Magic Rumors

Celtics Trade Bol Bol, PJ Dozier To Magic

1:16pm: The deal is official, according to a press release from the Magic. As expected, the team has waived Moore and Carter-Williams.


1:00pm: The Magic will acquire the Celtics’ 2028 second-round pick (top-45 protected) in the deal, while Boston will get the Magic’s 2023 second-rounder (top-55 protected), reports Price (via Twitter).


12:12pm: The Magic will waive veteran guard E’Twaun Moore as part of the deal, reports Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Orlando is also cutting Michael Carter-Williams, tweets Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel. Both players have been out all season due to injuries.

Brian Robb of MassLive.com confirms (via Twitter) that the second-round pick headed to Boston in the deal will be heavily protected and likely won’t convey.


11:34am: The Celtics have reached an agreement to trade injured players Bol Bol and PJ Dozier to the Magic, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). It’s a cost-cutting move for the Celtics, who will dip below the luxury tax line as a result of the deal.

Boston is sending a second-round pick and cash to Orlando and will get a second-round pick in return, Wojnarowski reports. I’d expect the second-rounder headed to the Celtics to be heavily protected, but we’ll await further details.

Bol and Dozier were sent from Denver to Boston earlier this season in a three-team trade, but neither player was part of the Celtics’ short- or long-term plans. Bol underwent foot surgery that is expected to sideline him for most or all of the season, while Dozier is recovering from a surgery of his own to repair a torn ACL and won’t play until 2022/23.

Both players are on expiring deals, with Bol earning $2.2MM this season and Dozier making $1.9MM. Orlando will acquire both players using trade exceptions, while Boston will create a pair of new trade exceptions equivalent to their salaries.

The Celtics now have a pair of open roster spots and will remain out of tax territory even in the unlikely event that Jaylen Brown is named an All-Star replacement and earns a bonus. As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter), the C’s would’ve had a small tax bill of about $2MM if they hadn’t made a move, but they’re now in line to receive a potential eight-figure payout.

While Boston doesn’t have to make any more moves today, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter link) hears that there are still three or four teams in the mix for Dennis Schröder, with one source estimating there’s a 50/50 chance of a deal.

The Magic have a full 15-man roster, so they’ll have to make at least one more move in order to accommodate the incoming players.

Trade Rumors: Mavs, R. Lopez, Hawks, Wizards, Pistons, More

The Mavericks have made Dwight Powell available, but they remain uninterested in moving Jalen Brunson or Dorian Finney-Smith, reports Matt Moore of ActionNetwork.com. If those two players are off the table, Dallas may have a hard time finding a deal that significantly upgrades its roster.

According to Moore, Tim Hardaway Jr., who is out indefinitely due to a foot injury, is the player the Mavericks have shopped most aggressively. Hardaway was having a down year prior to his injury and is on a sizable long-term contract ($53.7MM for three years after this season), so his value will be limited.

Still, Moore notes that Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle is a big fan of Hardaway, whom he coached in Dallas. Moore has also heard that the Wizards and Mavericks discussed a deal involving Hardaway and Spencer Dinwiddie, though a source tells Moore that the two sides didn’t make much progress.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

  • The Magic have been willing to discuss center Robin Lopez, but are apparently asking for a first-round pick, according to Moore. I’d be surprised if a team is willing to meet that price.
  • The Hawks may have a quiet deadline, with John Collins appearing increasingly unlikely to be dealt, but they remain on the lookout for a backup point guard, Moore reports.
  • Within his trade-rumor roundup, Moore also says the Wizards have been willing to discuss anyone besides Bradley Beal or Kyle Kuzma, and adds that Pistons guard Cory Joseph is “gettable.” Moore has received mixed intel on whether Detroit is interested in moving Kelly Olynyk.
  • Pacers center Myles Turner appears less likely to be dealt now that the team has moved Domantas Sabonis, but the Knicks continue to pursue Turner, a league source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post. The big man is dealing with a foot injury that may sideline him until at least March.
  • With Harrison Barnes looking like a good bet to stay with the Kings through the deadline, Richaun Holmes and Marvin Bagley III are the Sacramento players most often identified by rival teams as candidates to be moved in the next few hours, says Sam Amick of The Athletic.

