- Wizards lottery pick Johnny Davis will likely fight for minutes with last year’s first-round pick Corey Kispert, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Davis projects as a better defender than Kispert, but Kispert has the edge in experience and 3-point shooting. Becoming a better spot-up shooter will be pivotal for Davis to live up to his draft status, notes one of several scouts interviewed by Robbins to evaluate the rookie’s strengths and weaknesses.
Donovan Mitchell hasn’t asked the Jazz to trade him, but if he were to be dealt, he would prefer to end up with the Knicks, Nets, or Heat, sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic.
The Knicks, of course, are viewed as Mitchell’s top suitor, and while Brooklyn and Miami have also been mentioned as possible landing spots, those teams aren’t as well positioned to swing a trade for the All-Star guard. The Nets can’t trade for Mitchell as long as Ben Simmons remains on the roster due to the designated rookie extension rule, while the Heat “simply don’t have the assets that the Jazz are looking for,” according to Jones.
The Jazz are said to be seeking a significant haul of first-round picks in any Mitchell deal, which is why the Knicks are viewed as a frontrunner. New York has acquired four protected first-rounders from other teams and also has all of its own picks available.
The Heat, on the other hand, don’t have any extra first-rounders and have traded their own 2025 pick to Oklahoma City. Given the restrictions imposed by the Stepien rule, Miami could only offer three first-round picks in a package for Mitchell, while New York could trade up to eight.
Although the Knicks have long been linked to Mitchell and have had ongoing trade discussions with the Jazz, the two teams aren’t close to a deal, says Jones.
Utah has also spoken to other suitors and has multiple offers on the table that the front office feels are worth exploring if talks with the Knicks don’t work out, sources tell The Athletic. The Hornets, Wizards, and Cavaliers are among the other teams that have been reported by multiple outlets as possible suitors for Mitchell.
If the Jazz don’t get an offer they like from the Knicks or one of those other potential trade partners, they’re comfortable entering the season with Mitchell on their roster. According to Jones, the club believes it’s in a good position to retool the roster around Mitchell and is more inclined to take that route than to accept “90 cents on the dollar” for the three-time All-Star.
A report last month identified the Heat, Kings, and Hawks as a few of the teams with interest in Donovan Mitchell, but John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (via Twitter) disputes the notion that those three clubs are actually pursuing the Jazz guard.
Gambadoro’s report doesn’t come as a major surprise. Shams Charania of The Athletic, who first said those teams were among Mitchell’s possible suitors, hasn’t mentioned them since. When Charania and Tony Jones reported last week that the Knicks had re-engaged with the Jazz about Mitchell, The Athletic named the Wizards and Hornets as some other teams with interest. Gambadoro confirmed today that Washington and Charlotte remain in play for Mitchell.
Here’s more on Mitchell, who is now the biggest star available with Kevin Durant off the trade market:
- The Cavaliers, Lakers, and Nets are among the other teams with interest in Mitchell, according to Gambadoro. While that may be true, it’s hard to envision any of those clubs putting together a viable package for the Jazz star. The Lakers only have two first-round picks available to trade (2027 and 2029), while Brooklyn can’t acquire Mitchell as long as Ben Simmons remains on the roster, and Utah seems unlikely to be interested in Simmons as a centerpiece. The Cavs, meanwhile, just signed Darius Garland to a five-year, maximum-salary extension, so it’d be surprising if they gave up a ton of assets for another 6’1″ lead guard.
- Addressing a New York Post report, Gambadoro says the Jazz never asked for seven first-round picks in a package for Mitchell. The Knicks are one of the few teams with the ability to give up that many first-rounders in a trade, since they’ve acquired a few picks from other teams in addition to hanging onto their own.
- Tony Jones of The Athletic weighs how the Jazz would benefit from trading Mitchell and how they’d benefit from hanging onto him.
Over the next week or two, Hoops Rumors will be taking a closer look at each NBA team’s current roster situation, evaluating which clubs still have some moves to make and which ones seem most prepared for training camp to begin.
This series is meant to provide a snapshot of each team’s roster at this time, so these articles won’t be updated in the coming weeks as more signings, trades, and cuts are made. You can follow our roster counts page to keep tabs on teams’ open spots as opening night nears.
