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Community Shootaround: NBA Schedule

August 17th, 2023 at 5:18pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The schedule for the NBA’s 2023/24 season released on Thursday, giving fans plenty to look forward to beginning in the fall. From the number of nationally televised games to the league debuts of several players, there’s no shortage of storylines to track this coming season.

As always, there are a number of reunions to keep an eye on. Bradley Beal makes his return to Washington on Feb. 4. Kevin Durant, who won two rings with the Warriors in 2017 and 2018, plays in Golden State in front of fans on Oct. 24 for the first time since leaving in 2019. Jordan Poole returns to Golden State on Dec. 22. Chris Paul plays in Phoenix on Nov. 22 for the first time since joining the Warriors. Fred VanVleet plays against Toronto for the first time on Feb. 9.

Outside of returns to previous stomping grounds, there are also several matchups of note. A 2023 NBA Finals rematch between the Heat and Nuggets is scheduled for Feb. 29 in Denver.

The showdown between the No. 1 and No. 2 picks in each year’s draft class is always a date to circle. However, a 2022 offseason foot injury to Chet Holmgren prevented fans from seeing Holmgren, the No. 2 pick in the 2022 draft square off against Paolo Banchero, the No. 1 overall selection in the same class who went on to win Rookie of the Year. Now fully healthy, the pair is set to face one another on Feb. 13 in Orlando.

The top of this year’s draft is equally intriguing. While there was no denying Victor Wembanyama would go No. 1 overall, plenty of debate ensued regarding the No. 2 selection. Brandon Miller ended up going second overall to the Hornets, while Scoot Henderson went third to the Trail Blazers. The careers of all three players will be followed with great interest.

Wembanyama squares off against Miller for the first time on Jan. 12. Miller plays Henderson for the first time on Feb. 25. Henderson, who previously played against Wembanyama in an October G League showcase, plays the French big man for the first time in the NBA on Dec. 28.

Outside of that, the Christmas Day games and opening night games appear to be as stacked as ever, with nearly every contender getting a primetime appearance.

It also seems as though the NBA is actively attempting to hand out more rest days to its stars. The biggest issue teams and players alike had with previous schedules is the amount of back-to-back games on a team’s schedule. According to BasketballNews.com’s Alex Kennedy (Twitter link), the team average for road back-to-back games this season is down to 9.0, a record low, down from a then-record low 9.6 back-to-back games last year.

This leads us to our question of the day. What aspect of the ’23/24 schedule excites you the most? Who are you most excited to see make their NBA debut? What is going to be the most exciting matchup? Were any teams snubbed from nationally televised games? Are you planning on attending any specific games?

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

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22 Players Remain Eligible For Rookie Scale Extensions

August 16th, 2023 at 4:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Five players have signed rookie scale extensions so far this offseason.

Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, and Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton signed maximum-salary extensions in early July, while Desmond Bane joined them in that first wave on a deal worth a little less than the max.

Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart later became the fifth player to get a rookie scale extension this year, with an agreement more in the neighborhood of the mid-level.

[RELATED: 2023/24 NBA Contract Extension Tracker]

That leaves a total of 22 players who remain eligible for rookie scale extensions, which can be signed up until the day before the start of the regular season. Those 22 players are as follows:

Some players on this list almost certainly won’t sign new contracts this offseason. Guys like Flynn, Hayes, Lewis, and Wiseman, for instance, haven’t yet established themselves as reliable rotation players who are worth long-term investments, so it would be pretty surprising if they were extended.

There are plenty of other viable extensions on this list though, including two players – Avdija and McDaniels – whose cases for new deals have been outlined by our Rory Maher since the offseason began.

Of these 22 players, Maxey probably has the strongest case for a lucrative multiyear commitment, potentially even a max deal. But the Sixers reportedly don’t plan to extend Maxey this offseason because they want to maintain cap flexibility for 2024.

