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Following Specific Players On Hoops Rumors

September 13th, 2018 at 2:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors lets you keep up with your favorite NBA teams as they plot their next moves, and we also provide ways to easily follow the latest on all of your favorite players, along with the free agents and trade candidates from around the league.

You can get news about players wherever you go with our Trade Rumors app, available for iOS and Android devices. The app is free and allows you to add a feed for any player and set up notifications that will alert you whenever we write about him. It’s the easiest way to keep tabs on specific players.

If you’re using the desktop or mobile version of our site, there are other ways to follow your favorite player(s). Every player we’ve written about has his own rumors page. You can find any player by using our search box, by clicking his tag at the bottom of a post in which he’s discussed, or by simply typing his name in your address bar after hoopsrumors.com, substituting dashes for spaces. For example, LeBron James‘s page is hoopsrumors.com/lebron-james.

You can also set up an RSS feed for any of our player pages by adding /feed to the end of the page URL, like this: hoopsrumors.com/demarcus-cousins/feed. Entering that URL into the reader of your choice will enable you to get updates whenever we write about DeMarcus Cousins. It works for teams, too. If you’re a Warriors fan, you can enter hoopsrumors.com/golden-state-warriors/feed into your reader and stay on top of all the latest from New Orleans.

In addition to players and teams, there are a number of other subjects you can track by clicking on the tags that we use at the bottom of posts. For example, you can keep tabs on our 2019 NBA draft stories right here. Items about the NBA G League can be found on this page. You can simply scan our top stories here. Again, you can set up a feed with any of these pages by adding /feed to the end of the URL.

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Community Shootaround: Timberwolves’ Playoff Chances

September 12th, 2018 at 9:46pm CST by clarkcrum

The Timberwolves entered the 2017/18 campaign with dreams of making the playoffs for the first time in thirteen years after acquiring Jimmy Butler in a draft day trade. The team made the playoffs with the help of Butler and youngsters Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, but were eliminated by the Western Conference Champion Rockets in the First Round.

This offseason, Minnesota drafted rookies Josh Okogie and Keita Bates-Diop to help sure up the team’s bench for the upcoming season. The team also recently signed veteran Luol Deng, but there has been no promise of playing time for the former Bull and Laker.

The Wolves also re-signed Derrick Rose and replaced Nemanja Bjelica with Anthony Tolliver in free agency, but lost bench stalwart Jamal Crawford. All that said, the biggest impediment to the Wolves making the playoffs for a second straight year will likely be the increased power of the Western Conference, with the Lakers adding LeBron James and the Nuggets a trendy pick to nab a playoff spot this season.

Additionally, the Wolves have been rumored to have some off-the-court chemistry issues, with Butler reportedly frustrated with some of the younger players perceived nonchalance and lack of toughness and Towns yet to sign a maximum contract extension offer.

ESPN’s Power Rankings currently put the Wolves’ as only the 10th strongest team in the Western Conference behind the aforementioned Lakers and Nuggets and other 7 playoff teams from last season.

So today we’re asking you, will the Minnesota Timberwolves make the 2018/19 NBA Playoffs? If so, who won’t? If not, who is going to take their place?

Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!

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Extension Candidate: Stanley Johnson

September 10th, 2018 at 8:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Twenty-three players became eligible for rookie scale extensions when the 2018/19 NBA league year began in July. One of those 23, Devin Booker, quickly finalized a new deal with the Suns, leaving 22 other players who could sign rookie scale extensions before the October 15 deadline.

In the weeks leading up to that deadline, we’ll be taking a closer look at some of the strongest candidates for new contracts.

[RELATED: 2018 NBA Extension Candidate Series]

Our examination of this year’s candidates for rookie scale extensions continues today with Pistons swingman Stanley Johnson. Let’s dive in…

Why the Pistons should give him an extension:

The ability to guard multiple positions has become an increasingly valuable skill in the current NBA. With so many teams going with smaller lineups, defenders must be able to switch onto smaller, quicker players and bigger, stronger opponents alike and still hold their own. Therein lies Johnson’s calling card.

