.8 turnovers and 28.2 minutes since moving to a sixth man role.

Despite Westbrook's improved play, the Lakers are plus-4.6 when he's off the floor compared to minus-3.4 when he's on.

The Lakers would likely want to move Westbrook and their two available future first round picks for a star, but one is unlikely to come to the trade market.

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The Chicago Bulls and Nikola Vucevic are not currently discussing a contract extension.

Vucevic is on an expiring contract.

The two sides never had any truly significant talks on an extension.

The Bulls acquired Vucevic in 2021 for Wendell Carter Jr. and two first round picks.

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The Phoenix Suns have been trying to find a home for Jae Crowder since he requested a trade this offseason. The Atlanta Hawks are interested in acquiring Crowder, while shopping John Collins themselves. The Utah Jazz have been linked to Collins, so the three teams seem like natural partners in some sort of three-team deal.

In recent weeks, Phoenix, Atlanta and Utah had conversations about a deal that would have landed Crowder in Atlanta, Collins in Utah and potentially Jarred Vanderbilt in Phoenix.

The Jazz are open to trading Vanderbilt, while the Suns have known interest in the big man. The Suns and Hawks have talked trade iterations that would have also sent Landry Shamet to Atlanta, but those talks broke down over draft pick compensation.

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The Indiana Pacers have interest in trading for a power forward with John Collins of the Atlanta Hawks as a potential target.

The Pacers have played better than expected after entering the season perceived as a rebuilding team.

Atlanta has been shopping Collins for at least two years now. The 6-foot-9 big man has four years and $102 million left on his contract through 2025-26. Because the Pacers are sitting on close to $30 million in cap space, they can absorb Collins without having to involve complicated salary-matching in a trade. Indiana has told rival teams that they are looking for a power forward to complement their deep guard group led by Tyrese Haliburton.

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Patrick Beverley's name has been bandied about in trade rumors, as the Los Angeles Lakers seek to upgrade their roster. Beverley's $13 million contract is the Lakers best piece of salary-matching in a deal, assuming a Russell Westbrook deal is off the table.

Los Angeles is rumored to have offered Beverley to the Detroit Pistons as part of a deal for Bojan Bogdanovic. However, the Pistons wanted an unprotected first-round pick and the deal never progressed.

If traded to a rebuilding team, Beverley will reportedly seek a buyout. Beverley would then look to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite trading him this summer, the Wolves would be eligible to re-sign Beverley after a buyout. This is because Beverley would have been moved on from the Utah Jazz, who were the original acquiring team.

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The New York Knicks have been among the most active teams in trade talks. New York sought a deal prior to December 9, which would have given them the ability to re-aggregate any acquired player in a subsequent deal ahead of the February 9 trade deadline.

While no deal was made, the Knicks have offered various combinations of Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose, Cam Reddish and Immanuel Quickley to other teams. Despite Reddish saying he hasn't asked for a trade, his representatives are believed to be working with New York on finding the swingman a new team.

The Knicks also made a run at Eric Gordon of the Houston Rockets. New York wasn't willing to meet Houston's asking price of a first-round pick, which the Rockets have stuck to for well over a year.

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Jakob Poeltl has lifted his game to new heights since re-signing with the San Antonio Spurs in 2020. He's become a full-time starter for the first time two seasons ago and has put up career-best numbers since.

But Poeltl's future in San Antonio remains murky. The Spurs have increasingly used him as an offensive hub (Poeltl is averaging a career-high 3.5 assists per game), in addition to his elite rim protection and rebounding. But San Antonio is rebuilding, and Poeltl could net a nice return via trade.

The 7-foot-1 center's original team is reportedly interested in bringing him back. The Toronto Raptors have retained interest in Poeltl since they traded him to the Spurs in the deal that brought Kawhi Leonard north. The Boston Celtics have also been linked to Poeltl, but for now the Celtics appear to be content with their roster as is.

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The Detroit Pistons are known to be open to making trades. The Pistons have engaged in trade talks for veterans Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel. One surprising player Detroit is open to trading is Saddiq Bey.

However, the Pistons have a big ask in return for Bey. Detroit wants an unprotected first-round pick for the third-year forward.

Bey's role for the Pistons has been in some flux this season. He opened the year as a starter but was moved to the bench when Detroit went to two-big lineups to open games.

Bey has the remainder of this season and next season left on his rookie scale contract. He'll be extension-eligible this summer.

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Steph Curry will get an MRI on Thursday after injuring his left shoulder during the Golden State Warriors' 125-119 loss to the Indiana Pacers.

Curry suffered the injury with 2:04 left in the third quarter after defending a drive against Jalen Smith.

"I checked in with [Curry] briefly but haven't had a chance to go into detail. Steph is always a guy with a great outlook on life, so he's in good spirits," said Steve Kerr after the game.

Curry had 38 points before the injury.

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The Houston Rockets have discussed an Eric Gordon trade with approximately six teams, sources tell the Houston Chronicle.

The Phoenix Suns are one of the teams with known interest in Gordon.

Gordon is an attractive trade target due to his floor spacing and defensive positional versatility. Gordon is earning $19.6 million this season. Gordon's contract is non-guaranteed for the 23-24 season, but the Rockets consider him signed for next season given the affordability of the number.

The Rockets are seeking a first round pick for Gordon.

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LaMelo Ball is "hopeful" to make his return to the Charlotte Hornets after missing 11 games with a left ankle sprain.

Ball will warm up before the game to determine if he's ready to play.

Ball sprained the ankle for a second time on Nov. 16 after first injuring it during a preseason game Oct. 10.

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The NBA and NBPA have agreed to extend the collective bargaining agreement opt-out deadline to Feb. 8th, which is one day before the trade deadline.

The league and union said in their statement that they are making "ongoing efforts to reach a new agreement."

The existing CBA would expire after the 23-24 season, but the agreement will end on June 30th if either side exercises their opt-out.

The NBA is seeking the implementation of an upper spending limit, which is a version of a hard cap.

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The last 10 teams in our organization rankings, plus which teams were the biggest risers and fallers over the past year, which organizations are the most over- and underrated, which were hardest to rank, and the organizations with the most potential to rise and fall over the next year.

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OG Anunoby will miss at least one week due to a hip injury, according to Nick Nurse.

Nurse also added that Precious Achiuwa will be out for a few more weeks as he recovers from an ankle injury.

Meanwhile, Otto Porter Jr. will not need surgery on his dislocated toe.

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The Detroit Pistons and Nerlens Noel agreed that a trade would best suit both parties, sources told James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.

Noel has appeared in just six games this season for the Pistons.

The Blazers, Heat, Kings, and Mavs have registered the most interest in a potential deal.

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Brandon Ingram will be out for at least another week due to a left big toe contusion.

Ingram suffered a setback during his rehab process last weekend.

Ingram will be re-evaluated in a week, meaning he will miss at least four more games.

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Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) and draft expert Sam Vecenie of The Athletic and the Game Theory podcast (@Sam\_Vecenie) go in-depth on the 2023 NBA Draft class.

They discuss Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson but focus more on Vecenie's next tier of prospects plus the players who could join them with a strong season and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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The San Antonio Spurs have waived forward Alize Johnson.

Johnson appeared in four games for the Spurs this season, averaging 1.8 points and 2.5 rebounds in 7.5 minutes per game.

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The San Antonio Spurs have agreed to sign Stanley Johnson to a one-year deal.

Johnson was released by the Utah Jazz before the start of the season following his trade from the Los Angeles Lakers.

Johnson had recently joined the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the G League.

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Cade Cunningham will undergo season-ending surgery on his left shin. Cunningham took a month to see if rest and rehabilitation would allow for the shin to improve but made the decision on Monday to move forward with the season-ending procedure.

Cunningham is expected to make a full recovery before the Detroit Pistons begin training camp in 2023.

Cunningham played in just 12 games this season, averaging 19.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 33.4 minutes. Cunningham was the No. 1 draft pick in the 2021 draft out of Oklahoma State.

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The Atlanta Hawks have discussed a John Collins trade with a number of teams, including the Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets and Dallas Mavericks.

Collins has been on the trade market for a considerable amount of time. Collins is in Year 2 of a five-year, $125 million contract.

Atlanta has so far not been interested in taking back Joe Harris as part of a deal with Brooklyn.

The Hawks would have interest in Kyle Kuzma, but there doesn't appear to be traction there with the Wizards.

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The Phoenix Suns recently engaged in three-team trade talks that would have resulted in Jae Crowder to the Milwaukee Bucks, four second round picks from the Bucks and players to the Houston Rockets, and Eric Gordon and/or Kenyon Martin Jr. to the Suns.

The hold up in the trade was that the Rockets are seeking a first round pick each for Gordon and Martin rather than four second rounders. The Rockets have received interest on Gordon from several contending teams. Houston has been less willing to entertain trading Martin, who is having a breakout third season.

The Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks are also interested in Crowder.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are prioritizing shooting in their trade discussions with other teams.

The Lakers have discussed packages including salaries and a protected first round pick with the Detroit Pistons for Bojan Bogdanovic. The Pistons acquired Bogdanovic from the Utah Jazz before the start of the season and then signed him to a two-year, $39.1 million extension.

The Lakers have also discussed concepts with the New York Knicks for Cam Reddish and Evan Fournier.

With Anthony Davis having an MVP-caliber season, the Lakers have reentered the playoff picture.

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The United States Men's Basketball team hasn't qualified for the 2023 FIBA World Cup yet. But Team USA knows where they'll be playing when they do.

The US team will play all of their group stage games in Manila in the Philippines. The Philippines is one of three host nations, along with Indonesia and Japan. Each of the three host nations were allowed to select one country to play all of their games in their region.

The Philippines selected the United States. Indonesia selected Canada, while Japan picked Slovenia.

USA Basketball can qualify for the World Cup by winning either of their two remaining qualifiers against Uruguay or Brazil in late-February. The US also holds most of the tiebreakers, should they not defeat either Uruguay or Brazil. It's expected, as it has throughout qualifying, that Team USA will be made up of players from the G League or overseas leagues. NBA players are then expected to form the World Cup roster.

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Cam Reddish recently told reporters he hasn't asked the New York Knicks for a trade. Reddish also said he had no knowledge of the Knicks talking trades with anyone. However, New York is reportedly looking at deals that could involve the fourth-year wing.

The Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks have all shown interest in Reddish since the Knicks acquired him last season. The Lakers and Knicks talked trades involving Reddish earlier this month, but were unable to find a third team to complete the deal.

Reddish did not reach agreement on an extension before the season and will be eligible for restricted free agency this summer. New York has reportedly tried to attach him to Evan Fournier in a trade to shed Fournier's contract.

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Jalen Brunson suffered a sprained ankle during the New York Knicks' 112-99 win over the Sacramento Kings.

Brunson left the game with 9:03 left in the fourth quarter and did not return.

Tom Thibodeau said that Brunson will be re-evaluated on Monday.

"Just a sprain. We'll see how he feels (Monday)," said Thibodeau.

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The Phoenix Suns are reportedly interested in the Houston Rockets' Kenyon Martin Jr. and Eric Gordon, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.

Gordon was linked with a potential trade involving Jae Crowder earlier this month.

The team are also said to be interested in Kyle Kuzma, though do not want to commit to any long-term deals until a new ownership group is in place.

Venture capital investors made a $3 billion bid to buy the Suns and Mercury over the weekend.

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Two venture capital investors made a $3 billion bid to buy the Phoenix Suns and Mercury, reported Marc Vartabedian of The Wall Street Journal.

The bid was submitted by Jack Selby, managing director of Peter Thiel's Thiel Capital, and Jason Pressman, managing director of Shasta Ventures.

The $3 billion bid could also include financing from Thiel, as well as other private equity and sovereign wealth funds.

The group are among a handful of potential buyers.

Several members associated with the bid met with Suns management on Wednesday, according to reports.

Second-round bids are due in January.

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Teams around the league are reportedly "watching Chicago very closely" as the Bulls continue to struggle this season, sources told Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.

"They're so poorly constructed, they need to blow it up," the source added.

Pincus adds that the Lakers are interested in DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic, confirming reports from earlier this month.

The Bulls could also shop Zach LaVine after this season, though his name hasn't created a buzz in trade talks.

The Bulls currently owe their 2023 first-round pick to the Magic unless they miss the playoffs and get a top-four pick.

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Kyle Kuzma reportedly "wants out" of the Washington Wizards and is linked with several teams in the trade market, sources told Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.

Kuzma, a free agent after this season, is said to be looking for a new deal worth over $20 million per season with a team in a big market.

On the trade front, the Kings, Lakers, Knicks, and Suns have all been linked with a Kuzma deal.

Another source added that the Suns are not likely to commit to any long-term deals until a new ownership group is in place.

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Khris Middleton left the Milwaukee Bucks' 97-92 loss to the Houston Rockets in the second quarter due to a sprained ankle and did not return to the game.

Middleton appeared to suffer the injury in the first quarter. He attempted to play in the second quarter before leaving the game for good.

Middleton, who missed the first 20 games of the season due to wrist surgery, is averaging 13.8 points and 3.0 rebounds since his return.

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Our bi-weekly look at the West:

  • GSW: Are they fixed? And why do they have Boston's number?
  • NOP and PHX: A loooong look at this key game between the two best teams in the West.
  • DAL: Is Luka-ball best for the Mavs? Would a realistic trade for another ballhandler make them a contender?
  • DEN: How the heck is this bench not fixed already? How can they do it? What about an MPJ for John Collins trade?
  • HOU: What's KPJ's best role? Would you rather have Alperen Sengun or Jalen Duren?
  • LAC: Do they still have a chance to compete for the championship? Should they consider a Kawhi trade? What other trades are out there for them?

Plus, a remembrance of the late Paul Silas.

Want to hear the full mailbag with the Lakers, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Thunder Trail Blazers, Kings, Spurs and Jazz? Subscribe to Dunc'd On Prime with our Seth Partnow sale:

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Former NBA player and coach Paul Silas has passed away at the age of 79. His death was confirmed by members of his family on Sunday.

Silas had a 16-year NBA career. He played for the St. Louis and Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets and Seattle SuperSonics. Throughout his career, Silas was considered one of the better rebounders and defenders in the league.

Silas won NBA titles with Boston in 1974 and 1976 and with Seattle in 1979. He also played in the 1972 and 1975 All-Star Games.

Following his playing career, Silas coached for 12 seasons. He led the San Diego Clippers, Charlotte and New Orleans Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers and then did a second stint with the rebranded Charlotte Hornets.

Silas' son Stephen is currently the head coach of the Houston Rockets.

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The Miami Heat have waived Two-Way guard Dru Smith. Miami replaced Smith by signing center Orlando Robinson to a Two-Way deal.

Smith started the season on a Two-Way deal with the Heat. He was waived in mid-November, when a need in the frontcourt necessitated signing Robinson. Miami then waived Robinson in late-November and re-signed Smith.

Robinson, as noted above, is in his second Two-Way stint with the Heat. Robinson, like Smith, has spent time with the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the G League this season, in between stints with Miami.

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The New York Knicks have a hole at backup power forward with Obi Toppin injured. Tom Thibodeau has turned to playing a second center when Julius Randle sits, with Jericho Sims often joining Isaiah Hartenstein on the floor.

Despite that current rotation hole, the Knicks don't plan to return to a familiar face in Carmelo Anthony to fill it. There is a belief that Anthony wouldn't fit the defensive style, while pushing the ball on offense, that Thibodeau is trying to get New York to play.

Many speculated Anthony could return to the Knicks. His former agent, Leon Rose, runs the New York front office, while Anthony's son is playing high school ball in New York.

With Toppin projected to miss only a few weeks, the Knicks plan to wait it out. They also don't want to run into a situation where Anthony is playing minutes that Toppin needs to continue his development.

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LA Clippers guard John Wall had a happy homecoming to Washington D.C., where he spent the first 10 years of his NBA career. Wall scored 13 points and helped lead the Clippers to a victory over the Washington Wizards.

At one point in the second quarter, Wall scored six consecutive points and proclaimed Washington is "Still my city!" That was just one part of a special night for the veteran point guard, who admitted the return wasn't lost on him.

"Trying to fantasize and be in that moment for a minute," Wall said. "It was a lot of chills, trying not to cry, hold back a lot of emotions.

"I felt like just being here is still so surreal to me, still don't feel right, still feel different, but like I said, I enjoyed every part of this game."

Teammate Marcus Morris said it was one of the best returns he's seen, while Ty Lue said it was nice to see Wall get his flowers from Wizards fans. For his part, Wall isn't counting anything out.

"I'm still not saying goodbye," Wall said. "Never know what the future can hold."

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The Golden State Warriors are the NBA's defending champions and they've won four of the last eight NBA Finals. But the team's architect is running out this season without a new deal.

Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers is on an expiring deal. Myers and the team haven't been able to come to an agreement on extending his deal.

Myers refused to discuss his status beyond saying, "My entire focus is on the season and the team."

Golden State owner and CEO Joe Lacob said, "We love Bob and hope he is here for a long time."

Myers was originally hired as an assistant GM in 2011. In 2012, he was promoted to lead the Warriors front office. Myers overseen the additions of each member of the roster, minus Stephen Curry, who predated Myers hiring by two seasons.

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Jayson Tatum is off to an MVP-caliber start. His Boston Celtics have raced out to the NBA's best record at 21-5. But Tatum and the Celtics are remaining grounded and focused.

"I think everybody in the locker room understands what we're trying to do," Tatum said. "We realize that we've got the best record - we're 21-5. With that comes the decision every night to play the right way, as hard as we can on both ends."

Tatum went on to say that all the winning, starting in the second half of last season, has been fun. But Tatum also said Boston is focused on bigger goals than winning regular season games.

"We're having a lot of fun, but I think the goal is still the same," Tatum said. "Get back to the Finals and get over that hump. While we're having fun and happy with the way we play, nobody in that locker room is celebrating or satisfied where we're at. None of this means anything if we don't hang a banner. That's the ultimate goal."

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander knows the Oklahoma City Thunder aren't where they want to be. But the Thunder star has faith that his team is headed in the right direction.

Gilgeous-Alexander said he trusts Oklahoma City GM Sam Presti to get things turned around.

"It's always easy to trust someone when they haven't given you a reason not to trust them. It's always easier to trust someone when they tell you something and it happens. And that's been my relationship with Sam so far," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "Everything he's told me has happened, and he's never lied to me ... It's easy to work - well, it's crazy that basketball is work - but it's easier to play basketball and put your all into every day and believe in the future when it's a guy like that running the show."

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The Toronto Raptors have hovered around .500 all season. After a loss in Orlando on Friday, Toronto is 13-13 on the season.

That underwhelming start has rival front office executives watching to see what Masai Ujiri will do with this underachieving bunch. Ujiri is known for taking big swings when things aren't going how he wants on the floor.

Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. both have player options for next season that they are expected to opt out of. If one, or both, aren't seen as part of the future, Ujiri could choose to get aggressive on the trade market.

The Raptors are also expected to evaluate the long-term viability of Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby and Scottie Barnes playing together. All three are similarly sized, long-armed players, but there are questions about the floor spacing when all three are in the same lineup.

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The New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns met in a playoff rematch in New Orleans on Friday night. The Pelicans won 128-117, but their victory included some late-game fireworks.

With the game in hand Zion Williamson leaked out and threw down a 360 dunk with 1.9 seconds left. Some of the Suns took offense to Williamson and New Orleans not just running out the clock. The benches cleared and there were several arguments on the floor before both teams headed to their locker rooms.

Williamson said postgame that he didn't mean to offend the Suns.

"That was a little out of character for me," Williamson said. "But you gotta understand, they sent my teammates home last year... I got carried away a little bit, I admit that. But I was in that locker room, my brothers was down because the Suns sent us home last year."

The Pelicans and Suns will meet in the second game of their mini-series on Sunday afternoon.

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The Dallas Mavericks reached the Western Conference Finals last season, but lost Jalen Brunson in the offseason and there have been critics wondering whether they have enough talent surrounding Luka Doncic to compete for a title.

Doncic signed a five-year, $207 million max contract with the Mavericks in 2019. Doncic has a player option ahead of 26-27 season. Critically to signal his feelings towards the Mavericks, Doncic will be eligible for a supermax extension in 2025.

"I think they have a two-year window," said Tim MacMahon on the Hoop Collective podcast. "This season and next season going into that [2024] summer. I think they have a two-year window where, you know, like Milwaukee did with Giannis [Antetokounmpo], I think in that window they really need to convince Luka that he has a chance to contend year in and year out right here in Dallas. If they can't get it done in that two-year window, I'm not going to sit here and tell you that he's going to force a trade or ask for a trade. I'm just saying at that point if he's not happy, he has all the leverage in the world if he would be looking to leave.

"I'm also not going to pretend I know his innermost thoughts, but obviously I'm around this team on a regular basis. I know people who do know Luka well. I don't think Luka will look for reasons to leave. I think he'd be perfectly happy spending his entire career in Dallas. But if he doesn't have to look for reasons and they're slamming him in the face, then that's a problem.

"He's also a guy who is a ruthless competitor, which means he loves winning. He's used to winning. He won championships with Real Madrid. He won a EuroBasket championship with the Slovenian national team. He also detests losing. Like can't handle it. Whether it's cards, ping pong, but especially NBA games."

The Mavericks are widely expected to be on the market for a significant trade to upgrade their roster next offseason, similar to the one Milwaukee made in 2020 for Jrue Holiday. The trade for Holiday led to Antetokounmpo signing his supermax with the Bucks.

"I would not hold your breath for them being able to solve their number one concern this year simply because of the pick they still owe on the [Kristaps Porzingis] thing," added MacMahon. "It's very hard to do."

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The Boston Celtics had their offensive rating fall more than six points during last year's Finals compared to the first three founds of the playoffs.

During the offseason, the main focus of the Boston coaching staff was revamping the offense.

"The one thing we looked at was: What were the best clutch offensive teams running?" Joe Mazzulla told ESPN. "We just tried to find the best clutch offenses and what they did and kind of studied that."

The discussions often revealed the principles of more spacing, more ball movement and more off-ball screening action.

"We have a really smart team and experienced team and they know we had to reinvent ourselves," Mazzulla said.

"Guys have done a great job buying into that. Now we're just learning about the different ways teams are going to guard us and how we can adjust to that."

Boston is currently scoring 120.8 points per game, which would be the highest total in the league in 30 years.

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Kevin Garnett was a recent guest on The Players' Tribune's Knuckleheads Podcast hosted by former NBA player Darius Miles and Quentin Richardson. The three did a retrospective on Garnett's life and career.

When it came to the Minnesota years, Garnett said he thought he and Stephon Marbury were going to dominate the NBA.

"I thought Steph and I was gonna be forever, and I thought out of that, we was probably gonna get a couple, even with the Shaq and Kobe s***. But yeah, at that time, man, that s*** blew me. Steph leaving Minnesota blew the f*** out of me. I didn't understand it. To this day, I still don't understand it. It was Stephon Marbury; it was his decision. It wasn't an 'Us' decision."

Marbury's tenue with the Timberwolves last just two-and-a-half seasons before he was traded to the New Jersey Nets. The young, upstart Wolves made the playoffs in each of Marbury's two full seasons with the team.

Garnett and Marbury would later reunite with the 2009 Boston Celtics. Unfortunately, the two only saw action together in four games, as Garnett missed most of the second half of that season due to a knee injury.

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The Sacramento Kings have gotten off to a 13-10 start that sees them sitting in fifth place in the Western Conference. Unfortunately, the Kings floor leader is playing through an injury to help Sacramento chase a playoff spot.

Following a loss at the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, De'Aaron Fox was spotted having his foot attended to by a member of the Kings medical staff. Fox said he's been dealing with a bruised right foot.

Fox said the injury occurred in Sacramento's game against the Orlando Magic on November 5. Despite saying the injury is bothering him "a lot", Fox doesn't expect to miss any games. Fox said the bruise is about pain management more than any risk of further damage and that he's "played well" over the last month-plus while dealing with the injury.

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Stephen Curry was at the Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year Awards on Thursday. Curry was asked how much longer he sees himself continuing to play.

The Warriors guard said he talked with NFL quarterback Tom Brady on career longevity. Brady's advice was to take it one year at a time and that your body will tell you.

With a smile, Curry added "I don't see myself slowing down any time soon."

Curry is averaging 30 points on 49.9/43.2/90.6 shooting splits. The 34-year-old led Golden State to the 2022 NBA title, and is again playing at an MVP level.

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Ricky Rubio has been cleared for five-on-five training as he recovers from a torn ACL suffered in December 2021.

J.B. Bickerstaff added that Rubio was heading in the right direction, but wouldn't be rushed to return.

"It's the conditioning in five-on-five, it's being able to be bumped in five-on-five and then being able to react without hesitation ... he's got to get to a place where he's comfortable with that. It's too important and he's too important to rush it.

"But he's taking steps in the right direction," said Bickerstaff.

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The Dallas Mavericks and Detroit Pistons recently "touched base" over a potential deal involving Nerlens Noel, sources told Ian Begley of SNY.

Noel was traded to the Pistons last offseason from the Knicks.

Noel is averaging 1.8 points and 3.2 rebounds in 10.3 minutes for the Pistons this season.

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Juan Toscano-Anderson was diagnosed with a sprained right ankle and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

Toscano-Anderson is averaging 2.2 points and 1.8 rebounds in 10.4 minutes this season.

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Mike Conley Jr. is expected to return to the Utah Jazz lineup on Friday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Jazz are 3-6 in Conley's absence.

Conley is averaging 10.2 points and 7.9 assists on the season.

