Lakers Rumors

Southwest Notes: Barea, Ball, Davis, Capela, Conley

June 3rd, 2019 at 5:34pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Point guard J.J. Barea‘s recovery from a ruptured right Achilles tendon is going well and he’s hopeful of playing for Puerto Rico in the FIBA World Cup this summer, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon tweets. The Mavericks veteran suffered the injury on January 11th and underwent surgery three days later.

“The way I feel right now, it looks pretty good,” Barea told MacMahon. “But I’m not going to make a decision until it gets closer.” Barea is doing non-contact basketball activity under the supervision of Mavericks staff members, MacMahon adds, and took 600 shots in an hour last week.

Barea, an unrestricted free agent this summer, is expected to re-sign with the Mavericks.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

While Anthony Davis‘ representatives said he still wants out after meeting last week with executive VP David Griffin, there’s no need for Griffin to rush out and trade the superstar big man, Scott Kushner of the New Orleans Advocate writes. Griffin can wait as long as February’s trade deadline to deal Davis, leaving open the possibility that the team can convince him to change his mind. If Davis remains firm, his wish is more likely to come to fruition if he’s willing to make a commitment to the trade partner, Kushner adds.
Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry is intrigued by the possibility of a Lonzo Ball–Jrue Holiday backcourt if Davis is dealt to the Lakers, Andrew Lopez of the Times-Picayune reports (hat tip to the Sporting News).
The Hawks, Spurs, Mavericks and Kings are possible destinations for center Clint Capela if the Rockets deal him, Frank Urbina of HoopsHype opines. The Rockets reportedly have made everyone on the roster available at the right price.
The Grizzlies should swap veteran point guard Mike Conley while his value remains high after he averaged a career high in points this season, Omari Sankofa II of The Athletic argues.

Lakers To Work Out Tacko Fall

June 3rd, 2019 at 1:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Big man Tacko Fall has workouts scheduled with the Pacers, Knicks, Lakers, Cavaliers, and Hornets, according to Robbins (via Twitter). He may add more teams to that list if his schedule allows for it.

Trail Blazers Notes: Kanter, Aminu, Workout, Durant

June 2nd, 2019 at 12:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Enes Kanter received a hero’s welcome Saturday as he returned to Oklahoma City for his annual youth basketball camp, writes Erik Horne of The Oklahoman. The former Thunder center remains popular with local fans, many of whom encouraged him to return to OKC in free agency. While Kanter might be too pricey for the Thunder to consider, he can count on receiving a lot of offers after rebuilding his stock in Portland following his release by the Knicks.

The Trail Blazers were aggressive in recruiting Kanter, who also received interest from the Thunder and Lakers. Repeated calls and texts from coach Terry Stotts, GM Neil Olshey and Damian Lillard were enough to tip the scales in Portland’s favor, which became fortunate when starting center Jusuf Nurkic was lost for the season with a broken leg.

“I’m glad that Portland happened,” Kanter said. “I love Portland, I love the people there, I love the fans there. I just want to go – and Portland counts, too – somewhere I can win games. I’m going into my ninth year. I just want to go somewhere where I have a good situation, have some playing time and just win.”

There’s more Trail Blazers news to pass along:

Al-Farouq Aminu‘s agent is open to negotiating an extension with Portland before his client hits free agency, but the Blazers may not be able to afford a substantial raise, relays Jason Quick of The Athletic. “He wants to be there,” Raymond Brothers said. “He’s still committed to the Blazers. He likes the city, the team, the coach, he likes Neil. He’s happy. He just wants to win.” Any extension would be limited to $48MM over four years. Aminu made $6.96MM this season.
The Trail Blazers brought in six players Friday for their first pre-draft workout, notes Casey Holdahl of NBA.com. The session featured Wake Forest’s Jaylen Hoard, Memphis’ Jeremiah Martin, Arizona State’s Luguentz Dort, Wichita State’s Markis McDuffie, St. John’s Shamorie Ponds and Shaw University’s Amir Hinton. Portland enters the draft with just one pick, its first-rounder at No. 25.
Lillard is asking an Oakland-based rapper to help convince Kevin Durant to come to Portland, relays Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. Mistah F.A.B. joined Lillard on Instagram Live following Game 1 of the NBA Finals and asked him which free agent the Blazers should pursue. “Just go in there and tell KD, say ‘KD, just go to Portland, bruh. I’m a Portland fan,'” Lillard responded. “You a Portland fan now, so just be like, ‘Bruh they left Oakland anyways, so just go to Portland.'”

