Community Shootaround

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround: Hornets’ Offseason

August 20th, 2023 at 7:08pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Hornets had a 27-55 record last season, 16 fewer victories than the previous season, but they’ve been relatively quiet this summer.

Perhaps the biggest news to come out of Charlotte this offseason was Michael Jordan’s decision to sell his majority stake in the team. The roster looks much like it did at the end of last year.

The most significant developments were signing LaMelo Ball to a five-year max extension and getting the No. 2 pick in the draft. The Hornets used the No. 2 selection on Brandon Miller, who will likely jump right into the starting lineup at one of the forward spots.

Miles Bridges, who missed all of last season due to legal issues, accepted his qualifying offer as he tries to rebuild his value en route to becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer. Bridges and Miller could form the starting forward duo, though Gordon Hayward and P.J. Washington may have something to say about that. Shoulder, hamstring and ankle injuries limited Hayward to 50 games last season but he started every game he was in uniform.

Washington remains a restricted free agent, though it appears the most likely outcome is that he also accepts his qualifying offer or works out a new deal with the Hornets.

Terry Rozier and Cody Martin — limited to seven games last season due to knee issues — are 1-2 on the depth chart at shooting guard, though Bridges could see some time there. Everything revolves around Ball and the Hornets will be much more dangerous if he can stay on the court. The star point guard was limited to 36 games last season. Nick Smith Jr, the team’s other first-round pick, could emerge as his backup.

That leads us to today’s topic: What do you think of the Hornets’ offseason? With the return of Bridges and the addition of No. 2 overall pick Miller, are they a playoff team this upcoming season? Or are they destined for another trip to the lottery?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Community Shootaround: Best, Worst Offseason FA Signings

August 19th, 2023 at 1:24pm CST by Luke Adams

After getting your thoughts on Friday on the best and worst trades of the NBA offseason, we’re shifting our focus today to the best and worst of this summer’s free agent signings.

While 14 free agents signed contract worth at least $50MM in total base salary this offseason, only one – point guard Fred VanVleet – received a maximum-salary contract. And VanVleet’s deal with the Rockets only includes two guaranteed years. He’ll make about $83.7MM in guaranteed money before Houston has to decide on a $44.9MM team option in 2025/26.

Here are the 13 other deals worth more than $50MM:

Jerami Grant (Trail Blazers): Five years, $160MM. Includes a fifth-year player option.
Kyrie Irving (Mavericks): Three years, $120MM. Includes a third-year player option and an additional $6MM in unlikely incentives.
Draymond Green (Warriors): Four years, $100MM. Includes a fourth-year player option.
Khris Middleton (Bucks): Three years, $95MM. Includes a third-year player option and an additional $7MM in unlikely incentives.
Cameron Johnson (Nets): Four years, $94.5MM. Includes an additional $13.5MM in unlikely incentives.
Kyle Kuzma (Wizards): Four years, $90MM. Includes an additional $12.2MM in unlikely incentives.
Dillon Brooks (Rockets): Four years, $86MM. Includes an additional $4MM in unlikely incentives.
Jakob Poeltl (Raptors): Four years, $78MM. Includes an additional $2MM in unlikely incentives.
Max Strus (Cavaliers): Four years, $62.3MM.
Herbert Jones (Pelicans): Four years, $53.8MM.
Austin Reaves (Lakers): Four years, $53.8MM. Includes a fourth-year player option.
Rui Hachimura (Lakers): Four years, $51MM.

While big-money contracts have the most potential to pay off or backfire in a major way, there were several notable deals signed below that threshold, as our tracker shows.

Brook Lopez (Bucks), Donte DiVincenzo (Knicks), Coby White (Bulls), Matisse Thybulle (Trail Blazers), Gabe Vincent (Lakers), Caris LeVert (Cavaliers), and Dennis Schröder (Raptors) were among the players who received eight-figure annual salaries and at least two guaranteed years.

Bruce Brown (Pacers) received a massive $22MM salary for 2023/24, but it’s his only guaranteed seasons — his $23MM cap hit for the following year is a team option.

Ayo Dosunmu (Bulls), Jevon Carter (Bulls), Reggie Jackson (Nuggets), Shake Milton (Timberwolves), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Timberwolves), Jalen McDaniels (Raptors), Russell Westbrook (Clippers), and Mason Plumlee (Clippers) were some of the players who signed for between $4-7MM annually.

Eric Gordon (Suns), Derrick Rose (Grizzlies), Josh Richardson (Heat), Torrey Craig (Bulls), Patrick Beverley (Sixers), Malik Beasley (Bucks), Dario Saric (Warriors), and Cory Joseph (Warriors) were among the veterans who accepted minimum-salary deals.

