Community Shootaround

Community Shootaround: Where Will Ben Simmons Land?

August 31st, 2021 at 8:32pm CST by Eli Cohen

We’ve reached what is generally considered the slow point of the summer, and while there are still some free agents available on the market, there’s really only one domino left to fall to wrap up this offseason: the resolution of the messy, public deterioration of the relationship between the Sixers and Ben Simmons.

Today’s news that Simmons doesn’t plan to report to training camp kicked off a fresh frenzy of speculation, with beat writers for multiple teams, most notably the Kings and Timberwolves, exploring those teams’ respective chances of landing the three-time All Star.

The Kings currently hold the best odds of landing Simmons, according to MyBookie.ag, at +275, followed by the Wolves (+400), the Warriors (+550), Blazers (+900), Spurs (+1200) and Wizards (+1900). Meanwhile, PointsBet has the Kings and Blazers at +150 each, with the Warriors at +250.

As befitting a player as complicated to build around as Ben Simmons, there are tricky questions facing each of his prospective suitors.

The Kings are desperate for a move that significantly alters the trajectory of the franchise, but are reportedly unlikely to include De’Aaron Fox or Tyrese Haliburton in a deal. That leaves Harrison Barnes, Buddy Hield, Marvin Bagley, and possibly this year’s ninth pick Davion Mitchell, as well as future picks, as the foundation for a deal.

Hield’s shooting would undoubtedly help the Sixers, as would Barnes’ all-around game, but both offer similar skillsets/roles to Seth Curry and Tobias Harris, respectively. Bagley is only a few years removed from being the number two pick and has flashed some interesting potential, shooting 34% from three this season while being an athletic rim roller and rebounder at 6’11. But his defense remains questionable and his overall game hasn’t progressed much in three years, partially due to a series of injuries that have kept him from getting a rhythm.

Mitchell, on the other hand, offers something the Sixers could desperately use. A tenacious defender with the ability to hit pull-up threes or function off-ball, thanks to his time playing alongside Jared Butler at Baylor, Mitchell could hold interest for the Sixers. But is he ready, as a rookie, to be the main point guard on a team with championship aspirations? At 22, he’s more ready-made than some rookie point guards, but that’s still a tough ask, as well as a tough sell for cornerstone Joel Embiid.

The Wolves could put together an interesting package, with D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jaden McDaniels, Patrick Beverley, and possibly Leandro Bolmaro as pieces that could go into a deal. If the team were to trade Russell, Beasley and picks, it’s not hard to see the appeal of surrounding offensive star talents Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards with lockdown defenders Beverley, Simmons, and McDaniels. Not to mention, McDaniels, Beverley, Towns and Edwards represents the most shooting Simmons would have been surrounded by in his career.

But is it enough? Theoretically the shooting and playmaking of Russell, combined with the shooting and attacking of Beasley, fit what the Sixers need, but it’s hardly the king’s ransom Morey has been asking for. Bolmaro is an interesting, but unproven piece, and the Wolves have their first-round picks moving forward. Wolves president Gersson Rosas also has a longstanding relationship with Morey, having worked under him for years with the Rockets.

The Warriors are perhaps the most interesting team on this list, as they have both the contracts and the young talent to make a deal work. Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green are both making upwards of $24MM per year, while James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and even young breakout wings like Jordan Poole and Juan Toscano-Anderson could be interesting trade chips.

Now, it’s almost unthinkable the Warriors would trade Green, and with Harris at the power forward spot, it’s unclear how much the Sixers would value him. Wiggins, Wiseman, one of their other young players, and future picks might not be the prettiest package for the Sixers, but there is clear value to Wiggins manning the small forward spot in Philly, and to adding depth on the bench. The problem is that would leave the Sixers without a starting point guard, which would likely necessitate a third team entering the mix.

The Blazers could see Simmons as the move to keep semi-disgruntled star Damian Lillard in the fold, though outside of CJ McCollum, Portland has little by means of assets. It’s also unclear how much a clean McCollum-for-Simmons swap would significantly change the Blazers’ trajectory, and the fit with newly-acquired Larry Nance Jr. isn’t the cleanest.