Lakers Notes: Hart, Caldwell-Pope, LeBron, Culver

June 1st, 2019 at 7:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

In a recent interview on Danny Green‘s podcast, Josh Hart said he felt that LeBron James and fellow Rich Paul client Kentavious Caldwell-Pope were the only untouchables when the Lakers tried to deal for Anthony Davis in February (hat tip to Christian Rivas of Silver Screen and Roll).

Caldwell-Pope had the equivalent of a no-trade clause because he signed back-to-back one-year contracts and would have lost his Bird rights with any team that dealt for him. Even so, Hart described the experience as disruptive.

“It was just different because guys feel like, ‘All right, we rocking together,’” Hart said. “Beginning of the year, we rocking together and then we had the injuries and A.D., who’s obviously with Klutch, so it’s like, ‘All right, we don’t know what’s going on with this one.’ So it’s just different.”

There’s more today from Los Angeles:

Former Celtics great Paul Pierce isn’t surprised that James’ first year in L.A. turned out poorly, telling Steve Bullpet of The Boston Herald that James chose the Lakers for reasons other than basketball. “Based on the roster, this was an after-basketball decision,” Pierce said. “They had an opportunity to make the team better, but based on how the team was when he went there, that wasn’t about basketball.” Pierce also claims that LeBron never fully won the acceptance of Lakers fans.
James was on hand to watch Jarrett Culver‘s pre-draft workout, tweets Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times. Coming off a magnificent performance in the NCAA tournament, Culver is in the mix to be selected by the Lakers with their No. 4 pick. “He was just kind of sitting back and watching,” Culver said of James. “You know, you’ve got LeBron in the gym. That’s amazing to have as a young kid like me. After the workout, he just told me to keep working.”
More embarrassing stories continue to lower the public perception of the Lakers’ front office, writes Mark Heisler of The Orange County Register. This week’s look inside the organization by ESPN’s Baxter Holmes uncovered more charges of nepotism and cronyism, along with a picture of Magic Johnson as an abusive executive.

Jarrett Culver To Work Out Saturday

May 31st, 2019 at 8:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

In their first individual workout, the Lakers will bring in Texas Tech shooting guard Jarrett Culver on Saturday as they begin examining Top 10 prospects, according to Joey Ramirez of the team’s website. The Lakers own the No. 4 pick and the 6’5” Culver, the Big 12 Player of the Year, is currently ranked No. 6 by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.

Community Shootaround: Lakers Offseason

May 31st, 2019 at 7:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Lakers’ franchise has been in a downward spiral since Christmas Day, when LeBron James suffered a groin injury during an upset victory at Golden State that sidelined him for more than a month.

From that point, the most notable developments the remainder of the season were their failed attempt to acquire Anthony Davis, their inability to make the playoffs, and the abrupt resignation of team president Magic Johnson.

It’s only gotten worse in the offseason. The Lakers fired head coach Luke Walton and their search for a replacement gave the franchise another black eye. Then got spurned by Monty Williams and saw negotiations with Tyronn Lue fall apart before settling on Frank Vogel. They also hired Jason Kidd as Vogel’s top assistant, putting Vogel in the awkward spot of having his potential replacement in the next chair.