The No. 8 overall pick in the 2015 draft, the 6’7” Johnson has proven he can defend four positions. He’s got the strength to mix up with a LeBron James and the athleticism and quickness to match up with a Kyrie Irving.

For the most part, Johnson is assigned to the other team’s top wing player. Given the composition of the Pistons’ roster, Johnson serves as a complimentary piece to the team’s other top wings, Reggie Bullock and Luke Kennard. Bullock and Kennard are known for their perimeter shooting but aren’t considered noteworthy defenders.

New coach Dwane Casey has indicated he’d like to play Johnson at power forward at certain times, which would allow him to attack taller, slower defenders off the dribble.

Why the Pistons should avoid an extension:

If Johnson has shown any growth offensively, it’s been a very gradual process. In his rookie season, he averaged 8.1 PPG while making 37.5% of his shots and 30.7% from long range in 23.1 MPG.

He experimented with a new release in his second year and regressed even from those subpar figures. Johnson’s offensive woes and questions about his work ethic led to a dip in playing time, as he averaged 4.4 PPG while shooting 35.3% from the field and 29.2% on 3-point tries in 17.8 MPG.

He got back in former coach Stan Van Gundy’s good graces last season but remained a work in progress offensively. Johnson averaged 8.7 PPG on 37.5% shooting whiile making just 28.6% of his threes in 27.4 MPG.

Points of comparison:

Among  recent recipients of rookie scale extensions, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist may be the best point of comparison for Johnson. In 2015, the Hornets gave Kidd-Gilchrist a four-year, $52MM deal, mainly due to his reputation as a lockdown defender.

Kidd-Gilchrist has been a fixture in the team’s starting lineup during the first two years of the extension but his offensive numbers have actually gone down compared to his first three seasons in the league. He doesn’t even attempt 3-point baskets, which makes it easier for defenders to load up on Charlotte’s shooters.

Johnson at least provides some hope of developing into a perimeter threat. In six April games last season, he averaged 12.0 PPG and made 36% of his long-distance tries.

Cap outlook:

Due to the acquisition of Blake Griffin and some poor decisions by the previous regime, the Pistons won’t have a lot of flexibility in terms of their payroll next summer.

The trio of Griffin, Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson alone will eat up $79.6MM of their cap space. The Pistons will still be on the hook for the final years of Jon Leuer‘s and Langston Galloway‘s deals, chewing up another $16.8MM in cap room. And the stretch provision used on Josh Smith will wipe out an additional $5.33MM.

Handing Johnson a deal comparable to Kidd-Gilchrist, i.e. in the $13MM annual range, would leave the Pistons with very little wiggle room to upgrade the roster. They’d have to be convinced that Johnson could expand his game offensively while remaining a bulldog on the defensive end.

It’s not far-fetched, considering Johnson exited college after his freshman season at Arizona. He’s still only 22 and could thrive under the guidance of Casey.

Conclusion:

Under a different set of circumstances, the Pistons might consider locking up Johnson at the right price. He can contribute without being a major offensive factor and the Pistons probably don’t need him to become a 15- or 20-point scorer.

They’ve got two All-Star level frontcourt talents in Griffin and Drummond, an offensively-gifted point guard (when healthy) in Jackson, and some quality 3-point shooters dotting the roster. It’s still difficult to make a long-term commitment to Johnson until he becomes at least enough of an offensive threat that defenders have to pay some attention to him.

It’s even more difficult for the Pistons to lavish Johnson with a multi-year deal given their salary constraints next summer. They can still extend a qualifying offer and see how the market plays out when Johnson becomes a restricted free agent.

It’s unlikely Johnson will develop so dramatically that other teams will be beating down his door with lucrative offer sheets. Better to see if Johnson can make the necessary upgrades in his game before giving him long-term security.

Will Johnson get extended by October 15?

