Hoops Rumors Originals

Five Key Offseason Questions: Portland Trail Blazers

After suffering an embarrassing first-round sweep at the hands of the Pelicans in 2018, the Trail Blazers weren’t even considered a lock to make the postseason in 2019. During the preseason, oddsmakers pegged Portland’s over/under at 42.5 wins, ninth in the Western Conference.

The Blazers easily exceeded that total, finishing with a 53-29 mark and claiming the No. 3 seed in the West. Although their season ended once again with a four-game sweep, it happened in the Conference Finals this time around, after they’d eliminated the Thunder with a memorable Damian Lillard buzzer beater and knocked off the Nuggets in a Game 7 in Denver. Portland will enter the 2019/20 season looking to build on that playoff success.

Here are five key questions facing the franchise this summer:

1. How close are the Trail Blazers to legit title contention?

The Trail Blazers didn’t win a single game against the Warriors in the Western Finals, but they built double-digit leads in each of the last three contests and led for most of those games. Now that Golden State will be without Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson for most or all of next season, do the Blazers have an opening to win the West?

Well, yes and no. Portland’s path to the Western Finals was a favorable one, as the team avoided what would have difficult matchups against the Rockets or Jazz. If the bracket had looked a little different, it’s entirely possible that the Blazers could have been eliminated a round or two earlier.

But the West should be more wide open in 2019/20 than it has been in years, so there’s reason for the Blazers to believe they’re just one or two moves away from breaking through. The Raptors, who could have been considered the Blazers of the East in recent years, are a good reference point for Portland — Toronto suffered several postseason disappointments and repeatedly fell short of the NBA Finals before winning a championship in 2019. Maybe the Blazers could follow suit.

Unlike the Raptors, who had to break up their All-Star backcourt to take that next step, I don’t expect the Blazers to seriously consider moving Lillard or CJ McCollum. Instead, it makes more sense for Portland to try to acquire a third impact player using their growing collection of assets. Kevin Love has been a frequent subject of speculation as that impact player, though I expect the Blazers to aim even higher.

There aren’t likely to be teams pushing hard to pry Love from the Cavaliers this summer, and the Blazers could afford to wait until the 2020 trade deadline to try to make a splash if they don’t find a deal they like this offseason, so Love is an option that could be circled back to down the road.

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Five Key Offseason Questions: Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks broke out in a big way in 2018/19, rebounding from a disappointing 2017/18 season to win an NBA-high 60 regular-season games and two playoff series before falling just short of the NBA Finals. A deep, talented roster put together by Executive of the Year Jon Horst was led expertly by Coach of the Year Mike Budenholzer and MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Bucks’ core players are young enough to build on this year’s results and improve upon them without major roster changes, but before that can happen, the team will need to address several contract situations. Of Milwaukee’s eight most-used players in the postseason, four are free agents and another is a strong candidate to be released due to an unwieldy contract.

Here are five key questions facing the franchise this summer:

1. Will Khris Middleton be re-signed?

The answer to this question appears to be a resounding yes. When ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported last week that Middleton would turn down his player option, he added that Middleton and the Bucks planned to work together on a new deal. Since then, Middleton’s name has barely popped up in the rumor mill, a hint that teams around the league view his return to Milwaukee as the most likely scenario.

So maybe the question shouldn’t be whether Middleton will be back, but whether his lucrative new contract (which could be worth up to as much as $189MM+ over five years) will be a worthwhile investment.

Despite earning his first All-Star nod in 2018/19, Middleton probably doesn’t qualify as a “star.” The 27-year-old is one of the league’s more reliable three-and-D options, but he has only cracked 20 PPG in a season once and was up and down in the playoffs this year. In the Bucks’ six-game series loss to the Raptors, Middleton struggled to slow Kawhi Leonard and averaged just 13.7 PPG.

Still, the Bucks have little choice but to commit big money to Middleton. Milwaukee isn’t a prime free agent destination, so it’s not as if the team can go out and recruit Klay Thompson to replace him. All of the Bucks’ moves this offseason will be made with an eye toward eventually securing a long-term commitment from Antetokounmpo, and allowing the team’s ostensible second-best player to walk in free agency wouldn’t be a good look.

