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And-Ones: WBD Lawsuit, Top Storylines, G League Trade, More

September 25th, 2024 at 3:53pm CST by Luke Adams

The legal battle between the NBA and Warner Bros. Discovery took another step forward in recent days. Responding to the NBA’s motion to dismiss their lawsuit, TBS and WBD filed a 33-page memorandum last Friday attempting to convince New York Judge Joel M. Cohen to deny that motion, per Michael McCann of Sportico.

The parent company of TNT Sports, filed a lawsuit against the NBA in July, alleging that the league was in breach of contract after it refused to recognize TNT’s right to match Amazon’s new broadcast deal with the NBA.

The latest filing from TBS/WBD insists that the league acted in bad faith to “circumvent” the network’s matching rights by including certain terms in its deal with Amazon that it knew TBS/WBD couldn’t specifically match. For instance, one clause in the NBA/Amazon agreement requires NBA games to be aired on a platform that also broadcasts NFL games. Amazon has a deal with the NFL, whereas TBS/WBD does not.

If the case continues to advance through the legal system, court records suggest a trial would be held sometime in April 2025, according to McCann.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Paul George‘s impact in Philadelphia and the Knicks’ potential hole at center are among the key storylines to monitor in the Eastern Conference this season, in the view of Fred Katz and Sam Amick of The Athletic. Katz and Amick also took a look at the top storylines to watch in the West, including whether Victor Wembanyama is ready to take the leap to superstardom, Ja Morant‘s potential redemption tour, and which second-tier team could move into the top group of contenders.
  • The South Bay Lakers, College Park Skyhawks (Hawks), and Texas Legends (Mavericks) have completed a three-team trade, with South Bay acquiring the returning rights to forward Chris Silva and center Jake Stephens in the deal, per a press release. The Skyhawks received Joirdon Nicholas‘ rights, while the Legends received multiple G League draft picks from the Lakers’ affiliate.
  • Responding to a pair of U.S. senators who criticized the NBA for partnering with Rwandan dictator Paul Kagame, deputy commissioner Mark Tatum wrote in a letter that the league has followed “the lead of the U.S. government as to where it’s appropriate to engage in business around the world,” according to Mark Fainaru-Wada of ESPN. “If American policies were to change regarding business activities in and relating to Rwanda or any other BAL (Basketball Africa League) market, our actions would of course change accordingly,” Tatum said, adding that the NBA has promoted multiple social impact initiatives in Rwanda.
  • Sixers center Joel Embiid, Bucks guard Damian Lillard, and Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman are among the individuals across the NBA who are facing the most pressure entering the 2024/25 season, according to Michael Pina of The Ringer, whose top five is rounded out by Knicks forward Julius Randle and Heat wing Jimmy Butler.
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Pre-Camp Roster Snapshot: Central Division

September 21st, 2024 at 3:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is in the process of taking a closer look at each NBA team’s current roster situation, evaluating which clubs still have some moves to make and which ones seem most prepared for training camp to begin.

This series is meant to provide a snapshot of each team’s roster at this time, so these articles won’t be updated in the coming weeks as more signings, trades, and/or cuts are made. You can follow our roster counts page to keep tabs on teams’ open spots as opening night nears.

We’re continuing our pre-camp Roster Snapshot series today with the Central Division. Let’s dive in…

Chicago Bulls

The Bulls could set their 21-man training camp roster by officially signing Liddell, who is believed to have agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal. However, there are still questions about what their 18-man regular season roster will look like, even if Chicago doesn’t make any preseason trades.

The Bulls have just 14 players on guaranteed standard contracts, leaving the 15th spot open for a roster hopeful like Bitim, Horton-Tucker, or Lofton. The club also has a two-way slot available.

While Horton-Tucker isn’t eligible for a two-way contract, Domask, Lofton, and Liddell are. Bitim would be too, but he can’t be converted directly to a two-way deal since he’s not on an Exhibit 10 contract — he’d need to be cut and then re-signed after clearing waivers.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers‘ 11 players on fully guaranteed salaries represents the lowest total of any NBA team. But Merrill and Porter are locks to be on the regular season roster, so at least 13 standard spots are accounted for, and the team reportedly doesn’t intend to carry a 15th man into opening night for financial reasons.