We want to know what you think. Which teams got the best values in free agency this summer? Which players and agents did the best for themselves, relative to you expectations heading into the offseason?

Head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!

Community Shootaround: Best, Worst Offseason Trades

August 18th, 2023 at 11:53am CST by Luke Adams

As we explored in detail earlier this week, a total of 30 NBA trades have been made so far this offseason. Notable trade candidates such as Damian Lillard, James Harden, and Pascal Siakam haven’t gone anywhere, but a number of big names have been on the move.

Here’s a recap of some of the summer’s biggest trades:

Kristaps Porzingis to the Celtics, Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies, and Tyus Jones to the Wizards in a three-team, seven-player trade that also included a 2024 first-round pick.
Bradley Beal to the Suns in another three-team, seven-player trade that featured several future draft picks and swaps.
Chris Paul to the Warriors in a blockbuster trade that sent Jordan Poole and multiple players and draft picks to the Wizards.
John Collins to the Jazz in a salary-dump trade with the Hawks.
Joe Harris and Monte Morris to the Pistons in a a pair of salary-dump trades involving the Nets and Wizards.
Dillon Brooks to the Rockets, Max Strus to the Cavaliers, and Grant Williams to the Mavericks in three separate sign-and-trade deals that involved a total of 10 different teams (including the Spurs twice).

Of the remaining 21 trades made since the end of the 2022/23 season, some may not exactly go down in NBA lore. For instance, the Clippers sending $2.1MM in cash to the Pistons for the draft rights to Balsa Koprivica is unlikely to have a significant impact on either franchise.

There are other under-the-radar deals that could have long-term ramifications though. Perhaps one of the many 2023 second-round draft picks traded in June will eventually emerge as a star. Perhaps relatively minor acquisitions like Chris Duarte (Kings) or Obi Toppin (Pacers) will turn out to be more important than anticipated. Maybe one of the lottery picks a team traded up for – like No. 7 pick Bilal Coulibaly (Wizards) or No. 10 pick Cason Wallace (Thunder) – will become a franchise cornerstone.

The full list of offseason trades can be found right here.

We want to know what you think. Which moves on the trade market did you like the most? Which did you like the least? Those won’t necessarily be two sides of the same deal, since it’s possible for certain trades to be win-win deals. Are there any you think should fall into that category?

Head to the comment section below and share your thoughts on the winners and losers of the offseason trade market so far!

Community Shootaround: NBA Schedule

August 17th, 2023 at 5:18pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The schedule for the NBA’s 2023/24 season released on Thursday, giving fans plenty to look forward to beginning in the fall. From the number of nationally televised games to the league debuts of several players, there’s no shortage of storylines to track this coming season.

As always, there are a number of reunions to keep an eye on. Bradley Beal makes his return to Washington on Feb. 4. Kevin Durant, who won two rings with the Warriors in 2017 and 2018, plays in Golden State in front of fans on Oct. 24 for the first time since leaving in 2019. Jordan Poole returns to Golden State on Dec. 22. Chris Paul plays in Phoenix on Nov. 22 for the first time since joining the Warriors. Fred VanVleet plays against Toronto for the first time on Feb. 9.

Outside of returns to previous stomping grounds, there are also several matchups of note. A 2023 NBA Finals rematch between the Heat and Nuggets is scheduled for Feb. 29 in Denver.

The showdown between the No. 1 and No. 2 picks in each year’s draft class is always a date to circle. However, a 2022 offseason foot injury to Chet Holmgren prevented fans from seeing Holmgren, the No. 2 pick in the 2022 draft square off against Paolo Banchero, the No. 1 overall selection in the same class who went on to win Rookie of the Year. Now fully healthy, the pair is set to face one another on Feb. 13 in Orlando.

The top of this year’s draft is equally intriguing. While there was no denying Victor Wembanyama would go No. 1 overall, plenty of debate ensued regarding the No. 2 selection. Brandon Miller ended up going second overall to the Hornets, while Scoot Henderson went third to the Trail Blazers. The careers of all three players will be followed with great interest.

Wembanyama squares off against Miller for the first time on Jan. 12. Miller plays Henderson for the first time on Feb. 25. Henderson, who previously played against Wembanyama in an October G League showcase, plays the French big man for the first time in the NBA on Dec. 28.

Outside of that, the Christmas Day games and opening night games appear to be as stacked as ever, with nearly every contender getting a primetime appearance.

