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International Notes: Serbia, Bahamas, Gordon, Croatia

August 22nd, 2023 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Serbian national team has officially announced its 12-man roster for the 2023 World Cup, which tips off on Friday (Twitter link). The Serbians are missing star center Nikola Jokic, along with accomplished veteran guard Vasilije Micic, who made the move from the EuroLeague to the NBA this offseason.

However, the squad still features multiple current and former NBA players, starting with Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic. Heat forward Nikola Jovic, Sixers big man Filip Petrusev, and former Grizzlies guard Marko Guduric are among the notable players representing Serbia at this year’s World Cup.

Here are a few more notes from around the international basketball world:

The Bahmas defeated Argentina on Sunday in the final of an Olympic pre-qualifying tournament, with Suns guard Eric Gordon scoring a game-high 27 points, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Following the Bahamian victory, former NBA forward Andres Nocioni – who won an Olympic gold medal with Argentina in 2004 – questioned whether it was fair for FIBA to allow Gordon to suit up for the Bahamas despite representing Team USA earlier in his international career (Twitter link). “Let’s not lose the essence of international competitions,” Nocioni added in a follow-up tweet.
A Croatian team led by Warriors forward Dario Saric and Clippers center Ivica Zubac scored an upset victory over Alperen Sengun and Turkey in the final of another Olympic pre-qualifying tournament on Sunday, as Eurohoops details. Croatia, the Bahamas, Cameroon, Poland, and Bahrain won this month’s pre-qualifying tournament to secure spots in next year’s Olympic qualifiers.
Vangelis Papadimitriou of Eurohoops highlights a handful of non-U.S. NBA players who could be difference-makers in this year’s World Cup, including Canadian forward RJ Barrett and Dominican big man Karl-Anthony Towns.

Sixers Notes: Cap Space, Embiid, Harden, Investigation

August 19th, 2023 at 11:57am CST by Tristan Tucker

It’s no secret leaguewide that Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey is maintaining cap flexibility with an eye toward 2024 free agency. Joel Embiid and P.J. Tucker are currently the only two players who look like locks to have salaries on the books next offseason, with Embiid owed $51.4MM next year and under team control until 2026, and Tucker possessing an $11.5MM player option for 2023/24 he seems likely to exercise.

It goes further than just having two players under guaranteed money next season, however. The Sixers had the opportunity to extend rising star guard Tyrese Maxey beginning July 1 but haven’t done so, in order to maintain said flexibility. Maxey does have a cap hold of around $13MM, though. The James Harden saga illustrates that the Sixers were unwilling to give Harden a max contract that would have affected their ’24 cap space. All signs point toward the Sixers aiming to add a star or two to pair alongside Embiid next summer.

In a recent piece, The Athletic’s Danny Leroux looks ahead to next year’s offseason and considers some of the names the Sixers could target. If the Sixers look to a star player in free agency, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby and Jrue Holiday are among the max-level players Philadelphia could aim to sign. There are pros and cons to signing each player, but Leroux suggests Anunoby would be the best outcome here, despite less star-power than the other options, due to his on-court ability and age.

Leroux also writes that the Sixers could package their space, which he speculates could be as much as 35% of the total cap, and sign two players whose contract sums equal one max. The biggest names in this category include DeMar DeRozan and Klay Thompson, though both come with their fair share of risks and seem unlikely, at this time, to depart their incumbent teams. Miami’s Caleb Martin and Charlotte’s Gordon Hayward are two sleepers Leroux believes the Sixers could sign away next year.

Lastly, the Sixers also have the option to swing a trade for a star rather than signing one. But Leroux also notes a few issues with this approach. For starters, it would be difficult for the asset-depleted Sixers to match salaries or send out enough to entice a team to trade a star. However, Leroux notes that waiting until free agency is often a risky situation and that they could opt to trade for somebody if they can navigate their assets, especially if an opposing star asks for a trade, which seems to be an inevitability in the modern NBA.

