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Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse

In spite of Luka Dončić only playing half of the series, the Utah Jazz have been eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs, which can only mean it&rsquo;s time to blow them up!
Okay, not really... but maybe? Virtually everyone is expecting organizational changes given the team's recent underachievement in the playoffs stemming from successful regular seasons. This incarnation of the Jazz was established in 2017-18, behind then-rookie Donovan Mitchell&rsquo;s quick rise to stardom and Rudy Gobert&rsquo;s emergence as an annual Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
That season, Mitchell &mdash; filling the void left by Gordon Hayward &mdash; finished his first season as a 20-point-per-game scorer despite being picked No. 13 overall and averaging just over 14 points per game in his first 19 appearances. Gobert, even having played only 56 games, was awarded his first of now three DPOY awards.
In these five years, there have been as many playoff trips &mdash; three as the No. 5 seed (including this season), one as the No. 6 in the Orlando Bubble, and another as the top overall seed in the Western Conference last year.
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In 2017-18, the Jazz overachieved, taking down the Russell Westbrook-Paul George-Carmelo Anthony-led Oklahoma City Thunder in six games before losing to the No. 1 seed Houston Rockets in five contests.
In 2018-19, Utah lost to the Rockets again in five, this time in the first round, and Houston even led 3-0 with a +55 scoring margin before dropping Game 4.
In 2019-20, the Jazz squandered a 3-1 lead to the Denver Nuggets, losing Game 7 in the final seconds of the opening round.
Last season &mdash; despite the Los Angeles Clippers losing Kawhi Leonard to a torn ACL (that he&rsquo;s still not back from) &mdash; the Jazz <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD2yBy-EqnU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lost in six games to the Clippers</a> in the West semifinals, and Gobert was dunked on by both Terance Mann and social media in the ending.
And finally, this postseason &mdash; in a series with Dončić missing the first three games with a calf injury, in which Utah still trailed 2-1 upon his return &mdash; Utah lost on yet another last-second heartbreaker.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
THE PLAYOFF DROUGHT IS OVER. THE DALLAS MAVERICKS ADVANCE TO THE SECOND ROUND SINCE 2011!<a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> | 📺 BSSW | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/dALLasIN?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#dALLasIN</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> <a href="https://t.co/VcWGAdSOL4">pic.twitter.com/VcWGAdSOL4</a>
&mdash; Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) <a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsSW/status/1519896562079518727?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Given <a href="https://twitter.com/tribjazz/status/1482077811019902980">the sniping back-and-forth between Mitchell and Gobert</a>, the Jazz's inability to break through and how far behind they appear from the top teams in the West, this seems like the summer where sizeable moves will be coming.
Personally speaking, it feels like we&rsquo;re heading toward Mitchell requesting a trade and moving on, but either way, one of Mitchell or Gobert &mdash; perhaps both &mdash; may be on the move in the coming months. Our Evan Sidery <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-rudy-gobert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently looked at five trade ideas involving Gobert</a>.
Today, let's look at where Mitchell could end up, <a href="https://fanspo.com/nba/trade-machine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">using this trade machine</a>.
Mitchell is due $30.3 million next year, $32.6 million in 2023-24, $34.9 million in 2024-25, and has a player option for $37 million in 2025-26. Keep that in mind as we embark on this journey together. (Why did I sound like Professor Oak there?)
New York Knicks
Mitchell&rsquo;s father, Donovan Sr., works with the New York Mets organization. The 25-year-old Mitchell himself is a native of Elmsford, New York. Naturally, with the New York Knicks, there will be Mitchell smoke until a deal (or something else) actually happens. Because Tommy Beer already <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/expect-the-knicks-to-make-a-real-run-at-donovan-mitchell-this-summer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broke down the possibility of a Mitchell-to-New-York trade</a>, we won&rsquo;t stay here too long.
Regarding the Knicks&rsquo; actual proposal, the first look would be to RJ Barrett, who is extension eligible this summer, entering year four and making $10.9 million next year. The idea, for New York, should be to team Barrett and Mitchell together. If that&rsquo;s not possible, and the Mitchell deal were to have to get done, Barrett is your chief trade chip, along with first-round draft picks. The Knicks have all their own first-rounders as of this writing.
Usable salaries for the Knicks next year include Evan Fournier, who&rsquo;ll be at $18 million, Derrick Rose at $14.5 million, Alec Burks at $10 million, Nerlens Noel at $9.2 million and Kemba Walker at over $9.1 million. Rose, Burks and Noel all have team options for 2023-24, so they have ostensibly expiring deals. Walker&rsquo;s next season is his last under contract, and Fournier is signed through 2025, but that also includes a team option. Cam Reddish and Taj Gibson also enter the last year of their respective deals, at about $6 million and $5.1 million each, respectively.
The contract elephant in the room is Julius Randle&rsquo;s, which is a four-year, $117 million extension that begins next season at $26.1 million. It&rsquo;ll gradually increase until his player option for $32.4 million kicks in for 2025-26. The Knicks might try to move Randle instead, but what sense does that make for Utah? And if Utah isn&rsquo;t getting Barrett, would they want a package of the aforementioned veterans (say, Fournier and Burks), along with one or two of Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, or Miles McBride (who make between $1.6 and $2.3 million next year) and picks?
It&rsquo;ll be hard to do without Barrett, and maybe Randle gets involved in a three-team deal, but the Knicks have the picks, salaries and prospects to make it work, if that&rsquo;s the route the Jazz want to go.
Detroit Pistons
The Pistons seem like a team that could be a version of this past season&rsquo;s Cleveland Cavaliers &mdash; not in terms of play style or once being a top-four team in the Eastern Conference standings necessarily, but from the standpoint of being competitive a year sooner than we think and playing meaningful games down the stretch (like one or two in the Play-In Tournament).
Given that 20 of 30 NBA teams will have games beyond the regular season, the Pistons may (should) attempt to get one of those spots.
Last year&rsquo;s No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham is <a href="https://youtu.be/I9OLPXxgYWk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">someone you can build with</a>. Saddiq Bey should be a more efficient scorer with more experience and better teammates. Most of the rest is to be determined, but Detroit can start by using Jerami Grant&rsquo;s near $21 million expiring deal next summer.
What comes next depends on what stage the Jazz want to be closer to. If this is a rebuild, you can ask for a combination of Killian Hayes and Hamidou Diallo (both of whom make over $5 million next year), for example, and Hayes has a $7.4 million team option for 2023-24. If not, Kelly Olynyk has $12.8 million coming to him next year that&rsquo;s usable. Utah can in throw in, hypothetically, Royce O&rsquo;Neale&rsquo;s $9.3 million deal next year and get Olynyk anyway.
So the player framework can look something like:
<ul>
<li>Donovan Mitchell for Jerami Grant and Kelly Olynyk</li>
<li>Donovan Mitchell for Jerami Grant, Killian Hayes and Hamidou Diallo</li>
<li>Donovan Mitchell and Royce O&rsquo;Neale for Jerami Grant, Killian Hayes, Hamidou Diallo and Kelly Olynyk plus a sh*t ton of draft picks. The Pistons would be moving something like three first-rounders in the deal, and potentially multiple first-round pick swaps.</li>
</ul>
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Miami Heat
I brought this up during <a href="https://youtu.be/XBQwn0pOAa4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com's NBA Trade Deadline stream</a>.&nbsp;
The Heat didn&rsquo;t do it then, but it might still be on the table depending on how these playoffs go. The Heat might not offer the best return package because of their draft picks, but they did unlock additional firsts by moving KZ Okpala to Oklahoma City in February. And, for Miami, we&rsquo;re mainly talking about one package. But again, it depends on the results of this postseason.&nbsp;
Currently, the Heat are getting ready to face the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals, a matchup they&rsquo;re favored to win (albeit narrowly). If they lose this particular series, or if they win and Tyler Herro continues to struggle in the playoffs, or even if Miami makes a deep run and Herro elevates from a slow start, he&rsquo;d be the primary chip in a Mitchell deal. Furthermore, the <a href="https://twitter.com/GregSylvander/status/1482101290964504580" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heat are on Mitchell&rsquo;s shortlist</a>, according to Greg Sylvander of Five Reasons Sports.
The deal, as I mentioned on our stream, would include Herro &mdash; who is still on a rookie-scale contract ($5.7 million next year), but is extension-eligible this summer and wouldn&rsquo;t kick-in until 2023. Then comes Duncan Robinson, who&rsquo;ll enter the second year of a five-year, $90 million deal next season, which bookends with a near $20 million player option and rises to $16.9 million next season.
According to the trade machine, Omer Yurtseven&rsquo;s $1.7 million next season makes the math work, and would give Utah a Gobert backup who&rsquo;ll, if nothing else, get you 10 rebounds in 15 minutes on occasion. Would the Heat have to throw in at least one of Gabe Vincent, Max Strus or Haywood Highsmith (all of whom make between $1.7 and $1.8 million next year)? Perhaps. And from there, Miami has tradeable first-rounders in 2022, 2024 and 2026. So, in summation, it could look like this:
<ul>
<li>Donovan Mitchell for Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Omer Yurtseven, one of Gabe Vincent/Max Strus/Haywood Highsmith, draft capital</li>
</ul>
But if Herro has a big playoff run moving forward, the Heat may instead opt to move Robinson in a separate, smaller deal for a worthy big man in their rotation, and mostly run it back otherwise.
Atlanta Hawks
Alright, now you saw what the Heat did to Trae Young in the first round. The Hawks clearly are not only poised to get Young some help, but make a 3-for-1-ish deal to consolidate some depth into a higher-end starter &mdash; or in the case of Mitchell, a fellow offensive starter. His teammate, Gobert, is probably the better fit, but one, I&rsquo;m not writing about Gobert (our Evan Sidery will handle that) and two, if Gobert is frustrated with Mitchell&rsquo;s defense...
But anyway, you gotta start somewhere. And for Atlanta, part of why the Heat neutralized Young is their malleability defensively, but also, the Hawks don&rsquo;t have another true star to account for on the perimeter. Mitchell would give Young a viable tag team partner offensively to spread the defensive focus. To do so, the Hawks could play this a few different ways.
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The obvious trade chip is John Collins, and there could be questions about his fit next to Gobert, but it&rsquo;s not a bad place to start if you&rsquo;re moving someone of Mitchell&rsquo;s caliber. Collins will make $23.5 million next year, and between $25.3 and $26.6 million through 2025-26. Collins has had rumored friction with Young, though they&rsquo;ve downplayed it over the years. From there, if you use Collins in a possible deal, it gets interesting.&nbsp;
De&rsquo;Andre Hunter &mdash; who makes $9.8 million next year in the last season of a rookie deal and is extension-eligible this summer &mdash; seems logical for both the Jazz to want and the Hawks to keep. Hunter was Atlanta's best player against the Heat, and has been a quality two-way wing when healthy. Is a framework of Collins and Hunter for Mitchell straight up enough of a deal for both sides? Sheeeeeiiiiit, ask them, but it sounds good to me!
<ul>
<li>Donovan Mitchell for John Collins and De'Andre Hunter</li>
</ul>
No Collins? Okay. You&rsquo;re not moving Clint Capela&rsquo;s long-term deal for Utah in a Mitchell move, so that&rsquo;s out of the picture. Kevin Huerter would absolutely have to be part of this, and no, that&rsquo;s not a white Utah joke. Hu-why would you think that?&nbsp;
Huerter begins his $65 million extension next year, the first of four, banking $14.5 million in 2022-23. Hunter probably stays in the deal because Utah has to get something really good, and the Hawks simply can&rsquo;t extend everyone. Again, Atlanta should want to keep Hunter, but this is the price of doing business. But if you&rsquo;re throwing in Huerter instead of Collins (which does work on the trade machine since different rules apply in the offseason than in-season), you&rsquo;ll need multiple first round picks &mdash; of which the Hawks have all their own &mdash; so that could get done.
Could Utah also want Onyeka Okongwu? Sure, but he seems like Atlanta's 5-man of the future, and a separate deal moving off Capela might be more likely. So the second proposal could look like this:
<ul>
<li>Donovan Mitchell for De'Andre Hunter, Kevin Huerter, draft capital</li>
</ul>
Now, the Hawks would still need to figure some things out defensively, seeing as how they&rsquo;d be led by two 6-foot-1 scorers in the backcourt. They could just became the new Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum to some extent, but <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/a-salute-to-the-defiance-of-damian-lillard-and-cj-mccollum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Portland Trail Blazers are as much to blame for that &ldquo;not working,&rdquo;</a> and the Hawks can learn from those team-building mistakes.&nbsp;
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Bryan Fonseca takes a look at four logical landing spots for Utah Jazz star guard Donovan Mitchell.

Examining potential trade desinations for Donovan Mitchell 

The 2022 NBA Draft is still two months away, but that&rsquo;s when the dominoes around the Association begin to fall for player activity. In a shallow class of free agents, the trade market will be the best way for teams to make win-now moves. So many teams are in flux, stuck between pushing for the postseason or rebuilding. When scouring the potential trade marketplace, five names stand out from the rest.
Malcolm Brogdon
The Tyrese Haliburton era is in full swing for the Indiana Pacers, which showed immediate long-term promise for a star-starved organization. With Haliburton in place as the primary building block for the Pacers, it&rsquo;s time to say adios to the failed Malcolm Brogdon partnership.
Pacers GM Kevin Pritchard is on record as saying Haliburton is their point guard of the future, and he even compared acquiring him to former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck. If that doesn&rsquo;t say they&rsquo;re all-in on Haliburton, then I don&rsquo;t know what to tell you.
Although Brogdon put together career-best scoring numbers during his time in Indiana, availability continued to be a serious problem for the veteran combo guard. During the 2021-22 campaign, Brogdon missed 46 games due to nagging injury issues.
Another interesting angle to monitor from the Pacers&rsquo; point of view is losing a first-round pick they expected to receive via the Caris LeVert trade back in February. After the Cavaliers&rsquo; collapse post-All-Star break, Indiana lost out on a top-20 pick they were planning on using for further draft ammunition.
Moving Brogdon would help recoup that asset, now deferred to next season. Brogdon&rsquo;s trade market could be robust thanks to his two-way versatility, despite his injury woes.
If there&rsquo;s any player in the Association who feels like a lock to be dealt, it&rsquo;s Brogdon, thanks to the Haliburton era beginning in Indianapolis.
Christian Wood
Christian Wood is seemingly on the way out in Houston. The Rockets&rsquo; rookie big man Alperen Sengun shined in a limited role, which increased later on as Wood&rsquo;s minutes diminished. Wood was shopped by the Rockets before the trade deadline, but they weren't able to move him. That may change this offseason.
As an expiring contract making only $14 million, Wood offers any contender a ready-made stretch four who provides intriguing upside. For Houston, there&rsquo;s no reason to keep Wood around. He simply doesn&rsquo;t fit their timeline with a young core spearheaded by Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr. and Sengun.
Wood originally signed with the Rockets to be a pick-and-roll partner with James Harden, but Harden is no longer with the team. With a potentially fresh opportunity on the horizon, Wood has the chance to cash in if he lands in the right situation.
One team who continues to make sense for Wood as a long-term fit is the Miami Heat. Miami reportedly offered the Rockets Duncan Robinson for Wood, which Houston rebuked. With the Heat&rsquo;s 2023 first-round pick now available, could that change the Rockets&rsquo; mind on this swap? If Houston can offload Wood while obtaining a sharpshooter and a future first, it makes way too much sense.
Whether it be Miami or elsewhere, Wood&rsquo;s market has the chance to catch fire in a few months. He feels like another shoo-in to be on the move.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
CHRISTIAN WOOD ARE YOU SERIOUS! 39 POINTS AND THIS RIDICULOUS SHOT 😱 <a href="https://t.co/rqWDA2NS4z">pic.twitter.com/rqWDA2NS4z</a>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1506094094698774528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Jerami Grant
Another player who has been stuck in trade rumors for the past calendar year is Jerami Grant, who bet on himself and signed a long-term deal with the rebuilding Detroit Pistons. Grant sought out a role where he would be more of a focal point offensively, and he&rsquo;s shown now over a large sample size he can get it done in that area.
However, Grant&rsquo;s best fit for any contending team is how he was used with the Denver Nuggets. As a third or fourth option who also handles the best scorer on the defensive end, Grant would fit onto any team looking to take a significant leap forward next season.
Grant is another player who doesn&rsquo;t fit the timeline of his current team. With the Pistons projected to have another top pick in this year&rsquo;s draft, plus an enticing young core led by 2021 No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham, the youth movement is in full effect in the Motor City. The Pistons would be wise to shop off Grant to the highest bidder around the draft or in early July.
Grant&rsquo;s elite versatility provides him a strong role anywhere he lands. And don&rsquo;t be shocked by the price tag for a Grant trade this offseason. Contenders will get into a bidding war to secure the services of a strong plug-and-play wing who will raise their ceiling immediately.
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John Collins
What&rsquo;s next for the Atlanta Hawks? After a disappointing first-round exit in the postseason thanks to the Heat, Atlanta&rsquo;s roster has a few interesting decisions looming ahead. One of those revolves around dynamic power forward John Collins, who has continued to hear his name floated in trade rumors since signing a five-year extension last offseason.
Collins let it be known this season he was frustrated with his role on the offensive end, and soon after we once again heard trade winds blowing around the former Wake Forest Demon Deacon. If the Hawks begin fielding offers on Collins this offseason, expect Atlanta to net a significant asset (or assets) in return.
Trae Young is obviously the straw that stirs the drink in Atlanta&rsquo;s system, but take a look at all of the young pieces in place within their organization: Onyeka Okongwu, Kevin Huerter, DeAndre Hunter, Jalen Johnson, and you can even throw in the more experienced veteran in Bogdan Bogdanovic to the mix thanks to his strong fit with Young. Huerter already signed his rookie-scale extension, but Hunter and Okungwu will soon be due. The same goes for Bogdanovic, if he wants to stay in Atlanta past the 2022-23 season.
From a financial standpoint, Collins feels like the easiest piece to move in order to keep everyone else intact. Don&rsquo;t be surprised if the Hawks use Collins&rsquo; contract alongside Danilo Gallinari&rsquo;s expiring salary ($21.4 million) to go star hunting.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Trae Young finds John Collins in the corner for 3 🎯<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> presented by Google Pixel on ESPN <a href="https://t.co/pGchqDhGyW">pic.twitter.com/pGchqDhGyW</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1517668614333210634?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Julius Randle
What a disaster this season was for the New York Knicks. After a surprising surge in the 2020-21 campaign, the Knicks felt inclined to run it back with their veteran-heavy core. Looking back on it now, that decision has left egg on the face of New York&rsquo;s front office.
After winning Most Improved Player, Julius Randle may have been the winner of &ldquo;Most Disappointing Player,&rdquo; if such an award actually existed. Randle seemed out of it for most of the season, not utilizing his special motor to help the Knicks consistently. Whether Randle&rsquo;s incredible run was a flash in the pan or the fit has worn itself out, something has to give this offseason.
We should also note the emergence of former lottery pick Obi Toppin, who continued to flash when given more playing time for the Knicks. Toppin makes Randle more expendable, and that should be the primary plan for New York this offseason.
Randle&rsquo;s contract is very movable, too. Making $26.1 million next season, Randle would help present a strong trade market for New York to scour for the best offers. And who knows? Maybe Randle bounces back to his 2020-21 form in a different environment.
For Randle and the Knicks, it&rsquo;s in the best interest of both parties to split up.
While we're still a couple of months away from the trade market opening back up, there are plenty of big names who could be moved. These players should find themselves at the top of that list, as any of them would prove a huge boost for the organization acquiring them.
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Looking ahead to the offseason, here are five names to monitor as potential trade targets.

Five NBA players who feel destined to be traded this offseason

The NBA sent four teams home from its Play-In Tournament after Friday night, but all four are poised to contend next season.
Though the Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs exited early, their trio of All-Star guards and exciting young cores mean all three should be back in the hunt &mdash; provided they beef up their rosters in the offseason. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers weren't supposed to make it this far without their franchise cornerstones; that only creates more buzz surrounding a 2022-23 championship contender.
What can these franchises do this offseason to set themselves up for success? I've written up some summer plans for all four squads, including draft assets (via Tankathon), potential free agents (via Spotrac) and a central team-building question (via my deranged mind). If you missed last week, I did the same for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/summer-plans-for-the-nbas-nonplayoff-teams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10 teams who did not crack the NBA postseason</a>.
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Let's dive in.
CHARLOTTE HORNETS
Draft assets:&nbsp;First-round pick, First-round pick via Pelicans, Second-round pick, Second-round pick via Toronto (if 55-60)
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Montrezl Harrell, Isaiah Thomas, Miles Bridges (restricted), Cody Martin (restricted), Arnoldas Kulboka (restricted), Scottie Lewis (restricted)
Central question:&nbsp;How can the Hornets construct an interior defense?
Charlotte's bottom-10 defense doomed the franchise several times in the regular season and, ultimately, in the Play-In loss to Atlanta. The Hornets gave up boatloads of at-rim attempts and three-pointers, and simply looked like turnstiles at times. Improvement is necessary across the board, but an on-paper view highlights a clear need for upgrades inside.
Mason Plumlee is a fine basketball player, but he's not anchoring a high-level NBA defense. Neither is Montrezl Harrell, and 2021 first-round pick Kai Jones barely touched the floor in Charlotte. The Hornets don't have a whole lot of salary flexibility with big-money deals in place for Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier. Miles Bridges' restricted free agency is also a key offseason focal point.&nbsp;
Though the Hornets likely can't throw outright money at a Deandre Ayton-level restricted free agent, perhaps they could work a sign-and-trade for a lesser-known young talent. Maybe Mo Bamba fits the bill from Orlando? Charlotte was tied to trade rumors surrounding Myles Turner before the trade deadline, and the front office could also elect to sign a veteran at a mid-level exception.
Regardless of the pathway, the Hornets have needed to address the center position for years now. With a playoff leap now the expectation in 2022-23, they can't afford to let another summer slip away.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Draft assets:&nbsp;First-round pick, Second-round pick via Spurs, Second-round pick via Heat
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Ed Davis, Rajon Rondo, Brandon Goodwin, Collin Sexton (restricted), Moses Brown (restricted), RJ Nembhard (restricted), Dean Wade (team option)
Central question:&nbsp;What is Collin Sexton's future in Cleveland?
The Cavaliers may have slid out of the playoffs, but this was a banner year for the franchise's long-term trajectory. Darius Garland emerged as a cornerstone point guard, Evan Mobley might win Rookie of the Year, and the frontcourt pairing with Jarrett Allen looks to be a mainstay in the Eastern Conference. Injuries ultimately derailed what was a top-four seed. Most of the rotation is under contract and under 30, hinting at continued growth.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Darius Garland -&gt; Jarrett Allen -&gt; Evan Mobley (Lob) <a href="https://t.co/nDQz7tkxbs">pic.twitter.com/nDQz7tkxbs</a>
&mdash; Jackson Lloyd (@JacksonLloydNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/JacksonLloydNBA/status/1515354588353728522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2022</a></blockquote>

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This seaon's leap makes the situation with Sexton... difficult. Let's not forget that the combo guard is a season removed from a 24-point-per-game season as an efficient primary scorer, and that the Cavs were 19th in Offensive Rating this year. Sexton can meaningfully boost Cleveland simply as a bucket-getter, nevermind if he keeps improving as a playmaker.
What kind of contract do the Cavs offer to a 23-year-old who missed nearly a full season with a knee injury though? If a desperate team decides to throw money at Sexton to force the franchise to match, is there a limit to the front office's willingness? What would an extension mean for Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert?&nbsp;
Sexton is one of the biggest dominoes in the upcoming offseason, and arguably the most unpredictable.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Draft assets:&nbsp;Second-round pick
Potential free agents: Robert Covington, Rodney Hood, Isaiah Hartenstein, Amir Coffey (restricted), Xavier Moon (restricted), Ivica Zubac (team option), Nic Batum (player option)
Central question:&nbsp;What does a fully-healthy 10-man rotation look like?
Nobody expected the Clippers to be a playoff contender without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, and they still almost cracked the postseason with the supporting cast chipping in. L.A. made a splash at the trade deadline by adding Norman Powell and Robert Covington, two players who conceivably make sense next to the franchise's two stars.
This roster is deep. It's a great problem to have, but it's still a problem with several rotation options potentially hitting free agency. Covington will likely command a solid new deal as one of the league's more reliable two-way complements, and Batum could easily decline his $3.3 million team option in search of a raise. Ivica Zubac and Isaiah Hartenstein may both hit free agency; what would happen to the center rotation in that case?
The Clippers have Leonard, George, Powell, Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard, Terance Mann and Marcus Morris locked down for next season. That's already seven rotation-caliber players, and it doesn't account for leaps from young talents like Brandon Boston Jr., Jason Preston or Amir Coffey. A roster crunch is inbound, and the organization can't let a quality addition slip away as it positions itself for title contention next season.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Draft assets:&nbsp;First-round pick, first-round pick via Raptors, first-round pick via Celtics, second-round pick via Lakers
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Lonnie Walker IV (restricted), Devontae Cacok (restricted), Joe Wieskamp (restricted), DJ Stewart Jr. (restricted), Robert Woodard II (restricted)
Central question:&nbsp;How do the Spurs toe the line between developmental patience and consolidation?
San Antonio valiantly fought to get to the Play-In Tournament before losing to New Orleans, but also had one of the more underrated developmental seasons across the roster. Dejounte Murray made his All-Star leap and Jakob Poeltl established himself as <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jakob-poeltl-san-antonios-newest-watchful-protector" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the league's better rim-protectors</a>; the Spurs collectively were just a tick under league-average on both ends of the floor, per Cleaning the Glass.
One of the NBA's youngest rosters is well on track and about to receive another influx of potential. San Antonio could use its three first-rounders (including its own lottery pick) to add to the frontcourt or find another lead guard. However, the Spurs already have 12 players locked down for next season under at least partial guarantees, and 11 of them are under 30. They have a pathway to over $24 million in salary cap space this summer should they move on from restricted free agents like Walker.&nbsp;
There's an avenue, with draft picks, young players and cap space, for San Antonio to make a serious splash. Is that in the programming for this franchise, though? San Antonio hasn't acquired a star via trade in several years, unless you want to count adding DeMar DeRozan in the Kawhi Leonard blockbuster. At the same time, there are only so many minutes to go around for the young guns, especially if the Spurs think they can compete for the playoffs.
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Ethan Fuller sets the stage for the NBA's four Play-In exits approaching the offseason.

Summer plans for the Spurs, Hornets, Cavaliers and Clippers

The Indiana Pacers just wrapped up their worst season since 1989. Finishing with a 25-57 record, Indiana has decided upon a path it hasn't ventured down in decades.
On Christmas, the Pacers were in no man&rsquo;s land in the Eastern Conference sitting at 14-19. The frontcourt pairing between Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner was still working on occasion, but it didn&rsquo;t make any dent as a true competitor. Malcolm Brogdon was supposed to be Indiana&rsquo;s long-term answer as its primary floor general, but he could barely stay on the court due to injury woes. Speaking of injuries, Orlando Bubble superstar T.J. Warren didn&rsquo;t play in a single game this season due to a nagging foot injury; four total games over two full seasons for the former Phoenix Suns wing.
Indiana&rsquo;s vision for a sustainable contender just simply wasn&rsquo;t working. Running stagnant with a roster that was just competitive enough to sneak into the postseason, the Pacers finally pressed the rebuild button during the holiday season. From Dec. 25 and on, Indiana went on to an 11-38 finish.
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After trading away Sabonis and Caris LeVert, Indiana is now in an advantageous long-term position, even in spite of not conveying the first-round pick acquired via the Cleveland Cavaliers. (Cleveland will keep its first-round pick due to the loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night, as the team misses the NBA Playoffs.)
The cupboard is anything but bare. Sending out Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings brought back a potential face of the franchise in Tyrese Haliburton. The second-year point guard from Iowa State continued to blossom in a more featured role away from De&rsquo;Aaron Fox in Sacramento. Haliburton averaged 17.5 points, 9.6 assists and 1.8 steals for Indiana, immediately planting himself as a primary pillar for the next great Pacers team.
Chris Duarte also made noise during his rookie campaign for Indiana before a nagging toe issue hampered his availability post-All-Star break. Showing a true scorer&rsquo;s mindset, Duarte displayed why he&rsquo;s another key piece to the Pacers&rsquo; puzzle.
Outside of the Haliburton and Duarte pairing, plus the exciting unknown ahead, the Pacers have one more young prospect that is so intriguing to project.
Isaiah Jackson, the No. 22 overall pick from the 2020 NBA Draft, has all the potential to take a massive sophomore jump in 2022-23.
Still a raw prospect, Jackson flashed tantalizing two-way talent in different spurts throughout the Pacers&rsquo; midseason downturn. The sample size for Jackson was small &mdash; 36 total games and 15 starts &mdash; but it&rsquo;s hard to ignore what the ceiling could look like for the former Kentucky Wildcat big man.
Over Jackson&rsquo;s final 18 games of the season, Indiana saw a glimpse of true two-way success. In only 21.6 minutes per game, Jackson averaged 12.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 2.2 blocks on an impressive 62.6% True Shooting percentage. When stretching those minutes to per-36 thresholds, Indiana&rsquo;s rookie was outstanding: 20.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 3.6 blocks.
The reason why Jackson is such a moldable piece of clay for Indiana is because of the uncertain future revolving around Myles Turner. Having been the subject of trade rumors for multiple years now, which again got red-hot back in February, Turner now enters the last year of his contract. If the Pacers were to decide to move off Turner this offseason, now would be the ideal time if it wasn&rsquo;t at the trade deadline, as it would allow Jackson to fully blossom.
Jackson showed already for the Pacers he can fill the Turner role seamlessly. Not only can Jackson rim-run and block shots at an above-average level, but the floor-spacing potential is certainly there as well. Also, unlike Sabonis and Turner, Jackson provides the Pacers an athletic lob threat that hasn&rsquo;t been present within the organization for years now.
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Sheesh Isaiah Jackson 😳 <a href="https://t.co/MxOHikwsXL">pic.twitter.com/MxOHikwsXL</a>
&mdash; NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1513267754370953220?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Indiana is in an ideal spot to choose any direction for Jackson&rsquo;s immediate future. Whether it be moved up into a starting role replacing Turner or slow-playing his development behind Turner one more season, Jackson&rsquo;s early trajectory is so promising. Jackson checks the rim-protection box with emphasis, plus the perfect pick-and-roll partner near the rim for Haliburton to execute with.
Entering arguably the most important offseason in franchise history, Indiana can continue to blow it all up and reset around an exciting core of young players. Haliburton, Duarte and Jackson are locked in. The future top-seven draft pick is cemented as well. Outside of that, anything is possible for the Pacers&rsquo; roster construction avenues.
Running in place for years at this point, the Pacers&rsquo; fresh start was much-needed. Now, it&rsquo;s time to see how all the new parts work together over an extensive long-term period. As far as the most interesting topics for the Pacers, Jackson&rsquo;s potential Year 2 jump could eventually change everything in Indianapolis.
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As the Pacers begin an extensive rebuild, don't forget about the potential long-term possibilities for big man Isaiah Jackson.

