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2025 NBA Draft

And-Ones: G League Trades, Flagg, 2025 Draft, Howard, Parsons, More

October 4th, 2024 at 7:43pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rip City Remix – the Trail Blazers‘ G League affiliate – have completed a series of trades involving players who have signed Exhibit 10 contracts with NBA teams this fall, according to a press release from the team.

The Remix acquired Henri Drell‘s returning rights in a three-team trade with the Texas Legends and Windy City Bulls, sending the returning rights for Jazian Gortman, Anthony Duruji, and Jakub Urbaniak to the Mavericks‘ affiliate in the deal. Rip City also acquired David Muoka‘s returning rights from the Long Island Nets in exchange for George Conditt‘s rights and a 2025 second-round pick.

Both Drell and Muoka signed Exhibit 10 deals with Portland ahead of training camp and were recently waived. Now that the Remix control both players’ G League rights, it’s safe to assume they’ll report to the Blazers’ affiliate and will receive Exhibit 10 bonuses (worth as much as $77.5K) as long as they spend at least 60 days with Rip City.

The Remix also received the returning rights for Aleem Ford – along with the fourth overall pick in the 2024 G League draft and a 2025 international draft pick – from the Wisconsin Herd in exchange for Terence Davis‘ and Isiaih Mosley‘s returning rights. Davis recently signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Bucks, so it looks like he’ll ultimately land with the Herd.

Finally, Portland’s affiliate finalized a fourth trade that sent Antoine Davis‘ rights to the Stockton Kings in exchange for the rights to Stanley Johnson and Jayce Johnson, along with a pair of draft picks (Twitter link). None of those players have signed Exhibit 10 deals this fall, but it appears Sacramento’s affiliate plans to have Davis on its roster this season, given the handful of pieces it traded to get him.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Duke freshman Cooper Flagg told Jonathan Givony of ESPN that it’s “absolutely not” a foregone conclusion that he’ll be the No. 1 pick in next June’s draft, a position that was echoed by Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer. “Of course he has to prove it,” Scheyer said. “I’ve seen guys who have been projected (No. 1), that have gone there, and then guys that are projected that don’t go because you assume it’s gonna happen. … I believe in Cooper at the end of the day. But again, we got a long way to go before we start thinking about that.”
  • In a separate Insider-only story for ESPN, Givony shared some takeaways from his recent visits to Rutgers, Duke, UNC, and UConn, four college programs who figure to be well represented in the first round of next year’s NBA draft. Within his section on Rutgers, Givony notes that multiple NBA scouts have told him they have Dylan Harper ranked atop their draft boards ahead of the NCAA season.
  • Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report provides his 2024/25 win-loss predictions for all 30 NBA teams, while John Hollinger of The Athletic names the Nuggets, Grizzlies, Clippers, Hornets, and Wizards as five clubs he expects to fall short of their preseason over/under projections.
  • Georgia businessman Calvin Darden Jr. was found guilty on Friday of fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, and two separate conspiracy counts for his role in defrauding former NBA players Dwight Howard and Chandler Parsons out of a combined $8MM in 2021. Brian Windhorst of ESPN has the details on the case.
  • Long Phi Pham, one of the gamblers who took part in a scheme to have former Raptors big man Jontay Porter exit games early for betting purposes last season, pleaded guilty this week to conspiring to commit wire fraud, reports Jennifer Peltz of The Associated Press. Pham, whose sentencing is scheduled for April 25, could face anything from a no-jail punishment to up to 20 years in prison.
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And-Ones: 2025 Draft, Snell, G League, Garuba, Parker

October 2nd, 2024 at 12:53pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2025 draft class is stronger at the top than 2024’s class was, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Insider link), but there still isn’t a clear-cut No. 1 pick in this group like there was in 2023 with Victor Wembanyama.

Cooper Flagg has long been viewed as the best bet to be next year’s top pick, but that’s not yet a lock, Givony writes, putting the odds of the Duke forward coming off the board first at just slightly above 50%. Rutgers wing Ace Bailey is Flagg’s top competition at this point, per Givony, who has Bailey’s odds of going No. 1 at 25%. Rutgers guard Dylan Harper, Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe, and French guard Nolan Traore are also in the mix for the first overall spot, Givony adds.

“I’m going into this year with an open mind about who the No. 1 pick might be,” one NBA executive told ESPN. “This is how mistakes are made: getting anchored to an opinion and then closing yourself off to new, much more important information that we’ll be receiving in the coming months seeing how the season plays out.

