2028 Olympics Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Nuggets Notes: Westbrook, Murray, Title Window, Malone, Gordon

September 27th, 2024 at 8:19am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing at the Nuggets‘ media day on Thursday after joining the team as a free agent over the summer, Russell Westbrook expressed excitement about his new opportunity and earned praise from teammates and his new head coach alike, as Ryan McFadden of The Denver Post writes.

“He has a competitive, ‘I’m going to get in your s–t’ mindset that I love,” head coach Michael Malone said. “… I think he’s going to help individual players achieve their potential and push them to be the best they can be. I love guys (who) bring it every single night, and that’s what he has done.”

While the former MVP has a much different skill set than Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the Nuggets’ former starting shooting guard who signed with Orlando in July, Malone believes Westbrook is underrated on defense and is capable of making up some of what Denver lost on that end of the court as a result of Caldwell-Pope’s departure.

“When we went back and watched his defense last year with the Clippers, at the end of games, he was on the opposing team’s best player every night,” Malone said.

Here’s more on the Nuggets:

Jamal Murray struggled in both the postseason in the spring and the Olympics in the summer, and Nuggets president Josh Kroenke said last month that health issues were a significant factor. However, Murray told reporters on Thursday that he has no injury-related limitations entering training camp and that he feels good, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post.
The Nuggets believe their championship window remains very much open entering the 2024/25 season, as Baxter Holmes of ESPN relays. “In a best-case scenario, I think Nikola (Jokic) has a prime 10-year contention window,” general manager Calvin Booth said. “I think we’re about halfway through it. So, we probably have about five more similar shots and all the shots count. We hit one of them, that’s great. The earlier we hit it, the more we can have conversations about other things, but it’s going to be incredibly hard to win another one.” According to Malone, Murray has expressed to his teammates that they should feel a sense of urgency to capitalize on that title window. “He reminds his teammates, don’t take this for granted,” Malone said. “He goes, ‘We have a championship window, not every team has a championship window. And what do you do? Do you take advantage of that, or do you look back in 20 years and have regrets?'”
Booth acknowledged that he’ll be keeping a close eye during the first half of the season on whether the Nuggets have enough shooting in their rotation and will be prepared to move at the trade deadline to address that area if necessary, writes Sean Keeler of The Denver Post.
Asked on Thursday about offseason rumors of tension between him and Booth, Malone offered a diplomatic answer, Keeler notes. “Calvin and I shouldn’t always agree. If we’re always agreeing, then we’re not really accomplishing what we need to accomplish,” the Nuggets’ head coach said. “But through those disagreements and through those conversations, you come to a greater good.”
Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, who becomes eligible on Friday for an extension worth up to $143MM over four years, indicated on Twitter that he’d be interested in representing Team USA at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. In case you missed it, Gordon and the Nuggets expressed optimism this week about the possibility of reaching a long-term deal.
A total of 20 Nuggets games will be televised over the air for free locally in 2024/25, while a new streaming service called Altitude+ will allow subscribers to watch the team’s other non-national broadcasts, according to Durando. Nuggets executive Kevin Demoff told Durando that the team is still looking to resolve a carriage dispute between Altitude Sports and Comcast that would allow local Comcast customers to watch Nuggets games. Altitude had been blacked out on Comcast since 2019.

Kyle Kuzma Wants To Play In 2028 Olympics

September 16th, 2024 at 9:21am CST by Arthur Hill

Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma is hoping to play in the 2028 Olympics, and he’s willing to represent another nation if he doesn’t land a spot with Team USA. In an interview with All-Star Magazine (YouTube link), Kuzma talked about watching the U.S. win a gold medal in Paris last month and wanting to be part of that experience.

“My number one goal is to play with Team USA in the Olympics, 100%, in four years,” he said during a visit to Manila. “I had the opportunity to play for Team USA back in the 2019 FIBA World Cup before I broke my foot, but I think it’s really cool that other players are going other places to play. Because it’s very, very tough to play for Team USA. It’s the top of the top, and it’s a little political at some times. But I’m going to work really hard and hopefully one day I can get back there.”