Our prediction: No.

Our estimate: RFA in 2019.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Community Shootaround: Heat Rotation

September 10th, 2018 at 4:36pm CST by Dana Gauruder

There’s still a lot of uncertainty regarding Dwyane Wade‘s status for the upcoming season. A report late last month indicated that Wade was ‘inclined to play’ another season and if he does, it will be with the franchise he’s played for most of his career.

Even if Wade doesn’t return, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra will have a lot of tough decisions to make regarding his rotation during the upcoming season. Miami’s roster is filled with solid but unspectacular players and Spoelstra will have to sort out which are most deserving of steady minutes.

Thanks to team president Pat Riley basically standing pat with his roster this summer, there aren’t a lot of players with clearly defined roles.

Point guard Goran Dragic seems like the only sure thing in terms of the backcourt. Tyler Johnson is the listed backup but Dion Waiters could get some playing time there, as well as Wade if he re-signs.

The shooting guard spot has a major logjam whether or not Wade is added to the equation. Along with Waiters coming back from an ankle injury, the Heat have Johnson, Rodney McGruder,  Wayne Ellington and Josh Richardson vying for minutes there.

Richardson could start at small forward but Justise Winslow will also be in the mix, along with summer league star Derrick Jones. Richardson led the team last season in minutes played per game but that was partly due to the injuries sustained by Waiters and McGruder, who started 65 games two seasons ago. Ellington led the team’s rotation players last season with his 39.2% shooting from beyond the arc.

Winslow will also play the ‘four’ in smaller lineups but Spoelstra also has to figure out a way to juggle Hassan Whiteside, Kelly Olynyk, Bam Adebayo and James Johnson at the center and power forward positions. Whiteside brooded about his reduced playing time last season and he won’t be happy with the status quo. But Adebayo’s role should expand in his second season while James Johnson, Olynyk and Winslow all played between 23-27 minutes on average last season.

That’s an awful lot for Spoeltra to sort out.

That leads us to our topic of the day: If you were the Miami Heat coach, what would your starting lineup look like? Which players should get the most minutes off the bench and which should be out of the rotation?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to what you have to say.

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2018 Offseason In Review: Chicago Bulls

September 9th, 2018 at 10:31pm CST by Austin Kent

Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2018 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s moves from the last several months and look ahead to what the 2018/19 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Chicago Bulls.

Signings:

  • Standard contracts:
    • Zach LaVine: Four years, $78MM. Matched Kings’ offer sheet. Re-signed as restricted free agent using Bird rights.
    • Jabari Parker: Two years, $40MM. Second-year team option. Signed using cap space.
    • Antonio Blakeney: Two years, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Two-way contracts:
  • Non-guaranteed camp contracts:

Trades:

Waiver claims:

Draft picks:

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

  • Announced a series of promotions in basketball operations department.

Salary cap situation:

  • Used cap space; now over the cap.
  • Carrying approximately $102.6MM in guaranteed salaries.
  • Full room exception ($4.45MM) still available.

Check out the Chicago Bulls’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.

Story of the summer:

It’s easy to forget that this time two years ago the Bulls were embarking on an ultimately futile attempt to compete within the window of Jimmy Butler‘s prime. Fast forward to today and things are about as promising as they possibly could be for a team that still won’t crack 35 wins.

What’s different about the Bulls this summer is that we’re looking back on the package John Paxson and Gar Forman landed in exchange for Butler entirely differently. Now, frankly, the fact that the club managed to yield Lauri Markkanen and Zach LaVine in exchange for their outgoing star is hard to believe, let alone incredibly underrated guard Kris Dunn as well.

Sprinkle lottery pick Wendell Carter Jr., per-minute god Bobby Portis and the No. 2 pick of the absurdly hyped 2014 draft class (who we will talk about later) and you have some serious cause for optimism. The Bulls have a roster packed with intriguing, hypothetically great assets. This is the honeymoon phase of any good rebuild.

