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And-Ones: Offseason Questions, Maker, Offseason Grades

July 28th, 2022 at 2:24pm CST by Rory Maher

Kevin Pelton, Nick Friedell, Kendra Andrews, Ohm Youngmisuk and Jamal Collier of ESPN all expect Kevin Durant to be on the Nets’ roster to start next season, but four of the five think Donovan Mitchell will begin the 2022/23 season with the Knicks.

The ESPN colleagues, who discussed a handful of lingering offseason questions, unanimously agreed that Carmelo Anthony will be on an NBA roster at some point next season, though it might not be by training camp.

Pelton believes that the Warriors signing free agent Donte DiVincenzo to a two-year, $9.3MM deal with a player option might be the “steal of the summer” if the 25-year-old is healthy and regains his prior form. DiVincenzo struggled a bit last season after a major ankle injury required surgery during the 2021 playoffs, but he could be a bounce-back candidate for the defending champions.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

Thon Maker has signed with China’s Fujian Sturgeons, according to Sportando. Maker appeared in 263 NBA games from 2016-21 with the Bucks, Pistons and Cavaliers, holding career averages of 4.6 PPG and 2.8 RPG in 13.8 MPG. He spent last season with Israeli club Hapoel Jerusalem, but only appeared in six games.
The Athletic’s staff handed out grades to all 30 NBA teams for their offseason work so far. The Nets, Hornets, Lakers, Knicks and Jazz all received an “incomplete” for various reasons, mostly roster uncertainty. Only one team, the Heat, received a grade below a B-minus, with John Hollinger giving them a “C” for losing P.J. Tucker and not finding a suitable replacement at power forward. The two teams with the highest grades? The Nuggets and Thunder, who both received an “A” for their offseason work. The Nuggets gave back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic a super-max extension, traded for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and signed Bruce Brown in free agency, a couple of two-way wings who should complement Jokic’s game nicely, per Dave DuFour. As for the Thunder, Andrew Schlecht says the primary reason they deserve an “A” is for drafting Chet Holmgren with the No. 2 overall pick last month.

Northwest Notes: Beverley, Mitchell, Lillard, Thunder

July 27th, 2022 at 8:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

After working to create a culture change in Minnesota last season, Patrick Beverley was looking forward to helping the Timberwolves take the next step. Although he was caught off guard by the team’s decision to send him to the Jazz in the Rudy Gobert trade, Beverley told Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston he wouldn’t call the move a surprise (video link).

“Surprised, no not in this business,” Beverley said. “Understood it. Never personal, always business. We did some great things in Minnesota. We kind of revamped the environment there. Gave the fans something to be happy about.”

Beverley brought a veteran presence to a young Wolves team that reached the playoffs for just the second time in the past 18 seasons. He hopes to fill a similar role for Utah, but admits that things are unpredictable in the midst of Donovan Mitchell trade rumors.

“We’ll see what happens in the next couple of weeks. It’s a lot going on right now,” Beverley said (video link). “We’ll see where the dust clears. Hopefully Donovan Mitchell stays and the team is competitive. If that’s the case we’re very excited.”

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

The Knicks are still in position to make the best offer for Mitchell, but Jazz CEO Danny Ainge has the advantage of being able to wait until someone meets his price, notes Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. Larsen examines the trade assets from the Hawks, Hornets, Heat, Kings, Raptors and Wizards – all rumored Mitchell suitors – to see what they could potentially offer.
Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard considers himself fully recovered from abdominal surgery in January, according to Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report. Lillard played 29 games last season before deciding to have the operation, but he admits that the pain had been bothering him for nearly five years. “I feel 100 percent healthy,” Lillard said. “I got a break from playing and going out there knowing I didn’t feel good, and the burden of, ‘We have to win. I have to perform well.’ That’s a little bit stressful. So the last seven-and-a-half, almost eight months without having to think about none of those things, it kind of cleared my mind. Physically, I feel great.”
Longtime Sixers executive Vince Rozman will join the Thunder as vice president of identification and intelligence, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Heat Notes: Adebayo, Martin, Jovic, Herro

July 27th, 2022 at 5:28pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat‘s reluctance to part with Bam Adebayo has effectively taken them out of the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, at least for now, sources tell Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Miami could decide to revisit a potential Durant swap later on if something changes, but for now the team plans to move forward with its current roster.