By holding off on an extension, the 76ers will be able to keep Maxey’s cap hold (which will be worth much less than his first-year salary in an extension) on their books next offseason, maximizing their cap room. Once they use up their space in ’24, they can go over the cap to re-sign Maxey using his Bird rights.

Who else could sign an extension in the coming weeks or months? Bey, Green, Okongwu, Quickley, and Vassell are among those who appear most deserving.

Anthony, Nesmith, and Okoro are coming off solid seasons and are extension candidates too, whereas players like Nnaji, Pritchard, Toppin, and Williams may benefit from playing more significant roles in 2023/24 that would boost their value in advance of potential restricted free agency.

Typically, after the first wave of slam-dunk rookie scale extension candidates sign their deals in early July, there isn’t a ton of action on this front until we get much closer to the October deadline. But we should expect several more deals to be completed in the fall — in each of the last three offseasons, at least 10 players have inked rookie scale extensions. If that trend continues, at least five of the 22 players above will have new deals in hand by the time the regular season tips off.

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Hoops Rumors Glossary: Exhibit 9 Contract

August 16th, 2023 at 2:40pm CST by Luke Adams

When NBA teams are in the process of filling out their training camp rosters, the most common form of deal signed by players around the league is the Exhibit 10 contract. An Exhibit 10 contract can be converted into a two-way deal or puts a player in line to earn a bonus if he’s waived and then joins his team’s G League affiliate.

Many of those non-guaranteed training camps also include an Exhibit 9 clause in addition to – or in place of – Exhibit 10 language.

An Exhibit 9 clause protects an NBA team in the event that a player suffers a significant injury in training camp.

If a player on a standard non-guaranteed contract without an Exhibit 9 clause suffered such an injury, his club would be required to pay him his salary until he’s healthy enough to play or until the end of that season, whichever comes first. For example, a player on a non-guaranteed rookie minimum deal who sustained a season-ending ACL tear would be owed his full $1,119,563 salary.

If the injured player’s contract includes Exhibit 9 language, however, his team could waive him and only be on the hook for a one-time payment of $15K. That amount has increased from $6K in the NBA’s previous Collective Bargaining Agreement.

An Exhibit 9 contract, which is non-guaranteed and doesn’t count against the salary cap until the start of the regular season, can only be a one-year, minimum-salary deal. A team can carry up to six players on Exhibit 9 deals, but can’t sign a player to such a contract unless it has at least 14 players already under contract (not including two-way deals).

In most cases, if a team plans to have a player on a non-guaranteed contract participate in training camp and/or the preseason, his contract will include an Exhibit 9 clause in order to limit the club’s liability.

Earlier this offseason, for example, the Rockets wanted to begin signing their training camp invitees, but only had 13 players on standard contracts. Houston signed Joshua Obiesie to an Exhibit 10 pact, making him their 14th man and meeting the roster minimum required to begin completing Exhibit 9 deals. Because the Rockets don’t have injury protection for Obiesie, they reportedly have no intention of having him take part in camp.

The Heat took a similar approach, signing Brandon McCoy as their 14th man to an Exhibit 10 contract that didn’t include an Exhibit 9 clause. With 14 players on standard contracts, Miami subsequently signed several players to Exhibit 9 deals, waiving McCoy in the process — he won’t be on the Heat’s camp roster.

An Exhibit 9 contract that also includes Exhibit 10 language can be converted into a two-way deal. In that scenario, the Exhibit 9 clause would become null and void, so the team would no longer have injury protection.

In the event that a player with Exhibit 9 language in his contract makes his team’s regular season roster, his deal would be converted to a standard non-guaranteed contract. The Exhibit 9 protection wouldn’t carry over into the regular season.

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 article was published in 2014.

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26 Of NBA’s 30 Teams Have Made At Least One Offseason Trade

August 15th, 2023 at 12:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Since the 2023 NBA offseason began, 30 trades have been made, as our tracker shows. A total of 26 teams have been involved in those 30 deals, with 19 clubs (nearly two-thirds of the league) completing multiple trades.