NBA Announces Slam Dunk, Three-Point, Skills Challenge Contestants

The NBA has announced a full list of the participants for its three-point, slam dunk and skills challenge competitions ahead of the upcoming 2022 All-Star Weekend in Cleveland.

Per the NBA (Twitter link), the following players will partake in the Mountain Dew Three-Point Contest, which appears to have outpaced the dunk contest as the premiere event for established stars at All-Star Weekend. Four 2022 All-Stars will compete:

According to the league (via Twitter), these are the contestants in the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest:

Below are the NBA’s announced players for the newly revamped Taco Bell Skills Challenge (Twitter link). This year, the Skills Challenge will be divvied up into three teams: Antetokounmpo brothers (“Antetokounmpos”), Cavaliers players (“Cavs”), and rookies (“Rooks”).

These three events will take place on All-Star Saturday on February 19.

Western Rumors: Haliburton, Blazers, Grant, Covington, Lakers, Wolves

The trade agreement between the Kings and the Pacers that will send Tyrese Haliburton to Indiana shocked people around the NBA, including Haliburton himself, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said during an appearance on NBA Today (video link).

“The league is stunned at this trade and the fact that (Haliburton) was even available,” Wojnarowski said. “I think there were a lot of teams who thought, ‘If we knew we could’ve gotten Tyrese Haliburton, we would’ve been really knocking at the door in Sacramento.’ … This was a player who everyone had thought, including Tyrese Haliburton, that he’d be the cornerstone for their future.”

Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the Western Conference:

  • Having already agreed to two major trades this week, the Trail Blazers may not be done yet. They continue to talk to the Pistons about a possible Jerami Grant deal, reports Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report (Twitter link).
  • It remains possible that newly-acquired Clippers forward Robert Covington will be on the move again prior to Thursday’s trade deadline, sources tell ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. Covington can’t be aggregated with another player for salary-matching purposes in a second trade, but could still technically be flipped on his own this week.
  • Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times says sources have described Magic wing Terrence Ross as a realistic trade target for the Lakers, but Woike isn’t sure that L.A. would have the appetite to attach a future first-round pick to Talen Horton-Tucker to acquire Ross, who is having the worst three-point shooting season of his career.
  • Adding size in the frontcourt is a priority for the Timberwolves as the trade deadline approaches, per Dane Moore of Blue Wire Pods (Twitter link). Minnesota ranks dead-last in defensive rebounding rate this season, and Moore suggests the club would like to add a backup center who could help in that area.

Eastern Trade Rumors: Cavs, Schröder, Beal, Dinwiddie, Burks, Magic

Before acquiring Caris LeVert from Indiana, the Cavaliers talked to the Clippers about a possible deal involving Luke Kennard, according to reports from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype and Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

Meanwhile, Jared Weiss of The Athletic suggests the Cavaliers may not be done dealing yet, writing that they remain in the mix for Celtics guard Dennis Schröder. A Cleveland offer for Schröder would likely include a draft pick and two players from a group that includes Ed Davis, Dylan Windler, and Kevin Pangos, says Weiss.

Even as the Cavs remain in the market for more backcourt help, it doesn’t appear likely they’re prepared to move on from injured guard Collin Sexton. According to Scotto, teams have called to inquire on Sexton, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, but Cleveland would prefer to keep him.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the Eastern Conference:

  • There’s still no indication the Wizards will do anything this week with Bradley Beal, who is getting his injured wrist evaluated, writes ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. The team still wants to keep him long-term and hasn’t heard anything from Beal that indicates he’s not committed to the franchise, sources tell ESPN.
  • The Wizards have, however, continued to communicate their interest in trading their other starting guard, Spencer Dinwiddie, says Fischer. According to Fischer, it’s unclear what sort of market exists for Dinwiddie, who is having a poor season in D.C.
  • As the Knicks continue their attempts to move a veteran or two, they’ve exhibited interest in acquiring players on expiring contracts, says Windhorst. Among the vets being shopped by New York, Alec Burks has generated the most interest, Fischer reports.
  • According to Fischer, league personnel think the Magic will end up trading Terrence Ross in a deal similar to the Evan Fournier move from a year ago, which netted them a pair of second-round picks. Fischer adds that Gary Harris is considered a buyout candidate if he’s not traded at the deadline.

