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Nuggets Exploring Trading Into Top 10 Of Draft

November 11th, 2020 at 12:22pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets are exploring the possibility of trading up into the top 10 of this year’s draft, two league sources tell Mike Singer of The Denver Post. The team currently holds the No. 22 overall pick.

Moving into the top 10 wouldn’t be easy for the Nuggets, who would likely have to give up some combination of young players and/or future draft picks. A source tells Singer that a deal is probably unlikely, though a handful of lottery selections – including those belonging to the Hawks (No. 6), Wizards (No. 9), and Celtics (No. 14) – are believed to be available.

It’s unclear which prospect the Nuggets would be targeting if they trade up into the top 10 — or if they might simply be looking to acquire a more appealing draft pick to flip in a package for an impact player. Singer contends that Tyrese Haliburton, Isaac Okoro, and Devin Vassell are among the potential top-10 picks who would be fits in Denver.

If the Nuggets don’t make a trade and remain at No. 22, they’re confident they’ll still end up with a player they like, a source tells Singer.

Draft Updates: Ball, Nesmith, Green, Nnaji, Hornets, More

November 11th, 2020 at 11:45am CST by Luke Adams

With one week to go until the 2020 NBA draft, we’re continuing to get conflicting information on LaMelo Ball‘s outlook. Earlier this week, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony said that most front office are operating under the assumption that Ball will be the No. 1 pick. Today, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes that league sources have begun speculating that the Timberwolves have decided to draft Ball, assuming they keep the top selection.

However, there’s still plenty of chatter pointing in another direction. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said this week during an appearance on The Jump (video link) that many of the executives he has spoken to think Ball could slide a little on draft night. Jeremy Woo of SI.com has heard similar whispers, writing that there’s an increasing belief that Ball could fall into the 4-6 range of the draft.

As we wait to see which reports pan out, here are several more draft-related updates:

Vanderbilt sharpshooter Aaron Nesmith told reporters today that he has worked out for the Pelicans, Suns, Spurs, Heat, and Pistons so far, and has a workout lined up with the Celtics (Twitter link via Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington). Nesmith is considered likely to be drafted in the back half of the lottery.
Arizona guard Josh Green has worked out for the Nuggets, while his college teammate Zeke Nnaji has had workouts for the Nuggets, Clippers, and Jazz, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Green’s workout with Utah and Nnaji’s workout with Miami – both mentioned by Rankin – were previously reported.
Count K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link) among those hearing more and more talk around the NBA linking the Hornets to Onyeka Okongwu. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer previously reported that Charlotte is eyeing Okongwu, but ESPN said the team hasn’t seriously considered picking any prospects outside the top tier of Ball, James Wiseman, and Anthony Edwards.
ESPN draft experts Jonathan Givony, Mike Schmitz, and Kevin Pelton share their mock draft detailing which player each team in the first round should pick.

Hawks’ No. 6 Pick Drawing Interest From Wolves, Pelicans, Celtics

November 11th, 2020 at 10:21am CST by Luke Adams

While the Timberwolves’ and Warriors’ attempts to move down from the top two spots in the 2020 NBA draft have dominated headlines, there are other clubs in the top half of the lottery with interest in trading down. The Hawks are one of those teams, and they’ve generated some interest in the No. 6 overall pick, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, who reports (via Twitter) that the Timberwolves, Pelicans, and Celtics are among the teams exploring a deal.

Sources tell O’Connor that Minnesota is attempting to acquire a second lottery pick in addition to the No. 1 selection and have had talks with Atlanta about the No. 6 pick. If the Wolves attempt to move up, a deal could include the No. 17 selection and Jarrett Culver, says O’Connor.

This isn’t the first time Culver’s name has popped up in trade rumors. Zach Lowe of ESPN said last week that he believes Minnesota would only move the 2019 first-rounder in a deal for a star or for a high draft pick that would help the Wolves acquire a star. It’s not clear whether the No. 6 pick would fit that bill.

The Pelicans (No. 13) and Celtics (No. 14) currently hold the last two picks in the lottery. We’ve heard previously that Boston has explored the possibility of moving up into the middle of the lottery, dangling the No. 26 and No. 30 picks as a sweetener.

As for which prospects those teams might be targeting at No. 6, O’Connor hears from sources that Florida State’s Patrick Williams is one primary target. Williams has been frequently linked to the Pistons at No. 7, so any other team that wants him may have to move ahead of Detroit to secure his draft rights.

According to O’Connor, the Wolves are also high on Iowa State guard Tyrese Haliburton. John Hollinger of The Athletic conveyed a similar sentiment on Tuesday, writing that he could see the Wolves taking Haliburton over Anthony Edwards if they trade down from No. 1.

Tommy Heinsohn Passes Away At Age 86

November 10th, 2020 at 1:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Tommy Heinsohn, a Hall-of-Famer who has been part of the NBA and involved with the Celtics for more than six decades, has died, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. He was 86 years old.