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Obi Toppin will be reevaluated in two to three weeks after he was diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture in his right knee.

Toppin suffered the injury during Wednesday's win by the New York Knicks over the Atlanta Hawks.

Toppin is averaging 7.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 17.1 minutes over 25 games this season.

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Collin Sexton was examined Thursday by the Utah Jazz medical staff and underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) testing. The MRI revealed a mild hamstring strain in his right leg. He will be reevaluated in one week.

Sexton (6-1, 192, Alabama) is in his fifth NBA season and first with Utah, where he's averaging 14.3 points on 49.3 percent from the field, 3.0 assists, and 2.4 rebounds in 24.5 minutes per contest during the 2022-23 season.

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Dejounte Murray will be out at least two weeks with a left ankle sprain.

The Atlanta Hawks already were playing without John Collins and De'Andre Hunter.

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Stanley Johnson has agreed to sign with Sioux Falls Skyforce of the G League.

Johnson was waived by the Utah Jazz before the start of the season.

The Miami Heat, parent affiliate of the Skyforce, currently have an open roster spot.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed forward Matt Ryan to a two-way contract. In a preceding move, the Wolves waived guard A.J. Lawson.

Ryan, 25, most recently played 12 games this season for the Los Angeles Lakers where he averaged 3.9 points and 1.2 rebounds in 10.8 minutes per game. His best game of the season came on Nov. 2 at New Orleans after finishing with a career-high 11 points, including connecting on three three-pointers and two rebounds. Ryan played one game for the Boston Celtics in 2021-22 and totaled three points and one steal. The 6-6 forward played in 30 career G League games (20 starts) and averaged 19.4 points on 46.9% shooting, including 41.3% from deep, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.

The White Plains, N.Y. native spent time at Notre Dame, Vanderbilt and ultimately finished his collegiate career at Chattanooga. In 134 college games (62 starts), Ryan totaled 1,058 points, 333 rebounds and 121 assists.

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Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) and Dan Feldman of Dunc'd On Prime (@DanFeldmanNBA) go in-depth on team building.

They discuss the thought process front offices of teams that exceed and underperform pre-season expectations should use heading into the trade deadline, focusing on the Utah Jazz, Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls.

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The New York Knicks have switched up their rotation in recent weeks and have reportedly made several players available via trade. Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose and Cam Reddish are all out of the Knicks rotation and are being offered in trade talks.

New York has been trying to attach Reddish as a sweetener in a deal to move Fournier and the $36.8 million in guaranteed salary on his contract. Despite the trade rumors, Reddish insisted that isn't coming from his side of things.

"I haven't requested any trades. I have not," Reddish said. "Y'all seem to know more than me, for real. I don't know what y'all talking about, but I haven't requested no trade. Nothing like that."

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Brittney Griner has been released by Russia in a one-for-one prisoner swap.

The United States secured the return of Griner by freeing arms dealer Viktor Bout. Bout was found guilty of conspiring to sell AK-47s.

Griner was first arrested in February on smuggling charges. Griner was put on trial in July and sentenced to nine years in prison in August.

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Netflix do not intend to bid on live sports rights in the near future.

"We've not seen a profit path" from "renting big-league sports," co-CEO Ted Sarandos said during a keynote session at the UBS Global Technology, Media & Telecom Conference. "We're not saying there never will be," he added," but "dramatically expensive" rights have made sports effectively a "loss leader."

Netflix has begun ad-supported streaming, which was seen by many observers as a prelude to live sports. Their streaming competitors, Amazon and Apple, have each invested heavily in live sports.

"We're not anti-sports," Sarandos explained. "We're just pro-profit. We have yet to figure out how to do it. But I'm very confident we can get twice as big as we are without sports." The streaming leader did "a thing that's kind of unheard-of in the history of television" when it managed to get 165 million households to watch Squid Game "without having to premiere it after the Super Bowl. We didn't need a big loss leader to build a mass audience."

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Zach LaVine re-signed with the Chicago Bulls on a five-year, $215.2 million deal this past offseason. LaVine is averaging 22.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 20 games this season as the Bulls have struggled to establish themselves in the playoff picture.

There has been speculation that the Bulls could pivot with their roster at some point, but LaVine is not believed to be currently available in trade talks.

"The Knicks will be watching Chicago," said Adrian Wojnarowski when referencing the next star that the New York Knicks could pursue after losing out on Donovan Mitchell. "Is Zach LaVine a player who before the deadline possibly can become available? He certainly isn't now."

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Robert Williams could potentially return to the Boston Celtics lineup in 10-12 days, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

"He's made great progress on that offseason surgery, the timeline right now is still potentially 10 to 12 days - but don't rule out the possibility that Robert Williams wakes up one day and decides he's ready to return," said Wojnarowski on NBA Today (h/t Celtics Wire).

Wojnarowski added that Williams should return before Christmas.

Williams has been out this entire season following offseason knee surgery.

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Obi Toppin is set to undergo an MRI for his right knee on Thursday, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

X-rays on Toppin's knee were negative.

Toppin left Wednesday night's game against the Hawks due to a "sore knee."

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Desmond Bane is set to be out for at least another 3-4 more weeks, the Memphis Grizzlies announced.

Bane, who suffered a sprained big toe, has been out since November 11.

The Grizzlies added that if Bane responds positively to a "reloading protocol," he will be able to make this return at the end of this month.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves made a bold trade for Rudy Gobert shortly after Tim Connelly was hired to run the front office and he's been surprised the team has had some struggles to start the season.

"We've seen moments we look really good and moments we haven't," Connelly told The Athletic. "If you were to ask me two months ago when the season started, we thought we'd be a little further ahead of the curve."

The Wolves entered Wednesday's game with an 11-12 record.

Many around the league were skeptical of the fit of Gobert with Karl-Anthony Towns not to mention the exorbitant cost to acquire him.

"We didn't have expectations it was initially going to hit the ground running. We kind of expected a lot of growing pains there," Connelly said. "So I think, individually, Rudy's been fantastic. When we're fully healthy, we've got to figure out how to most effectively employ all those guys. It's a win-loss league. If we had three or four more wins right now, it would be an emphatic positive."

Towns has shown a willingness to incorporate Gobert into the offense and that is a big reason why Connelly believes the pairing can work.

"We're not going to bury our head in the sand and pretend it's been flawless," Connelly said. "We never expected that. When we made the trade, it wasn't done without a lot of conversation, a lot of watching of tape."

Either way, Connelly takes responsibility for the move.

"If this team doesn't perform on a big enough level, the responsibility falls solely on me. It's not these guys," he said. "It's my responsibility under my role to make sure we put a good team out there. But in that chase to put a good team out there, these are really good guys. We have really good guys and women in this building. It's been really fun to get to know them and to start to feel like it is home and start to understand what makes these guys tick."

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Al Horford has entered the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Horford will be out for at least Wednesday's game between the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns.

Horford was last in the NBA's protocols in May during the Eastern Conference Finals.

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LeBron James opened up the regular season critical of the Los Angeles Lakers' lack of shooting, but his attitude has improved since he went out in November with a groin injury. The Lakers have played far better over the past month and are now in the playoff picture.

"There is a surge of confidence with this group and it starts with the demeanor and approach that Anthony Davis is bringing to the court and I'd say the same type of consistency coming from Darvin Ham and LeBron, quite frankly, as the leaders of this team," said Dave McMenamin on the Lowe Post podcast.

"We know LeBron is someone who can kind of where his emotions on his sleeve sometimes. But starting with him going out of the lineup with the groin injury, he became more engaged with this group. More vocal on the bench. More vocal in film sessions. More encouraging of teammates in their individual workouts, practices. Those types of things. He carries such a presence to him that people feel how he's feeling. And he has made an adjustment in terms of how he is bringing energy to this group. They're feeding off it once he's come back to the lineup. He's playing much better."

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Chris Paul intends to make his return from a heel injury on Wednesday when the Phoenix Suns play the Boston Celtics.

Paul has been out since November 7th with the injury.

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John and Nate continue their organization rankings with some major disagreements about teams in the mid-pack. Why are the Bucks not top-tier despite winning a championship? How do we reconcile the huge plusses and minuses from the Pelicans? How about Phoenix's good track record and weird process? Plus a few more interesting teams that are rising in the rankings.

Take advantage of our Special Seth Partnow Sale! Sign up here for Dunc'd On Prime, the only place to get all Hollinger & Duncan episodes and Seth's new content!

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The New York Knicks have been active on the trade market in the run up to the point on the calendar when players signed to offseason deals become eligible to be traded, sources tell Fred Katz of The Athletic.

Under Leon Rose, the Knicks have made early season trades for Derrick Rose and Cam Reddish.

The Knicks have discussed Immanuel Quickley, Evan Fournier, Rose and Reddish.

The Knicks have not shown any interest in attaching draft picks in order to trade Fournier. The Knicks owe Fournier $18 million this season and $18.9 million next season.

New York has targeted a future first round pick in exchange for Quickley. Quickley is known to have admirers across the league. The market for Rose and Reddish is more tepid.

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O.J. Mayo is set to continue his basketball career in Egypt. Mayo is reportedly joining Zamalek SC of the Egyptian Basketball Super League, according to reports out of Egypt.

The 35-year-old guard hasn't appeared in an NBA game since 2016 with the Milwaukee Bucks. Mayo was then suspended indefinitely for a drug violation. He was eligible for reinstatement prior to the 2018-19 season.

Since leaving the NBA, Mayo has played for teams in Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Japan, China and Russia. He was most recently with UNICS Kazan in Russia. In 26 games with UNICS last season, Mayo averaged 5.5 points in 13.7 minutes per game.

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Greg Monroe has signed a deal with the Shanxi Loongs in China. This deal will take Monroe through the remainder of the CBA season.

Monroe appeared in 14 games with four different NBA teams last season. Monroe was called up several times on COVID hardship callup deals with the Milwaukee Bucks, Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards, before finishing the season with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In his 10-year NBA career, Monroe has averaged 13 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. He's also played for Bayern Munich in Germany and Khimki in Russia during his career.

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The Denver Nuggets lost a home game to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday to fall to 14-10 on the season. It was Denver's third straight loss, and it's left the Nuggets feeling frustrated.

"The locker room's definitely frustrated," reserve guard Bones Hyland said. Hyland added that several defensive mistakes have led to the recent losses.

"We're frustrated. We know we're giving up so many games right now," Hyland said. "We're losing games that we're supposed to be winning, and we know we're not giving a sense of urgency to defend and go out there and compete every night."

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Chet Holmgren underwent a "successful secondary procedure" to remove hardware from his initial Lisfranc operation back in August.

Holmgren suffered the foot injury during a Pro-Am game in Seattle last summer.

Holmgren is still expected to return for the 2023-24 season.

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Derrick Rose and Cam Reddish have been removed from the New York Knicks nine-player rotation.

Rose and Reddish did not play on Sunday against the Cavs, and will not play on Wednesday against the Hawks.

Miles "Deuce" McBride will see playing time in lieu of Reddish and Rose.

"It's not just on Cam, it's on our team. What gives our team the best chance? You always have to put the team first.

"So there's a lot of sacrifices that need to be made by a team. But we're always going to put what we feel is best for the team first," said Tom Thibodeau after Tuesday's practice about Reddish's role with the team.

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The NBA announced that the team with the best regular-season record will be awarded the new Maurice Podoloff Trophy.

The trophy is named after the first commissioner of the NBA.

The current league MVP trophy is also named after Podoloff, which could represent another trophy name change.

The league also redesigned several other trophies, including the Joe Dumars Trophy for sportsmanship and the Red Auerbach Trophy for coach of the year. Each trophy now features an embedment within a 15-inch crystal net shape.

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Ben Simmons said he expected to return to the Brooklyn Nets lineup on Friday against the Atlanta Hawks.

Simmons, who is out due to knee soreness and a calf strain, is set to miss his fourth consecutive game when the Nets take on the Hornets on Wednesday.

Simmons added that he's going to take a different, more cautious approach to his minutes when he returns.

"I think we're definitely going to look at it a lot different. I don't know if it's measuring minutes, maybe not back-to-backs, whatever it is. I think that's going to be a joint thing with the training staff and myself, and letting them know how I'm feeling," said Simmons.

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The Golden State Warriors recalled James Wiseman from the Santa Cruz Warriors, their G League affiliate, after seven games.

Wiseman is expected to be available for the team's away game against the Jazz on Wednesday.

Wiseman averaged 15.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 26.6 minutes per game with Santa Cruz.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves are signing Matt Ryan to a two-way deal, sources told Shams Charania and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

Ryan averaged 3.8 points in 13 games before getting waived by the Lakers.

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The NBA's "increasingly determined pursuit of an Upper Spending Limit" has been the No. 1 issue in their recent collective bargaining agreement negotiations with the NBPA. With the two sides nowhere close to a new deal, there will likely be an extension of the December 15th deadline for either side to opt out of the current agreement.

The league does not appear to be using the Upper Spending Limit, which is effectively a hard cap, as a negotiation tactic in order to gain concessions in other areas.

There is belief that a new system is needed for competitive balance.

"There will be a lockout before there's a hard cap," one sources on the players' side told Marc Stein in October.

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The NBA and NBPA are nowhere close to a new collective bargaining agreement ahead of the December 15th deadline for either side to opt out of the current agreement.

An extension to the deadline is expected to be announced soon in order to extend the amount of time to negotiate a new agreement without a more imminent threat of a lockout next season.

With franchise valuations, revenues and player salaries continuing to increase, there are immense monetary incentives for both sides to avoid a work stoppage.

Sources tell Marc Stein that the league's "increasingly determined pursuit of an Upper Spending Limit," which is effectively a hard cap, remains the No. 1 issue in recent negotiations.

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The Dallas Mavericks hoped to have one of the NBA's best star duos when they added Kristaps Porzingis to Luka Doncic via trade with the New York Knicks in 2019.

Dallas subsequently signed Porzingis to a five-year, $158 million max contract before he had played a game with the franchise. Porzingis was coming off a torn ACL in his left knee.

"On paper, it would be the perfect fit, but it just didn't mesh the way that we wanted to," Porzingis told Yahoo Sports. "We just did not mesh together well. Sometimes it's like that in the workplace, you know? It just didn't work out the way you expected."

Doncic and Porzingis played well on the court from time to time and even found some commonalties off it.

"Luka is a generational talent. You have to put the perfect team around him to try to get the maximum out of him, you know?" Porzingis said. "I just wasn't the right guy."

The Mavericks began exploring the trade market for Porzingis as the 2022 trade deadline approached. The Mavericks and Washington Wizards had discussed other trade frameworks, but first discussed Porzingis with only minutes before the deadline.

Porzingis has played better with the Wizards and hopes to remain long-term.

"One hundred percent. One hundred percent. I love the city. I love the organization. People around the organization. And I love playing with Brad and these guys, Kuz," Porzingis said. "You never know what happens in the future, but I'm enjoying my time here so far and hopefully I can stay here long term."

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Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac is taking the next step towards his return to the court. Orlando has assigned Isaac to the Lakeland Magic of the G League to continue his rehab.

Isaac is expected to practice with Lakeland, including scrimmaging over the coming days. He's not expected to play in any G League games with Lakeland.

NBA teams have increasingly used the G League for these types of "rehab assignments". The NBA schedule affords little practice time, so teams regularly send their players to the G League team to get a full day of work in.

Isaac last played in an NBA game on August 2, 2020 in the bubble at Walt Disney World. He tore multiple knee ligaments on that date. Those injuries, and subsequent hamstring issues, have caused Isaac to miss the last two complete seasons. There is still no timeline for when Isaac may play in an NBA game again.

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Last Friday's game between the Golden State Warriors and Chicago Bulls lead the night with 1.59 million viewers on ESPN, though the game represented a double-digit decline from last year's Warriors matchup against the Suns that averaged 2 million viewers.

The last three nationally-televised Warriors games have declined double-digits in viewership, including the Warriors-Mavs on TNT (1.51 million viewers) and the Clippers-Warriors on ESPN the night before Thanksgiving (1.79 million viewers).

Even with the decline, the Warriors games have been the most-watched matchup of their respective nights.

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Mike Conley could make his return to the Utah Jazz lineup on Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors.

The Jazz will see how Conley responds to practice before clearing him.

Conley will likely be on a minutes restriction when he returns.

The Jazz are 2-6 without Conley.

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Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for week 7.

Durant averaged 33.0 points and 7.0 rebounds as the Brooklyn Nets went 3-1.

Davis averaged 37.8 points, 13.0 rebounds and 3.25 blocks as the Los Angeles Lakers went 3-1.

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Chris Paul will remain out for his 14th straight game as the Phoenix Suns play the Dallas Mavericks.

There is hope Paul will return from the heel issue soon.

Paul has appeared in just 10 games this season, averaging 9.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 9.4 assists in 30.2 minutes.

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The NBA and NBPA have yet to make progress on eliminating the age-limit rule as part of its next collective bargaining agreement.

The current rule states that players must be one year removed from high school graduation and turning 19 in the calendar year of the draft.

There are significant hurdles that would need to be resolved in order to change the rule.

Adam Silver has gone on record preferring the rule be changed.

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The NBA will begin to allow teams to attend several key high school events featuring many of the best non-draft eligible players in America.

The NBA is responding to a desire that team front offices have long had to gain greater access to evaluate elite prospects prior to entering college.

Shaedon Sharpe, Mitchell Robinson and Darius Bazley are three players who sat out their season before being draft-eligible.

Scouts want to evaluate these types of players earlier in their careers.

The three events that have now been certified for scouts to attend are the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas in mid-December; the Spalding HoopHall Classic in Springfield, Massachusetts in mid-January; and the Geico Nationals in Fort Myers, Florida in late March.

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Ja Morant will receive a new signature shoe with Nike in the near future, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Morant and Nike have been working on this for several months.

Nike also parted ways with Kyrie Irving on Monday in what had been a long anticipated move.

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A long mailbag look at the top 9 teams in the East:

  • BOS: Celtics over the field to win the East? What's wrong with the defense? How will Rob's return affect the offense?
  • MIL: Where Danny ranks the Bucks as an organization; Is Middleton the ideal star (not superstar) to pair with Giannis? Should the Bucks trade for Crowder?
  • CLE: Should the Cavs consider building around Mobley at C? What are realistic trades to upgrade at the 3?
  • TOR: Why has Scottie Barnes been inefficient this year? Is FVV's free agent price on the wane? Could a trade improve the halfcourt offense?
  • BRK: TJ Warren's return, where does Kyrie rank among PGs, WATFO Kyrie has more off-court drama this season?
  • PHI: Is PJ Tucker's lack of offense a problem? Is it good that Joel Embiid is operating from the nail instead of the post? How does Maxey compare to other young scoring guards?
  • ATL: Is Trae Young overrated by stats? What is John Collins' trade value?
  • MIA: Should they start Herro? What do the stats say about Bam's offense this year?
  • WAS: Do the Wiz make the playoffs? What will the new contracts for Porzingis and Kuzma be?

Five more Episodes per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime, as well as Nate's weekly podcast with John Hollinger DuncdOn.SupportingCast.fm

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Bradley Beal revealed his decision to re-sign with the Washington Wizards was at least partially based on the lack of options available to him in free agency.

Beal re-signed with the Wizards on a five-year, $251 million deal with a full no trade clause. The teams with maximum cap space during the 2022 offseason were all rebuilding.

"On the business side of it, there were no teams in the market," said Beal on the Gilbert Arenas podcast. "Just free agency-wise. I'm just being frank. There was nowhere else for me to go. Where I can go win. There were teams that strategically wasn't what I wanted. Realistically, I won't say my hand was forced but this was the best option that was on the table."

Beal theoretically could have worked with the Wizards on a sign-and-trade deal to a contender.

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Anthony Davis is averaging 35.3 points on 64.8 percent shooting from the field while also adding 15.6 rebounds and 2.9 blocks over the past nine games.

The Los Angeles Lakers have turned around their season with Davis playing like an MVP candidate.

"To win a championship," Davis said when asked whether his goals for the season now include earning his first league MVP. "That's it. If your mindset is on winning a championship, the rest will take care of itself. That's always been my thought. I put the team first over any individual awards or accolades that come with it. So if we continue to do what we do and win basketball games, the rest will take care of itself."

"He's been unbelievable, man," LeBron James said. "On both sides of the floor. I mean, playing like the MVP of this league. Just straight dominance."

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Kyrie Irving and Nike have officially parted ways.

Last month, Nike suspended its relationship with Irving following a controversy surrounding his decision to link to a film with antisemitic tropes.

The relationship between Irving and Nike was already tenuous following his comments about the Kyrie 8s.

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For a while, it was rumored that Donovan Mitchell would be headed to the New York Knicks. Instead, the Utah Jazz traded Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

When asked if he was excited to play in New York on Sunday, the All-Star guard said he wouldn't change anything about where he landed.

"I think more so playing in front of my family and friends. What's done is done, and I'm happy as hell to be where I'm at," Mitchell said. "At the end of the day, this decision was made, and I don't think I've been happier since I've been in the league. But I think for me it's always going to be motivation to come back and play well in my hometown, but you could say that about anybody. But with what happened this summer, it's over with, it happened and I'm happy to be with the Cavaliers."

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Victor Oladipo has missed the Miami Heat's first 23 games of this season. But Oladipo may be closing in on making his season debut.

When asked about how his knee has been feeling and when he might return, Oladipo said his knee feels good. He emphasized that he's being patient with his return to the lineup.

"Hopefully soon," Oladipo said. "I feel good, been moving a lot more. Just going to make sure it's the right thing, the right decision collectively. I'm not going to make a decision by myself. Just going to make sure everything feels good, and I can perform at the highest level."
Oladipo hasn't appeared in a game since Game 7 of the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals. Miami has held him to continue to work on strengthening his surgically repaired left knee.

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Trae Young and Nate McMillan had "an exchange" at Friday's shootaround that lead to Young not attending the Atlanta Hawks' home win over the Denver Nuggets later that day, sources told Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

McMillan asked Young, who was receiving treatment on his shoulder, if the point guard would participate in a shootaround and receive treatment during a walk-through in the buildup to the Nuggets game.

Young responded by saying he wanted to miss the walk-through to focus on his treatment and decide later if he could play.

McMillan then gave Young two options: either to come off the bench, or not show up to the arena. Young decided he would not play against the Nuggets, with the team ruling him out due to shoulder soreness.

On Sunday, McMillan said that Young did not play on Friday due to a "miscommunication." Young practiced on Sunday and is expected to suit up on Monday against the Thunder.

Young did not receive any disciplinary action from the team for Friday's events, though members within the organization believe he must become a more productive and positive face of the team.

The Athletic adds that the Hawks have held many team meetings to resolve various conflicts throughout this season, describing the latest incident as a "telltale moment."

McMillan's job is currently safe despite the tensions.

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Kawhi Leonard and Paul George will join the Los Angeles Clippers on their upcoming four-game road trip.

The duo practiced on Friday but sat out the team's 123-96 loss to the Kings on Saturday.

Leonard has missed six straight games with a sprained right ankle, with George missing seven consecutive games with a right hamstring strain.

"They're injured, they're hurt and they're doing everything they can to get back. Hopefully we can get them back on this trip. That's our main thing right now is trying to get these guys back," said Ty Lue.

Norman Powell and Luke Kennard are also expected to join the team for the road trip.

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LeBron James and Dennis Schroder were listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Washington Wizards.

James is battling left ankle soreness, while Schroder may be out due to personal reasons.

James recently passed Magic Johnson for 6th place on the NBA's all-time assist list on Friday night.

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LeBron James is in 6th place on the NBA's all-time assist list after passing Magic Johnson in Friday night's win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

James set the mark after passing to Anthony Davis for three with 8:41 left in the fourth quarter.

"To know that I'm in the conversation or about to get to a point that I'm breaking a record that he set for this franchise -- and I'm not comparing myself to Magic with this franchise, what he did, sheesh ... but it's just pretty cool, always, when I'm able to see my name with some of the greats that have played this game," James told ESPN earlier this week.

James, who finished the game with 28 points and 11 assists, described the win as the best performance the Big 3 have put together this season.

James now trails Mark Jackson, Steve Nash, Chris Paul, Jason Kidd, and John Stockton in all-time assists.

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Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies has been fined $35,000 for confronting and directing inappropriate language toward a game official. In addition, Morant failed to leave the court in a timely manner following an ejection.

Morant was ejected with 1:22 to play on Wednesday's game at the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Grizzlies went on to lose to the Wolves 109-101.

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T.J. Warren waited nearly two years to play in an NBA game again. He said his return to the court "felt like a dream", as he played for the Brooklyn Nets on Friday.

Warren scored 10 points in 16 minutes off the Nets bench. He shot 5-of-11 from the floor, while also grabbing four rebounds.

Warren's last game had come for the Indiana Pacers on December 29, 2020. Warren missed the remainder of the 2020-21 season and all of last season while recovering from a foot injury.

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The Los Angeles Lakers got their biggest win of the season at the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday. It might even be the Lakers biggest win of the past two seasons.

LeBron James said the victory over Milwaukee was the best that he, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook have played together. James finished with 28 points, eight rebounds, 11 assists and two steals.

Davis was great all game. He turned in 44 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three blocks.

Westbrook played a second straight game without a turnover. Back-to-back turnover-less games is a first for Westbrook's career. He added 15 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists off the bench.

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The New York Knicks assigned Miles McBride and Jericho Sims to its G League Westchester Knicks.

Sims is averaging 4.7 points and 4.9 rebounds on the season.

McBride is averaging 2 points in 5.9 minutes per game.