Eastern Notes: Bamba, Gafford, Sabonis, Kyrie

Magic center Mohamed Bamba made his 41st start of the season on Saturday, reaching the starter criteria for restricted free-agents-to-be, as Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report tweets. A player meets the starter criteria when he makes at least 41 starts or logs 2,000 minutes in the season prior to his restricted free agency, or if he averages 41 starts or 2,000 minutes across the two seasons before he becomes a restricted free agent.

If Bamba hadn’t achieved the starter criteria, his qualifying offer this offseason would’ve dipped to $7,228,448. Now that he has met the criteria, his QO amount will remain at $10,096,703.

In many cases, the amount of an RFA’s qualifying offer isn’t all that important, since a player who intends to sign a longer-term deal won’t seriously consider accepting it. But that’s not always the case. For a player with a somewhat limited NBA résumé like Bamba, a $10MM+ qualifying offer wouldn’t be a mere placeholder — the Magic would have to decide whether they’re comfortable making that offer, and if they do, Bamba could realistically accept it if he doesn’t get a multiyear deal he likes.

Here are a few more items from around the Eastern Conference:

  • Wizards center Daniel Gafford entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols on Sunday, tweets Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Thomas Bryant and Montrezl Harrell figure to share center duties for as long as Gafford remains sidelined.
  • Pacers center Domantas Sabonis exited the COVID-19 protocols on Sunday, per James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). The big man had a relatively quiet return to the lineup, scoring just nine points in a loss to Cleveland — it was only the fifth time this season that Sabonis hasn’t had double-digit points.
  • Nets guard Kyrie Irving said on Sunday that he remains hopeful about his ability to play in home games at some point, tweets Nick Friedell of ESPN. I’m keeping a positive mindset that anything can happen in these next few days or the next week,” Irving said. “Just crossing my fingers that something can come up either before the All-Star break or even just after.” Of course, Irving would become eligible to play games in Brooklyn if he received the COVID-19 vaccine, but it sounds like he’s hoping for the city to change its rules related to unvaccinated individuals.

2022 NBA Trade Deadline Preview: Southeast Division

With the NBA’s February 10 trade deadline around the corner, we’re taking a closer look at all 30 teams, breaking down their potential plans for the deadline and identifying their most likely trade candidates. We’re focusing today on the Southeast Division.


Atlanta Hawks

Trade deadline goals:

Following a second-half run that took them all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, the Hawks have been up and down so far in 2021/22.

Injuries and COVID-19 absences have hurt the team, but there’s also a sense that Atlanta could benefit from a consolidation trade, sending out two or three players – and possibly a draft pick or two – for an impact player who would complement Trae Young for years to come.

The Hawks may have kick-started that process by sending Cam Reddish to the Knicks for a protected first-round pick. As president of basketball operations Travis Schlenk observed after making that deal, Reddish wasn’t a player who would’ve appealed to every one of Atlanta’s potential trade partners, but any team would value an extra first-rounder. That pick from Charlotte (via New York) could be useful as a sweetener in a bigger subsequent move.

Finding a logical trade target is trickier. The Hawks have been linked to Ben Simmons and Jerami Grant, so it appears they’re focused on finding a player who can capably guard bigger forwards. But acquiring a player of that caliber – especially Simmons – could mean parting with John Collins. Atlanta may prefer to wait until that offseason to make a move that significant.

Top trade candidates:

Collins has been increasingly mentioned in trade rumors in recent weeks, though reports within the last few days have suggested that the Hawks are more likely to hang onto him through the deadline than to trade him in the next few days. Even if he stays put for the time being, Collins will probably continue to be the subject of trade rumors in the 2022 offseason and beyond, since Atlanta may prefer a more versatile, switchable power forward to pair with centers Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu.

If the Hawks want to bring back a player earning more than the mid-level without including Collins in the deal, Danilo Gallinari ($20.5MM) and Bogdan Bogdanovic ($18MM) are the most logical trade candidates. Their production has dipped since last season and both veterans have dealt with injuries.

Delon Wright ($8.5MM) and Lou Williams ($5MM) are on expiring contracts that could be useful for salary matching, though Wright has played an important role in the Hawks’ backcourt and Williams has the ability to veto a trade. Gorgui Dieng ($4MM) also has an expiring deal and has fallen out of the rotation since Christmas.