According to the authors’ sources, the Nets haven’t shown much interest in the Heat’s trade offers, which haven’t included Adebayo or Jimmy Butler. That means any deal would likely have to be built around Tyler Herro and draft assets. Miami can currently offer two unprotected first-round picks and as many as three pick swaps. The team could free up another first-rounder by negotiating with the Thunder to lift lottery protections on the 2025 pick owed to OKC.

Another hurdle is that Adebayo is ineligible to be dealt to Brooklyn as long as Ben Simmons remains on the roster because of the designated rookie extension rule. Even if the Heat change their minds about moving Adebayo, a third team would have to be found to take Simmons in order for the deal to work.

There’s more from Miami:

The Heat plan to have Caleb Martin take over the role of P.J. Tucker, who signed with the Sixers in free agency, Jackson and Chiang add. Martin only played 22% of his minutes at power forward last season, but the organization is willing to see how he can handle the position before exploring a trade.
First-round pick Nikola Jovic has received an invitation to try out for the Serbian national team ahead of EuroBasket 2022, Chiang writes in a separate story. Summer League was challenging for the 19-year-old, who had up-and-down performances and dealt with a quad contusion. “I’m still learning,” he said. “I just need a little time.”
The Heat say they’re content with the current roster, but the offseason moves shouldn’t be considered complete until they reach a contract extension with Herro, says Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Herro would become almost untradeable for the rest of the season once an extension is in place due to the “poison pill provision.” That would virtually eliminate any chance for a significant trade to acquire Durant or Donovan Mitchell.

Latest On Donovan Mitchell

July 25th, 2022 at 7:38am CST by Luke Adams

While the Knicks continue to be viewed as the frontrunners to trade for Jazz star Donovan Mitchell, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic that talks between the two teams have moved slowly so far. New York and Utah remain far from an agreement, Charania adds.

As Charania explains, with three guaranteed years remaining on Mitchell’s contract and approximately two months until training camps begin, Utah has plenty of time to gauge the trade market and evaluate the best offers for the All-Star guard, so the club isn’t operating with a sense of urgency at this point.

Since word broke that the Jazz are open to inquiries on Mitchell, the Knicks have frequently been mentioned as his primary suitor, but they’re far from the only team in the mix, according to Charania.

Sources tell The Athletic that the Heat, Wizards, Raptors, Hornets, Hawks, and Kings have all registered some level of interest in the 25-year-old.

Mitchell hasn’t requested a trade and hasn’t pushed to leave Utah, says Charania. However, if the Jazz were to shift into full-fledged rebuilding mode, he would prefer to end up with a contender, per Charania.

Utah’s Rudy Gobert and Royce O’Neale trades earlier this offseason signaled that a rebuild could be on the horizon for the team. Still, it remains possible that the Jazz could use some of the draft assets acquired in those deals to trade for win-now help with the intent of retooling around Mitchell. The roster still features veterans like Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic, Jordan Clarkson, Patrick Beverley, and Malik Beasley, so it’s not as if Utah has engaged in a full tear-down yet.

Celtics Emerge As Serious Kevin Durant Suitor

July 25th, 2022 at 6:26am CST by Luke Adams

6:26am: The Celtics offered Brown, White, and a draft pick to the Nets in exchange for Durant, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports that Brooklyn turned down that offer and countered by asking for Brown, Marcus Smart, multiple draft picks, and possibly one additional rotation player.

The Celtics aren’t currently inclined to include Smart along with multiple other picks or players, but they’re considering their next move in the negotiations, according to Charania, who suggests that Boston has emerged as a “serious” potential landing spot for Durant. No deal is imminent, but the C’s view Durant as a player who could be the missing piece as they pursue a title, Charania writes.

Charania also reports that the Suns “appear to be all but eliminated” from the Durant sweepstakes with Deandre Ayton back under contract and ineligible to be traded.

5:58am: The Celtics are among the teams engaged in discussions with the Nets about a possible Kevin Durant trade, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who hears that Boston has been in “regular contact” with Brooklyn.

It doesn’t appear the two sides have made any significant progress toward a deal, however, with Wojnarowski reporting that Boston isn’t any closer to acquiring Durant than a handful of his other suitors are. However, Woj says that the Celtics’ ability to include Jaylen Brown as a centerpiece in an offer makes the club “formidable in its pursuit.”

