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Checking In Again On Unsigned 2022 Draft Picks

August 8th, 2022 at 1:04pm CST by Luke Adams

We’re about a month-and-a-half removed from the 2022 NBA draft, and – as our tracker shows – 46 of the 58 players selected on June 23 have signed their first NBA contracts.

The 12 unsigned players are as follows:

  1. Toronto Raptors: Christian Koloko, F/C
  2. Detroit Pistons: Gabriele Procida, G
  3. Cleveland Cavaliers: Khalifa Diop, C
  4. New Orleans Pelicans: E.J. Liddell, F
  5. Denver Nuggets: Ismael Kamagate, C
  6. Indiana Pacers: Kendall Brown, F
  7. Minnesota Timberwolves: Matteo Spagnolo, G
  8. New Orleans Pelicans: Karlo Matkovic, F
  9. Washington Wizards: Yannick Nzosa, C
  10. Golden State Warriors: Gui Santos, F
  11. Cleveland Cavaliers: Luke Travers, G/F
  12. Milwaukee Bucks: Hugo Besson, G

Most of these prospects will likely spend the 2022/23 season playing in non-NBA leagues around the world. Procida, Diop, Kamagate, Spagnolo, Matkovic, Nzosa, Santos, Travers, and Besson are all good bets to be draft-and-stash players.

That essentially just leaves three 2022 draftees in limbo: Koloko, Liddell, and Brown.

A player selected within the first five picks of the second round, like Koloko was, virtually always receives a multiyear contract that includes at least a year or two of guaranteed money. It’s hard to imagine that won’t be the case for Koloko, despite the Raptors‘ roster crunch. Toronto already has 13 players on guaranteed contracts, with three players on partial guarantees vying for a regular season spot, so if Koloko signs, it would leave one fewer spot up for grabs.

It’s worth noting that once Koloko officially signs, he’ll be ineligible to be traded for 30 days, so it’s possible the Raptors are keeping their options open in case their Kevin Durant trade talks with the Nets get serious.

Toronto may also be mulling whether to use a portion of its mid-level exception to sign Koloko to a contract that spans three or four years. Taking that route, instead of signing him to a two-year, minimum-salary contract, would ensure he remains under team control for an extra season or two, but would hard-cap the Raptors for the 2022/23 season, since the club already used $6MM of its MLE to sign Otto Porter.

Liddell, meanwhile, suffered an unfortunate break to begin his professional career, tearing his ACL during the Las Vegas Summer League. Before he sustained that injury, the question was probably whether Liddell would receive a standard contract or a two-way deal. Now, the question is whether New Orleans still willing to sign him to a two-way contract or whether the team wants to use that slot on someone who could actually contribute on the court in 2022/23.

If they fill their two-way slots, the Pelicans would probably like to see Liddell sign a G League contract and spend the season rehabbing with the Birmingham Squadron before he signs his first NBA deal a year from now.

As for Brown, it remains to be seen whether he’ll begin the season on the Pacers‘ standard 15-man roster or on a two-way deal. For now, Indiana could go in either direction, but the club could be waiting to see whether there are any more trades to be made before training camp begins — if the Pacers were to complete a deal involving Myles Turner and/or Buddy Hield, the number of players they receive in that trade would have an impact on whether or not there’s room on the standard roster for Brown.

For example, if Indiana send Turner and Hield to the Lakers in exchange for Russell Westbrook and draft assets, then bought out Westbrook, it would open up two extra spots on the projected 15-man roster. In that scenario, signing Brown to a three- or four-year standard contract would make sense.

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How Players Who Declined Options Fared In Free Agency

August 8th, 2022 at 9:43am CST by Luke Adams

Of the 19 veterans who had player options on their contracts for the 2022/23 season, 13 picked up those options, choosing the security of the guaranteed money over the uncertainty of the open market. That leaves six players who turned down their options and became unrestricted free agents.

Here’s a breakdown of how those players fared in free agency:

Nicolas Batum

  • Option: $3,328,530 (Clippers)
  • Free agent contract: Two years, $22,554,168 (Clippers).

Bobby Portis

  • Option: $4,564,980 (Bucks)
  • Free agent contract: Four years, $48,578,208 (Bucks). Player option. Trade kicker (15%)

Batum and Portis had been in virtually the exact same boat for the last couple years. After successful initial stints with the Clippers and Bucks, respectively, during the 2020/21 season, they re-signed in 2021 on team-friendly deals for the maximum allowable salaries they could receive using Non-Bird rights.

