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Atlantic Notes: Nets, Giannis, Hart, Harden

September 23rd, 2023 at 9:38pm CST by Arthur Hill

For the first time in years, the Nets will report to training camp without a superstar on their roster, but they have plenty of assets ready for when the next one becomes available, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn is in a transition phase after shipping out Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in separate deals last February. Those trades gave the team a foundation built around Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson, along with a parcel of draft assets that can match any team in the league.

The Nets have seven tradable first-round picks through 2030, along with four others that could be involved in swaps. They own unprotected firsts from the Suns in 2027 and 2029 and one from the Mavericks in 2029. Lewis points out that those picks could greatly increase in value as the core in Phoenix becomes older and especially if Irving and Luka Doncic eventually decide to leave Dallas.

Lewis doesn’t expect Brooklyn to use any of its assets to chase players who are currently on the market such as Damian Lillard, Tyler Herro or James Harden. The front office wants to be fully stocked in case a major star such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Donovan Mitchell or Doncic eventually becomes available.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • The Knicks risk missing out on other opportunities if they decide to wait for the possibility of an Antetokounmpo trade, Ian Begley of SNY.tv states in a mailbag column. He points to Raptors forward OG Anunoby as an example of a useful talent who might be available through trade, but New York can’t make a bid for him if the front office is determined to preserve its assets for a run at Antetokounmpo. Begley also notes that Antetokounmpo could ultimately decide to stay in Milwaukee or force his way to another team.
  • The Knicks appear to have Josh Hart penciled in as their backup power forward, Begley adds. New York hasn’t signed anyone to replace Obi Toppin after trading him to Indiana, and using Hart in that role could open up playing time for free agent addition Ryan Arcidiacono.
  • The attention being focused on a potential Lillard deal is holding up any progress the Sixers could be making on a Harden trade, Derek Bodner states on the latest PHLY Sports podcast. Philadelphia talked to the Trail Blazers about a Lillard deal this summer, Kyle Neubeck adds, but he cautions that doesn’t mean the teams were ever close to a deal.
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Jazz, Bulls, Hornets, Nets Interested In Tyler Herro

September 22nd, 2023 at 9:44pm CST by Rory Maher

Add the Jazz to the list of teams that could be involved on the periphery of a Damian Lillard trade, writes Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

In particular, if the Trail Blazers eventually trade Lillard to the Heat, the Jazz, Bulls, Hornets and Nets are all thought to be interested in acquiring Tyler Herro in a multi-team trade, sources tell Fischer. Portland is reportedly unenthusiastic about Herro, in part because the team already has a trio of young guards in Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe and Anfernee Simons.

League personnel also expect the Blazers to ask the Heat for Jaime Jaquez in a possible deal, according to Fischer. A small forward out of UCLA, Jaquez was selected 18th overall by Miami in June’s draft.

Brooklyn has long been considered a team with a level of interest in Herro. The other three teams are new possible landing spots for the 23-year-old, however, from what we’ve seen reported in recent months.

Trade talks for Lillard have picked up steam ahead of training camp, though a deal isn’t considered imminent. The Bulls and Raptors are reportedly among Lillard’s other suitors, despite the veteran guard making it clear (via his agent) that he wants to land in Miami.

Multiple sources tell Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports that the Pacers are another team that could potentially help facilitate a Lillard trade, along with the Suns.

Indiana is looking to move Buddy Hield after extension talks fizzled. It’s unclear where Hield would be headed in that scenario — or if he’d even be involved. Dallas, Philadelphia and Milwaukee are rumored to be interested in the veteran sharpshooter.

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Atlantic Notes: Oubre, Long Island Nets, Raptors, Maker

September 21st, 2023 at 10:43pm CST by Tristan Tucker

It took a while for Kelly Oubre to find a home in free agency, but he eventually landed with the Sixers. The Athletic’s John Hollinger explores what the Oubre signing means for Philadelphia and how he fits into the rotation.

