Kings first-round pick Devin Carter will miss both the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer Leagues due to a left shoulder injury, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (subscription required).
General manager Monte McNair acknowledged after drafting Carter last week that the former Providence guard was dealing with a shoulder ailment and said the Kings’ doctors would be taking a closer look at it. While the injury will keep Carter out of action this month, McNair expressed confidence that it’s “not a long-term issue.”
The No. 13 overall pick told The Sacramento Bee that he suffered the injury in a pre-draft workout. Asked if he’s feeling pain or discomfort, Carter replied, “I’m feeling fine. I just want to get the team doctor’s opinion and go from there.”
Here’s more from around the Western Conference:
- Within a story grading the Suns‘ re-signing of Damion Lee, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports says the team remains interested in bringing back Josh Okogie on a new deal worth more than the minimum. Phoenix currently has just one open spot on its 15-man roster, but Bourguet hears from a source that waiving a player like David Roddy or Nassir Little might be a possibility if Okogie is re-signed and another top free agent target (possibly Kyle Lowry) is available. I’d be pretty shocked if the Suns cut Little, who has three guaranteed years left on his contract, but Roddy isn’t owed any guaranteed money beyond this season.
- Spurs second-round pick Juan Nunez appears unlikely to sign an NBA contract immediately. A report from Spanish outlet Encestando (hat tip to Sportando) suggests Nunez is on track to join Barcelona on a deal that will give him the option to leave for the NBA next summer. The Spanish point guard was the No. 36 selection in last week’s draft.
- In a pair of stories for The Oklahoman, Joel Lorenzi explores Isaiah Hartenstein‘s fit in Oklahoma City and examines what the Thunder‘s roster will look like after trading for Alex Caruso and adding Hartenstein in free agency. Lorenzi, who is projecting Caruso to start and Hartenstein to come off the bench, suggests the veteran center’s play-making and screening will help make the offense more versatile, which the Thunder could’ve used in this year’s playoffs.
- The Lauri Markkanen trade rumors are a reflection of the Jazz‘s awkward current position, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (subscription required). As Larsen details, if they hang onto Markkanen, the Jazz risk winning too many games next season to have a legitimate shot at landing a future star in the 2025 draft; but there are no guarantees they’ll be able to draft that future star even if they do trade him, and going that route would further delay their timeline for contending.
With Markkanen, Jazz projected to be 30 wins team,
Without Markkanen, Jazz projected to be 20 wins team.
20 wins team usually has a better chance to land a star than 30 wins team
TRADE!
I guarantee he isn’t worth 10 wins, but agree with your sentiment
Guarantee based on what?
That or let any nagging injuries “fully heal” this year. =)
Seems like one of the perks of having 3 1st rd picks in the upcoming draft should be that you don’t have to tank & waste your season to try and get a good pick (for the 3rd straight season). They have 3 chances. The last few great players that they’ve had were all late lottery or late 1st rd guys. They should definitely try to win this year, at least to start the season. I admit I’m looking forward to seeing Collier challenge Keyonte for that starting pg spot but adding a pg would def be the smart move for them. Whether that’s Tyus Jones or Trae Young, they sorta owe it to the development of Kessler & their young forwards (not to mention Lauri & their fans) to upgrade their pg spot.
I don’t a full on tank has ever been the plan, if it was they would’ve tanked hard all season for Wembanyama and in the prior draft.
Playing it halfway is just as bad as just fully tanking, it may be worse tbh. I’m saying they should try to compete to make the playoffs & win the title. Not by crashing out & trading all of their picks for 35+yo guys. Upgrading their pg position should be their #1 priority, they’ve largely been trash since they traded Conley. Going after guys like Trae who is currently under valued on the trade market & still young & locked into a long term contract or Tyus Jones who is currently a UFA are smart ways to start heading in the right direction without selling the farm.
I don’t know if they were playing it half way. They wanted to see what they had in Markannen, Kessler and Sexton and tried to make deals to get better. When those deals didn’t materialize they traded the players that weren’t part of the long term plan to get more trade assets. It can work, it’s basically what the Knicks have done.
I agree they should go after guys like Trae. They should also go after Miles Bridges, I’m not his biggest fan but if winning matters and it does then he’s got talent. Anyway everyone deserves a second chance.
Trading Conley was crazy. That was like an army that’s fighting well, winning battles & then throwing up the white flag. They still haven’t really addressed that hole they created fr. They drafted 2 stud pgs in Keyonte & Collier but those guys are teenagers. If they’re gonna go with a 5yr rebuild they should trade Lauri and fully tank. If they’re gonna try to win they should go get Trae or failing that, Tyus. Sorta feels like they’re gonna go with the long rebuild & trade Lauri but what they do at pg will ultimately show me what direction they’re going. Miles Bridges really doesn’t help them as much as an upgrade at pg in my opinion. They got plenty of talented forwards, but they don’t have a guy that can run their offense on an above average level
Markkanen is the only forward they have that’s as talented as Bridges. You add him and maybe Trae that leaves a lineup of:
PG- Trae Young
SG- Jordan Clarkson
SF- Lauri Markkanen
PF- Miles Bridges
C- John Collins/Walker Kessler
Bench:
George
Hendricks
Collier
Eubanks
Williams
That’s not a championship squad but it’s a very good squad and possibly a move away from a contender.
If they can’t pull off Trae, then add Bridges and wait til the off-season.
Don’t tell the Nets that ……
From what I remember Brooklyn has 2 1sts next season. They should def tank. They just traded their best player & they weren’t a top 10 team in the East when they had him. This is their first year tanking & they’re perfectly set up for it to be their only season tanking. The way Brooklyn has their rebuild set up is way better than Utah’s tbh. Utah has a 2yr head start (& had 2 stars to trade vs BKs 1) but I still think BK has the better chance to be a contender sooner.
The Nets have more problems then picking the wrong year to tank. Nobody seems to want to play there. First Harden, then Irving, then Durant and now Bridges have all asked to be traded.
How did they pick the wrong year to tank? You got 2 Rutgers guys in the top3 of the class. This is possibly the best year ever for the Nets to tank.. link to m.youtube.com
Just like any other team that’s wasn’t set they should’ve tanked for Wemby, if they don’t win the lottery then you had to “settle” for Henderson or Miller.
Agreed. They also could package picks to move up
Playing the lottery is a losing game. A team with more wins like San Antonio always gets a great pick while the team with the most losses just keep losing like Detroit shows every year.
NEVER play the lottery!