It also seems as though the NBA is actively attempting to hand out more rest days to its stars. The biggest issue teams and players alike had with previous schedules is the amount of back-to-back games on a team’s schedule. According to BasketballNews.com’s Alex Kennedy (Twitter link), the team average for road back-to-back games this season is down to 9.0, a record low, down from a then-record low 9.6 back-to-back games last year.

This leads us to our question of the day. What aspect of the ’23/24 schedule excites you the most? Who are you most excited to see make their NBA debut? What is going to be the most exciting matchup? Were any teams snubbed from nationally televised games? Are you planning on attending any specific games?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround: Bulls’ Offseason

August 13th, 2023 at 6:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

There was quite a bit of speculation what the Bulls would do this summer, given their lack of progress the last couple of seasons despite making major trades and free agent signings.

Following four straight losing seasons, the Bulls got knocked out of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs in 2022. Last season, they had a losing record but qualified for the play-in tournament. After knocking out the Raptors, Chicago got bounced by eventual conference champion Miami.

Fans who were hoping for major changes or a full rebuild were disappointed. Chicago trudged along this summer by re-signing a number of its own free agents and adding a couple of role players.

Center Nikola Vucevic was re-signed on a three-year contract. Ditto for guards Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu. Backup center Andre Drummond opted in to the final year of his contract.

They made a couple of under-the-radar free signings in Jevon Carter, who will compete for the starting point guard job with Lonzo Ball out for the season, and backup forward Torrey Craig.

Barring an unexpected blockbuster move, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Patrick Williams will return to their respective starting spots.

Perhaps familiarity and continuity will help Chicago take the next step. Perhaps Carter, a backup in Milwaukee, will form a solid point guard duo with Alex Caruso. Perhaps this will be the season Williams lives up to his draft status.

That brings us to today’s topic: How do you feel about the Bulls’ offseason approach? Did they do the right thing by essentially staying the course and tweaking the roster or should they have made significant changes?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Community Shootaround: Hall Of Fame Omissions

August 12th, 2023 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Saturday’s induction ceremony at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame featured another impressive class, many of whom have NBA ties. Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade, Pau Gasol and Tony Parker all enjoyed long, illustrious careers and were easy choices for enshrinement in Springfield.

But even with more than 150 players in the Hall of Fame, there are some noteworthy omissions. Many players throughout the years have reached notable milestones or contributed to numerous championships without being rewarded by Hall of Fame voters.

Vince Carter, who scored more than 25,700 points in 21 NBA seasons, appears to be the only obvious choice among first-time-eligible players in 2024. That might open the door for a few others who have been waiting a long time for recognition.

Here are a few candidates with possible Hall of Fame credentials:

With 20,049 career points, Tom Chambers is the highest-scoring NBA player who’s not already in the Hall. He was a four-time All-Star and was named MVP of the 1987 game.
Antawn Jamison is right behind Chambers with 20,042 points, making them the only eligible 20,000-point scorers not in the Hall. Jamison was a two-time All-Star and was named Sixth Man of the Year in 2004.
Chauncey Billups is one of two eligible Finals MVPs who haven’t been voted into the Hall. The Trail Blazers coach was a five-time All-Star, made three All-NBA teams and was twice named to the All-Defensive team.
Shawn Marion and Amar’e Stoudamire starred during the Suns’ “Seven Seconds or Less” era. Marion was a four-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA honoree and won a title with Dallas in 2011. Stoudamire was Rookie of the Year in 2003 and picked up six All-Star appearances and five All-NBA designations during his career.
A.C. Green set an NBA record by playing in 1,192 consecutive games. Even though he didn’t put up flashy numbers, he won three championships with the Lakers and was a steady contributor for his entire 16-year career.
Shawn Kemp was a six-time All-Star and a three-time All-NBA selection. The “Reign Man” scored more than 15,000 career points and was among the game’s most ferocious dunkers.
Bill Laimbeer epitomized the “Bad Boys” attitude during his years with the Pistons. He won two titles, made four All-Star teams and was an early pioneer among three-point shooting big men. Laimbeer also became a successful WNBA coach after retirement, winning three championships and earning Coach of the Year honors twice.

We want to get your opinion. Do you consider the names on this list to be Hall of Famers, and do you have some more to nominate? Please leave your responses in the space below.

Community Shootaround: Team USA’s World Cup Chances

August 9th, 2023 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

There’s plenty of talent on Team USA as it prepares for the FIBA World Cup, but no one would mistake it for an Olympic team.

The glamour of the Olympics attracts the best players in the world, but for Americans the World Cup is geared more toward those who want to break into international competition. There are few All-Stars on this year’s roster, and many of the players are in the early stages of their careers.