Then came Johnson’s bridge-burning interview on ESPN in which he labelled GM Rob Pelinka a backstabber and detailed the dysfunction and indecision within the organization. This week, a detailed ESPN story spoke of the fear and confusion among staffers that developed when Johnson and Pelinka took charge and the heavy turnover in personnel.

It also detailed owner Jeanie Buss’ odd and ineffective management structure and the undue influence of James’ agent Rich Paul and others in James’ camp.

The only good thing that’s happened for the Lakers is that they moved up in the draft lottery.

Meanwhile, the franchise heads into a pivotal summer. It’s positioned financially to chase high-profile free agents and/or make a blockbuster trade.

Unquestionably, the Lakers need to acquire at least one superstar talent to pair up with James or else this offseason will be viewed as a complete disaster.

That leads us to our question of the day: Can the Lakers overcome the dysfunction and disarray within the organization and sign or trade for at least one superstar this offseason? Or are they doomed for a disastrous summer?

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

Anthony Davis Unlikely To Relent On Trade Request

May 29th, 2019 at 4:59pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Anthony Davis had a meeting with executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin earlier today and while the conversation was “productive,” it appears Davis has already made up his mind. Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter links) reports that it’s still highly unlikely that Davis backs off of his trade request.

The Pelicans continue to hold out hope that Davis will reconsider. He’s under contract through the end of the 2019/20 season, so New Orleans could roll the dice and hope that playing alongside presumed No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson for a season will help to change his tune.

More likely, if the Pelicans continue to get the message that Davis will leave, they’ll trade him before the 2020 trade deadline. The Lakers and Knicks are reportedly on his list of preferred destinations. The two teams’ most valuable assets are the No. 3 and No. 4 overall picks, respectively, in the view of sources around the league.

The Celtics are also expected to make a run at trading for Davis, as they envision pairing the big man with Kyrie Irving, who a free agent this summer. Rumblings about the Clippers and Nets as dark horse teams have surfaced as well.

Pacific Notes: Lakers, Kings, Clippers

May 29th, 2019 at 2:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Another unflattering story on the state of the Lakers was published on Tuesday, with the latest report from ESPN portraying the inner workings of one of the NBA’s marquee franchises in a particularly negative light. Despite the revelations included in that story, commissioner Adam Silver remains said in an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up on Wednesday morning that he still has “tremendous” confidence in the Lakers’ leaders to turn things around.

“I know [Lakers owner] Jeanie [Buss] knows how to manage a team,” Silver said, per Malika Andrews of ESPN.com. “Sure, when things start to go wrong, a lot of fingers get pointed. But they’ll figure it out.”

Silver’s name actually came up in ESPN’s report on the Lakers, with sources detailing an anecdote about LeBron James‘ agent Rich Paul approaching the commissioner at a lunch and complaining about then-coach Luke Walton. During today’s appearance on Get Up, Silver confirmed that interaction took place.

“He was in the same restaurant,” Silver said of Paul. “There were two people sitting there. He sat down for a second, and I think he said something along the lines that ‘Luke Walton is not the right guy to coach LeBron.’ My reaction was to shrug my shoulders and maybe say, ‘Well, who do you think is the right guy to coach?’ And he mentioned a name and that was that.

“I think he just wanted to say it out loud,” Silver added. “I don’t think he had any expectation that I would repeat that to anyone.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

The Kings are hosting their fifth pre-draft workout at their practice facility on Wednesday, the team announced in a press release. Sacramento listed Anthony Cowan (Maryland), Barry Brown (Kansas State), Alpha Diallo (Providence), Amir Coffey (Minnesota), Robert Franks (Washington State), and Dedric Lawson (Kansas) as the participants, though Cowan and Diallo are both expected to pull out of the draft before tonight’s NCAA withdrawal deadline.
While the Clippers always expected to make a play for a top free agent or two this summer, the team didn’t expect to already have two long-term building blocks in its backcourt by this point, writes Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. As Greif outlines, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Landry Shamet both look like keepers for the franchise.
The legal battle over the Clippers‘ efforts to build a new arena in Inglewood continues, per Nathan Fenno of The Los Angeles Times. According to Fenno, the L.A. County’s district attorney’s office found that the Inglewood City Council violated state law by approving an agreement with a Clippers-controlled company allowing it to explore building an arena in the city, but the D.A. didn’t take any action because the time limit to “remedy the violation” had passed.