Having accrued Early Bird rights by this summer, both players turned down their ’22/23 options in order to sign more lucrative multiyear contracts. Portis – who is six years younger than Batum – got two extra years on his deal, but both players received starting salaries of $10,843,350, the maximum allowed this year using the Early Bird exception.

Patty Mills

  • Option: $6,184,500 (Nets)
  • Free agent contract: Two years, $13,281,950 (Nets). Includes unlikely incentives ($1,207,452).

Mills was one of the few players this offseason whose option decision wasn’t a no-brainer. He had a solid first year in Brooklyn, but entering his age-34 season, it was unclear how eager teams would be to give him multiple years.

As it turns out, the Nets were on board with giving him one extra year, with a modest raise. After signing a year ago for the team’s full taxpayer mid-level exception, Mills re-signed for a base salary of $6,479,000, the exact amount of this season’s taxpayer MLE. Because Brooklyn had his Non-Bird rights, the club was able to tack on some unlikely incentives to Mills’ new contract.

P.J. Tucker

  • Option: $7,350,000 (Heat)
  • Free agent contract: Three years, $33,043,500 (Sixers). Player option.

Tucker’s two-way contributions during the Heat’s playoff run made him a popular target in free agency this offseason, even at age 37. The three-year offer the Sixers gave him was worth the full mid-level exception and was the most that any team could put on the table for Tucker without using cap room or acquiring him via sign-and-trade (the Over-38 rule prevented Philadelphia or another team from offering four years). It’s a huge win for a player who will have celebrated his 40th birthday by the time the contract expires (unless he opts out again in 2024).

Bradley Beal

  • Option: $36,422,136 (Wizards)
  • Free agent contract: Five years, $251,019,650 (Wizards). Player option. Trade kicker (15%). No-trade clause.

No player who declined an option this June made out better than Beal. In fact, Beal’s deal was easily the most lucrative of any free agent contract signed this offseason.

Not only did Beal get a five-year, maximum-salary contract that starts at 35% of the 2022/23 cap, but he also got plenty of perks, including a fifth-year player option, a trade kicker, and a full no-trade clause. He was the first NBA player in several years to receive a formal no-trade clause.

James Harden

  • Option: $47,366,760 (Sixers)
  • Free agent contract: Two years, $68,640,000 (Sixers). Player option. Trade kicker (15%).

Of the six players who turned down options for 2022/23, only Harden took a pay cut for the coming season. But that was a deliberate choice by the former MVP, who opted to accept a more team-friendly cap number in order to allow the 76ers to use their full mid-level exception and bi-annual exception while remaining under the hard cap.

Harden will still earn a salary worth $33MM in ’22/23, and will be in position to opt out and sign a more lucrative deal next summer if he enjoys a bounce-back year.

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

August 8th, 2022 at 8:03am CST by Luke Adams

Since the 2022 NBA offseason began, 26 trades have been made, as our tracker shows. A total of 25 teams have been involved in those 26 deals, with 15 clubs (half the league) completing multiple trades.

The Raptors, Heat, Bulls, Pelicans, and Clippers are the only teams that have not been part of at least one trade since their seasons ended this spring. While most of those clubs were pretty active in free agency, it has been an especially quiet offseason in New Orleans, where the Pelicans also haven’t made a single free agent signing.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Timberwolves have been the NBA’s most active team on the trade market this summer, with new president of basketball operations Tim Connelly putting his stamp on the franchise in his first few months on the job. After making four draft-night deals in June, Minnesota finalized the offseason’s biggest trade by acquiring Rudy Gobert from the Jazz just over a month ago.

The Hawks and Knicks, with four deals apiece, have been the next most active teams on the trade market. A pair of Atlanta’s moves were minor, but the other two – acquiring Dejounte Murray and sending Kevin Huerter to Sacramento – will have a major impact on the team going forward. As for New York, most of Leon Rose‘s deals involved shuffling around draft picks and clearing cap room for the team’s free agent signings of Jalen Brunson and Isaiah Hartenstein.