According to Hollinger, Oubre was hoping to cash in after averaging over 20 points per game with the Hornets, but that didn’t happen and he wound up taking his time in free agency so he could sign with a club with available minutes on the wing. Still, his scoring abilities could be crucial for a Philadelphia team looking for more offensive threats. As Hollinger notes, Boston largely ignored P.J. Tucker on that end of the court in the playoffs, so Oubre could help remedy those woes.

Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports also breaks down the Oubre signing, suggesting that Oubre instantly becomes one of the only true wings on the roster, joining Danuel House. Philadelphia was in need of someone with the confidence to take shots like Oubre has, Neubeck adds.

However, Neubeck argues that Oubre has his fair share of weaknesses that Philadelphia will need to work around, namely his play-making ability and his efficiency from downtown. All in all, the signing for the veteran’s minimum is a low-risk, high-reward situation, Neubeck says, and he’ll either become a valued rotation piece or can simply hit free agency again next year. Hollinger notes that the Sixers with Oubre will have 16 players on standard contracts and any one of Danny Green, Filip Petrusev or Montrezl Harrell could be on the way out due to either partial or non-guarantees (Green, Petrusev) or injury (Harrell).

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

  • The Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s G League affiliate, acquired the returning player rights to Troy Baxter Jr. from the Indiana Mad Ants in exchange for the returning player rights to Thon Maker, according to a team release. Baxter played for several G League teams in 2021/22, averaging 4.6 points and then played the ’22/23 season overseas. Maker spent 22 games with Long Island last season and averaged 7.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks. As we’ve noted before, G League trades before NBA training camps sometimes indicate those players signing Exhibit 10 deals with that G League team’s parent club. Another important note is that these deals don’t necessarily mean these players will suit up with these teams, but the Nets and Pacers now hold the G League rights to Baxter and Maker, respectively, if they choose to play in the league.
  • The Raptors 905, Toronto’s affiliate, acquired Thon Maker‘s cousin, Makur Maker, in a separate G League trade on Wednesday, tweets Sportsnet’s Blake Murphy. The Raptors 905 sent out Ryan Hawkins and a future first-round pick to the Capital City Go-Go, Washington’s affiliate, in the trade. Maker averaged 6.8 points and 5.2 rebounds in 44 regular season and Showcase Cup games last year with the Go-Go while Hawkins put up 5.0 PPG in 49 games with the Raptors 905.
  • Raptors fans seem split on the team’s outlook for the upcoming season, according to the results of a poll conducted by The Athletic’s Eric Koreen. Koreen’s poll features several questions, including opinions on players and coaches. 84.3% of the 1,061 respondents said that the Raptors were right to fire Nick Nurse after last season, and 56.4% of 1,064 respondents said they wanted to see a new offensive scheme the most from the new staff. The full results of the poll can be found here.
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Pre-Camp Roster Snapshot: Atlantic Division

September 21st, 2023 at 8:01am CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is in the process of 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 right now, 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 continuing our pre-camp Roster Snapshot series today with the Atlantic Division. Let’s dive in…

Boston Celtics

No team has fewer players on guaranteed contracts than the Celtics, but Boston doesn’t necessarily need to make any more roster additions. Simply hanging onto Banton, Mykhailiuk, and Kornet to start the season would give the club a 14-man roster and an open 15-man slot to maximize flexibility.

If the Celtics have any doubts about Banton and Mykhailiuk, they’ll probably want to make a decision on them by opening night — both players will have their partial guarantees increase to $1MM+ if they’re not waived before the start of the regular season.

Brooklyn Nets

At this point, the Nets seem likely to let Bazley, Watford, and Giles – three frontcourt players – vie for the two openings on the 15-man roster to start the season. Hall, Sykes, and Gardner figure to end up in the G League with Long Island, but if one of them (or another camp invitee) impresses in camp, he could have his contract converted into a two-way deal.

Giles remains eligible for a two-way contract despite having four years of NBA experience, since he missed a full season due to an injury. But his Exhibit 9 contract can’t be directly converted into a two-way deal, so the Nets would have to waive him and re-sign him if they want him to fill their final two-way slot.

New York Knicks

The Knicks have the flexibility to add another free agent or two on a guaranteed contract, but have shown no urgency to do so and may end up starting the season with two or three players on non-guaranteed salaries filling out the back of the roster.