I’d count on Atlanta hanging onto Okongwu and De’Andre Hunter. Kevin Huerter could be included in certain deals, but his looming rookie scale extension will complicate the team’s ability to trade him due to the poison pill provision.


Charlotte Hornets

Trade deadline goals:

After having Cody Zeller and Bismack Biyombo man the middle for multiple seasons, the Hornets let both players go in the 2021 offseason and made a trade to bring in Mason Plumlee.

As Charlotte’s new starting center, Plumlee hasn’t been bad, but the position still represents the weak link for a lineup that’s pretty solid in the backcourt and on the wing. Upgrading the center spot will be the Hornets’ top priority heading into the deadline.

Myles Turner has long been considered a top target for Charlotte and now might be the time for the team to make a serious play for him. The Pacers appear more willing than ever to break up their frontcourt duo of Turner and Domantas Sabonis, and Turner’s foot injury may scare away other potential suitors who are more focused on this season than on 2022/23 and beyond.

If the asking price for Turner is too high or the Hornets are wary about the status of his foot, there are plenty of other options the team could pursue, including Christian Wood, Jusuf Nurkic, Richaun Holmes, Daniel Theis, and Nic Claxton.

Top trade candidates:

P.J. Washington‘s name has come up in trade rumors this season, which is interesting. He’s a really solid player, but he’ll be entering a contract year in 2022/23 and is playing a reduced role this season in Charlotte — after averaging 30+ minutes per game in his first two years in the NBA, Washington has averaged just 24.1 MPG in 2021/22.

If the Hornets are really willing to move Washington, that could open the door for them to make a meaningful upgrade at center. But even if they’re not, they’d have some intriguing young players to put in their offers. 2021 first-round picks James Bouknight and Kai Jones haven’t emerged as regular rotation players yet and shouldn’t be untouchable. JT Thor, Nick Richards, and Vernon Carey would have less value, but could also be in play.

Plumlee, who is earning about $9.2MM, would be a logical salary-matching piece in any deal involving a center. His $9.1MM salary for next season is only partially guaranteed for about $4.3MM.

The Hornets have already traded away their 2022 first-round pick, which is protected through 2025, so if they put a first-rounder in an offer, it will have to be one that’s still a few years out. Technically, they control the Pelicans’ lottery-protected 2022 first-rounder and could trade it, but that pick will turn into a pair of second-rounders if New Orleans doesn’t make the playoffs this spring.


Miami Heat

Trade deadline goals:

It could be a quiet deadline for the Heat, who will likely prioritize keeping all their stars healthy rather than on adding anyone new to their group. When Miami played in San Antonio on Thursday, it was the first time since November 27 that Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Kyle Lowry were all on the court at the same time. Despite being plagued by the injury bug, the club remains firmly in the mix for the top seed in the East.

It’s not inconceivable that the Heat could make a significant move — they’ve been linked to Rockets big man Christian Wood and have reportedly explored a package centered around Duncan Robinson. However, Robinson’s three-point percentage has slipped this year and while his long-term contract is reasonable, it’s not especially team-friendly. It’ll be difficult for Miami to get an impact player back without attaching other assets to him — Houston would certainly want multiple additional pieces in any swap involving Wood.

Robinson is the only higher-salaried Heat player who can realistically be included in a deal, since Butler, Adebayo, Lowry, P.J. Tucker, and Tyler Herro are the only others earning more than the minimum.

With Markieff Morris‘ status up in the air, the Heat may try to acquire a backup power forward, but it won’t be a surprise if eventually promoting two-way player Caleb Martin to the 15-man roster is their most impactful roster move the rest of the way.

Top trade candidates:

Although Robinson’s 36.0% three-point rate is well below his career mark, his ability to stretch the floor and spread out opposing defenses is still an important part of Miami’s offensive attack. The Heat wouldn’t want to rely solely on Max Strus to fill that role on the wing, so if they do move Robinson, they’d want a reliable shooter in return.