Isaiah Jackson provides Pacers ready-made Myles Turner replacement

The NBA playoffs are fast approaching and as the season winds down, there are a total of 21 teams fighting for 16 playoff spots across the two conferences.
Every game matters.
Injuries have had a major impact on this season. In the Western Conference, a number of potential playoff teams are missing key pieces, including the Golden State Warriors (Stephen Curry and James Wiseman), Denver Nuggets (Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.), Los Angeles Clippers (Kawhi Leonard and Paul George), Memphis Grizzlies (Ja Morant), Los Angeles Lakers (Anthony Davis), New Orleans Pelicans (Zion Williamson) and Portland Trail Blazers (Damian Lillard).
There are fewer injured stars in the Eastern Conference, but Jarrett Allen (CLE), Ben Simmons (BKN), Lonzo Ball (CHI), Gordon Hayward (CHA) and Colin Sexton (CLE) are currently sidelined.
Between now and the start of the playoffs on April 12, some important players are expected to return to their respective teams, which could alter the NBA landscape in a major way.
<h2>WESTERN CONFERENCE</h2>
DENVER NUGGETS
On March 15, the Nuggets assigned Jamal Murray to their G-League affiliate (the Grand Rapids Gold) to get some additional work at practice. This sent waves through social media, as fans anticipated Murray's long-awaited return to the Nuggets' lineup. However, just a few days later, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said that Murray is "not close" to suiting up.
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Denver Nuggets HC Michael Malone says Jamal Murray is "not close" to rejoining the lineup, per <a href="https://twitter.com/HarrisonWind?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HarrisonWind</a> <a href="https://t.co/7leLWbJe5W">pic.twitter.com/7leLWbJe5W</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1505676501303320576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2022</a></blockquote>

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It seems unlikely that Murray will be able to play during the regular season, but perhaps he'll be able to return at some point during the postseason.
Michael Porter Jr. is also on the mend, but the reports about his availability have been all over the place. There were rumblings that his rehab didn't go great and that he was further away than Murray. Then, there was a rumor that he's <a href="https://theathletic.com/3198516/2022/03/21/nuggets-hopeful-jamal-murray-and-michael-porter-jr-could-be-back-by-playoffs-but-no-immediate-return-on-the-horizon/?source=nbatw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">due back very soon</a>.

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A little over a week ago, Malone was asked about the possibility of Murray and Porter returning, and he <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/malone-michael-porter-jr-and-jamal-murrays-wont-be-back-soon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, "There is no immediate return on the horizon for either one of those players."
Denver is currently the sixth seed in the Western Conference, trying to stave off the Minnesota Timberwolves and avoid the Play-In Tournament.&nbsp;
Nikola Jokic has played at an MVP level (again) and the absence of these two stars has allowed for Bones Hyland to emerge as a legitimate rotation player as a rookie. Adding even one of these two players back into the fold would make the Nuggets a significantly more threatening first-round opponent for the Grizzlies, Warriors or Mavericks.&nbsp;
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NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
Since the acquisition of CJ McCollum on February 8, the New Orleans Pelicans rank No. 10 in offensive rating and No. 6 in net rating. While the Pelicans won't be getting All-Star power forward Zion Williamson back at any point this season, they did just have another impact player return to their lineup.
Larry Nance Jr. was acquired as part of the McCollum trade and he made his Pelicans debut a few days ago. The 29-year-old is a seamless fit on the offensive end and he'll give New Orleans some defensive versatility.
Even though we all wanted to see how this team would look with a healthy Zion, they have a solid core with McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas, Herb Jones, Devonte' Graham, Nance and Co. &mdash; making them a scary opponent in the Play-In Tournament.

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New Orleans likely won't catch the Clippers for the eighth seed, but they could steal homecourt advantage in the 9-10 game against the Lakers, as they are currently a half game behind L.A.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
With LeBron James on roster, there always seems to be this lingering feeling that the Lakers will catch their stride and figure this thing out. But without Anthony Davis, it seems unlikely that Los Angeles will be able to escape the Play-In Tournament.
There has been no official word on a potential return date for Davis, but the Lakers would need him available if they hope to play beyond April 12.
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Anthony Davis continues to do on-court shooting, per Frank Vogel, and is progressing each day: &ldquo;Anthony has had a good week &hellip; He&rsquo;s had a productive week.&rdquo;
&mdash; Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) <a href="https://twitter.com/LakersReporter/status/1504943043669106699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The presence of Davis would inject a tiny sliver of hope that he and James could will this team to victory and into a revenge series against the Phoenix Suns in the first round.
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
Stephen Curry is expected to be out until mid-April at the earliest, which is a huge blow to the Warriors. Fortunately, Curry has <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/warriors-curry-expects-to-return-by-start-of-playoffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that he should be back in time for the first game of the playoffs.
The team has reintroduced Klay Thompson back into the fold, and Draymond Green is back in the lineup too. While Golden State's star-studded trio has only played three games together this season, at least the Warriors should have all three vets together for the postseason (barring any setbacks or new injuries).
Unfortunately, Golden State won't be at full strength, as James Wiseman was recently <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/warriors-james-wiseman-ruled-out-for-remainder-of-the-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled out</a> for the remainder of this season. The sophomore is still recovering from a torn meniscus that he suffered last April. Wiseman's size and versatility would have helped the Warriors, especially when facing the likes of Nikola Jokic, Rudy Gobert and Jaren Jackson Jr.
Golden State has been struggling without Curry, dropping four of their last five games (including surprising losses to the Orlando Magic, San Antonio Spurs and Atlanta Hawks). Golden State surrendered the No. 2 seed to the Memphis Grizzlies, and the Warriors could slip to fourth in the Western Conference, leading to a potential second-round matchup against Phoenix (instead of Memphis or Utah).&nbsp;
Still, assuming the Warriors have their Big Three, they will be dangerous in the playoffs.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Recently, Clippers head coach Ty Lue was asked about Kawhi Leonard and Paul George potentially returning prior to the playoffs, and he didn't shoot down the possibility.
"If guys are able to [return], they are gonna do it," Lue said. "But the most important part is making the sure the players are taken care of and making sure they're ready to go and fully healthy."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Ty Lue says he&rsquo;ll keep the door open on Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and/or Norman Powell returning if it&rsquo;s less than a week until the playoffs. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Clippers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Clippers</a> <a href="https://t.co/iebGp2sRcp">pic.twitter.com/iebGp2sRcp</a>
&mdash; Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomerAzarly/status/1505958728125739011?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Leonard has been sidelined since last postseason, and Clippers fans have been holding out hope for a late-season comeback. ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33579571/nba-playoffs-injury-updates-steph-curry-zion-williamson-anthony-davis-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> that Leonard may be able to return if the Clippers make it out of the Play-In Tournament.
George has been sidelined due to a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, and there is no timetable for his return. Recently, he has <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33579571/nba-playoffs-injury-updates-steph-curry-zion-williamson-anthony-davis-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> made progress and been cleared for 4-on-4 and shooting drills, so a return still seems possible.&nbsp;
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<h2>EASTERN CONFERENCE</h2>
CHICAGO BULLS
The Bulls skyrocketed to the top of the East standings early in the season thanks to a supernova DeMar DeRozan and stellar defense. Two key cogs of that defense were Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso, who have played just 35 and 36 games, respectively. Chicago also played most of the season without forward Patrick Williams, who's another important rotation player.&nbsp;
The absence of those two elite perimeter defenders caused the Bulls to slip to the East's five seed, and they are just one game ahead of the sixth-seeded Toronto Raptors.&nbsp;
Caruso returned on March 12 and Williams returned on March 21. But if Ball is able to return to the starting lineup, that could significantly affect the outcome of a series against the Celtics or 76ers.
However, here's the bad news:
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Lonzo Ball will stop running on his knee for the next 10 days, per Billy Donovan. They&rsquo;ve been trying to ramp him up but he hasn&rsquo;t responded well
&mdash; Jamal Collier (@JamalCollier) <a href="https://twitter.com/JamalCollier/status/1506033717608865798?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Ball may not be needed for Chicago to avoid the Play-In Tournament, but his return is crucial in order for the Bulls to make a deep run in the playoffs.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Colin Sexton is not coming back this season. In fact, it's possible that he has played his final game as a Cavalier since he's set to become a restricted free agent.
However, one of the main reason that the Cavaliers have exceeded expectations this season is the play of Jarrett Allen. Ricky Rubio was also a key cog in the Cleveland machine, but his injury back in December led to the acquisition of Rajon Rondo... who is also currently out with an ankle injury.&nbsp;
Allen's presence defensively next to Evan Mobley is crucial to the success of the Cavs. Cleveland's opponents take the ninth-most shots at the rim in the league, but they shoot the worst percentage. Their perimeter defense funnels opponents to the rim because of the three 7-footers they have on the floor.&nbsp;
For Cleveland to pull off a first-round upset, Allen must be present and continuing his career-year.&nbsp;
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Unfortunately, injuries are a part of the game and oftentimes play a major factor in the postseason. This year is proving to be no different, as the field seems wide open due to injuries and the players who are returning could have a major impact on who is eventually crowned champion.
BROOKLYN NETS
After arriving in Brooklyn, Ben Simmons began ramping up his conditioning and preparing to make his season debut, but then his back started giving him trouble. Initially, it was being described as back soreness, but he was recently diagnosed with a herniated disc and he needed an epidural for the pain.
Nets head coach Steve Nash has said that surgery isn't currently being considered. Simmons is working with a physical therapist and trying to get healthy enough to make his Nets debut. Nash told reporters that he's "fully expecting" Simmons to play at some point this season.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33520712/brooklyn-nets-hold-hope-ben-simmons-return-couple-regular-season-games" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Brooklyn hopes to have Simmons for a "couple" regular-season games so that he can start shaking off the rust and getting acclimated prior to the postseason.
Whenever he returns, the Defensive-Player-of-the-Year runner-up will provide a huge boost for the Nets. Last season, Simmons averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.6 steals with the Philadelphia 76ers.
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Several NBA playoff teams are hoping to get back key contributors in time for the postseason. Justin Lewis examines these situations.

Examining 11 impact players whose return could alter NBA playoffs

Admit it, you still want the series.
Hell, you probably want it even more now.
You still want a No. 2 vs. No. 7 matchup of the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets in Round 1, even though the potential prelude to it was as underwhelming as "Battlefield 2042."
We all come to basketball for different reasons.
Some of you just want straight hoops &mdash; buckets, athleticism, dunks, tough shot-making, etc. Some of you want in-depth, coach-like film breakdowns of the game. Then, there are those of you who want a balance with a little of both, but not too much of either. Others enjoy narratives, stories that transcend numbers and what may really fuel certain things leaving us in awe.
And then, there are the particulars who just want the drama &mdash; transactions, rumors, business, who hates who &mdash; and that&rsquo;s really what Thursday night was about for a ton of viewers who experienced primetime Sixers vs. Nets on TNT.
The first video some of us saw featured Ben Simmons getting heckled after leaving his hotel and boarding what presumably was the Nets&rsquo; team bus. It sounded like... he was back in Philadelphia.
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Ben Simmons sneaking out of hotel trying to avoid heckling fans. <a href="https://twitter.com/FOX29philly?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FOX29philly</a> <a href="https://t.co/VjnQipa6n2">pic.twitter.com/VjnQipa6n2</a>
&mdash; Chris O'Connell (@CoconnellFox29) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoconnellFox29/status/1502043428728844290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Simmons remains out with a reported back issue and needs to ramp up his conditioning. He still might not be mentally ready to return ⁠&mdash; perhaps it&rsquo;s all the above ⁠&mdash; but the All-Star did join the Nets in warmups, and was serenaded by the Philadelphia boo-birds both before and after the game.
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Ben Simmons was welcomed with boos in his return to Philly. <a href="https://t.co/5ZSktchthL">pic.twitter.com/5ZSktchthL</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1502071069611479040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Ben Simmons went over and hugged the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/76ers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#76ers</a> team security, then departed the court, showered with more boos. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nets?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nets</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nba?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nba</a> <a href="https://t.co/4YBLuHWFZn">pic.twitter.com/4YBLuHWFZn</a>
&mdash; Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYPost_Lewis/status/1502074075673505794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2022</a></blockquote>

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This is the city that booed and hurled snowballs at Santa Claus in the 1960s, back when it was cool to think a jumbo-sized, red-pajama wearing, high-flying, sleigh-riding, chimney-climbing, cookie-eating, milk-drinking, white-bearded Caucasian dude existed.
So Simmons, justified or not, wasn&rsquo;t going to be off-limits at all.
In the actual game, Kyrie Irving hit the first memorable jumper &mdash; a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NBAdoPovo/status/1502088416023957523" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stepback in Harden&rsquo;s face</a>. Harden retaliated with&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/brasilcoast2/status/1502087391007363104" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of his own just minutes later</a>, his most memorable moment of the night, if we&rsquo;re keeping it a buck.&nbsp;
The keystone moment of the contest, while it was still competitive, featured Kevin Durant and Joel Embiid jawing at one another after Embiid shouldered into Durant and knocked him on his ass.
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KD and Embiid going at it 🍿 <a href="https://t.co/kicLbz1Ubw">pic.twitter.com/kicLbz1Ubw</a>
&mdash; NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1502092540756910081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2022</a></blockquote>

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And then, from there, it didn&rsquo;t matter. The Nets outscored the Sixers 96-79 en route to a 129-100 victory, their biggest blowout win since Nov. 10 &mdash; a 123-90 Brooklyn road triumph over the Orlando Magic.&nbsp;
Quietly, Seth Curry&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/TheHoopCentral/status/1502107719154606087" target="_blank" rel="noopener">might&rsquo;ve talked more sh*t than anyone</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1502140164738633729" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lit up his former team</a> (his father-in-law's!) with 24 points and 5 steals while shooting 10 of 14 from the field and 4 of 8 from three. Embiid ended the night with an unimpressive 27 points and 12 rebounds on 5 of 17 shooting, though he made 15 of 19 free throw attempts. With 4 points in 29 minutes, Tyrese Maxey had his lowest scoring output of the season.&nbsp;
Now, let&rsquo;s get to the others...
Sixers fans may have chastised Simmons early on and ridiculed the Nets throughout, but the night ended with them booing their own team, who is now 40-25 and third in the Eastern Conference (which will be a brawl until the finish). The Nets are back above .500 at 34-33, but are still just in eighth place and sit five games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers for the No. 6 seed, so Brooklyn is running out of time to avoid a Play-In Tournament scenario.
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If you missed the quotes, there were some interesting ones.&nbsp;
Durant did initially downplay the significance of the win, indicating that the Nets&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/SNYNets/status/1502126038184349697" target="_blank" rel="noopener">didn&rsquo;t win a championship or clinch a playoff spot</a>, but admitted that the team did have some extra motivation given the hostile reaction to Simmons.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We look at Ben [Simmons] as our brother,&rdquo; <a href="https://twitter.com/SNYNets/status/1502127223658233860">said Durant</a>, who the team with 25 points, 14 rebounds and 7 assists. &ldquo;We knew that this was a hostile environment, and we knew that he didn&rsquo;t have an opportunity to play, so we wanted to come out there and have them (the fans) focus on the court more so than just always focusing on him. They focused on the court tonight, and it&rsquo;s hard for you to chant at Ben Simmons when you&rsquo;re losing by that much.&rdquo;
Harden, who finished with 11 points on 3 of 17 shooting &mdash; and missed all 8 of his two-pointers &mdash; admitted to getting his ass whooped while wearing an overly-puffy (and likely, absurdly expensive) jacket in his postgame presser.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Tonight was good for us,&rdquo; said a straight-faced Harden, who was <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2022/03/11/james-harden-hangs-with-travis-scott-lil-baby-after-blowout-loss-nets/?adid=social-twa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spotted out on the town with Lil Baby and Travis Scott following the blowout</a>. &ldquo;We got our ass kicked. Since I&rsquo;ve been here, everything&rsquo;s been sweet, we&rsquo;ve been winning games. And so, tonight was good for us, and we get an opportunity to come down to reality, watch film and just continue to get better.&rdquo;
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"Tonight was good for us. We got our ass kicked." <a href="https://t.co/WWnq7fEqgY">pic.twitter.com/WWnq7fEqgY</a>
&mdash; NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSPhilly/status/1502127744221655050?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Irving, who added 22 points, 5 threes, and 5 assists, also spoke after the contest.
&ldquo;I think playing for Ben and this night meaning something to Ben &mdash; not only Ben, but Dre (Andre Drummond), Seth [Curry] &mdash; when you get traded in this league, it&rsquo;s not easy to deal with,&rdquo; Irving pointed out.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve tried to welcome them in with open arms. So, when we played tonight, we definitely felt like Ben was on our heart; you could see it, he was wearing it, and we just wanted to go out there and play for him and play well. Again, it&rsquo;s not an individual thing for us. We all felt it; we&rsquo;re all there. If you come at Ben, you come at us.&rdquo;
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"It's not an individual thing for us. We all felt it. We're all there. If you come at Ben, you come at us" - Kyrie Irving <a href="https://t.co/xWvpdIah3U">pic.twitter.com/xWvpdIah3U</a>
&mdash; Nets Videos (@SNYNets) <a href="https://twitter.com/SNYNets/status/1502131158166867969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Well, if we see these two clash in the postseason ⁠&mdash; and the first-round possibility is there &mdash; it&rsquo;d be nice if the Sixers came for somebody.&nbsp;
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Bryan Fonseca recaps Thursday's highly-anticipated superstar clash between the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets.

Nets-76ers kinda sucked, but we still want more, don’t we?

I'll let you in on a poorly-kept secret of mine: I'm not a huge fan of (trade) rumor talk serving as the primary source of NBA coverage.
It especially irks me when it's done for players well under contract, or done without firm, he's-absolutely-out-of-there intel. What teams (and players) are doing on the court is infinitely more fun and interesting than where they're pushing to go in the future, for me. It's why my writing is mostly film-intensive, and why <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-dunker-spot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Dunker Spot podcast</a> exists.&nbsp;
It's important for me to set the stage on my general thoughts because I want you to recognize how hypocritical I'm about to be. There's an exception to every rule, as the old adage goes, and boy is this LeBron James situation looking like the anomoly of all anomolies.
The "where's he going and when can he get there?" wheels have been turning in my head since Saturday. LeBron decided to use All-Star Weekend &mdash; generally a time period for rest, fun, and a celebration of excellence &mdash; to send a message to the Los Angeles Lakers' front office.
We knew he was frustrated with how the season was going; a 27-31 record will do that to you. We can also surmise that's he's over the Russell Westbrook Experiment. It's been a clunky fit on the court that's come with its own media back-and-forth. And in light of former Lakers showing out (hi, Kyle Kuzma) and other Westbrook alternatives trade targets looking pretty darn good (hi, DeMar DeRozan), it's easy to see why LeBron's relationship with the Lakers isn't particularly peachy.
(Of course, there are some easy counters to be made. One could argue injuries to LeBron and Anthony Davis have played a larger role in this season-from-heck than Westbrook's missed jumpers. It's hard to build chemistry when people are in and out of the lineup. Also, hey, LeBron (and Davis) kiiinda vouched for Westbrook, and it's pretty well documented that rosters are genearlly shaped in LeBron's image. He isn't&nbsp;the&nbsp;front office, but he has enough of an influence where the woe-is-me card doesn't hit the same.)
To the message: LeBron found it appropriate (read: strategic) to let it be known that a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-on-cleveland-return-the-doors-not-closed-on-that" target="_blank" rel="noopener">return to Cleveland isn't out of the cards</a>.
That would be pretty light &mdash; heck, All-Star festivities were in Cleveland so why wouldn't this come up? &mdash; if that didn't also come with <a href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2022-02-19/nba-all-star-weekend-lebron-james-lakers-groove" target="_blank" rel="noopener">compliments to Sam Presti's talent evaluation</a>. Or an announcement, <a href="https://theathletic.com/3138844/2022/02/19/could-lebron-james-return-to-cleveland-again-the-doors-not-closed-on-that-he-says/?source=emp_shared_article" target="_blank" rel="noopener">via The Athletic</a>, that his final season will be played wherever his son Bronny gets drafted/signed. Or a few days <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/02/18/lebron-james-les-snead-tweet-raises-lakers-questions/">following some Les Snead praise</a>, conveniently showered upon him after an actionless trade deadline from his own team's general manager.
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All of that got me thinking. If LeBron is already setting the stage for an exit, the roster is flawed with limited cap space or pick ammo in the short term, and the top of the conference is pretty set with Phoenix and Golden State (and Memphis, plus a healthy version of Denver if you want to go that route) &mdash; why not press the big red button this offseason?
Why not trade LeBron?
It's an insane-adjacent thought, but think about it. If you know he's gone, and you aren't in position to compete for a title in his last season, why not work with him and rip the Band-Aid off?
But that leads into the other question that has me stuck: What would a deal even look like?
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_17735250_lg.jpg" alt="" width="674" height="449" />
The value-question is a tough one to answer. LeBron is undoubtedly one of the five best players in the league (and of all-time), but he's also 37 years old and comes with an internal power shift that you better be ready for. How many teams have the ecosystem for LeBron, a roster with good enough pieces to talk the Lakers into and a remaining cast that LeBron could compete with post-trade?
Not very many.
The first team that came to mind was the Phoenix Suns.
They're the best team in the league right now, and have a trio of young pieces &mdash; Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and the oddly-wasn't-given-a-max Deandre Ayton &mdash; they could theoretically move in the summer for LeBron. Between Ayton's max in a sign-and-trade, Bridges' extension kicking in and Johnson's team option, the Suns could easily get to north of $40 mililion in salary to make it work.&nbsp;
(There could be some haggling for Johnson. The Suns do have <a href="https://www.prosportstransactions.com/basketball/DraftTrades/Future/Suns.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">all their picks</a> from 2023 and onward, so maybe they could sub in a first or two down the road in an effort to keep him out of the trade.)
What's left? A trio of Chris Paul (happens to be one of LeBron's best friends), Devin Booker and LeBron. The playmaking and general IQ of the Paul/LeBron convo would make an already-elite half-court attack more difficult to deal with. Even this stage of LeBron would help solve the rim pressure issue; the Suns have ranked last in rim frequency in both seasons of the Paul era, per Cleaning The Glass.
Beyond the Suns, the Cavs could obviously get in the room. They could dangle Evan Mobley if they wanted to and make that phone call a short one; they absolutely won't (and shouldn't!) do that though.&nbsp;
The Cavs also <a href="https://www.prosportstransactions.com/basketball/DraftTrades/Future/Cavaliers.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have their first-rounders</a> from 2023 and onward, and have enough non-Mobley and non-Darius Garland pieces &mdash; Jarrett Allen, Isaac Okoro, Klutch client Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen &mdash; to put something intriguing together if they don't want to play the wait-for-free-agency game.
Atlanta (John Collins, De'Andre Hunter) could build something out to pair LeBron and Trae Young together. It's hard to believe the Knicks wouldn't want to get in on the LeBron sweepstakes, though it's tough to guage what the stock of RJ Barrett (or Julius Randle, for that matter) is these days.
Could New Orleans build a package around Zi... ahahahahahahaha.
Anyway, color me intrigued by the prospect of a LeBron trade &mdash; even if it is super unlikely.
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Nekias Duncan asks the question we all want to know: Could LeBron actually be traded, and where?

What would a LeBron James trade look like?

In an interview with <a href="https://theathletic.com/3138844/2022/02/19/could-lebron-james-return-to-cleveland-again-the-doors-not-closed-on-that-he-says/?source=twitterhq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jason Lloyd of&nbsp;</a><a href="https://theathletic.com/3138844/2022/02/19/could-lebron-james-return-to-cleveland-again-the-doors-not-closed-on-that-he-says/?source=twitterhq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic</a>,&nbsp;LeBron James left open the possibility of a return to the Cleveland Cavaliers at some point in his NBA career.
&ldquo;The door&rsquo;s not closed on that,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not saying I&rsquo;m coming back and playing, I don&rsquo;t know. I don&rsquo;t know what my future holds. I don&rsquo;t even know when I&rsquo;m free.&rdquo;
James will be a free agent after the 2022-23 season. He did emphasize that he won't settle for anything less than his maximum contract value when his free agency arrives.
"&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t play midlevel basketball,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t come back for anything below the top.&rdquo;
James is averaging 29.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists with the Lakers this season.

James is averaging 29.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists with the Lakers this season.

LeBron James on Cleveland return: 'The door's not closed on that'

Players like Andrew Wiggins make being a coach worth it.
The NBA&rsquo;s 2022 All-Star Weekend is in my hometown of Cleveland and even though I won&rsquo;t be there in person, I&rsquo;ll be paying close attention to the All-Star Game. I can&rsquo;t wait to see Wiggins take that court.
Being a coach can be a thankless job &mdash; long days, short nights and countless hours. Most of the time, coaches spend more time with their teams than they do with their families, and when things don&rsquo;t work out, we&rsquo;re usually the first to get blamed &mdash; whether fair or not. That&rsquo;s part of what makes it tough.
What also makes it tough is when you have players who don&rsquo;t want to be held to standards or don&rsquo;t want to work.&nbsp;
A good coach is supposed to push you and challenge you. A good coach is supposed to hold you accountable. And truth is, some players just aren&rsquo;t receptive to that&hellip;&nbsp;
But others? They&rsquo;re like Wiggins.&nbsp;
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I got to know him pretty well during our brief time together during the NBA Summer League in 2014, and I became a believer in him almost immediately.
Eight years later, I&rsquo;m going to be so proud to see him take the court as not only an All-Star from the Western Conference, but as a starter.
I first heard about Andrew when he was at Kansas, and I never imagined I&rsquo;d be one of his first NBA coaches &mdash; but that&rsquo;s how things worked out for us.&nbsp;
I was just coming off of my first season as an assistant with the Canton Charge, the Cavaliers&rsquo; G League affiliate. In May of that year, Cleveland won the draft lottery for the second year in a row (and third time in four years).&nbsp;
They had Kyrie Irving, who they picked first in 2011, and Anthony Bennett (selected first in 2012). Now, they had won the draft lottery again and were expected to select Wiggins first overall.&nbsp;
Me? I was fortunate to get the call to be an assistant coach for the Cavs in the Summer League. I was looking forward to it, especially to have the opportunity to help develop that young talent. I was still getting my feet wet as a coach, and when they did ended up picking Wiggins with the first pick, we were joined.&nbsp;
Andrew, believe it or not, made it easy for us.&nbsp;
With the hype surrounding him, it would have been easy for him to have an attitude or to have a big head or to not be receptive to being coached and pushed, but he was the total opposite. He was kind, patient and absorbed everything like a sponge. It was refreshing.
Even though I was an assistant coach, I worked with him a lot. I was constantly in his ear.
What I respected most about Andrew, and I&rsquo;m not sure I ever told him directly, was how he handled himself after LeBron announced that he was coming back to Cleveland. We had conversations about it, and I advised him &mdash; but he just handled himself like such an adult.
The main thing I tried to get him to understand was that there was going to be an adjustment period for him going from college to the pros and to not put too much pressure on himself. Focus on having fun and take your craft seriously. He did just that.
He was a rare combination of someone who was talented, gifted and confident &mdash; yet also calm, quiet and focused. That&rsquo;s not always the case with young players with promise.
Especially for those who have accolades and notoriety, those players can give off an impression that makes you wonder if they feel like playing in summer leagues or pickup games is almost beneath them. They don&rsquo;t give it 100% and don&rsquo;t seem like they&rsquo;re taking the lower levels of play seriously.
That wasn&rsquo;t Andrew.&nbsp;
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As a coach, you want the best for all your players, but there are some who you actually root for &mdash;&nbsp;whether it be because of their work ethic, their character or your personal relationship. And yeah, Andrew immediately became one of those players I rooted for.
In Vegas, after LeBron announced he was going back to Cleveland, Andrew immediately became the topic of discussion and rumors because everyone assumed that he would be traded for someone who could help LeBron win immediately.&nbsp;
During Summer League, he couldn&rsquo;t go anywhere without people asking him about the rumors, asking him if he was actually going to play for the Cavs and stuff like that &mdash; despite it all, he was so positive and upbeat. He remained focused on our common goal.
We had a few conversations about the situation and about his future in the NBA. I&rsquo;ll never forget Andrew&rsquo;s perspective. He considered himself blessed to be fulfilling his dream, and his sole focus was to become the best player he could be. He was looking forward to being LeBron&rsquo;s understudy and learning from him, but knew that it was possible that he wouldn&rsquo;t get that opportunity.&nbsp;
And if he got traded? He simply knew he was going to give it his all to become the best player he could be for that team that did acquire him.&nbsp;
Either way, he always wanted to be with his coaches in the gym. And he wanted us to push him. No wasted days.
I knew, even back then, that he was going to make it.&nbsp;
Attitude and humility &mdash; knowing that you&rsquo;ve got a lot to learn and taking what your coaches have to say seriously &mdash; that&rsquo;s a big factor when it comes to young guys becoming the best players they can be. And it often makes the difference between someone having a five-year career, and someone having a 15-year career.
Things didn&rsquo;t work out in Cleveland for obvious reasons, but Andrew developed nicely in Minnesota. There were a lot of questions about his drive and about his ability to fulfill his potential, and that probably contributed to Minnesota trading him to Golden State for D&rsquo;Angelo Russell.
At the end of the day, though, everyone lands where they&rsquo;re supposed to.&nbsp;
D&rsquo;Angelo is doing well in Minnesota with Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew looks like he just might be the piece that the Warriors need to get back on top.
The young Canadian kid, obviously &mdash; he&rsquo;s figured things out in San Francisco.
And you know what? I can&rsquo;t say I&rsquo;m surprised.&nbsp;
I&rsquo;ve believed in him since fate brought us together in Las Vegas back in 2014.
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James Posey discusses the experience he had coaching Andrew Wiggins back in 2014, and how the young man made him a believer.