The starting lineup for Monday’s first exhibition game featured Mikal Bridges, Brandon Ingram, Anthony Edwards, Jalen Brunson and Jaren Jackson Jr. Team USA started slowly — leading Puerto Rico by just seven points at halftime — but eventually pulled away for a 43-point win.

Without a dominant scorer, the U.S. displayed the kind of balanced attack it will likely need to make a serious run in the tournament. Edwards and Cameron Johnson led the way with 15 points apiece as Team USA had seven players in double figures.

“I think the guys have really picked up what we’re trying to install at both ends, and we’re slowly but surely getting used to the FIBA rules and interpretations — coaches included,” head coach Steve Kerr said after the win, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “It’s all part of the process of getting accustomed to what we’re going to be facing.”

Tyrese Haliburton, who had 12 assists against Puerto Rico, is part of a deep bench that will make it challenging for Kerr to allocate minutes. The U.S. also has Austin Reaves and Josh Hart in the backcourt, Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero and Cameron Johnson as forwards and Bobby Portis and Walker Kessler in the middle.

Kerr may rely on a small-ball approach, Bontemps adds in a separate story, noting that Team USA never had two big men on the court at the same time against Puerto Rico or in its scrimmages against the Select Team. Banchero even saw time at center after Jackson got into foul trouble, and Kerr indicated that he’ll continue to be used in that role.

There are much tougher tests ahead for the Americans, starting with Luka Doncic and Slovenia on Saturday. There are also exhibition contests against medal contenders Spain, Greece and Germany before the tournament begins August 26.

The U.S. is always viewed as a favorite in any international setting, but it’s coming off an embarrassing seventh-place finish in the World Cup four years ago. Team USA will be facing more experienced opponents that are led by bigger stars and are more accustomed to playing together.

We want to get your opinion. Is the U.S. squad good enough to bring home the gold medal or will this be another disappointment in a non-Olympic year? Please leave your comments in the space below.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround: Nets’ Rotation

August 8th, 2023 at 10:38pm CST by Dana Gauruder

For the last few seasons, all the attention on the Nets was focused on their star players.

Now that James Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have been dealt away, the spotlight on the franchise has dimmed. However, Brooklyn did make the playoffs last year after the blockbuster trades of Durant and Irving. The Nets got swept by the Sixers in the opening round but they have enough quality players to claim another postseason spot next season.

Coach Jacque Vaughn will have a major challenge trying to fit all the pieces together. Mikal Bridges, acquired in the Durant trade, is the closest thing the team has to an All-Star talent.

Cameron Johnson received a huge contract after entering the summer as a restricted free agent. Nic Claxton stands out at the center spot.

From there, it gets cloudy. Spencer Dinwiddie will likely reclaim the starting point guard spot but if Ben Simmons comes back strong, that could change. Royce O’Neale was a starter most of his career until the trades brought an influx of wings and forwards.

Dorian Finney-Smith started regularly after being acquired Dallas, but it’s no lock he’ll remain a part of the first unit. Simmons could be the starting power forward if he doesn’t displace Dinwiddie.

First-round picks Noah Clowney and Dariq Whitehead could also be part of the mix, though Whitehead is recovering from foot surgery.

The Nets added Lonnie Walker on a one-year deal in free agency and Cam Thomas, a 2021 first-rounder who’s had some big offensive nights, will also be pushing for a rotation spot. Brooklyn also signed Dennis Smith Jr., who could back up Dinwiddie if Simmons plays another position.

Day’Ron Sharpe could serve as Claxton’s backup if Vaughn opts against smaller lineups.

That brings us to our topic of the day: How do you think the Nets’ rotation will shake out this season? Which players will start? Who do you feel will be left out of the rotation?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Community Shootaround: Should Raptors Trade Pascal Siakam?

August 7th, 2023 at 4:18pm CST by Rory Maher

The Raptors find themselves at a crossroads entering the 2023/24 season. The same is true of All-Star forward Pascal Siakam.

Despite everyone around the league keying in on Toronto as a possible seller at the February trade deadline, the team instead decided to make a win-now move, trading away a 2024 first-round pick to land center Jakob Poeltl. The Raptors played better down the stretch with the Austrian big man in the lineup, but they ultimately finished just 41-41 and were quickly eliminated from the play-in tournament.

Toronto lost guard Fred VanVleet — Siakam’s longtime running mate — to Houston in free agency, replacing him with Dennis Schröder. While Schröder is a solid player, most would consider him a pretty significant downgrade from VanVleet. And Toronto’s other notable offseason moves — signing Jalen McDaniels and drafting Gradey Dick — are unlikely to have a major impact on the standings in ’23/24.

