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Community Shootaround: Zion Williamson

March 19th, 2022 at 11:01am CST by Dana Gauruder

One of the biggest storylines this offseason will undoubtedly revolve around a player who isn’t even eligible for free agency.

While three of the top five picks in the 2019 draft – Ja Morant, RJ Barrett and Darius Garland – have delivered highly productive seasons for their respective teams, that draft’s No. 1 pick has been in virtual seclusion most of the season.

Pelicans big man Zion Williamson wasn’t supposed to be out of uniform all season but the rehab from his surgically-repaired right foot has dragged on. He suffered a couple of setbacks along the way and only recently returned to New Orleans. He spent a good chunk of the season rehabbing in Portland and hasn’t spoken to the media since September. It seems unlikely we’ll see him suit up before the end of the season.

He’s gone from freakish talent to one of the league’s biggest enigmas. It’s difficult to say whether Zion wants to continue to his career in New Orleans. It’s also hard to know whether the Pelicans want to retain him long-term, considering his injury history and aloof personality.

Williamson is eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason. The former Duke star would be eligible to sign for up to five years with a starting salary worth 25% of the 2023/24 salary cap (or 30%, if he makes an All-NBA team next season). We don’t know the exact amount yet, but if the ’23/24 cap comes in at $125MM, a five-year max for Zion would work out to at least $181MM.

If Williamson signs an extension this offseason, he’ll likely push for the max or something very close to it. If an extension agreement isn’t reached, Williamson would be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2023 (as long as New Orleans extends a qualifying offer).

New Orleans has two very good players – Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum – and adding a healthy, productive, motivated Williamson would form the core of a solid playoff team. That’s a huge if.

The draft lottery could also play a role in the Pelicans’ decision. They’ll get the Lakers pick if it lands in the top 10. They’ll also keep their own pick if it lands in the top four — otherwise, it will be conveyed to either Portland or Charlotte.

Let’s not forget how dominant Williamson can be when he’s healthy. He averaged 27.0 PPG, 7.2 RPG and 3.7 APG last season. If New Orleans front office has soured on him or he asks for a trade, plenty of teams would line up and offer a substantial haul for his services despite his nagging foot issues.

That leads us to our question of the day: What should the Pelicans do with Zion Williamson this offseason – pursue a max extension, trade him, or wait to see how next season plays out and allow him to become a restricted free agent in 2023?

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

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Free Agent Stock Watch: Central Division

March 18th, 2022 at 1:52pm CST by Luke Adams

For the rest of the regular season and postseason, Hoops Rumors is taking a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents this offseason. We consider whether their stock is rising or falling due to their performance and other factors. Today, we’re focusing on a handful of Central players.

Zach LaVine, G, Bulls

2021/22: $19.5MM
2022/23: UFA
Stock: Up ⬆️

LaVine is dealing with a knee injury that has diminished his explosiveness, but it hasn’t slowed him down too significantly — he hasn’t scored fewer than 20 points in a game since the All-Star break, and he’s coming off a 33-point showing in Utah on Wednesday.

While the injury is a short-term concern that may need to be addressed surgically in the summer, there’s no reason to believe at this point that it will be a nagging issue in future seasons. LaVine is still significantly outperforming his current contract and is in line for a maximum-salary deal this summer, likely with the Bulls.

Collin Sexton, G, Cavaliers

2021/22: $6.35MM
2022/23: RFA
Stock: Down ⬇️

Sexton is also dealing with a knee injury, but it’s more serious than LaVine’s. The Cavaliers guard appeared in only 11 games before meniscus surgery sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

The fact that Sexton averaged 24.3 PPG with an efficient .475/.371/.815 shooting line in 2020/21 shouldn’t be overlooked, but there are a number of factors working against him. With Darius Garland and Caris LeVert under contract for next season and Sexton entering restricted free agency in an offseason when few teams will have cap room, the Cavs will have plenty of leverage in negotiations. Concerns about Sexton’s knee and his defense may further limit his ability to secure a significant raise.