The Spurs have a good amount of solid young players, but none with the blue-chip luster that the Sixers would likely be seeking in a deal. Additionally, outside of Dejounte Murray, another poor-shooting defensive guard, and Derrick White, none of them are ready to be key members of a championship run.

Lastly, the Wizards have an interesting collection of talent, but the Sixers are unlikely to get Bradley Beal in a trade, and almost all of Washington’s other appealing players are young big men, with the exception of this year’s 15th pick, Corey Kispert. Any trade of Simmons would mean the team’s top two players are a center and a power forward, meaning it’s unlikely they would be interested in any of the Wizards’ combo forwards.

There are undoubtedly going to be more teams that enter into the discussion as the bidding war heats up, but we want to know what you think. What team is going to end up with Ben Simmons? What will they give up for him? And most importantly — will Simmons give his new team the bump they need to get where they’re going?

Take to the comments to let us know!

Community Shootaround: Best FA Value Signings

August 31st, 2021 at 8:27am CST by Luke Adams

In a Community Shootaround discussion earlier this month, we asked you to identify the best and worst of 2021’s biggest-money free agent contracts. Today, we’re expanding our focus to encompass all of this summer’s free agent signings, then zeroing in on the good rather than the bad.

In other words, we want to know which of this year’s free agent signings represented the best value from a team’s perspective.

[RELATED: 2021 NBA Free Agent Tracker]

Dennis Schröder‘s one-year deal with the Celtics figures to be a popular choice for the best value of the summer. After all, Schröder was reportedly offered $80MM over four years during the season. It’s hard to argue that getting him for one year worth $5.9MM isn’t a worthwhile investment.

Schröder’s deal was one of a handful of guard signings I liked. The Nets‘ one-year, $4.7MM deal with Bruce Brown was another — perhaps getting him locked up to a longer-term deal this offseason would’ve been Brooklyn’s preferred option, since he’s now on track to reach unrestricted free agency in 2022. But I thought he might end up signing a deal similar to Alex Caruso‘s (four years, $37MM), so $4.7MM for one year looks pretty good.

The Knicks‘ signing of Kemba Walker to a two-year, $17.9MM contract was another move I liked, though New York was able to get that team-friendly rate in large part because Walker is still being paid big money by Oklahoma City for the next two years after being bought out by the team. The buyout caveat also applies to the Nets‘ one-year, minimum-salary deal with Blake Griffin. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that those signings represent good values for Walker’s and Griffin’s current teams.

Like Brooklyn with Griffin, the Bucks and Clippers benefited from the fact that Bobby Portis and Nicolas Batum weren’t seeking a change of scenery. Both players only received modest Non-Bird raises from their respective clubs, so Portis is on the books for $8.9MM over two years with Milwaukee, while Batum got $6.5MM for two seasons with L.A. Both Portis and Batum have second-year player options, but if they play well enough to opt out, it means the Bucks and Clippers got a nice bargain for 2021/22.

Otto Porter, coming off a four-year, $106MM contract, reportedly turned down more lucrative offers to sign with the Warriors for the veteran’s minimum. He still needs to show he’s healthy, but even if he struggles to stay on the court, the risk for Golden State is minimal. If he’s back to 100%, he should significantly outplay his $2.4MM salary (and $1.7MM cap hit).

All the deals I’ve listed so far came in at under $10MM, but there was some value to be found among bigger-money commitments too. One of my favorites was the Kings‘ four-year deal with Richaun Holmes, which is worth $46.5MM. I expected a team in need of a center – such as Charlotte or Toronto – to make a more aggressive offer for Holmes in the range of $15-18MM per year, so retaining him at an annual rate under $12MM is a nice piece of business for Sacramento.

What do you think? Which free agent signings this month do you think were the best bargains and will provide the most value going forward?

Take to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!

Community Shootaround: Paul Millsap And J.J. Redick

August 28th, 2021 at 4:01pm CST by Eli Cohen

As the dust settles on another free agency/trade market, there are two names conspicuously absent from rosters: J.J. Redick and Paul Millsap.