Middleton’s new contract probably won’t be one of the NBA’s best values over the next several years, but the Bucks can’t afford not to offer it.

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Five Key Offseason Questions: Houston Rockets

After coming agonizingly close to the NBA Finals in 2018, the Rockets were once again the most serious threat in the Western Conference to knock off the Warriors in 2019. This time around though, the two teams met in the second round, and Houston blew a golden opportunity, losing Game 6 to a Warriors team that was missing Kevin Durant.

Unlike in 2018, when the Rockets could point to Chris Paul‘s hamstring injury and a fluky 0-for-27 run on three-pointers in Game 7 as reasons why they couldn’t sneak past the Warriors, this year’s loss felt more demoralizing, and the team doesn’t appear quite as likely to simply run things back with the same core.

Here are five key questions facing the franchise this summer:

1. How real is this Jimmy Butler thing?

Multiple reports in recent weeks have identified Jimmy Butler as the Rockets’ top free agent target. Houston is reportedly “extremely confident” about its chances to land Butler. There are just a few potential roadblocks:

  • Butler’s level of interest in the Rockets remains unclear.
  • Butler will command a maximum salary of $32.7MM and the Rockets have no cap room.
  • The Sixers would have to agree to sign-and-trade Butler to Houston, despite the fact that allowing him to walk could create significant cap room.
  • Base year compensation restrictions would likely force the two teams to involve a third club for salary-matching purposes.
  • Even if the Rockets could work out a deal, it would almost certainly cost them Eric Gordon, Clint Capela, and maybe other pieces.
  • The Rockets would become hard-capped at the tax apron by acquiring a player via sign-and-trade, substantially limiting their ability to add reinforcements around James Harden, Paul, Butler, and perhaps P.J. Tucker.

The sheer number of obstacles standing in the way of a Rockets acquisition of Butler should make it a long shot. And even if GM Daryl Morey could pull it off, I’m not convinced it would be the right move. Harden, Paul, and Butler all have big personalities and ball-dominant playing styles that could clash. The hard cap would limit Houston’s ability to acquire quality depth. And making further trades would be nearly impossible due to a lack of mid-level type salaries on the Rockets’ books.

It’d be a mistake to rule out the possibility of Butler – a Texas native – heading to the Rockets, given the creativity we’ve seen from Morey over the years. But if the Sixers are willing to offer Butler five years at the maximum salary or something close to it, I have to imagine it’s back to the drawing board for the Rockets’ front office.

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2019 NBA Offseason Trades

As we did with last year’s offseason trades and the in-season swaps from 2018/19, Hoops Rumors will be keeping track of all of the trades made this offseason, right up until the start of the 2019/20 season, updating this post with each transaction.

Trades are listed here in reverse chronological order, with the latest on top. So, if a player has been traded multiple times, the first team listed as having acquired him is the one that ended up with him.

If a trade has been agreed upon, but not yet been formally finalized, it will be listed below in italics.

For our full story on each trade, click on the date above it. For more information on the specific conditions dictating if and when draft picks involved in these deals will actually change hands, be sure to check out RealGM.com’s breakdown of the details on traded picks.

Here’s the full list of the NBA’s 2019 offseason trades:


2019/20 League Year

July 16

  • Rockets acquire Russell Westbrook.
  • Thunder acquire Chris Paul, the Rockets’ 2024 first-round pick (top-four protected), the Rockets’ 2026 first-round pick (top-four protected), the right to swap 2021 first-round picks (top-four protected), the right to swap 2025 first-round picks (top-10 protected), and conditional cash ($1MM).
    • Note: The Rockets would only owe the Thunder $1MM (and a 2026 second-round pick) if the 2026 first-round pick falls in the top four.