Top 25 Assets Among Presumed Anthony Davis Contenders

May 29th, 2019 at 8:07am CST by ChrisCrouse

The Anthony Davis sweepstakes are expected to be in full swing until the Pelicans trade the disgruntled big man. Hoops Rumors surveyed past and present NBA executives and scouts to compile a ranking of the players and picks available to the presumed Davis contenders.

We included the Lakers, Knicks, and Celtics, as each has been linked to the big man, as well as the Clippers, who could be the wild card team that acquires him. There may be a number of other suitors for Davis once trade talks begin in earnest, but for now these are the four teams that look best positioned – and most motivated – to make a play for the Pelicans’ star.

Before we move onto our rankings, it’s worth noting that we did not including LeBron James when speaking with sources, since it’s extremely unlikely the Lakers would trade him. Players with the ability to hit the open market, such as Kyrie Irving and Al Horford, were also not included.

Let’s dive in…

1. Jayson Tatum (Celtics)
2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Clippers)
3. No. 3 Overall Pick (Knicks)

There’s an important distinction to remember as we navigate through these players and picks: not everyone within the league is aligned on the value of each asset. The top tier, like many of these clusters, comes down to what exactly you value most.

What route the Pelicans will take if they meet Davis’ trade request isn’t known. New head of basketball operations David Griffin could opt for a full rebuild around Zion Williamson. Or he could look to build around Jrue Holiday and Williamson, aiming to contend for a playoff spot sooner rather than later. The Pelicans were not immediately available to comment on their plan or ranking.

Jayson Tatum is a sure thing. Plug him into the starting lineup in New Orleans and he immediately raises the club’s floor. While he may not ever develop into a true MVP-caliber player and has just two years remaining on his rookie-scale contract, he’s a tantalizing trade chip.

A prospect like R.J. Barrett, the favorite to be selected No. 3 overall, would be on a cost-controlled deal for four years and his cap projection would align with Zion’s in New Orleans, providing an enormous amount of flexibility for a franchise.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has three years remaining on his rookie deal, showed progress over the course of the season and the Clippers love him. While there’s a chance he doesn’t reach it, SGA may have a higher ceiling than Tatum.

One former executive said Gilgeous-Alexander should be No. 1 on this list, telling Hoops Rumors that the 6’5″ point guard would be under strong consideration for the No. 2 overall pick if he were in this year’s draft. Other opinions ranged from definitive top-five selection to simply top 10.

Steve Ballmer‘s club has every asset needed to get a deal done with the Pelicans without including SGA. As for the Celtics, Tatum may not even be on the table in a Davis deal either. Boston could ostensibly acquire Davis without including Tatum, but it would likely require Griffin to have googly eyes for Jaylen Brown or the 2020 Memphis pick (more on that below).

We haven’t heard officially whether the Knicks would pony up the No. 3 overall pick for Davis. There were conflicting reports before the lottery on whether they would have been willing to trade the rights to Williamson for AD if they had landed the No. 1 pick.

4. No. 4 Overall Pick (Lakers)
5. Memphis’ 2020 Top-6 Protected First-Rounder (Celtics)

Opinions are split on the Memphis pick. Some believe the league has overvalued the Celtics’ accumulated selections. For example, the Kings’ selection was once perceived as gold. It ultimately ended up as this year’s No. 14 overall pick (Boston’s, via the Markelle Fultz deal with Philly, via Sacramento’s salary dump of Nik Stauskas, Carl Landry, and Jason Thompson).Read more

Memphis is expected to seriously consider trading Mike Conley and beginning a rebuild this summer; it could be a while before the Grizzlies sniff contention again. However, the selection is top-six protected for next year, meaning if the club as inexperienced as expected, the Grizzlies will retain the pick.