Coaching Andrew Wiggins in 2014 NBA Summer League made me a believer

Nekias Duncan thoroughly grades every NBA trade from 2022 Deadline Week.

Grading every move from 2022 NBA trade deadline week

Tommy Beer is back with his latest version of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings. To read last week's version, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-power-rankings-sixers-and-nuggets-on-come-up-nets-sliding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>.
The Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics (thanks to their dominant defense) are three of the big climbers this week, while the Nets continue to head in the wrong direction.
1. Phoenix Suns (44-10) &harr;️ Last Week: 1
Despite posting the NBA's best record, the Suns are reportedly looking to upgrade their roster. <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rumors-james-harden-ben-simmons-caris-levert-collin-sexton-malik-beasley-thaddeus-young/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype</a>, Phoenix is one of two teams (the Minnesota Timberwolves being the other) that have expressed interest in trading for San Antonio Spurs veteran Thaddeus Young.
2. Golden State Warriors (41-13) &harr;️ Last Week: 2
It appears Klay Thompson is finding his groove, which is bad news for the rest of the NBA. Klay has scored over 20 points in back-to-back games and is averaging 19.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 3.6 made treys (while shooting 42.9% from downtown) over his last five contests. &nbsp;
3. Memphis Grizzlies (38-18) &harr;️ Last Week: 3
The Grizz just keep on winning. They've won 6 of their last 7 games and 19 of their previous 23. Memphis has not lost consecutive contests since before Christmas. Over their last 20 games, Ja Morant is averaging 29.9 points (while shooting over 51% from the floor), 6.7 dimes, 6.3 assists, 1.6 made triples and 1.1 steals. Those are jaw-dropping numbers for any player, let alone a 22-year-old kid in just his third pro season.
4. Milwaukee Bucks (35-21) ⬆️ Last Week: 9
Interesting statistical factoid from the Bucks 137-113 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. In that game, Milwaukee became the first team in NBA history to have each member of its starting lineup score at least 15 points, grab at least 5 rebounds and knock down at least 2 three-pointers.
5. Miami Heat (35-20) &harr;️ Last Week: 5
When the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night, Miami clinched the best record in the Eastern Conference through the end of last week, which means Erik Spoelstra and his staff will head to Cleveland later this month to coach Team Durant in the All-Star Game.
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6. Chicago Bulls (33-21) &harr;️ Last Week: 6
The Bulls, playing without two of their best perimeter defenders in Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso, have lost 3 of their last 4. However, after playing Wednesday in Charlotte, Chicago begins a six-game homestand that wraps around All-Star weekend. Following the matchup with the Hornets, the Bulls don't play on the road again until Feb. 28.&nbsp;
7. Cleveland Cavaliers (33-21) ⬆️ Last Week: 8
The Cavs acquired Caris LeVert from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for injured point guard Ricky Rubio and three draft picks over the weekend. "Very excited to add a dynamic young player of this caliber and experience," Cleveland president Koby Altman told reporters. "LeVert fits uniquely into our culture, and his Ohio roots bring an immediate connection to our community. We look forward to seeing what type of impact he can make on this roster." It's an excellent addition for the Cavs to supply them with the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reaction-caris-levert-fills-blended-need-for-cavs-as-pacers-reset" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scoring wing they were looking for</a>, making Cleveland that much scarier come playoff time. LeVert is expected to be active for Wednesday's game against the Spurs.
8. Philadelphia 76ers (32-22) ⬇️ Last Week: 4
The Sixers are 10 games over .500 and Joel Embiid is doing much of the heavy lifting. Over his last 10 games, the big man is averaging 36.0 points, 12.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists. In the process, he may have established himself as the odds-on favorite to take home the MVP award entering the All-Star break. &nbsp;
9. Dallas Mavericks (32-23) ⬆️ Last Week: 10
Reggie Bullock tallied 22 points (on 8 of 14 shooting with 6 made three-pointers), 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in a win over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday. He's been a big part of the Mavs success of late. Over Dallas' past seven games, Bullock is averaging 17.9 points (while shooting 50.0% from the floor), 5.4 rebounds, 4.6 treys, 1.3 steals and just 0.6 turnovers.
10. Utah Jazz (33-21) ⬆️ Last Week: 11
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Donovan Mitchell sealed the win for the <a href="https://twitter.com/utahjazz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@utahjazz</a> with 3 fourth-quarter steals, after GOING OFF for 21 points in the first half! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TakeNote?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TakeNote</a> 🕷 <a href="https://twitter.com/spidadmitchell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@spidadmitchell</a>: 32 PTS, 7 REB, 6 AST, 4 STL <a href="https://t.co/IiPsFfYDIu">pic.twitter.com/IiPsFfYDIu</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1490927965319970816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Donovan Mitchell racked up 32 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals in Utah's victory over the Knicks on Monday night. Rudy Gobert (left calf strain) did not play in the win, but the Jazz are hoping he is cleared to return to the action later this week. They also just acquired Nickeil Alexander-Walker <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nickel-alexanderwalker-on-the-move-again-as-blazers-jazz-spurs-complete-threeteam-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in a three-team deal</a> to add some youth (and depth) to their backcourt.
11. Denver Nuggets (30-24) ⬇️ Last Week: 7
Nikola Jokic was at it again Sunday, registering another triple-double in Denver's 124-104 win over the Brooklyn Nets. The Joker finished with 27 points (on 12 of 15 shooting), 12 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals and just 2 turnovers in only 30 minutes. This one (his NBA-leading 14th triple-double) was notable because it was the second time in Jokic's career he's recorded a 25-point triple-double while also shooting above 80% from the floor. Wilt Chamberlain is the only player in NBA history with more than one such game.
12. Toronto Raptors (29-23) ⬆️ Last Week: 14
The Raptors, who are currently riding a six-game winning streak, have discussed a trade that would send Goran Dragic (and his $18 million expiring contract) to the Hawks in exchange for Danilo Gallinari, <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2953236-nba-trade-intel-cj-mccollum-has-become-best-player-likely-dealt-at-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report</a>.
13. Boston Celtics (31-25)&nbsp;⬆️ Last Week: 15
The Celtics have posted a 13-4 record dating back to New Year's Eve, and it's their defense that has turned Boston's season around. Over this 17-game stretch, the C's are allowing just 101.5 points per 100 possessions. To put that number in context: No team in the NBA other than Boston is allowing fewer than 106.5 points per 100 possessions over the past six weeks. Boston ranks first in Net Rating in 2022 as well. As usual, Marcus Smart has led the charge (pun intended) on the defensive front. He leads his team in pass deflections (64 more than any other Celtic) and charges drawn.
14. Minnesota Timberwolves (29-25) ⬆️ Last Week: 17
In the 18 games this season in which Minnesota has been able to roll out its preferred starting five of D&rsquo;Angelo Russell, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, Jarred Vanderbilt and Patrick Beverley, the Wolves are 13-5.
15. Brooklyn Nets (29-25) ⬇️ Last Week: 12
The Nets have lost nine straight games. They are 12 games under .500 dating back to late December. Kevin Durant is still weeks away from returning to action after spraining the medial collateral in his left knee last month. James Harden looks puffy and is nursing a hamstring injury. Joe Harris suffered a setback in his recovery from left ankle surgery in late January and reportedly could need a second surgery. Of the 27 games remaining on the Nets schedule, 14 of them are on the road. However, four of those contests are against either the New York Knicks or Raptors, which means Irving will only be able to suit up for (at most) 10 games. But, yeah, other than that, everything is all good in Brooklyn.&nbsp;
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16. Charlotte Hornets (28-27) ⬇️ Last Week: 13
Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2953236-nba-trade-intel-cj-mccollum-has-become-best-player-likely-dealt-at-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> this week that the Hornets are one of several teams that have expressed interest in Spurs big man Jakob Poeltl. The Bulls and Raps have also been rumored to be interested in Poeltl.
17. Atlanta Hawks (26-28) ⬇️ Last Week: 16
The Hawks were just 1-3 in their previous four games prior to Tuesday (although that one win was impressive &mdash; a victory at home over the Suns last Thursday, which snapped their 11-game winning streak). Atlanta took advantage of a reeling Indiana Pacers squad Tuesday night, beating them 133-112.
18. Los Angeles Lakers (26-29) &harr;️ Last Week: 18
Over the Lakers' last four games, Russell Westbrook is shooting a putrid 27.5% from the floor, 15.4% from downtown and 55.0% from the charity stripe. Late in the fourth quarter of Sunday's victory over the Knicks, when Westbrook was alone with the ball in the corner, the home crowd shouted at him not to shoot. When New York forced overtime, head coach Frank Vogel benched Russ for Talen Horton-Tucker. Westbrook was also benched for the final 14 minutes in Tuesday&rsquo;s loss to the Bucks. Will the Lakers admit they made a mistake before the deadline and reroute Russ out of Los Angeles?
19. New Orleans Pelicans (22-32) ⬆️ Last Week: 23
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
🔥 Brandon Ingram WENT OFF for 17 points in the 3rd quarter on his way to 33 points and the <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PelicansNBA</a> win! <a href="https://twitter.com/B_Ingram13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@B_Ingram13</a>: 33 PTS, 12 AST, 3 STL <a href="https://t.co/3uT1ocPpgg">pic.twitter.com/3uT1ocPpgg</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1490683017949552641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

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New Orleans, who won just one of their first 13 games this season, is now riding a four-game winning streak and has jumped up into 10th place in the Western Conference. And on Tuesday, the team <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/why-the-pelicans-pushing-chips-in-on-cj-mccollum-was-a-wise-investment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added a stud scorer to its roster</a>. The Pels acquired CJ McCollum along with Larry Nance and Tony Snell from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Jason Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Didi Louzada and draft compensation. I love this deal for New Orleans.&nbsp;
20. Los Angeles Clippers (27-29) ⬇️ Last Week: 19
Last week, the Clippers made a shrewd trade, sending Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson, and a second-round pick to the Blazers for Norman Powell and Robert Covington. It will help not only help them make a playoff push this year, but will also <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/breaking-down-why-the-blazersclippers-deal-works-for-both-sides" target="_blank" rel="noopener">round out their roster next season</a> when they can count on both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George returning to full strength. Powell looked great in his Clippers' debut on Sunday, tallying 28 points on 9 of 16 shooting in just 24 minutes. He followed that up with a 16-point night in a lopsided loss to the Grizz.
21. Washington Wizards (24-29) ⬇️ Last Week: 20
After the 2021-22 season started with plenty of promise, the Wiz have lost 8 of 9 heading into Thursday's matchup with the Nets. They will likely look to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-trade-destinations-for-spencer-dinwiddie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trade the struggling Spencer Dinwiddie</a> before the deadline arrives.&nbsp;
22. New York Knicks (24-31) ⬇️ Last Week: 21
New York has lost 10 of its last 12 games, but Mitchell Robinson had been playing some of the best basketball of his career before sitting out Tuesday's loss due to a back injury. Over the last month, Mitch Rob is averaging 11.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. During this stretch, the only other players in the NBA also averaging double-digit points and rebounds to go along with at least 1.4 blocks are Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
23. San Antonio Spurs (20-34) ⬆️ Last Week: 24
Spurs fans learned Monday that Dejounte Murray will make his NBA All-Star Game debut after being named an injury replacement by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. Murray is averaging 19.6 points, 9.2 assists, 8.4 rebounds and 2.1 steals this season, and has a chance to become just the third player ever to average at least 8 assists, 8 rebounds and 2 steals per game over an entire season.&nbsp;
24. Sacramento Kings (20-36) ⬆️ Last Week: 26
The Kings shook up the league Tuesday afternoon, trading Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson to Indiana for Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb, Justin Holiday and a 2027 second-round pick. It is stunning that Sacaremto would part ways with Haliburton. The 21-year-old has exceeded all expectations since being drafted in 2020. He is on pace to become just the second player in NBA history to average at least 5 assists and 2 made three-pointers per game while shooting over 40% from downtown in each of his first two pro seasons. (The only player to have accomplished this feat is Stephen Curry.)
25. Portland Trail Blazers (21-34) ⬇️ Last Week: 22
The Blazers made waves on Tuesday, trading away former franchise cornerstone CJ McCollum. It continued on Wednesday afternoon, as Portland rerouted Nickeil Alexander-Walker to Utah for Joe Ingles' expiring $14 million deal in a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nickel-alexanderwalker-on-the-move-again-as-blazers-jazz-spurs-complete-threeteam-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three-team trade</a>. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday that "Portland plans to fully reshape the roster around Damian Lillard now... the plan is to pursue high-end talent now, not retreat." The team's also created a ton of cap space in the process and has a $21 million trade exception at its disposal.
26. Indiana Pacers (19-37) ⬇️ Last Week: 25
The Pacers, who are just 5-18 since Christmas, began breaking down their roster by trading Caris LeVert to the Cavs on Sunday, and then <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pacers-exit-blockbuster-trade-with-kings-as-huge-winners-thanks-to-tyrese-haliburton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shipped off Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento</a>, as noted above. As our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/bucks-interested-in-trading-for-myles-turner-pacers-may-keep-him" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alex Kennedy reported</a>, Myles Turner is "a big fan of Tyrese Haliburton's game and is excited about the possibility of playing with the young guard." It appears Turner may stay in Indiana.
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27. Oklahoma City Thunder (17-36) &harr;️ Last Week: 27
The Thunder lost to the Warriors on Monday night, but Luguentz Dort had another strong outing, tallying 26 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals. In the three games OKC has played without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dort is averaging 23.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.0 three-balls.
28. Houston Rockets (15-39) ⬆️ Last Week: 29
The Rockets would love to join this week's wheeling and dealing by exchanging veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon for draft capital. We'll see if they find a willing trade partner.&nbsp;
29. Orlando Magic (13-43) ⬆️ Last Week: 30
We know the Magic hope to flip Terrence Ross and Gary Harris in exchange for draft picks before Thursday's deadline. The question is whether they will also look to deal big man Mo Bamba. After struggling over his first three years in the NBA, Bamba is posting career-highs across the board this season. However, Orlando inked center Wendell Carter Jr. to a four-year, $50 million contract extension back in October. The Magic are reportedly willing to listen to offers for Bamba, who has a $10.1 million qualifying offer for 2022-23 and will be a restricted free agent this summer.
30. Detroit Pistons (12-42) ⬇️ Last Week: 28
Killian Hayes has played a bit better of late, but he has failed to live up to expectations since being selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. This season, Hayes is one of only two players in the NBA logging more than 20 minutes per game yet shooting below 38% from the floor and averaging fewer than 10 points per contest. For his career, he is just 50-of-179 from downtown (27.9%)... The Pistons have lost 9 of their last 10 contests.
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Tommy Beer checks in with an installment of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings.

NBA Power Rankings: Bucks back into top tier, Mavs vault into top-10

It&rsquo;s been almost a given in NBA circles that the Celtics&nbsp;will move Dennis Schroder to get under the luxury tax, and while that remains the most likely outcome, we&rsquo;re hearing it&rsquo;s possible he could still be on the club after Thursday.
A couple of NBA clubs that have looked into Schroder have found that the Celtics aren&rsquo;t just looking to give him away...
The feeling here is that if Boston can get something at all reasonable for Schroder, they&rsquo;re comfortable replacing his minutes at the point with Payton Pritchard and Josh Richardson &mdash; though at least some there would like to keep Schroder in case of injury to someone higher in the rotation.
SOURCE: <a href="https://heavy.com/sports/boston-celtics/dennis-schroder-nba-trade-rumors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com</a>
ANALYSIS: With Jaylen Brown's cap number decreasing after he missed the All-Star Game, it'll be easier for the Celtics to get under the luxury tax, <a href="https://heavy.com/sports/boston-celtics/dennis-schroder-nba-trade-rumors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writes</a> Bulpett. Boston just needs to cut "less than $1 million" to get there, so they have some options and don't necessarily need to trade Schroder.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s been playing well, and he&rsquo;s been a good part of what they&rsquo;re doing lately,&rdquo; one NBA exec <a href="https://heavy.com/sports/boston-celtics/dennis-schroder-nba-trade-rumors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said of Schroder</a>. &ldquo;I still think they might prefer to move him, but now they&rsquo;re looking for an asset in return. They don&rsquo;t feel like they have to trade him now, and they&rsquo;d like to turn him into an asset for next year.&rdquo;
The <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10026215-celtics-trade-rumors-dennis-schroder-talks-held-with-bucks-donte-divincenzo-linked" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Milwaukee Bucks</a>, <a href="https://www.actionnetwork.com/nba/nba-trade-deadline-rumors-intel-james-harden-ben-simmons-harrison-barnes-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago Bulls</a> and <a href="https://theathletic.com/3117052/2022/02/08/milwaukee-bucks-pursuing-celtics-grant-williams-what-im-hearing-about-the-nba-trade-deadline/?source=nbatw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cleveland Cavaliers</a> are among the teams that have reportedly expressed interest in Schroder. The Cavs have continued to pursue Schroder even after acquiring Caris LeVert, reports <a href="https://theathletic.com/3117052/2022/02/08/milwaukee-bucks-pursuing-celtics-grant-williams-what-im-hearing-about-the-nba-trade-deadline/?source=nbatw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jared Weiss of The Athletic</a>.
Milwaukee is <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10026215-celtics-trade-rumors-dennis-schroder-talks-held-with-bucks-donte-divincenzo-linked" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> offering Donte DiVincenzo, Chicago is <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2953006-trade-deadline-intel-wizards-among-nbas-most-active-shoppers-eyeing-sabonis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> proposing Troy Brown Jr. and a second-round pick, while Cleveland is <a href="https://theathletic.com/3117052/2022/02/08/milwaukee-bucks-pursuing-celtics-grant-williams-what-im-hearing-about-the-nba-trade-deadline/?source=nbatw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> dangling two of Kevin Pangos, Ed Davis and Dylan Windler (plus draft compensation).
This season, Schroder is averaging 14.4 points, 4.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 1.4 threes and 0.9 steals in 29.5 minutes per game, while shooting 43.8% from the field, 34.9% from three and 84.6% from the free-throw line.
Last offseason, the 28-year-old signed a one-year, $5.9 million deal with the Celtics &mdash; just months after turning down a four-year, $84 million extension with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Boston is currently 31-25, which is the seventh-best record in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics have the NBA's third-best defense (allowing 103.3 points per 100 possessions) and 16th-best offense (scoring 108.0 points per 100 possessions).
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The Bucks, Bulls and Cavaliers are among the teams that have reportedly expressed interest in Schroder.

Bucks, Bulls, Cavs want Dennis Schroder, but Celtics may keep him?

Damian Lillard&rsquo;s defiance has made him a social-media punching bag, as his Portland Trail Blazers are dissolving around him and looking like a completely different team.
Lillard hasn&rsquo;t played since New Year&rsquo;s Eve, and as he recovers from abdominal surgery, he watched his team <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/breaking-down-why-the-blazersclippers-deal-works-for-both-sides" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deal Norman Powell and Robert Covington</a> to the Los Angeles Clippers while the best player coming back is Eric Bledsoe. Keon Johnsn was also included in the trade and while Portland hopes he pops off, he's only 19 years old, so who knows how soon he can make an impact? The Blazers also received a 2025 second-round pick &ndash; the year Lillard turns 35.
Then, on Tuesday, Lillard watched his Blazers acquire Josh Hart, Didi Louzada, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tom&aacute;&scaron; Satoransky and draft picks in exchange for Larry Nance Jr., Tony Snell, and the reason we&rsquo;re gathered here today: CJ McCollum.
#Narratives are already in motion. The jokes have been flying on social media about how people are, in hindsight, underwhelmed by the run that Lillard and McCollum had. But before we stomp on their Basketball-Reference pages and laugh in their comments about &ldquo;not having won anything,&rdquo; we should offer a massive amount of respect for what they accomplished in Portland.
You&rsquo;ve probably seen the photo of a 5-foot-2 McCollum as a freshman in high school, but even that symbolizes so much here.
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CJ McCollum was really 5&rsquo;2&rdquo; playing Varsity basketball as a freshman lol <a href="https://t.co/ukPiVyOUYC">pic.twitter.com/ukPiVyOUYC</a>
&mdash; Nothing Matter3D (@HiDefDee) <a href="https://twitter.com/HiDefDee/status/1376562700440965131?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The parallels Lillard and McCollum maintained were astounding; they were the reason the backcourt became divisive among NBA consumers &mdash; with some loving them and thinking that the Blazers could build a contender around them, while others refused to believe that a pair of 6-foot-3 scoring machines could lead a team to a title, even in this guard-friendly era.
These things need to be delivered out loud and thoroughly processed.
Lillard went to Weber State, and McCollum went to Lehigh. Both played in mid-major conferences, and they are two of the better mid-major players we&rsquo;ve seen this century. But really, the Big Sky and Patriot League are closer to the bottom of the NCAA&rsquo;s Division I conference rankings; take it from a Northeast Conference alum.
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Lillard was drafted No. 6 overall in 2012; the only Weber State player drafted in the first round, period. McCollum was taken No. 10 overall the following year and is <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/friv/draft.fcgi?college=lehigh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still the only Lehigh player to be selected in an NBA Draft</a>. One of the first things that people noted when Lillard got drafted was that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXXXDlzv0-U" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he never played against a top-25 team while in college</a>. And Bill Simmons <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJBwqmwfQbg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">couldn&rsquo;t believe a Patriot Leaguer was selected</a> in the top-10 in 2013.
Suddenly, we looked up and Lillard was the NBA's Rookie of the Year, <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_2013.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">receiving every single first-place vote</a> over perennial favorite Anthony Davis, who won a gold medal with Team USA during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.&nbsp;And then, in 2013-14, Portland was in the playoffs, where they&rsquo;ve been every year since Lillard and McCollum became teammates &ndash; the longest active streak in the NBA. Even then, McCollum didn&rsquo;t have his coming out party until 2015-16, when he immediately filled an All-Star sized scoring role vacated by LaMarcus Aldridge (who left for San Antonio) and won the NBA's Most Improved Player award.
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They played similarly and complemented each other exceptionally. Lillard and McCollum would each produce 20 points a night, occasionally going off for 30 each, and in a brutal Western Conference, return to playoffs no matter what was around them. And then they&rsquo;d lose, which led some to dismiss them.
In 2015, it was a five-game gentlemen&rsquo;s sweep as a No. 4 seed against the Grit N&rsquo; Grind Memphis Grizzlies, who went up 2-1 on the Golden State Warriors in the semifinals before losing to the eventual champions. In 2018, as a No. 3 seed, it was that memorable sweep against the same Pelicans that McCollum now joins, who were the sixth seed.
Then, in 2019, we finally saw a breakthrough: a run to the Western Conference Finals. Thanks to a legendary 37-point performance from McCollum in Game 7 of the semifinals, the Blazers beat the Denver Nuggets on the road &ndash; still CJ's paramount performance to date. Portland met up with the Warriors in the Conference Finals, and Golden State ultimately swept them (even though they were missing Kevin Durant, who was out due to a calf strain).
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The Blazers followed up that Conference-Finals appearance with consecutive first-round exits. With that said, Portland's failures can't be blamed on Lillard and McCollum alone.
Their fellow starters and key teammates include Al-Farouq Aminu, Mason Plumlee, Meyers Leonard, Noah Vonleh, Jusuf Nurkić, Evan Turner, Mo Harkless, Jake Layman, Zach Collins, Trevor Ariza, Carmelo Anthony, Hassan Whiteside and Norman Powell. Despite having one of the best backcourts we&rsquo;ve seen in generations, the Blazers could never figure out how to properly surround them with talent. (And honestly, doing is probably harder in the real world than we realize).
But in spite of their nitpickable shortcomings, their rigorous conference, their identical 6-foot-3 statures, their style of play and the lack of an ideal supporting cast, Lillard and McCollum co-engineered (along with Aldridge the first two years) the NBA&rsquo;s longest playoff streak. And they did so defiantly, as underrecruited long-time college players who stunned scouts by becoming top-10 picks and high-end NBA talents.
They led five 50-plus-win teams and two No. 3 seeds out West. Lillard is a <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/nba-75th-anniversary-team-announced" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top-76 NBA player ever</a>, and McCollum is one of the best active NBA players to never make an All-Star team (and he probably would've made multiple appearances had he been in the Eastern Conference instead).
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People have been trying to separate this duo for years via trade machines, NBA 2K, forums, social-media posts, comments under those posts, text threads, direct messages, barbershop debates, radio call-ins, post-sex conversations, you name it. Finally, that day is here, and the circumstances suck.
Lillard <a href="https://www.theplayerstribune.com/articles/damian-lillard-loyalty-over-everything" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continually preached loyalty and wanting to win the hard way</a>. McCollum <a href="https://www.theringer.com/the-bill-simmons-podcast/2021/2/3/22263991/brooklyn-bliss-draymonds-dip-and-cj-mccollum-stops-by" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked us to stop putting him in trade rumors</a>.
The parallels between the two are why many loved them, and the parallels proved to be their demise. But dammit, they accomplished a lot. We could say that they were ultimately underwhelmed by their surroundings, but let&rsquo;s also acknowledge how hard this damn thing is. You can&rsquo;t take playoff streaks for granted &ndash; look at what the Pelicans, Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings are doing this week in hopes of ending their postseason droughts.
This could&rsquo;ve had a happy ending, and it still might, but it doesn&rsquo;t appear that it&rsquo;ll be with Lillard and McCollum together. They didn&rsquo;t fail, and they probably didn&rsquo;t live up to your (or their own) expectations, but that&rsquo;s usually how our experiences on Earth go. Regularly, even if we don&rsquo;t want to admit it, that&rsquo;s OK, because more often than we acknowledge, that&rsquo;s life.

Bryan Fonseca looks back on what Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum accomplished together with the Portland Trail Blazers.