Redick’s absence is understandable, as he was vocally disappointed with how he was treated by the Pelicans, who traded him mid-season to the Mavericks in the midst of Redick’s least product year since the 2008/09 season. Redick has been clear on his desire to take his time, enjoy the summer with his family, and not make a decision until at least the fall.

Redick was also limited in the 2020/21 season by a heel injury that kept him out of the Mavericks’ playoff run and bothered him throughout much of the season. Teams interested in his service will be sure to do their due diligence on how his recovery has gone, and whether that will be a lingering issue.

Millsap’s lengthy free agency is a little more surprising. Though the 36-year-old forward is clearly slowing down a bit in recent years, he was still an important part of the Nuggets’ success over the last four seasons, as a versatile team defender who shot over 37% from three in his Denver tenure.

With defense and shooting a premium commodity from the power forward spot, Millsap’s skill set would be very useful to a number of contending teams, or teams looking to make the push into contention. In previous reporting, Millsap has been linked to the Warriors, Timberwolves, Hawks, Nets, Pelicans, and Sixers, which leads to an interesting philosophical question for the veteran.

If Millsap were to go to a team like the Timberwolves, he would likely play a relatively large amount of minutes, as second-year defensive standout Jaden McDaniels, Jake Layman and current RFA Jarred Vanderbilt are the only forwards on the team’s roster. He could join a young team desperate to start winning, and provide an ideal counterpart to the elite shooting of Karl-Anthony Towns.

But his lack of rush in signing a deal also points to a potential desire to do more than get minutes for a likely middling team. With the Warriors, Millsap could fill a role very similar to the one Blake Griffin provided for the Nets last season, and, depending on the growth and health of last year’s number two overall pick James Wiseman, could possibly even start alongside Draymond Green. Millsap’s IQ, defensive versatility and shooting prowess would make him an ideal fit in Golden State’s system, and helping Stephen Curry and the Warriors regain their contender status could hold a lot of appeal for a player who has only won two career Conference Finals games.

The Warriors still have their taxpayer mid-level exception, meaning they could offer up to $5.9MM to Millsap, though the tax bill from doing so would be immense.

With the Bucks, Millsap could provide a similar role. After losing P.J. Tucker to the Heat, the Bucks remain very shallow in the frontcourt, with Bobby Portis and raw second-year player Mamadi Diakite as the team’s only depth. Millsap could provide a similar role to Tucker, but as more of a threat from deep.

Meanwhile, the Nets are generally considered the most likely landing spot for Redick, who lives in Brooklyn already and loves New York. There have even been rumblings that Redick might consider retirement if he doesn’t land with the Nets or Knicks. But between Kyrie Irving, Patty Mills, James Harden, Joe Harris, and this year’s first-round pick Cameron Thomas, the Nets are already overflowing with hot-shooting guards who are defensive question marks, and it’s unclear what kind of role Redick would command.

The Knicks, who have also been mentioned as a team Redick could be interested in, have a similar guard log-jam, with Evan Fournier, second-year standout Immanuel Quickley, Alec Burks, and first-round pick Quentin Grimes all likely to see time at the shooting guard position.

So that brings us to the question of the day: Which teams will Redick and Millsap end up with? And will they sign before the season, or after the season’s already underway?

Take to the comments to let us know!

Community Shootaround: Which Team Has Had Best 2021 Offseason?

August 25th, 2021 at 9:43am CST by Luke Adams

A handful of notable players – including Lauri Markkanen and Paul Millsap – remain available on the free agent market, and it’s possible we’ll still get action in the coming weeks on a trade involving a star like Ben Simmons or Damian Lillard. But for the time being, it looks like most NBA teams are finished with their major offseason roster moves.

With that in mind, David Aldridge of The Athletic ran through all 30 teams this week, ranking which clubs had the best and worst offseasons. As Aldridge explains within his piece(s), his list isn’t about which teams have the best roster heading into the 2021/22 season, but rather which teams made the summer moves he liked the most.