An eight-figure annual salary is still certainly within reach for Sexton, but a payday in the $80-100MM range no longer looks like a good bet.

Bobby Portis, F/C, Bucks

2021/22: $4.35MM
2022/23: $4.56MM player option
Stock: Up ⬆️

Portis raised some eyebrows when he settled for a two-year, $9MM deal with the Bucks in 2021, giving the club a “hometown” discount after winning a title in Milwaukee. That agreement included a second-year player option, so Portis has the opportunity to revisit the open market in 2022. At this point, it’s hard to imagine he won’t take advantage of that opportunity.

With Brook Lopez out for much of the season, Portis has been thrust into a larger frontcourt role and has responded with a career year, averaging 15.3 PPG and 9.1 RPG on .484/.405/.752 shooting in 61 games (28.9 MPG). He’ll have Early Bird rights this time around, putting him in a better spot to get a raise from the Bucks, who shouldn’t expect the 27-year-old to once again accept a team-friendly rate.

Cory Joseph, G, Pistons

2021/22: $4.91MM
2022/23: $5.16MM player option
Stock: Up ⬆️

The Pistons have been one of the NBA’s worst teams since the start of the season, and any national attention they’ve gotten has focused primarily on Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey, and the rest of their young core. Their 30-year-old journeyman point guard shouldn’t be overlooked though — Joseph is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career in Detroit this season, averaging 8.1 PPG and 3.8 APG with a career-best .423 3PT% in 59 games (24.8 MPG).

Joseph may be happy with the Pistons and not interested in seeking a change of scenery. But if he decides to opt out this summer, he should certainly be able to earn a raise, perhaps from a team much closer to title contention.

T.J. Warren, F, Pacers

2021/22: $12.69MM
2022/23: UFA
Stock: Down ⬇️

Having officially been ruled out for the rest of 2021/22, Warren will enter unrestricted free agency having played just four games in the last two seasons due to foot injuries. It’s been an unfortunate run for the veteran forward, who had a great 2019/20 season and looked like one of the NBA’s very best scorers in the Walt Disney World bubble that summer.

What Warren has gone through is reminiscent of what happened to another former Pacer, Victor Oladipo, following his breakout years in Indiana. Oladipo battled leg injuries for two seasons and ultimately settled for a minimum-salary contract when he became a free agent.

Unlike Oladipo last year, Warren should be healthy when he reaches the open market this summer. But given how little teams have seen from him over the last two years, he may not be able to do a whole lot better than the minimum deal Oladipo got.

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Hoops Rumors’ Lists, Trackers, Features

March 18th, 2022 at 11:50am CST by Luke Adams

In addition to passing along news, rumors, and analysis on a daily basis, Hoops Rumors provides a number of additional features and resources that can be found anytime on the right-hand sidebar of our desktop site under “Hoops Rumors Features,” or on the “Features” page in our mobile menu.

Since those links are easy to overlook and aren’t readily accessible to our app users, we want to periodically highlight a number of our lists, trackers, and other features.

For instance, our lists of 2022 free agents by position/type and by team are constantly updated, as is our list of 2023 free agents and our breakdown of current free agents.

We have a number of features related to NBA trades, including a roundup of this season’s deals, a list of the trade exceptions currently available to teams, and details on which teams can still send and receive cash in trades during the 2021/22 league year.

We have info on how teams are using mid-level and bi-annual exceptions in 2021/22, as well as which clubs are hard-capped and which have open roster spots. Our 10-day contract tracker, two-way contract tracker, and contract extension tracker provide information on many of the deals signed this season.

We’ve got details on how much this season’s maximum salaries, minimum salaries, and mid-level/bi-annual exceptions are worth, as well as projections for how much the maximums, minimums, and mid-level/bi-annual will be worth in 2022/23.