The Sixers, Trail Blazers, Raptors, and Pelicans are the only teams that haven’t been part of at least one trade since their seasons ended this spring. It’s entirely possible that some of those clubs will still make a deal before the 2023/24 season begins, especially since they currently hold many of the NBA’s top trade candidates, including James Harden, Damian Lillard, and Pascal Siakam.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Celtics and Wizards have been the NBA’s most active teams on the trade market this summer, completing six deals apiece. Some of those trades were relatively minor, but others – including one that included Kristaps Porzingis and Marcus Smart and involved both teams – were more substantial. While Boston was aggressive in looking to upgrade a roster that fell just short of last season’s NBA Finals, Washington’s new front office was looking to reshape its roster entirely.

The Thunder have been the next most active team on the trade market this offseason, making five separate deals. The Suns, Hawks, Spurs, Pistons, and Pacers each completed four trades.

Here are a few more details on this summer’s 30 trades:

  • The other clubs that have made multiple trades include the Kings, Grizzlies, and Mavericks, with three apiece. The Nets, Cavaliers, Magic, Heat, Rockets, Jazz, Clippers, and Warriors have each made two trades.
  • That leaves the Lakers, Hornets, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Knicks, Bulls, and Bucks as the teams that have completed just one trade apiece.
  • Of this offseason’s 30 trades, 24 were relatively simple two-team deals. Four were three-team agreements, while there was also one four-teamer and even one five-teamer.
  • Only three players have been signed-and-traded this offseason, but all three of those deals involved three or more teams. Those multi-team agreements were necessary because the clubs moving players via sign-and-trade (Boston with Grant Williams, Miami with Max Strus, and Memphis with Dillon Brooks) weren’t interested in taking back significant salary.
  • Seven first-round picks from the 2023 draft were traded this offseason, including one who was moved twice — No. 25 pick Marcus Sasser was officially selected by the Grizzlies, then was flipped to the Celtics, who traded him to the Pistons.
  • Every single player picked between No. 31 and No. 39 in this year’s draft was traded at least once this offseason, with four of those players (James Nnaji, Colby Jones, Julian Phillips, and Mouhamed Gueye) dealt twice. Of the remaining second-rounders, only three were traded — No. 40 pick Maxwell Lewis, No. 47 Mojave King, and No. 57 Trayce Jackson-Davis.
  • Although a handful of teams acquired the right to swap future first-round picks, very few first-rounders actually changed hands. The Celtics acquired Golden State’s 2024 first-round pick (top-four protected) and the Thunder acquired Denver’s 2029 first-round pick (top-five protected). The only other two first-round picks to be traded had modest value — the Pacers acquired a “least favorable” 2024 first-rounder from Oklahoma City and the Wizards received a top-20 protected 2030 first-rounder from Golden State.
  • Conversely, second-round picks were being passed around like hotcakes all offseason, with a staggering 50 future second-rounders changing hands. Four more second-round selections were traded with protections and may or may not end up being conveyed.
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Only One Standard Restricted Free Agent Remains Unsigned

August 14th, 2023 at 1:28pm CST by Rory Maher

Entering 2023 free agency, there were 12 restricted free agents on standard contracts. Of that group, 11 have signed new deals, which means Hornets forward P.J. Washington is the lone standard RFA left on the market.

As our free agent tracker shows, Miles Bridges, Ayo Dosunmu, Rui Hachimura, Cameron Johnson, Tre Jones, Herbert Jones, Austin Reaves, Paul Reed, Matisse Thybulle and Coby White have all returned to the teams that held their rights of first refusal. Only Grant Williams found a new club, joining the Mavericks via a three-team sign-and-trade with Boston and San Antonio.

That doesn’t mean other players in that group weren’t interested in finding new homes in free agency. Thybulle and Reed signed offer sheets with the Mavs and Jazz, respectively, that the Trail Blazers and Sixers decided to match.