July 10

  • Clippers acquire Paul George.
  • Thunder acquire Danilo Gallinari, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Heat’s 2021 first-round pick (unprotected), the Clippers’ 2022 first-round pick (unprotected), the Heat’s 2023 first round pick (top-14 protected), the Clippers’ 2024 first-round pick (unprotected), the Clippers’ 2026 first-round pick (unprotected), and the right to swap first-round picks with the Clippers in both 2023 and 2025.

July 8

July 8

  • Mavericks acquire Delon Wright (sign-and-trade).
  • Grizzlies acquire the draft rights to Satnam Singh, the Trail Blazers’ 2021 second-round pick, and either the Mavericks’ or Heat’s 2023 second-round pick (whichever is less favorable).

July 8

  • Nuggets acquire Jerami Grant.
  • Thunder acquire the Nuggets’ 2020 first-round pick (top-10 protected).

July 8

July 8

July 7

July 7

  • Pelicans acquire Derrick Favors.
  • Jazz acquire the Warriors’ 2021 second-round pick and the Warriors’ 2023 second-round pick.
  • Agreed upon on June 30.

July 7

  • Bulls acquire Tomas Satoransky (sign-and-trade).
  • Wizards acquire either the Bulls’ or Grizzlies’ 2020 second-round pick (whichever is more favorable), the right to swap the Lakers’ 2022 second-round pick for either the Bulls’ or Pistons’ 2022 second-round pick (whichever is more favorable), and the Bulls’ 2023 second-round pick with protections removed.
    • Note: The Wizards had acquired the Bulls’ 2023 second-round pick with 31-36 protection in a previous trade.

July 7

July 7

July 7

  • Grizzlies acquire Andre Iguodala, the Warriors’ 2024 first-round pick (top-four protected), and cash ($2MM).
  • Warriors acquire Julian Washburn (two-way).
  • Agreed upon on June 30.

July 7

  • Pistons acquire the draft rights to Jordan Bone (No. 57 pick).
  • Sixers acquire the Heat’s 2024 second-round pick (top-55 protected) and cash ($2MM).
  • Agreed upon on June 20.

July 7

  • Hawks acquire the draft rights to Bruno Fernando (No. 34 pick).
  • Sixers acquire the draft rights to Jordan Bone (No. 57 pick), the Hawks’ 2020 second-round pick (56-60 protected), and either the Hawks’, Hornets’, or Nets’ 2023 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable).
  • Agreed upon on June 20.

July 7

  • Hawks acquire Solomon Hill, the draft rights to De’Andre Hunter (No. 4 pick), the draft rights to Jordan Bone (No. 57 pick), and the Pelicans’ 2023 second-round pick (31-45 protected).
  • Pelicans acquire the draft rights to Jaxson Hayes (No. 8 pick), the draft rights to Nickeil Alexander-Walker (No. 17 pick), the draft rights to Marcos Louzada Silva (No. 35 pick), and the Cavaliers’ 2020 first-round pick (top-10 protected).
    • Note: The Cavaliers’ protected 2020 first-rounder will become two second-round picks (2021 and 2022) if it’s not conveyed in 2020.
  • Agreed upon on June 20.

July 6

  • Grizzlies acquire the draft rights to Brandon Clarke (No. 21 pick).
  • Thunder acquire the draft rights to Darius Bazley (No. 23 pick) and the Grizzlies’ 2024 second-round pick.
  • Agreed upon on June 20.

July 6

  • Lakers acquire Anthony Davis.
  • Pelicans acquire Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, the draft rights to De’Andre Hunter (No. 4 pick), the Lakers’ 2021 first-round pick (8-30 protected; unprotected in 2022), the Lakers’ 2024 first-round pick (unprotected), the right to swap 2023 first-round picks with the Lakers, and cash ($1.1MM from Wizards; $1MM from Lakers).
    • Note: The Pelicans will have the option to defer the 2024 first-round pick to 2025.
  • Wizards acquire Moritz Wagner, Isaac Bonga, Jemerrio Jones, and the Lakers’ 2022 second-round pick.
  • Agreed upon on June 15.