Here are a few more details on this summer’s 26 trades:

  • The Pacers, Pistons, Nuggets, Grizzlies, and Kings have each made three trades. The other teams to make multiple deals are the Hornets, Thunder, Jazz, Trail Blazers, Mavericks, Rockets, and Spurs, with two apiece.
  • That leaves the Sixers, Nets, Celtics, Cavaliers, Bucks, Magic, Wizards, Lakers, Warriors, and Suns as the clubs that have each completed just one trade.
  • All 26 of this offseason’s trades have consisted of just two teams, with no three- or four-team deals made so far. A draft-night agreement involving the Hornets, Knicks, and Pistons was originally reported as a three-team trade, but was ultimately completed as two separate deals.
  • Not a single player has been signed-and-traded so far during the 2022 offseason. That’s pretty surprising, since 27 free agents changed teams via sign-and-trade in the three years from 2019-21 and only four teams used cap room this offseason — sign-and-trades are typically more common in years when most clubs are operating over the cap.
  • Eight first round picks from the 2022 draft were traded this summer, and four of those were dealt twice: Jalen Duren (Charlotte to New York to Detroit); Walker Kessler (Memphis to Minnesota to Utah); Wendell Moore (Dallas to Houston to Minnesota); and TyTy Washington (Memphis to Minnesota to Houston).
  • Another dozen second round 2022 picks changed hands this offseason, including one that was on the move twice (No. 46 pick Ismael Kamagate from Detroit to Portland to Denver).
  • A total of 15 future first round picks (2023 and beyond) were included in trades this summer, including a pair that changed hands twice. Six of those first round picks were unprotected, while nine included protections.
  • Another 19 future second round picks (2023 and beyond) were also traded, with two of those 19 dealt twice. All but one of those traded second rounders was unprotected.
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Community Shootaround: Heat Outlook

August 7th, 2022 at 7:38pm CST by JD Shaw

With the dog days of summer upon us, the NBA’s offseason news cycle has slowed to a halt. Most of the major free agents have signed new contracts, summer league has passed, and many executives are just returning from post-summer league vacations. Contending teams across the league — particularly in the Eastern Conference — have seemingly improved.

The Celtics added Malcolm Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari to provide depth behind their elite starting lineup, the Sixers signed P.J. Tucker to add toughness and versatility, and the Bulls bolstered their bench with veterans Goran Dragic and Andre Drummond. The Bucks did their part by standing pat and retaining all their key pieces. The Hawks added Dejounte Murray, and the Raptors shouldn’t be counted out. For as long as Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant play, neither should the Nets.

Among the missing teams, of course, is the Heat. Miami finished first in the East last season with a 53-29 record. The team made the conference finals and took the Celtics to seven games despite dealing with several injuries. Kyle Lowry, Max Strus, Jimmy Butler, P.J. Tucker, Tyler Herro and Gabe Vincent – six of the top seven in Erik Spoelstra‘s playoff rotation – were all battling health issues during the series.

Miami showed it should be taken seriously. However, with Philadelphia prying Tucker away, a hole remains in the team’s starting group. Veteran forward Markieff Morris is still a free agent. As it stands, Butler will most likely be the team’s starting power forward. With the Sixers getting bigger, Milwaukee sporting a lengthy lineup that features Giannis Antetokounmpo at the four and the Nets potentially going big, trouble may await the Heat if they stand pat.

Many Eastern contenders have the flexibility to play bigger, as well. For example, the Bucks ended their first-round series against the Bulls by playing Antetokoummpo, Bobby Portis and Brook Lopez together, overwhelming Chicago with their size. The team similarly made Miami (and Butler) struggle in the 2021 playoffs due to its length.

The Heat did re-sign Caleb Martin, but at 6’7″, he remains an undersized power forward. Third-string forward Haywood Highsmith is still in the process of proving himself. Miami still has time to trade for a power forward, or it could re-sign a player like Morris, but as it stands, the team is one of the smallest in the league. Unless it commits to playing in transition and blitzing more defensively, it’s hard to foresee another first-place finish in the Eastern Conference.

We want to know what you think. How do you view the Heat’s current outlook? If the season started today, who should they start at power forward? Since the team has two open roster spots (one if Udonis Haslem re-signs), which players would you target to help replace Tucker? If the Heat can’t acquire a superstar like Durant, where should they turn to instead? Take to the comments section below and voice your opinions!

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Community Shootaround: 2023 First-Time All-Stars

August 5th, 2022 at 10:53pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

A new NBA season brings with it the promise of a new NBA All-Star Game. And though the actual Sunday games themselves have almost totally lost their luster over the last decade or so, qualifying for the contest itself remains a very big deal for every stripe of player.

Last year, there were seven first-time honorees: Ja Morant, Andrew Wiggins, LaMelo Ball, Dejounte Murray, Fred VanVleet, Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland. Many of those first-timers seem likely to return this season, but invariably some will fall short.

For the 2022/23 season, it seems quite possible that several young hoopers on the rise can take the next steps and reach All-Star glory.