Even with that caveat in place, Aldridge’s top pick is still a bit of a surprise. The veteran reporter lists the Rockets as having the NBA’s No. 1 offseason, despite the fact that the team was fairly quiet on the trade market and made just one significant free agent addition (Daniel Theis). Houston’s offseason was primarily about adding four players draft in the top 24: Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Usman Garuba, and Josh Christopher.

While I didn’t see Aldridge’s top pick coming, I don’t believe that making big splashes in free agency and via trades is necessarily indicative of having a great offseason. For instance, no team made more noise on the free agent market than the Bulls, who added DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, and Alex Caruso. However, I didn’t like the price Chicago paid to get DeRozan, who will earn $27MM+ per year for the next three seasons and cost a first-round pick to acquire via sign-and-trade. Your mileage may vary — Aldridge ranked the Bulls at No. 4.

Rounding out Aldridge’s top five are the Clippers at No. 2, the Nets at No. 3, and the Lakers at No. 5. The Wizards, Hornets, Heat, Jazz, and Pistons also made the top 10.

I agree with some of those picks more than others. Aldridge’s rankings suggest a belief that the Russell Westbrook trade was a win-win for Los Angeles and Washington, but I preferred the Wizards’ return, since they badly needed to improve their depth and I’m not entirely sold yet on Westbrook’s fit with the Lakers.

A top-two ranking also seems a little generous for the Clippers, whose major moves were re-signing a star recovering from an ACL tear (Kawhi Leonard) to a four-year, maximum-salary deal and adding Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, and a draft picks. Bledsoe is coming off a bad year and has struggled in the postseason, Winslow has had a hard time staying healthy, and those draftees are pretty raw.

However, I did like the team’s deals to bring back Reggie Jackson and Nicolas Batum — and if Leonard makes a full recovery and is back to his old self for the 2022/23 season, that investment should be worth it.

What do you think? Which clubs do you believe had the best offseasons in 2021? Are there any potential moves to be made in the coming weeks that could shake up your list?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!

Community Shootaround: Lauri Markkanen

August 21st, 2021 at 11:58am CST by Dana Gauruder

Most of the prominent free agents this summer have already been signed, but restricted free agent Lauri Markkanen remains in limbo.

The Bulls forward has been seeking a big offer sheet but that hasn’t come to fruition. With most teams having already eaten up their cap space, it’s unlikely to occur.

Markkanen could still be part of a sign-and-trade but there are complications. Teams such as the Pelicans, Mavericks, Timberwolves and Celtics have been mentioned as potential destinations with the first two having the most interest.

The NBA’s investigation into the Lonzo Ball sign-and-trade makes it unlikely Chicago would pursue another sign-and-trade until the league completes its probe. The Bulls are also reportedly driving a hard bargain. They want a first-round pick in return and don’t want to take on a long-term contract. Some of Markkanen’s reported suitors can absorb his contract in a traded player exception, depending upon the starting salary Markkanen would accept.

The main alternative for Markkanen would be to sign his $9MM qualifying offer, which would allow him to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Markkanen would likely be a second-unit player behind 2020 lottery pick Patrick Williams if he returns to Chicago.

This leads to our question of the day: Where do you think restricted free agent Lauri Markkanen will wind up this coming season?

Please take to the comments section to voice your opinion. We look forward to your input.

Community Shootaround: Best, Worst Big-Money FA Deals

August 18th, 2021 at 6:00pm CST by Luke Adams

At least one 2021 NBA free agent who remains unsigned – Lauri Markkanen – is a candidate to receive an eight-figure annual salary this offseason, but it’s probably safe to assume that any deal Markkanen signs won’t crack this summer’s top 10 free agent contracts.