July 6

  • Celtics acquire Kemba Walker (sign-and-trade) and either the Nets’ or Knicks’ 2020 second-round pick (whichever is less favorable).
  • Hornets acquire Terry Rozier (sign-and-trade) and the Celtics’ 2020 second-round pick (top-53 protected).
  • Agreed upon on June 30.

July 6

  • Pacers acquire Malcolm Brogdon (sign-and-trade).
  • Bucks acquire the Pacers’ 2020 first-round pick (top-14 protected), the Pacers’ 2021 second-round pick, and the Pacers’ 2025 second-round pick.
    • Note: The Pacers’ 2021 second-round pick will convey one year after the Pacers’ 2020 second-round pick (45-60 protected through 2022; unprotected in 2023) conveys.
  • Agreed upon on June 30.

July 6

July 6

July 6

July 6

  • Suns acquire Aron Baynes and the draft rights to Ty Jerome (No. 24 pick).
  • Celtics acquire the Bucks’ 2020 first-round pick (top-7 protected).
  • Agreed upon on June 20.

July 6

July 6

July 6

July 6

  • Heat acquire the draft rights to KZ Okpala (No. 32 pick).
  • Pacers acquire T.J. Warren, the Heat’s 2022 second-round pick, the Heat’s 2025 second-round pick, and the Heat’s 2026 second-round pick.
  • Suns acquire cash ($1.1MM; from Pacers).
  • Agreed upon on June 20.

2018/19 League Year

June 26

  • Pistons acquire the draft rights to Deividas Sirvydis (No. 37 pick).
  • Mavericks acquire the draft rights to Isaiah Roby (No. 45 pick), the Jazz’s 2020 second-round pick, and the Trail Blazers’ 2021 second-round pick.

June 26

  • Cavaliers acquire the draft rights to Kevin Porter Jr. (No. 30 pick).
  • Pistons acquire the Jazz’s 2020 second-round pick, the Trail Blazers’ 2021 second-round pick, the Trail Blazers’ 2023 second-round pick, the Heat’s 2024 second-round pick (top-55 protected), and cash ($5MM).

June 24

June 21

June 21

  • Jazz acquire the draft rights to Miye Oni (No. 58 pick).
  • Warriors acquire cash ($2MM).

June 21

  • Knicks acquire the draft rights to Ignas Brazdeikis (No. 47 pick).
  • Kings acquire the draft rights to Kyle Guy (No. 55 pick) and cash ($1MM).

June 21

  • Jazz acquire the draft rights to Jarrell Brantley (No. 50 pick).
  • Pacers acquire the Jazz’s 2021 second-round pick and cash ($1MM).

June 21

  • Clippers acquire the draft rights to Mfiondu Kabengele (No. 27 pick).
  • Nets acquire the Sixers’ 2020 first-round pick (top-14 protected) and the draft rights to Jaylen Hands (No. 56 pick).

June 21

June 21

  • Nuggets acquire the draft rights to Bol Bol (No. 44 pick).
  • Heat acquire either the Nuggets’ or Sixers’ second-round pick (whichever is least favorable) and cash ($1.2MM).

June 20

  • Lakers acquire the draft rights to Talen Horton-Tucker (No. 46 pick).
  • Magic acquire the Lakers’ 2020 second-round pick and cash ($2,226,778).

June 20

  • Warriors acquire the draft rights to Alen Smailagic (No. 39 pick).
  • Pelicans acquire the Warriors’ 2021 second-round pick, the Warriors’ 2023 second-round pick, and cash ($1MM).

June 20

June 20

  • Warriors acquire No. 41 pick in 2019 draft (used to select Eric Paschall).
  • Hawks acquire the Warriors’ 2024 second-round pick and cash ($1.3MM).

June 19

  • Heat acquire No. 44 pick in 2019 draft (used to select Bol Bol).
  • Hawks acquire Heat’s 2024 second-round pick (protected 31-50 and 56-60) and cash ($1.88MM).