A power forward as an NBA player, Heinsohn was a member of the Celtics’ roster from 1956 through 1965, winning eight titles and making six All-Star teams during that time while posting career averages of 18.6 PPG and 8.8 RPG in 654 games. He was also named the league’s Rookie of the Year in 1957 and helped form the National Basketball Players Association. The franchise retired his jersey (No. 15) after he hung up his sneakers.

Heinsohn later served as the head coach in Boston from 1969 to 1978, leading the Celtics to two more titles during that time and earning NBA Coach of the Year honors in 1973.

For the last four decades, Heinsohn has been a commentator for Celtics games, serving as a play-by-play man, color analyst, and in-studio analyst over the years. He established himself as one of the most recognizable local personalities in the NBA during that time.

“This is a devastating loss,” Wyc Grousbeck and the Celtics’ ownership group said today in a statement. “Tommy was the ultimate Celtic. For the past 18 years, our ownership group has relied hugely on Tommy’s advice and insights and have reveled in his hundreds of stories about Red Auerbach, Bill Russell, and how the Celtics became a dynasty. He will be remembered forever.”

Our condolences go out to Heinsohn’s friends and family.

NBA, NBPA Agree To Amended CBA; Free Agency To Begin Nov. 20

November 10th, 2020 at 5:09am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association have reached an agreement on an amended Collective Bargaining Agreement in advance of the 2020/21 league year, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim Bontemps. The league and union issued a press release confirming the news.

As a result of the agreement, free agency will begin on 6:00 pm eastern time on Friday, November 20, less than 48 hours after the November 18 draft. After a brief moratorium, signings will officially be permitted starting on Sunday, November 22 at 12:01 pm.

Here are several of the other highlights of the new deal:

As expected, the regular season will begin on December 22 and there will be a 72-game schedule. The full schedule will be released at a later date.
The salary cap will once again be $109,140,000 and the luxury tax line will be $132,627,000. Those are the same numbers as in 2019/20. As a result, figures like minimum and maximum salaries and mid-level/bi-annual amounts will remain the same.
The NBA will reduce the luxury tax bill of taxpaying teams at the end of 2020/21 season by the percentage amount that the league’s Basketball Related Income falls short of its initial projections. For instance, a 30% decline in BRI would result in a 30% reduction of a taxpayer’s bill — say, from $10MM to $7MM. This should benefit projected taxpayers such as the Warriors, Nets, Celtics, and Sixers, among others.
The cap will increase by a minimum of 3% per year and a maximum of 10% per year through the rest of the current CBA. For 2021/22, that means the cap will be at least $112,414,200, and could be as high as $120,054,000.
The standard 10% of player salaries will continue to be held in escrow for the time being. Any necessary salary reductions will be spread out over next season and the following two seasons, but players can never have more than 20% of their salaries withheld in a single season.

The NBA’s transaction freeze remains in place for now, but the expectation is that it will be lifted early next week, perhaps two or three days before the November 18 draft, according to Bontemps and Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Once that freeze ends, teams will be permitted to formally finalize trades and other roster moves.

The league is also expected to soon announce new dates and deadlines for player/team option decisions, certain salary guarantees, qualifying offer decisions, and the expiration of trade exceptions.

Givony’s Latest: Ball, Edwards, Hornets, Williams, More

November 9th, 2020 at 9:44am CST by Luke Adams

Barring a surprise trade that shakes up the top of the draft, LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, and James Wiseman still look like the three players who will come off the board first on November 18, writes Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Insider link). Givony, who has had conversations with multiple team executives, scouts, and agents, says most teams’ front offices are operating under the assumption that Ball will be the No. 1 pick.

Of course, it remains to be seen whether the Timberwolves will be the team making and keeping that top pick in the 2020 draft. According to Givony, executives view the Bulls, Pistons, and Thunder as some of the most realistic candidates to trade up to No. 1 for Ball. Oklahoma City has the No. 25 pick, which would make trading up more difficult, but the Thunder do have a massive collection of future first-rounders they could dangle if they’re genuinely interested in moving up.

Here are several more draft-related tidbits from Givony’s latest roundup:

According to Givony, some front offices were underwhelmed by Edwards’ Pro Day performance. Tyrese Maxey, who was in great shape and shot the ball very well, may have made Edwards look a little worse by comparison, some executives told ESPN.
Despite reports that they’re eyeing Onyeka Okongwu, the Hornets haven’t seriously considered picking any prospects outside the top tier of Ball, Wiseman, and Edwards, sources tell Givony.
After the top three, the next tier of prospects is made up of Deni Avdija, Obi Toppin, Isaac Okoro, Tyrese Haliburton, Patrick Williams, and Okongwu, according to Givony, who says those players all seem likely to be selected in the 4-9 range. Givony adds that Williams has boosted his stock in recent months and is receiving consideration as high as No. 4. Givony also confirms that the Pistons have legit interest in Williams at No. 7, which was previously reported.
Picks belonging to the Kings (No. 12), Celtics (14), Timberwolves (17), Mavericks (18), Nets (19), and Heat (20) have popped up frequently in recent trade talks, sources tell ESPN.
Upperclassmen like Malachi Flynn, Desmond Bane, Jordan Nwora, and Xavier Tillman are candidates to come off the board late in the first round, since contending teams with late first-round picks may be prioritizing “plug-and-play” prospects who will be best equipped to handle the quick turnaround between the draft and the start of the NBA season, says Givony.