The Hoops Rumors Glossary provides in-depth explanations on many concepts related to the salary cap and Collective Bargaining Agreement, presented in the simplest possible terms.

Many of our features and trackers are cyclical and will be reintroduced as the year goes on. For example, it’ll just be a matter of time before we start keeping tabs on all the early entrants for the 2022 NBA draft.

Be sure to check out the sidebar on our desktop site or our Features page for all of our current resources.

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Checking In On Traded 2022 First-Round Picks

March 18th, 2022 at 9:24am CST by Luke Adams

There are just over three weeks left in the 2021/22 NBA regular season, so it’s worth completing one last in-season check-in on the traded first-round picks for the 2022 NBA draft.

Many of the traded first-rounders for the ’22 draft come with protections, so there’s a chance they might not change hands this year at all.

Using our list of traded first-round picks for 2022 and our reverse standings tool, here’s our breakdown of which of those traded picks are most and least likely to change hands, and which ones remain up in the air:

Current lottery standings

  1. Houston Rockets
  2. Orlando Magic
  3. Detroit Pistons
    • Traded to Thunder (top-16 protected).
  4. Oklahoma City Thunder
    • Traded to Hawks (top-14 protected).
  5. Indiana Pacers
  6. Sacramento Kings
  7. Portland Trail Blazers
    • Traded to Bulls (top-14 protected).
  8. San Antonio Spurs
  9. New Orleans Pelicans
    • Traded to Trail Blazers (between 5-14) or Hornets (15-30).
  10. New York Knicks (tie)
    Los Angeles Lakers (tie)

    • Lakers’ pick traded to Pelicans (between 1-10) or Grizzlies (11-30).
  11. Washington Wizards
  12. Atlanta Hawks
  13. Charlotte Hornets
    • Traded to Hawks (top-18 protected).

Before we get into specific picks, there are a couple caveats worth mentioning here. For one, the eventual draft order could look much different from the lottery standings if two or three teams get lucky and move up into the top four on lottery night.

For instance, even if the Pelicans finish with the NBA’s ninth-worst record, that doesn’t mean they’ll send their pick to the Trail Blazers — they could luck out and jump into the top four, hanging onto their first-rounder.

Additionally, four of these teams will make the play-in tournament. Currently, those four teams project to be the Hornets, Hawks, Lakers, and Pelicans. If one of those teams subsequently wins a pair of play-in games and earns the No. 8 playoff seed in its conference, that team would move out of the lottery and out of the top 14 of the draft (likely getting the No. 15 pick).

In other words, even if the Pelicans finish with the league’s ninth-worst record, Charlotte could still get New Orleans’ first-rounder if the Pels win two play-in games.

With all that in mind, we can safely say the Pistons, Thunder, and Trail Blazers will keep their picks. Detroit and Oklahoma City aren’t making the play-in, and based on how Portland has performed since shutting down Jusuf Nurkic after the All-Star break, the Blazers aren’t making it either. As a result, the following will occur:

  • The Pistons will owe their top-18 protected pick to Oklahoma City in 2023.
  • The Thunder will send their 2024 second-round pick and 2025 second-round pick to Atlanta, extinguishing any future obligations.
  • The Trail Blazers will owe their top-14 protected pick to Chicago in 2023.

It’s also a pretty safe bet that the Hornets will keep their first-round pick. They’d have to go on a serious hot streak in the coming weeks in order to finish with a top-12 record in the NBA. As a result…

  • The Hornets will owe their top-16 protected to Atlanta in 2023.

The Pelicans‘ and Lakers‘ first-round picks remain very much up for grabs and will be worth watching closely down the stretch. For what it’s worth, if the season ended today and the Pelicans didn’t earn a playoff spot via the play-in tournament, they’d have about a 20% chance to move up into the top four and keep their pick.

