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Players Eligible For Rookie Scale Extensions In 2021

June 9th, 2021 at 8:46am CST by Luke Adams

When the NBA’s 2021/22 league year begins in August, players eligible for free agency will be able to begin negotiating and reaching contract agreements with suitors. In addition to those free agents, another group of players will also become eligible to sign new deals.

For players who are entering the fourth and final year of their rookie scale contracts, the first day of the new league year (August 3) is the first day they can agree to rookie scale extensions. Those players, who were 2018 first-round selections, will have until October 18 (the day before the ’21/22 regular season starts) to finalize long-term agreements with their current teams.

Players eligible for rookie scale extensions can sign new deals that run for up to four – or five – years, with those contracts taking effect beginning in 2022/23. If they don’t sign extensions during the coming offseason, those players will be eligible for restricted free agency in the summer of 2022.

Ten players who were eligible for rookie scale extensions signed new deals during 2020’s brief offseason window. That number was higher than usual, but we’ve seen an uptick in rookie extensions during the last couple years as more teams look to lock up their promising young players in advance of free agency. We should expect several more rookie scale extensions to be signed in August, September, and October of 2021.

Here are the players who will be eligible to sign rookie scale extensions during the 2021 offseason:

The following players were selected in the first round of the 2018 draft along with the players listed above. However, they aren’t eligible for rookie scale extensions this year for the reasons noted:

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Community Shootaround: Team USA’s Olympic Roster

June 8th, 2021 at 2:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Long delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Tokyo Olympics are now just a month-and-a-half away. The games are scheduled to begin on July 23 and will run through August 8.

With the Olympics around the corner, USA Basketball will soon have to determine which players will make its preliminary roster, then will have to pare that group down to 12 players for Tokyo.

Team USA announced an initial pool of 57 players in March, so there are seemingly plenty of options to represent the country at next month’s Olympics. However, many of the names on that list may be off limits.

As Joe Vardon of The Athletic writes, Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis are expected to skip this year’s Olympics in favor of letting their late-season injuries recover. Other players on that list of 57 names, such as Celtics stars Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker, Pacers center Myles Turner, Heat guard Victor Oladipo, Spurs guard Derrick White, and Knicks center Mitchell Robinson were also dealing with injuries when the season ended and probably won’t be prepared to suit up this summer. LaMarcus Aldridge has retired.

Meanwhile, players who could be poised for deep playoff runs, such as Nets stars Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden, also may be off the table for Team USA, since the NBA Finals could run as late as July 22. Olympic training camps will begin well before then.

Jazz guards Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley, Sixers forward Tobias Harris, Hawks guard Trae Young, Suns guards Devin Booker and Chris Paul, and Clippers forwards Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are among the other players who may not be inclined to participate if they’re in the playoffs until July, or even late June.

Still, there are several intriguing names potentially available for Gregg Popovich‘s squad. Vardon hears that Warriors guard Stephen Curry is “50-50” on participating, while Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard is thought to have strong interest in playing. Vardon also suggests that Celtics forward Jayson Tatum could be a headliner for Team USA.

Among players whose NBA seasons are over, Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, Bulls guard Zach LaVine, Knicks big man Julius Randle, Wizards guards Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook, and Heat stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are among the most intriguing names. Raptors guard Kyle Lowry, Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan, Warriors big man Draymond Green, and Kings forward Harrison Barnes were members of the 2016 Team USA squad that won Olympic gold and could be considered again.

If Team USA’s top choices opt not to participate, there are plenty of other intriguing names on the list of 57 candidates, including up-and-comers like Jarrett Allen, Jerami Grant, Christian Wood, Duncan Robinson, and Fred VanVleet.

We want to know what you think. Taking into account the players who are unlikely to participate for health reasons or due to deep postseason runs, what would your ideal 12-man USA Basketball roster look like?

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

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Poll: Utah Jazz Vs. Los Angeles Clippers

June 8th, 2021 at 11:43am CST by Luke Adams

Whichever team wins the second-round series between the Jazz and Clippers, which gets underway on Tuesday night, is viewed as the betting favorite to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. But even just winning one more round would represent a major step forward for these two franchises.