The asset is still extremely valuable, but regardless of what most predict will happen with the Grizzlies over the next few years, ranking this year’s selection ahead of that pick comes down to a bird-in-hand philosophy, according to sources. The certainty of a top-five pick today trumps the possibilities of tomorrow, even if there’s a perceived drop-off between the top three in the upcoming draft (Williamson, Ja Morant, and Barrett) and everyone else.

6. Lonzo Ball (Lakers)

Distractions surrounding the Lakers and Lonzo Ball aside, the point guard remains highly valued around the league. One source indicated that he would only take Tatum or one of the top-five picks in this year’s draft over the point guard.

7. Mavericks’ 2021 Unprotected First-Rounder (Knicks)

The Mavericks’ 2021 unprotected pick is a juicy asset. The franchise operates with a sense of confidence – or arrogance, depending on who you ask – betting on its infrastructure and its front office to attract talent and put out a contender. The Mavs have had some success with this approach (Harrison Barnes, Chandler Parsons, etc), but have also seen their share of strikeouts (such as the post-title Tyson Chandler decision).

Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis make Dallas’ future bright and it’s arguable that joining that duo on the upswing is a more desired situation than teaming up with an aging Dirk Nowitzki was. The situation brings hope for the future.

But it’s not certain that the Mavericks will rise in the Western Conference. New Orleans landing Zion likely takes a long rebuild – one that would have the Pelicans still picking up the pieces from a Davis departure in 2021 – off the table.

The Warriors, Rockets, Jazz, Blazers, and Nuggets all have solid foundations that are unlikely to deteriorate by the 2020/21 season. The Clippers proved they can put out a playoff-caliber roster this season and they’ll be in the hunt for major free agents this summer and next. The Thunder will be several seasons into the Paul George–Russell Westbrook pairing and the Lakers may have already found a co-star for LeBron by then. The Kings, Wolves, and Suns have young nuclei on similar trajectories to the Mavs, while the Spurs will have seen a few seasons from their rotation of young guards by 2021.

How many Western Conference teams are nearly certain to be worse than Dallas? The Grizzlies may be the only franchise with a definitely dimmer two-year outlook than Mark Cuban‘s squad and even they could strike gold if Morant (or any prospect they take over the next two drafts) has a Chris Paul– or Deron Williams-like effect.

With the likely Rookie of the Year winner on hand, the Mavericks’ future is bright and the team could just as easily be a perennial playoff contender by 2021. However, that outcome is far from a certainty, which makes this pick’s upside evident and the asset one of the most valuable in the Knicks’ cupboard.

8. Kyle Kuzma (Lakers)
9. Jaylen Brown (Celtics)

Kyle Kuzma may deserve a higher ranking. One former NBA scout tells Hoops Rumors that Kuzma is closer to Tatum than most people think. Kuzma and the No. 4 overall pick is likely a more attractive pair of assets than Tatum and the No. 14 overall pick, a former executive said.

It’s not certain if Jaylen Brown can ever become a first or second option on a true title contender and his inability to efficiently create his own shot worries some organizations.

However, Brown is still a tantalizing talent. He remains valued despite a mildly disappointing third season and his next deal (which would begin in 2020/21) is not a worry to many within the league. He’s a notch ahead of any one of the Knicks’ current players, per several sources.

10. Kevin Knox (Knicks)
11. Mitchell Robinson (Knicks)

Some remain high on Kevin Knox, with one league official telling Hoops Rumors that the former No. 9 overall pick is “right there” with this year’s Knicks selection (No. 3) as the team’s top asset.