Presumably, Thompson will open the season as the 14th man, but that’s not set in stone, since he’s not owed any guaranteed money. The Cavs could still bring in another veteran to challenge for that job.

Even after signing Brown, Cleveland will have three open spots on its 21-man roster, so more Exhibit 10 signings are likely around the corner too.

Detroit Pistons

With over $10MM in cap room still available and only 13 players on guaranteed contracts, the Pistons are one of the NBA’s top candidates to make a move impacting their regular season roster in the next month.

That’s not a lock though. If they hang onto Reed, as expected, the Pistons will have the required 14 players for opening night. And if they want to maximize their remaining cap room in order to accommodate as many potential in-season trade opportunities as possible, they may be reluctant to add even a minimum-salary player as a 15th man.

While it’s an open question whether or not Detroit will fill out its standard 15-man roster, it’s safe to assume the team will carry a third two-way player into the season. We’ll see whether McCoy, Smith, Estrada, and/or Seabron get a chance to compete for that spot or whether the Pistons have any other specific targets in mind. For what it’s worth, the club could add one more player to its 21-man preseason roster even after officially signing Estrada and Seabron.

Indiana Pacers

The partial guarantees held by Johnson and Wiseman will give them the upper hand to join the Pacers‘ dozen players on fully guaranteed contracts as part of the standard opening night roster. That would leave Brown and Swider vying for the 15th spot, with no guarantee that Indiana – within spitting distance of the luxury tax line – would retain either one.

The Pacers, who are already carrying 19 total players, wouldn’t be able to finalize all three of their reported Exhibit 10 deals without waiving someone. That math suggests that at least one of those Exhibit 10 recipients – and maybe more than one – will be cut shortly after he signs, with Indiana rotating players in and out of those back-end roster spots.

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks have a hefty projected tax bill to consider, but it still doesn’t make sense to waive Jackson, given that half of his $1.89MM salary is guaranteed. He’ll make that money whether or not he opens the season on the roster, so it looks like Milwaukee will carry a full 15-man squad into opening night.

With all 21 preseason roster spots filled, including all three of their two-way slots, the Bucks don’t need to make any changes before camp begins. Unless one of the camp invitees has a huge fall and pushes one of the current two-way players out, I’d expect Milwaukee’s only preseason roster moves to consist of signing and waiving Exhibit 10 players.

Previously:

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Eastern Notes: Hawks, Bulls, Knicks, Bucks

September 21st, 2024 at 3:06pm CST by Luke Adams

While Jalen Johnson and Clint Capela will almost certainly make up two-thirds of the Hawks‘ starting frontcourt, the other starting forward spot remains up for grabs, according to Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, who looks at six possible candidates for that role.

De’Andre Hunter looks like the best bet among the contenders for the job, but he was more effective off the bench than in the starting five last season, Williams notes, having made 49.1% of his shots and 42.0% of his three-pointers in 20 games as a reserve.

No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher and newly acquired guard Dyson Daniels are among the other options Williams examines. Daniels figures to spend most of his playing time in the backcourt, but could make sense at small forward if Atlanta starts Bogdan Bogdanovic alongside Trae Young in the backcourt and wants to complement them with an elite wing defender.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

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Central Notes: Bucks, Reinsdorf, Bulls, Holland

September 19th, 2024 at 9:00pm CST by Luke Adams

After shaking up their roster with the blockbuster Damian Lillard trade last fall and making two head coaching changes in less than a year, the Bucks are confident that a 2024 offseason defined by continuity will put them in a better position to contend for a championship in 2024/25, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN.

Zach Lowe of ESPN is unconvinced, however, stating on Thursday’s episode of NBA Today (YouTube link) that “the questions outweigh the answers” in Milwaukee.