Kuzma celebrated his 29th birthday this summer, so he’ll be 33 when the Olympic Games return to Los Angeles in four years, likely making it his last chance to participate. While the Flint, Michigan, native prefers to represent his native country, he expressed an openness to the idea of playing for the Philippines national team, which would require clearance from FIBA and Team USA.

“I could rock out with JC (Jordan Clarkson),” Kuzma said. “That’d be cool.”

Kuzma is currently preparing for his eighth NBA season and his fourth with Washington. He’s one of the few veteran players on the Wizards, who are in the midst of a youth movement and are likely to have one of the top picks in next year’s draft.

Kuzma’s long-term role with the franchise appears uncertain. He’s coming off one of the best seasons of his career — averaging 22.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 70 games — so he could have more value to a contender, and the front office may be willing to part with him to add to its stockpile of draft assets. Kuzma has three seasons remaining on the extension he signed last summer, so he doesn’t have much leverage if he decides he’d rather play for a team with a better chance of winning.

Among the other topics Kuzma addressed in the interview was his admiration for Heat president Pat Riley, although their paths have never crossed in the NBA.

“I’ve always admired him,” Kuzma said. “I just admired his no-nonsense approach when it came to basketball, and being professional, because that’s me. When I’m off the court, I’m very fun, I have all these different passions, but when I step (on the court), I’m very serious because I love it and it’s important to me. I just love what he stands for and his tutelage of the sport. From the Showtime (Lakers) years up until just building what the Heat culture is, it’s pretty phenomenal.”

Suns Notes: Booker, Little, Durant

August 22nd, 2024 at 3:13pm CST by Rory Maher

He didn’t garner as much media attention as some of his teammates, but Devin Booker‘s excellent all-around play for Team USA at the Olympics is a useful point of reference for how the Suns could utilize him in 2024/25, writes Seerat Sohi of The Ringer.

As Sohi details, Booker was frequently utilized in an off-ball role early in his career, before the arrival of Chris Paul. While the 27-year-old developed as a play-maker during his time with Paul and the team found plenty of success — including making the NBA Finals in 2021 — the team’s offense became increasingly heliocentric. That trend continued in 2023/24 after Paul’s departure, with Booker often playing point guard.

With free agent addition Tyus Jones expected to start at point guard and orchestrate the offense, Booker’s off-ball play will be crucial if the team hopes to make the most of its collective talent, according to Sohi, who says playing off the ball more often could help the 27-year-old defensively as well.

Here’s more on the Suns:

Aside from the financial component, the Suns are waiving Nassir Little because he was unlikely to crack their rotation this season, per Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. Phoenix will use the stretch provision on Little’s contract, reducing his cap hit over the next three seasons while instead paying him about $3.1MM annually over the next seven years. By releasing Little and fellow forward E.J. Liddell, the Suns will only have 14 players on guaranteed contracts, giving them more roster flexibility heading into the season, Bourguet notes.
Will star forward Kevin Durant return to Team USA for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles? That’s obviously too many years away for a definitive answer, but Durant fueled speculation by writing “see yall (sic) in LA” on Twitter. The 14-time All-Star will be nearing his 40th birthday by the time the 2028 Olympic Games roll around.

International Notes: Yurtseven, Petrusev, T. Williams, 2028 Olympics

August 19th, 2024 at 9:31am CST by Arthur Hill

Omer Yurtseven has an agreement in principle to sign with Panathinaikos in Greece, according to Eurohoops, relaying a report from Greek news outlet SDNA. Panathinaikos has reportedly made an official offer for the 26-year-old center, and coach Ergin Ataman has given the club president a “green light” for the signing.

Sources tell Eurohoops that even though Yurtseven has reached an agreement with the team, he has requested a few more days to explore his NBA options before finalizing it. He has spent the past three years in the NBA, playing for Utah last season after two years in Miami. He had a $2.66MM non-guaranteed salary for 2024/25, but the Jazz opted to waive him in July.

