Community Shootaround

Community Shootaround: Warriors’ Roster Spots

September 16th, 2023 at 2:31pm CST by Rory Maher

The Warriors have made some significant changes to their roster this offseason, drafting Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis, trading for Chris Paul, and signing veterans Cory Joseph and Dario Saric in free agency. They also re-signed former Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green, and Lester Quinones is back in the fold as well, returning on a two-way deal after accepting his qualifying offer.

In more recent news, the Golden State reached agreements with former Rockets big man Usman Garuba (two-way) and former Hawks wing Donovan Williams (camp deal). Williams will reportedly compete for a roster spot in training camp after impressing the Warriors during scrimmages at their facility.

Once those two deals are official, the Warriors will have 16 players under contract, including 13 players on guaranteed standard deals, with one two-way slot open. Since they’re above the NBA’s second tax apron, they can only offer free agents the veteran’s minimum.

Over the past month-plus, the Warriors have reportedly been holding workouts with a number of veteran free agents. Some of the players mentioned include former Warriors Kent Bazemore and Juan Toscano-Anderson, veteran wings Jaylen Nowell, Will Barton and Stanley Johnson, plus big men Dewayne Dedmon, Tony Bradley and Derrick Favors, among others.

Interestingly, they’re also meeting with free agent center Dwight Howard next week, who is by far the most accomplished player of the group, though he’s also 37 years old and was out of the league last season, having played in Taiwan. An eight-time All-NBA member and three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Howard averaged 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds in 16.2 minutes per game (60 appearances) for the Lakers in 2021/22.

Golden State will need to add at least one more player to its 15-man standard roster for opening night, with Howard reportedly a “real option” to fill a spot. Due to the Warriors’ luxury tax situation, they might only carry 14 players for most of the season — that’s what happened in ’22/23, as they waited until mid-March to promote Anthony Lamb from a two-way deal. Lamb wasn’t given a qualifying offer this summer, so he remains an unrestricted free agent.

If the Warriors have fewer than 15 players on standard contracts, they’ll only be able to use their two-way players for up to 90 combined games, as we explain in our glossary entry. Having a full 15-man roster and all three two-way slots filled would create more options off the bench, as two-way players are each eligible to appear in up to 50 games.

Williams seems like a decent candidate for the last two-way spot. But the bigger question is, who should the Warriors sign to fill out their standard roster? Head to the comments section and let us know what you think.

Community Shootaround: 2024 U.S. Olympic Roster

September 9th, 2023 at 11:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Two losses this week in World Cup competition offered another reminder that USA Basketball isn’t as far ahead of the rest of the world as it used to be.

The Americans couldn’t overcome a huge early deficit on Sunday against Lithuania as bigger and stronger opponents continue to cause problems for the U.S. team. After blowing out Italy on Tuesday in the start of the elimination round, the same issues emerged on Friday against Germany, which held on for a two-point victory that sent Team USA into the bronze-medal game.

It might be easy to dismiss the losses as a result of not having its best players participating, but that’s true for a lot of nations with the Olympics looming in 2024. Only two All-NBA players took part in the World Cup — Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — and neither represented the U.S.

The stakes will be much higher in Paris next summer, as Olympic gold medals are considered the greatest prize in international basketball. Few of the 12 players who made up the World Cup team may get Olympic invitations, as the USA will have its traditional collection of All-Stars to pick from. But with opening ceremonies only about 10 months away, it’s not too early to think about who should be there.

With Steve Kerr serving as head coach, Warriors star Stephen Curry will be an obvious target. Curry hasn’t played in an international tournament since the FIBA World Championship in 2010, but the NBA’s best-ever three-point shooter would be a perfect weapon in the international game.

Kerr may also push for Klay Thompson, who’s also a deadly shooter but hasn’t been as effective since missing two full seasons with injuries. Draymond Green, who was part of the gold medal winners in the last Olympics, provides versatility and aggressive defense in the frontcourt, but he’ll turn 34 next year.

Age is an issue for several traditional USA Basketball standouts. LeBron James will turn 39 in December, and although he still plays at a high level, it may be tough for him to commit to an Olympic schedule if the Lakers make another long playoff run. The same goes for Kevin Durant, the leading scorer for the 2021 gold medalists, who will celebrate his 35th birthday this month.

Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, Damian Lillard and Bam Adebayo are the most obvious candidates to return from the last Olympic team, and Zach LaVine and Jrue Holiday should get consideration as well. That provides plenty of wing scoring, but leaves the U.S. at risk of being undersized.