The Jazz are in the postseason for a fifth consecutive year, but they haven’t advanced past the Western Conference Semifinals since the 2006/07 season, and haven’t appeared in the NBA Finals since being defeated by Michael Jordan‘s Bulls in back-to-back years in 1997 and 1998.

The Clippers have a far more extensive track record of playoff disappointments. Since the franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1984, the Clippers have made it beyond the first round only five times and have never made it past the second round. If they can win this series, the Clippers will be in the Western Finals for the first time ever.

Of course, while advancing to the Western Finals will be huge for the team that makes it through, losing this series would represent a major disappointment for the team that falls short.

The Jazz had the NBA’s best regular season record in 2020/21 and are nearly at full strength entering the second round (Mike Conley is listed as questionable for Game 1 with a mild right hamstring strain). The Clippers went all-in two summers ago to land Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, with aspirations of winning the first title in franchise history. Neither team entered the postseason expecting to only win one series.

The Jazz will enter the series as slight favorites, per BetOnline.ag, but as John Hollinger of The Athletic writes, it’s not the most comfortable matchup for Utah. The Clippers don’t rely on getting to the rim to score, which will nullify the impact of star rim protector Rudy Gobert to some extent. And the Jazz’s options for guarding Leonard and George are limited beyond Royce O’Neale and Bojan Bogdanovic.

Still, Gobert is capable of punishing smaller Clippers lineups, and the Jazz have the offensive firepower necessary to take advantage of switches, as Hollinger writes. Additionally, the Clips had to push their key players much harder to get out of the first round. Leonard and George played big minutes in elimination games on Friday and Sunday, while Conley, Donovan Mitchell (who returned from an ankle sprain in round one), and the rest of the Jazz got a few days of much-needed rest.

This series seems like a strong candidate to be a seven-gamer. But we want to know what you think. Which team are you picking to advance to the Western Conference Finals, the Jazz or the Clippers? How many games do you expect the series to last?

Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your predictions!

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

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2021 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker

June 8th, 2021 at 9:16am CST by Luke Adams

With another regular season in the books, a handful of teams around the NBA are making head coaching changes in advance of the 2021/22 campaign.

In the space below, we’ll provide daily updates on the head coaching searches for each club that has yet to give anyone the permanent title. Some of these searches could extend well into the summer, so be sure to check back each day for the latest updates.

You’ll be able to access this page anytime under the “Hoops Rumors Features” menu on the right sidebar on our desktop site, or on the “Features” page in our mobile menu.

Updated 7-22-21 (2:40pm CT)

Active Searches:

None

Completed Searches:

Boston Celtics

  • New coach:
  • Previous coach:
  • Also reportedly considered:
    • Celtics assistant Jerome Allen (story)
    • Celtics assistant Scott Morrison (story)
    • Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga (story)
    • Celtics assistant Joe Mazzulla (story)
    • Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups (story)
    • Bucks assistant Darvin Ham (story)
    • Bucks assistant Charles Lee (story)
    • Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley (story)
    • Lakers assistant Jason Kidd (story)
    • Former Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce (story)
    • Sixers assistant Sam Cassell (story)
    • Duke women’s coach Kara Lawson (story)
    • Nets assistant Mike D’Antoni (story)

Despite a disappointing season in Boston, Stevens wasn’t expected to be in any danger of losing his job this spring. And technically, he didn’t lose his job — he actually received a promotion, as he was named the Celtics’ new president of basketball operations and led the search for his replacement.

He ultimately landed on Udoka, who has extensive experience as an assistant coach for the Nets, Sixers, and Spurs. Udoka was also a member of the Team USA staff at the 2019 World Cup, reportedly impressing a number of Celtics players at that event.