We’re beginning our pre-camp Roster Snapshot series today with the Southeast Division. Let’s dive in…
Atlanta Hawks
- Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 13
- Players on non-guaranteed standard contracts: 1
- Tyrese Martin (partial guarantee)
- Players on Exhibit 10 contracts: 1
- Players on two-way contracts: 2
Martin, whose minimum salary is partially guaranteed for $450K, is a strong bet to be the Hawks’ 14th man. Because Atlanta’s team salary is a little over the luxury tax line, the team may keep its 15th regular season roster spot open to start the season, and could even try making a cost-cutting trade at some point before the 2023 deadline to sneak below the tax line. Otherwise though, their standard roster appears pretty set.
One of the Hawks’ two-way players (Forrest) is newly signed, while the other (Brown) is a holdover from last season. It’s possible Brown’s two-way spot could be in jeopardy if another camp invitee makes a strong impression this preseason — I’d expect more camp invitees to join Etienne on Exhibit 10 contracts in the coming weeks.
Charlotte Hornets
- Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 13
- Players on two-way contracts: 1
- Restricted free agents: 1
- Players who have reportedly reached contract agreements: 1
- Isaiah Whaley (Exhibit 10)
Bridges’ NBA future is uncertain following his arrest on domestic violence charges, but the Hornets are keeping a roster spot open for him as his case plays out in the legal system. The team also has one more opening on its 15-man roster and seems likely to use it on a point guard. Charlotte has been linked to veterans like Isaiah Thomas and Kemba Walker.
The Hornets also still have one two-way contract slot open. They could hold a preseason competition for that opening, with Whaley among the camp invitees vying to have his Exhibit 10 contract turned into a two-way deal.
Miami Heat
- Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 13
- Players on non-guaranteed standard contracts: 1
- Haywood Highsmith (partial guarantee)
- Players on Exhibit 10 contracts: 3
- Players on two-way contracts: 2
Haslem’s decision to re-sign with the Heat means the team’s roster is pretty much set. With Haslem and Highsmith joining the other 12 players on guaranteed contracts, Miami will just barely be under the luxury tax line and almost certainly won’t add a 15th man until very late in the season.
The Heat’s two-way contract slots may not be set in stone, however. Days and Garrett hold those spots for now, but if a camp invitee like Bouyea, Cain, or Robinson makes a major impact during the preseason, the team could make a change.
Orlando Magic
- Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 15
- Players on non-guaranteed standard contracts: 1
- Players on two-way contracts: 2
- Players who have reportedly reached contract agreements: 4
- Drake Jeffries (Exhibit 10), Alex Morales (Exhibit 10), Simisola Shittu (TBD), Zavier Simpson (Exhibit 10)
Barring a preseason trade involving a veteran like Ross, the Magic’s 15-man roster looks ready for opening night. And Harris and Schofield were both signed to new two-way deals this offseason, so Orlando seems unlikely to replace either player before the start of the season — Harris’ spot looks especially safe, since his two-way contract is for two years.
Although the Magic have reportedly agreed to sign more players than it has room for on its 20-man offseason, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Cannady and another player will have to be waived before camp to complete those signings. I’d expect Orlando to churn its back-end roster spots, signing-and-waiving one or more of those Exhibit 10 players quickly in order to secure their G League rights and/or to ensure they receive bonuses for becoming affiliate players with the Lakeland Magic.
Washington Wizards
- Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 15
- Players on Exhibit 10 contracts: 1
- Players on two-way contracts: 1
- Players who have reportedly reached contract agreements: 2
- Quenton Jackson (Exhibit 10), Davion Mintz (Exhibit 10)
Like the Magic, the Wizards have 15 players on guaranteed contracts who seem likely to make the regular season roster, barring a last-minute surprise. With one two-way contract still up for grabs though, Jackson, Mintz, and other camp invitees will be looking to stand out this fall.
The Wizards should be bold and acquire a star player like Donovan Mitchell to pair up with Bradley Beal, who’s now locked into a long-term contract, Josh Robbins of The Athletic opines. That pairing would put up big offensive numbers, but Washington would have to make other moves to cover for the backcourt’s defensive shortcomings. The front office would have to acquire defensive stalwarts at other spots to mask those defensive issues, Robbins adds.