A coin flip determines the draft lottery order when two teams finish the season with identical records, so if the Lakers and Knicks were to tie for the NBA’s 10th-worst record and the Lakers didn’t make the playoffs via play-in, the Grizzlies and Pelicans would be watching that coin flip very closely. It could end up determining whether New Orleans gets the No. 10 overall pick or Memphis gets No. 11 overall.

Current standings for rest of first round

  1. Los Angeles Clippers
    • Traded to Thunder (unprotected).
  2. Brooklyn Nets
    • Traded to Rockets or Heat (the Rockets will get the most favorable of Brooklyn’s and Miami’s first-rounders, while the Heat get the least favorable of the two.)
  3. Toronto Raptors (tie)
    Cleveland Cavaliers (tie)

    • Raptors’ pick traded to Spurs (top-14 protected); Cavaliers’ pick traded to Pacers (top-14 protected).
  4. Minnesota Timberwolves
  5. Chicago Bulls
  6. Denver Nuggets (tie)
    Boston Celtics (tie)

    • Celtics’ pick traded to Spurs (top-four protected).
  7. Philadelphia 76ers
    • Traded to Nets (Brooklyn has the option of deferring the pick to 2023).
  8. Dallas Mavericks (tie)
    Utah Jazz (tie)

    • Jazz’s pick traded to Grizzlies (top-six protected).
  9. Milwaukee Bucks
  10. Miami Heat
  11. Golden State Warriors
  12. Memphis Grizzlies
  13. Phoenix Suns
    • Traded to Thunder (top-12 protected).

Let’s start with a few of the simplest traded picks in this section — there’s no chance the Suns‘ selection will end up in the top 12, and there’s virtually no chance the Celtics‘ pick will land in the top four or the Jazz‘s pick will fall in the top six.

For Boston’s or Utah’s pick to fall within its protected range, one of those teams would need to slump badly enough to fall to seventh in its conference, then lose two play-in games, then get lucky enough in the lottery to claim a top-four pick despite being No. 14 in the lottery standings. It’s the longest of long shots, so we can safely assume those picks will convey.

If the season ended today, the Spurs would get either the No. 21 or No. 22 pick (depending on a coin flip) from Boston, the Grizzlies would receive either No. 24 or No. 25 from Utah, and the Thunder would get No. 30 from Phoenix. Additionally, the Thunder would receive the Clippers‘ unprotected pick, tentatively at No. 15 (though the play-in tournament could shift it slightly in one direction or the other).

It’s also a safe bet the Rockets, who control Brooklyn’s first-rounder and have the option of swapping it with Miami’s pick, will simply hang onto the Nets‘ selection. Right now, it projects to be No. 16, far more favorable than the Heat’s No. 27, and it could even move into the lottery if Brooklyn is eliminated in the play-in tournament.

That leaves three more traded picks still somewhat up in the air.

The Raptors and Cavaliers will both give up their first-rounders if they land outside of the top 14. It seems likely that will happen, but until those clubs clinch playoff spots – either via the play-in or simply by finishing in the East’s top six – it’s not a certainty. For the time being, it looks like the Spurs and Pacers can probably bet on receiving picks in the late teens (No. 17 and No. 18 if the season ended today and the Raptors won a play-in game).

Finally, the pick the Sixers have traded to the Nets is unprotected, but Brooklyn has the option of passing on it and receiving Philadelphia’s 2023 first-rounder instead. I wouldn’t expect the Nets to take advantage of that deferral option as long as the pick remains at No. 23 — unless they want to roll the dice on James Harden leaving or another Joel Embiid injury, the Nets probably can’t reasonably expect the 76ers’ 2023 first-rounder to be better than No. 23.

However, if the Sixers finish the season strong and that pick ends up at, say, No. 26 or 27, it would create a more difficult decision for Brooklyn.

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Community Shootaround: March Madness

March 17th, 2022 at 8:29am CST by Luke Adams

Following the conclusion of this week’s First Four games, the 64-team field for the NCAA Tournament has officially been set. Games will tip off in a matter of hours, beginning with Michigan and Colorado State in the South region. The full bracket for this year’s tournament can be found right here.