Based on information from our free agent tracker, there have been 10 free agent contracts signed this offseason that include at least $75MM in guaranteed money. They are as follows:

Kawhi Leonard, Clippers: Four years, $176.27MM (fourth-year player option)
John Collins, Hawks: Five years, $125MM (fifth-year player option)
Jarrett Allen, Cavaliers: Five years, $100MM
Norman Powell, Trail Blazers: Five years, $90MM
Duncan Robinson, Heat: Five years, $90MM (fifth-year early termination option)
Kyle Lowry, Heat: Three years, $85MM
DeMar DeRozan, Bulls: Three years, $81.9MM
Lonzo Ball, Bulls: Four years, $80MM (fourth-year player option)
Chris Paul, Suns: Four years, $120MM ($75MM fully guaranteed)
Tim Hardaway Jr., Mavericks: Four years, $75MM

While some teams come to regret their long-term, big-money free agent commitments within a couple years, several of these deals have the potential to age pretty well. Collins, Allen, and Ball, for instance, are all still just 23 years old, meaning they still have many prime years ahead of them and could even continue improving.

Signing a two-time NBA Finals MVP and a perennial All-NBA candidate like Leonard to a long-term contract is also rarely a bad move, even if it’s for maximum-salary money. However, it’s a riskier proposition when the player in question is recovering from ACL surgery and isn’t a lock to play at all during the first year of the deal. The Clippers are confident that Leonard will make a full recovery, but his health issues – both past and present – create some cause for concern.

Lowry and Paul earned significant guarantees, given their respective ages (35 and 36). The Suns, at least, will get some protection in the third and fourth years of Paul’s contract, but if they waive CP3 before his third year fully guarantees, they’d end up paying him $75MM for just two seasons.

Powell, Robinson, and Hardaway are all talented contributors, but they’re role players, not stars. If their production falls off at all, those deals could become onerous in their later years.

Finally, DeRozan is one of the league’s most talented mid-range scorers and has improved as a facilitator, but he doesn’t stretch the floor and is a below-average defender. A three-year deal worth $27MM per season is a significant price to pay for a Bulls team that also surrendered a first-round pick to acquire DeRozan via sign-and-trade.

We want to know what you think. Which of these big-money 2021 contracts would you feel most comfortable about having on your team? Which do you view as the riskiest or most misguided investment?

Head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!

Community Shootaround: Christmas Day Games

August 17th, 2021 at 8:06pm CST by Eli Cohen

The NBA released its Opening Week and Christmas Day schedules today, giving the basketball world a fresh slate of rivalry games, star matchups and, of course, snubs to discuss.

Christmas Day is always a special time for the NBA. For years, players have confirmed the added intensity and hype from playing in such high-profile matchups. For fans, it offers rare five-game slate of non-stop action of some of the most exciting teams in the league.

This year, the December 25 schedule is as follows (times listed in ET):

12:00pm: Hawks at Knicks
2:30pm: Celtics at Bucks
5:00pm: Warriors at Suns
8:00pm: Nets at Lakers
10:30pm: Mavericks at Jazz

There are a couple games here that stand out from an entertainment/ratings perspective.

What the Knicks-Hawks 2021 playoff series lacked in longevity it more than made up for in off-court fireworks, with Hawks star Trae Young and the Madison Square Garden crowd jawing back and forth at each other throughout the series, sometimes to an uncomfortable degree. The final image of the first-round matchup was Young taking a bow at center court after eliminating the Knicks from their first playoff appearance since 2013.

The NBA will be looking to play up this rivalry once more, especially as the Knicks have retooled, adding more shot-creators in Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier, partially in response to the team having its limitations exposed in said series.

Meanwhile, Nets-Lakers is set to be an absolute must-see game. The media circus surrounding the game will be unavoidable, as Kevin Durant and James Harden face off against former teammate Russell Westbrook and Kyrie Irving faces former teammate LeBron James.

On top of that, assuming health, the Nets and Lakers are the two favorites to win the championship, according to SportsBet.com, which means we could be witnessing a potential NBA Finals preview. Like with Warriors-CavaliersChristmas Day games of the past, what happens in this game will be used as a benchmark going forward as each team works toward their respective championship aspirations.

While the remaining games may not bring as much in terms of narrative, they each offer a fun and compelling matchup of star players who could also find themselves facing off in a playoff series: Giannis Antetokounmpo and the defending-champion Bucks against Jayson Tatum and the revamped Celtics, Luka Doncic and the Mavs against Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz, who had the best record in the league last year, and of course, two-time MVP Stephen Curry and the Warriors against the 2021 NBA Finalist Suns and Curry’s longtime rival Chris Paul.