Five Key Offseason Questions: Boston Celtics

No NBA team besides the defending-champion Warriors had higher expectations entering the 2018/19 season than the Celtics. After all, they’d come within one game of reaching the NBA Finals during the spring of 2018 without having Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward in their lineup. With those two stars back and LeBron James leaving the conference, what could go wrong?

As it turns out, a whole lot. The Celtics were disappointing and dysfunctional all season long, with Irving’s and Hayward’s returns resulting in an overcrowded rotation that led to chemistry issues. In an Eastern Conference that only really had three legit contenders, Boston earned the No. 4 seed and won a first-round series, but the team didn’t come close to winning the conference and may be headed for a major overhaul this offseason.

Here are five key questions facing the franchise this summer:

1. Are Kyrie Irving and Al Horford really goners?

Last fall, Irving announced to Celtics fans at a preseason event that he intended to re-sign with the team when he became eligible for free agency in 2019. Players always talk in platitudes about wanting to stick with their current teams, but Irving’s declaration seemed different — it was more definitive, and it was unprompted, rather than a response to a reporter’s question.

Still, that apparent commitment to the Celtics came nine months before Irving would hit the open market, and as we noted at the time, he was always free to change his mind depending on how the Celtics’ season went. Sure enough, halfway through a year in which he repeatedly – and publicly – expressed frustrations with his team and teammates, Irving changed course, telling reporters in February to ask him “on July 1” about his intentions for free agency.

Now, a return to Boston looks like an extreme long shot. The Celtics and their fans appear to be moving on from the Irving era, with several reports indicating that the Nets are the frontrunners for the star point guard. It looks like Kyrie is a goner.

The same is true of Horford, which is even more unexpected. The veteran big man had fit in well with the Celtics since signing a four-year, maximum-salary deal with the team in the summer of 2016. He had a player option for 2019/20, but always seemed pretty likely to either pick up that option or to turn it down to negotiate a new contract with the C’s.

Instead, he’ll decline it to reach the open market, and the Celtics are now preparing to lose Horford as well, as rumors swirl about the possibility of a four-year, $100MM+ offer waiting for him in free agency. It’s hard to blame the C’s for being reluctant to match such an offer for a 33-year-old, and it’s hard to blame Horford for leaving Boston for a shot at one last monster payday.

It doesn’t appear there’s any animosity between Horford and the Celtics. It simply comes down to a difference in opinion on his value. That difference in opinion will leave Boston with a big hole in its frontcourt.

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NBA Dates, Deadlines To Watch This Week

The 2019 NBA draft is behind us, but the offseason fun is just beginning. With free agency right around the corner, here are the key NBA dates and deadlines to watch for this week:

NBA Awards Show

It has been about two months since we were seriously debating whether James Harden or Giannis Antetokounmpo deserved the 2018/19 MVP award. Now, with the postseason in the books and NBA fans focused on the offseason, the league is circling back to finally answer the Harden vs. Giannis questions and others in its curiously-timed awards broadcast.

The 2018/19 NBA awards show will air tonight (June 24) at 9:00pm eastern time on TNT.

To refresh your memory on who is in contention for tonight’s awards, here’s our story on this year’s nominees. We also made our own picks for MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and the rest of the NBA’s individual honors.

Qualifying Offers

Not every player eligible for restricted free agency this summer will actually become a restricted free agent. A team has to issue a qualifying offer to make a player restricted.

That qualifying offer serves as a one-year contract offer which a player can accept. It also gives his team the right of first refusal. So if (and when) the Mavericks tender a QO to Kristaps Porzingis, they’ll gain the ability to match any offer sheet he signs with another team.

So far, the Raptors are the only team to tender a qualifying offer, having done so for Patrick McCaw and Nando De Colo. But many other teams will follow suit this week. The last day to issue a qualifying offer is June 29.

Team and Player Options

Many of this year’s player option and team option decisions have already been officially made — or at least reported.

However, there are still several outstanding decisions to be made on option seasons, including the Nuggets‘ $30MM+ team option on Paul Millsap.

All player and team option decisions are due by June 29.