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Madison Square Garden underwent a restructuring this week that affected both MSG Sports and MSG Entertainment.

The restructuring included several layoffs.

MSG is currently in the middle of finishing its construction of MSG Sphere, an entertainment venue in Las Vegas.

Estimates for the project, scheduled for completion in 2023, recently increased to $2.175 billion (up from its previous $2 billion projection).

"We have made organizational changes that will enable us to more effectively meet the needs of our partners and position us for the future," said MSG Sports and MSG Entertainment in a statement to The Athletic.

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Gregg Popovich is set to miss the next two games due to a minor medical procedure, the San Antonio Spurs announced on Friday.

Popovich will miss home games against the Pelicans and the Suns.

The Spurs went 1-14 in November, and are currently on a nine-game losing streak.

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Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison admitted that recent-signing Kemba Walker's knee was "not good at all" during a local radio appearance.

"It's not good. It's not good at all. But he's rehabbed it and it's the best he's felt in the last two years so, we'll see how long that lasts," said Harrison.

The Mavs signed Walker to a one-year, non-guaranteed deal earlier this week.

Walker has had three different surgeries on his left knee since 2015.

Harrison looked on the bright side of signing Walker.

"Well, it hasn't been good for a few years ... the reality is, if you look at it, it's not good, but that doesn't mean he can't play on it," added Harrison.

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Nassir Little suffered a "mild femoral head impaction fracture" on his right hip, the Portland Trail Blazers announced on Friday.

Little will miss the next six weeks.

Little, who signed a four-year, $28 million extension over the offseason, is averaging 5.5 points in 15.3 minutes per game this season.

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Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) and Keith Smith of Spotrac and CelticsBlog (@KeithSmithNBA) talk about the 2022 NBA season so far.

They discuss the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes, Myles Turner's unusual contract choices, Al Horford's extension, the Celtics' success and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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Kawhi Leonard and Paul George returned to practice with the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday and are both on the verge of playing again in games.

Leonard has been out for five games with a sprained right ankle. George has missed six with a right hamstring tendon strain.

"They're going to do something today and just kind of see how they feel," Tyronn Lue said before practice. "But both are progressing really well."

The Clippers have had players in and out of the lineup for much of the season because of injuries and restrictions.

"I'm excited to get guys back, PG and Kawhi, get Luke back," Lue said. "But now we gotta wait on Norm so hopefully he feels better soon. But I am very excited just to kind of see what we have.

"It'll take a little time [to get a rhythm]. Kawhi coming back still having a minute restriction. And our back-to-back situations [of holding out Leonard in one of the games]. So it's going to take a little time just figuring out the rotations, who plays well with who, trying to figure out how to split Kawhi's minutes and what's best for the team and what's best for him as well."

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During his podcast this week, Bill Simmons floated the concept of the Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls being logical trade partners this season. The Lakers are attempting to maximize the title window of LeBron James while the Bulls could reset their timeline.

The scenario floated by Simmons involved Russell Westbrook and two future first round picks to the Bulls for DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic. The Lakers had interest in DeRozan during the 2021 offseason before they pivoted to their trade for Westbrook.

"The trade I saw on Twitter was Russ and both picks, one with light protections I think for DeRozan and Vucevic," said Zach Lowe on his podcast. "I can tell you 100 percent for sure that the Lakers have had internal discussions about that very possibility, if it would ever come up. "Not that they would do that. Let me be clear."

DeRozan is signed through the 23-24 season, while Vucevic is on an expiring contract.

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The Houston Rockets could participate in a multi-team trade at some point this season involving Eric Gordon. The Rockets have shopped Gordon, who is signed through 23-24, in trade scenarios for some time now.

An inevitable Jae Crowder trade with the Phoenix Suns is one area where the Rockets could participate in a three-team scenario.

"Obviously, there were reports they were close to a [Jae Crowder] deal a couple weeks ago," said Zach Lowe on his podcast. "It didn't happen. Allegedly, it was a three-team deal. I've heard all sorts of different intel.

"One team I would keep an eye on in any Crowder trade, or any trade like that, butting in is the Rockets with Eric Gordon. Just keep an eye on it. I'm not saying he would be going to any specific place. I'm just saying keep an eye on it."

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In an interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Draymond Green was asked about rumors he would have interest in being traded by the Golden State Warriors to the Los Angeles Lakers.

"I never said that," said Green. "People can say what they want. I'm also not really one to react much to what one may say. I react to things when I want to react to it. I don't react to things just because somebody said it."

Green is up for a contract extension with the Warriors and his future with the franchise is uncertain. Spears asked Green if he is interested in playing his entire career with the Warriors.

"It's incredible when you look at the amount of guys who've played for only one team," said Green. "You can look around the NBA right now. There are five guys that's been on a team for 11 years-plus. We have three of them [along with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson]. It's a very rare thing. There's 470, 480 players in the NBA? There are five guys that's been with his team for 11 years plus. That's amazing. So, you don't just give that away. So, absolutely I'd be interested in that.

"If you had the opportunity to, you relish that opportunity. But in saying that, I do understand that this is a business. And ultimately, decisions have to be made. I have to make decisions, and you take them as they may. But for me, I'm focused on the season. I'm focused on winning. We let those things play out the way they're going to play out. Because one thing is for certain, is they play out with time, and time is going to continue to pass. And so, I focus on the present and what I can do right now for this team. All that stuff can happen when it happens."

Green was asked if he's concerned about his contract status. Green can become a free agent this offseason if he declines his $27.5 million option.

"No, not at all. I have a great agent [Rich Paul]. The best agent in the business. That's why you align yourself with an incredible agent, because they handle the business. I play basketball. That's what I want."

Green was also asked how much longer he wants to play in the league.

"I want to play another four or five more years. That would be enough for me."

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Jimmy Butler was upgraded by the Miami Heat to questionable for Friday's game at the Boston Celtics. Butler himself seemed to confirm he'd be making his return in that game.

Butler posted a video of himself on a plane. He said, "Boston...I'm on the way. I'm on the way. Can't wait. Can't wait. I've been out for too long. I'm getting thirsty... Go Heat."

Butler hasn't played in over two weeks. His last appearance was in a game at the Toronto Raptors on November 16. Since then, Butler has been out with knee soreness. Miami went 3-4 in the games Butler missed during this absence.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are exploring three different trade options, sources told Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

The first option involves trading Russell Westbrook and picks for a star or multiple players.

The second option features trading a combination of Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn, and picks for role players who upgrade the rotation.

The third option involves two separate trades, with Westbrook and a first-round pick in one deal, and Beverly and Nunn in a separate second deal.

The team is currently leaning towards the second and third options as they determine whether to make a smaller or bigger trade to address adding size and shooting.

The Lakers most recently waived Matt Ryan to open up a roster spot.

Free agents who signed this offseason can be traded starting December 15.

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Billy Donovan admitted that Lonzo Ball's recovery has been "really slow" and he still has no timetable for the guard's return.

"It's been really slow. It's gotten better, but is he clearly without any pain? No, he's not. He still has pain.

"We're seeing the slow, gradual strides getting better, but I just don't have any timetable of when he could even be back," said Donovan on Wednesday.

Ball initially injured his left knee last January 14. He underwent his first surgery on January 28.

The Bulls previously expressed hope that Ball could return sometime in early 2023.

Donovan added that Ball isn't close to the next step in his recovery.

"The next step is we've got to get him into some contact, but we're not even close to that," said Donovan.

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The NBA will accept a new form of investments in its teams, which will expand the pool of capital sources available to owners. The decision should increase the value of franchises due to this new access to capital.

Franchises will be permitted to accept investment from endowments, pension funds and sovereign wealth. Foreign governments and large university endowments could be allowed to buy small, passive stakes in NBA franchises. The NBA will still approve new investors on a case-by-case basis.

The new rules are an expansion of the league's embrace of institutional money. In 2020, the NBA became the first major U.S. league to approve private equity investments.

The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan was once an investor in MLSE, the parent company of the Toronto Raptors, but no NBA team has taken capital from a pension fund, endowment or sovereign wealth fund under the new rules.

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Bennedict Mathurin and Jalen Williams have been named the NBA's Rookies of the Month for October and November.

Mathurin averaged 19.2 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 40.3 percent on three-pointers for the Indiana Pacers.

Williams averaged 10.7 points and 3.2 rebounds for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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Devin Booker and Jayson Tatum have been named the NBA's Players of the Month for October/November.

Booker averaged 29.0 points, 5.8 assists and 5.3 rebounds as the Phoenix Suns went 15-6.

Tatum averaged 31.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists as the Boston Celtics went 18-4.

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Khris Middleton plans to make his season debut on Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Middleton is recovering from offseason wrist surgery.

Middleton hasn't played since an MCL sprain in Game 2 of the opening-round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

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Time to take stock of the first month and a half of the season. Who are our picks for MVP, All-NBA, DPOY, ROY, COY, 6MOY? Plus our picks for sophomore of the year, most surprising and disappointing players and teams, Executive of the Year and Not Executive of the Year.

Six ad-free episodes per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime, including Nate's weekly podcast with John Hollinger. Join with our Seth Partnow sale:

DuncdOn.SupportingCast.fm

With @DannyLeroux and @NateDuncanNBA

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Al Horford and the Boston Celtics have agreed to a two-year contract extension worth $20 million. With the new extension, Horford will remain with Boston through the 2024-25 season.

Horford is on the final season of the four-year deal that he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019. After one year with the Sixers, Horford was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. After one year in Oklahoma City, Boston reacquired Horford in a trade that sent Kemba Walker and a first-round pick to the Thunder.

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The Los Angeles Lakers waived Matt Ryan, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Ryan averaged 4.3 points in 11 games this season.

The move opens up an extra roster spot ahead of the December 15 trade date.

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Chandler Hutchison is retiring from the NBA, according to an announcement from the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Hutchison had been playing with the Heat's G League team this season.

The 26-year-old was selected with the 22nd pick in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Bulls.

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The Washington Wizards are in the middle of the play-in chase and could look to upgrade their roster before the deadline.

Like the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat, the Wizards have shown interest in Crowder. The Phoenix Suns have been attempting to find a workable trade of Crowder since the offseason.

"There's been some chatter about them looking at a guy like Jae Crowder," said Brian Windhorst on his podcast. "I'm pretty confident there's been some discussions between the Wizards and the Suns.

"We've been talking about Jae Crowder now for about two months. It's obvious it's a hard trade to pull off. The Wizards have a bunch of guys who make decent salaries on their roster they can use in a trade."

The Suns are looking for a power forward in return for Crowder, according to Windhorst. The Wizards have multiple young power forwards in Rui Hachimura and Deni Avdija.

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James Harden is targeting his return from his strained right foot tendon during hte Philadelphia 76ers' three-game road trip.

Harden will likely return at the Houston Rockets on Monday.

Harden last played on Nov. 2nd. For the season, Harden is averaging 22.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 10.0 assists in 36.8 minutes per game.

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Khris Middleton could make his 22-23 debut as early as Friday as he is close to being back from his offseason surgery on his left wrist.

Middleton had a torn ligament in his left wrist that was corrected in July.

Middleton missed the entire second round series for the Milwaukee Bucks against the Boston Celtics due to a Grad 2 MCL sprain.

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De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis have formed one of the NBA's best pick-and-roll partnerships during their time together with the Sacramento Kings.

The Kings are in position to possibly break their extended playoff drought and change the reputation of the franchise, which hasn't gone unnoticed by Sabonis.

"Fox is unselfish, I'm unselfish. I love to play in the pick-and-roll, he loves to play in the pick-and-roll. We want to show people that we can win, and win consistently, apart from everything that goes on in the NBA," Sabonis told Yahoo Sports. "I think that's the most important thing, is to show that we can turn this franchise around."

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Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan were once best friends off the court, despite being fierce rivals on it. Now, the two haven't spoken in a decade.

Barkley said the rift was caused by Jordan being upset over Barkley's criticism of how Jordan has run the Charlotte Hornets.

"It's a really unfortunate situation for me and him. But I'm going to do my job first and foremost. I can't criticize other coaches and general managers and give him a pass because he's my best friend," Barkley said. "I just can't do that. What I said was, 'Michael's got to surround himself with better people. And I worry about him being successful.'"

Barkley said he and Jordan had a conversation that "wasn't pleasant" after those comments 10 years ago. The two haven't spoken since, despite regularly crossing paths at various NBA events. But Barkley says he'd like to make amends with his former friend.

"I probably would say, 'Hey, you know, what I said, I believed. I'm sorry you took offense to it, and let's get past this bull---- and go back to playing golf and having fun.'"

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The Chicago Bulls season hasn't gone quite as hoped for. Last year's Bulls got off to a terrific start before injuries derailed their season. This year's edition has gotten off to a slow start, but Chicago hopes that returns from injuries will lift them.

One of those returns hoped for is Lonzo Ball. Ball has had several fits and starts with his return from meniscus surgery. But Chicago is hopeful of having the veteran point guard back in their lineup shortly after the calendar flips to 2023.

Ball missed 47 games last season and has missed the Bulls first 20 games of this season. At one point, Ball had to be completely shut down during his rehab due to persistent pain. In recent weeks, Ball has made progress that has Chicago optimistic he'll return sometime in the coming months.

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The New York Knicks waived forward Feron Hunt from his Two-Way contract. The Knicks signed DaQuan Jeffries to a Two-Way deal to replace Hunt.

Hunt appeared in two NBA games over the last two seasons with New York. In eight G League games with the Westchester Knicks this season, Hunt has averaged 16.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.6 blocks.

Jeffries was originally cut by New York at the end of the preseason. The three-year NBA veteran then joined Westchester. In six G League games, Jeffries has averaged 16 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

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Ben Simmons will miss the Brooklyn Nets game against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday due to left knee soreness.

Simmons suffered the injury on Monday against the Magic.

Jacque Vaughn declared Simmons day-to-day following the game.

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Damian Lillard is targeting a return against the Indiana Pacers on December 4, reported Chris Haynes of TNT.

Lillard was diagnosed with a Grade 1 calf strain earlier in November.

The Blazers are now 1-4 without Lillard in the lineup.

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Karl-Anthony Towns is expected to miss four to six weeks with a calf strain.

Tests showed no structural damage to the Achilles of Towns.

Towns suffered the non-contact injury during Monday's game.

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The Chicago Bulls signed Billy Donovan to a contract extension before the start of the season.

Donovan had two more seasons remaining on his original four-year contract.

Donovan was hired by Arturas Karnisovas as head coach in 2020 shortly after he parted ways with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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Kevin Durant scored 45 points in Monday's win by the Brooklyn Nets over the Orlando Magic, which led a reporter to ask him if he's hoping to win MVP for the second time in his career.

"Not really. I've been there, done that, to be honest, and I know it's gonna take a lot for me to be in that conversation," Durant said. "I just want the respect from our fan base, and I want them to have a good time when they come to the game, so if that's what strikes chants up is how I play from the fans, as long as they're having a good time. But I'm not too worried about accolades at this point in my career."

Durant won MVP in 2014 and has also won Finals MVP in 2017 and 2018.

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Jeff Skoll is buying into Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which is the parent company of the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals.

Skill is worth approximately $5.6 billion and was an architect of eBay's early business and eventual IPO.

Sportico values the Washington Wizards at $2.15 billion, and the Capitals at $1.22 billion.

Ted Leonsis, the majority owner of Monumental, is exploring a bid for the Washington Nationals.

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Kemba Walker will sign a one-year, non-guaranteed contract with the Dallas Mavericks.

Walker is not expected to play immediately as he last played in an NBA game in February.

Walker was traded by the New York Knicks to the Detroit Pistons and subsequently waived.

The Mavericks waived Facudno Campazzo to create a roster spot for Walker.

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The San Antonio Spurs are signing Alize Johnson to a one-year deal. San Antonio will waive Jordan Hall from his non-guaranteed contract to create the roster spot for Johnson.

Johnson is a four-year NBA veteran, who waived by the Spurs at the end of the preseason. The 6-foot-7 forward has been playing for the Austin Spurs of the G League this season. In six games with Austin, Johnson has averaged 22.2 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.

Hall played 82 minutes over nine games with San Antonio this season. The rookie wing has had two stints with the Spurs, first on a Two-Way contract, and a standard deal signed at the beginning of November.

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When De'Aaron Fox changed agents to Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, many assumed it was a precursor to forcing his way out of Sacramento. Fox said that was never a thought as he switched agencies.

"When you're an athlete who has any notoriety and you make a major change, it's going to circulate, and people are going to speculate. But for me, I love being in Sacramento," Fox told Bleacher Report. "This move had nothing to do with wanting to be traded or wanting to move on. This has more to do with myself and the business of basketball, and I feel like they're able to help me in ways that I've never been able to be helped before. It was really a level up."

Fox went on to compare Sacramento to Kentucky, where he played his college basketball.

"The fan interactions, it's kind of like being at Kentucky. No matter how good the other sports are, it's always going to be about basketball whenever you're in that city," Fox said. "If you're able to win here, I feel like it's just a different feeling. And obviously being able to stay with the team that drafted you, somewhere you're comfortable as far as life goes.

"Being in this city, in one place for a long time plays a major part in it. If I'm able to help this team go to the playoffs and hopefully win a championship at some point in my career, I feel like nothing would ever top that. Being able to say that you won a championship for the Sacramento Kings, like, that's unheard of, right? People would say that you're crazy.

"And if I was able to do that at any point, that would be the best thing ever in my career."

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Ben Simmons left the Brooklyn Nets' 109-102 win over the Orlando Magic in the second quarter due to left knee soreness and did not return.

Jacque Vaughn didn't think Simmons would need an MRI and declared the swingman as day-to-day.

"We'll check him day by day, see how he responds with a little treatment. See what it looks like (Tuesday)," said Vaughn.

Vaughn added that he believes the injury is due to an accumulation of games.

"No, I think more so than anything the accumulation of games. He hasn't had this amount of accumulation of games over a period of a long time," said Vaughn.

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Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Luke Kennard, and John Wall are all ruled out for Tuesday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Leonard is set to miss his fourth straight game with a sprained ankle, with George missing his fifth consecutive game with a right hamstring sprain.

Kennard is out due to a right calf strain.

The Clippers play the Jazz on Wednesday for the second half of a back-to-back.

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Karl-Anthony Towns will undergo an MRI on his right calf, but there is early optimism that he avoided a significant injury to his lower right leg.

Towns suffered a noncontact injury turning to run down the floor in Monday's game, reaching back to grab at his calf and leaving uncertainty about whether he had suffered an Achilles injury.

The Timberwolves initially described the injury as a calf strain and ruled Towns out for the rest of the game.

Towns has averaged 21.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 20 games for the Timberwolves.

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Deandre Ayton and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for Week 6.

Ayton averaged 23.7 points and 16.0 rebounds as the Phoenix Suns went 3-0.

Antetokounmpo averaged 35.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists as the Milwaukee Bucks went 3-1.

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The Los Angeles Lakers backed away this offseason from a proposed trade of Russell Westbrook and draft capital to the Indiana Pacers for Myles Turner and Budy Hield, sources tell Dave McMenamin.

The Lakers concluded that giving up both their 2027 and 2029 first round picks for Turner and Hield was too exorbitant of a price given it wouldn't automatically turn them into contenders.

The Lakers also believed that the trade would remain available to them by the Pacers further along in the season.

The Lakers also expect more teams to be open for business beginning December 15th when players who signed offseason contracts become eligible to be traded.

Sources say there is a belief by the leaders in the Lakers' locker room that they are only a couple of players away from turning the roster into a legitimate contender.

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Carmelo Anthony, DeMarcus Cousins and Isaiah Thomas have so far shown no interest in signing overseas, sources tell Marc Stein of Substack.

The three veteran players remain committed to playing in the NBA this season.

Dwight Howard recently signed in Taiwan and teams have also been interested in Anthony, Cousins and Thomas.

Anthony, in particular, would like to sign with an NBA team for what would be his 20th season in the league.

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The Phoenix Suns have announced the promotion of James Jones to President of Basketball Operations and General Manager. Jones, who played for the team from 2005-07, was originally named the Suns' general manager in 2019 after rejoining the franchise as vice president of basketball operations in 2017.

Suns Interim Governor Sam Garvin: "In the nearly 15 years I have known James, he has excelled in every role he performed, from player to NBPA Treasurer to his roles in our front office, most recently as general manager. James has the unique ability to create and lead high-performing teams in basketball operations and his commitment to collaborating with our business side, including at the C-level with partners like PayPal and Verizon, is second to none. We are fortunate for his contributions across the organization and this promotion recognizes his commitment to excellence."

Now in his fourth season as the Suns head of basketball, the successes of Jones and his staff in their first three seasons include an undefeated NBA Bubble run (2020), consecutive playoff berths after a 10-year drought (2020-21, 2021-22), back-to-back Pacific Division titles (2020-21, 2021-22), a single-season franchise-record 64 regular season wins (2021-22), a franchise-record 18-game win streak (2021-22), a Western Conference title (2020-21), and the league's best record since the start of the 2020-21 season. Jones was honored as NBA Executive of the Year in 2021.

Jones: "I am grateful for the privilege to work with and support the players, staff and employees of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury. The collective efforts of our business and basketball operations have allowed us to provide an amazing atmosphere and best-in-class experience for our fans and community. I remain excited about and dedicated to driving success for our Teams on and off the court."

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The Dallas Mavericks have waived guard Facundo Campazzo.

Campazzo (5-11, 165) first joined the NBA by signing with the Denver Nuggets in November of 2020 after a decorated international career playing in Argentina and Spain. He signed with the Mavericks on Oct. 18, 2022, and played in eight games this season with 10 points, nine assists and six steals.

The Mavericks will incur a $464,299 cap hit on the waiver, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN.

The Mavericks are waiving Campazzo to create a roster spot to sign Kemba Walker.

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Our bi-weekly look at the West goes in order of net rating:

  • PHX: A breakdown of how this team is so good offensively despite the relative lack of star power, plus Deandre Ayton's defense
  • NOP and MEM: We caught the Pels on the wrong night against Memphis, but how much does this performance signal potential weaknesses that good teams like Memphis can exploit?
  • GSW and MIN: The Warriors are getting back on track with some rotational changes, while the Golden State stress test exposes the work the Wolves still have to do
  • DAL: A loss to Toronto exposed how the Mavs' secondary players have been letting them down so far this season.
  • UTA: How has the offense changed with Mike Conley out, and what is their secret defensive weakness?

Five more Episodes per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime, as well as Nate's weekly podcast with John Hollinger DuncdOn.SupportingCast.fm

Subscribe to our weekly mailing list for free bonus content and all the info you need to keep up with the latest from Nate and Danny!

With @DannyLeroux and @NateDuncanNBA

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Jerami Grant has only logged 20 games with the Portland Trail Blazers, but the veteran forward is already hinting at sticking around after the season.

"I'm satisfied right now," Grant told HoopsHype. "I'm really happy with what we're doing. We'll just talk about it when it comes."

Grant is set to become an unrestricted free agent in July, if no contract extension is reached with Portland before then. The eight-year veteran is eligible to sign an extension worth up to four-years and $112.6 million. Or Grant can wait until free agency and sign a first-year salary of up to a projected $40.2 million.

Portland acquired Grant from the Detroit Pistons this past offseason. The Blazers sent the Pistons a 2025 Milwaukee Bucks first-round pick and two future second-round picks in exchange for Grant.

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The Dallas Mavericks are nearing a deal to sign guard Kemba Walker. The four-time All-Star Walker has been a free agent since the end of the preseason.

Dallas will have to make a roster move to sign Walker. The veteran guard will sign a prorated veteran minimum contract for the rest of the season with the Mavs.

Walker has not played this NBA season. He was traded from the New York Knicks to the Detroit Pistons in a salary-clearing move this summer. Walker was then waived by Detroit without the Pistons requiring him to report to the team. In 37 games with the Knicks last season, Walker averaged 11.7 points and 3.5 assists.

The 11-year veteran has said several times that he's had NBA offers since being waived by Detroit. Walker said he was waiting for the right opportunity, and that he feels great physically and has kept in great shape while waiting for his next team.

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Anthony Davis is expected to play on Monday night against the Indiana Pacers, sources told Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

Davis missed the Lakers' 143-138 win over the Spurs on Saturday due to a left calf contusion.

Darvin Ham said that the team are taking a cautious approach towards Davis.

"He was kicked at some point in the second half [Friday] night and it's a little irritated, a little bruising. So just trying to stay ahead of it and be a little cautious and take our time with it," said Ham.

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Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam hasn't played since November 4 against the Dallas Mavericks. In that game, Siakam suffered a strained groin and he's been out since.

Now, it looks like the Raptors All-Star is closing in on a return. Toronto upgraded Siakam to questionable for Monday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was also reported that Siakam has fully practiced in recent days with no setbacks.

Toronto went 5-5 during Siakam's 10-game absence. The Raptors have also been dealing with injuries and illnesses for multiple rotation players during that same stretch.

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Brooklyn Nets forward T.J. Warren is targeting December 2 to make his season debut. The Nets face the Toronto Raptors on that date.

Warren will have missed the Nets first 23 games of this season if he plays against Toronto as planned. The Nets versatile forward has been recovering from a left foot injury suffered in 2020.

Warren hasn't appeared in an NBA game since December 29, 2020. The veteran forward went on to miss the rest of the 2020-21 season and the entire 2021-22 season for the Indiana Pacers. This offseason, Warren joined the Nets on a veteran minimum contract.