Dallas Mavericks

  • New coach:
  • Previous coach:
  • Also reportedly considered:
    • Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley (story)
    • Former Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts (story)

Carlisle’s resignation was just the latest bombshell in one of the most eventful off-the-court weeks in Mavericks history, following closely on the heels of Donnie Nelson‘s exit from the franchise. Carlisle had spent 13 years in Dallas and was the NBA’s third longest-tenured head coach at the time of his exit.

Replacing him will be Kidd, who played under Carlisle in Dallas from 2008-12. Carlisle actually endorsed Kidd for the job shortly before word broke that the Mavs were finalizing a deal with the former start point guard. The hope is that Kidd and current Mavs point guard Luka Doncic will be a great match and will benefit from the union.

Indiana Pacers

  • New coach:
  • Previous coach:
  • Also reportedly considered:
    • Former Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts (story)
    • Former Magic coach Steve Clifford (story)
    • G League Ignite coach Brian Shaw (story)

Bjorkgren lost his job as the Pacers’ head coach after just a year, reportedly due in large part to poor communication issues and a tendency to micro-manage. Indiana, seeking a more experienced, established head coach to replace a first-timer who didn’t work out, found their man in Carlisle, who has the 15th-most career wins among all NBA head coaches and also coached the Pacers from 2003-07.

Carlisle, who reportedly received a four-year, $29MM contract, will be tasked with helping to turn a veteran-heavy Pacers squad that missed the playoffs in 2021 into a club that can legitimately contend for a spot in the NBA Finals.

New Orleans Pelicans

  • New coach:
  • Previous coach:
  • Also reportedly considered:
    • Bucks assistant Charles Lee (story)
    • Pelicans assistant Fred Vinson (story)
    • Pelicans assistant Teresa Weatherspoon (story)
  • Withdrew from consideration:
    • Nets assistant Jacque Vaughn (story)

Van Gundy failed to connect with the young players on the Pelicans’ roster and failed to make good on his goal of improving the team’s defense, resulting in a short-lived stint as the head coach. New Orleans will replace him with Green and will have to hope the former Suns assistant is the right long-term choice, since the team wants to avoid subjecting its young stars to more turnover. Green will be Zion Williamson‘s third head coach in three years.

Orlando Magic

  • New coach:
  • Previous coach:
  • Also reportedly considered:
    • Spurs assistant Becky Hammon (story)
    • Nuggets associate head coach Wes Unseld Jr. (story)
    • Suns assistant Willie Green (story)
    • Bucks assistant Charles Lee (story)
    • Magic assistant Tyrone Corbin (story)
    • Magic assistant Pat Delany (story)
    • Magic assistant Steve Hetzel (story)
    • Former Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts (story)
    • Nets assistant Mike D’Antoni (story)
    • Former Warriors assistant Jarron Collins (story)
  • Received consideration before joining another team or withdrawing:

    • Lakers assistant Jason Kidd (story)
    • Nets assistant Ime Udoka (story)
    • Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups (story)
    • University of Memphis coach Penny Hardaway (story)

The Magic and Clifford reportedly discussed a contract extension before going their separate ways. Clifford apparently wasn’t ready to sign up for a protracted rebuilding process, so Orlando shifted its focus to a coach with a strong track record of player development who is willing to be patient with a young roster.

The Magic ultimately identified Mosley as their man following his exit from an assistant role in Dallas, where he worked closely with Luka Doncic in recent years. He reportedly signed a four-year contract with Orlando.

Portland Trail Blazers

  • New coach:
    • Chauncey Billups (story)
  • Previous coach:
  • Also reportedly considered:
    • Spurs assistant Becky Hammon (second interview)
    • Nets assistant Mike D’Antoni (story)
    • Spurs vice president of basketball operations Brent Barry (story)
    • South Carolina women’s coach Dawn Staley (story)
    • Celtics assistant Jerome Allen (story)
    • Former NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy (story)
  • Withdrew from consideration:
    • Lakers assistant Jason Kidd (story)

Long rumored to be on the hot seat if Portland didn’t make a deep playoff run this spring, Stotts was let go by the Blazers shortly after the team was knocked out of the postseason by Denver.