The league is betting on the Warriors returning to form after two straight non-playoff seasons, facilitated by Klay Thompson‘s expected return to action, the additions of veterans Otto Porter and Nemanja Bjelica to shore up the bench rotations, and the improvement of young lottery picks James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody.

But for all the star-studded games and renewed rivalries to enjoy, there are plenty of high-profile players and teams that we won’t be seeing. After appearing on 19 national TV games in the 2020/21 season, including Christmas, Zion Williamson and the Pelicans will not be making an appearance. Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, and all of this year’s top-five picks are conspicuously absent, as is reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and his Nuggets. The Clippers, with Kawhi Leonard on the shelf, are out of sight, and Jimmy Butler‘s new-look Heat, Damian Lillard‘s Blazers, and Joel Embiid‘s Sixers will be watching from home like the rest of us.

Naturally not every team, and not every superstar, is able to play on Christmas. After all, the NBA is a star-studded league, with more talent flooding in every year, and there are only 10 slots to fill.

But we want to know what you think about this year’s Christmas Day schedule!

What games are you most excited about? Which game has the highest chance of being a dud? And most importantly, what team was the biggest snub from this year’s slate of action?

Take to the comments to let us know!

Community Shootaround: Best Team For Bradley Beal

July 24th, 2021 at 10:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

High-scoring Wizards star Bradley Beal hasn’t issued a trade request yet, but a report this morning that he’s considering it has the rest of the league ready to pounce. Washington is in a precarious position with Beal, who can decline his $36.4MM player option next summer and become an unrestricted free agent.

Beal is said to be considering that the Wizards may start a rebuilding process if they decide to move him, which is no doubt why the report was leaked on the weekend before the draft. Beal would like to join a contender, and sources identified the Warriors, Celtics, Heat and Sixers as possible trade destinations.

Golden State is in the best position if Washington wants draft picks in return. The Warriors hold the No. 7 and No. 14 selections in this year’s lottery and may be willing to part with last year’s No. 2 pick, center James Wiseman, to get their hands on Beal, who is reportedly at the top of their wish list. Andrew Wiggins would likely have to be included to match salary.

In Boston, Beal would be able to unite with his close friend and fellow St. Louis native Jayson Tatum. Washington may ask for Jaylen Brown in return, but the Celtics would be reluctant to part with Brown when they can open enough cap space to sign Beal in 2022. Al Horford‘s $27MM salary would go a long way toward matching purposes, and he is only guaranteed $14.5MM for 2022/23 if he is released before the start of that season. Boston could load its offer with future picks and possibly arrange a sign-and-trade involving free agent guard Evan Fournier, who plays the same position as Beal.

The Heat are at a disadvantage when it comes to draft assets, not holding any picks this year and having future first-rounders tied up as a result of trading a protected 2023 pick. Miami has team options on Goran Dragic ($19.44MM) and Andre Iguodala ($15MM), who can both help with salary matching, but young assets such as Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson and Kendrick Nunn may not be enough to interest the Wizards.

The Sixers would almost certainly have to move Ben Simmons in a trade for Beal, either to Washington or to someone else in a multi-team deal. Philadelphia is also low on draft assets, but throwing in young players such as Matisse Thybulle or Tyrese Maxey could appeal to Washington.

We want to get your input. Do you believe Beal will be moved this summer and where do you think he should go? Please leave your responses in the comments section.

Community Shootaround: Rockets’ No. 2 Pick

July 17th, 2021 at 8:14am CST by Luke Adams

While Cade Cunningham is widely expected to be the first player drafted on July 29, there’s no established consensus about which prospect should be the second player off the board, making the Rockets‘ pick at No. 2 overall one of the most fascinating selections of the draft.

Essentially, there are three directions the Rockets could go. They could keep the pick, trade up to No. 1, or trade down.

