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Poll: Who Will Be 2017/18 Rookie Of The Year?

August 25th, 2017 at 10:19am CST by Luke Adams

As he does every summer, NBA.com’s John Schuhmann spoke to a number of incoming NBA players this offseason, asking them to assess their fellow rookies. Schuhmann had nearly 40 first-year players predict which rookie will have the best overall career and which player was the biggest draft steal, among other topics.

Of course, one key question Schuhmann asked was about the favorite to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award for the 2017/18 season, and those voting results were interesting. As we detailed on Tuesday, ninth overall pick Dennis Smith Jr. of the Mavericks was the top pick among his fellow rookies, receiving 25.7% of the vote. Lonzo Ball (Lakers) was second at 20%, with No. 1 overall selection Markelle Fultz (Sixers) coming in third at 17.1%.

Kyle Kuzma (Lakers), Donovan Mitchell (Jazz), and Ben Simmons (Sixers) were among the other players who received support from multiple rookies. Dwayne Bacon (Hornets), Tony Bradley (Jazz), De’Aaron Fox (Kings), Josh Jackson (Suns), Malik Monk (Hornets), Jayson Tatum (Celtics), and Sindarius Thornwell (Clippers) also each received one vote apiece.

While Ball and Fultz placing among the top three choices was predictable, there are plenty of surprises in that group, including a handful of late first-round picks or second-round selections getting votes. Additionally, top-five picks like Fox, Jackson, and Tatum received just one vote each. That doesn’t mean that those players aren’t expected to have successful careers (Tatum tied for the most votes for best career), but their fellow rookies don’t necessarily expect them to have a significant impact immediately.

Over at betting website Bovada, their odds for Rookie of the Year are somewhat in step with the players’ predictions. Ball is viewed as a slight frontrunner over Smith, With Simmons and Tatum tied for third, followed by Fultz, Fox, Monk, Jackson, and players like Jonathan Isaac, Justin Jackson, and Lauri Markkanen, who didn’t receive votes in Schuhmann’s rookie poll.

While oddsmakers sometimes misfire, they should perhaps be more trusted than Schuhmann’s respondents, who haven’t correctly predicted the Rookie of the Year since Kevin Durant won the award back in 2007/08.

What do you think? Who do you expect to see take home the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award next spring? Place your vote below and jump into the comment section to share your thoughts — especially if your choice isn’t one of the options in our poll.

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Poll: Where Will Carmelo Anthony Start Season?

August 24th, 2017 at 2:55pm CST by Luke Adams

For the last month, two stories have consistently remained at the top of the NBA news cycle: When and where will Kyrie Irving and Carmelo Anthony be traded? One of those two lingering offseason questions was answered earlier this week when the Cavaliers granted Irving’s trade request by sending him to Boston. However, there has still been no resolution for the other All-Star on the trade block.

Unlike Irving, who could have been dealt to any of the NBA’s 29 other teams, Anthony has a no-trade clause that allows him to block a move to any club. He has taken full advantage of that clause in his contract, having reportedly expressed a preference to go to Houston. However, trade talks between the Knicks and Rockets are “fairly dormant” — the two teams are at something of impasse, having been unable to find a third or fourth club to help facilitate a deal.

Earlier in the offseason, reports indicated that Anthony would also be willing to waive his no-trade clause to go to the Cavaliers, but that changed at some point. With the Irving situation resolved and Cleveland having secured a strong return for the star point guard, would Anthony reconsider his stance? There’s speculation that could be the case, though nothing concrete has been reported yet. And even if Anthony is on board, the Cavs could face the same challenges the Rockets have as they try to find a trade package the Knicks would accept.

Within his latest report on the Rockets and Knicks, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski indicated that the two sides are preparing for the possibility that Anthony will open training camp as a Knick. That likely won’t thrill the veteran forward, but it makes sense for the Knicks to remain patient if they’ve only received low-ball offers to date. If Carmelo gets frustrated by the lack of movement on the trade front, perhaps he’d be willing to expand his list of preferred landing spots, which could help New York find a more viable offer.

What do you think? By the time opening night rolls around in mid-October, will Anthony still be a Knick? Will he end up being traded to Houston or Cleveland, or will he eventually give the Knicks the go-ahead to send him somewhere else? Vote below in our poll and then jump into the comment section to share your thoughts.

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Poll: Which Team Did Best In Kyrie Blockbuster?