Yurtseven started his career in Europe with Fenerbahce before heading to the U.S. to play collegiately with North Carolina State and Georgetown.

There’s more international news to pass along:

Filip Petrusev, who played three combined games with Philadelphia and Sacramento last season, may be returning to Crvena Zvezda, writes Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. Petrusev remains under contract with Olympiacos after signing with the Greek team in November, but the 24-year-old big man is reportedly discussing a return to Belgrade. “We have not reached an agreement, yet. We were in talks,” team president Nebojsa Covic told Serbian television network Prva. “He expressed his desire. We worked on it and are working on it, especially with (Sasha) Vezenkov back.” Olympiacos doesn’t appear willing to part with Petrusev, issuing a statement in response that reads, “Mr. Covic should occupy himself with the players of his team instead of those of Olympiacos.” Petrusev played for Serbia in the Olympics.
Trevion Williams is part of the roster announced by ALBA Berlin for the upcoming season, per Eurohoops. The 23-year-old big man, who played four years at Purdue, was selected by the Suns’ new G League affiliate in the June expansion draft.
Danny Chau of The Ringer looks ahead to the 2028 Olympics, including some international prospects who are likely to make their debuts.

Stein’s Latest: Curry, James, Embiid, Yurtseven, Micic

August 18th, 2024 at 3:51pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Warriors All-NBA point guard Stephen Curry is eligible for a one-season, $62.6MM contract extension prior to October 21. He could also wait until the 2025 offseason to seek a two-year deal worth a projected $130MM, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack story.

Stein notes that, having missed out on Jazz All-Star Lauri Markkanen and Sixers All-Star Paul George, Golden State continues looking for opportunities to upgrade the roster via trade. The Warriors believe they have the current and future assets necessary to do just that.

Last year’s Warriors went 46-36, finishing with just the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference. Golden State failed to make the playoffs after falling to the Kings in the play-in tournament.

Curry, 36, had yet another excellent individual year. The 10-time All-Star averaged 26.4 points on .450/.408/.923 shooting splits, 5.1 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 0.7 steals in 74 games.

Here are some other key notes from Stein’s newest Substack article:

According to Stein, there’s a belief that the Lakers would have “reluctantly” engaged in trade discussions to send All-NBA combo forward LeBron James to the Warriors, so he could join then-future Team USA colleague Curry and friend Draymond Green, if that’s what James had wanted. However, Stein’s sources say that Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, James’ longtime agent, urged both L.A. and Golden State to scrap the idea — in part because Paul didn’t want James to be faced with criticism for jumping teams for a fourth time.
Sixers All-Star center Joel Embiid, fresh off winning his first Olympic gold medal for Team USA this summer, hinted that he might be interested in playing for his native Cameroon during the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. However, as Stein writes, a player over the age of 17 can only change his country affiliation if he receives clearance from FIBA and his previous country (in this case, USA Basketball). Stein is skeptical that Embiid will be permitted to do so.
According to Stein, free agent center Omer Yurtseven was one of several players to recently work out for the Knicks, who opted not to sign him at that time. Greek club Panathinaikos reportedly remains intrigued by the 7-footer. New York lost its 2023/24 starting center, Isaiah Hartenstein, to the Thunder in free agency, and no doubt needs to get creative filling out its frontcourt depth, so Yurtseven would have made sense as a fringe rotation option. Across three NBA seasons with the Heat and Jazz, the big man has appeared in 113 contests (24 starts), averaging 5.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 0.7 steals per night.
Hornets point guard Vasilije Micic is considered a potential down-the-road trade target for the Nuggets, given his close relationship with Nikola Jokic, Stein writes. Micic may not be a practical option for Denver at this point though, given his $7.7MM salary and the team’s proximity to the tax aprons. Acquired midway through his 2023/24 rookie season, the 6’5″ guard averaged 10.8 points and 6.2 assists across 30 games for Charlotte down the stretch.