Philadelphia has to be careful with how it approaches the next year. Failing to surround Embiid, who will be 30 after next season and has a history with injuries, comes with risk. Leroux calls this next year Philadelphia’s “one bite at the apple” and a “roll of the dice,” which could end poorly if the Sixers don’t add talent that helps propel themselves into the next tier of contending teams.

We have more from Philadelphia:

Speaking of Embiid, Yahoo Sports’ Vincent Goodwill writes that the saga between Harden and Morey could have a lasting impact on the franchise’s relationship with its MVP. While Embiid is saying all of the right things publicly, Goodwill writes that many around the league expect him to request a trade sooner rather than later and think that Morey is secretly hoping for a full-blown rebuild. Things could get ugly fast when or if Harden reports for training camp with the Sixers, which could have residual effects on Philadelphia’s performance and Embiid’s state of mind, Goodwill writes. Miami and New York are teams that are keeping a close eye on Embiid’s situation, according to Goodwill.
In case you missed it this morning, the league is launching an investigation into whether Harden’s comments on Morey implicate either party in engaging in a handshake agreement last summer on a future contract. Marc Stein of Substack (subscriber link) recently discussed the topic before the investigation launched today. If the league determines Harden’s comments referred to a contractual promise from Philadelphia last summer, the Sixers will certainly face league discipline, Stein writes. However, if Harden’s comments are about the Sixers promising to trade him and then reneging on that promise, there is not a violation of league rules. According to Stein, it’s difficult to see Harden being punished for his comments in China, since he didn’t publicly demand a trade and no league rules prohibit him from speaking down to a high-ranking executive in an organization.
Stein suggests in the same Substack article that the Sixers still have the upper hand in this situation, given the language in the league’s collective bargaining agreement that limits Harden’s ability to become a free agent next summer if he doesn’t play out the final year of his contract. One thing that could change that, Stein notes, is if Embiid sides with Harden in this ordeal and doesn’t buy into the Sixers’ plan of taking a step back this season before aggressively approaching the 2024 offseason.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on The Hoop Collective (YouTube link) stated that the Clippers and Sixers haven’t had any substantive discussions on a Harden trade, his preferred destination, which echoes ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski’s report from this morning. Goodwill, whose reporting backs this up, writes that Morey actually isn’t stuck on receiving Terance Mann in a deal with the Clippers, which had been reported as one hold-up between the two teams. Morey is believed to be more interested in adding first-round draft picks to his cabinet, according to Goodwill. Stein writes that despite this and the fact that he can’t sign an extension there, or with any team that trades for him, Harden’s desire is still to be dealt to the Clippers.

And-Ones: Clippers, Player Tiers, World Cup, Schedule

August 17th, 2023 at 10:49pm CST by Tristan Tucker

While the NBA appears to be putting an emphasis on giving teams more rest between games, the Clippers likely won’t be reaping those benefits. Kurt Helin of NBC Sports put together his list of schedule tidbits after today’s reveal, a handful of which involve the Clippers. Helin notes that Los Angeles will travel 50,670 miles next season, the most by any one team. That figure is well above the 47,066-mile trek the Nets, the team that travels the second-most next year, will take on.

The Clippers also have the most instances of having three games in four nights, with 25. The Nuggets have the fewest with 16. Los Angeles also has 10 matinee home games next year, which Helin notes helps explain owner Steve Ballmer‘s desire to build a new arena.

Lastly, Helin notes that the Clippers are included in what he calls the NBA’s “rivalry week,” from Jan. 23 to Jan. 27. That week, the Clippers take on the Lakers while the Heat play the Knicks, and Brooklyn and New York face off.

Helin has other notes on the NBA’s schedule, including Denver having the easiest strength of schedule, though the difference is marginal. The Warriors start and finish the season with big road trips and the Celtics have the most rest-advantage games this season. Helin also writes that, as usual, the NBA didn’t schedule any games during the NCAA’s men’s tournament finals on April 8, Christmas Eve, Thanksgiving and Nov. 7 for election day.