This writer’s smart money is on Timberwolves shooting guard Anthony Edwards, who enjoyed a breakout 2021/22 sophomore season in Minnesota — and not just because today is his 21st birthday. The 2020 No. 1 draft pick out of Georgia increased his output across the board, evolving into a two-way leader for a scrappy playoff-bound Timberwolves club that almost clawed its way past the Grizzlies in a hard-fought first-round matchup.

Across 72 games for the 46-36 Timberwolves, the hyper-athletic 6’4″ wing averaged 21.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.5 SPG and 0.6 BPG. His shooting from the floor improved markedly season-to-season, as he converted 44.1% from the field last year, including connecting on 35.7% of his 8.4 three-point attempts.

Though big man Karl-Anthony Towns was Minnesota’s lone All-Star representative last season, Edwards’s two-way contributions on what projects to be an improved Timberwolves roster could help him a first-time All-Star in 2023. Of course, the addition of three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert alongside Towns means that there are two current multi-time All-Stars nominally ahead of Edwards in the team’s pedigree pecking order. But Edwards has more intriguing two-way upside at this juncture than his starrier comrades.

Reigning Raptors Rookie of the Year forward Scottie Barnes looked like a seasoned pro during his inaugural NBA season. Though VanVleet wound up representing Toronto at the 2022 All-Star Game in Cleveland, Barnes’s ceiling is sky-high. Barnes faces some competition from another teammate for All-Star honors next year. Following a slow start, Raptors forward Pascal Siakam rounded into form by the end of the season, making the All-NBA Third Team. Barnes averaged 15.3 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, and 0.7 BPG in 74 games played for Toronto, all starts. The team finished the season sporting a 48-34 record, good for the fifth seed in a crowded Eastern Conference.

Despite a disappointing 2022 Western Conference Semifinals performance, Suns big man Deandre Ayton was at the the center of significant speculation this summer. The 2018 No. 1 pick became a restricted free agent, and his fate seemed a bit up in the air when free agency opened. For a while, speculation ran rampant that he could become the focal point of a trade for Nets All-Star Kevin Durant. Later, the Pacers tendered Ayton a maximum four-year, $133MM offer sheet, which Phoenix opted to match. He will remain with the Suns until at least January 15, 2023. There’s a reason Ayton was so coveted: the 24-year-old big man is already an excellent player on both sides of the floor. Should he boost his offensive output this season, he may finally reach All-Star status — with the Suns or elsewhere.

Pistons second-year point guard Cade Cunningham will be joined by a flurry of exciting young prospects this season, chief among them 2022 lottery picks Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren. Cunningham rounded into form down the stretch of the regular season and joined Barnes on the 2022 All-Rookie First Team. At 6’6″, the jumbo-sized lead guard finished with 17.4 PPG, 5.6 APG and 5.5 RPG on a bottom-feeding Pistons team. Should Detroit rise through the standings to around .500 territory, it seems quite possible that will be as a result of the 20-year-old’s contributions.

Another terrific 2022 All-Rookie First Teamer, Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley, formed a formidable front line tandem alongside first-time 2022 All-Star center Allen. Along with All-Star guard Garland, the trio was largely responsible for Cleveland doubling its win total from the (shortened) 2020/21 season, from a 22-50 record to a 44-38 mark. Mobley’s defense played a major role in that turnaround, while his offense was nothing to sneeze at either. The seven-footer averaged 15.0 PPG on 50.8% shooting from the floor, plus 8.3 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.7 BPG, and 0.8 SPG in 69 games.

All-Star point guard Ja Morant led the Grizzlies to a surprisingly robust No. 2 seed in the West this season, but he didn’t get there alone. Breakout shooting guard Desmond Bane and 2022 All-Defensive First Team power forward Jaren Jackson Jr. provided ample two-way support for their turbocharged lead ball handler. If Memphis’ team success continue this season, either of those players could make the All-Star cut.

Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey had a better postseason run for Philadelphia in 2022 than his inconsistent All-Star teammate James Harden, who has not looked the same since being hampered by a hamstring injury while with the Nets in 2020/21. The third-year swingman could lap Harden and become the Sixers’ second All-Star inclusion this year alongside All-NBA center Joel Embiid. In his second NBA season, Maxey averaged 17.5 PPG, 4.3 APG, and 3.2 APG on .485/.427/.866 shooting splits. In the playoffs, he averaged 20.8 PPG, 3.9 APG, 3.5 RPG, and 0.8 SPG.