If Robinson stays put, one or two minimum-salary players could be on the move in smaller deals. It wouldn’t take much for the Heat to part with KZ Okpala, who is in a contract year and still hasn’t become a regular. Rival clubs may also try to pry away Omer Yurtseven, who had some big games when Adebayo and Dewayne Dedmon were unavailable, but has fallen out of the rotation since Miami’s top centers got healthy.

Miami has traded away its 2023 first-rounder, which is protected through 2025 before becoming unprotected in 2026. That means the Heat could conditionally offer their ’25 first-rounder in a trade, but there’s no guarantee it would actually change hands before 2028.


Orlando Magic

Trade deadline goals:

The Magic were the big seller at the 2021 trade deadline, acquiring a series of young prospects and draft picks in separate trades involving Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon, and Evan Fournier.

Orlando’s trade chips this season aren’t as intriguing as they were last March, but the team’s goal will be the same. With no urgency to push for a playoff spot in the next year or two, the Magic will focus on the future, trying to pick up a few extra assets in exchange for veterans who aren’t in their long-term plans.

At 12-42, the Magic are in a tight race with the Pistons for the top spot in this year’s draft lottery standings, so they’ll be motivated to make moves that may hurt their on-court results in the short term.

Top trade candidates:

Veteran wings Terrence Ross and Gary Harris are the Magic’s top trade chips. Unfortunately, neither player is without his warts.

Ross’ $12.5MM cap hit this season and his $11.5MM salary for 2022/23 make him affordable and controllable, but his .311 3PT% this season is the worst of his career, dinging his value. Conversely, Harris is having a pretty solid bounce-back year, increasing his 3PT% to .385, but he’s a rental and his $20.5MM salary will be trickier for some teams to accommodate.

If the Magic can get a first-round pick for either Ross or Harris, it’d be a major win. They’ll likely have to settle for a return closer to what they got for Fournier (two second-rounders).

Besides Ross and Harris, there aren’t a ton of obvious trade candidates on Orlando’s roster. Robin Lopez has reportedly drawn a little interest, but the Magic may see more value in his locker-room leadership than in the late second-round pick they could potentially get for him. Michael Carter-Williams and E’Twaun Moore would be the types of veterans that could help a playoff team in a reserve role, but neither one has been healthy in months.

Mohamed Bamba is a wild card. The team’s rookie scale extension with Wendell Carter Jr. in the fall seemed to signal that Bamba’s days in Orlando were numbered, but he’s enjoyed a nice breakout year ahead of restricted free agency. He’ll probably draw trade interest, but the Magic may hang onto him until the offseason and then determine at that point whether they want to keep him. If they decide not to re-sign him, they still might be able to get something back in a sign-and-trade.


Washington Wizards

Trade deadline goals:

Things in D.C. looked pretty rosy less than three months ago — on November 16, the 10-3 Wizards controlled the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Since then, Washington has lost 25 of 39 games. The team now sits at 11th in the East, a game out of a play-in spot.

General manager Tommy Sheppard received a promotion and an extension on November 17, but he and his front office suddenly face a significant amount of pressure to make the right roster moves at the deadline to help the Wizards salvage their season.

It doesn’t appear that trading Bradley Beal, who can opt out of his contract this summer, is an option the Wizards are seriously considering, so the goal at the deadline will be to acquire players who fit nicely alongside the star guard and can perhaps help convince him that signing a long-term contract with the franchise this summer is the best course of action.

Domantas Sabonis and Jerami Grant have been among the players most frequently mentioned as the top targets on Washington’s wish list.

Top trade candidates:

If the Wizards really want to land a player like Sabonis or Grant, they’ll have to be willing to part with some of their young talent to make it happen. I’d expect that any deal for Grant would have to involve at least one of Deni Avdija, Rui Hachimura, or Corey Kispert. More than one of those three prospects would likely have to be included in a package for Sabonis.

Even if the Wizards would prefer to trade draft picks, their next few first-round selections are off the table — Washington owes its 2023 first-rounder to Houston, and that pick is protected through 2026, meaning the 2028 pick is the only one the team could unconditionally offer at this point.

A number of Wizards veterans are reportedly available via trade, including Montrezl Harrell, Thomas Bryant, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Davis Bertans. None of them would have much value on their own though. Dinwiddie and Bertans, in particular, could be tricky to move — they’re on pricey multiyear deals and haven’t played well this season.