Read more

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Hoops Rumors Glossary: Salary Cap Exceptions

September 9th, 2018 at 5:01pm CST by Luke Adams

There are a number of ways that teams without salary cap space are able to add players. These players’ salaries still count against the team’s cap figure and are taken into account for tax purposes. However, teams can use these exceptions in lieu of available cap room to acquire players.

When we discuss trades and free agency at Hoops Rumors, we’ll often refer to these salary cap exceptions. In case you’re wondering what we mean when we mention a “Non-Bird exception” or a “bi-annual exception,” we’ve compiled a brief overview for reference. The NBA’s salary cap exceptions under the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement are listed below:

  • Bird Exception: If a player has been on the same team for three years (not necessarily full seasons), his team can re-sign him for up to the player’s maximum salary. Generally, a player who changes teams via trade retains his Bird rights, but he loses them if he signs with a new team as a free agent. A Bird player can sign for up to five years with maximum annual raises of 8%.
  • Early Bird Exception: If a player has been on the same team for two years (not necessarily full seasons), his team can re-sign him for up to 175% of his previous salary or the average player salary, whichever is greater. Early Bird contracts must be for at least two seasons (no more than four), with maximum annual raises of 8%.
  • Non-Bird Exception: If a player finishes a season with a team without having earned Bird or Early Bird rights, his team can re-sign him for 120% of his previous salary, 120% of the applicable minimum salary, or – if he’s a restricted free agent – the amount of his qualifying offer. A non-Bird player can sign for up to four years with maximum annual raises of 5%.
  • Mid-Level Exception: A non-taxpaying team can offer a player a contract for up to four years with maximum annual raises of 5% using the mid-level exception. The MLE amount for 2018/19 is $8,641,000; it will increase annually at the same rate as the salary cap. This exception can be used on one or multiple players.
  • Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception: A taxpaying team can offer a player a contract for up to three years with maximum annual raises of 5% using the mid-level exception. The taxpayer MLE amount for 2018/19 is $5,337,000; it will increase annually at the same rate as the salary cap. This exception can be used on one or multiple players.
  • Room Exception: If a team uses room under the cap to sign players, it forfeits its mid-level and bi-annual exceptions. In that case, the team receives this exception, which isn’t available to teams above the cap. After using its cap room, a team can offer a player a contract for up to two years with a maximum raise of 5%. The room exception amount for 2018/19 is $4,449,000; it will increase annually at the same rate as the salary cap. This exception can be used on one or multiple players.
  • Bi-Annual Exception: A team can offer a player a contract for up to two years with a maximum raise of 5% using the bi-annual exception. However, it’s only available to teams that remain over the cap and below the tax apron. The bi-annual exception amount for 2018/19 is $3,382,000; it will increase annually at the same rate as the salary cap. This exception can be used on one or multiple players.. As its name suggests, this exception, which isn’t available to taxpaying teams, can only be used every other year.
  • Minimum Salary Exception: A team can offer a player a contract for up to two years worth the applicable minimum salary. A team can also use this exception to trade for minimum-salary players. There is no limit to the number of players a team can acquire using this exception.
  • Rookie Exception: A team can sign its first-round draft picks for up to 120% of the rookie salary scale amount.
  • Disabled Player Exception: If a player suffers an injury deemed to be season-ending, a team can be granted this exception by the league. It can be used to sign or trade for a replacement player for one year, and is worth 50% of the disabled player’s salary or the amount of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, whichever is lesser. This exception, which must be applied for between July 1 and January 15, can only be used once and is forfeited if not used by March 10.
  • Traded Player Exception: Any team can replace a traded player – or traded players – simultaneously (in the same transaction) with one or more players whose total salaries amount to no more than 125% of the outgoing salary, plus $100K. For non-taxpaying teams, the incoming value can increase to as high as 175% of the outgoing salary, depending on the amount of that salary. Alternately, both non-taxpaying and taxpaying teams can replace a traded player non-simultaneously (within one year) with one or more players whose total salaries amount to no more than 100% of the traded player’s salary, plus $100K.