Certain Non-Guaranteed Contracts

Players with non-guaranteed salaries for 2019/20 won’t necessarily have those salaries become fully guaranteed until next January. But many players who have non-guaranteed ’19/20 salaries have guarantee dates that arrive much earlier than that — some will even happen within the next week.

J.R. Smith (Cavaliers) and Shaun Livingston (Warriors) are among the veteran players whose salaries for next season will become fully guaranteed if they remain under contract through June 30, per Basketball Insiders‘ data. Smith is expected to be waived or possibly traded, but it’s not clear what Golden State’s plans are for Livingston.

Free Agency

In past years, the NBA’s new league year and free agent period officially got underway on July 1 at 12:01am ET. That won’t be the case in 2019.

The NBA has adjusted the start of its free agent period, announcing last month that teams will be permitted to start negotiating with players as of 6:00pm ET on June 30. It’s safe to assume that contract agreements will start being reported early and often that evening.

The league will also now allow teams to begin communicating with players and/or their agents on 6:00pm ET on June 29 for the sole purpose of scheduling free agent meetings. Those meetings can’t take place until at least 24 hours later, when free agency officially opens, but it’ll be interesting to see if deals start leaking during that 24-hour window.

Be sure to check out our full lists of free agents by position/type and free agents by team.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Jarrett Allen Discusses Nets’ Season, Playoffs, Russell, More

Nets center Jarrett Allen is coming off an impressive season with the team, one that saw him significantly improve on both ends of the floor, emphatically block the shots of superstars like LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, and help lead the franchise to the playoffs for the first time since 2015.

Allen, who was drafted by Brooklyn with the No. 22 pick back in 2017, averaged 10.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 26.2 minutes in 80 total games this year. He credits the Nets’ strong camaraderie and willingness to sacrifice as two major reasons for the late-season surge that helped the club claim the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. Based on most preseason projections and predictions in October, the Nets easily outperformed expectations.

“What was so special about this season was the team. Not just the team itself, but the people we had on it,” Allen told Hoops Rumors. “I mean, other than D’Angelo [Russell], we didn’t have any All-Star players. We all had to find our place and our role on the team, and everybody did it acceptingly.”

Allen discussed the Nets’ roller-coaster season, how the team made a sudden playoff surge, his offseason priorities, Russell’s upcoming restricted free agency, and much more in a wide-ranging conversation with Hoops Rumors.


What’s it like to play for fans of a true basketball city, a loyal, energetic and supportive fanbase like Brooklyn? They stuck with you guys through the good and bad all season long.

“It feels good. They’re always there to support you. Last year when we didn’t have the best season, everybody we saw at the arena or even out on the streets were just telling us, ‘You’ll get them next year, you’ll get them next year.’ They kept having that support all throughout and we ended up making the playoffs [this year] and gave back on that promise.”

So how did this team turn it around? You guys had eight straight losses in November and immediately followed it up with seven straight wins. What started the turnaround into a successful second half of the season? 

“Well I think the turnaround started when [head coach] Kenny [Atkinson] and the vets all sat us down and told us basically that the season’s not over. We had a team meeting, a players-only meeting, just to go over that if we don’t start winning then the season’s going to be over. You know, the vets told us that it was still possible to turn it around. I think all of us just rallied behind what they were saying. We all just kept our heads up and put in the work that we needed to.”

So I’m willing to bet money that one of those guys who stepped up in the meeting was Jared Dudley. Am I correct?

“Yep, he was the one.”

How important was Jared for the team? A lot of fans look at the on-court product and base their final opinion on that, but what they don’t see is what happens behind the scenes and in the locker room.

“He’s just so important. He helped coach on the floor, basically like a player-coach. In the locker room he always brought us positive energy. He’s just a good guy to be around. But then just him showing the fight and telling us how basketball needs to be played, because he has a lot of experience, how basketball needs to be played to become a better team. It was easy to trust the vets, and we did it.”

How was playing in the postseason for you? I’d imagine a lot different from playing in the regular season, yeah? 