End of an era: Saluting the defiance of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum

On Sunday, the Indiana Pacers shipped Caris LeVert to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Ricky Rubio, a lottery-protected 2022 first-round pick, a 2022 second-rounder (via the Houston Rockets) and a 2027 second-rounder (via the Utah Jazz).
Rubio is out for the rest of this season due to a torn ACL, so the main draw for Indiana was the three draft picks &mdash; especially since they seem to be on the verge of a rebuild.
Well, the Pacers may be able to get another asset from that deal by flipping Rubio's $17.8 million expiring contract to another team prior to Thursday's trade deadline. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, a number of teams have expressed interest in Rubio's contract and a deal is looking pretty likely.
"The Ricky Rubio expiring contract that they got in the Caris LeVert trade is about $18 million, and that's showing itself to have value around the league, I'm told," Wojnarowski said on&nbsp;NBA Today. "There are plenty of teams who [would like] to get the expiring contract of Rubio or the expiring contract of Joe Ingles &mdash; both of whom are out for the rest of the season. 
"Those are teams that are trying to gather up cap space for this summer in free agency, so that&rsquo;s what the value of those contracts are. So, the Pacers are probably going to be able to flip that Rubio contract and get back some more assets."
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"[Indiana] Pacers are probably going to be able to flip that [Ricky] Rubio contract and get back some more assets." (via <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wojespn</a>) <a href="https://t.co/NUZ5cjX9Zg">pic.twitter.com/NUZ5cjX9Zg</a>
&mdash; The Trade Deadline (@_TradeDeadline) <a href="https://twitter.com/_TradeDeadline/status/1490806843903512586?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

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It remains to be seen what the Pacers can get back for Rubio, but his deal is one of the larger expiring contracts on the market so it makes sense that teams are interested. Even Joe Ingles' deal (which is also drawing interest from teams) is worth significantly less than Rubio's at $13,036,364.

The Pacers "are probably going to be able to flip that [Ricky] Rubio contract and get back some more assets," says Adrian Wojnarowski.

Pacers expected to flip Ricky Rubio's $17,800,000 expiring contract

It's that time of year when NBA trade machines and insider gossip hijack basketball discourse. Trade deadline season means absolute chaos for just about anyone involved in basketball from a management, player or media perspective. For better or for worse, I'm pulling the "we live in a society" card and conforming.
The Tank-O-Meter is back for the second time this season to assess how seriously teams should consider folding for the remainder of 2021-22. Teams are rated on a scale from 1 (playoffs or bust) to 10 (do not even think about winning a game again) based on how much a rebuild helps the long-term franchise outlook.
A key part of any good rebuild is maximizing selling out at the trade deadline. It makes sense to get a read on what teams should do before Thursday to build their chests of assets and get out of the limbo of a weak postseason push. You'll see a Tank-O-Meter reading for each of these 10 squads, plus the usual Sour Rankings.
If you're new to the Sour Rankings, here's a refresher: Unlike the typical "power rankings" that repeat themselves throughout sports media, Sour Rankings are a bizarro-world counter. These rankings highlight the top-10 most frustrating NBA franchises throughout the season, and they will be updated every week to match the twists and turns of the league.&nbsp;
This is not merely a bottom-10 of your typical best-to-worst outlooks. You will see championship contenders and playoff hopefuls mixed in with struggling squads. Teams well under .500 may never touch the Sour Rankings because they are on track with their respective processes. Injuries, drama, transactions and generally underwhelming play will earn you a spot on this list.
The central question is ultimately this: How good should you feel about the direction of each franchise? Let's get going.
Escaping the Sour Rankings:&nbsp;The New Orleans Pelicans got Brandon Ingram back from injury and immediately started winning. They're currently on a three-game stampede and have even moved into the Play-In tier of the Western Conference standings. Boston is also rolling on a five-game win streak with perhaps the hottest defense in basketball, suddenly tied with Toronto and Brooklyn for sixth in the Eastern Conference.
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10. Charlotte Hornets (28-26) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 2/10
The Hornets sink into the Sour Rankings as they tough out a four-game losing streak with defeats against the Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat. Their run to the All-Star break is daunting; it features 6 games in 11 days and includes matchups against the Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves and Heat (again). According to <a href="https://heavy.com/sports/boston-celtics/nba-trade-rumor-josh-richardson/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heavy's Steve Bulpett</a>, Charlotte is also looking to trade PJ Washington, which still doesn't make much sense to me.
Charlotte shouldn't consider bottoming out as long as the team has confidence in its young core. The Hornets have the pieces to either become buyers or sellers at the deadline, and are right in the thick of a competitive East playoff race. At the absolute minimum, this is great experience for guys like LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, and the Hornets are still a threatening offense on a nightly basis.
(Last week: Unranked)
9. Detroit Pistons (12-41) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 9/10
Easy reading for Detroit &mdash; the franchise has already been near the bottom of the league all season. The Pistons can really supercharge the current rebuild with how they approach the trade deadline regarding veterans like Jerami Grant and Cory Joseph.
But Detroit still cracks the Sour Rankings, because even in the scheduled losses, it just feels like there's been too much uninspired basketball. Honestly, what young talents on the roster do you feel better about from the start of the season besides Cade Cunningham? I'd say there's an argument for Saddiq Bey and... that's about it. Detroit still has several questions to answer about the team's identity, and those questions can be answered even in losses.
(Last week: Unranked)
8. Utah Jazz (32-21) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 1/10
Utah battled to a win against the Denver Nuggets and dismantled the flailing Nets this week, bringing some stability after a five-game skid. However, reports are back (this one from <a href="https://www.deseret.com/2022/2/4/22916919/utah-jazz-donovan-mitchell-on-reports-relationship-with-rudy-gobert-has-deteriorated-thats-not-true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN's Brian Windhorst</a>) that Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert are "at each other's throats." Mitchell once again denied the rumors, and who knows at this point what's grounding the reports. But it's never good to hear.
No, the Jazz should not tank &mdash; they're still fourth in the West standings even in this rough patch.
(Last week: 6)
7. Indiana Pacers (19-36) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 9/10
The Pacers <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reaction-caris-levert-fills-blended-need-for-cavs-as-pacers-reset" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dealt Caris LeVert to the Cavaliers yesterday in a trade</a> that brought back an expiring (and injured) Ricky Rubio, a lottery-protected first-round pick that will likely convey this season and two additional second-rounders. That's not a bad return for a team that simply needs young talent in waves, and draft picks always add some trade flexibility.&nbsp;
Moving LeVert for that package signals a rebuild is on the way. It's long overdue. Now, the Pacers have to get what they can for Myles Turner, Justin Holiday and their other vets. I do not think Domantas Sabonis is a "must-trade" due to his sheer skill. But Indiana also can't be afraid to accept a good offer. They're one of the primary teams to watch ahead of Thursday.
(Last week: 4)
6. Portland Trail Blazers (21-33) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 8/10
Here's another team giving off "rebuild" vibes. The Trail Blazers traded Norman Powell and Robert Covington to the Clippers this week for Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and a future second-round pick. That return feels underwhelming considering Portland gave up two very good rotation players. But if they like the uber-athletic Johnson, so be it.
With no Damian Lillard return in sight, Portland should really sell at this deadline. What does being in a Play-In race even mean for this franchise? Young trade pieces and the NBA Draft are the best way to find game-changing talent. CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic have been involved in trade rumors recently. I wouldn't be surprised if both had new homes by Thursday evening.
(Last week: 7)
5. New York Knicks (24-29) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 7/10
One day, Deuce McBride and Immanuel Quickley will join the starting lineup and everything will be alright in New York. For now, the Knicks remain a woefully inconsistent basketball team that can't be trusted &mdash; but can't be counted out &mdash; on any night. If I had my way, Tom Thibodeau would commit to playing the youth; Quentin Grimes, Quickley and McBride would see serious playing time increases, and New York would head into the offseason with a good draft pick and an enticing young core. Then again, it's Thibs.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Julius Randle got into it with a coach on the bench against the Lakers. 😬 (h/t <a href="https://twitter.com/AhnFireDigital?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AhnFireDigital</a>) <a href="https://t.co/NNhrE2XgVt">pic.twitter.com/NNhrE2XgVt</a>
&mdash; theScore (@theScore) <a href="https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1490765945396244482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

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By the way, read this <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/julius-randle-and-the-george-costanza-problem" target="_blank" rel="noopener">excellent piece from Mat Issa</a> that further highlights how the Knicks are leaving Julius Randle out to dry.
(Last week: 5)
4. Sacramento Kings (20-35) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 9/10
<a href="https://theathletic.com/3113791/2022/02/07/detroit-pistons-nba-trade-deadline-guide-what-im-hearing-about-jerami-grant-trade-tiers/?article_source=search&amp;search_query=jerami%20grant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James L. Edwards III of&nbsp;The Athletic</a>&nbsp;says that the Kings have reported interest in Jerami Grant. This comes after all the will-they-won't-they drama surrounding a Ben Simmons trade and the availability of De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton. Of course, smokescreens exist in trade gossip, but I still can't rationalize most of the reported targets for Sacramento.
This is a bad basketball team. The Kings have the second-worst offensive rating in the NBA over the past few weeks in addition to their perenially-porous defense. Sacramento may be two games out of 10th place, but the team would have to unseat several better squads in the San Antonio Spurs, Trail Blazers and Pelicans. As repetitive as selling is for this squad, it's the logical step.
(Last week: 2)
3. Los Angeles Lakers (26-28) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 1/10
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;more from an off-ball perspective&rdquo; from TALEN HORTON-TUCKER is just- <a href="https://t.co/LO3LSpvuxR">https://t.co/LO3LSpvuxR</a>
&mdash; Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1490191241878851589?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
I audibly chuckled reading this reaction from Nekias Duncan on Frank Vogel's rationale benching Russell Westbrook late against the Knicks. L.A. won that game in overtime, but it sure wasn't thanks to either player. Even though the Lakers went 2-1 this week, the lasting image will be the game-winner from Clippers guard Reggie Jackson on Thursday. The purple and gold are now down to ninth in the Western Conference.
The Tank-O-Meter reading remains the same: You don't tank with a healthy LeBron James.
(Last week: 3)
2. Washington Wizards (24-28) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 5/10
Washington's downward spiral continued last week with two one-sided losses to the Bucks and Suns. The Wizards did manage a 106-103 win over Philadelphia, but they've now been usurped by the Atlanta Hawks for the final Play-In bid. Does being on the outside looking in change anything from a directional perspective?
I think the Wizards are at the most polarizing trade deadline crossroads of any NBA team. They could make a desparation play for a star to help Bradley Beal and <a href="https://twitter.com/JakeLFischer/status/1488860395683168259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1488860395683168259%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2F8points9seconds.com%2F2022%2F02%2F03%2Findiana-pacers-domantas-sabonis-trade-wizards%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">swing on someone like Domantas Sabonis.</a> Or, Washington could send out its solid veterans in return for young talent or draft assets &mdash; at the risk of losing Beal this offseason. Moves have to be made by Thursday, but I couldn't honestly say what the right direction is.
(Last week: 1)
1. Brooklyn Nets (29-24) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 1/10
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Harden effort thread because I watched the film back and, my god, it's pathetic. Clip 1: just blatantly not caring. <a href="https://t.co/NbCccj2Ntt">pic.twitter.com/NbCccj2Ntt</a>
&mdash; Erik Slater (@erikslaterNR) <a href="https://twitter.com/erikslaterNR/status/1489287381031297027?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Whew... An eight-game losing streak, complete with some epic meltdowns, has the Nets in the Play-In tournament. And that's not even the worst part amidst the firestorm of rumors surrounding James Harden's potential availability. Whether or not he gets traded, Harden is showing visible disinterest at a critical point in Brooklyn's season. It's hard to consider the Nets a legitimate title contender with the way they've played over the past three weeks.
(Last week: 8)
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Ethan Fuller looks at which struggling teams should sell ahead of Thursday's trade deadline.

NBA Sour Rankings: Tank-O-Meter readings ahead of the trade deadline

Sporting a 32-21 record and competing at the top of the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired Indiana Pacers swingman Caris LeVert, a league source confirmed to BasketballNews.com on Sunday evening. The trade was made official on Monday morning.
The deal sends Ricky Rubio, a lottery-protected 2022 first-round pick, a 2022 second-rounder (via the Houston Rockets) and a 2027 second-rounder (Utah Jazz) to Indiana in exchange. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports a Pacers second-round pick via the Miami Heat will go back to Cleveland.
&ldquo;We are very excited to add a dynamic young player of this caliber and experience,&rdquo; said Cavs president Koby Altman. &ldquo;Caris LeVert fits uniquely into our culture and his Ohio roots brings an immediate connection to our community. We look forward to seeing what type of impact he can make on this roster. We also want to send our best wishes to Ricky Rubio and his family. Ricky has been the consummate professional and his leadership both on and off the court was invaluable and we respect everything he brought to this franchise.&rdquo;
Spencer Davies and Evan Sidery reacted to this trade for both sides.
Cleveland Cavaliers
A Columbus, Ohio native, LeVert will play a couple of hours north in his home state. This move will also reunite him with Jarrett Allen (and Ed Davis), who was a fellow foundational piece with the Brooklyn Nets prior to the team moving on from both last January in the James Harden deal.&nbsp;
That&rsquo;s the non-basketball fit, which looks just about as natural as ever. How about the on-floor part of it?&nbsp;
For starters, LeVert is a wing who can definitely create his own shot. Averaging 18.7 points per game on 53% True Shooting, when he&rsquo;s aggressive, he can get by you. If he gets a sitting duck out on the perimeter in an iso situation, he&rsquo;s able to weave by and navigate his way through traffic. For a Cavs&rsquo; bench unit that&rsquo;s been thirsting for consistent production and taking the heavy load of Kevin Love&rsquo;s plate, LeVert could be a godsend in that regard. Simply put, a bucket-getter who attacks and loves the pull-up mid-rangers.&nbsp;
LeVert isn&rsquo;t burning it down with those shots, however, shooting a paltry 36.8% on his 7.5 attempts per contest. He&rsquo;s also not a knockdown three-baller by any means, and his shot selection can be questionable in certain moments. But where he does do a solid job is in pick-and-roll situations.
According to InStat, a whopping 34.7% of LeVert&rsquo;s possessions have come with him operating as the ball-handler in pNr. In his last 10 games, it&rsquo;s been 43.4%. So if you deduce anything from that, it&rsquo;s that LeVert operates in a playmaking fashion and has patience with the ball. The Pacers scored 0.99 points per possession in said scenarios, and over those last 10, that increased to 1.07.&nbsp;
Needless to say, with Allen and Love&rsquo;s ability to use pindowns and high/middle screens &mdash; and Evan Mobley could be a great partner for quick slips &mdash; LeVert will be asked to do the same things he did with Sabonis, just as a super sub. If you watch the tape on his work with Domas, LeVert really likes to use the middle of the floor and has a right-handed floater that he goes to a lot. Per InStat, LeVert is shooting 54% in pNr situations in that specific zone. LeVert also did a pretty solid job of fitting in pocket passes and looking over the top for Sabonis too.
It&rsquo;ll be interesting to see how LeVert meshes with Darius Garland. Catch-and-drives should be a plenty for the former Michigan Wolverine. He&rsquo;s not really a shoot-off-the-catch type of player. He&rsquo;s more or less crafty, and kind of makes his own offense. You haven&rsquo;t seen LeVert off the ball much, so maybe J.B. Bickerstaff and Co. will give that a try considering Garland&rsquo;s wizard-like table-setting could get LeVert opportunities to get to the basket with momentum. (Baseline cuts, anybody?)
Isaac Okoro&rsquo;s responsibilities shouldn&rsquo;t be impacted too differently. Lamar Stevens may lose some run; Bickerstaff will always find a way to get that guy on the floor regardless. Figuring out the closing lineups will be a task.
LeVert is going to basically be a blend of the Rubio and Collin Sexton roles, which brings about another interesting question in this: What does the future look like for Young Bull in Cleveland? He&rsquo;s been traveling with the team, back in the locker room and bringing energy to the wine-and-gold post-surgery. Sexton just switched representation on Saturday to Klutch too.
The Cavs clearly value what he brings to the franchise. Still, the acquisition of LeVert (and possible long-term option) has to arise questions. They are similar players and are going to command quite a bit of money. There&rsquo;s a Darius Garland rookie-max extension on the horizon to boot. Is there a way Cleveland can keep all of this together?
Who knows. What we do know is that the Cavs are focused on the now, and it&rsquo;s exciting to see Altman going for gold. Let&rsquo;s not forget that the team still has a disabled player exception ($3.3M) to play with ahead of Thursday&rsquo;s trade deadline to bolster the depth of this team. Cleveland&rsquo;s front office has been anything but bashful in the trade market, and for good reason.
This team when healthy is a load to handle. It&rsquo;s smart on their part to give up future draft compensation because there&rsquo;s a boatload of youth on the roster. The Cavs do owe Rubio a debt of gratitude for bestowing his knowledge upon them and, on the floor, helping mature those inexperienced players rapidly. The hope is that moving him after his injury doesn&rsquo;t rub the locker room the wrong way; while business is business, that group absolutely loved Ricky.
Now bringing Rubio back looks like a longshot. Instead, they addressed a desperate short-term need with long-term thinking, and it cost Cleveland very little to accomplish that. We&rsquo;ll see how long it takes LeVert to get acclimated.&nbsp;
- Spencer Davies
Indiana Pacers
Indiana has decided to finally push the reset button on their console after waiting far too long to do so.&nbsp;
LeVert will be an instant jolt to the Cavaliers&rsquo; bench, but from Indiana&rsquo;s perspective, this gets very interesting.
Before the Malcolm Brogdon sign-and-trade with the Milwaukee Bucks fell into their lap two offseasons ago, Rubio was reportedly their top free agent target to stabilize their point guard position.&nbsp;
ESPN&rsquo;s Wojnarowski relayed on Sunday how the Pacers <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33232735/sources-cleveland-cavs-acquire-caris-levert-trade-indiana-pacers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">could be in for a full-on rebuild with Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis being thrown around in trade talks</a>, so this could just be the first domino from Indy&rsquo;s side to drop down. Although Brogdon signed an extension before the regular season, which makes him ineligible to get moved right now, he&rsquo;s back on the table this summer.
If the Pacers want to save long-term cap space and flexibility, moving off Brogdon&rsquo;s deal and re-signing Rubio to a team-friendly deal actually makes a lot of sense. The cupboard is relatively bare right now in Indiana. Outside of 2021 first-round picks Chris Duarte and Isaiah Jackson, seemingly every player is on the table in potential trades.
As seen during his stints with the Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns, Rubio is a calming presence who helps elevate rebuilding teams to higher levels than expected. If the Pacers move off Brogdon this offseason, Rubio ideally steps into the primary facilitating role while uplifting an extremely young and different foundation in Indiana.
LeVert was a solid dice roll to gamble on from the Pacers&rsquo; perspective. After Victor Oladipo let it be known he wouldn&rsquo;t sign a long-term deal in Indiana, LeVert was a capable flier who could maybe fit into their long-term vision.
Now, with Sunday&rsquo;s breaking news, we know how the Pacers felt about that possibility. The trade rumors are not dying down anytime soon in Indiana. If anything, this only strengthens the idea of a full-blown rebuilding effort about to take place for an organization long overdue for this strategy.
- Evan Sidery
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Spencer Davies and Evan Sidery analyze the Caris LeVert trade between the Cavaliers and Pacers from both sides.

Reaction: Caris LeVert fills blended need for Cavs as Pacers reset

Five years ago, around this time, Brooklyn Nets fans were arguing over Yogi Ferrell and Spencer Dinwiddie with hostility.
Seriously, go back and look. You would&rsquo;ve had no idea unless you were covering the Nets, but it was a divisive time in Brooklyn&rsquo;s era. (Even if it didn&rsquo;t rise to the publicity of, say, Kyrie Irving&rsquo;s vaccination status.)
Almost to this exact date in 2017, Ferrell memorably had what is still the best game of his NBA career, dropping 32 points in a nationally-televised game between his Dallas Mavericks and Damian Lillard&rsquo;s Portland Trail Blazers while on a 10-day contract. That same day, Dinwiddie netted 13 (which tied for his second-highest output of the season), and it would be the last time he broke double figures for 10 more days.
The debate grew hilariously one-sided the following season, and Dinwiddie became a fringe All-Star candidate in both the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons. But the reason no one saw this coming initially is because Dinwiddie came up as a pass-first, low-turnover, traditional point guard &mdash; somebody who at one time went <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/dinwisp01/gamelog/2017">five games (134 minutes)</a> without committing a turnover and took eight shot attempts per 36 minutes; that figure leapt to 13.1, 15.6, and 18.4 the next three seasons.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Dinwiddie&rsquo;s game has seen multiple iterations.
The score-first, old-school point guard from 2016-17.
The inefficient, yet ultra-timely scorer who still rarely turned the ball over as a floor general in 2017-18.
The near All-Star who became a full-fledged, scoring point as a sixth man in 2018-19.
The even-nearer All-Star combo guard who averaged around 20.0 points and 7.0 assists and got to the free-throw line at will in 2019-20.
But last year, he tore his ACL for the second time in his basketball-playing life, and is still working his way back while in Washington.
The Wizards <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/wizards/wizards-focusing-chemistry-after-bradley-beal-speech-and-players-only-meeting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">had a players&rsquo; only meeting before the regular season began</a>. Since a 10-4 start, the team's gone 13-22. Even worse, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/washington-wizards-kentavious-caldwell-pope-montrezl-harrell-separated-after-fight-at-halftime-oklahoma-city-thunder-052704731.html#:~:text=At%20halftime%20of%20their%20122,to%20The%20Athletic's%20Shams%20Charania.&amp;text=Caldwell%2DPope%20banked%20in%20a,to%20its%20second%2Dstraight%20win">tried putting on a WBC Heavyweight Title bout in the Wizards locker room</a> a few weeks ago.
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Dinwiddie, who turns 29 in April, claims that the topic of leadership <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/dinwiddie-says-his-leadership-wasnt-necessarily-welcomed-by-wizards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wasn&rsquo;t welcomed when he brought it up earlier this season</a>. (<a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/2017/3/21/15009886/the-dude-is-different-dinwiddie-on-sports-social-media-and-the-8-billion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He's never been shy.</a>) And now, <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nba/2022/1/31/22910354/los-angeles-clippers-nba-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kevin O&rsquo;Connor of The Ringer is reporting</a> that the Wizards don&rsquo;t even want Dinwiddie there:
<blockquote>
&ldquo;The Wizards want to move Dinwiddie because he looks like a shell of his former self and his teammates don&rsquo;t want him there. Schr&ouml;der is fine, but he leans too far toward scoring and would be an awkward fit next to Jackson.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
To be fair, this entire Wizards team looks like a shell of their 10-4 selves from this past November, but anyway...
Dinwiddie, who is averaging 13.0 points, 5.8 assists and 4.6 rebounds on .383/.314/.807 shooting splits is in the first season of a three-year, $54 million deal signed this past summer. After earning $17.1 million this campaign, he&rsquo;ll rake in $18 million in 2022-2023; he has $10 million of $18.9 million guaranteed for the season after. And since the Wizards evidently want to trade him, let&rsquo;s help &lsquo;em out.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Cavaliers receive: Spencer Dinwiddie, 2026 or 2028 first-round pick 
Wizards receive: Ricky Rubio 
This trade is quite simple on paper, and it starts with Ricky Rubio&rsquo;s $17.8 million expiring contract heading to Washington in exchange for Dinwiddie. Rubio has a torn ACL and is expected to return at some point, just not this season. It feels like someone should send the other a draft pick or two here, but you could make the case going either way.&nbsp;
For the Cavs, they&rsquo;d be sending over Rubio while inheriting Dinwiddie&rsquo;s sizable contract as a result, so they should probably ask for some draft compensation as a result &mdash; and would be right to do so. In the Wizards' case, they&rsquo;d be trading Dinwiddie for someone who may never suit up for them and may want compensation for that reality alone.
To me, Cleveland should get the draft compensation since this deal could impact how it maneuvers this summer &mdash; including Collin Sexton&rsquo;s future, which still needs addressing. The good thing is the pathway to doing that would remain, and Dinwiddie could play the Rubio role this season.
Rubio averaged 13.1 points and 6.6 assists in 28.5 minutes per contest in all but eight games off the bench, while posting .363/.339/.854 shooting splits. He was as impactful as he possibly could&rsquo;ve been given the poor shooting, if you simply watched. Dinwiddie&rsquo;s numbers, as outlined earlier, are strikingly similar, and coming off the bench for a good team might be more ideal for him than starting for an aimless one. And the reason the Wizards' pick is so far into the future is because <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-trade-deadline-2022-how-complex-stepien-rule-decides-which-teams-can-and-cant-deal-first-round-picks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Stepien Rule prevents them from moving anything sooner</a>. (It makes this more difficult.)
Boston Celtics
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Celtics receive: Spencer Dinwiddie, 2026 or 2028 first-round pick&nbsp; 
Wizards receive: Dennis Schr&ouml;der, Josh Richardson 
As<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reshaping-the-celtics-for-a-playoff-push-part-1-the-backcourt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Justin Lewis noted last week in our Celtics two-part retooling series</a>, these dudes need an actual point guard. The version Dinwiddie seems to play now is a less-effective version of the 2018-19 combo guard he became, but again, let&rsquo;s consider the environment. The Celtics are probably looking for a bigger trade deadline splash, but if pure-point Dinwiddie were to arrive in Boston, that&rsquo;s a better fit next to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown than Dennis Schr&ouml;der is.
Because Dinwiddie's deal runs longer than Richardson's or Schr&ouml;der's, you're attaching a first here, Washington, at a minimum. Maybe add a second-rounder that would come sooner.&nbsp;
A big part of why Dinwiddie&rsquo;s been less effective isn&rsquo;t only his shooting splits, but his free-throw rate is the lowest of his career at .240, and he&rsquo;s only averaging 3.9 attempts from the line per 36 minutes, the lowest figure since his rookie season in 2014-15. That free-throw rate needs to elevate in Boston, and playing next to the Jays should provide those open lanes for spaced threes and clear drives to create more of that rim pressure we haven&rsquo;t seen much of in Washington.&nbsp;
Philadelphia 76ers
76ers receive: Bradley Beal, Spencer Dinwiddie, Davis Bertāns, 2026 first-round pick, 2028 first-round pick 
Wizards receive: Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris 
This looks ugly as hell, and is probably not very likely, but it could actually work.&nbsp;
For Washington, you get rid of two unfavorable contracts; Bertāns especially. You also acquire Simmons, who is beginning his max extension (has he even gotten paid from it yet since he hasn't played?) that'll run through 2025. Beal, as we know, has a player option for next summer, but is more likely to sign an extension this summer that will take him well into his 30s. The Wizards <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/wizards/wizards-trade-deadline-notes-bradley-beal-domantas-sabonis-jerami-grant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly still don't want to trade Beal</a>, but what's honestly the upside in keeping him now? To be Portland East? Regarding Tobias Harris, the Wizards may (and probably should) try rerouting him under this scenario. Harris will see over $38 million next season, and over $40 million in 2023-24.&nbsp;
For Philly, it finally rids the organization of the Simmons experience, which it'll probably they need to do to have any chance of competing this year. It also gets rid of Harris, but at a price. At least, Dinwiddie gives the Sixers a real point guard option to mix in, who can even play with Tyrese Maxey and has one fully guaranteed year left. Bertāns is getting between $16 and $17 million each year through the 2024-25 season, though that's partially guaranteed. Functionally, he can be a 4 next to Embiid, which may even help given the way Embiid is passing this season. The first-round picks are the reward for taking back bad contracts, and, of course, getiting Beal.&nbsp;
I'm still not positive it's a deal either of these teams want, but sometimes, we don't know what's best for us anyhow.&nbsp;
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Bryan Fonseca takes a look at three logical landing spots for Wizards point guard Spencer Dinwiddie.

Examining potential trade destinations for Spencer Dinwiddie

As the NBA&rsquo;s Feb. 10 trade deadline approaches, Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon is certainly a player to keep an eye on.
Due to his age (33 years old) and the Rockets' struggles, he's flying under the radar this season, but he's playing well &mdash; averaging 14.4 points, 3.2 assists and 2.2 threes per game, while shooting career-highs from the field (49.8%) and three-point range (43.9%). And as The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nba/2022/1/24/22898436/lakers-russell-westbrook-rumors-frank-vogel-all-star" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently noted</a>, he has really stepped up on the defensive end too.
&ldquo;Despite the losing in Houston, Gordon has defended with playoff intensity, as if he&rsquo;s showcasing his abilities for winning teams,&rdquo; O&rsquo;Connor <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nba/2022/1/24/22898436/lakers-russell-westbrook-rumors-frank-vogel-all-star" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writes</a>.
The Rockets have reportedly received significant interest in Gordon, but Houston wants a first-round pick in return, according to <a href="https://hoopshype.com/rumor/cavaliers-keeping-tabs-on-eric-gordon-caris-levert-terrence-ross/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HoopsHype&rsquo;s Michael Scotto</a>. Tthe Cleveland Cavaliers are among the teams that are interested in the veteran guard's services, per <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rumors-myles-turner-caris-levert-eric-gordon-bryn-forbes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scotto</a>.
Last week, Kelly Iko of The Athletic <a href="https://theathletic.com/3087642/2022/01/24/rockets-trade-deadline-notebook-1-0-what-im-hearing-on-john-wall-eric-gordon-christian-wood-and-more/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the Rockets may keep Gordon beyond the deadline.
&ldquo;The Rockets have received a number of offers for the veteran wing, sources tell The Athletic, but all have been turned down,&rdquo; Iko <a href="https://theathletic.com/3087642/2022/01/24/rockets-trade-deadline-notebook-1-0-what-im-hearing-on-john-wall-eric-gordon-christian-wood-and-more/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writes</a>. &ldquo;Barring an offer that simply can&rsquo;t be ignored, it&rsquo;s becoming more likely that Gordon remains in Houston past the deadline.&ldquo;
So, the big question: If the Rockets are holding out for a first-rounder, is there a playoff team that&rsquo;s willing to increase their offer and meet Houston&rsquo;s asking price over the next 10 days?
Considering how well he has performed and his playoff experience, perhaps it&rsquo;s possible. Gordon is earning $18,218,818 this season, and then he's due a guaranteed $19,568,360 next year. After that, his contract has a $20,917,902 team option for 2023-24.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not even thinking or worried about [trade rumors],&rdquo; Gordon said, according to <a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/rockets/article/As-NBA-trade-deadline-nears-Rockets-Eric-16785529.php?utm_campaign=CMS%20Sharing%20Tools%20(Premium)&amp;utm_source=t.co&amp;utm_medium=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle</a>. &ldquo;Things happen. Get traded or not, you&rsquo;ve still got to play the game of basketball. Fortunately, I&rsquo;ve been here for going on six years now, and it&rsquo;s been really good. I know the situation I&rsquo;m in. I&rsquo;m looking to just continue to play my game and look forward to continue to thrive with this group of guys.&rdquo;
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The 33-year-old guard is playing well, shooting career-highs from the field (49.8%) and three-point range (43.9%).