Nuggets guard Jamal Murray seemed to be on-track for All-Star inclusion prior to suffering the ACL tear that knocked him out of the conclusion of the 2020/21 NBA season and the entirety of 2021/22. Should he return to his pre-injury productivity while helping current MPV Nikola Jokic lead Denver to a top-four seed in the Western Conference, Murray may finally be able to make his first All-Star team. Across 48 games in 2020/21, Murray averaged 21.2 PPG, 4.8 APG, 4.0 RPG, and 1.3 SPG, with shooting splits of .477/.408/.869.

Other candidates on this writer’s list include the Heat‘s Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro, new Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson, and maybe, just maybe, productive young guards Tyrese Haliburton and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, two players saddled with teams that appear poised to tank in 2022/23. But things can change.

We want to know what you think. Will any of the aforementioned NBA player(s) make their All-Star debuts in Salt Lake City next February? Do you have someone else in mind to take the leap? Head to the comments section below and let us know!

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2024 NBA Free Agents

August 5th, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors’ up-to-date list of 2024 free agents is below. These are players who are eligible for restricted or unrestricted free agency after the 2023/24 season. The player’s 2024 age is in parentheses.

This list includes players who finished the season on an NBA roster or who played at least 10 games in 2023/24. It will continue to be updated throughout the offseason, so be sure to use it and our list of 2024 free agents by team as points of reference.

You’ll be able to access this list anytime under the “Hoops Rumors Features” menu on the right sidebar on our desktop site, or in the “Free Agent Lists” section of our mobile menu. If you have any corrections or omissions, please contact us.

Updated 9-25-24 (12:19pm CT)

Unrestricted Free Agents

Point Guards

Shooting Guards

Small Forwards

Power Forwards

Centers

Restricted Free Agents

Note: All of 2024’s restricted free agents have come off the board. You can view the details using our free agent tracker.

Player Options

Note: All of this year’s player option decisions have been made. They can be found here.

Team Options

Note: All of this year’s team option decisions have been made. They can be found here.

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NBA Teams With Open Two-Way Contract Slots

August 5th, 2022 at 2:31pm CST by Luke Adams

A total of 18 NBA teams currently have both of their two-way contract slots filled, as our tracker shows.

That doesn’t mean those players will be locked into those slots for the rest of the 2022/23 season, or even until opening night, since two-way deals are low-cost contracts that don’t count against the salary cap, making them easy to replace. But it means those spots are unavailable for the time being.

That leaves 12 teams with at least one two-way slot available. Those teams are as follows:

  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Chicago Bulls
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Houston Rockets
  • Indiana Pacers
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • Portland Trail Blazers
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • Washington Wizards

The Hawks, Hornets, Mavericks, Rockets, Clippers, the Trail Blazers, and Wizards have fairly straightforward two-way situations at the moment — they’ve each filled one slot and have one open, with no reports indicating that any of those teams has reached an agreement on a two-way deal with a free agent or draftee.

The Nets and Bulls also have one two-way spot filled and one open, but each of them has a two-way qualifying offer out to a restricted free agent — David Duke for Brooklyn and Malcolm Hill for Chicago. If those players simply accept their QOs, neither the Nets nor the Bulls will have a two-way opening.

The Spurs also have one two-way player signed and one spot open, though a Shams Charania report last month indicated that undrafted rookie Jordan Hall will sign a two-way contract with San Antonio. If and when that happens, the Spurs will join the list of teams with both of their two-way slots occupied.

The Pacers and Pelicans are currently the only two teams that don’t have a single player on a two-way contract. A Charania report way back in June suggested that Dereon Seabron would sign a two-way deal with New Orleans, but it hasn’t officially happened yet.

The best candidate for a two-way contract with Indiana, meanwhile, could be 48th overall pick Kendall Brown, who is one of a handful of 2022 draftees still unsigned. Even if Seabron and Brown sign two-way pacts, the Pacers and Pelicans would still each have one slot available.

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Traded Second Round Picks For 2023 NBA Draft

August 5th, 2022 at 12:47pm CST by Luke Adams

We’re using the space below to keep tabs on each NBA team’s second round pick for 2023, continually updating it as necessary throughout the year. Our list of traded first round picks for 2023 can be found right here.

We’ve listed all 30 teams here, so even if a team hasn’t traded its second round pick, that will be noted. We’ll also provide details on protections for each traded pick, including what happens to the pick in 2024 if it doesn’t change hands in 2023.