“Oh, it’s a lot different. The amount of preparation that goes into every game, and then just being out on the court for the first time during the postseason, you can just feel the atmosphere was different between the players. It was just a new experience for me, just different.”

Do you think there’s a rivalry today between the Knicks and Nets, or at the very least could there be a rivalry going into next season?

“I think there’s a little bit of a rivalry. We’re an across-town team and everybody wants to be the best team in the city [of New York]. But, you know, it’s hard to be a rivalry because Brooklyn’s a new team. We don’t have a lot of history behind the Brooklyn name, so it’s hard to make a rivalry when we haven’t really showed anything.”

So, looking into free agency, obviously D’Angelo Russell is set to become a restricted free agent. Have you spoken with him about it, or do you plan on speaking with him about it? 

“No, not really. I know he’s out doing his own thing right now. He has to figure out his own path right now, and I know him and his group are going to make the best decision for themselves.”

And obviously you want him back, considering how important of a piece he was to your puzzle this season?

“We would take him back in a heartbeat. He’s a leader. He led the team throughout everything that happened last year, with Spencer [Dinwiddie] and Caris [LeVert] going down to injury. He’s helped me tremendously grow as a player, so I would have him back in heartbeat.”

What do you know about Taurean Prince? Obviously the agreed-upon trade with Atlanta won’t become official until the first week of July — have you gotten the chance to meet or speak with him yet? 

“No, I haven’t gotten the chance yet. I know him from his Baylor days. But I think he’ll fit right into the type of system Brooklyn’s making: grit, and just knowing our role and accepting it.”

Do you plan on having a recruiting role for your team this offseason, or do you prefer to sit back and just let the dominoes fall?

“I’m letting those dominoes fall — I’ll deal with it when it happens.”

What’s your ceiling as a player? In other words, where do you see yourself and your game in the next three to five years?

“Honestly — I have no idea. I know a lot of people say I have a high ceiling and the potential to be something great, and all I know is that I’m going out and giving my best effort every night.”

Do you have any primary goals for improving during the offseason? A lot of people have pushed for you to add more weight for next season, as you know.

“I would say that basically the whole world knows I need to put on some weight. You know, just dealing with big guys like that, it showed in the playoffs that I kind of struggled with the strength aspect. That’s obviously going to come with age, it’s just coming with working out, so I’m not too worried about it. Something I want to work on skill-wise is decision-making with the ball, and expanding my range to the three.”

Have you spoken with Kenny Atkinson about either of those two things? 

“Oh yeah, he’s in the gym quite a bit. You know, walking around just checking on us. He said the exact same thing.”

In your mind, what truly allowed this team to prove so many people wrong this season? 

“We knew we could do it. Like you said, at the beginning of the season there was a lot of doubt, people thinking we wouldn’t be in the playoffs. But coming into training camp, coming into practices we all practiced with the thought of the playoffs in our heads. So I think that was the one thing — speaking about the playoffs and playing for it.”


Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Weekly Mailbag: 6/16/19 – 6/23/19

We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com.

Do you think the super max-rule is turning out to be a bad rule? Players are getting so overpaid, but not deserving it like what’s happening now to John Wall and Chris Paul? — Greg Dizon

Formally known as the Designated Veteran Extension, the super-max is a good rule for the players, who will likely fight to keep it in the next collective bargaining agreement. It rewards loyalty and achievement, enabling players who have 7-9 years of experience with their original team to qualify for a contract at 35% of the cap, a privilege normally reserved for players with 10 or more years of service. Certain criteria such as MVP, Defensive Player of the Year or all-NBA appearances must also be met.

However, having a player eligible for a super-max can put a team in a bind, which is happening to the Hornets this summer with Kemba Walker, who is now eligible to earn about $221.3MM over five years instead of the standard max-level deal of $189.7MM. That’s a huge investment in one player, and as Wall showed in Washington, it can devastate a team if something goes wrong. Paul wasn’t eligible for a super-max because the Clippers traded him, but he still got a nice deal in Houston.

