Pistons big man Thon Maker has been working to expand his game, including his long-range shooting stroke, per Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Detroit can extend Maker a $4.64MM qualifying offer to keep him on the team heading into his fifth season in 2020/21. Langlois anticipates that the Pistons will opt not to do so, however, making Maker an unrestricted free agent — and possibly available for less than his qualifying offer on the open market.
“I’ve always loved Detroit since the first day I got here,” Maker said of his tenure with the Pistons. “I just focus on the basketball and that’s between my agent and the team. My focus is to come here in this [mini-camp] bubble and just play.”
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- The Cavaliers have several prospects they would prefer to interview during the ongoing NBA combine, writes Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor. Virtual interviews commenced last week and wrap up on October 16. Medical exams by the nearest NBA physician and a series of on-court activities completed near the players’ homes are set to take place this month. Fedor reports that Cleveland appears to have a strong interest in talking to top draft candidates LaMelo Ball, Deni Avdija and Isaac Okoro.
- Cavaliers rookie swingman Dylan Windler, who missed the entire 2019/20 season with a left leg stress fracture, is expected by the team to have a significant on-court role for Cleveland in 2020/21, according to Fedor elsewhere in the same piece. Sources tell Cleveland.com that the 2019 first-rounder is the Cavs’ “most asked-about” player in trade talks, though the team has no interest in moving him.
- After a disappointing second-round elimination at the hands of the Heat, the Bucks face an interesting offseason, according to The Athletic’s Eric Nehm. Assuming no major cost-cutting trades are made, the team is anticipated to be over the salary cap next season. GM Jon Horst has a few options he could exercise to creatively make changes around the periphery of the team, including not guaranteeing forward Ersan Ilyasova‘s $7MM salary.
Cavs Strong interest in Ball
Then trade up
Which one is more strong interest
Ball or Okoro？
If ball drop to GSW pick I can see them trading 1st round picks and cavs throw in a 2nd round pick in some far away draft.
If Ball drops to the Warriors they’d be foolish not to take him.
They don’t want a project. Ball is over rated. Warriors rate 4 players above Ball.
Okoro is short in height for a forward and is a lousy shooter. Defense in the NBA is nothing like defense in the NFL as 6’5” defensive oriented players have short careers in the NBA. The sport is more about scoring than defending scoring.
So, Cavs give up a second in a far away draft and the Warriors swap picks this year?! Sounds like a great deal for the Warriors!
Come on man, get real, and Sullivan, as usual, great work on your post.
Great deal for cavs they get the guy they want who will not be around when they draft. Curry would have been on the Knicks if they made the trade for a higher pick. They thought Curry would drop to them. Ball will not drop all the way down to the Cavs.
Cavs the 5th pick. There will be a good player there. A future starter for them. They move Love get younger. They are moving in right direction. At 5 it could be Toppin, Okongwu, or Deni. Okoro will not go top 5. Either of those three is a very nice pick.
Pistons could say no to Maker and pick him up cheaper later, after everyone else says no too. Or just forget they tried to make something of him, same dif… maybe they were hoping to get an angle on the younger bro.
Windler could be the Cavs’ ROY even with the #5 pick.