- The Wizards already have a “big three” in terms of offensive firepower with Beal, Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. As Hughes writes, the trio could compare to the mid-2000s Washington teams built around Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison, which included an elite scoring guard plus two versatile, offense-driven frontcourt players.
The first EuroBasket tournament in five years will tip off in two weeks and there are currently 34 NBA players on track to participate in the event, representing 17 different countries, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net.
EuroBasket is a 24-team international basketball competition also known as the European Basketball Championship. It historically took place every two years, but that gap was recently adjusted to four years, emulating the FIBA World Cup schedule.
The last EuroBasket tournament was played in 2017 — the next one had been scheduled for 2021, but was pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics. As a result, after being played every two years since 1947, it has now been five years since the last EuroBasket tournament, easily the longest layoff since World War II.
It’s possible that some NBA players will be cut from their teams’ rosters or will have to drop out due to injuries or personal reasons before the event begins on September 1, but in general enthusiasm to participate in the long-awaited event appears high.
Here’s the list of NBAers currently set to play in EuroBasket, per Eurohoops:
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Jusuf Nurkic (Trail Blazers)
- Croatia
- Bojan Bogdanovic (Jazz)
- Dario Saric (Suns)
- Ivica Zubac (Clippers)
- Czech Republic
- Vit Krejci (Thunder)
- Finland
- Lauri Markkanen (Cavaliers)
- France
- Evan Fournier (Knicks)
- Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves)
- Theo Maledon (Thunder)
- Georgia
- Goga Bitadze (Pacers)
- Sandro Mamukelashvili (Bucks)
- Germany
- Daniel Theis (Pacers)
- Franz Wagner (Magic)
- Greece
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
- Thanasis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
- Tyler Dorsey (Mavericks)
- Israel
- Deni Avdija (Wizards)
- Italy
- Simone Fontecchio (Jazz)
- Danilo Gallinari (Celtics)
- Lithuania
- Domantas Sabonis (Kings)
- Jonas Valanciunas (Pelicans)
- Montenegro
- Marko Simonovic (Bulls)
- Serbia
- Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
- Slovenia
- Vlatko Cancar (Nuggets)
- Luka Doncic (Mavericks)
- Goran Dragic (Bulls)
- Spain
- Usman Garuba (Rockets)
- Juancho Hernangomez (Raptors)
- Willy Hernangomez (Pelicans)
- Turkey
- Furkan Korkmaz (Sixers)
- Cedi Osman (Cavaliers)
- Alperen Sengun (Rockets)
- Ukraine
- Alex Len (Kings)
- Svi Mykhailiuk (Raptors)
There are also multiple NBA free agents on EuroBasket rosters, including French swingman Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and German guard Dennis Schröder.
A number of young NBA players, such as 2022 draftees Jeremy Sochan and Nikola Jovic, have dropped out to focus on getting ready for the 2022/23 season, while others, including Bogdan Bogdanovic (Serbia) and Frank Ntilikina (France), were ruled out due to injuries.
Round robin play will begin on September 1, with each team facing the other five clubs in its group once. The top four teams in each group will advance to a 16-team bracket that begins on September 10. The final will take place on September 18, just over a week before NBA training camps get underway.
- Deni Avdija has become a dogged defender for the Wizards, but his long-term future in the league hinges on improving his shooting, Josh Robbins of The Athletic writes. Avdija has only made 31.6% of his 3-point tries during his first two seasons. Robbins polled several anonymous scouts to gauge the former lottery pick’s strengths and weaknesses.
The Knicks and Jazz have been back in touch about Donovan Mitchell within the past week, according to Shams Charania and Tony Jones of The Athletic, who report that the two teams have had a “fresh trade conversation” about what a deal sending Mitchell to New York might look like.
As Charania and Jones explain, the Knicks and Jazz had serious discussions during the Las Vegas Summer League in mid-July about a Mitchell trade, but those talks reached an impasse and had been dormant for a few weeks.