Here’s the full breakdown on the status of each 2023 second-round pick:

Atlantic

  • Boston Celtics: Traded to Hornets or Wizards.
    • The Hornets will receive this pick if it lands between 31-45; the Wizards will get it if it lands between 46-60. Whichever team doesn’t receive this pick will instead receive the Celtics’ 2024 second-round pick.
  • Brooklyn Nets: Traded swap rights to Trail Blazers.
    • The Hornets will receive either their own 2023 second round pick, the Hawks’ pick, or the Nets’ pick (whichever is most favorable). The Trail Blazers will receive the second-most favorable of the three, and the Nets will receive the least favorable.
  • New York Knicks: Traded to Timberwolves.
  • Philadelphia 76ers: Own pick.
  • Toronto Raptors: Traded to Spurs.

Central

  • Chicago Bulls: Traded to Wizards.
  • Cleveland Cavaliers: Own pick.
    • The Cavaliers have the right to swap their own 2023 second-round pick for the Warriors’ pick.
  • Detroit Pistons: Own pick.
  • Indiana Pacers: Traded to Kings or Spurs.
    • The Kings will receive this pick if it lands between 31-55; the Spurs will get it if it lands between 56-60. The Pacers’ obligation to whichever team doesn’t receive this pick will be extinguished.
  • Milwaukee Bucks: Traded swap rights to Pacers.
    • The Bucks will receive the least favorable of the Cavaliers’ and Warriors’ 2023 second round picks. The Pacers will then receive either that pick or the Bucks’ own pick (whichever is more favorable).

Southeast

  • Atlanta Hawks: Traded to Hornets, Trail Blazers, or Nets.
    • The Hornets will receive either their own 2023 second round pick, the Hawks’ pick, or the Nets’ pick (whichever is most favorable). The Trail Blazers will receive the second-most favorable of the three, and the Nets will receive the least favorable.
  • Charlotte Hornets: Own pick.
    • The Hornets have the right to swap their second round pick for the Hawks’ or Nets’ pick.
  • Miami Heat: Traded to Thunder, Celtics, Pacers, Nuggets, or Hornets.
    • Details outlined at bottom of story.
  • Orlando Magic: Traded to Celtics (top-55 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Magic’s obligation to the Celtics would be extinguished.
  • Washington Wizards: Traded to Thunder, Nuggets, or Hornets.
    • Details outlined at bottom of story.

Northwest

  • Denver Nuggets: Traded to Bulls (top-46 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Nuggets’ obligation to the Bulls would be extinguished; if it changes hands, it will be forfeited due to the Bulls’ free agency gun-jumping penalty.
  • Minnesota Timberwolves: Traded to Grizzlies.
  • Oklahoma City Thunder: Own pick.
    • The Thunder have the ability to swap their own 2023 second-rounder for a more favorable pick. Details outlined at bottom of story.
  • Portland Trail Blazers: Traded to Celtics or Thunder.
    • Details outlined at bottom of story.
  • Utah Jazz: Traded to Hornets.

Pacific

  • Golden State Warriors: Traded to Cavaliers, Bucks, or Pacers.
    • The Cavaliers have the right to swap their own 2023 second round pick for the Warriors’ pick. The Bucks will receive the least favorable of the two picks. If the least favorable of the Cavaliers’ and Warriors’ picks is more favorable than the Bucks’ pick, Milwaukee will send it to the Pacers.
  • Los Angeles Clippers: Own pick.
  • Los Angeles Lakers: Own pick.
  • Phoenix Suns: Own pick.
  • Sacramento Kings: Own pick.

Southwest

  • Dallas Mavericks: Traded to Thunder, Celtics, Pacers, Nuggets, or Hornets.
    • Details outlined at bottom of story.
  • Houston Rockets: Traded to Thunder, Celtics, or Pacers.
    • Details outlined at bottom of story.
  • Memphis Grizzlies: Own pick.
  • New Orleans Pelicans: Traded to Hawks (top-45 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Pelicans’ obligation to the Hawks would be extinguished.
  • San Antonio Spurs: Traded to Pacers (top-55 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Spurs’ obligation to the Pacers would be extinguished.

While the conditions that apply to the majority of this year’s traded second round picks are relatively straightforward, there’s one quagmire involving the Mavs’, Heat’s, Wizards’, Thunder’s, Trail Blazers’, and Rockets’ selections.