Let’s start with the most straightforward – and probably the most likely – outcome: keeping the pick. Even in that scenario, the Rockets will face a difficult decision. You could make a legitimate case for Jalen Green, Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs, and even Jonathan Kuminga to be the second player selected after Cunningham.

With a pick as high as No. 2, a rebuilding team should always take the best player available rather than focusing on fit. But if the Rockets like Mobley and one of the other top prospects about equally, perhaps concerns about Mobley’s potential fit alongside Christian Wood in the frontcourt push the needle toward the other player.

That “other player” seems most likely to be Green, who is currently projected as the Rockets’ pick in mock drafts by ESPN, Bleacher Report, The Ringer, and others. Of all the players in this year’s draft class, Green is the best bet to rank among the NBA’s leading scorers year-in and year-out, making him a logical choice to be a centerpiece of the rebuild in Houston, where the team traded longtime leading scorer James Harden earlier in the year.

While the Rockets may be happy to stand pat and nab Green or another promising young prospect, one recent report suggested the team has been “fixated” on Cunningham. Another story said Houston has been aggressive in its efforts to trade up to No. 1.

Obviously, the question of whether the Rockets “should” trade up to No. 1 depends in large part on the price. If it’s just a matter of adding the 23rd pick to the No. 2, then sure, that’s a no-brainer. But the cost figures to be much higher than that — in order to move up for a consensus top prospect like Cunningham, Houston would likely have to include an unprotected or lightly-protected future first-rounder in its offer in order to get Detroit’s attention.

If the Rockets really believe in Cunningham’s star potential, that price may be worth it — after all, following the Harden trade, the club has no shortage of future first-round selections to dangle in trade talks.

On the other hand, if the price to trade up to No. 1 is deemed too high and the Rockets’ have no clear preference at No. 2, perhaps trading down is worth exploring. Although Houston did add a number of draft picks and swaps in the Harden blockbuster, the team has also traded away a couple of its own first-rounders and isn’t as loaded with future draft assets as rebuilding rivals like the Thunder or Pelicans.

The opportunity to move down a handful of spots and pick up a few more assets to use during the rebuild may appeal to the Rockets — especially if they’re high on a specific prospect who would still be available in the 4-6 range.

Again, the terms of a potential trade here are crucial in determining whether it’s a viable path for the Rockets, particularly since this year’s draft class has a distinct top tier. If they’re moving out of the top five and not acquiring a ton of assets for their trouble, the Rockets likely won’t be interested. On the other hand, if they’re just trading down a spot or two and receiving a couple valuable future draft picks, that would be much more intriguing.

We want to know what you think. Will the Rockets trade up or down, or will they stay put? If they keep the No. 2 pick, will Green be the pick? Should he be the pick, or would you like to see Houston go in a different direction?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in!

Community Shootaround: Lonzo Ball

July 14th, 2021 at 6:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball will be one of the most intriguing free agents on the market next month.

He’ll be a restricted free agent, unless New Orleans fails to extend a $14.36MM qualifying offer. By giving him a QO, the Pelicans will be able to match an offer sheet for Ball. However, the team won’t be able to execute a sign-and-trade if Ball signs an offer sheet with a rival suitor.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the team is unlikely to match a significant offer sheet on Ball. The Bulls and Clippers, both of whom are seeking a long-term solution at point guard, are expected to make a push for Ball. The Knicks, who have tons of cap room, have also been mentioned in some circles as a possible suitor.

Agent Rich Paul told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports that he and his client are “open-minded” about free agency.

“The phone lines will definitely be open come free agency,” Paul said. “At the end of the day, we’ll look to make the best deal.”

Charania’s report suggests the Pelicans are lukewarm at best about retaining Ball. Though Ball averaged a career-high 14.6 PPG this season and improved his 3-point and free throw shooting, New Orleans is looking for ways to improve its mix around franchise player Zion Williamson. With Williamson becoming more of a playmaker, Ball’s skill set might be more suited for a team that puts greater value on his passing ability.

That brings us to our question of the day: Where do you think Pelicans free agent guard Lonzo Ball will wind up in free agency?

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

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