Jeffries, Roby, Arcidiacono, and Washington are in the mix for those spots. I wouldn’t bet against Arcidiacono, who made the Knicks’ regular season roster despite being being on a non-guaranteed deal in both 2021 and 2022.

Philadelphia 76ers

With Harden’s trade request still pending, the Sixers’ roster could look quite different in a month than it does now. On the other hand, there’s no indication that the Harden trade talks have been all that active lately, so perhaps he’ll remain in Philadelphia for the foreseeable future.

If the roster doesn’t undergo additional changes, the 76ers will have to decide who the odd man out on the 15-man roster is. The team is signing Oubre to join a group of 13 players on guaranteed contracts, plus Petrusev and Green. There would be room for both Petrusev and Green if Philadelphia decides to trade or release one of the players who has a guaranteed deal — Harrell, who is expected to be out all season with an ACL tear, would be a prime candidate.

Toronto Raptors

Dowtin played well for the Raptors down the stretch in a backup point guard role last season, but could be on the outside looking in this fall, given that the team is carrying 15 players on guaranteed salaries.

If Dowtin shows in camp and the preseason that he deserves a place on the 15-man roster, it may not bode well for one of the veterans on an expiring contract who’s not necessarily assured of a rotation role — Flynn, Temple, Young, and Porter could all fall into that group.

Previously:

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Nets Sign Jordan Hall, Keifer Sykes

September 20th, 2023 at 12:40pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have signed a pair of free agent guards, the team announced today, adding Jordan Hall and Keifer Sykes to their 21-man offseason roster. Brooklyn now has 20 players under contract, leaving one roster spot open.

Hall, 21, signed a two-way contract with the Spurs last summer after going undrafted out of St. Joseph’s. He was waived during the first week of the regular season, then was brought back on a non-guaranteed contract about a week later before being cut again at the end of November.

Although Hall appeared in nine games for San Antonio, he spent most of his rookie season in the G League, averaging 10.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 29.5 minutes per game across 38 appearances for the Austin Spurs. He posted a shooting line of .357/.363/.750.

Sykes, 29, played in 32 games for the Pacers in 2021/22 but has spent the majority of his professional career since 2015 playing in international leagues or in the G League. In 33 regular season and Showcase Cup contests last season for the Motor City Cruise, he averaged 15.0 points, 7.8 assists, and 3.7 rebounds in 30.8 minutes per night, on .422/.279/.842 shooting.

As Brian Lewis of The New York Post tweets, Hall and Sykes will likely end up with the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s G League affiliate. Long Island acquired the returning rights to both players in NBAGL trades in recent weeks.

Assuming they both signed Exhibit 10 contracts, Hall and Sykes will be eligible to receive bonuses worth up to $75K if they’re waived by Brooklyn and then spend at least 60 days with Long Island.

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New York Notes: Dolan, Knicks, Rose, Simmons, Nets

September 20th, 2023 at 11:56am CST by Luke Adams

Ahead of the opening of James Dolan‘s new Las Vegas arena, the Sphere, Katherine Rosman of The New York Times has published an in-depth feature on the Knicks owner which digs into his adversarial relationship with certain portions of the fanbase.

As he explains within the story, Dolan would support ejecting a fan at Madison Square Garden who was simply holding up a sign urging him to sell the team, but wouldn’t eject the same fan if he were aiming his criticism at the team itself. His logic is that the former is “directed at, on a personal basis, the guy who’s in charge — me,” whereas criticism of the team is aimed at a group.

“If you held up a sign that says, you know, ‘Play better, this team sucks,’ you can do that. That’s part of being a fan,” Dolan said.

Interestingly, in discussing why he decided to spend big money to build the Sphere – a lavish entertainment venue – Dolan said that he initially considered expanding his sports portfolio by buying a franchise in another sport, perhaps baseball or soccer. However, while the Knicks and the NHL’s Rangers are “near and dear” to his heart, he referred to the economics of major league sports as “kind of sleepy,” adding, “I don’t really like owning teams.”

Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York-based franchises:

  • Making a rare public comment within Rosman’s New York Times feature, Knicks president of basketball operations Leon Rose said that Dolan is invested in the front office’s decisions but doesn’t meddle in those decisions himself. “He places a lot of faith and trust in our basketball operations,” Rose said.
  • Speaking to Tina Cervasio of FOX5, Nets guard Ben Simmons said he feels a responsibility to regain his All-Star form now that he’s feeling fully healthy following back surgery. “I owe it to everybody, the fans and everybody, to get back to where I need to be,” Simmons said, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “That’s what I did this summer to get back.” The former No. 1 overall pick previously expressed confidence about his chances of having a bounce-back season.
  • After opening training camp in Brooklyn from October 3-6, the Nets will move to the UNLV campus for Oct. 7-8, the team announced on Tuesday (story via NetsDaily). Wrapping up training camp in Las Vegas will allow the Nets to avoid traveling for their first preseason game, which will be played at T-Mobile Arena in Vegas on Oct. 9 vs. the Lakers.
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Bucks Notes: Title Window, Payne, G League Moves

September 19th, 2023 at 3:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Having re-signed Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez this summer, the Bucks appear to have extended their championship window through at least the 2024/25 season, Eric Nehm of The Athletic writes in a mailbag. Nehm views Milwaukee as one of “only a handful of teams” that have the pieces necessary to win a title in the short term.

However, the future of the Bucks’ roster beyond the 2025 offseason is very much up in the air. Lopez’s contract will expire that summer, while Middleton, Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton, and – most importantly – Giannis Antetokounmpo will all be able to opt out of their deals to reach the open market as well. Jrue Holiday has a player option for 2024/25, so he could hit free agency even earlier.

While they’re well over the luxury tax line this season, the Bucks don’t yet have any guaranteed money on their books for 2025/26. So depending on how the next two years play out, it’s possible they’ll be in position to revamp their roster at that point — or potentially sooner. In that scenario, the big question is whether the team would be revamping its roster around Antetokounmpo or whether it would be the start of the post-Giannis era in Milwaukee.

Here’s more on the Bucks:

  • Van Fayaz of BrewHoop.com views free agent point guard Cameron Payne as a good fit for the Bucks’ roster, but acknowledges that it’s not a perfect match, since the club wouldn’t be able to offer Payne more than the veteran’s minimum and already has 15 players on guaranteed contracts on its books.
  • The Wisconsin Herd – Milwaukee’s G League affiliate – has promoted Arte Culver to general manager, according to the team (Twitter link). Culver joined the Herd as the director of basketball operations in 2019 and was elevated to assistant GM in 2021.
  • As we noted earlier today, the Wisconsin Herd also announced (via Twitter) that they’ve traded Jontay Porter‘s returning rights to the Motor City Cruise. In exchange, the Bucks’ affiliate received the returning rights to guard Kyler Edwards and center Jaime Echenique. The Herd immediately flipped Edwards to the Long Island Nets in exchange for the returning rights to guard Bryce Brown and Long Island’s 2023 first-round pick.
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Nets Notes: Simmons, Sykes, Claxton

September 18th, 2023 at 9:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Ben Simmons made some interesting comments about his current teammates and perhaps took a veiled swipe at former ones during an interview with FOX5’s Tina Cervasio (hat tip to NetsDaily.com).

Simmons indicated that he’s looking forward to blending in with “team-first” players. He was asked about what excites him about playing with Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson and his other teammates.

“Just playing with guys who are just easy to play with, that just have one goal and that’s to win. I don’t think guys have too many individual goals. I think the team is going to come first,” he said.

He also acknowledged he needs to do his share after appearing in just 42 games since he was acquired from Philadelphia during the 2021/22 season.

“I owe it to everybody, the fans and everybody, to get back to where I need to be. That’s what I did this summer — to get back,” he said.