The Celtics view All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum as off-limits in any hypothetical Durant deal, per Wojnarowski. As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, that leaves just seven contracts that Boston could trade without restrictions, led by Brown.

Wojnarowski suggests that a Celtics offer could theoretically include Brown and up to three first-round picks (2025, 2027, and 2029), as well as pick swaps in 2024 and 2026.

Because Brown is earning approximately $28.7MM in 2022/23 while Durant is making $44.1MM, the Celtics would have to include about $6.5MM in additional salary in order to meet the NBA’s salary-matching requirements.

Al Horford ($26.5MM), Marcus Smart ($17.2MM), Derrick White ($16.9MM), Robert Williams ($10.9MM), Grant Williams ($4.3MM), and Payton Pritchard ($2.2MM) are Boston’s other movable players, Marks notes. All are expected to be part of the team’s regular rotation in 2022/23.

While Durant hasn’t backed off his request to be traded out of Brooklyn, there’s a sense that the Nets also haven’t gained any real traction in any of their trade talks involving the former MVP, says Wojnarowski. The club continues to seek a return that includes “impactful” players, along with multiple unprotected first-round picks and swaps, sources tell ESPN.

The Raptors, Heat, and Suns are among the other teams believed to have interest in Durant, Wojnarowski writes. The 33-year-old has reportedly identified Miami and Phoenix of two of his preferred landing spots.

It’s unclear how Durant would feel about landing in Boston, but since he has four years remaining on his contract, a team trading for him wouldn’t have to worry about him leaving as a free agent in a year or two.

Eastern Notes: Adebayo, Giannis, Oppenheimer, Ross

July 24th, 2022 at 8:13pm CST by JD Shaw

Despite not having won a Defensive Player of the Year award so far in his NBA career, Heat center Bam Adebayo expressed optimism about his chances next season, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel.

“I should have won it the last two years, and I will win it this year,” Adebayo told youth campers at a recent Heat clinic.

The 25-year-old has established himself as a versatile defender, enabling Miami to play a switch-heavy defense. He guarded players such as Trae Young, Jayson Tatum and Joel Embiid during the Heat’s latest postseason run.

There’s more from the Eastern Conference tonight:

Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo will play for the Greek National Team in this year’s EuroBasket competition, Hellenic Basketball Federation president Vaggelis Liolios confirmed, per Christos Tsaltas (Twitter link). Antetokounmpo also recently hinted at the decision on social media.
As Tsaltas notes, Bucks assistant coach Josh Oppenheimer will also join the Greek National Team with Antetokounmpo. Oppenheimer has served as an assistant with Milwaukee since 2020 and was part of the team’s championship run last season.
Magic guard Terrence Ross is enthusiastic about the team’s roster entering next season, as relayed by Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel (video link). While Ross doesn’t know what his future holds with the franchise, it’s clear he thinks highly of Orlando’s young nucleus, which includes No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero.

Heat Notes: Adebayo, Yurtseven, Jovic, Durant

July 24th, 2022 at 2:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Though the Heat are still making an effort to trade for a star like Nets forward Kevin Durant or Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, the team could eventually consider pivoting to pursuing a solid veteran like John Collins, Myles Turner, or Harrison Barnes in their frontcourt, says Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Winderman writes that Miami’s front office has had conversations about potentially including young All-Defensive center Bam Adebayo in a deal for Durant, but not everyone in the Heat brain trust is on board with offloading the 25-year-old big man for the injury-prone 33-year-old veteran.

Winderman adds that the team could trade up to three future first-round selections at present, but could theoretically acquire more to include in a deal if it opted to move other young players like Tyler Herro, Max Strus, Omer Yurtseven, Gabe Vincent, or Nikola Jovic in separate trades with other clubs for additional draft picks.

There’s more out of South Beach:

The Heat will probably wait to move on to Plan B trade targets until they have exhausted their possibilities for adding Durant or Mitchell, writes Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. According to Chiang, Miami most likely will want to keep its coffers open should another superstar become available via trade.
Following summer training obligations with their respective national teams, Heat big men Omer Yurtseven and Nikola Jovic will have to hop directly to a training camp with Miami, with possibly as little as a two weeks off in between, notes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
In a separate piece, Winderman wonders if the Heat are hurting themselves as they await a potential Durant deal. With league activities essentially on hold until Durant is moved, Miami finds itself at something of a crossroads. The team currently lacks a true NBA rotational power forward after having let P.J. Tucker walk in free agency and thus far not opting to re-sign Markieff Morris.