We don’t cover college basketball much at Hoops Rumors — in fact, we typically only discuss it in relation to the NBA, which means focusing on top draft-eligible prospects.

As a result, we’ll be keeping a close eye on Gonzaga, the No. 1 seed in the West region, to see what top prospect Chet Holmgren can do in the tournament. We’ll also be watching Duke, the No. 2 seed in that same region, led by star freshman Paolo Banchero. If the Zags and Blue Devils aren’t upset in the earlier rounds, Holmgren and Banchero could square off in the Elite Eight.

While Holmgren and Banchero are two of the most intriguing prospects worth monitoring, there’s no shortage of potential lottery picks on top-seeded teams. Here are some of the others we’ll be watching when the tournament tips off:

While draft-eligible prospects are our focus, we want your predictions on winners, potential upsets, and possible disappointments.

Who are your Final Four picks? Who are your favorite upset candidates? Are you calling your shot on any Cinderella teams to make it to the Sweet Sixteen or beyond? Which team are you picking to win it all?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your March Madness thoughts and predictions!

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Poll: How Will Nets’ Season End?

March 16th, 2022 at 1:43pm CST by Luke Adams

While the Nets have been one of the NBA’s biggest underachievers this season, their performance hasn’t yet inspired much panic. The oddsmakers at BetOnline.ag, for instance, still consider Brooklyn the favorite to come out of the Eastern Conference this spring.

Unlike the disappointing Lakers, who haven’t looked great even when they’re playing at full strength, the Nets have played well during the rare instances when they’ve had something resembling a healthy lineup. But they’ve been missing key pieces for much of the season — Kevin Durant has only played in 42 of 69 games, primarily due to a knee injury, while Kyrie Irving‘s vaccination status has resulted in him making just 19 appearances to date.

On top of those issues, Ben Simmons has yet to make his Nets debut and Joe Harris is out for the season due to an ankle injury.

Harris won’t play again for Brooklyn this spring, but you could talk yourself into Durant, Irving, and Simmons all being available for the postseason. Durant is currently healthy; New York City’s private sector vaccine mandate could theoretically be adjusted in the next few weeks, freeing up Irving to play at home as well as on the road; and head coach Steve Nash expressed optimism this week that Simmons will make his Nets debut before the end of the regular season.

But things could just as easily go the other way. A pair of orthopedic specialists who spoke to The New York Post speculated that Simmons won’t return this season due to his ongoing back issues. And there’s still no timeline for New York City’s private sector vaccine mandate to change. Mayor Eric Adams said on Wednesday that he’s not going to base any decisions on whether or not the Nets have Irving available for the postseason.

“I’m focused on nine million people,” Adams said, per Kevin Sheehan, Bernadette Hogan and Sam Raskin of The New York Post. “And so, I am not looking at one person, I’m looking at my city not closing down again, not having to deal with this crisis again. … I’m not going to be rushed in based on a season schedule. I am going to do this right for the people of the city, and I’m not focusing on one individual.”

A healthy Durant and a solid collection of role players are capable of making some noise in the playoffs, but with Irving only available on the road and Simmons not available at all, Brooklyn’s ceiling would be limited.

It’s also worth noting that the 36-33 Nets will likely have to win at least one game in a play-in tournament before even clinching a playoff spot, and there’s no guarantee they’ll have Irving available in that scenario.

If the season ended today, the Nets would visit the 38-30 Raptors for the first play-in game, with the winner earning the No. 7 seed. A loss in that contest would mean hosting the Hawks (34-34) or Hornets (34-35), with the No. 8 spot up for grabs. Local vaccine mandates currently prohibit Irving from playing in either Toronto or Brooklyn.