“I need to see if Cooper Flagg is indeed a No. 1-type offensive option who can be expected to carry a team at some point in his career, or if he’s more of a superstar role player who is better suited as your second- or third-best player. Every year there are surprises, new players pop up and others take an unexpected leap.”

Mock drafts from last fall illustrate that potential for in-season surprises. ESPN’s November 2023 mock had Isaiah Collier first overall, Ja’Kobe Walter fourth, and Reed Sheppard 25th — they were eventually drafted 29th, 19th, and third, respectively.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Nine-year NBA veteran Tony Snell, who last played in the NBA during the 2021/22 season, will join the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the G League this fall, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The Heat‘s affiliate will need to acquire Snell’s returning rights from the Maine Celtics, the team he played for last season. Snell won’t be signed to Miami’s preseason roster at all, notes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link).
  • The Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Rockets) traded Jarrett Culver‘s G League returning rights to the Osceola Magic in exchange for Jared Butler‘s rights, per the Vipers (Twitter link). Culver is with Orlando on an Exhibit 10 contract, so it appears he’ll play for the Magic’s G League team this season. Butler remains under contract with the Wizards and would need to be waived and sign an NBAGL contract for Houston’s affiliate to take advantage of his rights.
  • Speaking to Eurohoops’ Javier Molero and Alex Molina, respectively, former NBAers Usman Garuba and Jabari Parker expressed that they’re comfortable no longer playing in the league. Garuba, who returned to Real Madrid this summer after three seasons with Houston and Golden State, said his NBA experience wasn’t quite what he expected and that he’d be “more selfish” if he were doing it all over again. “I left as a kid and grew up,” said Garuba, the 23rd overall pick in the 2021 draft. “I had a lot of ups and downs and learned a lot of lessons over there. I got traded, I got cut, I saw a lot of things, the dark side of the business. I think that made me mature a lot as a player.”
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And-Ones: 2025 Draft, Team Assets, Top 100 Players

September 15th, 2024 at 3:55pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

With training camp now two weeks away and 2024 rookies set to embark on their debut seasons, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN are taking a look at the next chapter of NBA rookies. The duo unpacks some top players and storylines to watch ahead of the NBA’s 2025 draft.

Although rising stars Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, and Dylan Harper are expected to be the top three picks next year, Givony and Woo note that sleeper prospects have been carving out a niche for themselves over the summer in various competitions.  According to the ESPN tandem, Baylor freshman shooting guard V.J. Edgecombe would probably be the top selection in a less loaded draft.

There’s more from around the basketball world:

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And-Ones: Cousins, Murray, Draft Prospects, Hot Seats

September 9th, 2024 at 9:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Former NBA center DeMarcus Cousins won’t reach out to NBA teams to get another chance to play in the league, he said on the Club 520 podcast (hat tip to Hoops Hype).

“I’m not going to go out trying to convince these guys anymore,” he said. “You know what I bring to the floor. It’s been proven. If you really wanted to know who I am, you’d take the time to get to know me instead of listening to somebody else. I’m past trying to reach out. If an opportunity comes that makes sense, I’ll consider it, but I’m done with the convincing.”

Cousins recently joined Wuxi WenLv, a Chinese team on the FIBA 3×3 World Tour. Cousins, who has been out of the NBA since 2022, has played for professional teams in Puerto Rico, Taiwan, and the Philippines since that point.

We have more from around the basketball world:

  • Jamal Murray‘s contract extension agreement with the Nuggets is good news for Canada’s basketball program, Michael Grange of Sportsnet opines. Murray took a lot of criticism during the Paris Olympics for his subpar performances and there were long-term concerns about his health. The possibility that Murray’s performances for Canada would be used against him in contract negotiations was a scenario the program didn’t want or need. It could have been the kind of cautionary tale that could create obstacles regarding team-building in the future, according to Grange.
  • Several prospects in the NBA’s next two draft classes have boosted their stock this summer and Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report takes a look at some of those risers. That group includes Baylor freshman guard V.J. Edgecombe and Illinois swingman Kasparas Jakucionis, as well as Cameron Boozer (draft-eligible in 2026).
  • Bulls top executive Arturas Karnisovas and head coach Billy Donovan, Bucks GM Jon Horst and coach Doc Rivers, Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins, and Nuggets GM Calvin Booth are among the GMs, presidents and coaches who have the most to prove this NBA season, according to ESPN’s Insiders.
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And-Ones: Klutch Lawsuit, 2025 Prospects, Hewitt, Contenders

August 26th, 2024 at 7:27pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Klutch Sports Group has issued a response to a lawsuit filed in federal court by longtime NBA agent Mark Termini. Klutch, headed by super-agent Rich Paul, has asked the federal judge overseeing the case to let the Players’ Association arbitrate this dispute, Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic tweets.