Will the Rockets move Eric Gordon prior to NBA trade deadline?

When I first heard that Russell Westbrook got traded to the Lakers, I&rsquo;ll admit, I was surprised.
More than anything, I didn&rsquo;t expect the Lakers to be able to work out the trade from a financial standpoint nor did I think they&rsquo;d want to be so top-heavy and commit so much money to their top-three players. But they did.&nbsp;
What didn't surprise me was that the organization was willing to take the kind of risk they did by bringing Westbrook in.&nbsp;
Whether you love him or hate him, one thing nobody can take away from Russ is that he will give you 110% effort every night. And if you&rsquo;re a coach, those are the kind of players you want to have on your team. Those are the kind of players who are worth the headache, the film sessions and the lack of sleep.
They say where there&rsquo;s a will, there&rsquo;s a way, and that holds true on the basketball court. You can&rsquo;t teach effort, but with Russ, you&rsquo;d never have to. Everyone knows this, and so did the Lakers.
So it made sense in that regard.
Obviously, though, from a basketball standpoint, there were bound to be some growing pains. LeBron James needs the ball in his hands to be most effective, and so does Russ. But we once said the same thing about LeBron and Dwyane Wade in Miami.
The lesson there is if you have players who are motivated and willing to sacrifice, then everything can be figured out. Especially with LeBron and AD &mdash; they&rsquo;re so talented and versatile that it was easy to believe that the three would be able to mesh.
And you know what?&nbsp;
I still feel that way, even if a lot of people don&rsquo;t.
As the season has gone on, Westbrook has been getting a lot of attention, and his name has been getting dragged through the mud. He hasn&rsquo;t been efficient, he&rsquo;s been pressing and he&rsquo;s looked at times like he&rsquo;s lost a step. I&rsquo;ve even seen one or two news stories and rumors saying that the Lakers are open to trading him.&nbsp;
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While I do think it&rsquo;s crazy that we&rsquo;re still talking about the Lakers &ldquo;figuring things out,&rdquo; a lot of people have been unrealistic with their expectations. And that, I think, is the real story.
Aside from being from L.A. and going back home to play for the team he grew up watching (which comes with its own kind of pressure), Russ is now on a team with LeBron James. &lsquo;Bron has high expectations of everyone around him, whether it be the coaching staff, his teammates or the equipment managers.&nbsp;
The biggest problem &mdash; and it&rsquo;s something that a lot of players have been afraid of &mdash; is that everyone else expects a lot from you too. And if you don&rsquo;t play up to a certain standard, you&rsquo;re going to hear about it. Just ask Kevin Love.
The pro to playing with LeBron is that you know you have a good chance of making it to the Finals, if not winning it all. The con is that you live and play under a microscope. You&rsquo;re scrutinized in a way you&rsquo;ve never been before. It was like that in Cleveland, where I coached him, and the spotlight is a lot brighter in Los Angeles.
Going from an underdog in Oklahoma City to a sidekick in Houston to a non-contender in D.C&hellip; None of those experiences prepared Russ for the pressure he would face playing with someone like &lsquo;Bron&hellip; and especially not in Russ&rsquo; hometown of all places.
Has it gotten to him a bit? Probably. But I guess I&rsquo;m in the minority. I think Russ will find his way, and I also don&rsquo;t think he&rsquo;s to blame for all the Lakers&rsquo; problems.&nbsp;
Russ didn&rsquo;t just start missing midrange shots or turning the ball over. That&rsquo;s who he&rsquo;s been for a long time; he just has to find his way with &lsquo;Bron and AD. And that has become a challenge all by itself.
Believe it or not, the Lakers&rsquo; Big Three has only played 14 games together.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s easy to forget because LeBron has been so great this season, but he only played nine of the Lakers&rsquo; first 20 games. Then, shortly after he got up to speed, AD had some health issues of his own.
On Thursday night, AD played his fourth game since Dec. 10, and guess what? LeBron wasn&rsquo;t even in uniform for that one. Knee soreness kept him out of the lineup and the Lakers fell to 24-25 after losing to the Philadelphia 76ers.
If you&rsquo;re looking for an explanation for the Lakers struggling, it&rsquo;s easy to point to Westbrook, but it&rsquo;s not all on him. My advice to him would be simple: be yourself, but keep sight of what this team needs from you to succeed.&nbsp;
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At the end of the day, you still want Westbrook to be Westbrook. He only knows how to play the way he&rsquo;s been playing. But when he has other teammates who are as talented as him or more talented than him, he doesn&rsquo;t need to play every possession as if he&rsquo;s the only one who can score the basket or make the difference. Maybe it was like that in OKC, and maybe at times in Houston and D.C&hellip; But that&rsquo;s not the case now.
He has to be okay with learning to measure the game and picking and choosing his spots. Maybe some nights, he&rsquo;ll only take eight shots. Maybe some nights, he&rsquo;ll play mostly with the second unit. Buying into that, that part is on him.
But the other parts&hellip; The lack of chemistry with &lsquo;Bron and AD and the expectations that seem to be getting in his head a bit&hellip; Those are factors in his struggles, as well, and they&rsquo;re not entirely his fault. Not after only 14 games, anyway.
Fortunately for the Lakers, there&rsquo;s a lot of season left. And veteran teams that think they&rsquo;re gonna be there in the end, they typically use the first half of the season as a trial period. When you have <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-james-posey-championship-expectations-boston-celtics-doc-rivers-kevin-garnett-paul-pierce-ray-allen-cleveland-cavaliers-lebron-james-tyronn-lue-miami-heat-pat-riley-shaquille-o-neal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a team that has a &ldquo;championship-or-bust&rdquo; mentality</a>, the main goal is to be healthy and be playing their best basketball after the All-Star break and heading into the playoffs.&nbsp;
At one game under .500, the Lakers obviously want to be better&hellip; But they shouldn&rsquo;t be counted out.&nbsp;
And honestly, neither should Westbrook&rsquo;s ability to be a positive difference-maker for them.
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The Lakers' Big 3 has played just 14 games together this season so it's too early to count them out, writes NBA champion James Posey.

Call me crazy, but I still believe in the Westbrook-Lakers marriage

Even though they fleeced the Brooklyn Nets in 2013, for, among other things, first-round draft picks that subsequently turned into Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, the Boston Celtics still haven&rsquo;t figured out how to adequately build around the two All-Star swingmen for a sustainable period. In Part I of our joint series, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reshaping-the-celtics-for-a-playoff-push-part-1-the-backcourt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Justin Lewis talked about solutions to the point guard predicament</a>.
Now, for Part II of this collab, I'll get into the situation with the bigs.
For the Celtics&rsquo; entire run as fringe or actual contenders &mdash; the 2016-17 season through now &mdash; think of all the times you could ever name a meaningful big man they&rsquo;ve had on their roster. The list goes as follows: Al Horford, Robert Williams and... that&rsquo;s it. Aside from that, it&rsquo;s a lot of Daniel Theis, Kelly Olynyk, Jonas Jerebko, one of the Zellers, Aron Baynes and multiple runs (and name changes) with rebounding-specialist-turned-FOX-5-pundit Enes Kan... *sigh* &hellip; Freedom.
(Somehow, not one Plumlee made the list.)
Despite entering the later 2010s with a video game-like draft asset advantage over most of the NBA, the C's still haven&rsquo;t gotten to an NBA Finals, which highlights two things. One, it&rsquo;s very (emphatically insert expletive of choice here) hard to get to a Finals, never mind winning the championship. And two, just because you accumulate all those draft picks doesn&rsquo;t mean you&rsquo;re going to build a dynasty as some project. Why? Because this isn&rsquo;t a simulation... <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2019/02/15-irrefutable-reasons-we-might-be-living-in-a-simulation.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">even though it may feel like it sometimes.</a>
Amid <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/celtics-have-been-extremely-active-in-trade-talks-ahead-of-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trade rumors involving Horford and Josh Richardson</a>, it&rsquo;s clear that the currently 25-24 Celtics are trying to execute something with an eye toward winning now and not rebuilding by splitting up the two Jays. Now, regardless of what they do, they'll probably "win now" anyway, given that the Eastern Conference is as strenuous as it is imperfect.
Sure, maybe a team other than the Nets, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks or Miami Heat break through. Maybe the Philadelphia 76ers finally make a Ben Simmons deal and push themselves into that upper-echelon group, or maybe the Cleveland Cavaliers make moves to remain afloat amid their surprising successes. Pointing all of that out is a reminder that the East is deep, and all of those teams are just better than the Celtics right now &mdash; regardless of the fact that their top two players are more talented than the top two players on at least half of those other teams.
Having <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-case-against-and-for-separating-jayson-tatum-and-jaylen-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">just written about Tatum and Brown</a> and whether or not they should even remain together, the most important thing is building this differently. Assuming the 24-year-old Williams &mdash; who is averaging 9.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game this season &mdash; is your center of the present and future alongside the Jays, think about the 4-man who&rsquo;d best complement all three parties and their <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reshaping-the-celtics-for-a-playoff-push-part-1-the-backcourt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hypothetical point guard change</a>. (Williams begins a four-year, $54 million extension next season.)
Thaddeus Young, San Antonio Spurs
Young&rsquo;s been in trade rumors all season and is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/spurs-thad-young-frustrated-about-role-this-situation-is-not-ideal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">currently not a regular part of the San Antonio Spurs' rotation</a>. But he&rsquo;d be just about perfect for so many teams, including the Celtics. In 2020-21, we saw Thad play meaningful minutes with regularity, averaging 12.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists; he posted a team-high 2.2 defensive win shares for the Bulls (tied with Patrick Williams).
He&rsquo;s 6-foot-8, 235 pounds, a career 50.2% finisher from the field, and 33.0% from three on 1.4 attempts per contest. Young shot 35.6% beyond the arc on a 3.5 attempts in 2019-20, but last season, he shot just 0.7 attempts per contest (26.7%) to provide more slashing ability for the Bulls. If Young &mdash; who is on a $14.1 million expiring contract &mdash; could be respectable from the perimeter, you&rsquo;d take that regardless of how little he took. (Not everyone needs to shoot mad threes to space adequately, guys.)
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The Hypothetical Trade: 
Celtics receive: Thaddeus Young ($14.1 million), Doug McDermott ($13.7 million) 
Spurs receive: Al Horford ($27 million), one or two second-round draft picks
In attaching a second-rounder or two to Horford, there&rsquo;s incentive for the Spurs to do this, even as Horford has $26.5 million coming next season, <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/boston-celtics/al-horford-2199/">though only $14.5 million is guaranteed</a>. McDermott is due $13.7 million the following two seasons, and by acquiring him, it makes the numbers work; plus this gives the C&rsquo;s an additional floor-spacer who&rsquo;d likely become a crowd favorite&hellip;.. Ya know?
Jerami Grant, Detroit Pistons&nbsp;
A better and younger Thad Young? The 2020 Olympic Gold Medalist is apparently demanding, <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/now/report-contract-extension-leverage-pistons-213513259.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">but you gotta respect it</a>. Grant&rsquo;s due over $20 million this season, and closer to $21 million next, the last of a three-year deal he signed just over a year ago. Grant&rsquo;s been out since Dec. 12, but over the last two seasons &mdash; in which he's played 78 games &mdash; Grant has averaged 21.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 blocks since seeing an expanded role with the Pistons.
Chances are he winds up on a better team and doesn&rsquo;t have the same offensive workload, but on a good team, he&rsquo;s probably best suited as a third option (next to Tatum and Brown in Boston's case). And, if one of those two absolutely wants to leave for whatever reason down the road, you can tie yourself to whichever player you keep plus Grant, as well as whatever comes back. Grant wants an extension after all.
It&rsquo;s worth mentioning that Grant&rsquo;s shooting splits have been .425/.344/.847 with the Pistons on around six three-point and free throw attempts both per contest, but again, on that team, it&rsquo;s hard to be efficient &mdash; especially since he has more of the scoring load than he should. In Boston, you&rsquo;d expect him to be somewhere between where he was with the Denver Nuggets and where he is in Detroit now, in regards to scoring. Thus, his defense should also revert back to where it was in Denver and even in Oklahoma City, or something close to that.
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The Hypothetical Trade
Celtics receive: Jerami Grant ($20 million), Cory Joseph ($4.9 million) 
Pistons receive: Al Horford ($27 million), two first-round picks, and possible a second-rounder
You figure that multiple moves are coming, and Joseph is a very good backup point guard option who has a $5.1 million option for next season. This indicates that the Celtics would subsequently move off of others, like Dennis Schr&ouml;der and Richardson in separate deals for example. The Pistons will clearly want draft capital for Grant, more so if they&rsquo;re taking back Horford&rsquo;s contract. It feels like a win-win since the Pistons aren&rsquo;t going anywhere yet, and could try building around Cade Cunningham with a player who fit his timeline closer (i.e. Saddiq Bey and whoever you select in the 2022 NBA Draft).
Christian Wood, Houston Rockets
Wood is due $13.7 million this season and brings in another $14.3 million next season. Like Young, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-miami-heat-pursuing-christian-wood-in-trade-talks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he may be dealt this season</a>. Unlike Young, he isn&rsquo;t a dirty work, defensive-minded type of 4 as outlined earlier. But if you&rsquo;re hypothetically getting him, John Wall, Wood or Eric Gordon would likely come with. And Wood&rsquo;s the better fit if you&rsquo;re moving Horford, more so if it&rsquo;s Horford and Smart.
Since leaving the Detroit Pistons for the Rockets, Wood&rsquo;s averaged 19.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and a block per game on .499/.370/.623 shooting splits across 86 games. He&rsquo;d be the third or fourth option in Boston, but a damn interesting one next to Wall, Tatum, Brown and Time Lord if you could somehow make the numbers work.
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The Hypothetical Trade
Celtics receive: Christian Wood ($13.6 million), John Wall ($44.3 million) 
Rockets receive: Al Horford ($27 million), Josh Richardson ($11.6 million), Dennis Schr&ouml;der ($5.8 million), Romeo Langford ($3.8 million), at least one first-round pick, and or multiple second-round picks. &nbsp;
I&rsquo;m not even sure that I like this move much, but if you&rsquo;re going to do this both ways &mdash; and with a need to include Wall and Horford &mdash; well, there you have it.
Grant Williams could also be included and the deal would still go through since he&rsquo;s only at $2.6 million. The Rockets should want multiple first-rounders, especially since nothing they&rsquo;d be getting back would excite them long-term otherwise. But, this is more of an &ldquo;I mean, I guess.&rdquo;
Read <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reshaping-the-celtics-for-a-playoff-push-part-1-the-backcourt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Part I of this series</a>, where Justin Lewis addressed fixing the Celtics' point guard situation. 
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!&nbsp;

Bryan Fonseca looks at Boston's options in the trade market to bolster the frontcourt in Part II of his series with Justin Lewis.

Broken in Boston: Retooling the spiraling Celtics — Part II

With the 2022 NBA Draft less than a month away, BasketballNews.com will have you covered from top to bottom. The NBA Draft Combine in Chicago began the pre-draft process for a number of hopeful prospects as they try to break into the league.
I had the opportunity to catch up with Ohio State swingman Malaki Branham, who averaged 13.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game in his lone season with the Buckeyes. We discussed his start in basketball, playing in his home state, his second-half surge and how he'll translate to the next level.
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Let's start with your background. What's your hometown?
Malaki Branham: "My hometown is Columbus, Ohio, where I was born and raised."
Could you tell me a little bit about your family background?
Branham: "I have a small circle. It's my mom, my little brother, my uncle, my auntie and my grandma. That's about it. My trainer is also like family. I've been working with him for seven-plus years, so he became family."
Did you play any other sports growing up?
Branham: "No, not really. When I was younger, I played soccer and baseball, but basketball has always been everything to me."
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When did you first start getting into organized basketball?
Branham: "Probably when I was 8 or 9. I started playing AAU early on, and things just took off from there."
At what point in your development did it start to click that you might have a bright future in basketball?
Branham: "It was my eighth-grade year. I dunked on somebody; that was my first in-game dunk but my first "poster" too. I thought, 'If I keep working, I can do something with this.'"
How tall were you when that happened?
Branham: I was around 6-2, 6-3. And I'm 6-5 now, so I've grown a few inches.
Being from Ohio, what was it like to be able to stay home and play at Ohio State?
Branham: "It meant everything to me, getting to play for my hometown school. I loved every second I was there on campus with the coaching staff and everyone. It was a good feeling to play for my hometown and have my family watch me too."
In our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Mock Draft</a> on BasketballNews.com, we have you projected to the Cleveland Cavaliers at No. 14. How would you feel if that ended up being the case?
Branham: "It would be cool! Many people back home want me to stay and play for the Cleveland Cavaliers. It's just a blessing to be in this position."
I saw you early on in the season at the Fort Myers Classic. At that point, you were starting, but not getting a lot of shots. Then, midway through the season, you started to explode. From your perspective, what began to click for you to elevate your game so dramatically?
Branham: "I didn't have the biggest role on the team to start. In the beginning, I was trying to fit in. Then, when we played Wisconsin at home, I had 0 points and 4 turnovers. I texted Coach [Chris] Holtmann after the game and thanked him for letting me play through the mistakes that I was making. I was just frustrated with myself, I looked in the mirror and said, 'We need to get to work.'
"From that point, the Nebraska game came, and I kept that in the back of my head and wanted to make sure that the game wasn't just a fluke. I just wanted to be consistent the rest of the year, and I feel like I did that."
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The Big Ten was stacked this year. I stayed in Indianapolis to watch the entirety of the conference tournament. Who do you think was your toughest matchup this year?
Branham: "The toughest 1-on-1 matchups that I had to guard, I'd probably say Fatts Russell from Maryland; he's a smaller guard, but he's so quick and shifty. I'd also have to say Johnny Davis and Jaden Ivey as well.
"That quick first step that lets [Jaden] get to the rim with ease (makes him a tough matchup). Also, he gets up in the air and gets his shot off from anywhere he wants. With him, I feel like it's him being more explosive than everybody. Johnny is just smooth. He's a bigger guard as well. He gets to the mid-range just like me, so making it tough on him is hard to do. I feel like he plays through a lot of contact.
"Those guys were both a year ahead of me, so they had a feel for Big Ten basketball. I just had to get a feel for how they moved, but I felt like I matched up with them pretty well."
What was your driving force for going all-in on the draft?
Branham: "Really, it was just getting good feedback. I kept working and put my head down, and after, I kept getting good news. I felt like it was too good of an option for me to pass up. I feel like entering the draft with two feet is what I wanted, so I'm just excited to be in this process."
Can you describe yourself as a player?
Branham: "I would say that I'm aggressive. I'm always in attack mode. When I'm between those four lines, I'm in attack mode and aggressive. In the second half of the season, I was aggressive, looking for my shot. I'm also always trying to facilitate for my team too."
Are there any specific aspects of your game that you're looking to improve?
Branham: "Probably tightening my handle. I will be on the wing against bigger and older guys, so I need a tight handle. I'd also like to work on my defensive abilities as well. I'm not going to be a guy who is handling the ball all the time right away, so I need to get some stops on the defensive end to earn that trust on the offensive end."
Are there any current or former players that you model your game after?
Branham: "I watch a lot of Khris Middleton, Devin Booker and those types of guys that can get to the mid-range and are three-level scorers. Those are the guys I model my game after."
If you had to use one word to describe yourself, what would it be?
Branham: 'I'd go with resilient. There will always be tough times in life, but I'm always pushing through. This year was a good example of me being resilient. At the beginning of the year, I wasn't playing as well as I could have, and in the second half, I found a way to push through and get through it."
Let's pretend I'm an NBA general manager. What is your elevator pitch to me as to why I should select you?
Branham: "I live and breathe basketball. I'm a hard worker. So many people say that, but I am genuinely a hard worker. I wake up at 5 a.m. every day and put the work in to perfect my craft. You should select me because I do that and want to get better every day to become the best I possibly can become."
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Matt Babcock speaks with Ohio State wing Malaki Branham about his second-half surge, how he'll translate to the NBA and more.

2022 NBA Draft Q&A: Ohio State's Malaki Branham leans on resilience

The Cleveland Cavaliers are hiring Luke Walton as an assistant coach, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1531669975756419079" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN</a>. Walton joins JB Bickerstaff's coaching staff after spending five-plus years as head coach of the Lakers and Kings.
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The Cleveland Cavaliers are hiring Luke Walton as an assistant coach, sources tell ESPN. Walton joins JB Bickerstaff's coaching staff after spending five-plus years as head coach of the Lakers and Kings. Walton spent his final two seasons as a player with Cleveland a decade ago.
&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1531669975756419079?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Cavaliers have hired Luke Walton as an assistant head coach.

Woj: Cavaliers hiring Luke Walton as an assistant

The 2021-22 season was an absolute nightmare for the Los Angeles Lakers, who went 33-49 and finished 11th in the Western Conference. They had the NBA's 21st-ranked defense and 23rd-ranked offense.
Following those struggles, much of the blame has been placed on Russell Westbrook, who has a player option worth $47,063,478 for next season. It seems highly unlikely that he'll opt out, so the Lakers will undoubtedly explore all possible trade scenarios this offseason.
Which teams could make sense as a possible landing spot for Westbrook if he gets traded?
Oddsmakers from <a href="https://www.sportsbetting.ag/sportsbook/futures-and-props/nba-specials" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SportsBetting.ag</a> have the Oklahoma City Thunder (+350), Indiana Pacers (+400) and New York Knicks (+450) as the teams to watch. Here are their complete odds for Westbrook's next team if he ends up leaving the Lakers:
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 45.2599%; height: 220px;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 29.6795%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Oklahoma City Thunder</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+350</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 29.6795%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Indiana Pacers</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+400</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 29.6795%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">New York Knicks</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+450</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 29.6795%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Charlotte Hornets</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+500</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 29.6795%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Detroit Pistons</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+600</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 29.6795%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Houston Rockets</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+700</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 29.6795%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Sacramento Kings</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+750</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 29.6795%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Los Angeles Clippers</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+900</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 29.6795%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Cleveland Cavaliers</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+1600</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 29.6795%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Boston Celtics</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+2000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 29.6795%; text-align: center;">Toronto Raptors</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; text-align: center;">+2500</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out BasketballNews.com's 2022 NBA Free Agency page, which includes free-agency rankings and a scouting report of each player who could be available this summer.&nbsp;</a>

Oddsmakers have the Thunder (+350), Pacers (+400) and Knicks (+450) among the potential landing spots for Russell Westbrook.

Thunder, Pacers, Knicks have best odds to acquire Russell Westbrook

MIAMI (AP) &mdash; Somewhere, Gregg Popovich must be pleased.
Ime Udoka and Steve Kerr played for Popovich with of the San Antonio Spurs, both served as assistant coaches under him, and neither makes any effort to hide the affinity they have for the NBA&rsquo;s career victory leader.
And now, Udoka and Kerr are about to go head-to-head &mdash; in the NBA Finals.
The title matchup is set: It&rsquo;ll be Udoka and the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics facing Kerr and the Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors, a series that begins Thursday night in San Francisco. The teams split their two regular-season meetings, each winning on the other&rsquo;s home floor.
The Warriors have been waiting for an opponent since this past Thursday after needing only five games to beat Dallas for the West title. The Celtics got there the hard way, winning Game 7 in Miami on Sunday night to capture the East.
&ldquo;We stayed with it. We believed in each other. We made a commitment on the defensive end," said Celtics forward Al Horford, who, after 141 playoff games, is headed to the NBA Finals for the first time. &ldquo;That was the biggest thing, defending."
For the Celtics, it&rsquo;s a chance at an 18th NBA championship &mdash; which would break the tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most in league history. For the Warriors, it&rsquo;s a chance at a seventh crown &mdash; which would break a tie with the Chicago Bulls for third-most in league history.
It&rsquo;s also a rematch of the 1964 finals, when Bill Russell and the Celtics topped the Warriors in five games.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve said it many times: You go to the finals, it&rsquo;s almost a two-month journey filled with stress and fatigue and everything else,&rdquo; said Kerr, who gave his team Friday and Saturday off before bringing them back to work Sunday. &ldquo;So, if you can get a little bit of a break, it&rsquo;s very meaningful. Hopefully, we can get healthy and have a few days of really good prep and be ready to go on Thursday.&rdquo;
Golden State won at Boston 111-107 on Dec. 17, behind 30 points from Stephen Curry. The Celtics rolled on Golden State&rsquo;s home floor in the rematch on March 16, winning 110-88 in the game in which Curry injured his foot &mdash; and that&rsquo;s where his regular season ended.
Curry was ready to go for the playoffs. So were the rest of the Warriors. They&rsquo;re 12-4 in the playoffs, getting through Denver, Memphis and Dallas to get to the title round.
&ldquo;It all starts with Steph,&rdquo; Kerr said.
Udoka has a chance to become the 10th coach to win a title in his first season. Eddie Gottlieb (1947 Philadelphia Warriors), Buddy Jeanette (1948 Baltimore Bullets), John Kundla (1949 Minneapolis Lakers), George Senesky (1956 Philadelphia Warriors), Paul Westhead (1980 Los Angeles Lakers), Pat Riley (1982 Los Angeles Lakers), Tyronn Lue (2016 Cleveland Cavaliers) and Nick Nurse (2019 Toronto Raptors) are eight of the coaches who have pulled off the feat.
The other name on that list is Kerr &mdash; who did it with Golden State in 2015, the start of this run of greatness from the Warriors. That was the beginning of six finals appearances in eight years, the two exceptions being when injuries and a roster reset kept them from the playoffs in 2020 and 2021.
&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t take it for granted,&rdquo; Curry said after the West title series. &ldquo;Nothing&rsquo;s ever guaranteed. We understand how hard it is to win. We&rsquo;ve said that until we&rsquo;re blue in the face the last two years. This is definitely special. Proud of everybody that is in that locker room, that came with it all year. Now we have an opportunity to go finish a job.&rdquo;
Udoka played for Popovich and later was a San Antonio assistant. Kerr played for the Spurs, then assisted Popovich with USA Basketball through last summer&rsquo;s Tokyo Olympics &mdash; when the Americans won a fourth consecutive gold medal.
The Warriors&rsquo; Draymond Green was on that Olympic team. So was Boston&rsquo;s Jayson Tatum. They celebrated winning gold together, and now they&rsquo;ll try to go through one another to get their fingerprints on the gold trophy that goes to the NBA champions &mdash; the Larry O&rsquo;Brien.
&ldquo;This is an opportunity that players dream of,&rdquo; Golden State's Andrew Wiggins said. &ldquo;To be put in a position to win it all.&rdquo;
And if nothing else, a Warriors-Celtics matchup made Green seem prophetic.
After the Warriors won the West, Green visited the TNT broadcast set after the game and was prodded by Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal to say which team from the then-undecided East title series that he would like to play.
Green began giving a diplomatic answer, saying that both the Heat and Celtics were tough. O&rsquo;Neal pressed him to be honest, and Green &mdash; never shy with words &mdash; gave in.
&ldquo;You&rsquo;re asking me who I want to play. I&rsquo;m gonna tell who I think we&rsquo;re going to play: We&rsquo;re going to play Boston,&rdquo; Green said Thursday night. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s who we&rsquo;re going to play.&rdquo;
He was right.
&nbsp;

The matchup is set: it will be the Boston Celtics facing the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.