The Nets could avoid that play-in dilemma by moving into the top six, but they’re still 3.5 games back of the No. 6 Cavaliers, so there’s some work to do on that front. With Irving only available for three more games this season, it seems just as plausible that the Hawks or Hornets could catch the Nets for the No. 8 spot, which would put even more play-in pressure on Brooklyn.

We want to know what you think. Obviously, the Nets’ upside hinges largely on Irving’s and Simmons’ availability, but based on what we know today, how do you see the team’s season playing out? Is Brooklyn headed for an early postseason exit, or is an NBA Finals appearance still within reach?

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

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Free Agent Stock Watch: Northwest Division

March 14th, 2022 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

For the rest of the regular season and postseason, Hoops Rumors is taking a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents this offseason. We consider whether their stock is rising or falling due to their performance and other factors. Today, we’re focusing on a handful of Northwest players.

Jusuf Nurkic, C, Trail Blazers

2021/22: $12MM
2022/23: UFA
Stock: Up ⬆️

A lengthy injury absence preceding a player’s free agency typically doesn’t help that player’s stock, but Nurkic’s value is on the rise despite the case of plantar fasciitis that will sideline him for at least four weeks and could end his season.

Prior to his injury, the veteran center was playing his best basketball of the season during a four-game winning streak (21.5 PPG, 14.0 RPG, and 4.3 APG). As a result, it’s safe to assume shutting him down was more about keeping the Blazers’ tanking efforts on track than it was about any long-term health concerns. After all, Portland has had essentially a neutral net rating (-0.1) during Nurkic’s minutes this season, compared to a -11.7 mark when he’s not on the court.

Nurkic looks like a good bet to get a new contract worth at least the $12MM per year he’s currently making — and likely more than that.

Derrick Favors, C, Thunder

2021/22: $9.72MM
2022/23: $10.18MM player option
Stock: Down ⬇️

Favors’ per-minute production hasn’t declined significantly during the last two seasons, but his 15.3 minutes per game in 2020/21 and his 16.7 MPG this season are the two lowest marks of his career. Injuries and DNP-CDs have also limited him to just 39 games so far in ’21/22.

At age 30, Favors should still have plenty left in the tank, and he could reverse the trend of his declining playing time if he ends up in the right situation next season. But he won’t get a contract offer on the open market that exceeds the value of his player option ($10.18MM). I’d expect him to opt in and then try to work with the Thunder on a trade or buyout.

Danuel House, F, Jazz

2021/22: Minimum salary
2022/23: UFA
Stock: Up ⬆️

Once a key three-and-D rotation player in Houston, House saw his numbers dip in 2020/21 and slide even further to start this season, leading to his release. It took him a little time to find a permanent new home following a 10-day deal with the Knicks, but he has hit his stride again in Utah, averaging 6.7 PPG with an impressive .453 3PT% in 18 games (18.8 MPG).

House isn’t the type of player who is a threat to go off for 30 points on a given night (his career high is 23), but his ability to knock down three-pointers and defend multiple positions could be very important for a Utah team hoping to make a deep playoff run. A strong postseason showing would further boost House’s stock entering the summer.

Josh Okogie, G/F, Timberwolves

2021/22: $4.09MM
2022/23: RFA
Stock: Down ⬇️

Okogie has received praise from head coach Chris Finch for his leadership and his attitude, but the former first-round pick is no longer part of the Timberwolves’ regular rotation, having logged just 48 minutes across seven games since the start of February. He has some value on defense, but doesn’t provide enough on offense to warrant consistent minutes.

While Minnesota can technically make Okogie a restricted free agent this offseason, doing so would require a $5.86MM qualifying offer — I expect the team to pass on that QO, letting Okogie become an unrestricted FA.

Jeff Green, F, Nuggets

2021/22: $4.5MM
2022/23: $4.5MM player option
Stock: Up ⬆️

After years of settling for minimum-salary contracts, Green earned a two-year, $9MM commitment from the Nuggets last summer. The veteran forward will turn 36 years old later this year, so he initially seemed like a safe bet to pick up his $4.5MM option for 2022/23. But that’s no longer a given, based on the way he has performed this season.