Siakam, meanwhile, is entering the final year of his contract, and the Raptors won’t want to lose him for nothing like they did with VanVleet. The Hawks have been repeatedly mentioned as a trade suitor for the two-time All-NBA member this offseason. The Pacers and Trail Blazers have been cited at times as well, though Portland seems an unlikely destination after Damian Lillard‘s trade request.

Siakam reportedly doesn’t want to play anywhere but Toronto. He’s coming on off an excellent season in ’22/23, averaging 24.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 71 games (37.4 minutes), with the points and assists per game representing career highs.

The 29-year-old is a long, versatile play-maker who isn’t a great shooter — similar to ’21/22 Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes. OG Anunoby is another rangy forward on the roster who’s entering the final year of his deal, but the Raptors reportedly aren’t open to moving the All-Defensive Second Team member.

The decision to move Siakam or not certainly isn’t a simple one for the Raptors. Siakam, the ’18/19 Most Improved Player, has blossomed into a legitimate star, and the Raptors haven’t had much success landing top-tier free agents. There’s a real chance they could give him a contract extension if they don’t deal him.

If they move Siakam to free up bigger roles for Barnes and Anunoby, what would a return package look like? Masai Ujiri hasn’t shown any inclination to entertain a rebuild in the past, so draft picks are unlikely to be of much interest. Perhaps young players who would better fit the roster could make sense, but who can meet that ask?

We want to know what you think. Should the Raptors trade Siakam? Should they extend him? Or should they wait until the trade deadline or next offseason to resolve the matter? Head to the comments and share your thoughts. We look forward to your input.

Community Shootaround: 2023/24 Most Improved Player

August 6th, 2023 at 8:41pm CST by Rory Maher

The NBA’s Most Improved Player award has an impressive list of winners since it was created ahead of the 1985/86 season. That’s been particularly true since ’12/13, with Paul George, Goran Dragic, Jimmy Butler, CJ McCollum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Victor Oladipo, Pascal Siakam, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, Ja Morant and most recently Lauri Markkanen honored over that span.

Over the past couple decades, the award has favored rising young players — 17 of the past 23 winners had played fewer than five seasons. However, two of the past three winners — Randle and Markkanen — broke that mold, as Randle won following his seventh season, while Markkanen just completed his sixth.

Attempting to predict the future is often a fool’s errand, obviously, but I’ve always enjoyed the MIP award because it’s fun to see players exceed what people may have thought they were capable of, and unexpected breakout seasons are both entertaining and rewarding.

According to BetOnline.ag, the way-too-early list of favorites for the 2023/24 Most Improved Player award is as follows:

Jordan Poole, Wizards (+700 odds)
Mikal Bridges, Nets (+1000)
Scottie Barnes, Raptors (+1000)
Cade Cunningham, Pistons (+1600)
Austin Reaves, Lakers (+1800)
Shaedon Sharpe, Trail Blazers (+1800)
Alperen Sengun, Rockets (+2000)
Josh Giddey, Thunder (+2000)
Paolo Banchero, Magic (+2000)
Jabari Smith, Rockets (+2200)

Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley (+2500) and Thunder wing Jalen Williams (+2800) just missed out on the top 10.

Poole might seem like an odd choice to be the early favorite given his playoff struggles to end last season, but it makes some sense. There’s a good chance he’ll put up big offensive numbers for the Wizards after they traded Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis, their two leading scorers in ’22/23; he often did the same when Stephen Curry was injured.

I wonder if the mini-breakout Bridges had with Brooklyn after the team acquired him at the February deadline might work against him to an extent for MIP in ’23/24. It’ll be hard to top his averages with the Nets from last season — 26.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.0 SPG on .475/.376/.894 shooting in 27 games (34.2 MPG).

Barnes — the ’21/22 Rookie of the Year — would likely benefit individually if Toronto decides to trade Pascal Siakam, as their skill sets have a good deal of overlap. Sharpe will almost certainly have a bigger role next season if Portland eventually trades Damian Lillard as well.

Cunningham’s strong performance with the U.S. Select Team is worth noting after the former No. 1 overall pick missed the majority of last season with a shin injury. I’m not going to go over all the early betting favorites, but I do think it’s a solid list given we’re still two-plus months from the season starting and there are so many unknown variables in play.

That brings us to our question of the day: Who is your early pick for the 2023/24 Most Improved Player award? Head to the comments and let us know what you think.

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