As Lowe outlines, Lillard turned 34 this summer and “rarely looked comfortable” last season, Khris Middleton has dealt with injuries the last couple seasons and underwent multiple ankle surgeries over the offseason, and defensive anchor Brook Lopez will turn 37 in the spring.

“This team is getting older and less athletic around Giannis (Antetokounmpo),” Lowe said. “They don’t have a lot of young guys in the pipeline. This is a right-now team that went 17-19 under Doc Rivers before the Giannis injury took them out of the playoffs. They just never found their footing, and they’ve got to find it fast in an Eastern Conference that has gotten better top to bottom in the playoff race.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

  • Eric Nehm of The Athletic answers a series of Bucks-related questions in a mailbag, discussing the Antetokounmpo/Lillard pick-and-roll, expectations for the 2024/25 season, and the development (or lack thereof) of some of the team’s young players.
  • A feature on Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf from MLB writers Brittany Ghiroli and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic focuses primarily on the disastrous season that Reinsdorf’s other team – the Chicago White Sox – has endured in 2024. However, the story includes a couple notes on the Bulls, including the claim that Reinsdorf has told employees the White Sox winning is more important to him than the Bulls winning. According to Ghiroli and Rosenthal, the 88-year-old Reinsdorf has also said he’d advise his family to sell the White Sox but hang onto the Bulls after his death.
  • Can No. 5 overall pick Ron Holland earn a regular rotation spot for the Pistons as a rookie? Keith Langlois of Pistons.com explores that question, observing that it would help the 19-year-old’s case for minutes if he can develop a more reliable outside shot. As Langlois writes, Holland figures to work closely with new assistant coach Fred Vinson, who is considered one of the league’s best shooting instructors.
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Philip Alston Joins Bucks On Exhibit 10 Contract

September 18th, 2024 at 6:52am CST by Arthur Hill

SEPTEMBER 18: A month-and-a-half after the deal was first reported, Alston signed with the Bucks on Tuesday, according to RealGM’s log of official transactions.

AUGUST 2: Free agent Philip Alston will sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the Bucks, sources tell Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress (Twitter link).

The 22-year-old forward went undrafted out of Loyola Chicago after averaging 12.2 points and 4.6 rebounds as a senior in 29 games with the Ramblers. He spent the last two seasons at Loyola after playing three years at California, Pa.

Alston was part of Milwaukee’s Summer League team, appearing in three games in Las Vegas and averaging 4.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12.3 minutes per contest. He was given a start in his final game and responded with 11 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal.

The Bucks have a virtually full roster with 14 players holding guaranteed contracts, plus Andre Jackson on a partially guaranteed deal and no two-way spots available. There’s little chance that Alston will make the team in training camp, but the Exhibit 10 deal provides him with an opportunity to earn a bonus of up to $77.5K if he spends at least 60 days with the Bucks’ G League affiliate.

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Isaiah Thomas Discusses Desire For Another NBA Comeback

September 14th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Isaiah Thomas has been overcoming long odds throughout his NBA career, so he’s not going to let his age and injury history spoil his hopes of another comeback, writes Dylan Ackerman of Cronkite News. The 35-year-old guard, who participated in workouts with the Kings last month, talked about what motivates him to keep going during a recent appearance with some other NBA stars at the ZekeEnd Tournament in Tacoma, Washington.

“I just enjoy the process, but I know what I’m fighting against,” Thomas said. “I understand it, but I’ve had that same fight my whole life. This is just normal to me. It’s just another stage I have to get by. I really want to just play two or three more years and then focus on my kids. That’s the ultimate goal and we’re just going to keep fighting until the end.”

Thomas has already put together a remarkable career for a 5’9″ guard who wasn’t selected until the final pick of the 2011 draft. After three years in Sacramento and a half-season in Phoenix, Thomas found stardom after being traded to the Celtics in 2015. He made his first All-Star appearance during the 2015/16 season, averaging 22.2 points and 6.2 assists per game. He was even better the following year, earning second-team All-NBA honors and finishing fifth in the MVP voting while putting up 28.9 points and 5.9 assists per night.