Stepping into a larger role than anticipated due to Michael Porter Jr.‘s extended absence (and, to a lesser extent, Vlatko Cancar‘s season-ending foot injury), Green has averaged nearly 25 minutes per game in 63 appearances (51 starts) for Denver, scoring 10.5 PPG on 51.4% shooting.

While he has struggled from beyond the three-point line (30.1%), Green has been a crucial contributor this season for a Nuggets team trying to survive without two of its top scorers (Porter and Jamal Murray). It might be enough to justify an offseason opt-out — if he finishes the season strong, Green could potentially land one more multiyear deal.

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Community Shootaround: Picking Playoff Opponents

March 14th, 2022 at 11:46am CST by Luke Adams

Based on the current NBA standings, a pair of increasingly realistic scenarios are in play for the first round of this year’s postseason.

The Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed could be in line for a matchup against a Nets team that has Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons available, if New York City’s private sector vaccine mandate is dropped within the next month and Simmons is ready to play.

The Western Conference’s No. 1 seed could get a first-round matchup against a Lakers team that has a healthy Anthony Davis coming back from his foot injury. Or potentially a Clippers team with Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and Norman Powell available.

We can debate just how dangerous the Nets, Lakers, and Clippers would be in the playoffs if they’re leaning heavily on stars coming off lengthy absences, but it’s probably safe to assume that neither the Heat nor the Suns (the league’s current top seeds) would welcome a first-round series against such a star-studded squad.

With that in mind, it makes sense that multiple NBA writers have recently broached the idea of allowing top-seeded playoff teams to choose their own first-round opponents. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer wrote about the subject last week, suggesting that it would add intrigue and would create an additional incentive for top teams to fight for the No. 1 seed in the conference. ESPN’s Zach Lowe also discussed the idea on Friday.

Both O’Connor and Lowe suggested a format in which the No. 1 seed could pick its opponent from the two play-in winners, leaving the No. 2 seed to face the other play-in winner.

However, as Lowe observes, that format could lead to “aggrieved” No. 2 seeds who would’ve perhaps preferred to finish at No. 3 and play the No. 6 team — if the season ended today, for instance, some top Eastern teams may rather face the No. 6 Cavaliers than the No. 7 Raptors or No. 8 Nets.

According to Lowe, a few teams have proposed the idea of a full playoff draft, with the top three seeds in each conference picking their first-round opponents from among the bottom four seeds. So, if there was a No. 8 seed that the top clubs really wanted to avoid, the “playoff draft” could result in that No. 8 team facing the No. 4 seed in the first round.

According to O’Connor, he has heard from people around the NBA who worry that such a format could lead to “an acrimonious relationship between players and teams over who picks who for a playoff series.” But O’Connor believes the extra drama generated should outweigh any hurt feelings.

Lowe, meanwhile, acknowledges that the “playoff draft” format could have some unintended consequences, including some scenarios where it’s better to finish fifth than fourth. But he points out that some playoff teams already spend the last few days of the regular season engaging in mini-tanks to try to get to a preferred seed.

We want to know what you think. Should top playoff seeds get to choose their first-round opponents? If so, would you only want the No. 1 seed to get that option, or would it make sense for the top three seeds to all get their pick?

Head to the comment section below to share your two cents!

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Hoops Rumors’ 10-Day Contract Tracker

March 11th, 2022 at 1:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Due primarily to the league-wide COVID-19 outbreak in December and January – and all the replacement players required during that outbreak – the 2021/22 NBA season has been a record-setting one for 10-day contracts.

By our count, the number of 10-day contracts signed this season has reached a staggering 196, and will increase to 197 once the Pelicans‘ reported deal with Tyrone Wallace is officially finalized. We’ve tracked every single one of those signings using our 10-day contract tracker. The full list of this season’s 10-day pacts can be found right here.