Some would rather Knox over Dallas’ 2021 pick. Others were more bearish on Knox. There was a sense that he remains the team’s most valuable player under contract, but there are surely teams around the league that don’t believe he’s likely to become All-Star worthy. If the Pelicans are in that group, then he’s not adding a ton of value in a Davis proposal.

Marc Stein of the New York Times previously reported that Mitchell Robinson would be a top-10 pick if the league re-did the 2018 draft. The chatter we heard echoes that sentiment. One former scout tells Hoops Rumors that Robinson can be an elite defensive big, though he still has work to do in learning how to play at the NBA level.

Robinson’s contract can be considered the definition of team-friendly. It’s essentially the sort of standard rookie-scale deal a first-round pick would sign (with non-guaranteed money instead of a typical team option in year three). He’ll take home roughly $1.62MM next season followed by $1.66M (non-guaranteed) and then about $1.8M in 2021/22 (team option).

If Robinson can come close to becoming “elite” in any category at that price, then we are talking about a 2013-17 Warriors with Stephen Curry-like salary cap advantage for the Knicks or whichever team acquires him in a trade.

12. Landry Shamet (Clippers)
13a. Miami’s 2021 Unprotected First-Rounder (Clippers)
13b. No. 14 Overall Pick (Celtics)

Landry Shamet‘s inclusion this high may seem surprising, considering he was sandwiched between four outgoing draft picks in the Tobias Harris deal earlier this year. However, his second half of the season with the Clippers did not go unnoticed around the league.

The Miami pick, which has now been held by four teams, came to Los Angeles in the Harris deal, and it’s a gem. Depending on what kind rebuild the Pelicans (or any other team that makes a deal with the Clippers) is looking at, the selection could be higher on this list.

Still, the certainty of production now on a cost-controlled deal (ie. Shamet, Robinson, or Knox) would trump this selection for most franchises. Additionally, many within the league remain confident in Pat Riley‘s approach with the Heat. At a minimum, there’s a belief that the club won’t bottom out and rebuild; at best, Miami will cash in at some point on its glamour location and land someone capable of lifting the team up the Eastern Conference ranks.

The No. 14 overall pick comes with the same cost-controlled benefit as a player like Shamet, but there’s no guarantee it’ll produce a prospect like him in a draft class that isn’t particularly deep.

14. Danilo Gallinari (Clippers)

Prioritizing assets this far down the list comes down to objectives. If the Pelicans want to put out a competitive product right away, Danilo Gallinari can certainly help with that. If New Orleans wants to stay on a typical trajectory when building around a No. 1 overall pick, adding a productive veteran may not make sense.

Gallinari has one season at $22.6MM left on his deal. That figure won’t scare most franchises away, especially if a team that was hoping to land a star strikes out. Pairing Gallinari with young players (such as Shamet) and picks (like that Miami 2021 selection) makes for a desirable package that checks many boxes.

15. Lakers’ 2023 First-Rounder (Lakers)
16a. 2020 First-Round Picks (Knicks, Clippers, Lakers, Celtics)
16b. 2021 First-Round Picks (Knicks, Clippers, Lakers, Celtics)
16c. 2022 First-Round Picks (Knicks, Clippers, Lakers Celtics)

These selections each come with an asterisk attached. In a vacuum, each of these picks probably belongs higher on the list. In reality, whichever team ends up trading for Davis will see the value of its future first-rounders drop, which would be reflected from the Pelicans’ side in negotiations and in other trade discussions if and when a team acquires the two-time Gold Medal Olympian.

The Lakers’ 2023 draft pick is among the highest valued picks in distant future years due to the uncertainty surrounding LeBron — his contract ends after the 2021/22 season (though that season is a player option). James will be 37 years old at the end of the four-year deal and there’s no guarantee he’ll remain with Los Angeles. Even if he does, it’s not certain what he’ll be capable of by then.