We have more notes from around the basketball world:

Seth Partnow of The Athletic has been breaking the NBA’s top 125 players into tiers. His tier five included 45 players, his tier four featured 41 players, his third included 21 players and now, he’s revealed his second tier, which encompasses 12 players, from Nuggets guard Jamal Murray to Lakers forward LeBron James. The six players in tier one will be revealed in the coming days.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst appeared on SportsCenter (YouTube link) to discuss the 2023 World Cup Team and how coach Steve Kerr helped construct the roster. Windhorst says that while the team doesn’t have much collective FIBA experience, it has come together quicker than expected due to no questions about individual roles. The Americans are 3-0 in their three exhibition games thus far.
With the NBA’s schedule coming out today, writers from both ESPN and Yahoo Sports came together to discuss some of the key matchups and reunions for the coming season. ESPN’s panel debates the most interesting opening week games, the most exciting reunions, and most difficult 10-game stretches, among other topics. The most probable NBA Finals preview matchup was another topic debated by ESPN’s panel and while there was no consensus, the Nuggets, Bucks, Celtics, Suns and Knicks seem to be the early favorites. Meanwhile, Yahoo Sports lists out every noteworthy game this coming season. Highlights include a Jan. 1 matchup between the Rockets and Pistons that features a clash between Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson, Chet Holmgren‘s likely NBA debut against Chicago on Oct. 25, and a rematch of the electric Kings and Warriors playoff series from last year on Oct. 27.

International Notes: Walker, Bridges, Lue, Fournier

August 17th, 2023 at 11:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Kemba Walker talked about promoting the EuroLeague and giving it more worldwide recognition as he arrived in Europe this week to join AS Monaco Basket, writes Antonis Stroggylakis of Eurohoops. The free agent point guard, who had been looking for a new team since the Mavericks waived him in January, agreed to a one-year deal with Monaco last month.

“I hope I can help increase the notoriety of the EuroLeague,” Walker said. “To increase the style of play and just built it up more. … It’s a big step. Something different. I’m just looking forward to the opportunity. I just want to play basketball.”

There are plenty of former NBA players in the EuroLeague, but no one has the resume of Walker, who was a four-time All-Star before a knee injury derailed his career. Even if the experience in Europe doesn’t lead to another NBA opportunity, Walker is hoping to show that he can still play at a high level.

“I’m looking forward to be in a different environment,” he said. “Learning my teammates. Meeting new people… the coaching staff, medical guys, everything. Basketball is basketball. And I’m here to win games.”

There’s more international news to pass along:

Mikal Bridges is enjoying his first time representing the U.S. in international competition, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Bridges won two national titles at Villanova and has developed into an elite player with Phoenix and Brooklyn, but he considers playing for the World Cup team to be the highlight of his career. “It’s definitely surreal, just being here, having these colors on, having USA across the chest,” he said. “When Steve (Kerr) first talked to me about being on the team, I was in Phoenix then, and when he called, it was already a ‘Pinch me’ moment. And when I got the official call from Grant (Hill) asking me to be on the team, I was like, ‘Oh shoot, we’re really doing this.’”
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue is part of Kerr’s staff after an injury cost him a chance to join Team USA as a player in 1997, notes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. “I think it’s an honor,” Lue said. “You grow up watching basketball, watching the Olympic team, the Dream Team, you always want to play for those teams. I wasn’t good enough, but it’s amazing to have an opportunity to represent my country in any capacity. So, coaching is what it is.”
French guard Evan Fournier reached a milestone Wednesday by taking part in the 100th international game of his career, according to Eurohoops. The Knicks‘ guard had 10 points and two assists in a win over Japan.

Los Angeles Notes: G League Coach, Miller, Harden

August 15th, 2023 at 7:10pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The South Bay Lakers have promoted Dane Johnson to their head coaching position, according to a press release from the NBA G League team.