Bridges’ representatives reportedly weren’t thrilled with his lack of negotiating leverage in talks with the Hornets, as he was the only standard RFA to sign his $7.9MM qualifying offer, which means he’ll become an unrestricted free agent in 2024. Bridges was ineligible for a sign-and-trade after missing all of last season following domestic violence charges.

Washington is reportedly at an impasse in contract negotiations with Charlotte, and only the Cavaliers have been linked as a potential sign-and-trade suitor for the former 12th overall pick. Still, Cleveland is limited in its ability to make a lucrative offer for Washington due to its proximity to the luxury tax, and the Cavs also don’t have many desirable draft assets, so the Hornets might balk at that idea.

Washington, who turns 25 next week, is reportedly seeking a contract in the range of $18-20MM annually. A month ago, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported that Charlotte had yet to offer Washington a contract that matched or exceeded the rookie scale extension Isaiah Stewart signed with Detroit — $15MM in guaranteed money per year (up to $16MM annually with incentives).

Perhaps Washington will eventually take the same route as Bridges by signing his $8.5MM qualifying offer to hit unrestricted free agency next summer. That scenario would be less than ideal for Charlotte, as the team could potentially lose both of its former lottery picks for nothing in 2024.

In addition to Washington, there are also four two-way restricted free agents who remain unsigned: Trent Forrest (Hawks), Theo Maledon (Hornets), Matt Ryan (Timberwolves) and Terry Taylor (Bulls). Jamal Cain accepted his two-way qualifying offer from the Heat on Friday, taking him off the market.

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Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround: Bulls’ Offseason

August 13th, 2023 at 6:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

There was quite a bit of speculation what the Bulls would do this summer, given their lack of progress the last couple of seasons despite making major trades and free agent signings.

Following four straight losing seasons, the Bulls got knocked out of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs in 2022. Last season, they had a losing record but qualified for the play-in tournament. After knocking out the Raptors, Chicago got bounced by eventual conference champion Miami.

Fans who were hoping for major changes or a full rebuild were disappointed. Chicago trudged along this summer by re-signing a number of its own free agents and adding a couple of role players.

Center Nikola Vucevic was re-signed on a three-year contract. Ditto for guards Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu. Backup center Andre Drummond opted in to the final year of his contract.

They made a couple of under-the-radar free signings in Jevon Carter, who will compete for the starting point guard job with Lonzo Ball out for the season, and backup forward Torrey Craig.

Barring an unexpected blockbuster move, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Patrick Williams will return to their respective starting spots.

Perhaps familiarity and continuity will help Chicago take the next step. Perhaps Carter, a backup in Milwaukee, will form a solid point guard duo with Alex Caruso. Perhaps this will be the season Williams lives up to his draft status.

That brings us to today’s topic: How do you feel about the Bulls’ offseason approach? Did they do the right thing by essentially staying the course and tweaking the roster or should they have made significant changes?

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

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Community Shootaround: Hall Of Fame Omissions

August 12th, 2023 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Saturday’s induction ceremony at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame featured another impressive class, many of whom have NBA ties. Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade, Pau Gasol and Tony Parker all enjoyed long, illustrious careers and were easy choices for enshrinement in Springfield.

But even with more than 150 players in the Hall of Fame, there are some noteworthy omissions. Many players throughout the years have reached notable milestones or contributed to numerous championships without being rewarded by Hall of Fame voters.

Vince Carter, who scored more than 25,700 points in 21 NBA seasons, appears to be the only obvious choice among first-time-eligible players in 2024. That might open the door for a few others who have been waiting a long time for recognition.