Joel Embiid would solve the center problem if he commits to the U.S., but he also has French citizenship and France may be aggressive in its pursuit after failing to advance past pool play at the World Cup. Anthony Davis might be the best option if the U.S. can’t land Embiid.

Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton and Austin Reaves have all impressed in World Cup play and may be asked back for the Olympics. Jimmy Butler, Jaylen Brown, Donovan Mitchell, Julius Randle, Paul George and Ja Morant are current All-Stars who might receive consideration, along with anyone who has a breakout performance in the upcoming season.

We want to get your opinion. If you were putting together USA Basketball’s Olympic roster for 2024, who would make up the core of your team? Please leave your answer in the space below.

Community Shootaround: Nuggets’ Offseason

September 8th, 2023 at 9:17pm CST by Rory Maher

The Nuggets had a dominant playoff run in 2022/23, going 16-4 to claim their first NBA championship. Led by the brilliance of two-time MVP and reigning Finals MVP Nikola Jokic, who averaged a remarkable 30.0 points, 13.5 rebounds, 9.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.0 block on .548/.461/.799 shooting over 20 postseason games, Denver will look to defend its title in ’23/24.

A hallmark of the Nuggets’ success last season was strong team chemistry on both ends of the court, with role players sacrificing individual numbers for the betterment of the team. But Denver used an eight-man rotation during the playoffs, and two of those players — Bruce Brown and Jeff Green — joined new teams in free agency, signing with the Pacers and Rockets, respectively.

That’s why I was a little bit surprised to see an ESPN panel predict the Nuggets to be pretty heavy favorites to go back-to-back in ’23/24.

As the team’s sixth man, Brown played a major role for the Nuggets, with his two-way versatility coming through in key moments. The 27-year-old received far more money from Indiana than the Nuggets could have given him because they only had his Non-Bird rights, so it’s not like they did something wrong. He just got (handsomely) rewarded for his strong play.

Green was a key voice in the locker room and averaged 17.2 minutes per night in the playoffs, but he’s 37 years old and will carry a $9.6MM cap hit for the Rockets this season. That’s a pretty penny for someone at the tail end of their career. Again, understandable why he wasn’t retained, even if he will be missed.

The Nuggets didn’t re-sign veteran guard Ish Smith, who remains a free agent, while Thomas Bryant signed with the Heat. And unfortunately, forward Vlatko Cancar tore his ACL playing for Slovenia at the World Cup, so he’s likely out for the season.

Still, the incredibly effective starting lineup of Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Michael Porter Jr. remains intact. The Nuggets will also have youngsters Christian Braun, Peyton Watson and Zeke Nnaji back, assuming the roster stays as is. Braun, who was a rookie last season, was the eighth man in the playoff rotation, and will almost certainly have a bigger role in ’23/24.

Denver opted to re-sign veterans Reggie Jackson (two years, $10.25MM) and DeAndre Jordan (one year, veteran’s minimum) to guaranteed contracts. I didn’t love the fact that the Nuggets used their taxpayer mid-level exception on Jackson, but apparently they think he’s capable of more than he showed in ’22/23.

In other offseason moves, Denver signed veteran wing Justin Holiday, and drafted a trio of players — Julian Strawther, Jalen Pickett and Hunter Tyson — to round out the roster. Interestingly, while Strawther was the team’s lone first-round pick, both Pickett and Summer League standout Tyson have more guaranteed years (three) on their deals than the former Gonzaga wing does (two).

Denver’s offseason roster is full at the moment, with the aforementioned 15 players on guaranteed standard contracts, as well as three players on Exhibit 10 deals. All three two-way slots are filled (by Collin Gillespie, Jay Huff and Braxton Key).

With limited financial flexibility, the Nuggets chose to prioritize continuity, player development and experienced college players just as much as NBA veterans. Will it pay off with another championship? Time will tell.

What did you think of Denver’s offseason? Does the team have enough depth to win another title in ’23/24? Head to the comments to share your thoughts.

Community Shootaround: Magic Backcourt

September 4th, 2023 at 6:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Rookie of the Year award winner Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner could be one of the league’s top forward combinations for years to come. Wendell Carter Jrr. has a stranglehold on the starting center job.

The mystery for the Magic is how their backcourt will shake out. They’re loaded with high draft picks at the guard positions and coach Jamahl Mosley will have some tough decisions regarding his rotation, particularly at the point.

Markelle Fultz is the favorite to be the starter at the point. He appeared in 60 regular season games last season and started them all, averaging 14.0 points and 5.7 assists per night.