August 23rd, 2017 at 12:24pm CST by Luke Adams

After a month of Kyrie Irving rumors, the Cavaliers and Celtics struck a mega-deal on Tuesday that sent the All-Star point guard to Boston in exchange for a package headlined by another All-Star point guard. In exchange for Irving, the Cavaliers received Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and the Nets’ 2018 first-round pick (unprotected).

While there was plenty of speculation about the Celtics being a fit for Irving, it’s still a stunning deal — multiple All-Stars aren’t often included in the same trade, and the two top teams in a conference are often reluctant to deal with one another. So which side came out on top in the swap? Let’s break down the argument for each side…

For the Cavaliers:

After teams received somewhat underwhelming returns for stars like DeMarcus Cousins, Jimmy Butler, and Paul George in recent months, there was some skepticism that the Cavs would be able to land an appealing package for Irving. Cleveland had wanted a return that would allow the team to stay competitive in the short term while building for the long term, but it appeared that the Cavs might have to compromise that stance.

That wasn’t the case, however. Thomas was one of the NBA’s leading scorers in 2016/17, and could potentially replicate Irving’s production if he’s healthy. Crowder, meanwhile, is a talented two-way player on an extremely affordable contract. He’s exactly the sort of player the Cavs will need to match up with the Warriors and Kevin Durant, and he’ll only cost Cleveland about $7MM per season for the next three years.

Zizic is a wild card, and while his Summer League performance showed that he may not be ready for a major role quite yet, there was plenty of enthusiasm for his long-term potential based on his play overseas last season. Finally, the Cavaliers also secured Brooklyn’s 2018 first-round pick. The Nets shouldn’t be quite as bad in 2017/18 as they were last year, but that pick still has a good chance to be a top-five choice, allowing the Cavs to land a young player with star potential.

Throw in the fact that the Cavs generated a modest trade exception (worth about $5.8MM) in the deal and slashed their projected tax bill by nearly $30MM, and that’s a pretty impressive return for a player who wanted out of Cleveland.

For the Celtics:

While the Celtics sacrificed some depth and future assets in the Irving blockbuster, the ability to go from Thomas to Irving is an upgrade in many ways, even if the two players posted similar numbers a year ago. Irving is three years younger than Thomas, making him a better candidate for a long-term, maximum salary contract.

Irving is also under team control on his current deal for at least one extra year (he can opt out in 2019), and is currently healthy, unlike Thomas, who is recovering from a hip ailment. Danny Ainge indicated in his remarks last night that Thomas’ hip injury was a concern for the C’s heading into training camp.

Losing Crowder, a reliable and affordable three-and-D wing, isn’t ideal for the Celtics, but the team added Gordon Hayward in free agency and has youngsters Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum poised to play larger roles — depth at the small forward position shouldn’t be an issue.

Boston likely would have preferred to keep Zizic as well, but he has yet to play a single NBA minute and his long-term outlook remains hazy. In recent years, the C’s have had to move on from a handful of young players that didn’t pan out, including R.J. Hunter, Jordan Mickey, Demetrius Jackson, and James Young — perhaps moving Zizic while he’s still considered a strong prospect will end up paying off.

The Celtics also parted with the Nets’ 2018 first-round pick, meaning Boston fans will no longer have to closely monitor Brooklyn’s position in the standings all season. It’s possible that first-rounder will turn into a future star, but the Celtics have three more first-round picks coming their way in the next two years – in addition to their own selections – and if the Nets take a step forward this season, that pick could end up being good, but not great.

Having traded three guaranteed contracts for one, the Celtics now have an open spot on their 15-man roster, which could come in handy later in the year — perhaps Boston looks to bring back Tony Allen to help replace Crowder’s defense? Even if they go in another direction, the C’s gained some added flexibility by opening up that roster spot.

What do you think? Did one side clearly come out on top in this trade, or did both teams do well? Or would you argue that this swap wasn’t ideal for either club? Vote below in our poll and then jump into the comment section to share your thoughts!

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Poll: Should Suns Include Josh Jackson In Kyrie Offer?

August 16th, 2017 at 4:50pm CST by Luke Adams

Although the Suns weren’t one of the teams named on Kyrie Irving‘s alleged list of preferred landing spots when he made his trade request earlier this offseason, Phoenix has been frequently mentioned as a possible trade partner for the Cavaliers. The Suns possess a win-now veteran (Eric Bledsoe), a young potential star (Josh Jackson), extra future draft picks, and an ability to absorb an extra contract or two, making them a good fit for the Cavs.

Still, the two sides haven’t found common ground yet, and Jackson – this year’s No. 4 overall pick – appears to be a point of contention. Last month, reports indicated that the Suns were unwilling to include Jackson in an offer for Irving, telling the rookie forward that he wouldn’t be going anywhere. The team reportedly prefers to include last year’s fourth overall pick Dragan Bender.