Klutch contends that Termini ignored NBPA rules to “publicly advance a tale where he (and not Paul) is responsible for Paul’s and Klutch’s unprecedented success.” Klutch also asked the federal judge to dismiss parts of complaint if it is not granted arbitration.

Termini, a former associate of Klutch, is suing for $4.9MM plus interest for an alleged breach of contract. Termini claims Klutch began paying him less than he was owed as the “lead negotiator” on several contracts from 2018-20.

We have more from around the basketball world:

  • Cooper Flagg, the top prospect in next year’s draft, has a skill set that compares to the Magic’s star, Paolo Banchero, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report writes. The Rutgers’ duo of Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey — considered the No. 2 and 3 prospects — have comparable skills to Coby White and Brandon Miller, respectively. Wasserman draws suitable comparisons for all projected lottery picks in his story.
  • Paul Hewitt has been named head coach of the NBA G League United team in the upcoming Fall Invitational and FIBA Intercontinental Cup, the league tweets. Hewitt is currently the head coach of the Clippers’ G League squad, the San Diego Clippers.
  • The Bleacher Report staff takes a look at 10 wild card NBA title contenders who could make noise in the postseason. The teams are all outside FanDuel’s current top 10 in the odds for the NBA championship next season. Among those teams are the Clippers, Cavaliers and Magic.
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Traded Second-Round Picks For 2025 NBA Draft

August 26th, 2024 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

We’re using the space below to keep tabs on each NBA team’s second round pick for 2025, continually updating it as necessary throughout the year. Our list of traded first-round picks for 2025 can be found right here.

We’ve listed all 30 teams here, so even if a team hasn’t traded its second round pick, that will be noted. We’ll also provide details on protections for each traded pick, including what happens to the pick in 2026 if it doesn’t change hands in 2025.

Here’s the full breakdown on the status of each 2025 second-round pick:

Atlantic

  • Boston Celtics: Traded to Knicks or Magic.
    • The Knicks will receive the most favorable pick of the Celtics’ and Grizzlies’ second-rounders; the Magic will receive the least favorable of the two.
  • Brooklyn Nets: Own pick.
  • New York Knicks: Own pick.
  • Philadelphia 76ers: Traded to Mavericks or Hornets.
    • The Mavericks will receive the more favorable pick of the Sixers’ and Nuggets’ second-rounders; the Hornets will receive the least favorable of the two.
  • Toronto Raptors: Traded to Pistons.

Central

  • Chicago Bulls: Traded to Spurs or Kings.
    • The Spurs will receive this pick if it lands between 31-55; the Kings will receive if it lands between 56-59. The Bulls’ obligation to whichever team doesn’t receive the pick will be extinguished.
  • Cleveland Cavaliers: Own pick.
  • Detroit Pistons: Traded to Celtics, Mavericks, Wizards, or Knicks.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Indiana Pacers: Own pick.
  • Milwaukee Bucks: Traded to Cavaliers.

Southeast

  • Atlanta Hawks: Traded to Trail Blazers or Thunder.
    • The Trail Blazers will receive this pick if it lands between 31-40; the Thunder will receive if it lands between 41-59. The Hawks’ obligation to whichever team doesn’t receive the pick will be extinguished.
  • Charlotte Hornets: Traded to Pacers (top-55 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Hornets will keep it and their obligation to the Pacers will be extinguished.
  • Miami Heat: Traded to Pacers or Warriors.
    • The Pacers will receive this pick if it lands between 31-37; the Warriors will receive if it lands between 38-59. The Heat’s obligation to whichever team doesn’t receive the pick will be extinguished.
  • Orlando Magic: Own pick.
  • Washington Wizards: Possibly traded to Celtics or Mavericks.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.