Cole Anthony saw extensive playing time, mostly off the bench. He averaged 13.0 points and 3.9 assists in 60 games during his third NBA season.

The Magic invested the sixth pick in a loaded draft on Arkansas’ Anthony Black. The one-and-done college player averaged 12.8 points and 3.9 assists — along with 2.1 steals — for the Razorbacks last season. It stands to reason that Black will get some immediate playing time, given his draft status.

Then there’s Jalen Suggs, the No. 5 pick of the 2021 draft. Suggs had a stellar college career at Gonzaga but his first two NBA seasons haven’t been memorable. He’s been nagged by injuries, though he still started 19 of the 53 games he played last season. Suggs averaged 9.9 PPG and 2.9 APG and will be entering a pivotal season in his NBA career. He’ll come to training camp with plenty to prove and perhaps a chip on his shoulder.

Orlando also invested a lottery pick this summer on Jett Howard. He played one season at Michigan for his father, Juwan Howard, and ran the point for the Wolverines. He averaged 14.2 points in his lone college campaign.

Gary Harris remains the likely starter at shooting guard but it’s not a given. Harris has been a steady, if unspectacular, performer during his NBA career. He started 42 of 48 games last season but only averaged 8.3 points.

Another Michigan product, Caleb Houstan, could be a bigger factor in his second NBA season. Houstan was a high second-round pick in 2022 and made 51 appearances off the bench.

Veteran Joe Ingles, a free agent acquisition, is likely to back up at the forward spots but he could play some minutes at the off-guard spot.

A couple of natural point guards could share the court, but it’s quite a puzzle for Mosley.

That brings us to our topic of the day: How do you think the Magic’s backcourt will shake out? Who will start and who will be the main reserves?

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

Community Shootaround: Team USA

September 3rd, 2023 at 7:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Team USA appeared to be cruising along in the FIBA World Cup. Then came Lithuania.

A 110-104 loss on Sunday didn’t knock Team USA out of the tournament but it made the favorites look quite vulnerable. Team USA’s athleticism couldn’t overcome Lithuania’s size and power. The U.S. was outrebounded by 16 and got outscored 17-2 on second-chance points.

A slow start — which has been characteristic of this group — was another issue. Team USA trailed 31-12 after the first quarter and never recovered.

As the final score would indicate, Team USA’s defense was shredded by the star-less Lithuanians. While Lithuania has some familiar faces, including Jonas Valanciunas and Ignas Brazdeikis, it was alarming to see the United States team allow 52.8% shooting overall and 56% on threes. Lithuania had nine players score at least nine points.

The biggest concern coming into the tournament for Team USA was a general lack of size. Jaren Jackson Jr., who has spent most of his NBA career as a power forward, has been starting at center. He quickly got into foul trouble on Sunday and coach Steve Kerr had even smaller options when he went to his bench. The only true center on the roster, Walker Kessler, played six minutes.

Even so, with the likes of Anthony Edwards, Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Austin Reaves and Tyrese Haliburton, you’d expect Team USA to overcome its size issues.

There’s no more margin for error with the quarterfinals against Italy looming on Tuesday. If Team USA advances, it would face Germany or Latvia in the semifinals.

On the other side of the bracket, the quarterfinal matches include Lithuania vs. Serbia and Canada vs. Slovenia.

That leads us to today’s topic: Do you feel Team USA will prevail in the World Cup despite Sunday’s loss? If not, which team is your pick to win it?

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

Community Shootaround: Chris Paul

August 28th, 2023 at 9:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Steve Kerr is busy coaching Team USA in the FIBA World Cup. When he comes back and returns to the sidelines for the Warriors, he’ll have an interesting lineup decision.

Golden State still has all of its usual starters — Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney — on the roster. It’s a group that won a championship two seasons ago.

The acquisition of Chris Paul now creates a dilemma. The future Hall of Fame point guard has appeared in 1,214 regular season games. He’s started all of them, even during his rookie campaign for New Orleans in 2005/06.

It’s safe to assume Curry and Green will remain in the lineup. Thompson has started every game since his second NBA season. Wiggins went through some personal issues last season but he’s started every game in his NBA career.

Looney would be the logical candidate to lose his starting job, though that would leave the Warriors with an awfully small lineup. Looney’s defense and rebounding are key components to the team’s success. If he comes off the bench, it may be difficult to have both Jonathan Kuminga and free agent Dario Saric in the rotation.