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Atlanta Hawks wing Bogdan Bogdanovic has missed his team's first 19 games while recovering from offseason knee surgery. Unfortunately, a month into the season, there is still no timetable for Bogdanovic's return.

Hawks coach Nate McMillan confirmed that Bogdanovic has yet to take part in a full practice. When asked about his reserve wing's timeline, McMillan said there isn't one.

Bogdanovic has missed 66 games since joining the Hawks before the 2020-21 season. He had surgery last summer on his right knee. At the beginning of the season, Bogdanovic said the knee bothered him all throughout last season and that he's had sporadic pain in the knee since joining the NBA in 2017.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo had high praise for Evan Mobley after his Milwaukee Bucks dispatched the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.

"He can be better than me," Antetokounmpo told cleveland.com about Mobley. "I don't see why he can't. It's up to him. I will always try to improve. Every day. But he has the skill set to be a very, very good player. He's 7-feet tall. He can move really well. He can shoot. He is very smart. As you said, he watches tapes of other players, which is very, very good for a young player. If he takes this seriously, he is going to be great."

Antetokounmpo added that it's just a matter of time before Mobley is one of the best players in the league. Antetokounmpo also expressed appreciation that Mobley said he looks up to the Bucks star.

"I did it myself, looking up to other players, trying to make my game like theirs. But at the end of the day, everybody is unique, and everybody has a unique game. You try to take as much as you can from the person and apply it to your game and kind of form your own," Antetokounmpo said. "For me, it's a great compliment. Evan has a bright future. If he keeps working, he's going to be really good. He plays the right way. He plays hard. He does everything for his team to win and they have been winning more. He has the skillset. He has the body. It's just a matter of time until he figures out the game, what he can do and how good he can be. I see the thirst and hunger from him.

"It's just a matter of time until he has a breakout season and becomes one of the best power forwards in the league."

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The Orlando Magic have been one of the unluckiest teams in terms of injuries this NBA season. It seems like things are finally taking a turn for the better for Orlando.

Markelle Fultz has been upgraded to questionable and could be in line to make his season debut on Sunday. Fultz has missed the Magic's first 19 games due to a broken left big toe.

Overall, only Cole Anthony and Jonathan Isaac are listed as out for Orlando. That's a change from the normal five-to-six players listed as out for the Magic. On Saturday, Anthony teased that he'll be "back so soon". Isaac has yet to play this season, after missing the last two seasons due to various leg injuries.

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Jimmy Butler is expected to return from his right knee soreness for Wednesday's game against the Boston Celtics.

Butler will have missed six games as he last played on Nov. 18 against the Toronto Raptors.

Butler has played in fewer than 60 games in five of the past six seasons.

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Brandon Ingram suffered a sprained left big toe during the second quarter of the New Orleans Pelicans' 132-111 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Ingram will undergo imagine when the Pelicans return to New Orleans.

Ingram has played in 15 games this season but missed four because of a concussion.

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Charlotte Hornets wing Gordon Hayward is out once again due to an injury. This time around, Hayward is suffering from a shoulder injury. The exact nature of that injury has Hayward's wife Robyn upset with the Hornets.

Charlotte has reported Hayward as being out due to a left shoulder contusion. Robyn Hayward took to social media to refute that report, saying her husband is suffering from a more serious injury.

Mrs. Hayward said Gordon has a fractured left scapula. She went on to say Gordon played through the injury last game and that it prevented him from being able to lift his left. Robyn then wrote that Gordon is missing games, it's because he's got more than a bruise.

Robyn then stopped herself but returned back to post again that Gordon has a fracture. She finished by saying, "I'm over them not protecting players. Just was talking with a young player's mom, and she was saying the same thing..."

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The Miami Heat signed Dru Smith to a two-way contract and waived Orlando Robinson on Friday.

Smith averaged 17.7 points and 7.7 rebounds in three G League games.

Robinson averaged 7.0 points and 4.5 rebounds in two appearances for the Heat this season.

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Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Luke Kennard have all been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Indiana Pacers.

Leonard missed his second straight game with a sprained ankle on Friday, with George missing his third straight game with a right hamstring strain.

"I don't think it's gonna be a long term," said Ty Lue about Leonard and George's injuries.

Kennard has missed five consecutive games with a right calf strain.

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Myles Turner is set to leave BDA Sports and join CAA, sources told Marc Stein of Substack.

Turner was with BDA Sports for two years.

Turner, in the last year of his contract, has most recently been linked with a potential trade to the Clippers.

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Gordon Hayward was diagnosed with a fractured left shoulder and will be reevaluated on a week-to-week basis.

Hayward had missed eight straight games earlier in the month due to what was believed to be a bruised left shoulder, then returned to play in three consecutive games before the diagnosis.

The 32-year-old Hayward is averaging 16.3 points and 4.3 assists this season.

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John and Nate go through their top-tier organizations, trying to make sense of the myriad changes in the league and its teams over the last year. What ownership and management would we want running a team that we were a fan of?

Then, Seth Partnow, former head of analytics for the Milwaukee Bucks, discusses his new role with Dunc'd On Prime which includes posting a couple times a week and proprietary stats support. He introduces some of the new stats he'll be providing, plus some observations he's gleaned from his analysis early in the season.

You can read Seth's introduction to Dunc'd On here.

Take advantage of our Special Seth Partnow Sale! Sign up here for Dunc'd On Prime, the only place to get all Hollinger & Duncan episodes and Seth's new content!

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As a perennial MVP candidate, the ability of the Dallas Mavericks to surround Luka Doncic with a roster capable of winning a championship will continue to be one of the NBA's most pressing storylines.

Doncic signed a five-year supermax contract during the 2021 offseason that begins this season. Doncic has a player option after Year 4.

"I don't think they [should] worry about it," Doncic said on WFAA about Mavericks' fan worried about him potentially leaving the team. "I have five years left here so I don't think they should be worried about it."

Doncic also said his goal is to help the Mavericks win a title.

"That's everything," Doncic said. "Everybody wants to win the championship. I want to win the championship here. It's our goal. It's the same every season. It's a lot of work to do. There are so many great teams in the league. Anybody can beat you at this point. You have to be really ready."

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The NBA paid just €133,000 ($138,000) to acquire the rights to stream all of Victor Wembanyama's games this season via NBATV worldwide with the exception of France.

"A sum that seems derisory compared to the budget of the NBA", underlined Wembanyama's club, Metropolitans 92, which asked according to the French newspaper Le Parisien.

Wembanyama is widely expected to be the top overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft.

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Paolo Banchero is set to return to game action on Friday after a seven-game absence with an ankle injury.

In 11 games prior to this injury, Paolo Banchero was averaging 23.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.

"I'm feeling good," Banchero said after the Magic's practice on Wednesday. "It was good just to get back. It's been a while. A lot of observing. So, I was just happy to be out there."

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CJ McCollum was placed in the NBA's health and safety protocols on Thursday.

McCollum will miss Friday's game against the Grizzlies.

McCollum is currently averaging 18.7 points and 6.1 assists on the season.

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Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have been ruled out for Friday's home game against the Denver Nuggets.

Ty Lue said that he has no timetable for either player's return.

Leonard is currently recovering from a sprained ankle, with George missing his third game with a right hamstring strain.

Both Leonard and George reportedly worked out and underwent treatment on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Malika Andrews.

Leonard is expected to be reevaluated in the next few days.

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Patrick Beverley of the Los Angeles Lakers has been suspended three games for shoving Deandre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns during Tuesday's game. Beverley took offense to Ayton standing over his Lakers teammate Austin Reaves after a foul.

Joe Dumars, the NBA's Head of Basketball Operations, said the suspension was in part based on Beverley's history of unsportsmanlike acts.

Beverley will miss back-to-back games at the San Antonio Spurs on Friday and Saturday. He'll then miss the Lakers home game against the Indiana Pacers on Monday.

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Brooklyn Nets forward T.J. Warren might finally be inching towards a return. Warren has progressed past going against coaches in practice and has been playing 3-on-3 against other players.

There is still no timetable for Warren's return, but he's advancing through the process for the Nets. Brooklyn signed Warren to a one-year, veteran minimum contract this offseason.

Warren last appeared in an NBA game on December 29, 2020. After a terrific run in the bubble to close 2019-20, Warren played in the Indiana Pacers first four games of the 2020-21 season. He was then shut down with foot soreness. That injury cost Warren the entire 2021-22 season and the start to this season.

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Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Luke Kennard all missed the Los Angeles Clippers' Wednesday night game against the Golden State Warriors.

Leonard was ruled out due to a sprained right ankle. George missed his second straight game with a hamstring strain, with Kennard out due to a right calf strain.

Ty Lue offered no timetable for the return of the three players.

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The Phoenix Suns are still interested in acquiring Bogdan Bogdanovic, sources told Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer.

Bogdanovic has yet to appear for the Hawks this season while he recovers from a knee injury.

The Suns were reportedly close to trading Jae Crowder at one point last week.

It was also reported earlier in the day that the Suns are no longer interested in trading for John Collins.

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The Los Angeles Clippers have interest in adding frontcourt depth behind Ivica Zubac.

Myles Turner and Jakob Poeltl are considered the two most gettable centers on the trade market, but the Clippers will probably prioritize a switchable center to replace Zubac in small-ball lineups.

Without another more traditional center, the Clippers would need to use an option like Robert Covington as a small-ball center.

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The future of Saddiq Bey with the Detroit Pistons is a bit less certain than it was previously. Bey will be eligible for an extension this offseason ahead of a potential restricted free agency in 2024.

The Pistons have taken early trade calls from inquiring teams on Bey, which is a change of behavior from previous trade windows.

The Pistons, however, seem intent on continuing to evaluate Bey's fit with the roster before truly entertaining a potential trade.

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Seth Partnow, former head of analytics for the Milwaukee Bucks, discusses his new role with Dunc'd On Prime which includes posting a couple times a week and proprietary stats support. He introduces some of the new stats he'll be providing, plus some observations he's gleaned from his analysis early in the season.

Then, Danny and Nate get into great questions from the Discord:

When is it generally time to reevaluate our evaluation on a player, and specifically Lauri Markkanen?

What's the best way to think about the value of future draft picks?

How is Dunc'd On Prime doing 2 years out?

Should the league get rid of pick protection?

How could having fewer games actually come to fruition?

Nick Nurse's comments on GTJ

Is is good or bad that stars are moving more via trade than free agency now?

How much do recent social media foibles hurt the league's image as socially progressive?

Nate's favorite Thanksgiving side dish.

In honor of Seth joining Dunc'd On Prime, we're offering a special sale! Subscribe now at DuncdOn.SupportingCast.fm.

For $149 per year, you will get six ad-free episodes per week - including Hollinger & Duncan - Dan Feldman's Daily Duncs, access to team-by-team cap sheets, access to the Dunc'd On Discord and more! And now, that "more" will include Seth's statistical breakdowns!

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The Phoenix Suns beat the Los Angeles Lakers for an 11th straight time on Tuesday night. But the win came with some drama.

Late in the game, Patrick Beverley was ejected after shoving Deandre Ayton in the back. That didn't sit well with Devin Booker.

"Pat need to stop pushing people in the back man," Booker told TNT. "Push them in the chest."

Beverley said he pushed Ayton, because he didn't like the way the Suns were treating Austin Reaves.

"Got a person on the ground, two people looking over mean-mugging and puffing their chest out and referees don't get into it to kind of separate it, control the game, so I'm going to stand up for my teammate," Beverley said. "I'm not going for that s***. Obviously, it's unfortunate that it happened on national TV. But you know me: Regardless of what's going on, I'm a big fan of protecting my teammates. ... I'm a foxhole guy. I put on the jersey, and I commit to a team, I commit to a city, and it's kind of my motto. I'm a foxhole guy. Very unfortunate situation, though."

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The Phoenix Suns have shown no desire to trade for John Collins, who has four seasons remaining on his five-year, $125 million deal.

Collins is considered a good player, but the deal is perceived as above market value by rival executives.

The Atlanta Hawks remain one of the teams in the mix to trade for Jae Crowder.

The Utah Jazz also have interest in Collins, but a deal is considered unlikely. The Washington Wizards previously showed interest in Collins, but that was before their trade for Kristaps Porzingis.

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The Utah Jazz have so far intended their plan to keep Lauri Markkanen and Jordan Clarkson out of trade talks, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

While the Jazz also will maintain a high asking price for Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley, Mike Conley and Kelly Olynyk could be made available before the trade deadline.

The Jazz have interest in trading for John Collins, but a scenario where they actually acquire him is considered low. The Atlanta Hawks approached Utah on a trade of Collins for Markkanen and those talks didn't generate any traction.

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LeBron James will return to game action in Friday at the San Antonio Spurs.

James has missed five straight games due to a groin injury.

James is averaging 24.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 6.9 assists in 35.7 minutes over 10 games this season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

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The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to sign Saben Lee to a Two-Way deal.

The Sixers will waive Michael Foster Jr. to create a roster spot for Lee. Foster will be eligible to play for Philadelphia's G League team if he clears waivers.

Lee appeared in 37 games with the Detroit Pistons last season, averaging 5.6 points and 2.3 rebounds in 16.3 minutes.

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Ja Morant has been upgraded to questionable for Tuesday's game by the Memphis Grizzlies against the Sacramento Kings.

Morant was previously listed as doubtful and initially expected to miss at least one week.

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Michael Porter Jr. has always been an explosive scorer, but his ability to stay healthy and contribute on defense has been the question of whether he would live up to his five-year, $179 million contract with the Denver Nuggets.

"Offense for me should be on autopilot," Porter said. "I should be focused on the intangibles, the defense, the rebounding, the dirty work. Then that just involves you in the game. If you're struggling on offense and you're also not rebounding or playing defense, then it's like, why is he out there right now?"

Porter is not guaranteed to be on the floor in closing situations as Michael Malone will sometimes use Bruce Brown instead of him.

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AJ Johnson announced his commitment to the University of Texas on Monday.

Johnson is currently ranked the No. 25 prospect in ESPN's 100 for the 2023 class.

Johnson selected the Longhorns over Louisville, LSU, NC State, Kansas, Tennessee, USC and G League Ignite.

The 6-foot-6 guard started the season at Donda Academy before moving to SoCal Academy.

Johnson's commitment gives Texas the No. 8 recruiting class of 2023.

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The Milwaukee Bucks assigned Khris Middleton and Wesley Matthews to their G League affiliate Wisconsin Herd on Monday.

Middleton, who has yet to make his season debut, is currently recovering from offseason wrist surgery.

"He's been making progress, probably steady and slow. Today was another good day. We'll just continue to see how he feels tomorrow. Hopefully, he can be doing a little bit more each day," said Mike Budenholzer about Middleton on Sunday.

Matthews has missed three games due to right hamstring soreness and will rehab with the Herd.

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During the 2022 trade deadline period, the Toronto Raptors offered the Los Angeles Lakers a first round pick in exchange for Talen Horton-Tucker.

The Lakers were on the fringes of playoff contention, but still hoped to secure a play-in spot.

The Lakers may have also had to take on Khem Birch as part of the deal.

During the offseason, the Lakers traded Horton-Tucker to the Utah Jazz for Patrick Beverley.

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De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton have been name the NBA's Players of the Week for Week 5.

Fox averaged 25.0 points and 8.0 assists as the Sacramento Kings went 3-0.

Haliburton averaged 21.0 points, 11.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds as the Indiana Pacers also went 3-0.

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Joel Embiid will miss the upcoming back-to-back games for the Philadelphia 76ers with a mid-foot strain in his left foot.

Embiid will be reevaluated in the coming days.

The Sixers are already without James Harden and Tyrese Maxey.

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Basketball trainer Rob McClanaghan has been arrested on a fugitive from justice charge, stemming from a warrant for rape and drugging for intercourse in an alleged incident in downtown Boston.

McClanaghan has trained Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose among others.

Boston Police and the Suffolk County District Attorney did not comment, citing a need to wait until McClanaghan is arraigned in Massachusetts. While no authorities have commented on the nature on the alleged incident, the Boston Police Department released a press release announcing McClanaghan's arrest that said the following in part:

"The Boston Police Department advises the public of the dangerousness of scentless, colorless, and tasteless drugs such as Rohypnol, also known as roofie, being placed in the drinks of unsuspecting victims."

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Gregg Popovich met with the media ahead of the San Antonio Spurs game at the Los Angeles as usual. However, Popovich wasn't spotted on the floor with his team less than two hours later.

Brett Brown coached the Spurs throughout the game, as Popovich came down with an illness shorty before tipoff. Brown said postgame that he found out about 20 seconds before the game that he'd be leading the San Antonio sidelines.

Brown said Popovich was doing fine. Brown said he saw Popovich himself and then a Spurs spokesman confirmed Popovich didn't leave the arena, before declining further comment.

"At this stage I don't have a lot of details," Brown said. "The doctors have checked him out and we've been advised that he's fine."

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Ben Simmons was in a joking mood about his return to Philadelphia. When asked about returning to his first NBA home to play the 76ers, the Brooklyn Nets big man playfully played it off.

"I'm ready to play," he said, before adding, "Something going on?" causing the assembled media to break into laughter.

Simmons again joked when asked if there's been enough time for any hard feelings Sixers fans may have for him to have passed, by saying "In Philly?"

Simmons then got serious about what he knows he's facing.

"I know what's coming. That's part of the game. Philly fans, one thing about Philly fans is they are incredible. They are die-hard Philly and they are everything Philly, whatever it is. I respect that about the city. It's a sports town. I was talking to I think Yuta (Watanabe) before the game about what it's like to play in Philly, and it's an incredible opportunity to put on whatever jersey it is.

"That's Philly, and it's a unique experience."

Simmons then added he's got a lot of love for Philadelphia.

"I was 18 years old coming into Philly, so it's really the only place I've lived as an adult. So I have a lot of love for that city," he said. "People don't know that, but a lot of my best friends are from Philadelphia. My brother still lives in Philadelphia. So regardless of the situation, whatever happened, happened. But I got a lot of love for that city still, so I look forward to going down there and playing."

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Christian Wood spent the last two seasons as a starter for the Houston Rockets. Now, he's coming off the bench again and it's been an adjustment for Wood.

The biggest issue for Wood seems to be playing time. After topping 30 minutes per game the last two seasons, Wood is playing 24.6 minutes per game for the Dallas Mavericks. For his part, Wood would like to play more.

"I would love to play more. I've voiced that several times, but I just play my role," Wood said after playing a season-low 17 minutes on Sunday. The Mavs lost that contest to the shorthanded Denver Nuggets, with Wood taking just three shots in his 17 minutes off the Dallas bench.

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X-rays on Russell Westbrook's right thumb returned negative on Sunday night following the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-92 win over the San Antonio Spurs.

Westbrook, whose hand was wrapped following the game, will be re-evaluated on Monday.

Westbrook finished the Spurs game with 10 points and 10 assists, his fourth straight game with at least 10 assists.

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Last Wednesday's game between the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns averaged 1.62 million viewers on ESPN, representing an increase from last season's game between the Suns and the Dallas Mavericks that drew 1.36 million viewers.

The Suns' 130-119 win over the Warriors was also the ninth most-watched game of the NBA season. The Warriors have played in four out of those nine games.

The first part of last Tuesday's TNT doubleheader between the Grizzlies and Pelicans drew an 0.6 rating, less than half of last season's game between the Warriors and Nets in the same timeslot.

The second half of the doubleheader between the Nets and Kings drew the smallest audience of the season on TNT with 888,000 viewers.

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The Sacramento Kings are currently not involved in any trade talks regarding Harrison Barnes, sources told James Ham of ESPN 1320.

Barnes is currently averaging 12.7 points and 5.7 rebounds in 31.2 minutes this year.

The Kings are 9-6 on the season, and lead the league by averaging 120.3 points per game.

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The Portland Trail Blazers have announced that Damian Lillard will miss one-to-two weeks due to a Grade 1 strain of his right calf. Lillard was injured during the Blazers loss to the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.

Lillard previously said he hoped the injury would only keep him out for a couple of games. But Portland is going to be cautious with the start player.

The Trail Blazers have gotten off to a surprising 10-6 start. That has Portland tied with the Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies for second place in the Western Conference.

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When Mike Conley was injured during Saturday's win at the Portland Trail Blazers, it was feared he suffered a major knee injury. Now, the Utah Jazz can breathe a sigh of relief.

Conley avoided any major ligament damage in his left knee. He's been diagnosed with a strained left knee and will miss at least two weeks.

The veteran point guard has been one of the leaders for the surprising Jazz, who sit atop the Western Conference at 12-6. Conley has averaged 10.2 points and a career-high 7.9 assists per game for Utah this season.

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Kyrie Irving has been cleared to make his return for the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday vs the Memphis Grizzlies. Irving has missed the last eight games while suspended by the Nets.

Irving was suspended following sharing a link to an anti-Semitic film. Brooklyn's governor Joe Tsai set a list of criteria Irving had to complete before he would be allowed to return. Irving has completed all those tasks and will rejoin the Nets as they head home from a west coast trip.

Brooklyn went 5-3 with Irving out of the lineup. For the season, the Nets sit at 7-9 on the season.

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Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant will be out for an indefinite amount of time due to a Grade 1 left ankle sprain. Morant will be considered week-to-week due to the injury.

Morant was injured in the Grizzlies victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday. Memphis is already without Morant's backcourt partner Desmond Bane for two-to-three weeks due to a sprained big toe.

The Grizzlies recently welcomed back Jaren Jackson Jr, after he missed the start of the season while recovering from knee surgery. Ziaire Williams and Danny Green remain sidelined due to knee injuries. Williams is expected back sometime next month, while Green may return during the second half of the season.

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Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey will miss the next three-to-four weeks due to a small fracture in his left foot. Maxey is not expected to need surgery, but will miss nearly a month of action.

Maxey was injured on a drive during Friday's win over the Milwaukee Bucks. After landing awkwardly, Maxey was removed from the game and did not return.

The third-year guard was in the midst of a breakout season for the Sixers. In 15 games, Maxey has averaged 22.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists, which are all career-highs.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo and Montrezl Harrell were involved in a confrontation following the Philadelphia 76ers' 110-102 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night.

The confrontation occurred as Antetokounmpo shot free throws as fans left the arena. Harrell then took the ball from Antetokounmpo.

"This isn't f-- Milwaukee. Get that s- out of there," yelled Harrell, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

Antetokounmpo, who left the court after Harrell refused to return the ball, came back with two basketballs.

Antetokounmpo then pushed a ladder away from the front of the hoop and returned to shooting free throws as Harrell continued to yell.

After Antetokounmpo left the court for the second time, Thanasis Antetokounmpo attempted to speak to Harrell. Harrell reportedly responded by saying "I'll beat your a-" and "you better send that s- back to the locker room."

Antetokounmpo finished the game with 25 points while only shooting 4-of-15 from the free throw line. Harrell finished with 1 point in 5 minutes.

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Tyrese Maxey will undergo an MRI on Saturday after injuring his left foot during the Philadelphia 76ers' 110-102 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

X-rays for Maxey's ankle returned negative. Maxey was wearing a walking boot after the game, according to Doc Rivers.

Maxey awkwardly landed on his foot while being fouled in transition with 1 minute, 36 seconds left in the first half.

Maxey is averaging 22.9 points per game on the season.

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The Los Angeles Lakers and Detroit Pistons are among the teams interested in signing Miles Bridges pending the league's investigation into his felony domestic violence plea.

Bridges pled no contest to the domestic violence charge stemming from a June incident in November. The NBA is considered likely to suspend Bridges for the incident.

Bridges remains a restricted free agent with the Charlotte Hornets despite his $7.9 million qualifying offer expiring.

Bridges was one of the NBA's most sought after free agents before the domestic violence incident.

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Nick Nurse has settled a lawsuit filed against him by his former agent Warren LeGarie, according to court documents. The lawsuit was centered on LeGarie's commission on a contract extension signed by Nurse with the Toronto Raptors. LeGarie filed the lawsuit against Nurse in 2021.

Nurse signed a four-year extension with the Raptors in 2020, which elevated his compensation for the final year of the existing deal and added three more seasons at $8 million per season. Nurse left LeGarie to sign with Andy Miller of Klutch Sports shortly before the contract was signed.

After the two parties were unable to reach a resolution via arbitration in the summer, the lawsuit was scheduled to go to a jury trial in February with Nurse, LeGarie, Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster among the parties expected to testify.

Nurse hired LeGarie as his agent in 2013 when he joined the Raptors as an assistant coach. LeGarie is one of the most prominent agents for coaches and front office executives in the NBA.

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The Phoenix Suns have reportedly been closing in on a trade of Jae Crowder and the Milwaukee Bucks are considered the most likely team to acquire him. The Bucks have scoured the league for a team to take on Grayson Allen and a final version of the Crowder deal is likely to involve a third team.

"People around the situation have said Milwaukee is the most likely team to land him," said Jake Fischer on Thursday on 'Please Don't Aggregate This'.

Crowder will be a free agent this offseason and is seeking a three-year deal worth at least $30 million.

The Bucks have looked for a replacement of PJ Tucker since he departed for the Miami Heat in the 2021 offseason.

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A Luka Doncic rookie card has sold for $3.12 million in a public auction.

This is the same Doncic Logoman that reportedly changed hands in a private sale in March 2021 for $4.6 million.

"This is the highest price ever realized for a basketball card sold in a verified public auction," said Jesse Craig, vice president of sales at PWCC. "This was an important moment for the market to decide on the value of Luka's best trading card. The card stood on its own merits [and] if you include private sales, Luka now sits between the high sales for LeBron and Jordan. The market confirmed Luka is in rare air in terms of collectability with this sale."