Northwest

  • Denver Nuggets: Traded to Mavericks or Hornets.
    • The Mavericks will receive the more favorable pick of the Nuggets’ and Sixers’ second-rounders; the Hornets will receive the least favorable of the two.
  • Minnesota Timberwolves: Traded to Hawks.
  • Oklahoma City Thunder: Traded to Grizzlies or Rockets.
    • The Grizzlies will receive the more favorable pick of the Thunder’s and Rockets’ second-rounders; the Rockets will receive the least favorable of the two.
  • Portland Trail Blazers: Traded to Raptors.
  • Utah Jazz: Traded to Timberwolves.

Pacific

  • Golden State Warriors: Traded to Celtics, Mavericks, or Wizards.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Los Angeles Clippers: Traded to Lakers.
  • Los Angeles Lakers: Own pick.
  • Phoenix Suns: Traded to Wizards.
  • Sacramento Kings: Traded to Bulls.

Southwest

  • Dallas Mavericks: Possibly traded to Celtics.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Houston Rockets: Traded swap rights to Grizzlies.
    • The Grizzlies will receive the more favorable pick of the Rockets’ and Thunder’s second-rounders; the Rockets will receive the least favorable of the two.
  • Memphis Grizzlies: Traded to Knicks or Magic.
    • The Knicks will receive the more favorable pick of the Grizzlies’ and Celtics’ second-rounders; the Magic will receive the least favorable of the two.
  • New Orleans Pelicans: Traded to Hornets.
  • San Antonio Spurs: Own pick.

Here are the details on how the Pistons‘, Wizards‘, Warriors‘, and Mavericks‘ second-round picks will be distributed:

The Celtics will receive the most favorable of the following picks:

  1. The Wizards’ second-round pick.
  2. The Warriors’ second-round pick.
  3. The Mavericks’ second-round pick.
  4. The Pistons’ second-round pick (56-59 protected).

The Mavericks‘ will receive the least favorable of the following picks:

  1. Their own second-round pick.
  2. The most favorable of the Wizards’ second-round pick, the Warriors’ second-round pick, and the Pistons’ second-round pick (56-59 protected).

The Wizards will receive the following two picks:

  1. The least favorable of their own second-round pick and the Warriors’ second-round pick.
  2. The least favorable of the following picks:
    • The more favorable of their own second-round pick and the Warriors’ second-round pick.
    • The Pistons’ second-round pick (56-59 protected).

If the Pistons’ pick lands in the 56-59 range, it will be sent to the Knicks and the Wizards will instead receive just one pick (the least favorable of their own second-round pick and the Warriors’ second-round pick).

Based on preseason projections, the Mavericks are projected to post the best record of these four teams, followed by the Warriors, Pistons, and Wizards, with Detroit’s pick easily landing in the top 55. In that scenario, given the terms outlined above, the Celtics would receive the Wizards’ second-round pick (the most favorable of the four), the Mavericks would hang onto their own second-rounder, and the Wizards would acquire the Warriors’ and Pistons’ picks.

Information from RealGM was used in the creation of this post.

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And-Ones: K. Smith, Schedule, C. Brown, Burton, Duke & Rutgers

August 14th, 2024 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Warner Bros. Discovery is suing the NBA after being excluded from the new broadcast rights package, but Kenny Smith isn’t worried about how that might affect what will likely be the final year of “Inside the NBA,” writes Greg Rajan of The Houston Chronicle. Smith, who has been with the network since his playing career ended in 1998, insists that nothing will change inside the studio.

“No, because we do our jobs,” he said. “Our job is to talk (about) the game and give insight and also give you insight about what’s going on behind the scenes with TNT. Like, ‘Hey, we’re not happy.’ That’s part of what makes us different. I don’t think any other network would allow or want their talent to talk about things like that. We’re going to do it, no matter what happens.

“But again, we’ve had a great run. If it continues, it’ll be great. But also, there are massive opportunities for the four of us — again, to create ownership opportunities to make sure our directors, producers, makeup, stats and audio people are still part of one of the greatest shows in sports TV history.”

Smith views the possible end of the network’s affiliation with the NBA as an opportunity for the show to reach out into other areas. He compares it to what Adam Sandler or Peyton and Eli Manning are doing with their companies, providing a chance to create a new brand in sports television.