At this stage of his career, Paul might be willing to be a sixth man in order to get that elusive ring he’s been chasing. But it would still seemingly be an uncomfortable spot for a player of his stature.

That brings us to our topic of the day: Should Chris Paul start for the Warriors this upcoming season? If he’s in the lineup, which of the returning players should come off the bench?

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

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround: Giannis’ Future

August 27th, 2023 at 7:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Will the biggest star in the Eastern Conference be looking for a new team in the next year or two?

Two-time Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo certainly didn’t rule out that possibility in a recent New York Times interview. Antekounmpo could ink a three-year extension this offseason in the range of $173MM. Unless he has a change of heart, he’s not going to be signing any papers.

By waiting until next summer, the value of a potential extension will rise, since he’ll be able to tack on an extra year. It would also give him another season to evaluate and ponder whether the Bucks can remain among the league’s elite teams.

“The real question’s not going to be this year (regarding an extension) — numbers-wise it doesn’t make sense,” Antetokounmpo said. “But next year, next summer it would make more sense for both parties. Even then, I don’t know. … I would not be the best version of myself if I don’t know that everybody’s on the same page, everybody’s going for a championship, everybody’s going to sacrifice time away from their family like I do. And if I don’t feel that, I’m not signing.”

If it comes to the point where Antetokounmpo requests a trade, it would send shock waves through the league, despite the rash of the superstar demands for trades in the last few years.

Antetokounmpo is under contract through the 2025/26 season but he can opt out in the summer of ‘25. He could wait until free agency to move on but as we’ve seen with the likes of Kevin Durant and Damian Lillard, signing an extension doesn’t remove the possibility of a trade request in short order.

Ideally, he’d spend his entire career with Milwaukee but only if he feels like the Bucks have a shot to win the championship year in and year out.

“I don’t want to be 20 years on the same team and don’t win another championship,” he said.

In the short term, the core group from their 2021 title – Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez to complement Antetokounmpo – remains in place. However, there isn’t a whole lot of young talent waiting in the wings to keep them in contention long-term.

That leads us to today’s topic: Do you think Antetokounmpo will remain with the Bucks for years to come, or will he leave via a trade or free agency within the next couple years? If he does go, where do you think he’ll wind up?

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

Community Shootaround: Best Point Guard Ever

August 26th, 2023 at 11:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

Stephen Curry isn’t reluctant to stake his claim as one of the best point guards in NBA history. The Warriors star put himself in elite company during a recent appearance on Gilbert Arenas’ podcast.

“It’s me and Magic (Johnson), is that the conversation? Obviously, I have to answer that way,” Curry said in response to a question from Arenas. “Magic’s resume is ridiculous. So the fact that we’re having that conversation, that’s the place I never thought I’d be in.”

Both players are obviously on the short list of legendary point guards. They amassed a wealth of titles and individual honors throughout their careers, and both significantly changed the way the game is played.

Curry is a four-time champion, a two-time scoring leader, a nine-time All-Star and a two-time MVP who was the first player in league history to win the award in a unanimous vote. He has 21,712 career points, 5,740 assists and a record 3,390 three-pointers, and at age 35 he still has time to add to those numbers.

Johnson was among the most dynamic players of the 1980s and the catalyst for the “Showtime” Lakers. He was an All-Star in 10 of his first 11 seasons, missing only because of injury, before HIV forced him into his first retirement in 1991. He won five titles, three MVP awards and three Finals MVP honors. With 17,707 career points and 10,141 assists, Johnson was voted onto the league’s 50th and 75th anniversary teams.

While Curry and Johnson are strong candidates, there are plenty of others to consider:

In the 1960s and early ’70s, Oscar Robertson was routinely putting up triple-doubles before it was celebrated as a stat. The 1964 MVP spent most of his career with the Cincinnati Royals before winning his only NBA title with the Bucks in 1971. He was an All-Star in his first 12 NBA seasons, being named MVP of the game three times, and was a nine-time first-team All-NBA selection.
Lakers star Jerry West was a contemporary of Robertson’s and his rival as the best guard in the game at the time. West was an All-Star in all 14 of his NBA seasons and was an All-NBA selection 12 times. He was named Finals MVP in 1969 even though the Lakers lost the series, then won his only championship in 1972.
John Stockton is the NBA’s career leader in assists with 15,806 and led the league in that category for nine straight seasons. The 10-time All-Star is also the league’s all-time steals champ with 3,265 and was named to the All-Defensive Team five times. He spent his entire 19-year career with the Jazz and remained productive through age 40.
Isiah Thomas led the “Bad Boy” Pistons to titles in 1989 and 1990 at a time when the Lakers and Celtics were dominating the league. The 12-time All-Star was named Finals MVP in 1990 and twice captured All-Star MVP honors.
Chris Paul is the only active point guard with a resume similar to Curry’s, although without a similar level of playoff success. A 12-time All-Star, Paul led the NBA in assists five times and in steals six times. He’s an 11-time All-NBA and nine-time All-Defensive Team selection.
Steve Nash is a two-time MVP who also revolutionized the game with his accomplishments in Phoenix. An eight-time All-Star and seven-time All-NBA selection, he reached the 50-40-90 club as a shooter four times in his career.