Initial reports stated that Damian Lillard‘s input would play a major part in the Blazers’ coaching hire, and the All-Star guard expressed public support for Kidd and Billups. However, Kidd subsequently withdrew his name from consideration, reportedly uncomfortable with the idea of pursuing the job following Lillard’s public endorsement. That left Billups as the frontrunner, and he ultimately beat out finalists D’Antoni and Hammon for the job.

The Blazers, who agreed to a five-year deal with Billups, faced some backlash due to a 1997 sexual assault case involving the former All-Star guard. However, the team reportedly investigated that incident and didn’t find anything they felt disqualified Billups from being offered the position.

Washington Wizards

  • New coach:
  • Previous coach:
  • Also received consideration:
    • Bucks assistant Darvin Ham (story)
    • Bucks assistant Charles Lee (story)
    • Celtics assistant Scott Morrison (story)
    • Sixers assistant Sam Cassell (story)
    • Hornets assistant Ronald Nored (story)
    • Heat assistant Chris Quinn (story)
    • Bulls assistant Chris Fleming (story)
    • Suns assistant Willie Green (story)
    • Suns assistant Kevin Young (story)
  • Received consideration before joining another team:
    • Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley (story)

The 2020/21 season was the final one in Brooks’ contract, so unlike most of the other coaches on this list, he wasn’t technically dismissed — he and the Wizards just ended up not negotiating a new contract.

Star guards Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal had a voice in the process to hire Brooks’ replacements, which focused on several experienced assistants and ultimately landed on Unseld. The former Nuggets associate head coach has an extensive résumé as an NBA assistant and is also the son of D.C. legend Wes Unseld Sr., making this union a homecoming for the Unseld Jr., who grew up in Maryland.

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Poll: Denver Nuggets Vs. Phoenix Suns

June 7th, 2021 at 3:07pm CST by Eli Cohen

After fighting through various levels of adversity in the first round, the Suns and Nuggets are set to face off tonight in Game One of their second-round series.

The Nuggets were considered strong challengers to come out of the Western Conference throughout the season, and especially following the trade for versatile defensive forward Aaron Gordon, but those hopes were dealt a crushing blow when Jamal Murray tore his ACL in April. Murray led the team in scoring, assists, and three-pointers made during Denver’s run to the Western Finals in last year’s Bubble playoffs, and without him, the Nuggets’ odds to win the NBA championship have dropped to the lowest of any team left in the playoffs.

The Suns arrival to the Western Conference Semifinals, meanwhile, has been more unexpected. While their 8-0 run at Walt Disney World last summer hinted that they were ready to start competing at a higher level, this is still the team’s first playoff appearance in 11 years. The last time Phoenix hosted a second round playoff game, their team was geared around the high-octane attack of Steve Nash and Amar’e Stoudemire.

Now, the game plan involves surrounding star shooting guard Devin Booker with smart, physical defenders who can space the floor around him, such as Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Jae Crowder, and former Nugget Torrey Craig, as well as the two-man game of pick-and-roll maestro Chris Paul and up-and-coming third-year center Deandre Ayton.

How Ayton holds up defensively against MVP frontrunner Nikola Jokic will be crucial to defining how Phoenix fares in this series. Ayton defended Jokic remarkably well for such a young player during the regular season, but Jokic is almost impossible to stop when he gets rolling, and the Suns have no true backup center to throw at him should Ayton get in foul trouble.

On the other end, injuries forced the Nuggets to start Facundo Campazzo and Austin Rivers during the first round, which presents issues against a player of Booker’s caliber. If the Nuggets keep the same starting lineup, that could mean major minutes with Gordon as the primary defender on Booker, as he was against Damian Lillard in round one.

However, if Will Barton is able to return for Game One, as head coach Michael Malone hinted he might, that would give Denver a tall, athletic wing to throw at Booker.

One other key factor for the Nuggets will be the play of Michael Porter Jr. Porter was the team’s second highest scorer in the first round, and if the Nuggets want to get back to the Western Conference Finals, they’re going to need him to take on an even bigger scoring role against the Suns, who have more defenders to try on the prolific-scoring second year forward than the Trail Blazers did.