There’s more from around the basketball world:

  • More details on the 2024/25 NBA schedule continue to leak out ahead of the official announcement at 3:00 pm ET on Thursday. The Nuggets will host the Thunder on October 24 in the season opener for both teams, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). It will be a matchup of the top two seeds in the West last season. After facing the Clippers October 23 in the first game at the new Inuit Dome, the Suns will stay in Los Angeles to take on the Lakers October 25 before hosting the Mavericks in their home opener a night later, tweets Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The Kings will have two six-game road trips during the season, sources tell James Ham of Kings Beat (Twitter link). One in January will have them face the Nuggets, Knicks, Nets, Sixers, Thunder and Timberwolves, and another from March 29 to April 7 will feature games against the Magic, Pacers, Wizards, Hornets, Cavaliers and Pistons.
  • Former NBA players Charlie Brown Jr. and Deonte Burton will be among the players representing the G League United in a pair of September exhibition games, the league announced (Twitter links).
  • Duke and Rutgers will be the top destinations for NBA scouts when the college basketball season begins, observes Adam Zagoria of NJ.com. The Blue Devils have the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, Cooper Flagg, along with Khaman Maluach, a probable lottery selection who played for South Sudan in the Olympics. The Scarlet Knights’ Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper are also in contention for the top spot in next year’s draft.
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Traded First-Round Picks For 2025 NBA Draft

August 13th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2025 NBA draft is still over 10 months away, but a number of teams have already traded away their first-round picks for ’25, and more clubs may do so before this season’s trade deadline.

We’ll use the space below to keep tabs on each team’s first-round pick for 2025, continually updating it as necessary throughout the year.

We’ve listed all 30 teams here, so even if a team hasn’t traded its first-round pick, that will be noted. We’ll also provide details on the protections for each traded pick, including what happens to the pick in 2026 if it doesn’t change hands in 2025.

Here’s the full breakdown on the status of each 2025 first-round pick:

Note: Teams marked with an asterisk (*) have traded away their 2026 first-round pick (either unprotected or with protection) and can’t freely trade away their 2025 first-rounder due to the Stepien Rule.

Atlantic

  • Boston Celtics: Own pick.
  • Brooklyn Nets: Own pick.
  • New York Knicks: Traded to Nets (unprotected).
  • Philadelphia 76ers: Traded to Thunder (top-six protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Sixers would instead owe the Thunder their 2026 first-round pick (top-four protected).
  • Toronto Raptors: Own pick.

Central

  • Chicago Bulls: Traded to Spurs (top-10 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Bulls would instead owe the Spurs their 2026 first-round pick (top-eight protected).
  • Cleveland Cavaliers: Traded to Jazz (unprotected).
  • Detroit Pistons: Traded to Timberwolves (top-13 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Pistons would instead owe the Knicks their 2026 first-round pick (top-11 protected).
  • Indiana Pacers (*): Own pick.
  • Milwaukee Bucks: Traded to Nets (top-four protected) or Pelicans (5-30 protected).
    • The Bucks’ obligation to whichever team doesn’t receive this pick will be extinguished.

Southeast

  • Atlanta Hawks: Traded to Spurs (unprotected).
  • Charlotte Hornets: Traded to Spurs (top-14 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Hornets would instead send the Spurs their 2026 and 2027 second-round picks.
  • Miami Heat: Traded to Thunder (top-14 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Heat would instead owe the Thunder their 2026 first-round pick (unprotected).
  • Orlando Magic: Own pick.
  • Washington Wizards: Traded to Knicks (top-10 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Wizards would instead owe the Knicks their 2026 first-round pick (top-eight protected).

Northwest

  • Denver Nuggets: Traded to Magic (top-five protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Nuggets would instead owe the Magic their 2026 first-round pick (top-five protected).
  • Minnesota Timberwolves: Traded to Jazz (unprotected).
  • Oklahoma City Thunder: Own pick.
    • The Thunder have the right to swap their own first-round pick for the Rockets’ pick (top-10 protected) or the Clippers’ first-round pick. If the Rockets receive the Thunder’s pick, they would have the right to swap it to Brooklyn for the Suns’ first-round pick.
  • Portland Trail Blazers: Traded to Bulls (top-14 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Trail Blazers would instead owe the Bulls their 2026 first-round pick (top-14 protected).
  • Utah Jazz: Traded to Thunder (top-10 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Jazz would instead owe the Thunder their 2026 first-round pick (top-eight protected).

Pacific

  • Golden State Warriors: Own pick.
  • Los Angeles Clippers (*): Traded swap rights to Thunder.
    • The Thunder have the right to swap their own first-round pick for the Rockets’ pick (top-10 protected) or the Clippers’ first-round pick.
  • Los Angeles Lakers: Traded to Hawks (unprotected).
  • Phoenix Suns: Traded to Nets or Rockets (unprotected).
    • The Thunder have the right to swap their own first-round pick for the Rockets’ pick (top-10 protected) or the Clippers’ first-round pick; the Rockets have the right to swap whichever pick they end up with to Brooklyn for the Suns’ first-round pick.
  • Sacramento Kings: Traded to Hawks (top-12 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Kings would instead owe the Hawks their 2026 first-round pick (top-10 protected).