Although the Knicks have made their interest in Mitchell “abundantly clear” throughout the summer, there’s still no serious traction toward a deal, per The Athletic’s duo. Sources tell Charania and Jones that the Hornets and Wizards remain among the teams in pursuit of Mitchell. Charania reported in late July that those two Southeast teams had recently engaged with New York.
Previous reports have indicated that the Jazz are seeking a return for Mitchell that’s similar to – or greater than – the haul they received from Minnesota in exchange for Rudy Gobert. Although the Knicks have a surplus of first-round picks from previous trades, it’s unclear whether they – or any other suitors – are prepared to meet Utah’s asking price.
According to Charania and Jones, the Jazz have conveyed that they’re comfortable keeping the All-Star guard on the roster this season, since he still has three years remaining on his contract (plus a fourth-year player option). For his part, Mitchell hasn’t made any sort of trade demand and is believed to be fine with with either staying in Utah or being dealt elsewhere, sources tell The Athletic.
We’re still six weeks away from the start of training camps and nine weeks away from opening night, so the Jazz have plenty of time to consider their options before the 2022/23 season tips off.
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra seems likely to let chemistry and on-court fit determine the team’s lineups, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in a reader mailbag. Winderman notes that Miami may even consider Max Strus or Caleb Martin as its starting power forward. The team let starting power forward P.J. Tucker leave for the Sixers in free agency this summer and hasn’t re-signed backup Markieff Morris, also a free agent.
Though the starting roles of All-Star small forward Jimmy Butler, All-Defensive Team center Bam Adebayo, and $85M point guard Kyle Lowry appear secure for opening night, it seems that Spoelstra may be amenable to experimenting in training camp to figure out who fits best alongside that trio. Strus and Tucker closed the 2021/222 season as the other starters.
There’s more out of the Southeast Division:
- In another mailbag, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel writes that a big X-factor in the Heat‘s success this season could be the two-way play of Victor Oladipo, who signed a new two-year, $18.2MM contract. Winderman notes that the handle, defense, and shooting upside of the 6’4″ combo guard out of Indiana could prove to be massive assets for Miami in the East. Since being acquired from the Rockets in 2021, Oladipo has appeared in just 12 regular season games with the Heat, though he proved to be a helpful contributor during Miami’s 2022 run to the Eastern Conference Finals, playing in 15 playoff contests. Winderman wonders if Oladipo may even prove himself to be more valuable to the Heat than extension-eligible Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro, given Oladipo’s defensive skill set.
- As chatter of a potential Kevin Durant deal to the Heat looms, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel notes that Durant’s interest in joining the Heat can only go so far in getting him to Miami. Winderman writes that, due to the four years remaining on the All-Star forward’s current contract with the Nets, Brooklyn is in the driver’s seat for a potential trade, looking to extract maximum assets in any deal.
- Wizards second-year small forward Corey Kispert could take a big leap in output this season if history is a reliable metric, opines Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. The 6’7″ swingman, 23, was selected with the No. 15 pick out of Washington in 2022. Across 77 games, he averaged 8.2 PPG, 2.7 RPG, and 1.1 APG, while shooting .455/.350/.871. Hughes writes that, across his final 24 appearances after All-Star weekend, Kispert converted 38.6% of his long-range looks, a significant uptick from the 32.2% of his triples he had nailed in his first 53 NBA games. Hughes takes stock of the first and second-season production of historic three-point specialists like Danny Green, Buddy Hield, Bryn Forbes, Seth Curry and others, and draws comparisons to what Kispert could be able to do in his second year with Washington.
- Jaime Echenique received a huge welcome when he returned to Colombia last month after becoming the first player from his homeland to appear in an NBA game, writes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Echenique played just one game for the Wizards in December and spent most of the season with the team’s Capital City G League affiliate. He recognizes the importance of his accomplishment, but is focused on expanding his NBA opportunities. “He said you have to take this as big as it is,” Echenique said in relaying a conversation with a friend. “Out of the 75 years of the NBA, out of 50 million Colombians, you are the first one. I was like ‘Yeah, that’s a big deal.’ Whether it was a 10-day [contract] or three minutes or whatever people want to call it, I did it.”