Jackson has been cited as a primary target for the Cavaliers as they explore their options with Irving. LeBron James himself reportedly asked about Cleveland’s chances of landing Jackson, who was named this week as one of several young players the Cavs were focused on — Kristaps Porzingis, Jayson Tatum, and Jamal Murray were among the others.

If the Suns were willing to include Jackson, a package of the rookie and Bledsoe would be a starting point, though previous reports have indicated Phoenix would need to give up a little more too — perhaps in the form of a draft pick or taking back a player like Channing Frye or Iman Shumpert.

Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer took a closer look at the situation on Tuesday, making cases for why the Suns should and shouldn’t be willing to put Jackson into an offer for Irving. Ultimately, O’Connor’s “bad cop” – who argued for including Jackson – won out, with The Ringer scribe suggesting that an unproven rookie with some question marks shouldn’t be a sticking point in a deal for a legit star.

What do you think? Are the Suns overvaluing Jackson, or are they right to refuse to include him in an offer for Irving? Does it make sense for Phoenix to hope that the Cavs will accept other players in Jackson’s place, and to move on if that bid falls short?

Vote below in our poll and then jump into the comment section to share your thoughts.

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Poll: Which Team Will Be NBA’s Worst In 2017/18?

August 15th, 2017 at 2:23pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this week, ESPN had a panel of 44 experts pick the Eastern and Western Conference winners for the 2017/18 season, along with the eventual NBA champion. The results were familiar and unsurprising — ESPN projects the Cavaliers and the Warriors to meet in the NBA Finals for a fourth consecutive season, with Golden State winning its third title in four years.

While it’s possible a contender like the Celtics, Spurs, or Rockets will upend the established order, there may be more potential for a crowded field and a dramatic race at the other end of the standings. ESPN also published its first 2018 mock draft this week, which included teams picking in specific positions based on projections for 2017/18 records.

ESPN has the Bulls picking at No. 1, followed by the Celtics (via Nets), Hawks, Suns, Kings, Magic, and Knicks, suggesting those are the teams expected to finish at the bottom of the NBA’s standings this season. A few of those clubs were cellar-dwellers last season as well, but ESPN anticipates teams like the Sixers, Lakers, and Timberwolves will improve and get out of that group, while teams like the Bulls and Hawks are expected to drop off significantly after making the playoffs last season.

It’s not hard to see where those predictions come from — Chicago and Atlanta both lost All-Stars and began rebuilding this offseason, while Minnesota acquired one of those All-Stars (Jimmy Butler) and Philadelphia and L.A. fortified their respective rosters in both the draft and free agency. As for Brooklyn, Phoenix, Sacramento, Orlando, and New York, none of those clubs made the sort of summer splash that would necessarily result in a major jump in the standings.

What do you think? Do you expect one of those clubs to be the NBA’s worst team in 2017/18, or is there another team you believe will end up in the league’s basement? Vote below in our poll, then jump into the comment section to share your thoughts!

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Poll: Which NBA Team Has Had Best Offseason?

August 11th, 2017 at 1:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Over the last eight days, we’ve presented a series of polls asking Hoops Rumors readers which team in each division has had the best offseason. Starting with the Atlantic last Thursday and running through the Pacific yesterday, we’ve covered all six divisions.

In some cases, the results of those polls have revealed that a particular division didn’t do well as a whole this summer. For instance, voting in the Central has placed the Bucks in first, despite the fact that Milwaukee has essentially stood pat after having conducted an unusual search for a new GM that saw the team’s co-owners on different pages. While the Bucks’ offseason was underwhelming, it wasn’t viewed as a net negative, like the Pacers‘, Bulls‘, and Cavaliers‘ summers.

Other divisions fell on the other end of the spectrum, with multiple teams worthy of consideration after a successful summer. In the Northwest, for example, the Thunder have received less than 18% of the vote despite acquiring Paul George. But that’s only because the Timberwolves‘ offseason was considered even stronger, picking up more than 72% of the votes.

In today’s poll, we’re asking which team had the best offseason overall. While the options listed here are mostly based on your top picks in those divisional polls, I’ve also used my discretion to include some runners-up and to eliminate a poll winner in the Bucks, who probably don’t belong in the league-wide conversation for the best offseason.

What do you think? Which NBA team has had the best offseason so far? Vote below and then jump into the comment section to share your thoughts. Is your pick not on our list? Let us know!