We want to know what you think. Are you picking the Suns or the Nuggets to advance to the Western Conference Finals? How many games do you think the series will go?

Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

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Community Shootaround: Best Coaching Vacancy

June 5th, 2021 at 9:49pm CST by Arthur Hill

After a slow start to this year’s coaching carousel, three jobs have opened up over the past four days.

News broke Wednesday morning that Danny Ainge was stepping down as president of basketball operations for the Celtics and Brad Stevens had been selected to replace him. On Friday night, the Trail Blazers announced that Terry Stotts won’t return next year, and the Magic parted ways with Steve Clifford earlier today.

Decisions still have to be made about Scott Brooks in Washington and Nate Bjorkgren in Indiana, but for now the coaching rumors are focused on Boston, Portland and Orlando. All three jobs have some advantages as potential candidates consider their options.

The Celtics have two young foundation pieces in place with 23-year-old Jayson Tatum and 24-year-old Jaylen Brown both signed to long-term deals. Boston may try to trade Kemba Walker this summer, and a decision has to be made on free agent guard Evan Fournier. The team could also use an upgrade at center and a stronger bench, but Tatum and Brown should be enough to guarantee a playoff spot every year.

The Trail Blazers also have a solid foundation if they choose to keep it together. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum are both under contract for the next three seasons, while Jusuf Nurkic has a partially guaranteed deal for next year. Norman Powell ($11.6MM) and Derrick Jones Jr. ($9.72MM) both have player options this summer and could be back even if they choose free agency. Portland has been to the playoffs in eight consecutive seasons, but has been knocked out in the first round four times in the past five years.

The Magic don’t have any stars in place, but they have a lot of young talent to build around. Jonathan Isaac, who is under contract through 2024/25, could develop into a franchise player if he can avoid injuries. He missed the entire season after tearing his ACL last August. Orlando is loaded with players 23 and under, including former No. 1 draft pick Markelle Fultz and recent first-round selections Cole Anthony, Chuma Okeke and Mohamed Bamba. The Magic unloaded most of their veteran talent at the trade deadline, but the future could be bright for a coach who’s willing to rebuild.

We want to get your input. Which of these situations offers the best opportunity for a new head coach? Please leave your answers in the comments section.

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Free Agent Stock Watch: Eastern Conference

June 5th, 2021 at 3:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Throughout the season, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents this offseason. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. With the playoffs in full swing, we take a look at players from the Eastern Conference:

Elfrid Payton, Knicks, 27, PG (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $4.77MM deal in 2020

Payton’s postseason role was reduced to something rarely seen in any sport – the starting lineup cameo. He played a few ineffective minutes, then never returned to the court for two games until coach Tom Thibodeau completely gave up on him. Payton started regularly all season but his post-All-Star break woes drove Knicks fans nuts. They won’t have to worry about a repeat – Payton will be an unrestricted free agent. Payton has been a starter throughout his career but it’s hard to imagine him getting much more than the veteran’s minimum to fill out someone’s bench next season.

Evan Fournier, Celtics, 28, SF (Down) – Signed to a five-year, $85MM deal in 2016

Fournier was the biggest acquisition the Celtics made at the trade deadline and they leaned on him heavily against the Nets with Jaylen Brown sidelined. Fournier averaged 15.4 PPG on 43.3% shooting from 3-point range in 33.4 MPG. Solid numbers, but he’s not the type of player who can carry a team. Fournier is expected to seek a contract similar to the one he signed with the Magic five seasons ago but is he really a $17MM a year player? There’s a general sense that Fournier may have to settle for the mid-level exception or something slightly above that figure.