Lakers Expected To Target Serge Ibaka

November 8th, 2020 at 4:45pm CST by JD Shaw

The Lakers are expected to target veteran forward Serge Ibaka in free agency this year, Sean Deveney of Heavy.com reports, citing league executives.

Ibaka, 31, averaged 15.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 27 minutes per game for the Raptors last season, proving his worth as a frontcourt option off the bench or as a starter. He holds 11 seasons of NBA experience, making stops with Oklahoma City and Orlando before reaching Toronto via trade in 2017.

Deveney suggests that the Raptors are still probably the favorites to sign Ibaka this fall, but that the big man may be willing to leave for a chance to compete for a championship elsewhere. The Celtics, Clippers, Heat, Mavericks, and Trail Blazers are among the other clubs expected to have interest, per Deveney, though the defending champions could probably give Ibaka the best chance to play for a title.

“From a personnel standpoint, he is exactly the kind of combo big guy that team (the Lakers) needs,” one general manager said. “They have had interest in him before and they will again. When he is healthy he is an excellent spot starter at the 5 (center) and the 4 (power forward). He is as good a bench big guy as there is in the league. He was a really credible 3-point threat last year. If he is willing to accept what the Lakers can afford to give him, I know they would want him.”

The Lakers own a mid-level exception worth $9.3MM, though it’s unclear whether the team prefers to spend it on one player or split it among multiple free agents. L.A. is coming off its first title since 2010 and has several players set to reach free agency, including Dwight Howard and Markieff Morris.

Anthony Davis ($28.75MM), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($8.49MM), Avery Bradley ($5MM), JaVale McGee ($4.2MM) and Rajon Rondo ($2.69MM) also have player options, with Davis expected to re-sign after opting out and Rondo and Caldwell-Pope both likely to decline their options.

The NBA plans to start free agency shortly after the Nov. 18 draft, though exact details remain unknown.

Precious Achiuwa Working Out For Celtics

November 6th, 2020 at 12:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Memphis big man Precious Achiuwa worked out for the Wizards earlier this week and is working out for the Celtics on Friday, according to Adam Zagoria of Forbes (Twitter link). Achiuwa is the 12th overall prospect on ESPN’s big board, so both Washington at No. 9 and Boston at No. 14 could in play for him.

Celtics Considering Many Avenues With Draft Picks

November 5th, 2020 at 3:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Lowe confirms the Celtics have explored using their three first-round picks to trade up in the draft, but says Boston is considering a number of options with those picks, including trying to trade for a “solid veteran.” Since so many teams are in win-now mode, there aren’t many of those players available, according to Lowe, who says that Larry Nance Jr. and Dennis Schröder are among the players who could be under-the-radar targets for teams looking to upgrade their rotations.

[SOURCE LINK]

Atlantic Notes: Celtics’ Draft, Raptors’ Offseason, Nets

November 4th, 2020 at 7:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics may want to move up in the draft, but getting a deal done won’t be easy, writes Tom Westerholm of MassLive. Other teams recognize Boston’s urgency to turn the 14th, 26th and 30th picks into a higher selection, which means president of basketball operations Danny Ainge might have to attach a significant asset to entice a trading partner.

Westerholm states that Tremont Waters, Carsen Edwards or Romeo Langford probably won’t be enough, and teams are more likely to ask for Grant Williams or Robert Williams, whom the Celtics would prefer to hold onto. Instead of moving up in the lottery, Boston may opt to keep the 14th choice and try to package No. 26 and No. 30 for a selection in the middle of the first round. They could also opt to use those two picks on draft-and-stash players who wouldn’t be on the roster next season.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Aaron Nesmith of Vanderbilt is the betting favorite to be the Celtics‘ selection if they keep the No. 14 pick, according to Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports Boston. Nesmith, ranked 13th on ESPN’s list of the top 100 prospects, is listed as +550 and is followed by Patrick Williams of Florida State and Saddiq Bey of Villanova, both at +600.
Eric Koreen of The Athletic tries to build the perfect offseason for the Raptors, which includes re-signing free agents Fred VanVleet, Serge Ibaka, Chris Boucher and Oshae Brissett. Also in Koreen’s scenario, Toronto lures Harry Giles away from the Kings at $4.2MM for one season with a player option for 2021/22, and drafts Malachi Flynn and Paul Eboua. In a potentially significant move for the future, Koreen has Giannis Antetokounmpo turning down a super-max offer from the Bucks.
John Abbamondi, the new CEO of BSE Global, the Nets‘ parent company, relies on his military training to succeed in the business world, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. A former Navy pilot, Abbamondi is looking forward to the upcoming season. “We have a really exciting season coming up,” he said. “We’re thrilled with the coaching staff (Steve Nash) has put together, excited to see (Kevin Durant) and (Kyrie Irving) on the court together, and there’s a whole bunch of talented players on this roster. There’s a lot to look forward to. We do hope to have fans back in the building at some point, although we have to be realistic: Everybody’s safety and health comes first.”