2021/22 Rising Stars Team Rosters

As we previously relayed, the NBA announced a new format for its Rising Stars event at All-Star weekend, which will take place on Friday, February 18. The event will feature four seven-player teams competing in a three-game tournament (two semifinals and a final).

The player pool is comprised of 12 NBA rookies, 12 sophomores, and four players from the G League Ignite, while the games will be played to a target score: 50 points in the semifinals and 25 points in the final, in honor of the league’s 75th anniversary season.

The rosters were announced on February 1, but now the four honorary coaches (75th anniversary team members Rick Barry, Isiah Thomas, Gary Payton and James Worthy) have selected their seven-man teams, per our JD Shaw (Twitter link). Here are the rosters:

Team Barry:

Team Isiah:

Team Payton:

Team Worthy:

James Ham of ESPN 1320 and The Kings Beat provides (via Twitter) the full draft results.

The top 10, in order, were: Edwards, Mobley, Ball, Anthony, Giddey, Barnes, Cunningham, Bey, Bane, and Wagner. It’s worth noting that Worthy and Anthony both went to the University of North Carolina, so Anthony’s selection at No. 4 is less surprising given that context.

What do you think of the teams? Who do you think will come out on top? Head to the comments section and let us know your thoughts!

Stein’s Latest: Collins, Hawks, Poeltl, Turner, Fox, Lopez

Hawks big man John Collins appears increasingly unlikely to be traded before next Thursday’s deadline, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack article. As Stein explains, Atlanta has been involved in plenty of trade discussions in recent weeks, but the team is playing well lately and seems inclined to push any Collins deal into the offseason.

ESPN’s Zach Lowe conveyed a similar sentiment earlier today. While he didn’t focus specifically on Collins or any other player, Lowe reported that the Hawks remain active in trade talks, but don’t appear to feel the same urgency to make a move that they did a couple weeks ago.

Here are a few more trade rumors from Stein’s latest roundup:

  • The Spurs would require a first-round pick and a quality player in order to part with center Jakob Poeltl, according to Stein, who says the Bulls are among the teams to express interest in the big man. Stein previously identified Toronto as another club with interest in Poeltl.
  • Stein was told on Friday morning that the odds of Pacers big man Myles Turner being moved before the February 10 deadline are a “coin flip.” Turner seemed more likely to be dealt before he sustained a stress fracture in his foot that cooled his market.
  • Despite the Kingsinsistence that they want to keep De’Aaron Fox and build around him and Tyrese Haliburton, Stein says numerous teams still believe Sacramento would be willing to part with Fox.
  • Teams have inquired on center Robin Lopez, but it’s unclear how interested the Magic are in trading him, Stein writes.

NBA Announces 2021/22 Rising Stars Rosters

The NBA has revealed the 28 players (12 rookies, 12 sophomores, and four G League Ignite players) who will suit up for the 2022 Clorox Rising Stars Game in Cleveland this year, per its official PR account (Twitter links). There are a few intriguing surprises among the first-year NBA players.

Here are the players who made the cut:

Rookies:

Sophomores:

Additionally, four players from the G League Ignite will participate in the Rising Stars Game based on voting from NBA G League head coaches. The NBAGL has announced (Twitter link) that MarJon Beauchamp, Dyson Daniels, Jaden Hardy and Scoot Henderson will partake in the action. Players will be separated into four teams, and each G League player will be drafted to join one of the teams later this week.

Among the rookie NBA players, the additions who would be most surprising ahead of the 2021/22 season would be Dosunmu and Jones, both of whom were second-round draft selections. 2021 lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga, Ziaire Williams, James Bouknight, Joshua Primo and Moses Moody were all omitted from inclusion this year.

Among the second-year players, Ball could be appearing on multiple nights during All-Star Weekend this season, as he appears to be a very possible first-time All-Star this year thanks to his outstanding work with the upstart Hornets.

The lottery-bound Magic, Pistons, and Rockets can boast having the most inclusions here, with three players apiece.

As we detailed last week, this year’s Rising Stars event will look a little different, with the four teams taking part in a mini-tournament and playing to a target score in each game: 50 points in the semifinals and 25 points in the final, in honor of the league’s 75th anniversary season.