Johnson spent the last six seasons on the South Bay coaching staff, including one season as associate head coach (2022/23), four seasons as an assistant coach and one year as a coaching assistant.

“Dane has developed many coaching attributes over the last seven years with this organization,” South Bay Lakers team president Joey Buss said. “We are excited to see his growth in becoming our next head coach. He has a key understanding of our culture and goal of winning a championship while developing high-level talent for the NBA.”

The position opened up when Miles Simon departed the Lakers organization to become an assistant coach with the Suns.

We have more from the Los Angeles teams:

Jordan Miller‘s two-way contract with the Clippers is for two years, Spotrac contributor Keith Smith tweets. Miller signed a two-way deal earlier this month. Miller, a Miami (Fla.) product, was the 48th overall pick of June’s draft.
The Clippers are content to sit and watch how the James Harden–Sixers situation plays out, according to Law Murray of The Athletic. The same tradable contracts they have in a potential Harden deal aren’t going anywhere, though with training camp starting in seven weeks the Clippers will eventually reach a point where they no longer can be patient due to their “championship or bust” approach.
The Lakers will open their in-season tournament schedule with the Suns on Nov. 10, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic notes. For more info on the tournament, click here.

International Notes: Batum, Randle, Lithuania, Tubelis

August 15th, 2023 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

Clippers forward Nicolas Batum is playing for France at this year’s World Cup and intends to suit up for the national team at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. However, next year’s Olympics tournament is expected to be the last time Batum represents France in an international competition.

Batum’s wife, Lily Batum, indicated in a tweet that the veteran NBA wing will retire from France’s national team after the 2024 Olympics. Her tweet also suggested that Nicolas will retire as an NBA player following the final year of his contract with the Clippers, though she later clarified in a follow-up tweet that that decision hasn’t been made yet.

Batum, who entered the NBA in 2008 and has spent 15 seasons in the league, will turn 35 later this year. He has spent the last three seasons with the Clippers, but has seen his playing time dip a little in each season, from 27.4 minutes per game in 2020/21 to 24.8 MPG in ’21/22 and 21.9 MPG in ’22/23. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent in 2024.

Here are a few more notes from around the international basketball world:

AEK Athens and former NBA guard Chasson Randle have agreed to a one-year deal, according to Stavros Barbarousis of Eurohoops. Randle, who has played in a handful of professional leagues around the world, also has 119 NBA appearances on his résumé, having spent time with the Sixers, Knicks, Wizards, Warriors, and Magic between 2016-21.
After defeating Finland in an exhibition game on Monday – overcoming a 32-point outing from Lauri Markkanen – Lithuania has finalized its roster for the 2023 World Cup, per Eurohoops. The roster includes a handful of current or former NBA players, headlined by Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas. However, NBA rookie Azuolas Tubelis, who signed a two-way contract with the Sixers last month, didn’t make the final cut.
In case you missed it, veteran NBA wing Sterling Brown completed a two-year deal with Germany’s Alba Berlin. We have the full story here.

James Harden: “Daryl Morey Is A Liar”

August 14th, 2023 at 7:51am CST by Arthur Hill

James Harden has fired the first salvo in his battle with Sixers management, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (video link). Harden, who’s on a marketing tour for Adidas, blasted president of basketball operations Daryl Morey during an event in China and vowed never to play for him again.

“Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of,” Harden told the crowd. “Let me say that again: Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of.”

Harden and Morey have a long working relationship, dating back to when Morey brought him to Houston as general manager of the Rockets in a 2012 trade. Morey was thrilled to reacquire Harden in a 2022 deal, driving to the airport to pick him up when he arrived in Philadelphia.

Things began to sour as Harden approached the deadline for his decision on a $35.6MM option for 2023/24. After signing for well below market value last summer to help the Sixers build up their roster, Harden was expecting a generous, long-term offer from the team. However, once Houston elected not to pursue him, Harden didn’t have another bidder and he wasn’t happy with what Morey and the 76ers were offering.