However, a hip injury in that year’s playoffs caused his career to spiral as quickly as it ascended. He was sent to Cleveland during the offseason as part of a Kyrie Irving trade, but only appeared in 15 games before being shipped to the Lakers at the trade deadline.

Thomas has spent time with eight teams since the injury, but has only cracked the 40-game mark with one of them. That happened with Washington in 2019/20, which Ackerman notes is the last time Thomas has been able to land a contract before the start of a season.

Thomas earned two 10-day deals with the Suns last season and signed a standard contract in April that made him eligible for the playoffs. However, he only appeared in six games with Phoenix and made one brief postseason appearance.

“Basketball has been my life,” Thomas said. “I’ve focused on one thing my whole life. Most don’t really focus on one single thing that long. I’ve loved the game of basketball, and it’s done wonders for my life. I’ve been across the world, I made tons of money around basketball. I just love it. I love everything about the game. I love the process. I love the good, the bad. I’m still at an age where I can still play at a high level. I always say that I have the same feeling going to the gym now that I did when I was a kid. I know when that goes away, it’s time to just try to find something else.”

It’s not clear if Thomas made a strong impression on the Kings during his workouts or if the team ever considered signing him. Sacramento has one spot open on its training camp roster and just 12 players with fully guaranteed contracts. Thomas also worked out for Milwaukee in July, but the Bucks have a full roster and there’s never been any indication that they made him an offer.

Regardless of whether he winds up in somebody’s training camp, Thomas is determined to keep pursuing his NBA dream.

“I believe in myself more than anybody would,” he said. “I just feel like why not keep going and why not show the world what perseverance looks like, what fighting through adversity looks like. Then being able to do it with a smile on your face.”

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Bucks Sign, Waive Ibou Badji

September 13th, 2024 at 8:28pm CST by Luke Adams

8:28pm: The Bucks officially signed Badji, per RealGM’s transaction log, and waived him, according to the transaction log at NBA.com.

As expected, it was an Exhibit 10 deal, Hoops Rumors can confirm, so Badji is on track to report to the Wisconsin Herd and earn a $77.5K bonus.

11:00am: The Bucks and free agent big man Ibou Badji have agreed to a contract, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

While Scotto doesn’t specify what kind of deal Badji is signing, it will almost certainly be a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 pact. Exhibit 10 contracts don’t count against the cap and be converted to two-way deals before opening night. They also put a player in line to receive a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he’s waived by his NBA team and then spends at least 60 days with the team’s G League affiliate.

Badji, who will turn 22 next month, went undrafted in 2022 and signed with the Bucks shortly thereafter. He was waived by Milwaukee ahead of the 2022/23 season and joined the Wisconsin Herd in the G League before being snatched up by the Trail Blazers that November, agreeing to a two-way contract with the club.

Badji subsequently spent most of the past two seasons on separate two-way deals with Portland, eventually making his NBA debut in December 2023 and appearing in 22 games last season for the Blazers. He averaged 1.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in 10.3 minutes per contest.

In 19 total G League games last season for the Herd and the Rip City Remix, Badji posted averages of 4.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 2.7 BPG in 18.9 MPG.

The Bucks/Herd still hold Badji’s returning rights, so it appears the plan is for him to return to Milwaukee’s G League affiliate to start the 2024/25 season. The signing will give the Bucks a full 21-man offseason roster.

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Jimmy Butler Among Stars Warriors Monitoring

September 13th, 2024 at 9:15am CST by Luke Adams

After missing out on targets like Paul George and Lauri Markkanen this offseason, the Warriors remain on the lookout for stars who might become available on the trade market, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, who said on The TK Show (YouTube link) that Heat forward Jimmy Butler is among the players Golden State is monitoring.

“Jimmy Butler’s going to be a free agent next summer, didn’t get an extension done,” Amick said. “The Warriors, as you know, have interest there and I think probably made a couple calls during the summer.”

As Amick observes, the Warriors aren’t in position to pursue top free agents due to their salary cap situation, so if they’re going to acquire a star to complement Stephen Curry, they’ll almost certainly need to do so via trade. Golden State will be hoping for the “wheels to fall off” for a would-be contender, resulting in an All-Star caliber player seeking a change of scenery, Amick notes.