Here are a few candidates with possible Hall of Fame credentials:

  • With 20,049 career points, Tom Chambers is the highest-scoring NBA player who’s not already in the Hall. He was a four-time All-Star and was named MVP of the 1987 game.
  • Antawn Jamison is right behind Chambers with 20,042 points, making them the only eligible 20,000-point scorers not in the Hall. Jamison was a two-time All-Star and was named Sixth Man of the Year in 2004.
  • Chauncey Billups is one of two eligible Finals MVPs who haven’t been voted into the Hall. The Trail Blazers coach was a five-time All-Star, made three All-NBA teams and was twice named to the All-Defensive team.
  • Shawn Marion and Amar’e Stoudamire starred during the Suns’ “Seven Seconds or Less” era. Marion was a four-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA honoree and won a title with Dallas in 2011. Stoudamire was Rookie of the Year in 2003 and picked up six All-Star appearances and five All-NBA designations during his career.
  • A.C. Green set an NBA record by playing in 1,192 consecutive games. Even though he didn’t put up flashy numbers, he won three championships with the Lakers and was a steady contributor for his entire 16-year career.
  • Shawn Kemp was a six-time All-Star and a three-time All-NBA selection. The “Reign Man” scored more than 15,000 career points and was among the game’s most ferocious dunkers.
  • Bill Laimbeer epitomized the “Bad Boys” attitude during his years with the Pistons. He won two titles, made four All-Star teams and was an early pioneer among three-point shooting big men. Laimbeer also became a successful WNBA coach after retirement, winning three championships and earning Coach of the Year honors twice.

We want to get your opinion. Do you consider the names on this list to be Hall of Famers, and do you have some more to nominate? Please leave your responses in the space below.

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Five Two-Way Restricted Free Agents Remain Unsigned

August 10th, 2023 at 2:37pm CST by Rory Maher

As of July 18, there were 12 two-way restricted free agents who had yet to sign new contracts.

Over the past three-plus weeks, six of those players — Lester Quinones (Warriors), Kendall Brown (Pacers), Trevor Keels (Knicks), Duane Washington (Knicks), Dominick Barlow (Spurs) and Ron Harper Jr. (Raptors) — returned to their clubs on two-way deals.

Keels and Washington were subsequently waived to create roster space for Nathan Knight and Dylan Windler, respectively. Washington re-signed with New York on a training camp contract, while Keels is an NBA free agent (the Knicks retained his G League rights).

A seventh player — Jeff Dowtin — returned to Toronto on a one-year, minimum-salary contract that is fully non-guaranteed. He would receive $900K if he’s not waived on or before October 21, but may face an uphill battle to claim a roster spot, as the Raptors now have 15 players with guaranteed deals on their roster.

That leaves a total of five two-way restricted free agents available, as our up-to-date list shows. Those players are as follows:

Of the five-player group, Maledon had the largest role last season. The 34th pick of the 2020 draft appeared in 44 games for Charlotte in 2022/23, averaging 6.7 points, 3.5 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 19.4 minutes per game.

If they’re willing to accept their one-year, two-way qualifying offers, four of these five players seemingly have an easy path back to the teams that hold their rights — the Hawks, Hornets, Heat and Wolves all have an open two-way slot available.

That is not true for the Bulls, however — all three of their two-way slots are filled. If Taylor accepts his QO, Chicago might just release him, similar to what happened with Washington and Keels.

Some two-way RFAs have managed to earn standard contracts this offseason. Cain has reportedly been discussing that possibility with rival teams, but Miami has been reluctant to give him a standard deal.

It will be interesting to see if any of the five players are able to land a standard contract instead of another two-way deal. However, being RFAs hurts their leverage to negotiate with rival teams, and offer sheets for two-way restricted free agents essentially never happen.

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Community Shootaround: Team USA’s World Cup Chances

August 9th, 2023 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

There’s plenty of talent on Team USA as it prepares for the FIBA World Cup, but no one would mistake it for an Olympic team.

The glamour of the Olympics attracts the best players in the world, but for Americans the World Cup is geared more toward those who want to break into international competition. There are few All-Stars on this year’s roster, and many of the players are in the early stages of their careers.

The starting lineup for Monday’s first exhibition game featured Mikal Bridges, Brandon Ingram, Anthony Edwards, Jalen Brunson and Jaren Jackson Jr. Team USA started slowly — leading Puerto Rico by just seven points at halftime — but eventually pulled away for a 43-point win.