For the Pelicans, the 2021 and 2022 selections may have slightly more value than a 2020 pick, since there’s a chance that New Orleans trades Davis to a destination and he bolts next July. It can’t be assumed that Davis will re-sign with whichever team acquires him (he’s hinted that New York and Los Angeles are his preferences), but New Orleans will likely operate negotiations under the assumption that Davis will remain wherever the organization trades him to for the foreseeable future.

17. Dennis Smith Jr. (Knicks)

Would Dennis Smith Jr. fetch a first-round pick if the Knicks traded him? The answer is probably yes, though opinions ranged on the former No. 9 overall pick. Some believe he has room to grow, while others believe what you see is what you get: a score-first point guard.

18a. No. 20 Overall Pick (Celtics)
18b. No. 22 Overall Pick (Celtics)

It would be shocking if the Celtics keep all three of their first-round picks this year. It would be equally shocking if the Pelicans or any team with a star for sale find value in taking all three back. One source tells Hoops Rumors that he expects Boston to look to shop one of its first-rounders outside of a presumed offer for Davis.

19. Sixers’ 2020 Lottery-Protected First-Round Pick (Clippers)

With the Sixers coming one buzzer-beater away from an Eastern Conference Finals appearance, it may seem as if this pick is destined to fall late in the 2020 draft and league executives would be unenthusiastic about the asset. That’s not the case.

There are layers of risk in banking heavily on Philadelphia to be among the top contenders in the East next season. Jimmy Butler, Harris, and J.J. Redick will hit the open market. If they all come back, the Sixers have limited resources in filling out their bench. The long-term health of Joel Embiid remains a variable, according to several sources around the league. Plus, if teams like the Celtics and/or Knicks land stars, the conference could become more competitive, knocking the Sixers down a rung.

The Sixers are likely to be good again next season. They could even be the favorite in the conference depending on what happens with Kawhi Leonard, Irving, and Davis. However, in the equation of this pick’s valuation, a bevy of variables exist and it can’t be assumed that this selection will land in the mid- to late-20s.

20. Brandon Ingram (Lakers)

Acquiring Brandon Ingram comes with massive risk. From a talent perspective, he remains highly coveted, with one former scout telling Hoops Rumors that Ingram would be above the Knicks’ current group of players. However, he’s extension-eligible this summer and given his health concerns (he underwent surgery to treat blood clots in March), the Pelicans or any team will have to be wary of trading for the former No. 2 overall pick. There’s just one year left on his rookie deal.

21a. Marcus Smart (Celtics)
21b. Montrezl Harrell (Clippers)
21c. Lou Williams (Clippers)

Marcus Smart signed a four-year, $52MM extension with the Celtics last summer and that deal is viewed favorably around the league. Several sources tell Hoops Rumors that Boston could fetch an asset if they look to move Smart by himself. If he happens to be part of a Davis deal, his value is likely to be part of the calculus of the trade.

Montrezl Harrell is a steal at $6MM for next season, but he’ll be a free agent next summer and figures to become pricier. Lou Williams had an incredible season at age 32, likely cementing a yet another Sixth Man of The Year award. He has two seasons left on his contract at $8MM annually — the 2020/21 figure is even non-guaranteed in case things go unexpectedly south next season.

It’s unlikely that the Pelicans look to acquire him in a Davis deal, but make no mistake, Williams would garner an asset if the Clippers moved him this offseason to clear cap space or if he’s sent to another team in a three-way AD trade.

22. Mavericks’ 2023 Top-10 Protected First-Rounder (Knicks)

The Mavericks’ 2023 first-rounder is intriguing, but it doesn’t come with the upside potential of the 2021 selection. Best-case scenario, it’s a late lottery pick in 2023. Worst-case scenario, it remains protected for three years and eventually becomes a single second-round pick in 2025.

23. Josh Hart (Lakers)
24a. Jerome Robinson (Clippers)
24b. Moritz Wagner (Lakers)

Josh Hart may have the brightest future of this group of young prospects, but his payday is coming the soonest — he’ll be extension-eligible in 2020 or RFA-eligible in 2021. Jerome Robinson and Moritz Wagner could still further develop and each has three years left on his rookie contract.