Instead of testing free agency, Harden picked up the option in late June and demanded to be traded. The Clippers were reportedly his first choice, but Philadelphia and L.A. weren’t able to make much progress in trade talks.

The situation has been quiet for several weeks, but it heated up Saturday night when the Sixers leaked a report to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that they have ceased trade talks involving Harden. Harden’s camp responded by stating that his decision to leave the organization is firm and he’s prepared to hold out of training camp if he’s not traded.

Harden is set to become a free agent next summer, but he risks that status if he chooses not to report to the Sixers, notes Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). Under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, a player withholding services from his team for more than 30 days “shall be deemed not to have “complet[ed] his Player Contract by rendering the playing services called for thereunder.” That means Harden couldn’t sign with another team in 2024 without the Sixers’ consent.

As several writers have noted, Harden has a history of making things uncomfortable after submitting trade requests in Houston and Brooklyn. He appears to be pursuing the same strategy with Philadelphia, and today’s comments could be the start of a long, bitter standoff.

James Harden Doesn’t Plan To Play For Sixers Again

August 12th, 2023 at 9:27pm CST by Arthur Hill

A standoff between the Sixers and James Harden appears imminent after the team’s decision to take him off the trade market. A source close to Harden tells Sam Amick of The Athletic that the star guard is locked into his stance about not wanting to play in Philadelphia anymore and doesn’t plan to report to training camp if he’s still with the club.

A Sixers source confirmed to Amick that the organization has stopped trying to work out a trade involving Harden. There were some discussions earlier this summer with the Clippers, who are Harden’s preferred destination, but Amick states that they clearly weren’t productive.

Amick reported last month that executives from other teams were skeptical that Philadelphia president of basketball operations Daryl Morey was making an honest effort to find a taker for Harden. Morey reportedly asked for a huge return from the teams he discussed Harden with, much as he did with Ben Simmons in the summer of 2021. In a radio interview last month, Morey said he was looking for a top-level player in return for Harden or enough assets to get one from another team.

Harden, who will turn 34 later this month, was counting on one more big contract and was hoping to create a bidding war between the Sixers and Rockets in free agency. Houston decided to target other free agents after hiring Ime Udoka as its head coach, leaving Harden without another bidder to drive up his price.

Unable to get an offer to his liking from Morey, Harden surprisingly decided to forgo free agency and pick up his $35.6MM option for next season. That move came with a trade request, as Harden made it clear that he was unhappy with Sixers management.

Training camp is still seven weeks away, so there’s still time for the situation to be resolved. However, even if Harden relents and shows up at camp, there could be plenty of awkward moments. Amick notes that Harden had “staring contests” with both the Rockets and Nets when he decided he no longer wanted to be with those teams. Harden went on a “party tour” in Las Vegas and Atlanta before reporting to Houston’s training camp in 2020, Amick adds, and he refused to back down on his trade request with either team.

For all the drama surrounding his frequent change of teams in recent years, Harden remains a productive player. He led the league in assists last season with 10.7 per game, along with 21.0 points and 6.1 rebounds, while shooting 38.5% from three-point range. The Sixers reportedly believe they have a chance to win a title with Harden and are unwilling to throw away that chance just to get Harden off their roster.

Harden is in the final year of his contract, which may be limiting his trade value, so no matter how the situation with the Sixers plays out, he will be on the free agent market next summer.

Sixers No Longer Trying To Trade James Harden

August 12th, 2023 at 4:54pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers have halted trade talks involving James Harden and plan to have him on the roster when training camp opens, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Sources tell Wojnarowski that Philadelphia had discussions with the Clippers, who are Harden’s preferred destination, but the teams weren’t able to make any progress toward a deal.

Harden and the Sixers’ front office agreed to work together to find a trade when he picked up his $35.6MM option for next season. However, team officials believe Harden gives them a chance to win a title and they don’t want to break up a potential championship roster, according to Wojnarowski’s sources.