The Celtics, Pacers, Nuggets, and Hornets will each receive one of those picks, while the Thunder will receive two, but the protections and swap rights are extremely complicated. Here’s our best attempt at breaking it all down:

The Thunder will receive the most favorable of the following 2023 second round picks:

  1. Their own pick
  2. The Wizards’ pick.
  3. The Mavericks’ pick.
  4. The Heat’s pick.

The Nuggets will get the second-most favorable of the following 2023 second round picks, while the Hornets will get the least favorable:

  1. The Thunder’s pick.
  2. The Wizards’ pick.
  3. The most favorable of the Heat’s and Mavericks’ picks.

The Celtics will get the most favorable of the following 2023 second round picks:

  1. The Rockets’ pick (top-32 protected).
  2. The Trail Blazers’ pick.
  3. The least favorable of the Heat’s and Mavericks’ picks.

The Pacers will get the least favorable of the following 2023 second round picks:

  1. The Rockets’ pick (top-32 protected).
  2. The least favorable of the Heat’s and Mavericks’ picks.

Note: If the Rockets’ pick is No. 31 or No. 32, that would be the pick the Pacers receive instead.

The Thunder will get the leftover pick not claimed by the Celtics or Pacers. It could be one of the following three:

  1. The Rockets’ pick (top-32 protected).
  2. The Trail Blazers’ pick.
  3. The least favorable of the Heat’s and Mavericks’ picks.

Got all that?

Just to be sure, let’s apply all those conditions to a hypothetical draft order based roughly on current projections for the 2022/23 season. Let’s say the Rockets’ pick comes in at No. 33, the Thunder’s is No. 39, the Wizards’ is No. 40, the Trail Blazers’ is No. 42, the Mavericks’ pick is No. 49, and the Heat’s is No. 51.

In that scenario, based on the scenarios described above, the Celtics would receive Houston’s pick, the Thunder would keep their own pick and acquire Portland’s, the Nuggets would get Washington’s pick, the Hornets would get Dallas’ pick, and the Pacers would get Miami’s pick.

However, if we hypothetically bump Houston’s pick up to No. 31, it would be Indiana receiving that pick, while the Celtics would get the Blazers’ pick 11 spots later and the Thunder would get Miami’s pick (in addition to their own). In other words, the Pacers will be rooting for the hard for Houston to be a bottom-two team this season, while Boston and Oklahoma City will want to see the Rockets avoid that fate.

Information from RealGM was used in the creation of this post.

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Trade Rumors App For iOS/Android

August 5th, 2022 at 11:52am CST by Luke Adams

If you enjoy Hoops Rumors on your smartphone or tablet, be sure to check out our free Trade Rumors app!

Trade Rumors, available for iOS and Android, is the best way to consume our content on a mobile device. Here’s what it delivers, all for free:

  • All the articles from Hoops Rumors, MLB Trade Rumors, Pro Football Rumors, and Pro Hockey Rumors in an easy-to-navigate, eye-catching format. Swipe through stories to quickly consume all the news and rumors from our four sites. Not into all four sports? No problem – any sport can be easily removed.
  • Customize what you see. You can create feeds for any team or player across any of our sites.
  • Notifications. For any team or player, you can set up push notifications to ensure you always get breaking news instantly. Notifications can also be set up at the sport level.
  • Commenting. You can read and contribute comments on the app seamlessly.
  • Customer service. If you find a bug, we’ll fix it. If you have a feature request, we’ll consider it. The app is continually evolving and improving.
  • Did we mention Trade Rumors is a free app? What do you have to lose? Download it now!
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Community Shootaround: Should LeBron Sign Extension With Lakers?

August 4th, 2022 at 10:50pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Now that LeBron James is officially eligible to sign a contract extension that would keep him with the Lakers through the 2024/25 season, the question we’re positing today is: should he? Does it make sense to his basketball legacy for James to continue with the Lakers’ current personnel, or even a roster without the contract of embattled starting point guard Russell Westbrook?

Team president Rob Pelinka met with James and his agent Rich Paul today for what Paul called a “productive” discussion surrounding a possible extension for the 37-year-old vet. Due to the NBA’s Over-38 rule (outlined in our glossary), the 18-time All-Star is limited to signing, at most, a two-year extension with Los Angeles.

Though James enjoyed a strong individual statistical season during 2021/22, injuries limited the forward to just 56 games, marking the third time in his four seasons with Los Angeles that James has missed 26 or more games. Big man Anthony Davis appeared in just 40 games last year due to his own health problems.

After L.A. traded much of its depth to secure the services of max-salaried point guard Westbrook in the summer of 2021, the Lakers were counting on their new “big three” to win with sheer talent, surrounded mostly by veterans on minimum contracts. The erratic availability of the team’s two best players, plus a disappointing (but mostly healthy) season from Westbrook, doomed the club to an underwhelming 33-49 record. The Lakers did not perform well enough to even qualify for a play-in game. This marked a precipitous fall for the team, which won the title behind stellar performances from James and Davis, surrounded by quality role players, in 2020.