The Finals matchup: Celtics vs. Warriors for NBA title

After an impressive season that culminated in a third-place finish for the NBA's Rookie of the Year award, Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham recently opened up about a valuable lesson he learned during his first year as a pro.
&ldquo;I think the biggest thing I learned is that the league, the media, nobody will care until you&rsquo;re winning,&rdquo; Cunningham <a href="https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/cade-cunningham-slam-238/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told SLAM</a>. &ldquo;I could feel bad for myself all I want about [how] people didn&rsquo;t respect or appreciate the season I had or anything, but I didn&rsquo;t win a lot of games.
"I think that&rsquo;s been the biggest thing that I&rsquo;ve locked in on and I decided within: I have to win games if I want people to respect my name. And if not, then I can&rsquo;t be mad at people not watching enough games and how I really play. That&rsquo;s the challenge that I&rsquo;ve tried to take on. I&rsquo;ve talked to teammates [and] we&rsquo;re all trying to take that challenge on. I think that&rsquo;s the next step for us.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Cunningham played well as a rookie, averaging 17.4 points, 5.6 assists, 5.5 rebounds, 1.8 threes and 1.2 steals in 64 games. And he looked significantly better in the second half of the season, posting 21.1 points, 6.5 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 1.3 threes and 1.1 steals per game after the All-Star break.
However, to his point, the Pistons finished the season 23-59, which was the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference (and the third-worst record in the NBA). Detroit boasted the league's 28th-ranked offense (scoring 103.3 points per 100 possessions) and 23rd-ranked defense (allowing 111.1 points per 100 possessions).
Cunningham seems determined to change that. It's not uncommon for a young player to spend years trying to put up numbers and prove he is a star, so it's great to see Cunningham already prioritizing team success over individual accolades and taking a mature approach as a 20-year-old.&nbsp;
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Perhaps Hall-of-Famer Isiah Thomas has helped Cunningham see the bigger picture, as SLAM notes that Thomas has had several conversations with Cunningham about leadership and other topics.
Fortunately, the Pistons are in excellent position to add some some reinforcements alongside Cunningham. Detroit has the No. 5 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, and our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock currently projects</a> that the Pistons will select Kentucky's Shaedon Sharpe.
Also, the Pistons currently project to have the second-most cap space in the NBA this offseason ($25.80 million), trailing only the Orlando Magic ($28.67 million). If Detroit is able to add some key pieces alongside Cunningham, perhaps the organization can right the ship and return to the playoffs sooner than later.
Cunningham was also asked about this season's Rookie of the Year award, which went to Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (with Cleveland Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley finishing as the runner-up). While Cunningham felt he should have won the award, he's happy for his former high-school teammate and he's glad the debate is over.
&ldquo;Scottie is my brother, I&rsquo;m happy that he got that award," Cunningham said. "I feel like it&rsquo;s great that it&rsquo;s him, [my] Montverde teammate. I&rsquo;m super excited [for him]. I mean, it&rsquo;s never really been about that award for me. I&rsquo;ve had a ton of questions asked about it, you know&mdash; 'Rookie of the Year, what do you think about you winning?' So, I&rsquo;ma answer the question, you know? I feel like I should win it. That&rsquo;s natural. But it was never a knock on those guys. I love their game and I&rsquo;m happy that now we can quiet that question down. Congrats to Scottie, man, I love my dog.&rdquo;
While Cunningham didn't win the Rookie of the Year, award there's no question that he has a bright future and the Pistons are thrilled to have him.&nbsp;
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Cade Cunningham learned a valuable lesson during his rookie season — something that many young players take years to grasp.

Cade Cunningham shares valuable lesson he learned as a rookie

The Oklahoma City Thunder came out of last Tuesday&rsquo;s NBA Draft Lottery as the night&rsquo;s runner-up, taking home the No. 2 overall pick.&nbsp;
The Thunder have never received the first-overall pick in their franchise history, which technically goes back to 1967 when they were still the Seattle Supersonics. They have selected second on two occasions though, and both worked out really well (Kevin Durant in 2007 and Gary Payton in 1990).
The Thunder have a war-chest of draft picks in the coming years, but those picks are meaningless if they don&rsquo;t select a franchise-altering talent. Fortunately, the No. 2 pick should provide an opportunity to do so. The 2022 draft class features a few &ldquo;can&rsquo;t-miss&rdquo; prospects, including Auburn&rsquo;s Jabari Smith, Gonzaga&rsquo;s Chet Holmgren and Duke&rsquo;s Paolo Banchero. All three have their pros and cons, but adding any of them to the existing core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey should work out beautifully.
In the 2021 NBA Draft, the Thunder made six selections, but they traded three of those players. They added Giddey (who was named to the 2021-22 All-Rookie Second Team), Tre Mann and Aaron Wiggins &ndash; none of whom are bigs. The Thunder did trade for a seven-footer in the 2020 draft (Aleksej Pokusevski), but he&rsquo;s still extremely raw and is not the same caliber of player as the top-three prospects.
Of course, there is still a lot of work to be done through the scouting process to effectively evaluate all three of this draft's most-coveted prospects, but a look back at the last 10 NBA drafts reveals a murkier history than one might assume. After <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-the-success-of-teams-selecting-first-in-the-nba-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">examining the success of teams selecting No. 1 in the NBA Draft</a> last week, let's look at how recent No. 2 overall picks have fared.&nbsp;
2012 NBA Draft: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets
The Hornets bombed with the second pick in 2012. Kidd-Gilchrist had a fine career, averaging 12.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game across eight seasons in the NBA. The thing is, Bradley Beal was selected third and Damian Lillard was selected fifth, and both of those guys are All-NBA-caliber players annually. Comparatively, that&rsquo;s a huge miss for Charlotte.
Verdict: Failure.
2013 NBA Draft: Victor Oladipo, Orlando Magic
The Cavaliers certainly surprised many of us by picking Anthony Bennett with the first overall pick, but the Magic stuck to the script. Oladipo was universally seen as a top-three player in this draft, and he became the second-best player in the class before knee and quad injuries derailed his career.
As much as injuries have robbed much of what Oladipo was, he is still an intriguing player, and he&rsquo;ll probably command some decent free-agent offers this offseason. Obiously, CJ McCollumn (selected 10th) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (selected 15th) are better players, but neither was being considered by the Magic. Considering that Oladipo is a two-time All-Star, an All-Defensive selection and a one-time All-NBA selection, I&rsquo;d say the Magic did a fine job in picking Oladipo.
Verdict: Success
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2014 NBA Draft: Jabari Parker, Milwaukee Bucks
The 2014 draft was a weird one. Neither the first nor the second pick ended up being the best player from this draft class. Andrew Wiggins found a good role, even if he is far less successful than most thought he&rsquo;d be, but Jabari Parker really underwhelmed. Granted, Parker stuck around in the league for eight seasons, including some of the current one, but his career simply never materialized even if it&rsquo;s not his (nor Milwaukee&rsquo;s) fault.
Parker tore his ACL twice. He looked like he was becoming a pretty darn good player (even if he was a defensive liability) before the second ACL injury, averaging 20.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game in 2016-17. However good Parker could have been, the fact of the matter is that Joel Embiid was intriguing enough as of draft night to be taken one pick later, and that stings.
Verdict: Failure
2015 NBA Draft: D&rsquo;Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers
Here&rsquo;s an instance where a player actually was worth a top-three pick. The problem is that the Lakers had the second pick, and there&rsquo;s a big difference between Karl-Anthony Towns or Devin Booker and Russell. Making matters worse, the Lakers sent Russell to Brooklyn before he matured. His immaturity was part of the reason he was traded, but that doesn&rsquo;t change the fact that the Lakers picked him and moved on very quickly. Russell may or may not end up being a franchise-altering talent, but he hasn&rsquo;t realized his full potential yet, and he clearly won&rsquo;t do so for the Lakers.
Verdict: Failure
2016 NBA Draft: Brandon Ingram, Los Angeles Lakers
Ingram is one of the best No. 2 picks in the last 10 drafts. He&rsquo;s a true number one option on a playoff team, a career 18.5 points-per-game scorer and a one-time All-Star. It&rsquo;s debatable that Jaylen Brown (selected third) and/or Jamal Murray (selected seventh) are as good or better players, but both have played alongside more talented teammates throughout their careers.
Ingram has been the best player on the New Orleans Pelicans for a few years now, and we shouldn&rsquo;t take for granted the fact that Ingram led a playoff team this season. Sure, the Lakers didn&rsquo;t cash in on him specifically, but he was part of the package that led to Anthony Davis landing in Los Angeles. So, it worked out for them too.
Verdict: Success
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2017 NBA Draft: Lonzo Ball, Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers picked second overall again in 2017. They weren&rsquo;t as successful this time around. First, there&rsquo;s Jayson Tatum to consider. Tatum was selected third and is the best player in the 2017 draft class. Being selected by the Lakers wouldn&rsquo;t have changed that, and that should be enough. But there&rsquo;s also Ball&rsquo;s rough shooting mechanics to consider. Sure, he&rsquo;s grown into a good shooter, but the Lakers didn&rsquo;t benefit from that. It&rsquo;s hard to categorize Ball&rsquo;s selection as an outright failure because like Ingram, he helped facilitate Davis to the Lakers. Still, it's tough to classify his selection a success.
Verdict: Push
2018 NBA Draft: Marvin Bagley III, Sacramento Kings
Bagley might be the worst second pick in the last 10 years. The 2018 NBA Draft will forever be remembered as the Luka Doncic class. The Kings could have drafted Doncic, as he was still on the board, but they chose to go with Bagley instead. Bagley isn&rsquo;t even on the Kings any longer, and his time in Sacramento was not memorable.
Bagley is a sub-par defender and three-point shooter. He&rsquo;s scored the ball at a decent pace, averaging 19.5 points per-36 minutes, but he&rsquo;s never earned a big enough role to demonstrate what he can really do, and he&rsquo;s exclusively been on losing teams. Comparatively, Doncic and Trae Young (selected No. 5 in 2018) have turned their franchises around.
Verdict: Failure
2019 NBA Draft: Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
Ingram was the best second pick in the last 10 years, until 2019. Morant stole that made-up accolade almost immediately in his rookie season. The thing is, the 2019 NBA Draft was supposed to be all about Zion Williamson. However, unlike Williamson, Morant has backed up all the hype and then some. So, while Williamson has dealt with injuries for much of his young career, Morant has brazenly become the face of his draft class.
Morant is drawing comparisons to numerous superstars, and he was named to the 2021-22 All-NBA Second Team. No one selected after him comes close to making the Grizzlies think twice about their decision.
Verdict: HUGE success
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2020 NBA Draft: James Wiseman, Golden State Warriors
Unlike his brother Lonzo, LaMelo Ball was deserving of the second pick in 2020. Instead, the Golden State Warriors went with James Wiseman, though the logic behind the pick is clear, even in retrospect. The Warriors already had two All-NBA guards. The thing is, Jordan Poole looks pretty good alongside Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, doesn&rsquo;t he? So, it&rsquo;s feasible to assume that Ball would have fit too.
After two seasons, Ball is a significantly better player, but he&rsquo;s also had plenty of opportunity to demonstrate that fact. Wiseman has had terrible health-related luck. He played in 39 of the Warriors' first 53 games in 2020-21, but he tore his meniscus in Golden State&rsquo;s 53rd&nbsp;game of the season and hasn&rsquo;t been seen since. Wiseman could still be a serious contributor, as his per-36 numbers were impressive for a rookie (19.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.1 assists on .542/.316/.628 shooting). This is one we&rsquo;ll have to continue monitoring.
Verdict: Unclear
2021 NBA Draft: Jalen Green, Houston Rockets
Basing the success of a pick on only a rookie season is tough. Green posted an impressive rookie campaign, but his defensive deficiencies were clear. That&rsquo;s an understandable flaw for a rookie. Green was the assumed second-best player in the class. Having the luxury of hindsight, we now know that Scottie Barnes (selected fourth) and Evan Mobley (selected third) translated to the NBA incredibly well. But wing scorers have a tougher time making the jump, as they must shoot deeper three-pointers and compete against far more athletic competition. Green&rsquo;s floor may be lower than that of Barnes and Mobley, but I'd argue that his ceiling is still higher. Let&rsquo;s give him a little more time.
Verdict: Unclear&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
In the last 10 drafts, the second overall pick has clearly been one of the best players in the draft class just three times (2013, 2016 and 2019).&nbsp;
A deeper examination of No. 2 overall picks reveals a limited number of franchise-altering talents. For every Kevin Durant, Jason Kidd, Gary Payton, Earl Monroe and Bill Russell, there are a number of players who didn't live up to expectations. Sometimes, there isn't a generational player on the board; other times, the team picking No. 2 overall just overthinks it or goes in the wrong direction. Either way, No. 2 hasn&rsquo;t produced as many all-time greats as you might expect, but there have been quite a few significant contributors.
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Oklahoma City will pick No. 2 in the 2022 draft. A look back at the last 10 drafts reveals that there are no guarantees for No. 2 picks.

Examining the success of teams selecting No. 2 in the NBA Draft

In the modern NBA, multi-positional versatility is something all teams covet. Evidenced by the current playoff finalists, pace-and-space offenses finding mismatches on every possession is the name of the game. For 19-year-old Australian combo guard Dyson Daniels, his strengths mesh well within what will be valued most at the next level.
Forgoing the college route as an International import, Daniels instead went the more challenging route by immersing himself into preparing for the 2022 NBA Draft. Daniels spent this past season with the G League Ignite, which is now forming a consistent pipeline of top prospects like Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga. Daniels averaged 11.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.9 steals on a 54.0 True Shooting percentage in the G League last season.
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The ability to adapt and play the role of a playmaking wing or secondary ball handler makes the upside with Daniels even more intriguing, especially if he lands in the right player development system that focuses on his long-term outlook.
&ldquo;I always want to be in the gym. I always want to be the best I can,&rdquo; Daniels told <a href="http://BasketballNews.com">BasketballNews.com</a>'s Spencer Davies last September. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want anyone to outwork me. I want to be the hardest worker there is.&rdquo;
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Daniels bet on himself playing with the Ignite over national NCAA exposure, which is paying huge dividends leading up to the draft. ESPN&rsquo;s Jonathan Givony recently reported that Daniels had one of the most impressive pre-draft workouts he&rsquo;d ever witnessed, and thanks to those workouts, Dyson is seeing his stock soar in the month before the draft.
The jumbo-sized do-it-all playmaker and defender is slotted in at No. 8 overall to the New Orleans Pelicans in <a href="http://BasketballNews.com">BasketballNews.com</a>'s latest mock draft according to our Senior NBA Draft Analyst, Matt Babcock:
&ldquo;At nearly 6-foot-7, Dyson Daniels is incredibly versatile, as he can play several positions effectively on both ends of the floor. After a stellar season with the G League Ignite, Daniels is seemingly on the rise, as there have been rumblings recently that his draft value is increasing. It&rsquo;s looking like he&rsquo;ll have a good chance of being selected in the mid-lottery on draft night.&rdquo;
Daniels is generating buzz to the point where it would be a surprise if he fell past the top 10 picks without being selected. As a likely lottery pick, Daniels&rsquo; versatility could help a needy team immediately. With such a high basketball IQ, the ceiling for Daniels all depends on if he can develop a reliable jump shot (25.5 3PT%). If Daniels rounds into form and becomes a reliable engine to an elite offense, the possibilities truly are endless for the Aussie.
&ldquo;I have a good floater game, but I&rsquo;m also a defender,&rdquo; Daniels described at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago earlier this month. &ldquo;I like to break it down on the offensive end. I&rsquo;m a little bit like a Tyrese Haliburton kind of guy that&rsquo;s in control. On the defensive end, I like to look at guys like Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso and people like that. I feel like I have the frame, and once the game slows down for me a bit, I hope I could develop into a Luka Doncic-type role.&rdquo;
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While those comparisons are lofty for Daniels, we can&rsquo;t rule it out. Who&rsquo;s to say Daniels doesn&rsquo;t become a valuable rotation piece with the potential to become even more a few years down the line? It&rsquo;s why Daniels is generating immense buzz from teams leading up to the draft. At the combine, he met with the following teams: Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors.
&ldquo;I try not to take it as pressure, but I&rsquo;m trying to do everything to get Bendigo and Australia on the map. Just be the best version of me I can and do my best,&rdquo; Daniels said.
When trying to find the best attributes to fit with where the NBA is heading, a player in the mold of Daniels becomes extremely valuable the more layers you discover in his game. That&rsquo;s exactly why Daniels is regarded as one of this year&rsquo;s biggest pre-draft risers across the board.
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One of the biggest pre-draft risers is versatile Australian guard Dyson Daniels. How he fits the modern NBA explains his huge rise.

2022 NBA Draft: Dyson Daniels fits the modern trends

Jayson Tatum wants experience to be the Celtics&rsquo; guide as they return home with a chance to wrap up their first trip to the NBA Finals since 2010.
Tatum was a rookie during Boston&rsquo;s run to Eastern Conference finals in 2018, when it grabbed a 3-2 series lead over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
He also remembers what it felt like as the Celtics watched James unravel their dreams with a 46-point performance in the Cavaliers&rsquo; Game 6 win, followed by a 35-point effort in Cleveland&rsquo;s decisive Game 7 victory at TD Garden.
Boston again has a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/boston-celtics-miami-heat-nba-sports-gabe-vincent-301bb4ce3cbdc51c2105c1e6f8d8c7df?utm_source=Twitter&amp;utm_medium=AP_Sports&amp;utm_campaign=SocialFlow">3-2 conference finals lead,</a> this time over the top-seeded Miami Heat with Game 6 set for Friday.
Tatum said this feels different.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m a lot better. (Jaylen Brown) is. We&rsquo;re just older. And we&rsquo;ve been through those tough times," Tatum said. "But the mindset and the talk that we had after the game was we were down 3-2 last time (in semifinals vs. Bucks) and had to go on the road to win Game 6 and we did. So we can&rsquo;t think that it&rsquo;s over with.&rdquo;
Tatum wants to see Boston maintain the mentality of the underdog.
&ldquo;We need to go back home like we&rsquo;re down 3-2. With that sense of urgency that it&rsquo;s a must-win game,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Not relaxing because we&rsquo;re up. ... The job&rsquo;s just not finished yet.&rdquo;
The Celtics do seem to be facing a Heat team that over the past two games hasn&rsquo;t come close to resembling the one that won Games 1 and 3.
All-Star Jimmy Butler insists he&rsquo;s fine but appears to be at least slowed by the right knee inflammation that sidelined him during the second half of Miami&rsquo;s Game 3 win. Over the past two games, he&rsquo;s scored just 19 points while shooting 7 of 32 from the field.
Kyle Lowry has all but disappeared offensively since returning from a hamstring injury and reigning Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro has missed the past two games with a groin injury.
It&rsquo;s all contributed to the Heat going from shooting an NBA-best 38% from the 3-point line during the regular season to just 29% in the conference finals.
&ldquo;Honestly, it doesn&rsquo;t matter,&rdquo; Butler said. &ldquo;If I&rsquo;m out there, I gotta do better. I gotta find a way to help us win and I haven&rsquo;t been doing that. I&rsquo;m fine, my knee is OK. I just gotta do better. It&rsquo;s no excuse.&rdquo;
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said his faith in his team remains strong.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re still alive,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s all we&rsquo;re thinking about right now. We have the kind of warriors that are gonna tape up, brace up, do whatever we gotta do to get ready for the next one and just embrace and enjoy that competition.&rdquo;
HISTORY LESSON
There have been 333 times a best-of-seven NBA playoff series has been 3-2.
Of those, the team taking the 3-2 lead has gone on to win 83.8% of the time. But a team trailing has come back to win a series on at least two occasions in each of the past three years, including the Celtics and Mavericks in this year's conference semifinals.
CLOSING IT OUT
The Celtics are 86-68 in closeout games. That includes a 48-19 record at home.
Jaylen Brown said they want to feed off the energy they know awaits them at the Garden. He said the message after Game 5 was simple.
&ldquo;This is a great opportunity. Leave everything on the floor. You don&rsquo;t want any feelings of regret,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s come out Friday on our home floor and play the best version of basketball that we&rsquo;ve played all season.
___
AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds contributed to this report.

Boston has a 3-2 conference finals lead, this time over the top-seeded Heat with Game 6 set for Friday.

Celtics head home looking to close out top-seeded Heat

MIAMI (AP) &mdash; Jaylen Brown scored 25 points, Jayson Tatum added 22 and the Boston Celtics moved to the brink of a berth in the NBA Finals, running away after halftime to beat the Miami Heat 93-80 on Wednesday night and take a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference title series.
Al Horford had 16 points and Derrick White added 14 for the Celtics. Tatum finished with 12 rebounds and nine assists.
Bam Adebayo scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Heat, who shot 32% in the game &mdash; after shooting 33% in Boston&rsquo;s 20-point win in Game 4. Gabe Vincent added 15, Jimmy Butler had 13 and Duncan Robinson scored 11 for Miami.
The Heat were 7 for 45 from 3-point range.
Game 6 is in Boston on Friday night, where a pair of newly named trophies bearing the names of Celtics legends will be waiting. The Bob Cousy trophy goes to the East champs, the Larry Bird trophy to the East finals MVP, and the Celtics are one win away from being the first team to hoist them.
This series has seen massive momentum swings &mdash; a 44-14 Miami run in Game 1, a 60-21 Boston run in Game 2, a 46-20 Miami run to open Game 3 followed by a 57-33 Boston run in the same game, and a 26-4 spurt by the Celtics to open Game 4.
The Game 5 run was just as one-sided.
The score over a 6 1/2-minute stretch of the second half: Celtics 24, Heat 2. The turnaround was 59-58 Boston to 83-60 Boston, and that was that.
Boston outscored Miami 32-16 in the third quarter, holding the Heat to 17% shooting in that period. The margin was only 11 at that point &mdash; but soon, the game was in zero doubt. A 14-2 run was how Boston opened the fourth quarter, Brown capping the flurry by making three 3-pointers in a span of 2 1/2 minutes, and the lead was out to 23.
<a href="https://twitter.com/celtics/status/1529658342313975808?s=20&amp;t=sVr3DFOwSLjhCE3Kfpan-Q">Brown then sealed matters with a down-the-lane dunk</a> with 5:19 left, the lead was 18 at that point and the countdown was on for Boston.
The Celtics haven't reached the NBA Finals since 2010. There have been four East finals trips since then, with two losses to Miami and two to Cleveland. There were also two chances &mdash; Game 6 in 2012 against the Heat and Game 7 in 2018 against the Cavaliers &mdash; when the Celtics had a chance to claim the conference title simply by winning a game on their home floor.
They lost both, LeBron James serving as the official thwarter both times, with 45 points to save Miami in the 2012 game and 35 to lift Cleveland in the 2018 clincher.
He won&rsquo;t be in the Celtics&rsquo; way Friday night.
Miami will need somebody to provide some semblance of an impersonation.
Offense was in short supply in the first half, but Miami's defense appeared to be giving the Heat hope. Miami led 19-17 after one and 42-37 at the break. Tatum was 1 for 9 at intermission, Butler 2 for 8, and the teams combined to shoot 37.8% from the field and 21.6% from 3-point range.
It was the lowest-scoring first half of a conference finals game since May 28, 2014, when the Heat and Indiana combined for 75 points at the break in what eventually became a 93-90 Pacers win.
And Miami, somehow, got colder to start the second half. The Celtics did not.
The Heat missed their first nine shots from the field after the break, not getting anything to fall until Butler fended off contact and scored on a drive that got Miami within 49-48 with 6:53 left in the third.
But soon, the Celtics had control. Of the game. And the series.
TIP-INS
Celtics: Marcus Smart picked up two fouls in the first 3:51 of the first quarter, then picked up two more in the first 3:15 of the third quarter. ... White and Robert Williams III were a combined 7 for 8 in the first half, while the rest of their teammates were a combined 6 for 26.
Heat: Tyler Herro (groin) missed a second consecutive game. ... Max Strus was 0 for 9, Kyle Lowry was 0 for 6, and the Heat starting guards are a combined 1 for 28 in their last two games. ... Miami missed its first six shots, a marked improvement after missing its first 14 to start Game 4.
HORFORD WATCH
Game 6 will be the 140th playoff game for Horford. Nobody has been in more postseason contests without appearing in the NBA Finals &mdash; something that he and the Celtics could change with one more win over Miami.
CELEBS
DJ Khaled was back in his customary seat near the Heat bench. Among the other stars in the sellout crowd: Alex Rodriguez, Paul Pogba, Jimmy Buffett, Xavien Howard and Brooks Koepka.

Led by big scoring games from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Boston Celtics moved to within one game of the NBA Finals.

Celtics run past Heat 93-80, move 1 win from NBA Finals

A familiar theme for the 2022 NBA Draft Class is multiple prospects taking a second-year jump as collegiate basketball players. Iowa&rsquo;s Keegan Murray <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/dont-let-age-deny-keegan-murrays-tantalizing-nba-ceiling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">qualifies in that category</a>, but so does versatile Wisconsin scorer <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/johnny-davis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Johnny Davis</a>.
Taking on the No. 1 offensive role for the Badgers led to a massive jump in production from Davis during his sophomore campaign. Davis averaged 19.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game on his way to winning Big Ten Player of the Year.
However, even with those numbers, Davis is not being considered as a lock to go in the top 10.
The Wisconsin guard put up great numbers, but the jump in efficiency was not really notable (50.5% True Shooting to 52.3% TS). Davis mentioned at the NBA Draft Combine that his high-usage role for the Badgers played a part in his pedestrian shooting splits, which included 30.6% on three-pointers.
&ldquo;No, that definitely doesn&rsquo;t represent me,&rdquo; Davis said. &ldquo;I could&rsquo;ve shot better from the free-throw line, from three especially. I thought later in the season I took a lot more contested shots.&rdquo;
In Chicago last week at the Combine, Davis listed seven teams who he met with, including the Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs, Washington Wizards, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Nuggets.
&ldquo;It went really well,&rdquo; Davis said of his meeting with the Knicks, which included head coach Tom Thibodeau. &ldquo;To see a familiar face and somebody who&rsquo;s been around the game for awhile.&rdquo;
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In New York, it&rsquo;s not hard to imagine Davis becoming a favorite of Thibodeau&rsquo;s, thanks in large part to his toughness and ability to control the game on both ends of the court when necessary. Also, Davis joining a young core headlined by RJ Barrett and Obi Toppin would bring even more intrigue to the on-court product in Madison Square Garden.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve heard from people likes guys like that, so hopefully I can fit in with them and they&rsquo;ll be invested in me enough to draft me,&rdquo; Davis said of his fit in Thibodeau&rsquo;s system.
Coincidentally, Davis is currently projected to go No. 11 overall to the Knicks in BasketballNews.com's <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">latest mock draft</a>. Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock shared his thoughts on Davis as a prospect:
<blockquote>
Johnny Davis is a bit of a throwback, and I mean that in a good way. He&rsquo;s a tough, no-nonsense, blue-collar type of player. He has a knack for putting the ball in the hole and can do so in various ways. However, his bread and butter is in the mid-range. In addition to his scoring capabilities, Davis is physical and competitive, which allows him to be an effective defender and rebounder.
Davis is a safe pick, as my confidence level that he will be a solid pro is very high. I currently project his range somewhere between the mid- and late lottery.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
Davis is viewed as one of the safest players in the 2022 draft class due to his scoring and defensive chops. Utilizing him as a super-charged role player moving away from being a team's top option could be the best thing for him as an immediate-impact rotation player.
Projected as a near-consensus lottery pick, Davis should hear his name called relatively early on draft night. Wherever Davis lands, that team will be landing a tenacious player with a never-say-die attitude on the basketball court. A personality like that &mdash; on top of his on-court production &mdash; makes Davis one of the safer bets to hit his potential ceiling outcome.
The Wisconsin-NBA pipeline continues to flow for the Badgers, but Davis might be the most impactful prospect we&rsquo;ve seen in a long time.
Betting on a player with the intangibles of Davis almost always work out in the end.
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Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis is a versatile scorer and defender, which makes him a strong bet to hit at the NBA level.