Woj adds that Harden has remained insistent about a trade, so there could be an “uncomfortable situation” when training camp opens. There’s precedent for that, as Harden forced his way out of Houston and Brooklyn before arriving in Philadelphia. Even so, management isn’t willing to part with him unless the Sixers receive similar value in return.

Harden is a former MVP and a 10-time All-Star, and the Clippers don’t have anyone of that stature unless they give up Kawhi Leonard or Paul George, which they haven’t shown any willingness to do.

A more likely offer would include veterans such as Marcus Morris ($17.1MM), Nicolas Batum ($11.7MM) and Robert Covington ($11.7MM), whose expiring contracts could help match Harden’s salary, along with a young player or two and draft assets.

A report last month said L.A. has been reluctant to include guard Terance Mann in any offer for Harden.

Robert Covington Approaching 2023/24 Season With “Vendetta”

August 11th, 2023 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Robert Covington feels like he has a lot to prove to the Clippers after being kept out of the rotation for nearly all of last season, writes Law Murray of The Athletic.

The 32-year-old forward appeared in just 48 games and averaged 16.2 minutes per night, the lowest total since his rookie season. He doesn’t understand why he spent so much time on the bench, adding that he hasn’t talked to head coach Tyronn Lue since the playoffs ended.

L.A. was Covington’s fifth team in four years when the Clippers acquired him shortly before the 2022 trade deadline. He became the primary backup at power forward and believed the fit was so good that he didn’t test free agency, opting for a two-year extension with L.A. instead.

Covington had a regular role at the beginning of last season while starting center Ivica Zubac was injured. But after entering health and safety protocols at the end of October, Covington didn’t see consistent playing time again. He was expecting to be traded before the February deadline, Murray adds, but he remained on the roster, although he was stuck behind Marcus Morris and Nicolas Batum. Even when Paul George and Kawhi Leonard were sidelined with late-season injuries, Lue didn’t insert Covington back into the rotation.

“I got a vendetta. It’s a bigger chip on my shoulder,” Covington said of his approach to the upcoming season. “Not playing that much last year really put me in a place — all right. I got to force them. So, come back, do what I got to do. They say this is the mentality of, you know, come back strong, get better. That way, it won’t be none of that. Won’t be no issues of, whatever the case. … It’s the way the year went. It wasn’t how I expected, but I said it’s come back, go to the drawing board, and get better.”

Covington addresses a few other topics in his interview with Murray. Here are some highlights:

On getting ready to enter another season with an expiring contract:

“It ain’t no difference. Only difference is that I didn’t play last year. I mean, that’s the only difference. I approach every chance, every opportunity like that —it’s no different. So my mentality don’t shift, I don’t get discouraged or anything. I got to do what I do. And I do what I do best. So I’m never going to stray away. Never going to stray away from anything of that nature. I am going to be who I am, and that’s just what it is.”

On whether there was anything to learn from spending so much time on the bench:

“I didn’t take nothing from last year. Last year didn’t go how I expected, so I didn’t take nothing from it. I just wash it away and start over, a new year. That’s just my mentality of it. … It’s nothing that could be talked about. I mean, I really haven’t had much feedback besides, you know, what I’ve been doing now. I haven’t talked about last year. I’ve put that behind me and focused on right now and moving forward. That’s what it’s all about. Can’t dwell on what happened last year, whatever the case may be. It happened. So I’m just gonna wash, move forward.”

On his early impressions of offseason additions Kenyon Martin Jr., Jordan Miller and Kobe Brown, along with other workout partners such as Bones Hyland and Brandon Boston Jr.:

“Those guys are going to be special. I like Jordan’s tenacity, his pressure on defense, I like his cutting off ball. I like the plays and reads he made. The other guys came up here and played really well. You know, BB is starting to get better. Bones is getting better. KJ is athletic as hell. He’s gotten so much better. It is great to sit up here and see them dudes sit up here and prosper.”