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Poll: Which Pacific Team Had Best Offseason?

August 10th, 2017 at 2:00pm CST by Luke Adams

It almost seems unfair that a team with a 67-15 record in the regular season and a 16-1 postseason mark could subsequently have one of the NBA’s offseasons too, but Golden State may have achieved that feat.

Heading into the summer, the Warriors knew Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant would be back, but none of the team’s other free agents were a lock to return. When the dust settled, the Dubs had re-signed virtually all their notable FAs, including Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Zaza Pachulia, David West, and JaVale McGee. The team even fortified its bench by adding Nick Young and Omri Casspi in free agency, and Jordan Bell in the draft.

While Golden State’s summer moves were impressive, some of their division rivals had very strong summers too. The Lakers, led by a new-look front office, drafted a potential franchise point guard in Lonzo Ball, dumped Timofey Mozgov‘s mega-contract, and improbably landed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency.

Meanwhile, the Kings – like the Lakers – certainly won’t challenge Golden State for Pacific supremacy right away, but Sacramento’s offseason’s moves featured an impressive mix of roster additions. Not only did the Kings sign a few veterans – George Hill, Zach Randolph, and Vince Carter – but the team also added several youngsters with big upside, including De’Aaron Fox, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Justin Jackson, Harry Giles, and Frank Mason.

The Clippers suffered the biggest single-player loss of any Pacific team as Chris Paul headed to Houston, but L.A. recovered nicely to retool its roster. Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, and multiple young big men arrived in the CP3 trade, and the Clips managed to add potential starters like Danilo Gallinari and Euroleague star Milos Teodosic in free agency. The team also re-signed Blake Griffin when many NBA observers expected him to explore other options.

One of those teams that may have been eyeing Griffin was the Suns, but Phoenix ultimately opted to lay low and be patient with its rebuild rather than pursuing a top free agent. That made for a quiet summer, but it’s probably the right long-term move, and it’s not as if the Suns were totally inactive. The club landed one of the top players on its draft board in Josh Jackson and re-signed free agent big man Alan Williams to a team-friendly three-year deal.

What do you think? Which Pacific team has had the best offseason so far? Weigh in below with your vote and then jump into the comment section to share your thoughts.

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Poll: Which Southeast Team Had Best Offseason?

August 9th, 2017 at 10:22am CST by Luke Adams

For multiple teams in the Southeast, the 2017 offseason was more about retaining their own players than going out and making a major splash via trade or free agency. That was especially true for the reigning division champs in Washington.

Not only did the Wizards match Brooklyn’s four-year, maximum salary offer sheet for Otto Porter — the club also completed another four-year, maximum salary extension, locking up John Wall far beyond the remaining two years on his current contract. Washington also made other minor changes to its roster, adding Jodie Meeks and Tim Frazier, but the team’s major moves involved keeping its current core intact.

The same can be said about the Heat, who pursued Gordon Hayward, but missed out and quickly shifted their focus back to their own free agents, finalizing new long-term contracts with James Johnson and Dion Waiters. Miami also made the biggest investment in the division on an outside free agent, striking a four-year, $45.6MM deal with Kelly Olynyk, which could be worth even more via incentives.

The Hawks brought back Ersan Ilyasova and Mike Muscala on new deals, but opted not to re-sign their top free agent, letting Paul Millsap go to Denver. The move was one of several made by Atlanta that will re-shape the roster for 2017/18. Dewayne Dedmon, Miles Plumlee, and Marco Belinelli are among the newly-added Hawks, while Tim Hardaway, Dwight Howard, Thabo Sefolosha, and Mike Dunleavy are a few of the players who left Atlanta this summer.

The Hornets were on the other end of a major trade with Atlanta, landing Howard in exchange for Belinelli and Plumlee. The cap-strapped Hornets didn’t have a lot of flexibility to make upgrades, but the additions of Howard, Malik Monk, and Michael Carter-Williams are intriguing moves for a club that underperformed in 2016/17.

Meanwhile, the Magic didn’t make any big-money investments in free agency, but landed Jonathon Simmons, Shelvin Mack, Arron Afflalo, and Marreese Speights on affordable deals, and added a tantalizing athlete in Jonathan Isaac in the draft.

What do you think? Which Southeast team has had the best offseason so far? Vote in our poll and then head to the comment section to share your thoughts.

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Poll: Which Southwest Team Had Best Offseason?

August 8th, 2017 at 8:58am CST by Luke Adams

In the days and weeks leading up to free agency, Chris Paul was frequently linked to the Spurs, who were viewed as the most likely landing spot for the star point guard if he left the Clippers. However, the Rockets were the team that swooped in before the free agent period even began to acquire Paul, sending seven players and a draft pick to L.A. in the deal that landed CP3 in Houston.