2022 NBA Draft: Winning intangibles make Johnny Davis safe bet to hit

The Orlando Magic came out of Tuesday&rsquo;s NBA Draft Lottery as the big winners, winning the No. 1 overall pick for the fourth time in franchise history.
Winning the lottery is a big deal for any team, as it gives them a tremendous opportunity to add an elite young talent. The <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 draft class</a> features a few &ldquo;can&rsquo;t-miss&rdquo; prospects who have already adequately separated themselves from the other top youngsters. Auburn&rsquo;s Jabari Smith, Gonzaga&rsquo;s Chet Holmgren and Duke&rsquo;s Paolo Banchero are easily the most electrifying players in the 2022 class.
All three of these prospects are versatile big men, which is a role that the Magic would be well-served in addressing. Orlando had two lottery picks in 2021, which they used on Gonzaga point guard Jalen Suggs and Michigan small forward Franz Wagner. If the Magic add a big man who grows into a superstar, their roster will be mostly set for the foreseeable future.
Of course, the allure of prospects wears off almost immediately after the draft. Ignoring the scouting process and all the work that goes into prosect evaluation, a look back at the last 10 NBA drafts reveals that first-overall picks are far from the sure things we make them out to be:
2012 NBA Draft: Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
Ten years ago, the New Orleans Pelicans selected Anthony Davis with the No. 1 pick. Davis grew into a superstar quickly, and his impact on the Pelicans was clear almost immediately. He led the Pelicans to the playoffs twice, in 2014-15 and 2017-18. The 2017-18 team was particularly good, winning 48 games in the regular season with a core of Davis, DeMarcus Cousins and Jrue Holiday. Cousins&rsquo; injury played a major role in Davis departing the Pelicans, as New Orleans failed to replace Davis&rsquo; friend and running mate. Had Cousins stayed healthy, who knows how good New Orleans could have been?
Still, Davis is clearly a great player who was absolutely worthy of the No. 1 pick. He has become an eight-time All-Star and earned a spot on the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team. Davis helped the Los Angeles Lakers win a championship in 2020, and he has career averages 23.8 points, 10.2 rebounds 2.3 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.4 steals.
Verdict: Success, although not necessarily for New Orleans.
2013 NBA Draft: Anthony Bennett, Cleveland Cavaliers 2014 NBA Draft: Andrew Wiggins, Cleveland Cavaliers 
The Cleveland Cavaliers picked first overall in 2013 and 2014. The strange thing about both picks is that neither Anthony Bennett nor Andrew Wiggins made an impact in Cleveland. Both were sent to Minnesota in a package for Kevin Love. Bennett played one uneventful season with the Cavaliers, and Wiggins was sent out prior to the start of his rookie season. So, which team do we assess? Cleveland or Minnesota? Let&rsquo;s review both.
Technically, getting two consecutive first overall picks and trading them to the Timberwolves helped Cleveland win their first championship in franchise history. That&rsquo;s a big win for the Cavaliers, even if it cost them both players. Cleveland&rsquo;s championship was more so a product of LeBron James (and Kyrie Irving to a lesser extent), but Love was impactful and the trade worked out.
Conversely, Minnesota did not fare well with Wiggins and Bennett. They qualified for the playoffs only once in Wiggins&rsquo; five-and-a-half seasons in Minnesota, and Bennett was off the team after only one season. Wiggins seems to have found a home in Golden State, but he's the team&rsquo;s fourth-best player, which is not what most people expect from No. 1 picks (especially one with Wiggins' hype).
Verdict: Both are failures relative to expectations, but Wiggins has become a significant contributor.
2015 NBA Draft: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
Speaking of Minnesota, they fared so poorly following the aforementioned Love-for-Wiggins-and-Bennett trade that they received the No. 1 overall pick in 2015. Yes, that means they technically had the first overall picks from three consecutive drafts on their roster, at least for a short period of time.
The pick in 2015 turned out to be Karl-Anthony Towns, who has now played seven seasons in Minnesota. Until recently, the Timberwolves' front office failed to surround him with the talent needed to compete. Towns has led Minnesota to the playoffs only twice, but regardless how one views the lack of team success, Towns was a good pick. He's a career 20-and-10 guy who shoots an unbelievable 40% from three-point range. The 26-year-old is a perfect big man for today's NBA.
Verdict: The Towns pick is a relative success.
2016 NBA Draft: Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers 2017 NBA Draft: Markelle Fultz, Philadelphia 76ers
We can&rsquo;t really discuss the first overall picks of the past 10 seasons without diving into Sam Hinke&rsquo;s Philadelphia 76ers. Hinke led the &ldquo;Trust the Process&rdquo; 76ers from 2013-2016, during which time he received significant scorn from the NBA, media and basketball purists who felt he was cheapening the game by blatantly losing to increase the odds of being awarded the first overall pick.
Thoughts on Hinke&rsquo;s philosophy aside, he picked first overall in two consecutive seasons. Philadelphia won the draft lottery in 2016, selecting Ben Simmons. Then, they traded up to No. 1 overall in 2017 to nab the rights to Markelle Fultz.
Neither Simmons nor Fultz fulfilled their potential in Philadelphia. Fultz had a misdiagnosed shoulder injury, which resulted in an awkward shooting motion. After two sub-par seasons in Philadelphia, he was traded to Orlando, where he&rsquo;s played better but still nowhere near what's expected from a No. 1 pick.
Simmons was better for the 76ers, co-leading them to the playoffs in four consecutive seasons. But Simmons&rsquo; time in Philadelphia ended infamously last season, culminating with him forcing his way to Brooklyn after a lengthy holdout.
Verdict: Degrees of failure, though Fultz was considerably more disappointing than Simmons. At least Simmons became a three-time All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year runner-up.
2018 NBA Draft: Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns picked first in the 2018 NBA Draft, which is another strange case. Objectively, Deandre Ayton is a major piece on Phoenix&rsquo;s roster. In his fourth NBA season, he averaged an impressive 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.
Can we really analyze players in a vacuum though? Ayton was picked a few selections before Luka Doncic, who received serious first-overall-pick buzz that June. Imagine if the Suns had paired Doncic with Devin Booker? Like the Rockets and Trail Blazers both did in 1984, the Suns simply overthought this one.
2018 is too recent to accurately judge the long-term impact of this pick. Ayton could very possibly end up being a major contributor on a championship team. Still, this is a push at best, and if he ends up signing elsewhere this offseason, that makes the Ayton selection look even worse.
Verdict: Who the hell knows?
2019 NBA Draft: Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans also picked first overall in 2019, selecting the electric athlete, Zion Williamson, who is the toughest first pick to grade in the last 10 years. In his lone injury-free season, he averaged 27 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while shooting 62% on two-point attempts.
But injuries make it far more difficult to grade him. Williamson has played in only 85 of a possible 202 career games, missing the entire 2021-22 season.
Verdict: Time will tell.
2020 NBA Draft: Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota is experiencing a major resurgence, and the credit belongs to Towns and the 2020 first overall pick Anthony Edwards. Edwards had a good rookie season, but he exploded in his sophomore campaign.
This season, he helped lead Minnesota to the playoffs, averaging 21.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 3.0 threes and 1.5 steals on 44.1/35.7/78.6 shooting splits. In the postseason, he took his game to another level, contributing 25.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 3.8 threes, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks on 45.5/40.4/82.4 shooting splits.
Verdict: After only two seasons, Edwards looks like a huge win for Minnesota.
2021 NBA Draft: Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
Last but not least, the Detroit Pistons selected Cade Cunningham first overall in 2021. Despite playing alongside less talent than most of his peers, Cunningham's rookie campaign was successful. He averaged 17.4 points, 5.6 assists and 5.5 rebounds, was named a unanimous All-Rookie First Team selection and placed third in Rookie of the Year voting.
One season is too small of a sample size to grade a young player, but Cunningham looks like the absolute right pick.
Verdict: Success (so far).&nbsp; &nbsp;
In the last 10 drafts, the first overall pick has clearly been one of the best players in the draft class just four times (2012, 2015, 2020 and 2021). He has been a complete dud twice (2013 and 2017), a good player twice (2014 and 2018), a malcontent once (2016) and an injury-prone player once (2019). Five of the last 10 first picks were traded too. If Ayton is allowed to leave this offseason, then six of the last 10 are no longer with the team that drafted them, erasing the benefit of player development.
For every franchise-changing No. 1 overall pick &mdash; such as LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar &mdash; there are a handful of players who didn't work out in the long run. Sometimes, there isn't a generational player on the board; other times, the team picking No. 1 overall just overthinks it or goes in the wrong direction.&nbsp;
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The Orlando Magic came out of Tuesday’s NBA Draft lottery with the first overall pick. How successful does history suggest they will be?

Examining the success of teams selecting No. 1 in the NBA Draft

TyTy Washington Jr. remembers being in awe gazing at the banners in Madison Square Garden as he watched the New York Knicks meet the Cleveland Cavaliers and the feeling he had two days later when Kentucky faced Duke at the famed arena.
Something else he won&rsquo;t forget? The reaming he got from coach John Calipari when the team watched video in the Hall of Famer&rsquo;s basement the next day.
&ldquo;He came up to me, he was like, &lsquo;Kid, you don&rsquo;t play hard enough&rsquo; and just started going in on me,&rdquo; Washington said Thursday at the NBA draft combine. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve had coaches go in on me, but I&rsquo;ve never had a coach tell me I don&rsquo;t play hard.&rdquo;
Those experiences were invaluable to Washington, whether it was the feeling he had just being at The Garden or the feedback he got from Calipari after playing poorly in Kentucky&rsquo;s season-opening loss. And he&rsquo;s banking on them to help him make the jump to the NBA.
The college game can offer opportunities that aren&rsquo;t available through other avenues, with the exposure through TV deals and the NCAA Tournament and all that comes with it. The burgeoning name, image and likeness chances that were created last year when the NCAA&rsquo;s Board of Directors cleared the way for college athletes to start earning money without endangering their eligibility or putting their schools in jeopardy of rules of violations are another incentive for top prospects.
Options remain overseas and in the G League Ignite. A new basketball league called Overtime Elite offers top high school players a path to the pros along with six-figure salaries. Two from there &mdash; Dominick Barlow and Jean Montero &mdash; got invitations to the combine compared to three from NCAA champion Kansas.
Though the winners of the NBA&rsquo;s Most Valuable Player Award the past four years did not play college ball, with Denver&rsquo;s Nikola Jokic repeating after Milwaukee&rsquo;s Giannis Antetokounmpo won it two years in a row, the top prospects in the draft next month went the NCAA route. Gonzaga&rsquo;s Chet Holmgren, Duke&rsquo;s Paolo Banchero, Auburn&rsquo;s Jabari Smith and Purdue&rsquo;s Jaden Ivey are likely to go in the top four.
&ldquo;The NCAA is changing a lot,&rdquo; Wisconsin All-America guard Johnny Davis said.
The NIL is a major game-changer.
Banchero worked with Creative Artists Agency and got deals that included becoming the first player featured in the latest NBA 2K video game as well as a basketball trading card from Panini as part of a multi-year agreement. He&rsquo;s about to make more money in the NBA, and he&rsquo;s hardly the only one.
&ldquo;I think college basketball is in a good state right now,&rdquo; said Michigan State guard Max Christie, a Chicago-area product.
He mentioned the quality of the players as well as the impact the NIL is having, even if it wasn&rsquo;t a big factor for him.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s hard to turn down money at some point,&rdquo; he said.
Washington said this year&rsquo;s draft shows, &ldquo;You can still go to college, still do your academic stuff and still be in the same position as everybody else who didn&rsquo;t.&rdquo;
The NIL, he said, helps &ldquo;a lot.&rdquo;
&ldquo;With us being able to make money off our names now, it should encourage more people to go to college,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;If you are an outgoing person, you can also succeed in (NIL), in school and in basketball. I feel like that&rsquo;s three huge wins in life.&rdquo;
Washington had opportunities to play in Australia and the G League. But once Calipari and Kentucky entered the picture, he couldn&rsquo;t see himself going anywhere else.
Washington averaged 12.5 points, 3.9 assists and 3.5 rebounds while starting 29 of 31 contests in his lone college season. The play-making guard also broke John Wall&rsquo;s single-game school record for assists with 17 against Georgia.
Washington missed three Southeastern Conference games because of injuries and scored just five points in Kentucky&rsquo;s loss to Saint Peter&rsquo;s in the NCAA Tournament East Region first round. But he also smoothed things out after a bumpy beginning.
Washington flashed back to that video session following the Duke game and how the energy changed once Calipari entered the basement. He said he never had a coach tell him he wasn&rsquo;t playing hard. But Calipari backed it up by showing clips of him walking up the court.
The next practice wasn&rsquo;t much fun, either.
Calipari pushed the team hard and made sure everyone knew exactly who was responsible.
&ldquo;He was like, &lsquo;Y&rsquo;all know why I&rsquo;m doing this, y&rsquo;all know who I&rsquo;m doing this for.&rsquo; Everybody&rsquo;s just looking at me,&rdquo; Washington said. &ldquo;From that day on, I felt that definitely helped me because that just opened up my eyes.&rdquo;

College can offer opportunities unavailable through other avenues, with the exposure through TV and the NCAA Tourney and more.

NBA prospects see value of college despite other options

Izaiah Brockington couldn&rsquo;t help but lick his chops.&nbsp;
On Dec. 9, 2021, highly-touted 2022 NBA Draft prospect Keegan Murray and his Iowa Hawkeyes were traveling to Ames for an in-state rivalry game. The 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward was leading the nation in scoring with an average of just under 24 points per game (on a scorching 59.3% clip from the field), and the Hawkeyes were averaging over 90 points per contest at that point.
Through rigorous film study, Brockington observed Murray&rsquo;s favorite spots on the court, where he liked to catch the ball and how he got his buckets. And from the tip, the 6-foot-4, 200-pound guard followed through. He denied post-entry to Murray time and time again, helped the helper and put pressure on the Hawkeyes on the perimeter.
By the end of the night, Brockington outscored and outrebounded Murray while holding him to the worst game of his season by far (9 points on 4-of-17 from the field), while simultaneously delivering the game's most efficient performance with 29 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.
&ldquo;I feel like that was definitely one of my best games of the season. I really came into that game wanting to shut him down,&rdquo; Brockington told BasketballNews.com in a phone interview. &ldquo;I went out there and really tried to take away his strengths and mainly speed him up. I feel like he was really good when he was allowed to play at his pace and when guys were giving him space to work and see what was going on on the floor. So, I really came into that game wanting to lock him down on defense. And then, the 29 points, that was a bonus really.&rdquo;
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Unlike Murray, who&rsquo;s projected to be a lottery pick in most mock drafts (including <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/keegan-murray" target="_blank" rel="noopener">No. 6 overall</a> in <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com&rsquo;s latest</a>), you surprisingly won&rsquo;t find Brockington&rsquo;s name anywhere on those big boards. And no, you won&rsquo;t find him partaking in this week&rsquo;s NBA Draft Combine nor the G League Elite Camp. Considering his size at the guard position coupled with his ability to rebound, make <a href="https://twitter.com/SynergySST/status/1507061353076383744?s=20&amp;t=bJGYe1FEeuLkx9hLdfQYuQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">high-difficulty shots</a> and, most importantly, defend at a high level, it&rsquo;s a head-scratcher.
Take into account that Brockington spearheaded a 22-win Iowa State program that won just two games the season before, an NCAA-record turnaround, and it just seems like a downright mistake. So, he&rsquo;ll just have to prove that he stands out and find other ways to turn heads &mdash; just like he did last December.
&ldquo;I feel like my work ethic allows me to catch guys that a lot of people deem 'better' or would rank higher [than me]," Brockington said. "I feel like I have the intangibles that other people don't. I have athleticism, and I have the dog mentality &mdash; somebody who just loves to compete and loves to win and isn't gonna let somebody just walk all over them.
&ldquo;I love to compete. I attribute it to being from Philly. We just never back down from a challenge. The intangibles, I feel like, set me apart. And then, with my work ethic, all of these things that people say I don't have, I'm working every day and I'm ready to show everybody that I do [have them].&rdquo;
Having just worked out for the Atlanta Hawks, Brockington&rsquo;s list of interested teams is growing. According to sources, the Toronto Raptors, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Lakers, Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings, Utah Jazz and Brooklyn Nets are lined up next &mdash; and he has five other teams who asked to schedule workouts at Tandem&rsquo;s Pro Day on Friday.
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Brockington&rsquo;s lone season at Iowa State went down as the best of his college career, and he considers it the most fun he had playing basketball at the collegiate level because the roster was brand-new and had something to prove.
As a senior, he averaged 16.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, was named to the All-Big 12 First Team and earned the 2021-22 midseason John Wooden award. Boasting the Cyclones&rsquo; highest usage rate (27.5%), he took on the most responsibility he had to that point and ran with the opportunity.
Defensively, Brockington attributes much of his success (93.2 Defensive Rating) to the players he had to guard along the way. Starting in the Big 12, a conference he refers to as &ldquo;ridiculous&rdquo; in regards to talent, match-ups against Kansas standout Ochai Agbaji and Baylor&rsquo;s Jeremy Sochan and James Akinjo helped iron sharpen iron. The nights were intense and featured high-level basketball.
This past season, Brockington was adept at cutting off catch-and-drives (0.47 points per possession, per InStat) and defending pick-and-roll ball-handlers (0.54 PPP). It&rsquo;s something that he believes carried over his time at Penn State, where he spent two seasons prior to transferring.
&ldquo;We were really big on defense, so it was really about angles over there. And then, going to Iowa State, Coach TJ [Otzelberger] and our whole defensive scheme was non-stop pressure and to get guys to go into our help,&rdquo; Brockington said. &ldquo;But I feel like... you can push guys to your help, but it's better to be able to guard somebody and not need the help. I feel like, yeah, I definitely would try to cut guys off so that it's not forcing us to rotate and create long closeouts. Little things like that just help you stay more compact on defense and just stay more locked on your man.
&ldquo;So at Iowa State, we would drill things like [pick-and-roll defense] &mdash; getting over screens, being able to communicate and getting over and under, and just sticking on the ball-handler, making it tough for them. But, I also feel like I can thrive in an all-switching situation because I have strength and I have explosiveness. I feel like when I get caught down in the post, I can front or just make it tough for bigger guys to get easy position. I feel like I can thrive in either system, for sure."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
The Work Gonna Show🖤✍🏾&hellip;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/iPromise?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#iPromise</a>🙏🏾 <a href="https://t.co/K23fSy995m">pic.twitter.com/K23fSy995m</a>
&mdash; Izaiah Brockington (@TheOnlyiZB) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOnlyiZB/status/1527033907014684682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2022</a></blockquote>

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During his two years with the Nittany Lions, he took on different roles and began to blossom under Pat Chambers. Again, there was plenty of talent to face-off against in the Big Ten, such as current Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu at Illinois, San Antonio Spurs forward Joe Wieskamp at Iowa, Indiana Pacers guard Duane Washington and future NBA Draft pick Johnny Davis at Wisconsin. Stylistically, Brockington believes the Big Ten&rsquo;s physicality helped prepare him too.&nbsp;
At Penn State, Brockington reconnected with his longtime friend Lamar Stevens. The now-Cleveland Cavaliers forward performed night-in and night-out for the team, showing Brockington the consistency and hard work it takes to be successful. Stevens has been in his ear throughout the pre-draft process, sharing what needs to be done and how to stick in the league. Brockington appreciates the support and encouragement, and he's taking every bit of that advice.
(Brockington&rsquo;s collegiate basketball odyssey actually began at St. Bonaventure, the first of three schools he&rsquo;d attend. Playing for Mark Schmidt for one year, he and the Bonnies had a solid season led by seniors Jaylen Adams and Matt Mobley. Brockington ultimately transferred to Penn State to be closer to home and ended up sitting out a season, by rule, before suiting up).
As far as translatable skills go at the next level, Brockington states that his defense and rebounding top the list, along with his athleticism and ability to get downhill.&nbsp;
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In addition, Brockington takes pride in being well-versed in any kind of role. At St. Bonaventure and early on at Penn State, he did a bit of everything &mdash; serving as a spot-up shooter, a slasher, a rebounding specialist and a sixth man. He even played spot minutes off the bench at one point.
At Iowa State, he was a go-to guy, a star player and a leader for the first time in his college career, so opposing defenses threw everything but the kitchen sink at him.
&ldquo;Against certain teams &mdash; Texas comes to mind specifically &mdash; [they were], like, face-guarding me. [Texas] Tech would have a guy pressure and they would have dudes sit in gaps and essentially try to force me off of the ball. Seeing double-teams and all of that was new," Brockington said with a laugh. "It was just crazy being guarded like that in college 'cause I'd never had to deal with things like that before. I feel like those things really pushed me to be able to adapt and really try to just make smart decisions."
On the offensive end, Brockington has an appetite for the mid-range. The sly southpaw is able to get to his spots quickly off the ball and fire away with his leaping lefty jumper, and he likes to attack off the catch (with fireworks often following). Though he admits that is the area where he&rsquo;s most comfortable at the moment, Brockington understands the importance of being a three-level scorer.
&ldquo;I've been working on really being a combo guard &mdash; a guy that can use pick-and-rolls and make reads and just really making the right decision every time, a lot of basketball IQ things,&rdquo; Brockington said. &ldquo;And then, just knocking down threes... I've been working a ton and I'm looking to show everybody that I can knock down threes off the kick-out and off the pick-and-roll and off the dribble. I've been working extremely hard on that, and it's been going great.
&ldquo;I mean, [the mid-range] is an underappreciated part of the game. But a lot of analytics guys will tell you that it's inefficient, and that's probably true for most guys. That's just not the case with me. I feel like when I take mid-rangers, I create enough space horizontally and vertically to be able to get a clean look off.&rdquo;
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Despite spending five years in college, Brockington is only 22 years old because he graduated from high school early. Possessing that much experience at his age, he considers it an advantage. At the same time, Brockington says age doesn&rsquo;t have to do with his ability to play the game, pick up new information and improve as a player.
&ldquo;My experience in college has really taught me about consistency and taught me what hard work can do, and it's really about the preparation leading into everything,&rdquo; Brockington said. &ldquo;Games are won way before that time comes. Games are won in the offseason. Games are won in the film room. Games are won in pregame shootaround. So those are things I'll always have with me.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It hasn't been a typical college journey, but one thing that's remained the same is everywhere I go, I put my head down and work. I went out there, I produced and I was out there trying to win."
For Brockington, growing up in Philadelphia, he&rsquo;d always attend his father Antoine&rsquo;s rec-league games and hear stories about him. Antoine was a hell of a pro in his own right, achieving tremendous success overseas after an impressive career at Coppin State, where he won the 1997-98 MEAC Player of the Year award &mdash; and Izaiah looked up to him proudly.
Now, as the pre-draft process begins, it&rsquo;s Izaiah Brockington&rsquo;s time to carve his own path and make him proud.
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Spencer Davies speaks with Izaiah Brockington about his breakout season at Iowa State, unique path and next-level aspirations.

Izaiah Brockington hopes his unique journey culminates in NBA success

The NBA has released the lottery order for the upcoming NBA Draft.
14. Cleveland Cavaliers 13. Charlotte Hornets 12. Oklahoma City Thunder 11. New York Knicks 10. Washington Wizards 9. San Antonio Spurs 8. New Orleans Pelicans 7. Portland Trail Blazers 6. Indiana Pacers 5. Detroit Pistons 4. Sacramento Kings 3. Houston Rockets 2. Oklahoma CIty Thunder 1. Orlando Magic

The NBA released the order for the upcoming 2022 NBA Draft.

2022 NBA Draft order revealed

We've reached the Conference Finals, which means that only four teams remain in the NBA Playoffs.
The Eastern Conference's top two teams, the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics, will clash in what's sure to be a physical series, while the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks are set to square off in a highly-anticipated battle that will feature two incredible offensive talents.
With only those aforementioned franchises remaining, we asked our BasketballNews.com staff:
How would you rank the five best players remaining in the NBA Playoffs?
Alex Kennedy
This is tough, but I think I'll go:&nbsp;
1. Luka Doncic
2. Stephen Curry
3. Jayson Tatum
4. Jimmy Butler&nbsp;
5. Bam Adebayo&nbsp;
After what Luka has done through two rounds, I feel very confident putting him at No. 1. Curry and Tatum are a toss-up for me; if someone had Tatum at No. 2 and Curry at No. 3, I wouldn't be mad at it. Butler is a two-way force who <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jimmy-butler-is-a-16game-player" target="_blank" rel="noopener">elevates his game a ton in the postseason</a>, so he's No. 4.
This is where it gets interesting. Adebayo, Jaylen Brown and Draymond Green each have a case, but give me Adebayo because of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/bam-adebayo-stands-at-the-core-of-the-heats-secondround-dominance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how well he's played on both ends of the floor</a> so far during the playoffs. I think he's poised for a big series against the Celtics.
Spencer Davies
1. Jayson Tatum: In five seasons and as many consecutive playoff appearances, this man has played the elite of the elite at 19 years ol... okay, that joke will never get old, but in all honesty, we&rsquo;ve got to admit that the total package is consistently there for Tatum. He is in a place where he&rsquo;s just making his teammates better night-in and night-out. He&rsquo;s gone up against greats like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo, and has not flinched, matching them shot for shot. Because of those experiences and the steady manner in which he&rsquo;s played this postseason on both sides of the ball, I give Tatum the slight edge over the next guy...
2. Luka Doncic: The first time Luka doesn&rsquo;t draw the Los Angeles Clippers in the postseason, he gets to the Western Conference Finals, eh? Without the prisoner-of-the-moment thing, it speaks volumes about how Luka&rsquo;s just had that big-game mentality since he was overseas. He&rsquo;s just a little bigger and stronger now. Same confidence and everything; he has not changed his energy one iota. His offensive impact is so substantial that the defensive woes are cast aside. If he can figure out how to defend a lick, it won&rsquo;t be long before he tops this particular list.
3. Steph Curry: Don&rsquo;t let one off-series and a &ldquo;down&rdquo; shooting season blind you from the fact that Steph is Steph. He&rsquo;s constantly in motion, always making defenders stay attached to him, which in turn makes life easier for his teammates. Then, there&rsquo;s the way he always closes games and goes into that mode where he could shoot from the front row on the opposite side of the floor and it wouldn&rsquo;t touch iron. Until there&rsquo;s any sign of regression, I don&rsquo;t bet against Steph.
4. Jimmy Butler: I hate rankings because four seems so cruel. Butler&rsquo;s been a stone-cold killer in the playoffs except for last postseason. I&rsquo;ll refer you to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jimmy-butler-is-a-16game-player" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bryan Fonseca&rsquo;s article about that specific stretch</a>. Otherwise, Jimmy&rsquo;s one of those guys who will rip your heart out in attack mode. He&rsquo;s damn gritty, plays the right way and leads by example &mdash; late-season war of words be damned.
5. Bam Adebayo: Five is probably the spot most up for debate. It&rsquo;s all love for Draymond Green, Jaylen Brown and Klay Thompson. But with Adebayo, he is a load to handle athletically on either end, presents all kinds of matchup problems and can impact the game in a multitude of ways, as ambigouous as that sounds. (Green&rsquo;s probably my runner-up here because of the way Golden State ticks when he&rsquo;s on the floor).
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Ethan Fuller
This is definitely a challenge.&nbsp;
1. Steph Curry: Even after a second-round slump, I still would take a red-hot Curry game over any other player remaining.
2. Jayson Tatum: Tatum gets the edge over Luka Doncic by gapping him on the defensive end.
3. Luka Doncic
4. Jimmy Butler
5. Draymond Green: I almost went with Bam Adebayo over Draymond Green, and I think you could make the case either way.
Bryan Fonseca
1. Luka Doncic: He's the best player left standing despite the fact that his team is the weakest. Maybe the Dallas Mavericks are a better version of the 2006-07 Cleveland Cavaliers and he's *that* LeBron James. Let's remember that Doncic was All-Tournament at EuroBasket at age-18, which Slovenia won for the first time ever. He also is responsible for leading Slovenia into the Olympics for the first time ever this past summer, where they nearly medaled. They jumped from barely top-20 to firmly top-five in the world. That man can lift a team like few others.
2. Steph Curry: He's still the best shooter in the world and still one of the best players in the league. He hasn't been as good as a couple others we're about to get to, but is still *that dude* more often than not. The Warriors are the title favorites now, and it starts with The Chef.
3. Jimmy Butler: He is the most underrated star in the NBA, and historically &mdash; outside of last season &mdash; is better in the playoffs going back to his days as a Chicago Bull. He was primarily responsible for the only non-Kevin Garnett-led Minnesota Timberwolves playoff berth until this season. Every team he left got worse, and every team he joined got better.
4. Jayson Tatum: After Luka, he's the man most knocking on the door of "next" left in the playoffs. The best four talents of these playoffs have been, up to now, Luka, Giannis, Butler and Tatum.
5. Bam Adebayo: This is with massive respect to Jaylen Brown. Bam is not only the best defender left in the playoffs but the most consistent. For all the talk about lack of aggression, he averages nearly 20 and 10 offensively as a third option. Yes, he's capable of more offensively than he's shown in the playoffs, but he typically does well against the Celtics. Expect more in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Matt John
1. Luka Doncic: He just eviscerated a 64-win team coming off a NBA Finals appearance in the most pivotal game of the season against multiple stingy wing defenders, including the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up. He played like he knew it too. He is the best player left in these playoffs until proven otherwise.
2. Steph Curry: He's the deadliest man from three in a league that values threes now more than ever. Now that his foot injury is firmly behind him, the Warriors will go as far as his deadly three-point accuracy will take them. Fun fact: This is Steph's first Western Conference Finals berth sans Kevin Durant in six years.
3. Jayson Tatum: He just went toe-to-toe with the most unstoppable player in the league and reigning champion, and came up victorious. Not only that, but he put the Celtics on his back when they were down for the count. The talent was always there. The growth in mental fortitude is what's eye-opening.
4. Jimmy Butler: What he doesn't have in talent compared to the other three he makes up for in grit. If there's one player in the league who's willing to get his hands dirty to get the win, it's Butler. All things considered, he provided a substantial return on investment for Miami, as this is their second Eastern Conference Finals berth in three years with him.
5. Bam Adebayo: The DPOY candidate has kept it going in these playoffs, having stopped the talented (albeit badly injured) Joel Embiid. Adebayo is the quintessential modern big in this league. He may not fill up the stat sheet like most stars do, but he makes up for it by winning games.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_16967711_lg.jpg" alt="" />
Evan Sidery
1. Luka Doncic: After what I just witnessed Luka do in-person against the Phoenix Suns, it felt like a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/luka-doncic-enters-into-next-tier-of-nba-superstars-following-western-conference-semifinals-comeback" target="_blank" rel="noopener">transformative career moment</a>. Doncic is a bona fide superstar now, and the way he's carried Dallas to this point is nothing short of incredible. The Mavericks&rsquo; hopes and dreams hinge upon Doncic continuing to be the best postseason player.
2. Steph Curry: After waffling back-and-forth on No. 2, I settle on Curry because doubting him feels unwise. Curry still provides vintage scoring performances as he continues to be the lifeblood of the Warriors&rsquo; offense. Curry versus Doncic is a matchup I can't wait to watch. Hopefully, it's a long a long series.
3. Jayson Tatum: After going toe-to-toe with two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum more than held his own. Delivering a legendary Game 6 performance in Milwaukee, Tatum has propelled himself to superstar status like Doncic. If anything, the NBA conference finals showcase that the next generation of stars are taking the batons and running away for good.
4. Jimmy Butler: Don&rsquo;t doubt Jimmy Buckets, especially on this stage. Butler delivered against the Sixers, and I expect him to put on a show versus Boston. Butler&rsquo;s all-around game continues to shine on the postseason stage.
5. Klay Thompson: Playoff Klay is very, very real. The West Finals feel like the ideal breakout stage for Thompson post-injury. Klay is beginning to heat up each round, too. Vintage Klay showing up on that platform would be so fun to watch.
Justin Lewis&nbsp;
1. Luka Doncic: He's carried one of the lesser total rosters in the playoffs to the Conference Finals. He's generational.
2. Jayson Tatum: He could be considered "1A" because of his two-way play, but Tatum has been a problem for two months now.
3. Jimmy Butler: JB is that dude. He can carry the Heat to the Finals, but Tatum and Luka get the nod as guys who can carry their respective teams through the Finals.
4. Steph Curry: He's not been the same Steph, but the Warriors are still in the West Finals &mdash; and that's terrifying. If he returns to form, the Warriors may win another championship.
5. Jaylen Brown: He's the best No. 2 of any team left in the playoffs. His two-way prowess and ability to pick it up when Tatum is off is crucial for the Celtics.
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Sharon Brown
1. Steph Curry
2. Luka Doncic
3. Jimmy Butler
4. Jayson Tatum
5. Klay Thompson
Steph is the greatest shooter ever, and Luka is that dude. JB is a dawg, and I will always ride with him. Tatum's star power is rising, and Klay is still deadly even after his two-year absence.
Mark Schindler
This is a tough question!
1. Steph Curry
2. Luka Doncic
3. Jayson Tatum
4. Jimmy Butler
5. Bam Adebayo
The four best players left are for sure Steph, Luka, Tatum and Jimmy. I would have to go with Bam at No. 5, so there's a decent little drop-off from the top four. (Not a slight! There's just levels to this, like Meek said).
Nekias Duncan
1. Luka Doncic
2. Steph Curry
3. Jayson Tatum
4. Jimmy Butler
5. Bam Adebayo
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How would you rank the five best players remaining in the NBA Playoffs? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