Can Golden State and Boston afford max-level players if Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving and Al Horford leave? How do you think Ricky Rubio fits on the Lakers? — Bloody knuckle show, via Twitter

The Warriors won’t have cap room unless they lose both Durant and Klay Thompson, and it wouldn’t be nearly enough to offer a max deal. With Aron Baynes off the books now that he has been traded to Phoenix, the Celtics can create up to $34MM in space. That’s enough to compete for the top free agents, but they would need to renounce Terry Rozier and Marcus Morris to get there. Point guard seems to be the primary focus for the Lakers heading into free agency. Rubio might be cheaper than some other options, but he’s not a shooter, which is the mistake L.A. made last summer. They need to surround LeBron James and Anthony Davis with players who can space the floor.

Which contender is the best fit for Carmelo Anthony and why? — Leonard Carollo

It may be time to accept that there is no best fit for Anthony anymore. The Rockets seemed like a good spot for him last year because of the chance to play with two excellent passers in Paul, one of his best friends, and James Harden. However, he lasted just 10 games. Anthony was also disappointing in his season with the Thunder and put up good numbers on bad teams for much of his time with the Knicks. The Lakers may sign him because of his relationship with LeBron, but Anthony is probably past the point where he can help anyone.

Community Shootaround: 2020 All-Rookie Team

NBA general managers nailed the top of the draft last year, taking the entire All-Rookie first team off the board in five picks. Deandre Ayton, Marvin Bagley, Luka Doncic, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Trae Young were all highly regarded, but it’s rare that the first five selections are instantly the best five players.

This year’s draft is considered weaker, which makes it harder to predict. That only adds to the fun of speculating about who will wind up on the 2020 All-Rookie team.

There’s a lot left to happen this offseason, but there are a few things we know about this year’s draft class that we didn’t know a few days ago.

For example, we know the Anthony Davis era is over in New Orleans and the Zion Williamson era is about to begin. Unlike many top picks, Williamson will be surrounded by a strong supporting cast thanks to the generous return the Pelicans extracted from the Lakers. He won’t have to be dominant right away, but the spotlight will be on him and his natural talent should shine through. He’s the early favorite for Rookie of the Year.

Ja Morant should get the keys to the Memphis offense right from the start now that Mike Conley is on his way to Utah. It will take a while to reach Conley’s level, but Morant’s athleticism and highlight-reel dunks should make the Grizzlies a must-see team on League Pass.

R.J. Barrett may be considered a consolation prize in New York after the No. 1 pick slipped away, but his love for the city and his sweet shooting touch should win over Knicks fans. It’s easy to envision him topping all first-year players in scoring.

De’Andre Hunter is joining a Hawks organization that is amassing the brightest collection of young talent in the league. He and Cam Reddish could help Atlanta become the team of the future.

Darius Garland seems to duplicate a lot of the talents of Collin Sexton, the Cavaliers’ top pick last year, but the team is excited about the shooting threat he brings. Cleveland may not be ready to win, but Garland and Sexton will be a treat to watch in the open court.

Those are the top five picks, but are they all destined for the All-Rookie team? Are there better players taken later in the lottery or even later in the draft? We want to get your input on next season’s top rookies. Please leave your responses in the space below.

Hoops Rumors Originals: 6/15/19 – 6/22/19

Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team creates original content to complement our news feed. Here are our segments and features from the past seven days:

  • Arthur Hill and Chris Crouse made picks back-and-forth in this year’s 2019 NBA Mock Draft, correctly identifying the top 7 selections from the actual draft.
  • Our Five Key Offseason Questions series focused on the following teams this week:
  • We finished up our 2019 NBA Offseason Salary Cap Digest series with the NBA’s 2019 conference champions, the Golden State Warriors and NBA-champion Toronto Raptors.
  • Chris Crouse also hosted a live chat during the 2019 NBA Draft. Check out the transcript, here.
  • Our lone Community Shootaround discussion post this week addressed the draft, asking our readers to give us their initial assessments of the winners and losers from this year’s event.