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Spain has overtaken the United States for the No. 1 ranking in the FIBA rankings.

The United States had the top slot for 12 straight years.

"It's not exactly a new title and it probably can't be maintained for too long, but it's something so unique, prestigious and historic that I feel tremendously proud of everyone who ... contributed to it," Spain coach Sergio Scariolo tweeted Friday.

Spain won the most recent World Cup, plus the EuroBasket title earlier this year. The United States finished seventh at the 2019 World Cup.

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The Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to sign Ibou Badji to a two-way deal.

Badji has been with the Wisconsin Herd in the G League this season.

Badji is considered one of the best shot blockers outside the NBA.

Portland will waive Olivier Sarr.

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Our first pod wasn't nearly enough time to run through all the fascinating issues for the upcoming CBA. Keith Smith of Spotrac discusses the owners' proposals for lowering the age limit, addressing tanking, changing the tampering rules, the in-season tournament, and addressing tanking, plus some of his own creative ideas for CBA changes.

Five more Episodes per week are available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime, as well as Nate's weekly podcast with John Hollinger DuncdOn.SupportingCast.fm

Subscribe to our weekly mailing list for free bonus content and all the info you need to keep up with the latest from Nate and Danny!

With @DannyLeroux and @NateDuncanNBA.

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The Philadelphia 76ers have begun to revisit the possibility of trading Tobias Harris, sources tell The Athletic.

Harris is averaging 14.7 points and 6.2 rebounds while attempting just 12.1 field goals per game.

Harris has one more season remaining on his five-year, $180 million contract signed in 2019.

Trade talks are expected to intensify leading up to December 15th when players who signed contracts in the offseason become eligible for trade.

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The New York Knicks have been willing to entertain a trade involving Derrick Rose and Immanuel Quickley, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The Knicks have an excess of guards on their roster and moving one of those two players could balance out their rotations.

Rose re-signed with the Knicks in 2021 on a three-year, $43 million deal. The Knicks have a team option on Rose for the 23-24 season.

Quckley will be extension eligible this offseason.

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The Phoenix Suns have expressed trade interest in Harrison Barnes, Kyle Kuzma, KJ Martin and John Collins, sources tell The Athletic.

The Suns continue to find a trade for Jae Crowder with the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks recently engaged.

The Suns promoted Cam Johnson to take Crowder's role in the starting lineup this season. Johnson is currently out following meniscus surgery.

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The Atlanta Hawks have opened up preliminary trade discussions on John Collins, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Collins is in the season-year of a $125 million deal. Collins has long been mentioned in trade rumors with the Hawks appearing to be close to a trade this past offseason.

The Hawks don't have an imminent trade in place involving Collins and talks are expected to continue through the Feb. 9th trade deadline.

The Phoenix Suns have shown interest in Collins, but they appear reluctant to take on long-term money and to trade future first round picks due to the uncertainty of their ownership. Robert Sarver is in the process of selling the Suns.

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Kawhi Leonard returned to the LA Clippers lineup on Thursday in a victory over the Detroit Pistons. Leonard started in his first action since October 23, which ended being a 12-game absence.

In 25 minutes, Leonard scored six points to go along with five rebounds and four assists. The Clippers star was a game-best +26 in a five-point LA victory.

Following the game, Leonard said it's going to take a while before he's back to himself on the court.

"It's going to be a long journey," Leonard said. "They say recovery isn't just one year. Everybody thinks that. But it's a two-year process."

In Leonard's other two appearances this season, he came off the Clippers bench. Head coach Ty Lue said that they were going to monitor Leonard's minutes, as opposed to him having a set restriction. Lue echoed his star's sentiments that it's going to take some time for Leonard to get back to himself again.

"It'll take Kawhi a little time to get back to the Kawhi we know," Lue said. "As great a player he is, he has to understand there are going to be some ups and downs."

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Ben Simmons had his best game for the Brooklyn Nets in a victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday. Simmons finished with 15 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists in 32 minutes off the Brooklyn bench.

Following his 6-for-6 shooting performance, Simmons told the media that he's just getting started.

"I'm coming," Simmons said. "I'm getting there, man. It's taking a little bit of time, but I got my own back. My teammates got my back, my coaches."

Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn had praise for Simmons' effort off the bench, especially Simmons' versatile defense.

"It's very encouraging," Vaughn said of Simmons' performance. "Most minutes he's played, really responded well. ... Kind of what we envisioned him doing everything for us. The defensive versatility of guarding [Jusuf] Nurkic and also Damian Lillard. A lot of people can't do that. And we can continue to grow with him and understand him, his game, how he benefits, with who. It's very encouraging."

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Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero got his NBA career off to a terrific start. Unfortunately, that start has been put on pause due to a sprained left ankle. That injury is likely to cost Banchero at least one more week.

Banchero did not travel with the Magic for their game at the Chicago Bulls on Friday. Despite still being out, Banchero said he's making progress. The rookie forward also said this was the first time he's suffered a sprained left ankle.

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X-rays on LaMelo Ball's sprained ankle returned negative on Thursday.

Steve Clifford had no timetable for Ball's return, though the point guard will miss Friday's game against the Cavs.

Ball suffered the injury after stepping on a fan's foot during the Hornets' loss versus the Pacers on Wednesday. It is the same ankle that caused Ball to miss the first 13 games of this season.

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The NBA fined JaMychal Green $20,000 for using "profane and derogatory language" towards an official.

The incident occurred during the Warriors' 130-119 loss to the Suns on Wednesday.

Green finished with two points and two rebounds in the game.

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Jamal Murray has joined Nikola Jokic in the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

Murray is listed out for Friday's game against the Dallas Mavericks.

The Denver Nuggets will also play at the Mavericks on Sunday.

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Kyrie Irving is expected to be cleared to return to game action on Sunday against the Memphis Grizzlies at Barclays Center.

Irving will be coming off what became a team-mandated suspension that lasted eight games for posting a link to a film with antisemitic materials.

Sources tell Shams Charania that both sides are happy with what Irving has done throughout the process, especially given the number of community leaders he has met with.

Irving chose to go "above and beyond" what was asked of him, said one source.

Irving met with Silver on Nov. 8, with sources describing a "productive and understanding" visit in New York City. Two days later, Irving and his family met with Nets co-owners Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai.

"(The Anti-Defamation League) never set the terms for Kyrie's return. At the end of the day, it is up to the Nets, the NBA and the union to figure out whether it's appropriate for him to return or not," said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, told The Athletic on Thursday.

"I can say from my point of view that I take Kyrie at his word that he is truly sorry and that he's willing to put in the work to educate himself and engage in constructive dialogue. I also trust that the Nets, the NBA and the union are making the right call and if they're satisfied, I have no reason not to be."

A source close to the Anti-Defamation League added that the ADL does not believe Irving is antisemitic.

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An MRI on Rudy Gay revealed a third finger MCP joint sprain in his left hand. He will be reevaluated in two weeks.

Gay is in his 17th NBA season and second with the Jazz, owning averages of 4.5 points and 3.4 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per contest in 2022-23.

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The therapist who alleged Joshua Primo exposed himself to her on multiple occasions while she worked for the San Antonio Spurs has settled her lawsuit against both parties.

Tony Buzbee said in a statement Thursday afternoon all parties "agreed to resolve this matter."

Hillary Cauthen accused Primo of wrongdoing during nine separate incidents.

Cauthen claimed in her suit that she complained about Primo's behavior to Spurs officials. Bexar County District Court records show Cauthen dropped her suit against the Spurs "with prejudice," which means she cannot refile it.

Primo was waived by the Spurs on Oct. 28.

RC Buford released the following statement in response to the lawsuit settlement:

"The situation regarding Josh Primo is a matter we take seriously. Since learning of the allegations, we have taken, and are taking, measures to ensure that all parties involved are treated with dignity and respect. We know we owe that to Dr. Cauthen, our players, our staff and our community.

"As an organization, we are continuously evaluating and refining our processes so they ultimately reflect the values and future of who we aspire to be every day. To that end, we have decided to collaborate with Dr. Cauthen and other experts in an effort to review and improve our workplaces processes and procedures.

"This is a learning opportunity for us, and one that we are certain will make us better moving forward."

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Kawhi Leonard has been upgraded to questionable for Thursday's game against the Detroit Pistons.

Leonard is considered on the verge of returning and playing in his first game since Oct. 23 due to stiffness in his right knee.

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Joe Mazzulla is expected to remain as head coach of the Boston Celtics long-term beyond the current season, but he is unlikely to have the interim tag removed during Ime Udoka's year-long suspension.

"Everything is aligned and in place for Joe Mazzulla to be the long-term coach for the Boston Celtics, except for one thing: Ime Udoka is technically still the head coach of the Boston Celtics, on suspension," said Adrian Wojnarowski on ESPN. "For all intents and purposes, he has coached his last game in Boston. This is uncharted territory certainly. Unless Ime Udoka takes another job this season elsewhere, it still may be an interim label until the end of the year.

"Mazzulla has handled this very well. He has a locker room of key players who were very fond of Udoka and still very fond of him. [Mazzulla] has certainly navigated that. He had his own relationships. You have seen him command the respect of this group, but how this team has performed. Continuing at a very high level.

"There's every indicated that interim status will eventually leave and he'll be on a long-term deal as the Celtics' coach, but it may not be until after the season."

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The Phoenix Suns and Jae Crowder agreed that the veteran forward would stay away from the team until his trade request could be fulfilled. Now, it seems like the Suns might be closing on trading Crowder.

Marc Stein of Substack reported that there were "credible rumbles" that a Crowder trade had some progress. This came after Crowder put up a cryptic Instagram post showing a clock.

Jack Fischer of Yahoo Sports followed up Stein's reporting by saying that the Suns appeared close to finalizing a three-team trade prior to their game against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night.

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LaMelo Ball reinjured his left ankle after stepping on a fan's foot during the Charlotte Hornets' 125-113 loss to the Indiana Pacers.

Ball missed the first 13 games of the season after suffering a Grade 2 sprain on the same ankle.

The injury took place with one minute and 34 seconds left in the game, with Ball attempting to save the ball from going out of bounds.

Steve Clifford had no immediate update on Ball's condition following the game.

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Isaiah Collier announced his commitment to USC on Wednesday.

Collier, a 6-foot-4 point guard from Georgia, is ranked No. 6 in ESPN's 100 for the class of 2023.

Collier chose the Trojans over Cincinnati, Michigan, and UCLA.

The commitment gives USC a top-10 recruiting class for the second straight year.

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Kawhi Leonard will miss the Los Angeles Clippers home game against the Detroit Pistons on Thursday due to right knee injury management.

Leonard, who has played in just two games this season, last appeared on October 23.

Paul George is also questionable for the game due to a left hand contusion.

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John and Nate look back at their season predictions and take some mulligans on their worst efforts. Then each ranks their top-3 predictions that most needed a re-do.

Sign up here for Dunc'd On Prime, the only place to get all Hollinger & Duncan episodes. If you want to know more about Dunc'd On Prime and why we're making this move, please read this letter from Nate to our listeners.

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Kyrie Irving is nearing completion on the process needed for a return to play and could rejoin the Brooklyn Nets as soon as Sunday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Irving will miss his eighth straight game on Thursday at the Portland Trail Blazers, but he's closing in on the end of his suspension.

"Kyrie is continuing his journey of dialogue and education," National Basketball Players Association executive director Tamika Tremaglio told ESPN on Wednesday night. "He has been grappling with the full weight of the impact of his voice and actions, particularly in the Jewish community. Kyrie rejects antisemitism in any form, and he's dedicated to bettering himself and increasing his level of understanding. He plans to continue this journey well into the future to ensure that his words and actions align with his pursuit of truth and knowledge."

At the time of his suspension, the Nets issued a statement saying "failure to disavow antisemitism when given a clear opportunity to do so is deeply disturbing, is against the values of our organization, and constitutes conduct detrimental to the team."

In a memo to members of the NBPA on Friday, the union told NBA players that, "Kyrie's rights, and the rights of all future players, have been protected at every turn," and added that the union "look(s) forward very soon to a resolution of all matters satisfactory to all parties."

Brooklyn is 4-3 without Irving during his suspension.

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Kyrie Irving was initially suspended by the Brooklyn Nets for a minimum five games and he has now remained out for seven games and will miss his eighth when the team wraps their west coast road trip at the Portland Trail Blazers.

"I'm told Kyrie Irving has made progress," said Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday morning. "There's a list of things, essentially, he had to check the boxes on to be able to return, to get approval from the Nets, the NBA. I'm told he's made progress on that.

"I think once the Nets get off this road trip and head back east, you start to look at more of a timetable for a Kyrie Irving return. But I do think he'll be back with this team and it will be in the relatively near future."

Brooklyn reportedly gave Irving a list of six things he had to complete before he would be reinstated.

Irving has averaged 26.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 39.6 minutes before game this season.

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Dylan Windler, who missed 12 of 13 games for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season with a sprained right ankle, will remain out approximately 4-6 weeks after a recent platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection was received to help treat the ankle. Imaging taken at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health confirmed the injury.

Windler's ankle will be stabilized in a walking cast, after which a new therapy plan will be established to determine the next steps in his return to basketball activities. His status will be updated as appropriate.

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Kevin Durant believes the Brooklyn Nets can make it work still around him and Kyrie Irving.

"Yeah," said Durant. "I can't think s- ain't working out just because we've been through some adversity, some bumps on the road. We just keep fighting until we can't no more. That's how I look at it. It's exciting to come in every day to work to get better as a team and as an individual. For me, being a leader, it's good to see the development of the younger guys in the league. Each game is important for us. There's a spotlight on us because of the timing we've got. There is a lot to do, is we've just got to step up and play a different role, so I'm excited about that. Everything basketball I enjoy. It seems like regardless of what is being thrown at us [I enjoy] trying to exercise, trying to figure it out and get past it."

Durant was also asked what made him want to stay after his trade request and whether he still wants to remain with the franchise.

"I just love the people in here. We had a rough season last year. A lot of ups and downs. I felt like me pressing a trade or telling how I felt about the organization, we were able to have some honest conversations on both sides. So, I think that was what we needed, and we were able to move forward. So, it was about grinding. I committed here. I signed here. So, it's about grinding, seeing where it takes us."

Durant also said he's in a good place with his mindset.

"I'm incredible. Loving life right now. I don't think the world understands that. Maybe I need to get miked up more," Durant told Marc J. Spears of Andscape at Golden 1 Center. "Maybe I need to have more fluff pieces written about me. Smile more in pictures. Maybe people might understand that I ain't miserable in life. Like [TNT NBA analyst] Charles [Barkley] said I'm Mr. Miserable. I guess because I don't [smile] enough for the cameras. But I'm doing incredible, man."

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Kevin Durant requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets this past offseason, which they ultimately didn't accommodate. Durant spoke of the trade request and his return to the Nets this season despite his request the Nets part ways with Steve Nash. Nash and the Nets parted ways early in the season and Jacque Vaughn was elevated to head coach after they decided not to move forward with Ime Udoka.

"It wasn't difficult at all to request a trade because it was about ball," Durant told Chris Haynes of B/R. "I went to them and was like, 'Yo, I don't like how we are preparing. I don't like shootarounds. I like practices. I need more. I want to work on more s--t. Hold me accountable. Get on my ass in film if that's going to help you get on everybody else's head. I want to do more closeouts. I want to work on more shell drills at practice.'

"This was the type of s--t I was coming at them with. It wasn't like, 'Yo, y'all need to make sure everybody around me can make my life easier.' Hell nah, I want to make everybody else's life easier. Ask Steve Nash, you can go call him right now. I would say, 'Yo, I need more closeout drills. We need to practice more.' That's what I was on.

"I wasn't feeling that, and nobody was on that same vibe with me. Jacque Vaughn is. I had some complaints in the summer, and my complaints were not about just me; it was about how we are moving as a unit. I want us to be respected out here in the basketball world. I don't want players to look at us and say, 'Oh man, these [expletive] are full of s--t. That's not the type of team I want to be on.' So when we're all playing like s--t, you know the one person they're going to look at. That's why I requested a trade."

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Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) and draft expert Stephen Noh of the Sporting News (@StephNoh) discuss the season so far.

They talk about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's incredibly strong start, Desmond Bane's improvement in Year Three, an intriguing rookie class, Noh's oral history on the wild 3-on-5 Alabama/Minnesota game and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on iTunes or via the RSS feed.

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The Boston Celtics have a lack of depth at center, particularly with Robert Williams III out for several more weeks. To support Boston's title hopes, they could scour the trade market for help at the position with Jakob Poeltl a potential candidate.

"The question is 'does this team need to go out and get another big man who can defend?'" said Brian Windhorst. "The name that has come up that people have speculated has been Jakob Poeltl from the Spurs. They did a deal with the Spurs last year, obviously, for Derrick White.

"The Spurs may want to keep Jakob Poeltl. I'm not saying they're going to put him out there. The Spurs were unable to extend Poeltl. They tried to extnd him before the season. He will become an unrestricted free agent. They have the lowest payroll in the league. San Antonio can certainly afford to pay him, maybe that's what they're going to do at the end of the season."

Poeltl is averaging 13.4 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.2 blocks in 28.8 minutes over 15 games for the Spurs this season.

Windhorst reported a few weeks ago that Poeltl expects to make more as a free agent than what the Spurs could offer him via extension currently.

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The Brooklyn Nets have grown increasingly frustrated as an organization over Ben Simmons' availability to play in game, and his level of play when he does play. Some within the Nets organization have questioned Simmons' passion for the game.

Simmons missed the entirety of the 2021-22 season, while recovering from a back injury, as well as mental health challenges that prevented him from taking the court. This continued even after Simmons was traded from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Nets.

Brooklyn has begun bringing Simmons off the bench, in a pseudo-backup center role. This change in role came after Simmons missed nearly a week after having fluid drained from his left knee.

Simmons said he understands the frustrations with him missing time, but that no one should question his commitment.

"You're obviously not gonna be happy when anybody's out," Simmons said. "But for me, I've been dealing with the knee since the start of the season. It's been swollen. I had PRP. I had blood drained a couple times. So, it's not a made-up thing, you know? It's a real thing.

"I get (the skepticism), but I think the one thing with me is that I'm a competitor. I want to win and play. So, I'm gonna do what I can to get out there."

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Before the New York Knicks game at the Utah Jazz on Tuesday, Tom Thibodeau hinted at a potential rotation change. But Thibodeau didn't change his starting lineup as expected. Instead, he trimmed his rotation.

Evan Fournier and Quentin Grimes were both dropped from the rotation. The Knicks ran a nine-man group in a road victory over the Jazz. And Thibodeau was happy with the results.

"We wanted to see what it would look like and it gave us, I thought, better rhythm," Thibodeau said. "That's why we did it."

Fournier had opened the year as a starter, but lost that role to Cam Reddish. Since then, Fournier has seen his playing time steadily decline. Grimes opened the year recovering from an injury and has yet to find the form from him promising rookie season.

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Baye Fall committed to Arkansas on Tuesday, giving the program its second top-25 recruit for the 2023 class after Layden Blocker.

Fall is currently ranked No. 23 in ESPN's 100 for the class of 2023.

"I heavily considered every school in my top four, but in the end I had to do what's best for me. Not only did Arkansas recruit me the longest and most consistently, but they play in a conference that I really like in the SEC. Plus, they know how to take guys to the pros, which is where I ultimately want to be," said Fall.

Fall chose the Razorbacks over Auburn, Rutgers, and Seton Hall.

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Isaiah Stewart is set to be re-evaluated in the next 2-3 weeks due to a sprained right toe.

Stewart suffered the injury during Monday night's loss against the Raptors.

Stewart is averaging 12 points and 9.3 rebounds per game on the season.

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The Los Angeles Clippers are reportedly interested in acquiring Myles Turner, sources told Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.

Looking to replace Isaiah Hartenstein, the team is willing to part ways with some of its wing depth as opposed to John Wall or Reggie Jackson.

The Clippers have first-round picks in 2028 and 2029 to throw into any trade.

Turner has frequently been linked with the Lakers.

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The NBA rescinded Jayson Tatum's technical foul from Tuesday night's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Tatum was called for a technical by John Goble after clapping following a foul call.

Tatum currently has four technical fouls on the season.

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Jaylen Brown, who is a VP with the NBPA, believes "it's time for a larger conversation" now that Kyrie Irving continues to miss games beyond his minimum five-game suspension that was issued by the Brooklyn Nets following his decision to link to an antisemitic documentary.

Joe Tsai told a local reporter Irving "still has a lot of work to do" to get back onto the basketball court. Brown quote-tweeted the report and called it alarming for multiple reasons.

"He didn't say that the organization was working together to get Kyrie back on the floor. He said that he had more work to do," Brown said Monday night. "And our society has more work to do."

"Including Joe Tsai," Brown continued. "It's 2022. It takes 10 minutes of time to see who these business owners, corporations, etc., who they're associated with and who they're doing business with, who they're affiliated with."

Nike founder Phil Knight said Irving "stepped out of line" by sharing the film on his social media channels.

Brown responded to Knight's quote, tweeting: "Since when does Nike care about ethics?"

"I'm vice president of the union, and it's part of my job to protect our players legally, Brown said Monday night. "And to see Phil Knight first come out and condemn Kyrie, and also see Joe Tsai say he has more work to do, I think it's time for a larger conversation."

Brown said Irving is in a gray area because he posted the link to the controversial film without any caption.

"I think it's uncharted territory," Brown said. "I think it's no distinction between what somebody says vs. what somebody posts, and I guess that's what they are trying to figure out. The terms that the Brooklyn Nets instituted for his return, I voiced my discomfort.

"It's still an indefinite suspension, he's already missed five or six games, so how many games is he going to continue to miss? Is it another situation going on there? Is it a larger situation going on there, is it a larger conversation that needs to be had? We've yet to find out."

Brown suggested Irving might not be willing to apologize more than he already has.

"I'm not sure if [showing contrition] is something that Kyrie is looking to do," Brown said. "I don't think he meant any harm by posting it. Obviously, it came off as insensitive to a lot of people, but Adam [Silver] came out with a statement: He doesn't believe Kyrie Irving is antisemitic," Brown said. "Joe Tsai came out and said a statement that they don't believe he is antisemitic. Those are their words, so he has already apologized formally through his IG post.

"But the comment that Joe Tsai made, which I feel like bothered a lot of people was like, 'He has more work to do.' Like, what does that mean? Our society has more work to do, including Joe Tsai. So I'm curious to know what that is, what that means."

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Nikola Jokic has entered the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

Jokic joins Bones Hyland in the protocol for the Denver Nuggets. Both players will miss Wednesday's game against the New York Knicks at a minimum. Hyland entered the protocol last Friday.

The Nuggets currently have a 9-4 record.

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The NBA is seeking a long-term media rights deal with ESPN and Turner having the inside track to continue as its primary partners.

Turner now falls under the Warner Bros. Discovery umbrella run by CEO David Zaslav.

Zaslav said that the slumping ad market is hurting their bottom line. Zaslav also said they will stay disciplined in their negotiations with the NBA.

"We don't have to have the NBA," Zaslav said.

Zaslav reiterated they would like to do a new deal with the NBA and even mentioned HBO Max as a possible home for streaming games.

"It has to be a deal for the future. It can't be a deal for the past," Zaslav also said.

Turner recently signed Charles Barkley to a 10-year extension though he could leave if the network doesn't keep the NBA.

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Juju Watkins has committed to USC as part of the incoming class of 2023.

Watkins is the No. 1 recruit in women's basketball and also had South Carolina and Stanford on her list.

Watkins, a versatile 6-foot-2 guard, averaged 24.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.8 steals and 2.0 blocks last season for Sierra Canyon en route to the state title.

Lindsay Gottlieb was hired as head coach of USC in 2021 after previous stints as an assistant coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers and as the head coach at Cal.

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Julius Randle called a players only dinner meeting for the New York Knicks in Utah on Monday evening.

Players stressed that it was positive and allowed the players to bond as a group.

The Knicks are coming off a 143-135 loss at home to the Oklahoma City Thunder and are 6-7 on the season.

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The Memphis Grizzlies were closing in on having their starting five healthy for the first time all season. That will now have to waive for a few more weeks.

Desmond Bane has been ruled out for two-to-three weeks due to a sprained right big toe. Bane's injury comes just as Jaren Jackson Jr. will reportedly return to the lineup on Tuesday night.

Bane has played at an All-Star level this season for the Grizzlies. He's averaged 24.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists, which all career-highs. Bane is also shooting 46.5% from the field, including 45.1% on 8.5 three-point attempts per game. Bane is also at 91.2% on a career-best 4.8 free throw attempts per game.

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The Houston Rockets have opened the season as one of the NBA's worst defensive teams. In part, that's led the Rockets to their NBA-worst 2-12 record. Unfortunately, it will be a little while longer before Houston gets one of their better defenders back on the floor.

Jae'Sean Tate will be out at least two-to-three more weeks due to his sore ankle, per Rockets coach Stephen Silas. The two-to-three-week timeline is when the wing will be re-evaluated. It may still be sometime after that re-evaluation before Tate returns.

Tate has appeared in just three games this season. Tate missed the first four games of the season. He then played in three games to end October. After logging 30 minutes on October 30, Tate has been out with persistent ankle soreness.

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The Golden State Warriors are sending James Wiseman to their G League affiliate in Santa Cruz for an "extended period," according to Steve Kerr.

Kerr added that Wiseman could remain with the G League for "maybe ten straight days."

Wiseman is averaging 6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds on the season.