Roundtable: Ranking the 5 best players remaining in the NBA Playoffs

It was the summer of 2001, and I had just finished my junior year of high school.
I received a phone call on my family's home phone in Milwaukee, Wisconsin &mdash; it was a representative from Adidas calling to invite me to be a participant at the famed ABCD Camp.
A prestigious camp held at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey, the ABCD Camp was established in 1984 and would continue until 2006. The camp was sponsored by Adidas and run by legendary shoe company executive Sonny Vaccaro. His main claim to fame was his role in developing and executing Michael Jordan's Air Jordan brand with Nike. After leaving Nike, Sonny joined Adidas, where he was able to get the ABCD Camp rolling.
Each year, the camp was comprised of the top high school players in the country. In 2001, the NBA had not yet set the age limit restricting high school players from declaring for the NBA draft following their senior year. Because of this, not only was every prominent college coach at this event, but so were all of the NBA scouts and front-office personnel. At that point, the ABCD Camp was the mecca of high school basketball.
I was beyond excited to get invited, but I must admit, it was somewhat intimidating. Luckily I wouldn't be going alone, as several of my good friends received invitations to the camp too.
My roommate at the camp was Dan Grunfeld, who was, and still is, one of my best friends. Dan is the son of Ernie Grunfeld, who, at the time, was my dad's boss and the general manager of the Milwaukee Bucks. Dan became a star player at Stanford and led the (then) Pac-10 conference in scoring his junior year, and had a successful career playing in Europe. In addition, our good friend and my high school teammate, Coby Karl, was also with us. Coby is the son of George Karl, who was the head coach of the Bucks at the time. Coby played a few years in the NBA after starring at Boise State.
The three of us were teammates as a part of the AAU program, Friends of Hoop.
Also with us from Milwaukee was Steve Novak, who has been a friend of mine since we were AAU teammates on the Wisconsin All-Stars all the way back when we were in middle school. Once Steve and I got to high school, we had some great battles during our freshman and sophomore years. (I was at Shorewood High School and he was at Brown Deer High School, one of our conference rivals. Steve went on to team up with Dwyane Wade at Marquette, and had a long successful career in the NBA.)
So there's no denying that Milwaukee was represented well at the ABCD Camp that year.
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For whatever reason, I didn't fly with my friends from Milwaukee. Instead, I flew by myself to La Guardia Airport in New York. When I landed, an Adidas representative was waiting and drove another player, DeAngelo Collins, and I to the hotel in New Jersey. It's probably not a name that will ring a bell for many people, but at the time, he was a well-known player. As soon as I saw him, I knew who he was &mdash; although we had never met before. DeAngelo was one of the top-ranked players in the country, became a McDonald's All-American and entered his name in the NBA Draft after his senior year of high school. (Unfortunately, he went undrafted and only had a short professional career overseas).
Anyway, as I was sitting next to DeAngelo in a van heading to the camp hotel, my nerves kicked up another notch. I knew that, at the end of that ride, the rest of the top high school players in the country awaited.
When I arrived at the hotel, my friends from Milwaukee were there. We had to sign in, collect a bag full of Adidas gear and take some photos. When Dan and I finally got to our room, we had a moment where we talked about how excited we were to be there. The whole experience was exciting and fun, but intense at the same time. Whether it was the top-ranked player in the country or the last guy invited, we all wanted the same thing &mdash; to improve our stock. The ABCD Camp was the biggest stage any of us had played on at that point in our careers. It was an opportunity to move up in the player rankings, which would subsequently lead to more scholarship offers or even interest from NBA teams, for some.
Coby, Dan and I had somewhat similar backgrounds, as we all grew up around the game, as our dads and families all had careers working in the NBA. As I was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/growing-up-a-buck-from-ray-allen-to-giannis-antetokounmpo-dave-babcock-remains-milwaukee-bucks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">growing up</a>, my dad would often suggest that I "get some shots up" or do my "Pistol Pete" ball-handling routine instead of playing video games, but generally, my family never put a lot of pressure on me to be a great player. I never got the impression that Coby or Dan felt much direct pressure from their families either. However, I think I can speak for the three of us in saying that we all put a significant amount of pressure on ourselves due to our backgrounds. And at the ABCD Camp, I certainly felt the pressure. But I was motivated and determined to move the needle!
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The first night, all of the players went to the gym for Sonny's welcome speech. He spoke to our group to set expectations for the camp, and gave some general advice. We then split up to join our assigned teams and had a light practice. That allowed us to meet our teammates for the camp and our teams' coaches. The coaches tried to implement some basic offensive and defensive principles during that practice. However, the reality was the camp was "pick-up ball" with some freelance referees.
My team's head coach was Chris Grant, who worked for my uncle, Pete Babcock, the general manager of the Atlanta Hawks at the time. (I don't think that was a coincidence). Chris started his career as an intern for my uncle after playing in college at the University of San Diego. Years later, he worked his way up and became the Cleveland Cavaliers' general manager. The top player on our team was Josh Smith from Atlanta, Georgia. He was a year younger than me, but he was a high-profile prospect. A couple of years later, Josh was selected in the first round by the Hawks directly out of high school. He had a successful NBA career, and was one of the top players for the Hawks for years.
Following practice, we returned to our rooms for the night. Dan and I talked about our teams. He told me he had a player on his team that was good. I had never heard of him before &mdash; his name was Carmelo Anthony.
We had a few things to do the following day before live games began. First, there was a guest speaker, but not just any guest speaker; it was Kobe Bryant. He talked to us about some of his personal experiences going through a lot of the same things we were all going through as high school players. It was incredible to listen to a player who had been living the life that every one of us dreamed about for ourselves. To say Kobe's talk was inspiring would be an extreme understatement. Although just a young guy at the time, Kobe had such distinct confidence and determination. It was a privilege to meet Kobe and listen to him speak.
Following the session with Kobe, the players had to take prep ACT and SAT classes. We were seated at tables with about a handful of players per table. I remember sitting with Travis Outlaw, who was a hilarious, nice guy. Travis declared for the 2002 NBA Draft after high school, and was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round. He went on to play in the NBA and had a good career.
At the table directly next to me was a younger player that I did not know. Like most of us, he didn't seem interested in that class. Halfway through picking out his braids and leaving half of his hair in an afro, he decided he would lay his head down and take a nap. The teacher wasn't happy about that and kept lecturing him, saying things like, "This is important, your future depends on this" &mdash; something along those lines. Finally, the player sat up and said, "I'm going pro!" and put his head back down.
Soon after, I found out the player's name was LeBron James.
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Finally, when classes finished up, the real reason we came to town was about to begin. It was time to hoop.
The games started, and they were great! There was so much talent in each game. I had the opportunity to share the court with future NBA All-Stars like Carmelo, LeBron, Chris Bosh, Deron Williams and many other soon-to-be standout pros. The gym was buzzing, and it was quite the scene. "Oohs and ahhs" could be heard left and right. The stands were filled with famous coaches, including Coach K, Lute Olson and Rick Pitino. NBA scouts and media members were busy taking notes and trying to find the next NBA star.
The actual gameplay was pretty sloppy, as expected. In most showcase types of events, players will play "to get their's." Also, there is not much of a game plan without much practice time, which usually results in poor ball movement and limited opportunities for lower-ranked players (like myself) to have the ball in their hands.
Despite the challenges, I played pretty well. I shot a high percentage, and even had one game where I scored 15 points and hit a handful of three-pointers. Because I had limited opportunities to have the ball in my hands, I made an extra effort to be as effective as possible without the ball. I noticed that the referees were quick to call offensive fouls during this camp, so I decided to get in the lane when players would drive to the hoop to draw charges. My strategy worked well, and I drew several charges.
However, I tried this tactic in one particular game and my plan backfired, as the player on the other end was LeBron. He laid one of his now-signature tomahawk dunks right on me. I flew back probably 10 feet, and the gym went crazy. That was my formal introduction to "King James."
It's been said that the 2001 ABCD Camp is when LeBron broke onto the scene and the whole media frenzy began for him. His legendary battle with the No. 1 player in my class, Lenny Cooke, happened at this camp. Dan and I were sitting together in the bleachers watching that game. I am happy to say that I was a "witness" to the making of one of the greatest stars our game has ever seen.
All in all, I did well at the camp, and I was able to generate more interest from schools, which was my goal. However, more than 20 years have passed since that ABCD camp, and the most valuable experience turned out to be the memories that I will cherish forever.
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Editor's Note: This article was originally published on <a href="https://www.babcockhoops.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BabcockHoops.com</a>.
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Matt Babcock relives his experience at the 2001 ABCD Camp, where a number of high schoolers stood out before becoming NBA stars.

ABCD Camp: The mecca of high school basketball circa 2001

NEW YORK &ndash; NBA team basketball executives have selected Memphis Grizzlies Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Zach Kleiman as the winner of the 2021-22 NBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award, the NBA announced today.
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NBA team basketball executives have selected Memphis Grizzlies Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Zach Kleiman as the winner of the 2021-22 NBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award, the NBA announced today. More ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/XbxgH6RXZ2">https://t.co/XbxgH6RXZ2</a> <a href="https://t.co/innXghwI5m">pic.twitter.com/innXghwI5m</a>
&mdash; NBA Communications (@NBAPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAPR/status/1524766484160864256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2022</a></blockquote>

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This is the first NBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award for Kleiman, who has led Basketball Operations for Memphis for the last three years. &nbsp;Kleiman, 33, is the youngest recipient of the award, which has been presented annually since the 1972-73 season. &nbsp;He also becomes the second person to earn the honor with the Grizzlies, joining Jerry West (2003-04).
Kleiman received 16 of 29 first-place votes and earned 85 total points from a panel of team basketball executives across the NBA. &nbsp;Cleveland Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman and Chicago Bulls Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Artūras Karni&scaron;ovas tied for second place with 27 points each. &nbsp;Phoenix Suns General Manager James Jones and Miami Heat President Pat Riley tied for fourth place with 26 points each. &nbsp;Executives were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote.
As Memphis&rsquo; lead personnel decision maker, Kleiman assembled a roster that finished with the second-best record in the NBA this season (56-26) and matched the franchise single-season record for victories. &nbsp;The Grizzlies secured the No. 2 playoff seed in the Western Conference, their highest seed ever.
This season, Grizzlies guard Ja Morant was named a starter for the 2022 NBA All-Star Game and the winner of the 2021-22 Kia NBA Most Improved Player Award, and head coach Taylor Jenkins finished in second place in the voting for the 2021-22 NBA Coach of the Year Award. &nbsp;In 2019, Kleiman selected Morant with the second overall pick in the NBA Draft and hired Jenkins to his first NBA head coaching position. &nbsp;The same year, Kleiman acquired forward Brandon Clarke and guards Tyus Jones and De&rsquo;Anthony Melton, three valuable contributors to the 2021-22 team.
Memphis guard Desmond Bane, the 30th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, finished in fifth place in the voting for the 2021-22 Kia NBA Most Improved Player Award after averaging 18.2 points and ranking second in the NBA in three-point field goal percentage (43.6). &nbsp;In November 2020, Kleiman acquired Bane&rsquo;s draft rights as part of a three-team trade with the Boston Celtics and Portland Trail Blazers.
Under Kleiman, the Grizzlies also signed guard-forward Dillon Brooks and forward-center Jaren Jackson Jr. to multiyear contract extensions in February 2020 and October 2021, respectively. &nbsp;Brooks averaged 18.4 points this season. &nbsp;Jackson averaged 16.3 points and an NBA-high 2.27 blocks, finishing in fifth place in the voting for the 2021-22 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.
In August 2021, Memphis acquired center Steven Adams and the draft rights to guard-forward Ziaire Williams, the 10th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, as part of a three-team trade with the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans. &nbsp;Adams started 75 of his 76 games this season and ranked 12th in the NBA in rebounding (10.0 rpg). &nbsp;Williams started 31 of his 62 games as a rookie and averaged 8.1 points.
Kleiman joined the Grizzlies in 2015 as their in-house legal counsel. &nbsp;He served as assistant general manager during the 2018-19 season and was promoted to his current role in April 2019. &nbsp;Prior to joining Memphis, Kleiman worked as an associate at the international law firm Proskauer Rose LLP.
Kleiman will be presented with a special edition 75th Anniversary commemorative trophy today in celebration of the honor, gifted in addition to the NBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award trophy, which he will receive later. &nbsp;The commemorative trophy, composed of a solid crystal basketball, features the NBA 75 logo 3D laser etched and suspended within its center.
The voting results for the 2021-22 NBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award are below. &nbsp;The balloting was tabulated by the independent accounting firm Ernst &amp; Young LLP.
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Grizzlies' Zach Kleiman has been chosen as the winner of the 2021-22 NBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award.

Grizzlies' Zach Kleiman wins 2021-22 NBA Executive of the Year award

On Monday, Golden State Warriors assistant coach Mike Brown experienced arguably the craziest 24 hours of his 25-year coaching career.
The whirlwind of a day started that morning, when the Sacramento Kings announced that they were hiring Brown as their new head coach. Brown would continue coaching the Warriors throughout their postseason run, and then his four-year deal with the Kings would begin.
"Mike has consistently demonstrated his ability to lead winning teams throughout his long and successful coaching career," Kings general manager Monte McNair said in a press release. "He has worked with some of the best players in the NBA and is one of the league's premier defensive minds. I am excited to bring his extensive experience to Sacramento."
Previously, Brown coached the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers &mdash; even winning the NBA&rsquo;s Coach of the Year award in 2009. However, after working as an assistant coach under Steve Kerr in recent years, this would be his first head-coaching gig since 2014.
While Brown was understandably excited about this new opportunity, he tried to focus on the task at hand: beating the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals. The Warriors were up 2-1 in the series and Monday's game was pivotal.
Little did Brown know, he would be thrust back into a head-coaching role sooner than expected.
&ldquo;Steve called me on his way in at about 4:45, and said he just wasn't feeling well and there's a chance that he may not be able to coach tonight,&rdquo; Brown recalled. &ldquo;We've done this drill before, and so I said, &lsquo;Okay.&rsquo; He came in, got tested; I get a call back at 5:15 saying that he's out. So that's how I found out [I&rsquo;d be the head coach]."
That&rsquo;s not an easy transition to make moments before a game, and Brown admits that he felt nervous after receiving that call.
&ldquo;Obviously, there's butterflies because you're going into the game with a certain mindset and it's a big game,&rdquo; Brown said. &ldquo;Every game that we play at this point in the year, it's huge. So to have that kind of thrown at you, you've got to switch gears because I know what my responsibilities are going in as 'Mike Brown the assistant coach,' and it changes. Now, you have to manage everything and not necessarily manage the specific things that you were asked to do before gametime. So, I had to change hats quickly.&rdquo;
The atmosphere surrounding this playoff game was unique too, as Draymond Green was playing with a heavy heart. Earlier that afternoon, Green learned that his college teammate Adreian Payne had been shot and killed the night before in Orlando. Green and Payne played together for two seasons at Michigan State, and Green was devastated. (Green announced a $100,000 fund in Payne's name and called on other Spartan alumni to contribute as well).
&ldquo;I love Draymond and when he hurts, we all hurt,&rdquo; Brown said. &ldquo;It was an up-and-down, emotional day.&rdquo;
Despite everything the Warriors were dealing with, they managed to beat the Grizzlies 101-98 to take a 3-1 lead in the series.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I'm so proud of them," Brown said. "Our leader in Steve being out with COVID right before the game. Draymond, emotionally, he's our emotional heart and soul, and for him to get hit with something that impactful, not only was it tough for him, but we felt it. We felt it as a group. It was a tough night for us. But at this point in the year, you win ball games. It doesn't matter how you get there, but you win ball games. We found a way to win tonight and that's why I'm excited.
&ldquo;When we went in the back, [Warriors assistant] Chris DeMarco says, &lsquo;Punch 42. Dive 52.&rsquo; I'm like, &lsquo;What are you talking about?&rsquo; He said, &lsquo;We just kept handing the ball off to the fullback left and right, and at the end of the game, we kicked a field goal to win it. Hell of a football game.&rsquo; And that's what it was. But that's playoff basketball. Sometimes it's grimy. Sometimes it's gritty. They turned it into that in Game 2 in Memphis and we lost. They turned it into that again tonight, especially with Ja [Morant] out, but our guys found a way."
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While Stephen Curry led the way with 32 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds, Brown credited the leadership of Green and Andre Iguodala, while also shouting out the rest of Golden State&rsquo;s coaching staff.
&ldquo;Andre, I know he's not playing but just his voice, his presence, he's always saying the right thing. It uplifts all of us; it uplifted me,&rdquo; Brown said. &ldquo;I told him and Draymond, &lsquo;I need you guys tonight. I need you guys. I'm going to lean on you guys.&rsquo; And those guys stayed steady the whole game; Andre on the bench, obviously, and Draymond out on the floor.
&ldquo;To have veterans like Andre and Draymond who have been through the highs and lows of many playoffs series, when they are reassuring the guys of that, it gives everybody else confidence because we are playing guys right now who haven't been as far. Again, their presence, their voice, their calmness, their reassurance, all that stuff means a lot for our group, especially with Steve out&hellip; All of our guys &ndash; Kenny Atkinson, Bruce Fraser, Chris DeMarco, Jama [Mahlalela], [Dejan Milojevic], all of our coaches &ndash; were fantastic.&rdquo;
After the game, Curry and Klay Thompson raved about Brown and how well he did on such short notice. They both pointed out that Brown had thrived in this position before back in 2017, when Kerr missed a stretch due to back pain and Brown led the team to an 11-0 record.
&ldquo;It's been a wild day all the way around,&rdquo; Curry said. &ldquo;You just had to kind of figure it out on the fly. And I understand we've been through this before &mdash; guys that were here in 2016-17, with Coach [Kerr] and his back problems back in the day when he was out of the lineup and still had an influence. Mike B. stepped up, so we really didn't have a lot of time to react&hellip; He's coached in Finals before, coached some high-powered teams, some big-market teams &ndash; he's been through it all. He&rsquo;s been with us for these last six years, and he's been interim coach for a little bit and made his presence felt, especially defensively leading us this year. He has a good presence about him, a great way about him.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Really happy for Mike B.,&rdquo; Thompson added. &ldquo;He's going to do great things for Sacramento. His head-coaching record for Warriors playoff games, I think, is undefeated. We did miss Steve a lot, just his voice, his presence. But we've been here before in 2017 when Mike took over and we rolled off a lot of wins. I reflected on that a lot. Just an up-and-down day as far as emotions&hellip; It was an emotional day. Prayers up to Adreian and his family and Draymond; I know they played together. Just a terrible loss of life and his legacy will live on. It was just a sad day.&rdquo;
Brown will once again coach the Warriors in Game 5 tonight &mdash; this time with significantly more heads up. And, in typical Kerr fashion, Brown praised his players and downplayed his role in the Game 4 win.
&ldquo;Any time you have Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole and a guy who if he wasn't hurt would have been Defensive Player of the Year in Draymond Green on the floor, you know good things can happen,&rdquo; Brown said. &ldquo;If it's a one- or two-possession game down the stretch, whether you're down or up, you feel pretty confident. A lot of it has to do with the playoff experience that these guys have, but their talent and IQ, in my opinion, are second-to-none.&rdquo;
Brown will never forget the day that the Kings hired him, and he'll likely go down as an interesting trivia answer too.
"I don't know in history if [anyone else has been] named the head coach of two teams in 24 hours," Curry said with a laugh. &ldquo;He's continuing to set many trends!&rdquo;
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Warriors assistant coach Mike Brown experienced arguably the craziest 24 hours of his 25-year coaching career on Monday.

A crazy day: Mike Brown gets Kings' job, then fills in for Steve Kerr

The Sacramento Kings officially announced the hiring of Mike Brown as their new head coach with hopes he can end the NBA's longest playoff drought ever.
General manager Monte McNair said Monday that Brown was picked to replace interim coach Alvin Gentry. The Kings fired Gentry after a season during which they set an NBA record by missing the playoffs for a 16th straight year.
“Mike has consistently demonstrated his ability to lead winning teams throughout his long and successful coaching career,” McNair said in a statement. “He has worked with some of the best players in the NBA and is one of the league’s premier defensive minds. I am excited to bring his extensive experience to Sacramento.”
Brown currently is an assistant with Golden State and will remain with the Warriors for the rest of their playoff run. Brown previously had two stints as head coach in Cleveland, where he guided the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in 2007, and had one stint as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Brown is the latest former Golden State coach to take over the Kings.
Kings owner Vivek Ranadive took over the franchise in 2013 after being a minority owner with the Warriors and immediately hired Michael Malone off Golden State’s staff as his first head coach. 
Ranadive then hired former Warriors assistant Luke Walton as head coach in 2019 and promoted former Warriors assistant Gentry to interim coach after Walton was fired last November.
None of the moves have led to success for the NBA’s worst-performing franchise of the past 16 years.
The Kings have failed to make the playoffs in each of those seasons, setting the record for the longest drought in NBA history. They went 30-52 this past season under Walton and Gentry and their .366 winning percentage was their worst since the 2017-18 season.
Since moving to Sacramento in 1985, the Kings have had only one stretch of success, making the playoffs in all eight seasons under coach Rick Adelman from 1999-2006. Adelman was fired in 2006 and remains the only coach in the Sacramento era to post a winning record in any season.
Brown comes with a strong pedigree, having worked as an assistant under Gregg Popovich in San Antonio and Steve Kerr at Golden State.
He got his first head coaching job in Cleveland in 2005. He helped LeBron James and the Cavaliers make the Finals in his second season before getting swept by the Spurs. He was fired in 2010 after winning 127 games the previous two years but failing to get back to the Finals.
After a year off, Brown replaced Phil Jackson with the Lakers and didn’t have nearly the success he had in Cleveland. The Lakers went 41-25 in his first season and he was fired after starting the next season 1-4.
Brown returned to Cleveland the following season and went 33-49 before getting fired again after one season.
Brown was then hired in July 2016 by the Warriors to take over as lead assistant after Walton left to take over as head coach of the Lakers.
Brown takes over a team that allowed the second-most points in the NBA despite getting a lift on that end of the court from rookie Davion Mitchell. 
Point guard De’Aaron Fox was in and out of the lineup, missing 23 games with a variety of injuries. Two-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis arrived in a deadline deal by general manager Monte McNair. Sabonis made a big splash in Sacramento before sitting out the final nine games with a knee injury.
Although McNair has brought some order to the front office, he still hasn’t been able to build a roster capable of contending for a playoff spot.
___
More AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Kings general manager Monte McNair said Monday that Mike Brown was picked to replace interim coach Alvin Gentry.

Kings announce hiring of Mike Brown as new coach

Losing the first game of a playoff series does not inevitably damn a team&rsquo;s chances of advancing. Even for teams with home court advantage, a 0-1 deficit can be easily overcome. But losing the first two games of a series is far less surmountable. At least, that's what recent history tells us. &nbsp;
The idea that one cannot predict the future by examining the past is well established in all walks of life. Still, it&rsquo;s nearly impossible not to use recent trends to reach conclusions and takeaways. So, what does the recent past tell us about going down 0-2 0 in a playoff series?
Keep in mind, the entire history of the NBA isn&rsquo;t relevant since the first round expanded from five to seven games starting in 2003. Examining first-round matchups before that is pointless given that two victories was previously two-thirds of the way to a series victory and now is only the halfway point.
Further, this is a relatively arbitrary analysis. For simplicity&rsquo;s sake, we&rsquo;ll restrict our sample to the past 10 seasons.
Between 2012 and 2021, teams are 12-77 when going down 0-2 in a postseason series, good for a measly .125 winning percentage. 2021 was easily the most competitive for teams down 0-2. Nine teams found themselves in a 2-0 hole in 2021, with five emerging victorious.
Comparatively, teams up 2-0 were undefeated in 2020, 2015 and 2014, going 15-0 across the three playoffs. It&rsquo;s worth pointing out that the COVID-19 pandemic led to the 2020 NBA Playoffs being played at a neutral site with no fans in attendance, which may have contributed to no teams blowing 2-0 leads that season. &nbsp;
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Here&rsquo;s a look at the 12 teams who came back from 0-2 deficits and the teams they did so against in the past 10 playoffs:
2021
First Round
Los Angeles Clippers came back to beat the Dallas Mavericks
Second Round
Los Angeles Clippers came back to beat the Utah Jazz
Milwaukee Bucks came back to beat the Brooklyn Nets
Phoenix Suns came back to beat the Denver Nuggets
NBA Finals
Milwaukee Bucks came back to beat the Phoenix Suns
2019 
Conference Finals 
Toronto Raptors came back to beat the Milwaukee Bucks
2018 &nbsp;
Conference Finals 
Cleveland Cavaliers came back to beat the Boston Celtics
2017 &nbsp;
First Round
Boston Celtics came back to beat the Chicago Bulls
2016 
First Round
Portland Trail Blazers came back to beat the Los Angeles Clippers
NBA Finals
Cleveland Cavaliers came back to beat the Golden State Warriors&nbsp;
2013
First Round 
Memphis Grizzlies came back to beat the Los Angeles Clippers
2012
Conference Finals
Oklahoma City Thunder came back to beat the San Antonio Spurs
To summarize, in the last 10 playoffs, teams came back from 0-2 four times in the first round, three times in the Conference Semifinals, three times in the Conference Finals and twice in the NBA Finals.
Generally, teams do no overcome a two-game deficit when they&rsquo;ve lost the first two games of a series at home. It&rsquo;s markedly more difficult to win four out of five games when only two will be on your home floor. This is reinforced by recent history, as only two teams &ndash; the Los Angeles Clippers in 2021 and the Boston Celtics in 2017 &ndash; have recovered to a win a series after losing the first two games at home. For what it&rsquo;s worth, both of those occurrences happened in the first round.
This spring, NBA teams were 4-0 in the first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs when winning the first two games of a series.
This is quite applicable at present, as two of the four current series began with a 2-0 lead. Specifically, Phoenix went up 2-0 against Dallas and Miami went up 2-0 against Philadelphia.
None of the teams that began the Conference Semifinals down 0-2 were the higher seed, meaning that none are in the unfavorable position of needing to overcome a two-game deficit and playing three of the final five games on the road.
Teams will always regurgitate meaningless jargon when down 2-0. &ldquo;We just have to win the next one.&rdquo; &ldquo;One game at a time.&rdquo; &ldquo;No different than any other game.&rdquo; But we know that&rsquo;s false, and history backs that&rsquo;s up. So, best of luck to all you Mavericks and 76ers fans out there, but it&rsquo;s a difficult road back from 0-2 whether you look to history as a guide or not.
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Coming back to win a series from an 0-2 deficit is seen as difficult. Recent history tells us that it's even less common than you'd think.