Note: This is a Hoops Rumors Glossary entry. Our glossary posts will explain specific rules relating to trades, free agency, or other aspects of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ was used in the creation of this post.

An earlier version of this post was published in 2012 by Luke Adams.

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Community Shootaround: Milwaukee Bucks

September 9th, 2018 at 3:59pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

Having hired Mike Budenholzer as head coach and acquired several players who can help space the floor around Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks appear poised for a breakout season in the Eastern Conference. With LeBron James taking his talents west and depleting the Cavaliers’ chances of competing, the Bucks will look to take the next step and become a serious playoff contender.

After adding Eric Bledsoe during the 2017/18 season, the Bucks continued to struggle with inconsistency despite Antetokounmpo blossoming into a perennial MVP candidate and Khris Middleton enjoying a breakout season alongside him. While Bledsoe fit in well and averaged 17.8 points, 5.1 assists and 2.0 steals per game to complement Middleton and Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee’s supporting cast failed to provide quality depth and a mediocre defense continued to hold the team back.

After finishing 25th in the NBA in 3-pointers attempted per game last season and 22nd in the league in 3-point percentage, the Bucks focused on adding shooting and floor-spacing bigs in the offseason. They were successful in achieving this goal, signing Ersan Ilyasova to a three-year, $21MM deal (the last year is non-guaranteed) and Brook Lopez on a one-year, $3.4MM contract to fill in at center.

Both Ilyasova and Lopez are capable shooters, providing more offensive weapons for Budenholzer to use alongside Bledsoe, Middleton and Antetokounmpo. Ilyasova shot 36% from beyond the arc in 2017/18 for the Hawks and 76ers, while Lopez hit 34.5% of his 3-pointers last season, attempting 4.4 per game.

With Budenholzer brought in as head coach, the Bucks should implement a more diverse and modern offense, utilizing the increased floor spacing and ball movement to maximize the talents of Antetokounmpo, Middleton and Bledsoe.

However, the more pressing issue regarding the upcoming season for the Bucks will be their defense, which must improve if they hope to become a legit threat in the playoffs. If Thon Maker can show more development this season and earn more minutes at center, Milwaukee would be able to utilize a more switch-heavy defensive scheme, a scheme in which Bledsoe, Middleton and Antetokounmpo could thrive.

The Bucks will also need strong supporting contributions from Malcolm Brogdon, Tony Snell and John Henson, while recent draft picks D.J. Wilson and Donte DiVincenzo will look to buck the recent draft struggles Milwaukee has had.

With a more modern offense and improved defensive strategies implemented, the Bucks could make a big jump in the Eastern Conference. Competing for the third seed in the conference isn’t out of the question, and the Bucks should certainly be aiming for home-court advantage in the playoffs this season, although the top three Atlantic teams and the Pacers will provide tough competition.

How do you think the Bucks will do this season? Do you think they had a strong offseason? Weigh in below with your thoughts and predictions on the Bucks.

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Community Shootaround: 2019 Free Agents

September 8th, 2018 at 7:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

Training camps haven’t opened yet, but it’s never too early to start thinking about next summer, which will feature one of the most impressive free agent classes in recent history. LeBron James may be off the market, signing a four-year contract with the Lakers after a series of one-year deals with options, but there are plenty of big names to replace him as we outlined Friday in our 2019 Free Agent Power Rankings 1.0.

The Warriors’ Kevin Durant holds the top spot and will probably be there all year. He has solidified his position among the league’s elite players by helping Golden State capture back-to-back titles in his two seasons with the team. While he’s in a great situation with the Warriors, Durant may decide he wants another challenge, and speculation has already started about possible destinations. He has played on one-year contracts with options the past two seasons, but at age 31 he may be ready for a long-term deal similar to LeBron’s.