And-Ones: Wong, NBA Cup, 2028 Olympics

August 18th, 2024 at 1:50pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Free agent combo guard Isaiah Wong is joining the G League United roster for September’s G League Invitational exhibition tournament, the league has announced (Twitter link).

Wong, 23, was selected by the Pacers with the No. 55 pick in last year’s draft, following an All-American run at Miami. The 6’4″ guard agreed to a two-way deal with Indiana, and ultimately appeared in just one game with the Pacers proper, scoring two points in just four minutes of action.

Across 30 regular season games with the Pacers’ NBAGL affiliate, the Indiana Mad Ants, Wong averaged 14.8 points per game on .437/.283/.814 shooting. He also notched 3.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 0.8 steals per contest.

The Invitational, which will feature the G League United playing Serbian club KK Mega Basket, will take place on September 4 and 6.

Here’s more from around the NBA world:

With the schedule officially set for this year’s Emirates NBA Cup, formerly the in-season tournament, Zach Harper of The Athletic supplies an early preview of this year’s six groups, predicting the eight clubs that will advance to the quarterfinal round. In perhaps the biggest surprise projection, Harper thinks the Pelicans will survive West Group C to move on. Group C comprises a murderer’s row of squads, including the 2023 champion Nuggets, the 2024 West champion Mavericks, the revamped Warriors, and the healing Grizzlies.
Assuming 39-year-old LeBron James, 36-year-old Stephen Curry, and perhaps 35-year-old Kevin Durant do not join Team USA for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic speculates as to what the roster will look like — and what its chances will be against a rapidly improving field. Rankin expects at least five 2024 players to be replaced: James, Durant, Curry, and All-Defensive Second Team Celtics guards Derrick White and Jrue Holiday.
In case you missed it, several NBA superstars past and present will partake in a tribute game to one-time All-NBA point guard Goran Dragic, who announced his retirement last December.

Team USA Notes: Curry, LeBron, Durant, Haliburton, Banchero

August 13th, 2024 at 7:27pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Could some of the gold-medal winners from Team USA pair up in the future on an NBA team? Sam Amick of The Athletic explores that topic, noting that superstar-laden teams are sometimes born out of their bonding experiences with USA Basketball.

A LeBron James–Stephen Curry pairing seems unlikely now that LeBron’s son is on the Lakers roster and Curry would like to finish his career with the Warriors. Could Golden State eventually wind up with Durant-Curry reunion or a Devin Booker–Curry backcourt? Suns owner Mat Ishbia has squashed talk of trading his stars but Amick speculates that could change if Phoenix flops in the postseason again.

We have more USA Basketball-related news:

If Kevin Durant wants to play for Team USA in Los Angeles, team officials would like to have him back, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (hat tip to Zach Bachar of Bleacher Report). “I would not rule out KD playing, and I talked with Team USA officials, and they would give him a provisional yes right now,” Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective. Durant has already set the Olympic record with four gold medals in men’s basketball. Durant, who averaged 13.8 points and 3.2 rebounds in Paris off the bench, will be 39 in 2028.
Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton hopes to retain his spot on Team USA in future Olympics, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. He informed managing director Grant Hill that he’d welcome an invite to the Los Angeles Games. “I’ve told Grant — I’ve said it many times — I want to represent USA Basketball for as long as I can,” Haliburton said. He was essentially the 12th man on this year’s squad, averaging 8.8 minutes in three appearances. He was dealing with a minor leg injury during the tournament.
Magic forward Paolo Banchero, a member of USA’s last World Cup team, was under serious consideration for the Paris Olympics, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. He’s a player Hill wants to feature in future Olympics. In the same piece, Vardon speculates which players from this year’s gold medal squad might be back for 2028.

Western Notes: Durant, Holmgren, Williams, Wolves, Grizzlies

August 13th, 2024 at 5:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kevin Durant admits that retirement has crossed his mind, the Suns superstar revealed on the latest episode of TV One’s “Raising Fame” (hat tip to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic).