Southwest

  • Dallas Mavericks: Own pick.
  • Houston Rockets (*): Traded swap rights to Thunder (top-10 protected).
    • The Thunder have the right to swap their own first-round pick for the Rockets’ pick (top-10 protected) or the Clippers’ first-round pick; the Rockets have the right to swap whichever pick they end up with to Brooklyn for the Suns’ first-round pick.
  • Memphis Grizzlies: Own pick.
  • New Orleans Pelicans: Own pick.
  • San Antonio Spurs: Own pick.

Information from RealGM was used in the creation of this post.

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And-Ones: Flagg, In-Season Tourney, Escrow Payments, Broadcasting Deals

August 12th, 2024 at 10:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Cooper Flagg goes No. 1 overall to the Nets. Dylan Harper is selected No. 2 by the Wizards. Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman has released his latest 2025 mock draft in the aftermath of major AAU tournaments, NBA camps, FIBA competition and the Paris Olympics.

It will be difficult for any prospect to recreate the buzz that enveloped Victor Wembanyama in 2023. However, there’s no doubt Flagg is the target right now for all rebuilding teams, according to Wasserman.

Rounding out the top five are Ace Bailey (Trail Blazers), V.J. Edgecombe (Pistons) and Drake Powell (Jazz).

Wasserman used FanDuel’s latest projected win totals to determine a draft order.

We have more from around the basketball world:

  • The NBA will unveil the schedule for the second annual in-season tournament on Tuesday afternoon via NBA Today on ESPN, the network’s PR department tweets. Officially called the Emirates NBA Cup, the six groups for the early rounds of the tournament were revealed last month.
  • NBA players had 5.25% of their salaries taken out of their paychecks for escrow payments for the 2023/24 season after the league finished its annual financial audit, Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic reports. The escrow program was established in 2011 to ensure that players don’t receive more than their contractual agreement with the team. The NBA normally takes out 10% of player’s salaries throughout the season to put into escrow to allow for the possibility that aggregate salaries outpace the players’ share of BRI, Vorkunov explains. It then returns money to players if its audit shows it had withheld too much.
  • NBA officially struck rights deals with ESPN, Amazon and NBC that will provide the league with $77 billion over 11 years, beginning in 2025/26. The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand details how those agreements came about and how they’ll impact the league.
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And-Ones: Bailey, Broadcasting Deal, 3×3 Event, Fredette, Budinger

July 30th, 2024 at 10:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

In HoopsHype’s first aggregate mock draft of 2025, Duke’s Cooper Flagg is ranked No. 1. However, an anonymous NBA executive believes Ace Bailey — ranked No. 2 — could eventually move past Flagg in the rankings.

“I could see Bailey supplanting Flagg for No. 1,” the executive told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. “I think Bailey is more talented with the ball than Flagg at this point, but I think Flagg is a better overall player than Bailey now.”

Another executive compares Bailey to Paul George if he “hits his ceiling.” Dylan Harper, Bailey’s teammate at Rutgers, is ranked No. 3.

We have more from around the basketball world:

  • XFinity subscribers will be able to watch their local NBA teams again this coming season, if they’re willing to fork up more money. Diamond Sports Group, which has gone through a lengthy bankruptcy process, and Comcast announced Monday they had reached a deal that makes 15 Bally-branded channels available again to Xfinity subscribers, The Athletic’s Dan Hayes reports. However, those fans will have to purchase the Ultimate TV package plan, which costs an additional $20 per month.
  • The United States’ debut in Olympic 3×3 basketball was a flop, according to Kristie Rieken of The Associated Press. The Americans lost to Serbia 22-14 on Tuesday in Paris. Former NBA player Jimmer Fredette was limited to four points. The U.S. team failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
  • Chase Budinger, a seven-year NBA forward, won his opening match in beach volleyball at the Paris Olympics. Budinger and his partner, Miles Evans, beat a French duo in straight sets, Jimmy Golen of the Associated Press relays. “It took me six years. It took me a long time to finally achieve this goal and I am here competing at the Olympics,” Budinger said. “And there is no better feeling.”
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