Karl-Anthony Towns is currently No. 2 on the list, but there’s a good chance he’ll sign an extension with the Timberwolves before the October 15 deadline. If he doesn’t, that’s a strong sign that the locker room chemistry in Minnesota is even worse than we’ve been led to believe. If Towns hits the open market, his combination of skills and youth will create a league-wide demand, even though he’ll be a restricted free agent.

The Raptors’ Kawhi Leonard checks in at No. 3 with another situation that could change during the season. Leonard’s desire to play in Los Angeles is one of the factors that pushed him out of San Antonio, and a trade to the Lakers or Clippers could happen if Toronto isn’t confident about re-signing him when we reach the February trade deadline.

The reported dissension in Minnesota may also affect Jimmy Butler, who is fourth on our list. Butler brings an old-school mentality to the game and has reportedly clashed with Towns and Andrew Wiggins over their more relaxed attitudes. The Wolves surrendered a lot to get Butler just 15 months ago, so they may look to move him before the deadline if they decide it’s not a good fit.

Klay Thompson rounds out the top five heading into a pivotal offseason for Golden State. With two of the top five free agents plus Draymond Green eligible for an extension, it’s about to get a lot more expensive to keep the core of the back-to-back champions together.

Tonight we want you to predict how many of the top five free agents will be changing teams next summer. Incumbent teams hold the advantage of being able to offer longer contracts and bigger annual raises, but the 2019 free agent market looks unsettled with two sets of teammates in the top five and Leonard possibly in a short-term arrangement in Toronto. Please give us your feedback in the space below.

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Hoops Rumors Originals: 9/1/18 – 9/8/18

September 8th, 2018 at 3:51pm CST by clarkcrum

Every week, the writing team here at Hoops Rumors creates original content to complement our news feed. With the NBA offseason in full swing, here are our numerous segments and features from the past seven days:

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Poll: Best NBA Coaching Hire Of Offseason?

September 7th, 2018 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

After no NBA teams made coaching changes during the 2017 offseason, the league seemingly made up for lost time this summer. Eight clubs have replaced their head coaches since the 2017/18 season ended, with a ninth (the Grizzlies) announcing that their interim coach (J.B. Bickerstaff) would get the permanent job.

In some cases, these coaching changes functioned as a game of musical chairs. Dwane Casey was fired by the Raptors but quickly caught on with the Pistons. Steve Clifford, having been dismissed by the Hornets, was hired by the Magic. David Fizdale joined the Knicks less than a year after being let go by the Grizzlies. And Mike Budenholzer was scooped up by the Bucks shortly after parting ways with the Hawks.

In other cases, teams opted for fresh blood in the head coaching ranks. New Hornets coach James Borrego and Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce are veteran assistants getting their first shot at a head coaching job. The same goes for new Suns coach Igor Kokoskov, the NBA’s first European-born head coach, and Nick Nurse of the Raptors, who got a promotion to replace the reigning Coach of the Year.

In today’s poll, we want to know which of these offseason hires you liked the best. Your choice doesn’t necessarily have to be the one that will improve his new team’s win-loss record most significantly in 2018/19, but rather the hiring that will pay the most dividends in the long run.

Here’s a recap of all eight coaching changes this offseason:

  • Atlanta Hawks: Hired Lloyd Pierce to replace Mike Budenholzer.
  • Charlotte Hornets: Hired James Borrego to replace Steve Clifford.
  • Detroit Pistons: Hired Dwane Casey to replace Stan Van Gundy.
  • Milwaukee Bucks: Hired Mike Budenholzer to replace Joe Prunty (interim).
  • New York Knicks: Hired David Fizdale to replace Jeff Hornacek.
  • Orlando Magic: Hired Steve Clifford to replace Frank Vogel.
  • Phoenix Suns: Hired Igor Kokoskov to replace Jay Triano (interim).
  • Toronto Raptors: Hired Nick Nurse to replace Dwane Casey.

What do you think? Which move did you like the best? Vote below in our poll and jump into the comment section to share your two cents.

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

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