Butler, who will turn 35 on Saturday, is entering what could be a contract year in Miami. Although by all accounts he remains committed to the Heat, the six-time All-Star has reportedly told the team he won’t sign an extension before next summer and will reevaluate his options next offseason, when he holds a $52.4MM player option for 2025/26.

If the Heat get off to a poor start this season, it’s possible they’ll consider the idea of moving Butler at the trade deadline, though there’s no indication they’ve seriously considered that possibility to this point.

Should Butler finish the season in Miami, there would be myriad options available to him next summer — he could re-up with the Heat (either on an extension or a new contract), he could decline his option to sign elsewhere, or he could work out an opt-in-and-trade deal that sends him to a new destination. That last scenario would be the most viable path for him to land in Golden State. The Warriors explored a similar arrangement with George before he declined his player option in June.

Amick also names Lakers forward LeBron James, Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Suns stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker as some other players the Warriors are likely monitoring. However, he acknowledges that they’re long shots and could only emerge as possible targets if they sour on their current situations.

“It’s that level of a player, where you just kind of hope that one of them starts looking out for greener pastures,” Amick said.

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2024/25 NBA Over/Unders: Central Division

September 13th, 2024 at 7:46am CST by Luke Adams

With the 2024/25 NBA regular season set to tip off next month, we’re getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign and continuing an annual Hoops Rumors tradition.

With the help of the lines from a series of sports betting sites – including Bovada and BetOnline – we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.

In 2023/24, our voters went 16-14 on their over/under picks. Can you top that in ’24/25?

We’ll continue our series today with the Central Division…

Milwaukee Bucks

Cleveland Cavaliers

Indiana Pacers

Chicago Bulls

Detroit Pistons

Previous voting results:

Atlantic

  • Boston Celtics (58.5 wins): Over (69.7%)
  • New York Knicks (53.5 wins): Over (58.8%)
  • Philadelphia 76ers (52.5 wins): Under (51.7%)
  • Toronto Raptors (30.5 wins): Under (58.7%)
  • Brooklyn Nets (19.5 wins): Over (54.3%)

Southwest

  • Dallas Mavericks (49.5 wins): Over (78.0%)
  • Memphis Grizzlies (47.5 wins): Under (65.6%)
  • New Orleans Pelicans (46.5 wins): Under (60.6%)
  • Houston Rockets (43.5 wins): Under (51.4%)
  • San Antonio Spurs (36.5 wins): Under (52.9%)

Southeast

  • Orlando Magic (47.5 wins): Over (57.1%)
  • Miami Heat (44.5 wins): Under (63.1%)
  • Atlanta Hawks (35.5 wins): Under (66.4%)
  • Charlotte Hornets (29.5 wins): Under (63.1%)
  • Washington Wizards (20.5 wins): Under (56.6%)

Northwest

  • Oklahoma City Thunder (56.5 wins): Over (68.1%)
  • Minnesota Timberwolves (52.5 wins): Over (65.2%)
  • Denver Nuggets (51.5 wins): Over (54.3%)
  • Utah Jazz (29.5 wins): Under (60.1%)
  • Portland Trail Blazers (22.5 wins): Under (54.7%)
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Central Notes: Thompson, Pistons, Bulls, Bucks

September 11th, 2024 at 10:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Tristan Thompson‘s new one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Cavaliers is non-guaranteed, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. That will give Cleveland some flexibility with Thompson’s roster spot — while the veteran center seems likely to open the regular season with the team, he could be waived on or before January 7 if the team wants to avoid locking in his full-season salary.

Thompson also waived his right to veto a trade as part of his deal with the Cavs, Hoops Rumors has learned. Players who re-sign with their previous teams on one-year contracts are typically awarded veto rights for the season, but the player can forfeit that right as part of his agreement with his club. Thompson is the 12th player this season to do so, as our tracker shows.

Here’s more from around the Central:

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