25. Frank Ntilikina (Knicks)

Frank Ntilikina was a player there was a major schism on. Some around the league believe he still has trade value and shouldn’t be considered simply a “throw-in.” He still hasn’t turned 21 years old, and there have been many instances of young prospects floundering as top-10 selections in one spot, only to resurrect their careers with a new team.

Ntilikina’s rookie-scale contract encapsulates the risk and reward associated with acquiring the former No. 8 overall pick.

He’ll make slightly over $4.85MM during the 2019/20 campaign and whichever team acquires him will have until the end of October 2019 to make a decision on his team option worth $6.18MM for the following season—the final year of his rookie deal.

Teams will only have played a handful of games by that point next season, so a front office won’t have much of an opportunity to evaluate the point guard before making a lucrative commitment for the following season. Conjointly, there’s no long-term upside in the contract, as he’s only under team control through the 2020/21 season.

Other Players, Picks By Team

Celtics

Gordon Hayward
Robert Williams
Guerschon Yabusele
Semi Ojeleye
No. 51 Overall Pick
2023 First-Round Pick
2024 First-Round Pick
2025 First-Round Pick
2020 Second-Round Pick
2020 Second-Round Pick (via Atlanta; top-55 protected)
2021 Second-Round Pick
2022 Second-Round Pick
2023 Second-Round Pick
2024 Second-Round Pick
2025 Second-Round Pick

Clippers

Tyrone Wallace
Sindarius Thornwell
No. 48 Overall Pick
No. 56 Overall Pick
2023 First-Round Pick
2024 First-Round Pick
2025 First-Round Pick
2020 Second-Round Pick
2021 Second-Round Pick (via Detroit)
2022 Second-Round Pick
2023 Second-Round Pick
2023 Second-Round Pick (via Detroit)
2024 Second-Round Pick
2025 Second-Round Pick

Knicks

Damyean Dotson
Henry Ellenson
Allonzo Trier
John Jenkins
Lance Thomas
No. 55 Overall Pick
2023 First-Round Pick
2024 First-Round Pick
2025 First-Round Pick
2020 Second-Round Pick (via Charlotte)
2021 Second-Round Pick (via Charlotte)
2022 Second-Round Pick
2023 Second-Round Pick
2024 Second-Round Pick
2025 Second-Round Pick

Lakers

Isaac Bonga
Jemerrio Jones
2024 First-Round Pick
2025 First-Round Pick
2020 Second-Round Pick
2022 Second-Round Pick
2023 Second-Round Pick
2024 Second-Round Pick
2025 Second-Round Pick

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Reggie Bullock, Pistons Mutually Interested In Reunion

May 28th, 2019 at 7:45pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Reggie Bullock, who was traded to the Lakers prior to the trade deadline, is willing to return to the Pistons if “the money was right,” a source tells James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. He doesn’t hold being dealt against the franchise.

The Baltimore native enjoyed his role in the Pistons’ offense, orbiting around Blake Griffin, and the swingman is “fond of the Michigan lifestyle,” per Edwards.

Detroit will strongly consider bringing Bullock back. Re-signing Ish Smith is also high on the team’s list of priorities. However, the Pistons may only have the financial capability to sign one of the two.

The 0rganization enters the offseason with roughly $112MM in guaranteed salaries for next season. The salary cap is projected to come in at $109MM. The non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception (approximately $9.25M) and the bi-annual exception ($3.6MM) are the team’s greatest financial weapons.

Bullock has never made more than $2.5MM in a season, a figure he earned in each of the past two seasons. A raise likely awaits him in free agency.

“I think he’ll get somewhere between $7 (million) and $9 million (annually),” an agent tells Edwards. “He’s one of those guys that might be Plan C or D for some organizations, even though he’s proven himself in recent years.”

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