While he is no longer the same defender he was during his Cavaliers and Heat prime, James remains a powerhouse on offense. Beyond his excellent ability to muscle his way inside the paint and an elite passing touch, James has also developed into a decent volume long-range shooter. Last season, he averaged 30.3 PPG, his highest total since 2005/06, plus 8.2 RPG, 6.2 APG, 1.3 SPG, and 1.1 BPG. The 2022 All-NBA Third Teamer posted shooting splits of .524/.359/.756.

The Lakers have pivoted from their 2021 team-building approach. First, L.A. fired its championship-winning head coach Frank Vogel this summer, opting to replace him with former Bucks assistant Darvin Ham. In addition to the team’s three highly-paid stars, Los Angeles is set to bring back wing Talen Horton-Tucker, guard Kendrick Nunn, athletic forwards Stanley Johnson and Wenyen Gabriel, and second-year shooting guard Austin Reaves. Nunn missed the entire 2021/22 season, which would have been his first with the Lakers, due to a knee injury. He claims to be fully recovered at this point.

New Lakers additions like mid-level signing Lonnie Walker IV, centers Damian Jones and Thomas Bryant, and swingmen Troy Brown Jr. and Juan Toscano-Anderson seem to suggest the Los Angeles front office is looking to youth, defense and athleticism over experience and shooting to complement its three stars. The team also drafted rookie guard Max Christie out of Michigan State with the No. 35 pick and signed intriguing undrafted rookies Scotty Pippen Jr. and Cole Swider to two-way contracts.

As for the fate of Westbrook, the Lakers have reportedly received overtures from the Knicks, Jazz, and Pacers. Los Angeles has also had conversations about a potential swap of Westbrook to the Nets for Brooklyn’s own embattled point guard, Kyrie Irving. All of those teams would want at least one and perhaps two future first-round picks to take on Westbrook.

Following a recent split with Westbrook, longtime agent Thad Foucher appeared to indicate that the root of their break-up stemmed from his belief that the point guard should remain with the Lakers, rather than seeking out a trade. Westbrook has since signed Jeff Schwartz to represent him, and one wonders if this new duo will work to relocate Westbrook away from his hometown team this year.

The Lakers would be well-served to offload future assets if they are part of a larger package that will help them also move on from Westbrook. No longer his peak athletic self, the 33-year-old nine-time All-Star proved to be an awkward on-court fit with James as both thrive on the ball and Westbrook, a poor shooter and apathetic cutter, fails to provide much value off it. James and the Lakers could significantly benefit on the floor if the team opted to bring in, say, Pacers veterans Myles Turner and Buddy Hield in exchange for Westbrook and future draft picks.

Even if such a transaction happened, would that – in combination with the club’s new additions and, hopefully, a healthier James and Davis – be enough to effectively move the needle and help Los Angeles return to something approaching title contention, after two straight disappointing seasons? Given the All-Star duo’s time served in the league and injury history, this writer is skeptical.

The West is looking loaded this year, with the reigning champion Warriors poised to hit the ground running, the veteran-laden Nuggets and Clippers finally set to have all their stars healthy, and clubs like the Grizzlies, Suns and Mavericks hoping to continue to build on their recent playoff runs.

James has won four Finals MVP awards and four titles with three different clubs. He has led his teams to 10 Finals appearances all told, including eight straight from 2011-18. There’s no question that, as he enters the twilight of his career, the 6’9″ forward would like to at least have a chance of adding to his championship pedigree and Hall of Fame legacy.

Would James be better served by holding off on agreeing to a Lakers tenure beyond 2023? This way, he could let the team court him in unrestricted free agency instead, where he would be able to simultaneously take stock of what the rest of the league has to offer. At present, only a handful of clubs are expected to have the necessary cap space to sign a player to a maximum contract next summer, though that could certainly change were James to become available.

We want to know what you think. Should James opt to extend sooner rather than later, so that the Lakers could be more inclined to package future draft equity in trades for current help? Should LeBron even opt in at all? Where should he go if he does walk in 2023?

Alternately, if James does return to the Lakers, should he just sign a one-year deal with a player option for the second season, in the hopes of aligning the timing of his free agency with the first season his son Bronny James becomes NBA-eligible? Head to the comments section below to weigh in!

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