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Taiwanese teams are reportedly looking to sign Isaiah Thomas and Enes Freedom, according to Marc Stein of Substack.

It was also reported over the weekend that a Taiwanese team is hoping to sign Carmelo Anthony.

The rumors come on the heels of Dwight Howard signing with the Taoyuan Leopards last week.

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Mexico City is "in consideration" to receive an NBA expansion team, according to Marc J. Spears of Andscape.

"From what I'm hearing, Mark Tatum said Mexico City is in consideration. So move to the side Las Vegas. Move to the side Seattle. Mexico City, which also can open a door to Latin America, is a legit contender when the NBA talks expansion," said Spears on NBA Today.

Spears initially reported last week that Mexico City was a potential candidate for expansion.

The league has said it won't look at expansion until after negotiating the next TV rights deal.

The G League's Mexico City Capitanes are set to play a full home and away schedule this season.

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The Golden State Warriors will pause all FTX-related promotions after the cryptocurrency exchange firm filed for bankruptcy on Friday.

The final promotional item was a Jordan Poole bobblehead on Monday night. All other advertisements have been pulled from the arena.

The move follows the Miami Heat announcing that they will rename FTX Arena.

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Kyrie Irving will remain out for a seventh game of his team-imposed suspension, the Brooklyn Nets announced.

Irving will miss Tuesday's game at the Sacramento Kings.

The Nets suspended Irving for a minimum of five games with him needing to fulfill a series of steps in order to be reinstated.

The Nets are 4-2 since Irving was suspended. Brooklyn will return for a home game on November 20th following the conclusion of their four-game road trip at the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday.

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It was inevitable that LeBron James would be asked about Kyrie Irving's sharing of an anti-Semitic documentary. James said he has "love" for Irving, but that Irving's actions "caused some harm to a lot of people".

"It doesn't matter what color your skin is, how tall you are, what position you're in. If you are promoting or soliciting or saying harmful things to any community that harms people, then I don't respect it," James said. "I don't condone it."

James said he doesn't know what steps Irving should take to find a resolution.

"I don't know the direction, the steps that he takes, but he's apologized for what he said and I hope that he understands that what he said was harmful to a lot of people," James said. "And we as humans, none of us are perfect, but I hope he understands what he did and the actions that he took are just harmful to a lot of people."

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Kevin Durant's frustration with the Brooklyn Nets was evident over the summer, when the superstar made a well-publicized trade demand. Ultimately, no trade was found, and Durant and the Nets agreed to work together this season.

Now, with Brooklyn's season again being undermined by distractions, Durant could again issue a trade demand, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

"The concern certainly in Brooklyn is: How long does Kevin Durant hang in there with the losing, with the instability right now?" Wojnarowski said. "You can imagine a scenario where Kevin Durant perhaps revisits his request from the summer at some point. Although, I don't believe that's a consideration right now for him."

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Dallas Mavericks guard Spencer Dinwiddie opened his postgame press conference talking about NBA official Tony Brothers, instead of the Mavs win over the Toronto Raptors. Dinwiddie said Brothers called him a slur after giving the guard a technical foul.

According to Dinwiddie, a teammate told him that Brothers called the Mavs guard a "btch a mother f**er".

Dinwiddie went on to explain that he did have an incident with Brothers during the game, but at no point did he make anything personal towards the referee. Dinwiddie requested that the NBA rescind his technical foul, and the ensuing fine, based on Brothers' insult towards him.

Media present asked to speak with Brothers following the game via a pool report. That request was denied, as pool reports are intended for rules clarifications only.

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An MRI on Ben Simmons' left knee returned clean on Friday night.

Simmons, who did not travel to upcoming games in Washington or Charlotte, had been dealing with swelling in his knee.

Simmons had his knee drained this week.

Interim coach Jacque Vaughn added that there is a chance Simmons plays on Monday against the Mavs.

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Nike announced the suspension of its relationship with Kyrie Irving on Friday night.

Nike will no longer release the Kyrie 8, which was scheduled to come out on November 8.

"At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech and we condemn any form of antisemitism. We are deeply saddened and disappointed by the situation and its impact on everyone," said Nike in a statement.

Irving's deal with Nike was originally set to expire on October 1, 2023.

With several players wearing Irving's sneaker, it is not known whether Nike will request endorsed athletes to stop wearing the line altogether.

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Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) and Jared Weiss of The Athletic (@JaredWeissNBA) go in-depth on the Boston Celtics.

They discuss the Brooklyn Nets potentially hiring Ime Udoka and how that could affect both the Nets and Celtics, Jayson Tatum's strong start, how the first seven games affect their assessment of the Celtics and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

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The communication of the Brooklyn Nets with Kyrie Irving has been channelled entirely though his agent and stepmother Shetellia Riley-Irving, sources tell ESPN.

The Nets sent an email to Riley-Irving detailing his minimum five-game suspension and the conditions Irving needs to fulfill before being allowed to play again.

Those include a public statement recognizing the film Irving linked to last week as antisemitic, an apology for supporting the film and the falsehoods within it, and training sessions on the dangers of hate speech. Irving must also meet with Brooklyn Jewish leaders.

Joe Tsai and the Nets offered Irving a number of opportunities to disavow antisemitism in the week since he first posted a link to the documentary in question.

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The Brooklyn Nets are still working through the final stages of vetting the hiring of Ime Udoka, sources tell ESPN.

When the Nets fired Steve Nash on Tuesday, they were widely expected to hire Udoka as early as Wednesday.

Udoka is under a season-long suspension by the Boston Celtics for an inappropriate workplace relationship with a female subordinate.

Udoka was previously an assistant coach with the Nets and has a long history with Sean Marks.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are believed to be only team with serious interest in pursuing Kyrie Irving last offseason when he explored sign-and-trade scenarios before opting into his contract with the Brooklyn Nets.

Even with the Lakers potentially offering Russell Westbrook and future draft picks, they wanted to acquire Irving on something short of a long-term, guaranteed contract.

"I think it speaks to what happened last summer when Brooklyn was resistant to giving Kyrie Irving a long-term, guaranteed contract," said Adrian Wojnarowski. "So were the Lakers in a sign-and-trade scenario with Brooklyn.

"I think for Kyrie Irving, these were the questions that put him in this situation where he was in the final year of his deal. I don't think there's anything happened so far on or especially off the court that's going to bring anybody more comfort with committing to Kyrie Irving on a long-term contract that leaves the organization without the flexibility to move out from under it it.

"Kyrie Irving is back right where he was this summer, which is having to prove himself. Prove that he can be trusted. Prove that he's be a good faith partner for an NBA team, whether it's Brooklyn or elsewhere in the league.

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The Brooklyn Nets suspended Kyrie Irving five games approximately one week after he first posted a link to an antisemitic documentary. Irving was given multiple chances to apologize for the action, but he didn't do so until after the suspension.

"This is amid, I think both Nets' management and the league office pushing Joe Tsai to be more punitive," said Adrian Wojnarowski. "A suspension, a punishment. As the days wore on and Kyrie Irving had a chance on Saturday night and then again yesterday publicly with the media to disavow and condemn the contents of that movie, to say that he was not antisemitic. Those two public appearances and then a joint statement with the Nets a couple of days ago that still fell short. I think finally Joe Tsai realized even after Adam Silver didn't want to wait for Joe Tsai anymore to figure this out with Kyrie Irving... he put his own statement out and wasn't going to just allow the Nets to handle this, let Joe Tsai handle it.

"You come to a situation yesterday where the Nets suspended Kyrie Irving for at least five games and come out with a strongly worded statement that certainly many would have liked to have seen days ago."

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Kevin Durant spoke to the media following the five-game suspension of Kyrie Irving following his unwillingness to "unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs." Irving later issued an apology.

"I'm not here to judge somebody or talk down on the life or how they feel their views," said Durant. "I just didn't like anything that went on. I felt like it was all unnecessary. I felt like we could have just kept playing basketball and kept quiet as an organization."

Durant also appeared to blame the media for the situation surrounding Irving.

"This is the way the NBA is now, media, so many outlets now and their stories hit pretty fast now," said Durant. "So that's where all the chaos is coming from. Everybody has an opinion on the situation, and we're hearing it nonstop."

Durant published a follow-up on Twitter in response to his comments.

Just wanna clarify the statements I made at shootaround, I see some people are confused..I don't condone hate speech or anti-semetism, I'm about spreading love always. Our game Unites people and I wanna make sure that's at the forefront

  • Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) November 4, 2022

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A.J. Johnson, the No. 25 recruit in the 2023 class, announced that he will transfer to SoCal Academy from the recently closed Donda Academy.

Donda Academy teammate Jacob Bannarbie will also join Johnson at SoCal Academy.

Other former Donda Academy prospects announced their plans for this upcoming season.

Javonte (J.J.) Taylor, currently ranked the No. 45 prospect for 2023, announced that he will play at San Ysidro High alongside top recruit Mikey Williams.

Kentucky commit Rob Dillingham signed with Overtime Elite.

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Kyrie Irving apologized to "all Jewish families and Communities" in an Instagram post on Thursday night.

"To All Jewish families and Communities that are hurt and affected from my post, I am deeply sorry to have caused you pain, and I apologize. I initially reacted out of emotion to being unjustly labeled Anti-Semitic, instead of focusing on the healing process of my Jewish Brothers and Sisters that were hurt from the hateful remarks made in the Documentary.

"I want to clarify any confusion on where I stand fighting against Anti- semticism by apologizing for posting the documentary without context and a factual explanation outlining the specific beliefs in the Documentary I agreed with and disagreed with. I had no intentions to disrespect any Jewish cultural history regarding the Holocaust or perpetuate any hate," wrote Irving.

Irving was most recently suspended by the Nets for at least five games without pay following a press conference in which he took responsibility but did not apologize for linking to an antisemitic film.

The Anti-Defamation league rejected Irving's $500,000 donation made to the organization on Thursday.

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Fellow CBA dork Keith Smith of Spotrac joins to discuss the 2023 CBA negotiations. Keith talks to a ton of agents about CBA issues and provided a great perspective on the players' side of the CBA negotiations. We also give our thoughts on whether the proposed changes would be good or bad for the game. Among the topics discussed:

  • The owner's desire for a hard cap
  • Liberalizing the extension and max salary rules
  • Changes to the two-way contract
  • The possibility of players owning part of teams
  • Players getting a piece of expansion fees
  • Rolling over unused cap space from year to year

Dunc'd On Prime is the only place to get all six of our episodes, including one with Nate and John Hollinger, ad-free each week! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM/join

Subscribe to our weekly mailing list for free bonus content and all the info you need to keep up with the latest from Nate and Danny!

With @DannyLeroux and @NateDuncanNBA

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The Anti-Defamation league will not accept Kyrie Irving's $500,000 donation due to Irving not offering an apology during Thursday's press conference.

"We were optimistic but after watching the debacle of a press conference, it's clear that Kyrie feels no accountability for his actions. @ADL cannot in good conscience accept (the donation)," tweeted ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt.

Irving took responsibility for linking to an antisemitic film on social media during the press conference, though offered no apology.

Irving was suspended for at least 5 games without pay by the Nets later in the day.

The ADL had released a statement on Wednesday in which the Nets and Irving both pledged to donate $500,000 to the organization.

It is not clear whether the ADL will accept the Nets' donation.

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The Brooklyn Nets have suspended Kyrie Irving for at least five games without pay.

"Over the last several days, we have made repeated attempts to work with Kyrie Irving to help him understand the harm and danger of his words and actions, which began with him publicizing a film containing deeply disturbing antisemitic hate. We believed that taking the path of education in this challenging situation would be the right one and thought that we had made progress with our joint commitment to eradicating hate and intolerance.

"We were dismayed today, when given an opportunity in a media session, that Kyrie refused to unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs, nor acknowledge specific hateful material in the film. This was not the first time he had the opportunity - but failed - to clarify.

"Such failure to disavow antisemitism when given a clear opportunity to do so is deeply disturbing, is against the values of our organization, and constitutes conduct detrimental to the team. Accordingly, we are of the view that he is currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets. We have decided that Kyrie will serve a suspension without pay until he satisfies a series of objective remedial measures that address the harmful impact of his conduct and the suspension period served is no less than five games."

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Miles Bridges has pled no contest to a felony domestic violence charge and will receive three years of probation and no time in jail as part of a deal with prosectors.

Bridges was accused of assaulting his then-girlfriend in front of their two children in May. In July, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon's office filed three felony charges against Bridges, who initially pleaded not guilty to all three.

The felony charges also included "an allegation of causing great bodily injury on the domestic violence victim," and that allegation was dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

During his three-year probation, Bridges, 24, will have to undergo 52 weeks of domestic violence counseling and 52 weeks of parenting classes, serve 100 hours of community service, and undergo weekly narcotics testing with marijuana allowed only if there is a valid doctor's prescription.

Bridges remains unsigned and is a restricted free agent after the Charlotte Hornets extended a qualifying offer to him.

The NBA can suspend, fine, dismiss or disqualify Bridges because he pled no contest. If Bridges had been acquitted, the NBA would have been unable to penalize him.

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James Harden is expected to miss at least one month with a strain of a tendon in his right foot.

Harden is averaging 22.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 10.0 assists in nine games this season for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Harden has also dealt with a hamstring issue over the past two seasons.

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The NBA announced the Oklahoma City Thunder has been fined $25,000 for violating league injury reporting rules.

The Thunder failed to disclose the game availability status of guard Josh Giddey in an accurate and timely manner prior to the Thunder game vs. the Orlando Magic on Nov. 1 at Paycom Center.

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The NBA announced the Los Angeles Clippers have been fined $25,000 for violating league injury reporting rules. The Clippers failed to disclose an accurate game availability status for guard Brandon Boston Jr. and forward Moussa Diabate prior to the Clippers game vs. the New Orleans Pelicans on Oct. 30 at Crypto.com Arena.

The Clippers listed Boston Jr. and Diabate as unavailable (due to an assignment in the NBA G League) but both players ultimately played in the game.

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The Golden State Warriors held no trade talks involving Draymond Green following his punch of Jordan Poole and "don't plan to as of now," sources tell Zach Lowe of ESPN.

Green can become a free agent in 2023 if he declines his option worth $27.5 million.

The Warriors and Green did not come to terms on an extension before the start of the season, though they did so with both Poole and Andrew Wiggins.

Green signed a five-year, $82 million contract in 2015 as a restricted free agent, and then a four-year, $100 million extension in 2019. The extension in 2019 was for the biggest raise he was eligible for as an extension.

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The Golden State Warriors and Klay Thompson did not hold substantive discussions on a contract extension, sources tell Zach Lowe of ESPN.

Thompson has been back from his torn ACL and Achilles for less than a year and has been inconsistent in his play, which makes determining his future value difficult.

Thompson cannot become a free agent until after the 23-24 season. Draymond Green, however, can become a free agent next summer.

The Warriors agreed to extensions last month with Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole.

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Kyrie Irving addressed the media for the first time since a contentious press conference last Saturday where he was asked about his decision to link to an antisemitic film.

"I take my responsibility for posting that," Irving said in his first public comments since a contentious news conference Saturday night. "Some things that were questionable in there, untrue. Like I said in the first time you guys asked me when I was sitting on that stage, I don't believe everything that everybody posts -- it's a documentary. So I take my responsibility."

Irving stopped short of apologizing, which many within the Brooklyn Nets and the NBA league office were hoping.

"I didn't mean to cause any harm," Irving said. "I'm not the one that made the documentary."

When asked specifically if he had any antisemitic beliefs, Irving chose to not directly answer the question.

"Again, I'm going to repeat. I don't know how the label becomes justified because you guys ask me the same questions over and over again," Irving said. "But this is not going to turn into a spin-around cycle -- questions upon questions.

"I told you guys how I felt. I respect all walks of life and embrace all walks of life. That's where I sit. ... I can not be antisemitic if I know where I come from."

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Dr. Hillary Cauthen made her first report about the alleged inappropriate conduct of Joshua Primo to management of the San Antonio Spurs in January 2022, according to a lawsuit filed by her attorney Tony Buzbee.

Cauthen is a sports psychologist.

Buzbee said Primo first exposed his penis to Cauthen in December of 2021 in one of their first sessions.

"Primo repeatedly exposed his genitals (nine times in total) to Dr. Cauthen during individual private sessions, despite her numerous complains about Primo's improper sexual conduct to the organization's leadership."

The lawsuit claims Cauthen lost her "dream job" because the Spurs "ignored her repeated reports of indecent exposure on the part of Primo."

The Spurs picked up the 23-24 option on the contract of Primo in October, months after learning of the allegations. San Antonio subsequently waived Primo last week.

Citing anonymous sources close to Primo, TMZ.com reported Monday that Primo is "adamant he did absolutely nothing wrong."

Those sources told TMZ.com that Primo insists he never intentionally exposed himself."

The Spurs released the following statement in response to the lawsuit:

"We disagree with the accuracy of facts, details and timeline presented today. While we would like to share more information, we will allow the legal process to play out," said RC Buford.

"Our organization remains committed to upholding the highest standards and will continue to live by our values and culture."

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Adam Silver released the following statement in response to Kyrie Irving:

"Kyrie Irving made a reckless decision to post a link to a film containing deeply offensive antisemitic material. While we appreciate the fact that he agreed to work with the Brooklyn Nets and the Anti-Defamation League to combat antisemitism and other forms of discrimination, I am disappointed that he has not offered an unqualified apology and more specifically denounced the vile and harmful content contained in the film he chose to publicize. I will be meeting with Kyrie in person in the next week to discuss the situation."

Irving released a statement alongside the Brooklyn Nets and the Anti-Defamation League on Wednesday.

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The Brooklyn Nets made "no substantial contact" with Quin Snyder on his potential interest in becoming their next head coach, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports.

Following the dismissal of Steve Nash as head coach, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN immediately reported that the Nets were interested in Snyder and Ime Udoka. Within an hour, reports surfaced that the Nets were set to hire Udoka once they worked through contractual issues.

By all accounts, Sean Marks zeroed in on Udoka exclusively. Udoka and the Nets were engaged in conversations over the weekend before Nash was fired. Marks and Udoka also have the same representation in Steven Heumann of CAA.

Wojnarowski has also reported that the Nets probably would not turn to Udoka due to his actions leading to a season long suspension by the Boston Celtics if there were another candidate with a similar resume.

Snyder stepped down as head coach of the Utah Jazz this past offseason.

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Rob Dillingham, one of the top basketball recruits in the country, was caught in a tough spot with the closing of Donda Academy. In need of a new school and program, Dillingham will join Overtime Elite.

The 6-foot-3 guard will retain his college eligibility. That will allow Dillingham to fulfill his commitment to attend the University of Kentucky.

In 2021, Dillingham helped lead Team USA to the gold medal in the U16 Americans Championships. Dillingham averaged 15.7 points, 6.2 assists and 3.2 steals over six games during Team USA's run to the gold.

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Donovan Mitchell has talked regularly about his excitement to be with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Mitchell has also been careful to avoid directly comparing the Cavs to his time with the Utah Jazz. But sometimes it happens naturally.

After Cleveland beat the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, Mitchell said he's been watching film of Darius Garland and how he works with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley on offense. In saying he wants to work with the talented young big men better, Mitchell perhaps unintentionally compared the duo to Rudy Gobert.

"I've never played with bigs as dynamic as them on offense," said Mitchell.

Mitchell may not be wrong, and likely meant nothing more than praise for his now teammates. However, some are taking this as a shot at Gobert, given Mitchell and Gobert often struggled to mesh on offense during their time in Utah.

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Becky Hammon will join ESPN as an NBA analyst for this season, the league announced on Wednesday.

Hammon will appear on shows ranging from "Get Up," "First Take," and "SportsCenter."

Hammon, who won the 2022 WNBA title with the Las Vegas Aces, was named the WNBA Coach of the Year.

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Gonzaga athletic director Chris Standiford met with the Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark last week to discuss a potential move to the conference, sources told Pete Thamel of ESPN.

Gonzaga has reportedly been exploring its conference options. It has also had discussions with the Big East and the Pac-12, though the extent of those conversations is unknown.

Yormark has spoken about his desire to add a fourth time zone to the conference.

The Big 12 is also nearing a six-year contract extension with its television partners ESPN and Fox.

The potential of Gonzaga joining the conference was brought up in a "cursory" manner in contract discussions, though had no impact on the final television deal.

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The Brooklyn Nets are expected to hire Ime Udoka as head coach as they reportedly view him as capable of salvaging their season. Udoka was previously an assistant coach with the Nets and was also an assistant coach with the Philadelphia 76ers where he worked with Ben Simmons.

"This very much is probably for this Nets' group, this iteration, this core, this is probably the last ditch effort to make this work," said Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Nets previously traded away control of their upcoming drafts to the Houston Rockets as part of the James Harden deal, which limits the incentives for them to enter into a complete rebuild where they bottom out.

Kevin Durant previously requested a trade while Kyrie Irving very nearly opted out of the final season of his contract.

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Kevin Durant reportedly had no input in the decision from the Brooklyn Nets to fire Steve Nash as head coach.

"You're always shocked when a move like this happens," Durant said after a 108-99 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night. "But it's normal in the NBA. It's about getting ready for the game tonight. It's a quick turn always in the league, especially during the season. You've got practice, games coming up, so you can't think too much about it. It was on my mind for a little bit today."

Durant said he found out about the news regarding Nash around 1:15 p.m. ET after he woke up from a pregame nap and watched ESPN.

Durant reportedly asked for Nash and Sean Marks to be fired over the offseason before rescinding his trade request.

Durant was asked why he thought it didn't work out for Nash in Brooklyn.

"A lot of stuff," Durant said. "We didn't have a healthy team. We just didn't play well. And that's what happens in the league. S--- happens. That doesn't take away from Steve's basketball IQ, how he teaches the game. I don't think that takes away from anything. It just didn't work out."

Marks was asked on Tuesday if any players were consulted in the decision.

"Zero," said Marks. "There was zero input from any of the players on this. I think this was a decision that we didn't need that. Steve and I didn't need that. Obviously I've talked to [owner] Joe [Tsai] about this, but the players were not consulted. They were told ahead of time that this was the direction we were going."

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The San Antonio Spurs have agreed to sign Jordan Hall to a one-year, non-guaranteed deal.

Hall played for the Spurs in Summer League and in the preseason.

Hall was recently waived from his Two-Way deal. The Spurs had a roster spot open up after they waived Joshua Primo.

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The NBA announced that select G League Ignite games will be streamed live via the NBA App this season. This includes the Ignite's season-opener this Friday, November 4.

The league also announced that several Ignite games will air on ESPN channels this season. The NBA previously announced that all games of French club Metropolitans 92 will air via the NBA App this season.

Metropolitans 92 and the Ignite feature Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson, respectively. Wembanyama and Henderson are widely expected to be the first two players selected at the 2023 NBA Draft.

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Overtime Elite, which formed as an alternative option to high school and college for basketball players, has signed their first media rights deal. Overtime Elite, or OTE, will air 20 games on Amazon Prime over each of the next three years.

In addition to covering games, Amazon will also invest in OTE. This also continues Amazon's investment in live sports. The company is broadcasting NFL games this season, as part of an exclusive Thursday night package, MLB games and WNBA games. Amazon is rumored to be interested in bidding on covering NBA games during upcoming media rights negotiations for the NBA.

Amazon will also produce an unscripted series on OTE. This is expected to take the format of previous unscripted series Amazon has run on English Premier League teams, as well as NFL teams.

This season, OTE features Amen and Ausur Thompson on their roster. The twins are both routinely seen as top-10 picks in the 2023 NBA Draft. Now, fans will have a consistent way to see the Thompson twins, as well as other talented players on a streaming service that isn't social media based.

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With the Brooklyn Nets facing the Chicago Bulls on TNT on Tuesday night, the broadcast opened with discussion of the most recent Nets drama. The bulk of that conversation centered on Kyrie Irving sharing a link to a film with anti-Semitic sentiments.

TNT's Reggie Miller was disappointed in Irving. But, even more so, Miller was disappointed in the reactions, or lack thereof, of fellow NBA players.

"In years past, this league has been great because the players have led the way and they have strong voices," Miller said. "When Donald Sterling stepped in it, when Robert Sarver just recently stepped in it, our voices in the basketball community and our players were vocally strong in some type of discipline being handed down... or be gone."

"The players have dropped the ball in this case when it's been one of their own. It's been crickets," Miller continued. "And it's disappointing, because this league has been built on the shoulders of the players being advocates. Right is right and wrong is wrong. And if you're gonna call out owners, and rightfully so, then you've got to call out players as well. You can't go silent in terms of this for Kyrie Irving. I want to hear the players, and their strong opinions as well, just as we heard about Robert Sarver and Donald Sterling."

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On Tuesday night's pregame Inside the NBA segment, Charles Barkley had strong thoughts on Kyrie Irving sharing a link to an anti-Semitic film. Barkley said the NBA should have suspended Irving.

"I think he should have been suspended," Barkley said about Irving. "I think Adam (Silver) should have suspended him."

Barkley went on to say that NBA commissioner Adam Silver being Jewish should have played in to suspending Irving. He also supported the NBA disciplining those who have made homophobic comments or insulted the Black community.

"First of all, Adam is Jewish - you can't take my $40 million and insult my religion. You gonna insult me, you have the right, but I have the right to say, 'You can't take my $40 million and insult my religion.' I think the NBA, they made a mistake," Barkley said. "We've suspended people and fined people who have made homophobic slurs. And that was the right thing to do. If you insult the black community, you should be suspended or fined heavily."