The Rockets‘ trade for Paul – along with the signing of P.J. Tucker – makes them an obvious pick for the Southwest team that had the best offseason, but the price for CP3 was steep, considering he was about to become an unrestricted free agent. Sixth Man of the Year finalist Lou Williams and All-Defensive First-Teamer Patrick Beverley were among the outgoing pieces in that deal, along with young big men Montrezl Harrell and Sam Dekker. Still, while the Rockets’ depth – particularly in the backcourt – may have taken a hit, pairing Paul with James Harden should make it worthwhile.

As for the Spurs, they ended up not clearing out cap room for a marquee outside free agent, opting instead to re-sign several of their own FAs, including Patty Mills, Pau Gasol, and Manu Ginobili. The club also made use of its exceptions to add Rudy Gay and Joffrey Lauvergne, though Jonathon Simmons and Dewayne Dedmon left for new teams.

Elsewhere in the division, the Pelicans entered the offseason virtually capped out, but made several interesting moves, including re-signing Jrue Holiday and adding Rajon Rondo, Ian Clark, and Frank Jackson to their backcourt.

While the Grizzlies didn’t make major changes to their core, several veterans moved on, with Zach Randolph and Vince Carter heading to Sacramento. Tony Allen – who is still on the open market – also appears unlikely to remain in Memphis. Restricted free agent JaMychal Green is a better bet to re-sign, and if he does, he’ll join new additions like Ben McLemore, Tyreke Evans, and Rade Zagorac.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks sat out of free agency for the first time in several years. However, despite the lack of big splashes, Dallas’ offseason looks like a successful one — the team managed to re-sign Dirk Nowitzki to a very modest contract, landed a very promising rookie point guard Dennis Smith Jr., and don’t appear to have major competition for RFA Nerlens Noel, which should make him a little more affordable than anticipated.

What do you think? Which Southwest team had the best offseason? Does the Rockets’ acquisition of Paul instantly give them the edge, or did another team’s summer moves impress you more?

Vote below, and jump into the comment section to share your thoughts!

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Poll: Which Central Team Had Best Offseason?

August 7th, 2017 at 9:01am CST by Luke Adams

When we asked last week which Atlantic and Northwest teams have enjoyed the best offseasons of 2017, there were a handful of teams deserving of consideration. Several of the 10 teams from those divisions landed star players or deftly maneuvered the salary cap to upgrade their rosters in other ways.

In the Central division, the candidates are a little less impressive.

The Bulls and Pacers were on the other end of two of those trades that sent All-Star players to Northwest teams, with the clubs trading away Jimmy Butler and Paul George, respectively. In both cases, the return left something to be desired — Chicago received Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, and Lauri Markkanen, while the Pacers landed Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis.

Indiana has at least has made some savvy moves in the weeks since the George trade, picking up Cory Joseph, Darren Collison, and Bojan Bogdanovic on affordable contracts, while the Bulls have only re-signed Cristiano Felicio and added Justin Holiday.

The defending Central – and Eastern – champions may join those two teams soon in having traded away an All-Star player, but for now Kyrie Irving remains with the Cavaliers. Cleveland’s offseason grade is probably incomplete until we see what the team does with Irving, but so far the Cavs’ summer moves have been somewhat underwhelming. The additions of players like Derrick Rose, Jeff Green, Jose Calderon, and Cedi Osman were solid, but they were hardly the sort of transformative moves the clubs envisioned heading into the offseason.

The up-and-coming Bucks showed signs last season suggesting they could be an Eastern Conference force within the next year or two, but with Greg Monroe and Spencer Hawes opting into their respective contracts, Milwaukee’s flexibility to make additions has been limited. Outside of re-signing Tony Snell, the Bucks have essentially been quiet in free agency — the team’s most notable additions came in the draft, when D.J. Wilson and Sterling Brown joined the roster.

Of the five Central teams, the Pistons have perhaps been the most active in adding roster reinforcements, though your view of their offseason may hinge on how you feel about Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Detroit let its top restricted free agent walk, opting to replace him by signing Langston Galloway and trading Marcus Morris for Avery Bradley. Other minor moves for the Pistons included re-signing Reggie Bullock and adding Anthony Tolliver.

What do you think? Which of the Central division teams had the best offseason? Did any of these teams take positive steps forward with their summer moves? Vote below in our poll and then jump into the comment section to share your thoughts.

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

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