We have more on the Nets:

  • The Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s NBA G League affiliate, made a roster move on Monday, according to the G League club (Twitter link). They acquired the returning player rights to guard Keifer Sykes from the Motor City Cruise, the Pistons’ affiliate, in exchange for the returning player rights to Treveon Graham and a first-round pick in the 2024 NBA G League draft. Sykes appeared in 33 games for the Cruise last season and averaged 15.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game while shooting 42.4% from the field. Sykes played 32 games, including 11 starts, for the Pacers during the 2021/22 season. He could add backcourt depth if injuries strike and the Nets open up a roster spot.
  • In another NetsDaily.com story, Lucas Kaplan and Ben Pfeifer share a film breakdown of Nic Claxton, examining his growth and what he could bring to the team for the future. Kapan believes Claxton can develop into a very good offensive player as the young big man heads toward unrestricted free agency next summer. He won’t become extension-eligible before reaching the open market.
  • Steve Kerr was impressed by the maturity of Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson during the World Cup. Get the details here.
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Eastern Notes: Turner, Richardson, Bulls, Nets

September 17th, 2023 at 5:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Myles Turner was selected by the Pacers with the No. 11 overall pick in 2015. Turner revealed that he expected to go much higher in the lottery, Tidal League tweets.

“I thought I was going number 5 to Orlando. … I’m at the table in the green room. ‘With the number 5 pick the Orlando Magic select Mario Hezonja.’ I’m like, ‘Who the (expletive) is this?'” Turner said, adding that it was a “blessing in disguise” when he ended up going to Indiana at No. 11.

We have more notes from the Eastern Conference:

  • Josh Richardson joined the Heat in 2015 after playing four seasons at Tennessee, making him a polished, ready-for-prime-time player.  Entering his second stint with the franchise, Richardson continues to play with an intelligent, measured style that has aged well, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel opines. Richardson rejoined Miami as a free agent on a two-year contract.
  • The Bulls remain outside the top six in the Eastern Conference’s pecking order, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times. They are not a serious threat as currently constructed, though all the teams above them are flawed, Cowley writes. The Bucks and Celtics take the top two spots in Cowley’s rankings.
  • The Nets earned a B-minus for their offseason moves, according to NetsDaily.com. The team’s two biggest question marks remain unanswered — namely, do they have enough scoring and can they improve their rebounding?
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Atlantic Notes: Bridges, Simmons, Powell, Uzoh

September 16th, 2023 at 9:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mikal Bridges‘ performance in the World Cup should confirm the Nets’ confidence that he can be their team leader, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

Bridges already had a major breakthrough after being acquired in the Kevin Durant trade in February, increasing his scoring average from 17.2 PPG in 56 games with Phoenix to 26.1 in 27 games with Brooklyn. He also proved to be effective in international basketball, finishing as Team USA’s second-leading scorer behind Anthony Edwards. Lewis points out that Bridges had the best efficiency rating on the team as a result of his shooting percentages (63.3% from the floor and 55.6% from behind the arc) and his contributions on defense.

U.S. coach Steve Kerr was impressed by what Bridges and Nets teammate Cameron Johnson were able to bring to the team.

“I already knew what kind of players they were from coaching against them,” Kerr said. “But they’re so mature: There’s a calming sense from both guys. And they’re also modern-day basketball players: shoot the three, guard multiple positions, long athletically. They’re huge components to this team.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • The Nets will be one of the teams least affected by the NBA’s new Player Participation Policy, Lewis adds. The regulations put restrictions on the amount of rest permissible for star players, but the only Net who currently qualifies is Ben Simmons, who has been dealing with legitimate injuries ever since arriving in Brooklyn. Lewis notes that Bridges could eventually join Simmons if he becomes an All-Star this season, but he hasn’t missed a game in his NBA career.
  • In an interview with Fix Media Network (video link) Clippers guard Norman Powell said it’s much easier to go out in public in Los Angeles without being recognized than it was when he played for the Raptors (hat tip to Fan Nation). “The support is crazy,” Powell said of playing in Canada. “It’s so bad, and it’s one thing that I do like now that I’m in L.A., because no matter where you’re at, eyes are on you in Canada. You can’t even go to restaurants, you can’t go to the mall, like you can’t walk down the street. … Don’t go to Vancouver or somewhere where they don’t have the Raptors, you’re getting mobbed, it doesn’t matter.”
  • Ben Uzoh, who briefly played for the Raptors in 2012, has joined the organization as a scout, tweets Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca.
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