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Darius Garland completed his first full-contact practice since suffering an eye injury against the Toronto Raptors on opening night.

Garland could potentially return on Wednesday against the Celtics.

"We'll see tomorrow. He went through everything. It's how he's feeling tomorrow and what the swelling looks like. But he was good today. He's done enough to go ahead and play if he's gonna play," said J.B. Bickerstaff.

The Cavs have gone 5-0 without Garland in the lineup.

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Gary Payton II will not make his season debut for the Portland Trail Blazers until at least November 15, sources told Chris Haynes of TNT.

Payton, who signed a three-year, $28 million deal with the Blazers this offseason, is recovering from abdominal surgery.

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De'Aaron Fox was diagnosed with a bone bruise in his knee, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

There is no structural damage in Fox's knee.

Fox will miss Wednesday's game against the Heat and is day-to-day.

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Kyrie Irving did not speak to the media after the second consecutive game after fallout from his decision to link to an antisemitic film on social media and comments he made to media when asked about it following Saturday's game.

"I think everybody knows he's going to have to answer these questions at some point and he hasn't sort of shied away in the past," Sean Marks said. "But I think the last postgame meeting didn't go well and we're not trying to cover it up, I think this is something that needs to be addressed, but let's address it in the right form and fashion."

Irving will continue playing in the meantime.

"At some point he will come up here and do media again, but I think at this point we don't want to cause more fuss right now, more interaction with people," Marks said. "Let's let him simmer down and let's ... I guess let's let cooler minds prevail. We need to go out and educate ourselves, educate the whole group and get some direction, seek from the experts, and one of them is certainly the ADL."

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The Boston Celtics were unlikely to reinstate Ime Udoka in 2023, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski.

Udoka was found to have used crude language in his language with his dialogue with a female subordinate before the start of an improper workplace relationship.

The power dynamic associated with Judoka's relationship was the primary finding and policy violation cited in the law firm's report and was completed early last week.

The Celtics are said to be "fully invested" in Joe Mazzulla.

Udoka is set to be hired by the Brooklyn Nets as head coach. There have also been other teams interested in hiring Udoka.

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The Boston Celtics are "fully invested in Joe Mazzulla and pleased with how he's leading the franchise," according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.

Mazzulla was elevated to interim head coach following the suspension of Ime Udoka. The Brooklyn Nets plan to hire Udoka as head coach.

Mazzulla had been with the Celtics for multiple years before they hired Udoka.

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The Brooklyn Nets will hire Ime Udoka as their next head coach.

Udoka is currently suspended for the entire 22-23 season by the Boston Celtics due to an inappropriate relationship with a staffer.

The Celtics granted Brooklyn permission to speak with Udoka and will allow him to leave freely without seeking any compensation.

Boston hired Udoka before the 21-22 season after he served as an assistant coach with the Nets. Udoka helped lead the Celtics to The Finals.

Udoka previously worked with Sean Marks with the San Antion Spurs.

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The Brooklyn Nets have identified Ime Udoka and Quin Snyder among possible candidates for their head coaching vacancy.

The Nets parted ways with Steve Nash on Tuesday.

The Boston Celtics are expected to allow Udoka leave the franchise for another job. Udoka was an assistant coach with the Nets before he was hired by the Celtics before the 21-22 season.

Snyder stepped down as head coach of the Utah Jazz after the conclusion of their 21-22 season.

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The Brooklyn Nets have fired Steve Nash as head coach.

Jacque Vaughn will serve as acting head coach for Brooklyn's game on Tuesday against the Chicago Bulls.

A source told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN that the decision was mutual.

"We want to thank Steve for everything he brought to our franchise over the past two-plus seasons," said General Manager Sean Marks. "Since becoming head coach, Steve was faced with a number of unprecedented challenges, and we are sincerely grateful for his leadership, patience and humility throughout his tenure. Personally, this was an immensely difficult decision; however, after much deliberation and evaluation of how the season has begun, we agreed that a change is necessary at this time. We wish Steve, Lilla and their family all the best in the future."

Brooklyn Nets Governor Joe Tsai said, "I've gotten to know Steve during his time in Brooklyn, and he is not one to shy away from challenges. My admiration and respect for him grew over time as he brought hard work and positive attitude to our organization every day, even in periods of exceptional storm surrounding the team. Clara and I want to thank Steve, Lilla and their family for making this extraordinary commitment. We began this journey as colleagues, we part as friends."

Nash put out his own statement independently.

"A very heartfelt thanks to Joe and Clara Tsai along with Sean Marks for giving me the opportunity to coach the Brooklyn Nets. It was an amazing experience with many challenges I'm incredibly grateful for.

"It was a pleasure to work with the players, performance team and front office everyday. I'm especially grateful to my coaching staff and video room who are a talented group with so much character and professionalism.

"Lastly, thanks to Brooklyn and the passionate fans who support this team. Family first and my family has found a home here and LOVES being a part of this beautiful community. I wish the Nets all the success in the world and the Nash's will be rooting for our team as they turn this season around."

The Nets hired Nash in 2020 despite him not having any previous coaching experience.

Kevin Durant sought the dismissal of Nash and Mark during the offseason as part of his trade request, but was unsuccessful.

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Jakob Poeltl can sign a contract extension with the San Antonio Spurs, but the two sides are limited on the number that can be agreed upon at this point due to his current contract that pays $9.4 million. The two sides have reportedly discussed an extension, but Poeltl believes he can do better on the open market this offseason when his contract expires.

"Jakob Poeltl is in the final year of his contract," said Brian Windhorst. "From what I'm told, the Spurs discussed a contract extension with him, but he's limited by how much he can sign for. It's the same reason they traded Dejounte Murray. They did such a good job on the contract that it almost works against you because when you want to sign a player, the player wants more than you can give him because you're limited on how much of a raise you can give in an extension.

"I believe Poeltl can sign an extension that can average $14 million per year. That's pretty good money for him, but he thinks he can do better and I don't blame him the way he's playing he probably can.

"Maybe the Spurs get to the offseason and re-sign him. He's headed for free agency. He can reverse course and take the extension offer. I don't know that's what they offered. I know the max they can offer him $14.5 million, $15 million on average.

"He is a trade candidate."

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The NBA is preparing to sell a package of streaming-only games under its next media rights package with the bidding to likely start at $1 billion per year.

The package is expected to attract the major streaming companies including Amazon and Apple.

Under the current deal signed in 2014, streaming comes under the league's own media platforms, ESPN, TNT, and the various regional sports networks (RSNs) showing local games.

One source says Amazon would like an NBA package along with the NFL.

"Amazon is locked and loaded for a shot at the NBA," said a source.

The NBA could sell a streaming package of 20-40 games during its 19-week regular season.

The NBA is set to come off its nine-year, $24 billion deal with Disney and Turner that pays $2.6 billion per year. With an additional $1 billion in streaming, the league could get close to $7 billion per year in annual rights fees.

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Three players from the 2020 NBA Draft class had their 2023-24 rookie scale team options declined. The deadline for teams to exercise these options for next season was Monday, October 31.

Udoka Azubuike of the Utah Jazz had his fourth-year option declined. Jazz teammate Leandro Bolmaro had his third-year option declined by the Jazz. (Bolmaro was also drafted in 2020 but did not sign until 2021.) Bolmaro was traded from the Minnesota Timberwolves to Utah this past offseason.

RJ Hampton of the Orlando Magic also had his fourth-year option declined. Hampton was originally drafted by the Denver Nuggets before being traded to Orlando at the 2021 trade deadline.

Fellow 2020 draftee Jalen Smith had his third-year option declined by the Phoenix Suns last year. Smith was then traded to the Indiana Pacers at the 2022 trade deadline.

Azubuike, Bolmaro and Hampton's teams, or an acquiring team (as was the case with Smith), are now capped at paying them a first-year salary equal to the declined amount of their option. Smith re-signed with the Pacers on this type of deal this past summer.

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The Miami Heat are off to a disappointing 2-5 start. But Miami star Jimmy Butler hasn't had his confidence shaken at all by the poor start.

"We're still going to win the championship, and I don't care what nobody says," Butler said. "Count us out. We're going to win the f***ing championship. I'm telling you. I don't give a damn that we started 2-5."

Butler was just one member of the Heat to remind the media that it's still early in the season. Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said his team is "not in a panic about" but did criticize his players for trying to do too much as individuals. Spoelstra stressed that the Heat have to stay together as a team, which was something Butler, Kyle Lowry, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro all echoed, as well.

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The NBA has attempted to crack down on teams tampering with opposing players in recent years. After a wave of punishments, the league and the NBPA are expected to revisit rules around tampering with pending free agents.

The NBA pushed the start of the free agent negotiating period up to 6:00 PM ET on June 30. This was after years of free agency opening at midnight on July 1, with many deals being agreed to immediately upon free agency opening. That six-hour head start still hasn't proven to be enough for many teams.

The league voided an agreed-to deal between the Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings in the 2020 offseason, because the teams got an early jump on the negotiations. The Bucks were forced to forfeit a second-round pick for tampering with Bogdan Bogdanovic, who was set to be a restricted free agent.

The Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat were also forced to forfeit second-round picks after jumping the gun on free agent negotiations. The Bulls and Heat had agreed to sign-and-trade deals too early with Lonzo Ball and Kyle Lowry, respectively.

This week, the NBA took away two second-round picks from the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers were punished after they were found to have reached early agreements with P.J. Tucker and Danuel House Jr. In addition, the league is still in the midst of an investigation into the New York Knicks signing of Jalen Brunson.

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Blake Wesley was just starting to get playing time in his rookie season for the San Antonio Spurs. Now, Wesley's season will be paused for 6-8 weeks due to a torn left MCL he suffered on Sunday.

Wesley bumped knees with Jaden McDaniels of the Minnesota Timberwolves while cutting through the paint. He stayed in and shot two free throws before exiting the game.

The 6-foot-5 guard was drafted out of Notre Dame by the Spurs with the 25th pick of the 2022 NBA Draft. Wesley has seen action in two games thus far in his rookie season. After the shocking waiver of Joshua Primo, Wesley seemed poised to see regular minutes for San Antonio moving forward.

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Myles Turner said that the Los Angeles Lakers should take a "very hard look" at trading for him on a recent episode of "The Woj Pod" with Adrian Wojnarowski.

"If I'm the Lakers, I take a very hard look at this with the position that you're in. I know what I can provide for a team -- my leadership, my shot-blocking, my 3-point ability and just my ability to make plays out there on the floor.

"And I take a very long look at it," said Turner.

The Lakers reportedly considered trading Russell Westbrook and two first-round picks for Turner and Buddy Hield at the start of October.

Turner added that he understood the value of first-round picks.

"We all know picks are so valuable in this league, and someone like myself, I'm heading into the last year of my deal and you want to make sure you're getting a return for your assets," said Turner.

Turner is averaging 12.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game this season.

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Ben Simmons missed the Brooklyn Nets' 116-109 win over the Indiana Pacers due to knee soreness.

Simmons, who said he was hopeful to return for Tuesday's game against the Bulls, didn't think there was any structural damage to his knee.

"It's sore. It's swollen. I think it's just coming back. I don't think there's anything structurally wrong with it, it's just coming back and playing," said Simmons.

Seth Curry also missed the game due to a left ankle injury.

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Kawhi Leonard will miss the next two games for the Los Angeles Clippers due to right knee soreness.

Leonard, who will not travel with the team during their Texas road trip, sat out his fourth straight game on Monday.

"He's frustrated. He wants to be out on the floor and then not being on the floor, and then now he can't travel," said Ty Lue on Monday.

Leonard played in two out of the Clippers first three games before being out since last Tuesday.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for Week 2.

Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.7 points, 7.7 assists and 5.3 rebounds as the Oklahoma City Thunder went 3-0.

Antetokounmpo averaged 35.7 points, 15.0 rebound and 6.0 assists as the Milwaukee Bucks went 3-0.

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Josh Primo has gone unclaimed on waivers and will become a free agent.

The San Antonio Spurs waived Primo after a former employee of the team alleged he indecently exposed himself to her.

The Spurs recently had picked up their 23-24 option on Primo and he is owed $8.4 million over this season and next.

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The NBA announced that the Philadelphia 76ers violated league rules governing the timing of this season's free agency discussions and that the league has rescinded Philadelphia's second-round pick in each of the 2023 and 2024 Drafts.

The rescindment of two Draft picks reflected findings, following an investigation, that the 76ers engaged in free agency discussions involving two players (P.J. Tucker and Danuel House, Jr.) prior to the date when such discussions were permitted.

The team fully cooperated with the investigation.

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The Golden State Warriors have picked up the fourth-year option for center James Wiseman and third-year options for forward Jonathan Kuminga and guard Moses Moody ahead of Monday's deadline, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Wiseman's option is $12.1 million, while Kuminga's and Moody's are $6 million and $3.9 million, respectively. The trio is now under contract with the Warriors until the end of the 2023-24 season, but Wiseman will be extension-eligible next summer and could be a restricted free agent in 2024.

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Our first bi-weekly look at the West.

  • HOU: Dan Feldman shares his early impressions of Jabari Smith;
  • DAL: The Christian Wood dilemma, Luka's historic start and our early impressions of them in the West;
  • DEN and LAL: Discussing the Lakers first win of the season against a close to healthy Denver squad;
  • GSW: The strategic machinations behind their win against Miami, and our concern level after 2 straight East Coast losses;
  • LAC: The Clippers struggles in 3 straight losses to OKC and NOP and where the offense has come up short so far
  • MEM and UTA: A wild Saturday night game in Salt Lake, Desmond Bane's breakout, and why the Jazz are so hard to guard
  • SAS: The Josh Primo release and allegations, plus the keys to their 5-2 start

Dunc'd On Prime is the only place to get all six of our episodes, including one with Nate and John Hollinger, ad-free each week! DuncdOn.SupportingCast.FM/join

Subscribe to our weekly mailing list for free bonus content and all the info you need to keep up with the latest from Nate and Danny!

With @DannyLeroux and @NateDuncanNBA

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Brandon Ingram has sustained a concussion has been placed in the NBA's concussion protocol.

Ingram sustained the injury during Sunday's loss by the New Orleans Pelicans to the Utah Jazz.

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Damian Lillard and Jayson Tatum have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for Week 1.

Lillard averaged 34.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists as the Portland Trail Blazers went 3-0.

Tatum averaged 34.7 points and 8.3 rebounds as the Boston Celtics also went 3-0.

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The San Antonio Spurs have agreed to sign Charles Bassey to a Two-Way contract.

Bassey is entering his second season after he was a second round pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2021.

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The Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz are expected to return to the negotiation table later this season on a potential trade centered on Russell Westbrook.

Before the Jazz traded Bojan Bogdanovic to the Detroit Pistons, the Lakers offered Westbrook, a future first round pick, and second rounders for a package that included Bogdanovic and others.

The Jazz also have Mike Conley and Rudy Gay that could be included in a potential trade. Jordan Clarkson could also be a potential piece, though Utah is said to prefer to keep him.

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The interest the Charlotte Hornets previously had in acquiring Russell Westbrook from the Los Angeles Lakers was rooted in unloading long-term salary with the expectation they would sign Miles Bridges to a major contract, sources tell Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer.

Bridges remains unsigned following his domestic violence arrest that occurred on the eve of the offseason. Due to the serious nature of the charges, Bridges' entire future in the NBA is in serious question.

Charlotte was expected to consider taking on Westbrook for Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward.

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The Los Angeles Lakers preferred path forward with Russell Westbrook is to find a way for him to work within the team's offensive and defensive systems. But that hasn't kept the Lakers from continuing to look into trade options involving Westbrook.

In recent weeks, Los Angeles engaged the San Antonio Spurs in trade talks for Josh Richardson. Richardson is a veteran on an expiring contract, so it's expected San Antonio will look to trade him during this rebuilding season.

The Lakers have remained interested in potential trades with the Indiana Pacers (for Buddy Hield and Myles Turner) and the Charlotte Hornets (for Terry Rozier), as well. All trade talks have seen rival teams ask Los Angeles for either one or both of the Lakers tradable future first-round picks.

A deal that sends Westbrook to either Indiana or San Antonio would be easier to complete, because those teams still have considerable cap space. Both the Pacers and Spurs have approximately $30 million in available cap space. That would make absorbing Westbrook's $47.1 million contract easier than a team that would have to fully match salary in a deal.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves have begun extension talks with two of their valuable young players. The Wolves are looking to lock up both Jaylen Nowell and Naz Reid to deals before the end of the season. Reid seems the more likely to ink a new contract, as Nowell appears headed for free agency in the summer of 2023.

Both Nowell and Reid are finishing the four-year deals they signed as rookies in 2019. Because they are on expiring contracts, Nowell and Reid are extension-eligible through June 30. Both players are eligible to sign extensions worth up to $58 million over as many as four seasons.

Nowell has improved each year and has seen his role grow for Minnesota each season. He's averaged 8.3 points on 44.5% shooting in 122 games, mostly off the Wolves bench.

Reid became a key backup for the Timberwolves over the last two seasons. He's largely played behind Karl-Anthony Towns at the center spot, and this season is backing up Rudy Gobert. In 179 appearances (32 starts), Reid has averaged 9.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and nearly on block in 17.2 minutes per game.

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A few different Eastern Conference contenders have been linked to trade interest in Jae Crowder of the Phoenix Suns. Now, we can add the Milwaukee Bucks to that list too.

The Bucks and Suns recently engaged in trade talks surrounding the veteran forward. The Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat and Boston Celtics have all been mentioned as potential landing spots for Crowder too. For now, Crowder remains away from the Suns, as Phoenix works on finding a trade partner.

Milwaukee has a few different trade avenues to land the 3&D combo forward. Most would involve the Bucks parting with at least one rotation player, but Crowder could give them the defense and floor spacing they've lacked at the forward spot since losing P.J. Tucker in free agency before last season.

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The Bears look to rebound after three consecutive losses, with Matt Eberflus' team traveling to New England as considerable underdogs in the Monday night tilt against the Patriots. The 2-4 Bears should represent solid underdog value for most of the season. You can take advantage of the best Bears' picks after you apply Caesars Sportsbook promocode Illinois REALGMFULL and redeem the first-bet insurance, up to $1,250.

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Zion Williamson was diagnosed with a posterior hip contusion after landing hard during a dunk attempt against the Utah Jazz.

Williamson, who missed the end of the game, finished with 25 points and 6 rebounds in 30 minutes.

Brandon Ingram also left the game in the first quarter due to concussion-like symptoms.

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Brandon Ingram left the New Orleans Pelicans' game against the Utah Jazz in the first quarter after colliding with Naji Marshall.

Ingram, who did not return to the game, is being treated for concussion-like symptoms.

Ingram is averaging 28 points and 8 rebounds through the Pelicans' first two games.

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The NBA has suspended Miami Heat forwards Caleb Martin and Nikola Jovic for one game apiece for their roles in an altercation against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night. Toronto's Christian Koloko was fined $15,000 for his part in the incident.

While battling for position with 7:46 remaining in Saturday's game in Miami, Martin taunted Koloko before tackling him into the stands. Koloko then grabbed Martin during the altercation. Jovic is being suspended for leaving the bench area and getting involved in the dustup.

Both Martin and Jovic will serve their suspensions as the Heat again host the Raptors on Monday.

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We continue familiarizing ourselves with all these teams at the start of the season, with a focus on TOR/MIA, GSW/DEN, HOU/MEM, ATL/ORL, plus some smaller notes on the Spurs, Pacers, Thunder, and Pistons.

Plus, Friday Daily Duncs.

Friday Daily Duncs

Rob Murphy

The Pistons are investigating assistant general manager Rob Murphy over an allegation of workplace misconduct involving a former female employee, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Hopefully, the investigation will produce a just outcome.

James Edwards III of The Athletic profiled Murphy in August.

LeBron James

LeBron James drew attention to the Lakers' lack of quality 3-point shooting after they shot 10-for-40 (25%) from beyond the arc in their season-opener.

Well, they shot even worse - 9-for-45 (20%) - in a loss to the Clippers last night.

LeBron:

"Our ballclub is our ballclub, and I'm definitely not going to sit here and harp on what we can't do every single game. That's not a leader. What I know we can do: We can defend our ass off. And we did that tonight, which gave us an opportunity to win, and we just couldn't make it happen. But, I'm OK with that."

LeBron both tries to be a good leader and sometimes makes passive-aggressive comments. In this case, he has already made his point. The Lakers' roster has a crucial flaw, particularly for a LeBron team. The front office heard that. Not much else to be done at this moment.

At some point, LeBron might try to accelerate the Lakers' trade timeline or reiterate what he wants a trade to accomplish.

But for now, LeBron is seemingly settling into trying to win games with the teammates he has.

Darvin Ham

Russell Westbrook said coming off the bench in the Lakers' preseason finale "absolutely" could have contributed to his hamstring injury.

Lakers coach Darvin Ham:

"First and foremost, let me be clear with this. The Lakers, myself, my staff - we in no way, shape or form would ever put anybody - a player, an employee - in harm's way, be it physically, mentally, spiritually. We don't stand for that. We're not about that. That's not who we are."

Ham said he and Westbrook had a "brief discussion."

Ham:

"We moved on. We've got an understanding. And again, as the coach of this team, my staff and I, we're going to do what's best for our team to be as successful as it can be. And I'll just leave it at that."

Ham was hired in part for his ability to hold players accountable. Westbrook is a different challenge. But Ham sounds resolute.

Ham, via Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register:

"You have to be prepared to do whatever your team needs you to do," he added. "And that's called being a professional. So, however we choose to use him, there has to be a willingness there to sacrifice for your teammates and the overall good of the team if that course of action is going to lead to success."

The true test will come if Ham decides bringing Westbrook off the bench would be better for the Lakers. And, really, we might not know if that happens. We'll know only if Ham follows through. Assuming the coach does, we'll see how Westbrook buys in - and how Ham responds if Westbrook makes more waves.

But for now, Ham can call this latest issue quashed.

Christian Wood

Which of Luka Doncic's Mavericks teammates has been the best player? Kristaps Porzingis set the bar while fizzling, which says something about the bar. I'd say Jalen Brunson last year.

Tim Cato of The Athletic analyzes whether it might be Christian Wood.

Wood isn't even starting for Dallas. But he's darned talented and, as Cato details, has already shown nice chemistry with Doncic. That seems sustainable given the multiple ways Wood can attack the pick-and-roll. If Wood defends a little better - I believe he's capable - this pairing could really work.

Santi Aldama

Danny's pick for biggest surprise player - Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama - looks pretty good. Starting at power forward with Jaren Jackson Jr. out, Aldama scored 18 points on 3-of-8 3-point shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds in Memphis' season-opening win over the Knicks on Wednesday. The Grizzlies outscored New York by 18 in his 39 minutes (and got outscored by 15 in the other nine minutes).

Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal looked deeper into Aldama's performance, including how the slender Aldama held up defensively against the burlier Julius Randle.

Victor Wembanyama

Want more Victor Wembanyama hype? David Aldridge of The Athletic talked to six NBA personnel people about the presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft and delivers plenty.

My favorite quote:

It's not just his skill. It's the flexibility he moves with. It's incredible. It's like seeing a giraffe, but a giraffe that's moving like a completely different animal. And you're going: 'Wait a minute; that's a giraffe, it's supposed to move slowly.' And, meanwhile, it's like this giraffe that's a predator. The giraffe is hunting you. And you're going wait, what? It's something we've never seen before.

It's also interesting how Aldridge's sources seem divided on how to best deploy the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama defensively.

One: "He's not a switch defender; he's a drop guy."

Another: "He slides and moves so well, if they put him in pick-and-roll, he can switch. There's not a lot of fives in our league that can do that."

A third: "He's a four. He's not going to be able to guard threes out on the perimeter all the time."

A fourth: "No one that big is going to stay in front of prime-time NBA guards consistently out on the perimeter. But he has enough lateral movement - it's probably the best I've ever seen in anybody that big - that he'll surprise you from time to time on some stuff out there. But the great equalizer, if you blow by him, you talk about some guys that'll be looking over their shoulder as they're going to the basket. You could beat him, and he could be at the free-throw line, and he takes one step and he's pinning the thing."

A fifth: "If whoever he gets drafted by ever had some type of conception of utilizing a zone? Can you imagine having a backline (with him) - or maybe even putting him in the top of defenses, trying to see over this albatross of a player?"

Pick swaps

Pick swaps have become the rage as teams look to circumvent the Stepien Rule, which prohibits trading future first-round picks in consecutive drafts. Pick swaps allow teams to convey value in consecutive future drafts by retaining a first-rounder every other year, albeit a lower first-rounder.

Think of pick swaps, and the first one that comes to mind is probably Celtics-Nets in 2017. As a condition of the Kevin Garnett-Paul Pierce trade four years earlier, Boston swapped its first-round pick (No. 27) for Brooklyn's (No. 1). The Celtics traded down to No. 3 and picked Jayson Tatum, who has developed into a star and left the Nets (and 76ers, who moved up to get Markelle Fultz No. 1) looking foolish.

But pick swaps don't usually work like that.

Zach Kram of The Ringer dug into the history of pick swaps and found most don't even get exercised. He determined the average value of a first-round pick swap is the No. 36 pick.

Kram's research and presentation are certainly useful. Read his article, and you will be more informed.

But I think he underplays the upside of pick swaps. The draft - and therefore, draft picks - are about upside. For many teams, the draft is the best - maybe only - way to get a franchise-changing star. That's more likely to happen high in the draft.

A high second-rounder might have the average value of a pick swap. But only an unprotected pick swap has that limitless upside. That carries significant value.