Without a dominant scorer, the U.S. displayed the kind of balanced attack it will likely need to make a serious run in the tournament. Edwards and Cameron Johnson led the way with 15 points apiece as Team USA had seven players in double figures.

“I think the guys have really picked up what we’re trying to install at both ends, and we’re slowly but surely getting used to the FIBA rules and interpretations — coaches included,” head coach Steve Kerr said after the win, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “It’s all part of the process of getting accustomed to what we’re going to be facing.”

Tyrese Haliburton, who had 12 assists against Puerto Rico, is part of a deep bench that will make it challenging for Kerr to allocate minutes. The U.S. also has Austin Reaves and Josh Hart in the backcourt, Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero and Cameron Johnson as forwards and Bobby Portis and Walker Kessler in the middle.

Kerr may rely on a small-ball approach, Bontemps adds in a separate story, noting that Team USA never had two big men on the court at the same time against Puerto Rico or in its scrimmages against the Select Team. Banchero even saw time at center after Jackson got into foul trouble, and Kerr indicated that he’ll continue to be used in that role.

There are much tougher tests ahead for the Americans, starting with Luka Doncic and Slovenia on Saturday. There are also exhibition contests against medal contenders Spain, Greece and Germany before the tournament begins August 26.

The U.S. is always viewed as a favorite in any international setting, but it’s coming off an embarrassing seventh-place finish in the World Cup four years ago. Team USA will be facing more experienced opponents that are led by bigger stars and are more accustomed to playing together.

We want to get your opinion. Is the U.S. squad good enough to bring home the gold medal or will this be another disappointment in a non-Olympic year? Please leave your comments in the space below.

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Poll: Early Rookie Of The Year Pick

August 9th, 2023 at 3:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Scoot Henderson declared this week that he intends to take home the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award in 2024, and he should be in a good position to do so.

Assuming the Trail Blazers trade Damian Lillard before the season begins, Henderson is primed to play a key role in the backcourt for a Portland team that figures to take a step back and focus more on developing its young cornerstones than vying for a high seed in the Western Conference. In that scenario, this year’s No. 3 overall pick would have the ball in his hands a lot and would be given the opportunity to take on considerable scoring and play-making responsibilites as a rookie.

Unsurprisingly though, betting site BetOnline.ag doesn’t consider Henderson the Rookie of the Year favorite. That spot belongs to No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama, widely considered the best prospect to enter the NBA since LeBron James.

Like LeBron in 2003, Wembanyama is considered a safe bet to make an immediate impact. While San Antonio will likely manage his workload, especially in back-to-back scenarios, he should play a significant frontcourt role on a retooling Spurs team that intends to build around him for years to come. It’s possible Wembanyama won’t match Henderson’s scoring numbers as a rookie, but he has a better chance to be a two-way force in his first NBA season.

While Wembanyama (-150) and Henderson (+250) are the two Rookie of the Year frontrunners, BetOnline.ag considers Thunder big man Chet Holmgren (+325) a legitimate contender too. The No. 2 overall pick in 2022, Holmgren missed his entire rookie season due to a foot injury, putting him in position to essentially get a second rookie year in 2023/24.

Holmgren likely won’t be asked to carry much of the offensive load for an Oklahoma City team that has plenty of scoring options, but his ability to protect the rim and block shots could make him an ideal fit for the Thunder, who could have used that sort of player last season (they ranked 22nd in blocks per game).

Holmgren’s year of NBA seasoning off the court could work in his favor, as could a strong year from the Thunder, who came one play-in game away from a postseason spot last season. Playing a key role on a playoff team helped swing the Rookie of the Year vote in Scottie Barnes‘ favor in 2022, for instance.

While BetOnline.ag views them as longer shots, other rookies who were drafted in the lottery in June, including Hornets forward Brandon Miller and the Thompson twins, could make a run at Rookie of the Year honors too.

We want to know what you think. Who’s your early pick for Rookie of the Year in 2023/24? Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!

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