Duncan Robinson, Heat, 27, SF (Up) – Signed to a three-year, $3MM deal in 2018

Robinson pumped in 24 points in Game 1 against the Bucks, then petered out the rest of the series. That won’t hurt him in restricted free agency. The Heat have to make a lot of tough decisions this offseason – one of them will be how big an offer sheet they’d be willing to match to retain Robinson. First, they’ll have to extend a $4.7MM qualifying offer but that’s a formality. During last season’s playoff run to the Finals, Robinson averaged 11.7 PPG. He’s a career 42.3% 3-point shooter and he’ll be looking for a big payday after playing on a rookie contract.

Alex Len, Wizards, 27, C (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $1.7MM deal in 2020

Len has passed through a handful of organizations over the past four seasons. He’ll be on the move again as an unrestricted free agent. Len received 40 regular-season starts from the injury-depleted Wizards after getting waived by the Raptors. His playing time shrunk throughout the first-round series against Philadelphia – he played a grand total of three minutes in the last two games. Whether or not Thomas Bryant can effectively return from his knee injury next season, Washington needs to upgrade its frontcourt. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Ukranian-born Len explores European options.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Community Shootaround: Blazers Offseason

June 4th, 2021 at 9:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

While the Lakers’ first-round flameout grabbed most of the media attention on Friday, another Western Conference franchise is facing similar questions after coming up short in the opening round.

The Trail Blazers were built for a deep postseason run and seemingly got a good draw against a Nuggets team playing without its starting backcourt. Despite the efforts of All-Star Damian Lillard, Portland lost to Denver in six games, creating a wave of uncertainty regarding the front office, coaching staff and roster.

The Trail Blazers have qualified for the playoffs in eight consecutive seasons, yet they’ve reached the conference finals just once – in 2018/19, when the Warriors swept them.

That was the only time in the past five seasons Portland has gotten out of the first round.

Lillard averaged 34.3 PPG and 10.2 APG against Denver and made 35 3-pointers but it still wasn’t enough. He was worn out and frustrated in the second half of Game 6 on Thursday as his shots stopped falling.

In an era when superstars seek greener pastures, Lillard has been unfailingly loyal to the Blazers organization. It may come to a point, perhaps this offseason, where the annual postseason disappointment finally gets to him.

It’s fair to wonder whether a shakeup is necessary in the front office and the coaching staff. President of basketball operations Neil Oshey acquired starting forwards Robert Covington in the offseason and Norman Powell at the trade deadline. But the second unit remained thin, in large part because recent draft picks Nassir Little, Anfernee Simons and CJ Elleby have made little to no impact.

Highly respected Terry Stotts has been the head coach as long as Lillard has been on the team. Does the team need a new voice and some fresh ideas to get over the hump?

Powell is expected to decline his player option in order to test the free agent market. Jusuf Nurkic’s contract is only partially guaranteed ($4MM of $12MM), though there’s no obvious replacement for him. Covington’s contract ($13MM in 2021/22) expires after next season.

The Blazers could look to trade him or CJ McCollum, but his three-year extension kicks in next season, making it difficult to break up the high-scoring backcourt.

That leads us to our question of the day: What changes should the Trail Blazers make in order to become a true title contender?

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

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Poll: Brooklyn Nets Vs. Milwaukee Bucks

June 4th, 2021 at 12:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Three of the NBA’s four second-round matchups are set, and while the Sixers/Hawks and Suns/Nuggets series should be entertaining and competitive, the showdown between the Nets and the Bucks in the East looks like the clear headliner of round two at this point.

The Nets are the favorites to take home this year’s championship now that Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving – who have combined for 27 All-Star nods, seven scoring titles, and two MVP awards over the years – are all healthy. No other NBA team can match Brooklyn’s offensive firepower, and the club made quick work of the Celtics in round one, dispatching Boston in five games.

Milwaukee, however, was one of the only teams that looked more impressive than Brooklyn since the postseason began — the Bucks’ win over Miami was the lone sweep of the first round, and it showed why this year’s squad may be more dangerous than the one that led the NBA in regular season wins in 2018/19 and ’19/20. With Jrue Holiday and P.J. Tucker now in the mix, the Bucks have a versatile, switchable defense to complement All-Stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton.