There are many more to consider, such as Bob Cousy, Walt Frazier, Jason Kidd, Gary Payton, Nate Archibald, Pete Maravich and others, and we could go on much longer about their place in the history of the league. But we want to get your opinion. Who’s really the best point guard that has ever played? Please leave your response in the space below.

Community Shootaround: 2023/24 NBA Finals Picks

August 25th, 2023 at 10:04pm CST by Rory Maher

An ESPN panel (Insider link) has made predictions for which NBA teams will win the Eastern and Western Conferences in 2023/24, as well as which team will win the championship. A first-place vote was worth five points, a second-place vote was worth three, and a third-place vote received one.

The Bucks were the favored pick to advance out of the East, receiving 86 total points (40% of first-place votes) to narrowly edge the Celtics (80 points; 40%). Those were the top two seeds entering last season’s playoffs, but both clubs were eliminated by Miami — Milwaukee in the first round, and Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Speaking of the Heat, they received the third-most points with 38, but only received 4% of the first-place votes. The Knicks (12 points) were the only other team to receive first-place votes (16%).

In the West, ESPN’s panel has the defending-champion Nuggets as the overwhelming favorites, receiving 106 points, including 76% of the first-place votes. The Suns (60 points; 12%), Warriors (27 points; 8%) and Lakers (24 points; 4%) all received first-place votes as well.

Perhaps unsurprisingly based on the aforementioned results, Denver received the most points (80) and first-place votes (48%) to repeat as NBA champions, followed by the Bucks (49 points; 28%). Interestingly, the Heat received the third-most first-place votes (12%), despite being fifth in total points.

That brings us to our question of the day: Who do you think will advance from the Eastern and Western Conferences, and who will win the title in 2023/24? Head to the comments to weigh in with your picks.

Community Shootaround: Ben Simmons

August 23rd, 2023 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Throughout the offseason, there have been indications that Nets guard Ben Simmons has overcome the physical issues that cut short his 2022/23 season and that he’ll be healthy and ready to go when training camp opens.

Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks started the speculation at his end-of-season press conference after the team was eliminated from the playoffs in April. Marks told reporters that Simmons didn’t appear to need another back surgery and would likely be fully healthy by the start of September.

Simmons got some social media buzz in June when he posted workout photos on Instagram, and a month later, Marc J. Spears of Andscape shared a quote from a source who said Simmons is “as healthy as he has ever been since his last year in Philly.” A day later, Ian Begley of SNY.tv reported that Simmons had fully completed rehab following a back nerve impingement that sidelined him for the last six weeks of the season.

In early August, teammate Cameron Johnson said in an interview that he expects Simmons to be “if not full form, pretty close to it.” He added that he had recently talked to Simmons and believes he’s in “a good place.”

A healthy Simmons would obviously make a huge difference for the Nets, who are trying to establish a new identity after trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in February. Johnson, Mikal Bridges and Nic Claxton are the foundation of the team, and Simmons could turn them into a legitimate contender if he becomes anything close to the All-Star that he was in Philadelphia.

Of course, there are caveats. Simmons decided not to join the Australian team for the World Cup after raising the possibility in May. He came to an agreement with the national team that he would skip the tournament while continuing to prepare for the upcoming NBA season while leaving open the possibility of playing in the 2024 Olympics.

Anyone who has followed the Nets since Simmons was acquired in February of 2022 knows there have been other encouraging health reports, which are eventually followed by setbacks.

Simmons is owed $37.9MM for the upcoming season and $40.3MM for 2024/25. The contract is considered among the worst in the league, but only because Simmons hasn’t been able to play. It becomes much more reasonable — and possibly even tradable — if he gets to be healthy and productive again.

We want to know what you think. Will Simmons be able to get back to normal after two straight seasons marred by injuries and off-court issues, or is the All-Star version of Simmons gone forever? Please leave your comments in the space below.

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