“As I get older in the league and the league is getting younger, I tend to think about retirement more,” the Suns forward said. “… Should I stop thinking about it? What is that? But it creeps in my mind for sure.”

Durant, 35, remains one of the league’s most productive players — he averaged 27.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game last season. He has also battled his share of injuries in recent years, though he was durable enough to start 75 regular-season games for the Suns in the 2023/24 season. Durant is entering the third year of his four-year, $194.2MM contract.

Durant has been in the league since 2007, when he was the second overall pick of the draft.

We have more from the Western Conference:

With the Olympics still fresh on everyone’s mind, will a couple of Thunder players represent Team USA in 2028? Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman explores that question in his latest mailbag. Lorenzi speculates that Chet Holmgren has a strong chance to be on that 12-man U.S. roster, noting that his skill set translates well to the international game. He’s a shot-blocker and rim protector who stretches out defenses with his range at the offensive end. Jalen Williams could also be in the mix as a combo wing if his game continues to develop as expected.
The Timberwolves and the WNBA’s Lynx have agreed to a multiyear corporate sponsorship deal with Sezzle Inc., which includes a jersey patch sponsorship, according to Nick Williams of the Star Tribune. Terms of the sponsorship deal were not disclosed but those sponsorship deals around the league are expected to average $10MM for the upcoming season. The Wolves, according to Williams, are expected to earn near the average via their sponsorship.
The Grizzlies, who were overwhelmed by injuries to key players last season, didn’t do much this offseason beyond drafting two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey to fill their void in the middle and re-signing Luke Kennard on a one-year deal. They also hired six new assistant coaches. Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal gives the front office high marks for its approach to this offseason.

Lakers Notes: LeBron, Davis, Russell, D. Johnson

August 10th, 2024 at 6:17pm CST by Arthur Hill

The two Lakers who collected gold medals in this year’s Olympics have differing plans for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. LeBron James, who won MVP honors while leading Team USA to a 6-0 record, responded “I can’t see myself playing in L.A.” when reporters asked about the possibility, tweets Marc J. Spears of Andscape. However, Anthony Davis said “I think so,” per Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link).

James’ outlook makes sense considering that he’ll turn 40 later this year and will be 43 when it’s time for the 2028 Olympics. Even after signing a new two-year contract with the Lakers, there’s a good chance he’ll be retired – and possibly part of a team’s ownership group – four years from now.

Davis is only 31 and should have a few more years of high-level basketball left, assuming his body holds up. He played 76 games last season, his highest total in four years, and was able to avoid significant injuries. It’s possible that all three of Team USA’s centers — Davis, Joel Embiid and Bam Adebayo — will return to the team for 2028.

There’s more on the Lakers:

After watching James perform at an elite level during the Olympics, Dan Wolken of USA Today calls out Lakers management for not putting a better team around him. While James has lost some of the athleticism he had at his physical peak, Woken notes that he’s still an exceptional passer who knows how to make the right plays and can drive to the basket as well as anyone when he needs to. Wolken criticizes general manager Rob Pelinka for not making any moves to improve the roster around James and basically wasting the final years of his career.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report suggests a three-team trade that would give the Lakers some additional depth and create a way to sign free agent guard Markelle Fultz. Pincus’ proposal sends D’Angelo Russell, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Cam Reddish and Christian Wood to the Hornets, who would ship Tre Mann and Nick Richards to L.A. and Vasilije Micić to the Jazz. Utah would also receive a 2031 protected first-rounder from the Lakers. L.A. would get trade exceptions worth $13.8MM for Russell and $3MM for Wood, while Charlotte would get a 2025 first-rounder from the Jazz (the second best of the three they own) and a $1.1MM trade exception for Richards. Pincus argues that the move makes the Lakers younger while giving them proven backups at point guard and center. Fultz can add backcourt depth by signing a contract starting at the $5.2MM taxpayer mid-level exception.
The G League South Bay Lakers have parted ways with head coach Dane Johnson, the team announced (via Twitter). Johnson served as the Lakers’ Summer League coach last month in Las Vegas.