Examining Whether Heat Should Express Interest In Harrison Barnes, Other Power Forwards

July 23rd, 2022 at 1:15pm CST by JD Shaw

In his latest “Ask Ira” mailbag, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel examines whether the Heat should consider trading for Harrison Barnes. Barnes averaged 16.4 points per game for the Kings last season, shooting 39% from three-point range. Aside from Miami needing a power forward, Barnes would also fit in the team’s switch-heavy defensive scheme.
In a separate story for the Sun Sentinel, Winderman explores whether the Heat truly need a power forward. The short answer is yes. Miami lost P.J. Tucker to Philadelphia this month and hasn’t re-signed Markieff Morris, leaving a gaping hole in the starting lineup. The team did re-sign undersized forward Caleb Martin and has a budding two-way player in Haywood Highsmith, but starting Jimmy Butler at the four would likely be difficult against bigger teams in the East such as Boston, Milwaukee and Philadelphia. Assuming Tyler Herro and Max Strus start, the team would have to commit to playing in transition and likely blitz more defensively.

Could Oladipo Be Heat's Major Offseason "Addition"?

July 22nd, 2022 at 8:40am CST by Luke Adams

The Heat haven’t made any major outside additions to their roster this offseason, but if Victor Oladipo rounds back into form, that could represent a significant upgrade for the team in lieu of a trade acquisition or free agent signing, says Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Oladipo has played just 12 games for Miami since arriving at the 2021 deadline, but should be healthier in 2022/23 than he has been at any point since originally injuring his quad tendon in early 2020.

And-Ones: Guy, Johnson-Odom, 2025 Cap, Summer League Takeaways

July 21st, 2022 at 2:50pm CST by Rory Maher

Free agent guard Kyle Guy, the 55th pick of the 2019 draft, is closing in on a deal with Spanish club Joventut, tweets Spanish basketball reporter Gerard Solé (hat tip to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops).

Guy spent his first two NBA seasons with the Kings on a two-way contract, appearing in 34 total games with modest averages of 2.7 PPG and 1.1 RPG in 7.2 MPG. He signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Cavaliers prior to last season, was waived, and then spent time with the team’s G League affiliate, the Canton Charge.

Last December, during the league’s COVID-19 outbreak, Guy caught on with the Heat, signing a couple of 10-day hardship deals and then a two-way contract. He appeared in 19 games for Miami, averaging 3.9 PPG and 0.9 RPG in 9.8 MPG. He was waived in March and rejoined the Charge for the remainder of 2021/22.

Guy participated in a free agent workout with the Lakers a few weeks ago, but evidently nothing came of it. If he finalizes the deal with Joventut, he’ll be playing in the top league in Spain, Liga ACB.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

Guard Darius Johnson-Odom, who appeared in seven NBA games with the Lakers and Sixers from 2012-14, has signed with Romanian club Rapid Bucharest, the team announced on Facebook (hat tip to Dario Skerletic of Sportando). The well-traveled veteran has made international stops in Russia, China, Turkey, Greece, Italy and most recently in France with Le Mans of the LNB Pro A league last season.
Agents like Mark Bartelstein are anticipating a big salary cap increase in 2025, when the NBA’s new media rights deal will kick in. The new deal should be much more lucrative than 2016, when the cap increased by 34%. “I think there’s going to be a huge jump,” Bartelstein told Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. “The NBA is as hot as can be and everybody wants a piece of it. People can’t get enough of it.” Vorkunov wonders if cap smoothing might be considered by the Players Association this time around after it was rejected in 2015. Smoothing, as the name implies, would artificially lower the salary cap and phase in the increase over several years in order to prevent a big single-year spike.
With the caveat that it’s Summer League and thus should be taken with a grain of salt, John Hollinger of The Athletic provides his takeaways from Las Vegas. According to Hollinger, all of the top six picks of last month’s draft looked outstanding, a few first-rounders struggled (Johnny Davis, Jake LaRavia and Peyton Watson), while a couple late second-rounders stood out for good reasons (Jabari Walker and JD Davison).