At some point, successful teams have all hit big on a player. Moderately positive moves aren't enough. You can keep hitting singles. But in a league with 29 other teams, some of them will hit home runs and surpass you. If you want to get to the top, you sometimes have to swing for the fences - even if you're more likely to strike out.

Scoring record

You probably know LeBron James will soon pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the NBA's all-time scoring record. Do you know how many points Abdul-Jabbar scored? I sure didn't.

Finding an excellent angle on such a well-covered storyline, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times looked into how few people know the number and why that is. This is a really cool article.

After reading it, I can tell you Abdul-Jabbar's career scoring mark is 38,387 - a number I'm sure to forget by tomorrow.

Rudy Gobert/Karl-Anthony Towns

Nikola Jokic has become an All-NBA mainstay at center. Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis are likely All-NBA players when healthy, which isn't always. Often, it feels like one spot is left for Rudy Gobert or Karl-Anthony Towns. In fact, Gobert or Towns - but never both - have made All-NBA each of the last six years.

Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic explored how Gobert and Towns viewed each other while foes and now teammates with the Timberwolves.

Thanasis Antetokounmpo

Thanasis Antetokounmpo actually played a small role on the Bucks last season as a defensive specialist on the wing, helping to shed the image he's in the NBA only because he's Giannis Antetokounmpo's brother.

But good luck convincing anyone now.

Video caught Thanasis picking Giannis' nose before Milwaukee's win over the 76ers last night.

In defense of Thanasis, it wasn't a deep pick. He did the ol' thumb-out move. Though technically a pick, that's barely more than a scratch.

In prosecution of Thanasis, it was someone else's nose!

-Dan Feldman

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Late in the Los Angeles Lakers loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, Russell Westbrook was on the bench for the Lakers. Los Angeles coach Darvin Ham was blunt when asked if he was concerned about how Westbrook would take the benching.

"We don't have time for people to be in their feelings," said Ham.

With just under 30 seconds left, and the Lakers holding a lead, Westbrook took a pull-up mid-range jumper. Westbrook said he was looking to make sure Los Angeles would have a 2-for-1 opportunity. Ham didn't find fault with that, but said he wished Westbrook would have "attacked the rim directly", as opposed to pulling up.

With the loss, the Lakers feel to 0-3 on the young season. The Trail Blazers improved to 3-0.

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The Dallas Mavericks added point guard Facundo Campazzo to their roster right at the end of the preseason. Campazzo hasn't played in either of the Mavs' first two games because of a visa issue.

Dallas coach Jason Kidd said they hope to have Campazzo active and available by the team's next game on Tuesday. The Argentina native is having his visa recalibrated to allow him to continue to work in the United States.

Campazzo joined the Mavericks after two seasons with the Denver Nuggets. The 5-foot-11 guard is expected to help Dallas replace some of the depth they lost at point guard over the summer.

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Joel Embiid acknowledged that his conditioning isn't where it needs to be to start the NBA season. Embiid said that is because he was fighting plantar fasciitis over the summer. That left the Sixers star unable to do any basketball work for the two months leading up to the start of training camp.

"Coming into training camp I hadn't done anything in like two months, so it really slowed me down," Embiid said. "Still trying to work my way back and hopefully everything goes back to normal."

76ers coach Doc Rivers said that his All-Star center is currently pain free, but that it clearly impacted Embiid's training and conditioning. When Embiid wrapped up his media availability, he said he's "fine", as far as having any lingering foot pain.

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Zach LaVine is set to make his season-debut on Saturday night. The Chicago Bulls All-Star will do so without any sort of minutes restriction.

LaVine missed the Bulls first two games of the season after having a sore left knee at the end of the preseason. Chicago coach Billy Donovan said LaVine won't have his minutes restrict, but that playing the All-Star for 38 or more minutes wouldn't be ideal.

"He feels fine," Donovan said about LaVine on Friday. "He was able to get work in and told me he felt good. Obviously yesterday (Thursday) was a very, very light day. He had player development guys out there guarding him, he was coming off screens, working on his ballhandling, using pick-and-rolls. He was doing his normal things. He needed a crisp workout, and he was able to do that."

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It seems to be a fairly open secret that the NBA will expand in coming years. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has touched on the topic several times in recent years, but has always labeled expansion as something for the future.

Now, Silver has put a very loose timeline to the idea of expansion. The Commissioner said it's something league will look at more closely after they negotiate the next TV rights deal. The NBA's current media contracts expire following the 2024-25 season. Negotiations are expected to be complete well in advance of the rights expiring.

Silver said a dilution of talent is something that will be considered in expansion discussions, but that the NBA is doing well overall. Silver also noted that there is no shortage of strong cities for expansions teams. Seattle and Las Vegas are considered to be the most likely cities to get expansion teams.

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Adam Silver says that the NBA is aware that team may considering tanking this season for Victor Wembanyama. While not naming Wembanyama directly, Silver said he understands why teams would tank when a "once-in-a-generation player" is expected to be available.

Because of that factor, the NBA Commissioner said about tanking, "We put teams on notice. We're going to be paying particular attention to the issue this year."

Silver also said the league has thought about the concept of relegation as a potential solution to tanking. In many worldwide soccer leagues, leagues are set up so the best teams in a season are promoted to a higher-level league, while the worst teams are demoted down to a lower-level league.

Silver ultimately said it's probably a non-starter for the NBA for several reasons, including it being "destabilizing" for the league.

"It would so disrupt our business model," Silver said. "And even if you took two teams up from the G League, they wouldn't be equipped to compete in the NBA."

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Two-year NBA veteran Sam Merrill was the first overall selection at the 2022 NBA Draft. Merrill was selected the Cleveland Charge, who are the Cleveland Cavaliers G League affiliate. Merrill remains an NBA free agent and free to sign with any NBA team, despite playing for the Charge this season.

Joe Wieskamp, who played for the San Antonio Spurs last season was selected second overall by the Wisconsin Herd. The Herd are the affiliate of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Other notable players selected were rookie Jared Rhoden (College Park Skyhawks - Atlanta Hawks), three-year NBA veteran Rashad Vaughn (Cleveland Charge - Cleveland Cavaliers) and six-year NBA veteran Norris Cole (Grand Rapids Gold - Denver Nuggets).

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Before the Phoenix Suns opened their season last Wednesday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver spoke to hundreds of Suns employees. Silver apologized for himself and the NBA letting them down as far as punishing Robert Sarver for years of unacceptable behavior.

Silver told Suns employees: "To the extent that you feel let down by the league, I apologize. I take responsibility for that."

Silver acknowledged the NBA had heard Sarver was difficult to deal with, but "that's very different than conduct which is viewed as discriminatory in any way."

The NBA commissioner encouraged Phoenix employees to continue to bring up concerns they have. Silver also acknowledged that he didn't have any "deep answers", but that it's important "just to really listen to people."

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Kevin Knox didn't have any sort of revenge game on his mind when his Detroit Pistons faced the New York Knicks. Instead, Knox took ownership for him not playing well enough for the Knicks.

"I had my fair opportunity; didn't make the best of it, unfortunately," Knox said.

Knox said he learned a lot while playing in New York, including that he has to play harder. The fifth year forward also said he's taking advantage of being with the Pistons now.

"I got to go out there and work harder, play better defense, all the narrative that they created. But I put it all on me. I got to go out there and play better, perform better," said Knox. "I have another opportunity here. So, I'm going to go out there and show what I can do."

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The Los Angeles Lakers brought in Moe Harkless for a workout and a meeting, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The team is considering signings to add to their wing and front court depth.

Harkless was most recently waived by the Rockets.

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Keegan Murray was cleared to make his NBA debut on Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Murray, who was placed in the league's health and safety protocols on October 14, missed the Kings' opening game loss against the Blazers.

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Kawhi Leonard made his return to the court after a year-and-a-half, but that return took a bit longer than was expected. Leonard came off the bench for the first time since November of 213, when he was still and up-and-coming player with the San Antonio Spurs.

In all, Leonard played three separate stints of six-to-seven minutes and 21:17 total. The LA Clippers star said he made the decision after coming off the bench in conjunction with head coach Ty Lue. The Clippers had Leonard simulate the feel of coming off the bench in scrimmages and analyzed substitution patterns where he wouldn't sit for too long, while still making an impact at the end of the game.

Make an impact at the end of the game is exactly what Leonard did. He drew a key charge from LeBron James late in the fourth quarter. Leonard then knocked down a jumper with under a minute to play to help the Clippers hold off the rival Lakers.

"One scenario with me starting, I would have been sitting like 35 minutes real time," Leonard said of starting and still being able to finish the game. "That's way too long. So, I just thought this was the best situation. But we'll see how it goes moving forward."

Both Lue and Leonard said if either party didn't feel this was working, they'd turn back to Leonard starting. For his part, Leonard has his eyes on the long-term.

"You gotta gradually play minutes in order to get the ACL strong," Leonard said. "Once you start playing 38 minutes first game, it could easily weaken up, but I'm listening to the doctor with that.

"It's a long season. We wanna get in the playoffs and want me to play in the playoffs."

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Quentin Grimes has been ruled out for the New York Knicks home opener on Friday due to foot soreness.

There is no timetable for Grimes' return.

Grimes said that injury may be due to overtraining in the offseason.

"They said it was kind of a overuse thing. Just being in the gym a lot (in the summer). Coming back at night, going back to Houston, working on it and working on it. Then (Tom Thibodeau) had us in there for sure, working out (presumably in training camp)... It was an overuse thing really," said Grimes.

The Knicks added that they won't clear Grimes until he's pain-free.

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Myles Turner is expected to be out at least one week due to a sprained ankle, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Turner suffered the sprain after landing on a ball boy's foot during pregame warmups.

Turner appeared in just 42 games last season due to a stress reaction in his left foot.

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Joe Harris is listed as probable for the Brooklyn Nets matchup against the Toronto Raptors on Friday.

Harris, who played just 14 games last season, underwent two ankle surgeries during the year.

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Rob Murphy, assistant general manager of the Detroit Pistons, is on leave after the franchise opened an investigation into an allegation of workplace misconduct with a former female employee.

Murphy, who is from Detroit, was promoted to assistant GM in June after starting as the franchise's G League president and general manager in March 2021. He had spent the previous two decades as a college coach, including 10 years at Eastern Michigan as head coach until 2021.

Detroit's probe involving Murphy follows the season-long suspension by the Boston Celtics of Ime Udoka.

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Get all the latest news and happenings from around the NBA with RealGM's Basketball Wiretap.

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Victor Wembanyama has spent time this year working with Holger Geschwindner on his shooting.

Geschwindner was the longtime shooting coach of Dirk Nowitzki.

Beyond Wembanyama's length and instincts at 7'4 is his ability to shoot, both on spot-ups and off the dribble.

"Victor will be unguardable if he's knocking down jumpers," said one NBA general manager.

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The Portland Trail Blazers have waived Devontae Cacok, Wes Iwundu and Brandon Williams.

Cacok played in two preseason games for the Trail Blazers and averaged 3.0 points and 3.5 rebounds in 9.0 minutes per game.

Iwundu totaled five points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal in 12 minutes in a preseason appearance against Maccabi Ra'anana.

In three preseason appearances, Williams averaged 8.0 points, 1.0 rebound, 2.3 assists and 1.00 steal in 15.8 minutes per game. He originally signed a two-way contract with the Trail Blazers on February 22.

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The Golden State Warriors are taking "every legal course of action" to discover how video of Draymond Green punching Jordan Poole at practice on Wednesday was leaked to TMZ.

The practice had been closed to the media.

Green apologized to both the Warriors and Jordan Poole on Thursday.

The Warriors have yet to announce any disciplinary action for Green.

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Jordan Poole is coming off a breakout season and is extension eligible, while in the midst of dealing with fallout from a practice altercation with Draymond Green. But that incident doesn't change anything from the Golden State Warriors point of view on extensions talks.

"It doesn't change our feelings on it," Warriors GM Bob Myers said. Myers also added that Golden State remains in contact with Poole's agent on extension talks.

Warriors star Stephen Curry defended Poole, while also saying Green remains a big part of the team defending their NBA title.

"JP's been great," Curry said. "There's nothing that warranted the situation yesterday. I want to make that clear. It's also something we feel like will not derail our season and what we're trying to build. That's with Draymond a part of that."

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The Charlotte Hornets waived big man Isaiah Whaley. The Hornets have also signed wing Xavier Sneed.

Whaley appeared in one preseason game for Charlotte. He grabbed one rebound in four minutes of play. Whaley is expected to join the Greensboro Swarm of the G League this season.

Sneed appeared in nine NBA games last season between the Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz. The 6-foot-5 wing finished the season with Utah on a Two-Way contract. Prior to joining the Jazz, Sneed had played a season-plus for the Swarm in the G League.

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The Golden State Warriors have said any discipline for Draymond Green will be handled internally, after Green had a practice altercation with Jordan Poole. But Warriors GM Bob Myers said he doesn't anticipate Green will miss any games, which would seemingly rule out a suspension.

Green apologized to the team on Thursday and then went home, missing practice and a scrimmage on that day. Warriors coach Steve Kerr felt that was the right approach, saying "Space is good."

Friday is scheduled to be a full day off for the team. The Warriors are expected back in the gym on Saturday, with Green expected to be in attendance.

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Auburn freshman Chance Westry will miss the next 3-4 weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.

Westry, ranked No. 36 in ESPN's 100 for the 2022 class, could potentially return by Auburn's opener on November 7.

Auburn coach Bruce Pearl also underwent the same surgery, and will return on Monday.

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Scoot Henderson is listed as day-to-day after suffering a bone bruise in his knee.

Henderson suffered the injury while guarding Victor Wembanyama during the G League Ignite's 112-106 loss to Metropolitans 92 on Thursday.

Henderson downplayed the injury, adding that he hoped to be healthy by the Ignite's G League opener on November 4.

Henderson finished with 0 points in 5 minutes on Thursday.

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Dennis Schroder is scheduled to join the Los Angeles Lakers this weekend after resolving his visa issues in Germany.

The 29-year-old signed on a veteran's minimum this offseason.

It has not been determined whether Schroder will join the team for their preseason game against the Warriors on Sunday.

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Draymond Green has apologized to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday morning for his altercation with Jordan Poole.

The Warriors are still in the process of disciplining Green, but he is not expected to miss any games.

"These things happen. Nobody likes it, we don't condone it, but it happens," Bob Myers said. "Draymond apologized to the team. Jordan was there in the room. ... As far as any suspension, punishment, fine, we will handle that internally."

Green threw a punch at Poole at practice Wednesday.

The altercation began when the two started trash-talking and verbally sparring during practice.

Steve Kerr and Stephen Curry echoed this sentiment.

"There was a report that Jordan had an attitude in camp, and that could not be further from the truth," Kerr said. "He's been fantastic."

Curry added: "[Poole] has been great, and there was nothing that warranted the situation yesterday. I want to make that clear."

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The Portland Trail Blazers have picked up their 23-24 option on Keon Johnson.

Johnson played in 25 games with the Blazers following a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Johnson was the 21st overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft.

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Donte DiVincenzo's time with the Milwaukee Bucks came to an end at last season's deadline when he was traded to the Sacramento Kings.

Previously, DiVincenzo thought he might be traded to the New Orleans Pelicans for Jrue Holiday, and then he was in the sign-and-trade for Bogdan Bogdanovic that was ultimately rescinded.

Before DiVincenzo was traded to the Kings, he actually thought he would be traded to the Boston Celtics.

"So when the trade deadline came, I didn't know what to expect," DiVincenzo said. "I'd heard a ton of rumors. I was in a place where, you know, I loved playing with those guys, but mentally I did wonder if a change of scenery would help. Because I was going into free agency as well. I was still focused on both sides of things. So when I got traded, I was all over the place. Is this great? Is this bad? I thought I was going to Boston."

DiVincenzo believes he was set to be traded to the Celtics for Dennis Schroder.

"Dennis Schröder," he said. "I think I was supposed to go for Dennis Schröder to Boston. I don't know what happened. Somebody might've wanted too much. But that was my impression, that I was going to Boston. The Sacramento one came out of nowhere."

DiVincenzo signed with the Golden State Warriors this past offseason for $4.5 million with a player option for Year 2.

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Big men who can shoot have frequently been given the "unicorn" moniker over the past few years, but LeBron James believes Victor Webanyama goes even further.

"Everybody's been a unicorn over the last few years, but he's more like an alien," said James. "No one has ever seen anyone as tall as he is but as fluid and as graceful as he is out on the floor."

Webanyama, 7-4, made seven three-pointers in a game against the G League Ignite this week.

Webanyama is widely expected to be the top pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

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The Miami Heat have interest in trading for Jae Crowder, sources tell ESPN.

The Heat let Crowder sign with the Phoenix Suns during his 2020 free agency. In 2021, the Heat replaced Crowder with P.J. Tucker, who signed with the Philadelphia 76ers this past offseason.

Miami will struggle to find matching salary to acquire Crowder until Dewayne Dedmon, Caleb Martin and Victor Oladipo become trade-eligible later in the season.

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LeBron James publicly lobbied Adam Silver to be part of the ownership group for an expansion franchise in Las Vegas.

James' comments came after a preseason game in Las Vegas between the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns.

"I would love to bring a team here at some point. That would be amazing. I know Adam is in Abu Dhabi right now, I believe," James said, alluding to the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks' preseason trip to the United Arab Emirates that Silver is attending. "But he probably sees every single interview and transcript that comes through from NBA players.

"So, I want the team here, Adam. Thank you."

In June, on an episode of his YouTube show "The Shop: Uninterrupted," James first revealed his goal.

"I want a team in Vegas," said James, who is already a part owner of Liverpool FC and the Boston Red Sox. "I want the team in Vegas."

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October is here, and with it all four major pro sports in the U.S. The NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA are all in action in one form or another, making this one of the best-loved months for sports betting enthusiasts. For those still on the fence about making that first real-money bet, maybe this offer will nudge you along: the Caesars Sportsbook promo code REALGMFULL grants first-bet insurance up to $1,250 as well as a combined 2,000 Tier and Rewards credits.

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The Sacramento Kings have exercised the third-year rookie scale team option for Davion Mitchell. The point guard will be under contract for $5.1 million for the 2023-24 season.

Mitchell averaged 11.5 points in 75 games during his rookie season. The 6-foot-2 lead guard is already considered a high-end backcourt defender heading into his second season. Mitchell is expected to have a big role for the Kings playing both behind De'Aaron Fox and alongside Fox at times.

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Wesley Yates committed to the University of Washington on Wednesday.

Yates is currently ranked No. 37 in the ESPN 100 for the 2023 class.

"Coach Hop and staff have made me a priority. He is an energetic person who is full of passion, and his passion is real. Coach Hop treats his players so well off the court, and that is important. He gets the best out of his guys. I want to play for him," Yates said of Huskies coach Mike Hopkins.

The 6-foot-4 guard from Texas chose the Huskies over LSU, Texas, Auburn, Arkansas and Stanford.

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The NBA's potential expansion into Seattle and Las Vegas is likely still "years away" from becoming reality, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The league plans to negotiate new television and media rights deals, as well as a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, before turning its attention to expansion.

LeBron James expressed his desire to own the potential Vegas team following the Lakers' preseason game against the Suns on Wednesday night.

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Draymond Green is expected to receive some form of disciplinary action after striking Jordan Poole during a Golden State Warriors practice, sources told Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports.

Green and Poole reportedly had prior history, though no Warriors players felt that Green's actions were warranted.

Green was apologetic following the incident.

Teammates noticed a change in Poole's behavior during training camp as he closed in on a new contract, according to sources.

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Draymond Green is facing potential disciplinary action from the Golden State Warriors following a physical altercation with Jordan Poole.

Green and Poole came chest-to-chest, with both players pushing and shoving each other prior to Green's escalation of the physical altercation.

The Warriors stopped practice in an attempt to settle the situation.

Green and Poole are known to regularly get into verbal arguments.

Poole is currently eligible for a contract extension with the Warriors coming off his rookie contract, while Green has a player option for the 23-24 season.

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The performance of Victor Wembanyama against the G League Ignite solidified the hype surrounding his future in the NBA. Many teams have been preparing for his draft for several years and more teams may join in their pursuit of landing the No. 1 overall pick in next May's lottery.

"Victor distorts basketball reality," one GM told ESPN on Wednesday. "The tank/trade market will really shift after that showing. It feels like last night will start a race to the bottom like we've never seen."

As a GM on a team with a chance to contend for the 2023 No. 1 overall pick told ESPN on Wednesday morning: "He's a 7-foot-4 Durant who blocks shots -- and he's not even close to what he's going to be. He will be the most hyped player since LeBron."

Front offices had a better chance to sell a tanking strategy to both owners and fans after seeing Wembanyama play against the G League Ignite. Multiple top executives have said their ownership groups have expressed a better understanding of the transformational value of drafting Wembanyama. Plus, the presence of Scoot Henderson as a consolation prize at No. 2 is incredibly appealing.

The possibility of landing either Wembanyama or Henderson is 27 percent for the teams with the three worst records.

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The agent of Victor Wembanyama has insisted there are no plans to listen to some team executives who suggest he should be shut down until the 2023 NBA draft in June.

"NBA people are telling me to shut him down, and we are not going to shut him down," Bouna Ndiaye told ESPN on Wednesday. "If we came with that kind of talk to [Wembanyama], he will look at us and say, 'What are you talking about?' He'll never agree to that. He wants to compete and get better. With Victor, it's basketball first and everything else second. He was so pissed off that he lost."

Wembanyama's performance against the G League Ignite was seen in person by approximately 200 NBA executives and scouts.

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We recap the enthralling Victor Wembanyama vs Scoot Henderson showdown in Vegas. Are these guys generational prospects?

Then a breakdown of the Tyler Herro extension in Miami, followed by a breakdown of the best and worst offenses in the NBA. Which teams do we expect to pace the NBA this year after so many of the best offenses a year ago made big changes? Plus, can last year's worst get out of the cellar?

With @JohnHollinger and @NateDuncanNBA.

As of mid-October, the full suite of Hollinger & Duncan episodes will be available exclusively on Dunc'd On Prime. Become a member!

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Corey Kispert will miss approximately 4-6 weeks due to a sprained left ankle.

Kispert suffered the injury after stepping on an opponent's foot during the first quarter of Sunday's preseason game in Japan against the Golden State Warriors.

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Toronto Raptors guard Malachi Flynn underwent a procedure to correct a fracture to his left cheekbone. Flynn was injured in the third quarter of the Raptors preseason game against the Utah Jazz on Sunday.

Flynn returned to the game, but further examination revealed a small fracture.

Flynn is expected to return before the regular season starts. The third-year point guard will wear a face shield when he returns to the court.

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Serbian point guard Visilje Micic was voted by NBA GMs as one of the best players not currently playing in the NBA. If Micic had his way, he'd be on an NBA roster already.

"I have a desire to go to the NBA, but as you can see, things are not going well," Micic told Eurohoops.net. "I always prioritize basketball in my decisions. I didn't even chase after the money I am earning in Europe, which is hard to earn. I never chase money, I never chase individual prizes, but I know that if I put a lot of effort into my game and get good results, something must come in return: rewards and money."

Micic said he wants to play a role in the NBA, not just a contract and a roster spot.

"From what I heard from my agents, there were rumors about some teams. Some teams were interested in me," Micic said. "As far as I understand, people there are hesitant to give me the role that I want."

Micic's draft rights are currently retained by the Oklahoma City Thunder. If another team wanted to sign the 28-year-old guard, they'd have to complete a trade with the Thunder for Micic's draft rights. For his part, Micic is open to playing for Oklahoma City, but he understands the team has other priorities right now.

"Talking about OKC, they have my rights and I have the desire to go there, but maybe our opinions are conflicting. They want to develop their players and build a young team with all those great young guys they have. Maybe there is no space for me," Micic said. "Maybe the playoff candidates who want me can find a loophole and get me, but that's out of my hands. I can't go out there and say to them, 'Look, I'm a good player, take me'. It's up to them."

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When French club Metropolitans 92 and G League Ignite agreed to play a pair of exhibition games, it was hoped that Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson would put on a show. The two 18-year-old prospects delivered.

Wembanyama scored 37 points on 11-of-20 shooting, including 7-of-11 on three-pointers. He also blocked five shots. The combination of seven threes and five blocks has happened only one time in NBA history.

Henderson led the Ignite to a 122-115 victory behind his 28 points. The guard scored 28 points on 11-of-21 shooting. Henderson showed off an impressive mix of his driving ability and his jump shot.

Wembanyama and Henderson are widely expected to be selected first and second overall, respectively, at the 2023 NBA Draft.

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The Chicago Bulls have exercised the fourth-year rookie scale team option for Patrick Williams. The 2023-24 season will be the final season of Williams' rookie deal.

The 6-foot-7 wing missed all but 17 games last season due to a wrist injury. In the games he played, Williams averaged 9.0 points on 52.9% shooting.

Chicago plans to have Williams back in the starting lineup this season. He'll primarily start at the four, but Williams is seen as interchangeable with both forward and both wing positions.

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Klay Thompson will most likely miss the Golden State Warriors' preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

The Warriors are taking a "really cautious and conservative" approach to bringing Thompson back into action this preseason.

Thompson did not play in either of the Warriors' games in Japan.

"Just coming off the two years with the injuries, this is really unique to play a game after 3 1/2 practices so we're just being cautious and trying to do the smart thing," Steve Kerr said in Japan.

The guard admitted that he had a "mental block" and did not play pick-up basketball during the offseason.