As John Hollinger of The Athletic writes, this series looks like an NBA Finals-caliber matchup. In fact, Hollinger predicts that whichever team wins this series will go on to win the championship, and I’m inclined to agree with him.

The Nets are the favorites, but the Bucks are one of the only teams in the NBA that could realistically hope to slow down Brooklyn’s superstar trio, according to Hollinger, who points out that the Bucks could assign Holiday to Irving, Middleton to Harden, and either Giannis or Tucker to Durant.

On the other side of the ball, the Nets’ have no obvious primary defender for Antetokounmpo if Jeff Green remains sidelined, Hollinger argues, since Giannis is too quick for most of Brooklyn’s bigs, but would likely to be able to overpower Durant.

Still, the Nets will have some advantages of their own. It remains to be seen whether Bucks center Brook Lopez will be able to hang with Brooklyn’s offensive attack, and if Lopez is forced off the floor, Milwaukee will have fewer options for smaller lineups with wing Donte DiVincenzo sidelined. While role players like Bryn Forbes and Bobby Portis provide offensive punch, the Nets would likely pick on them on defense.

Health will play a big part in this series — with DiVincenzo out for the postseason and Green potentially able to return for some or all of round two, the Nets seemingly have the injury advantage, but it’s worth noting that Irving, Harden, and Durant all missed time during the regular season due to health problems. If one of them turns an ankle or tweaks a hamstring against Milwaukee, it would quickly change the outlook of the series.

We want to know what you think. Are you picking the Nets or the Bucks to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals? How many games do you think the series will go?

Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

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Poll Results: Hoops Rumors’ 2021 All-NBA Teams

June 3rd, 2021 at 8:09am CST by Luke Adams

The competition for the league’s 15 All-NBA spots was fiercer than ever in 2020/21, with tens of millions of dollars up for grabs for certain players based on the voting results. Since the NBA has already started to announce its end-of-season award winners, we wanted to give you an opportunity to vote on the All-NBA rosters for 2020/21 before they’re officially revealed.

Last Wednesday, we opened voting for the All-NBA First Team. We moved on to the Second Team last Friday, then opened the polls for the Third Team on Monday. The results of all those polls are in, so let’s check them out.

2021 All-NBA First Team

2021 All-NBA Second Team

2021 All-NBA Third Team

Your top vote-getters in the final round of polling who didn’t quite earn spots on the Third Team: Nets guard James Harden, Nets forward Kevin Durant, Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, and Pacers center Domantas Sabonis.

I think these All-NBA teams turned out pretty well, though mine would look a little different. I felt that Jimmy Butler, rather than Adebayo, was the most valuable Heat player this season, so I’d move Embiid to the Second Team and Gobert to the Third Team to open up a guard/forward spot for Butler.

I also might consider Doncic a forward to create room for Lillard on the First Team. Doncic isn’t really a forward, but I think he has a better case for the position than Embiid, and I’m not sure there’s another worthy First Team forward besides Antetokounmpo.

Additionally, even though all three Nets stars missed significant time, it seems wrong to have no Brooklyn players on the All-NBA teams this season, since the club had the league’s fourth-best regular season record and is the favorite to win a title. Durant missed over half the season and Harden played just 44 of 72 games — throw in Harden’s questionable behavior in Houston at the start of the season, and Kyrie Irving actually might have the strongest case of the three.

Irving was spectacular this season, with 26.9 PPG and 6.0 APG on an eye-popping .506/.402/.922 shooting line. Still, even he only played three-quarters of the season (54 games). Do his contributions outweigh Booker’s 25.6 PPG and 4.3 APG on .484/.340/.867 shooting in 67 games? I think the answer for me might be yes, but Booker is a fine Third Team choice.

It will be interesting to see which way the official voters go. Deciding on which positions to assign certain players could play a major role in the final results, since they’ll have a ripple effect on subsequent selections.

What do you think? Do you disagree strongly with any of these choices? Do you expect major discrepancies when the official All-NBA teams are announced? Let us know in the comment section!

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