Besides featuring all of this year’s 10-day deals, our 10-day contract tracker includes information on all 10-day contracts signed since the 2006/07 season. The search filters in the database make it easy to sort by team, player and year. For instance, if you want to see all the 10-day contracts that the Lakers have signed in recent years, you can do so here.

You can also use the tracker to identify which 10-day deals remain active. That list, which can be found right here, is as follows:

Players are typically prohibited from signing more than two 10-day contracts with the same team in a given league year. Since Thomas, Johnson, Brooks, and Brown are on their first 10-day contracts with their respective clubs, they’ll be eligible to sign at least one more.

Eubanks would also be eligible to continue signing 10-day deals with the Trail Blazers, since his first two have been completed using an injury-related hardship exception — those hardship deals don’t count toward the limit.

Fitts and Martin are on their second standard 10-day deals with Boston, so they won’t be eligible to sign a third unless Boston qualifies for a hardship exception. The Celtics will either have to sign them to rest-of-season contracts or let them go after their current deals expire on Monday night.

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Community Shootaround: Most Improved Player

March 11th, 2022 at 12:47pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s Most Improved Player award is often the one that generates the most crowded field of candidates. While there are only so many legitimate contenders in a given season for awards like Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year, there could be dozens of players who have decent cases for MIP consideration.

This season, however, oddsmakers believe there’s a clear-cut frontrunner for Most Improved Player honors — betting sites like Bovada.lv and BetOnline.ag have made Grizzlies guard Ja Morant the overwhelming favorite. If you want to place a wager at BetOnline on Morant to win the award, you have to risk $2,000 just to potentially win $100.

Morant has certainly taken a leap in his third NBA season. His scoring average has increased from 19.1 PPG to 27.5 PPG, and his shooting percentages have improved too, from .449/.303/.728 a year ago to .495/.346/.763 in 2021/22. The ascendant point guard has led the Grizzlies to a 45-22 record, the second-best mark in the NBA.

As ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Tim Bontemps observed this week on The Hoop Collective podcast (video link), Morant has gone from missing the All-Star team in his first two seasons to becoming an All-NBA lock and a viable MVP candidate, which Bontemps calls “the hardest leap to make.” That’s why he looks like the safe bet to take home the Most Improved Player award this spring.

But is Morant a lock? Hornets forward Miles Bridges, Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, Spurs guard Dejounte Murray, Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons, and Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey are among the next-best candidates listed at Bovada and BetOnline.

Bridges’ shooting numbers have dipped a little this year with his increased usage rate, but he has increased his scoring average from 12.7 PPG to 19.8 PPG and is putting up career highs in almost every other key category.

Garland has put up 21.0 PPG and 8.2 APG with a .480 FG% (all career highs) while playing a crucial role in the Cavaliers’ unexpected turnaround, but he had already established a pretty impressive baseline (17.4 PPG, 6.1 APG, .451 FG%) in his sophomore season in 2020/21.

Murray has taken his game to another level in his sixth season, with 20.6 PPG, 9.4 APG, and 8.4 RPG (all career highs) to go along with an NBA-best 2.1 SPG. The Spurs’ 25-41 record may hurt his case, however.

None of these candidates has improved his scoring numbers more than Simons, who averaged 7.8 PPG last season and is up to 17.3 PPG in 2021/22, without a drop in efficiency. Simons has benefited from an increased role, but his per-minute numbers are also the best of his career.

Maxey, meanwhile, helped the Sixers remain in the playoff mix this season with Ben Simmons absent, with 17.4 PPG and 4.4 APG on .481/.419/.864 shooting after playing a limited role as a rookie. It’s worth noting though that some voters shy away from second-year players, since it’s considered a given that most will take a significant step forward.

What do you think? Is Morant a lock to win this year’s Most Improved Player award? Do you think Bridges, Garland, Murray, Simons, Maxey, or someone else has a stronger case?

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

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