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Western Notes: Westbrook, Ryan, Pelicans, Ayton, Mavs

September 26th, 2023 at 1:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Russell Westbrook fit in even better than expected down the stretch with the Clippers last season, according to Law Murray of The Athletic, who notes that the veteran point guard was an effective change-of-pace option for a slow team and showed a willingness to work off the ball more than he has in the past.

With Westbrook returning to the Clippers after re-signing as a free agent, Murray explores whether the former MVP can have the same sort of impact in 2023/24 and what the team’s contingency options look like if Westbrook isn’t as effective or gets injured.

Terance Mann and Bones Hyland look like the best in-house alternatives at the point if the Clippers are unable to trade for James Harden or another veteran. However, the team still wants to see more aggression out of Mann as a play-maker and creator, while Hyland is an undersized defender, Murray writes.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Although Matt Ryan is signing a new two-way contract with the Timberwolves, he’s not necessarily guaranteed to keep that roster spot into the regular season, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that Ryan will compete for a two-way spot with Minnesota’s other camp invitees. Krawczynski adds (via Twitter) that the sharpshooter worked out for the Pelicans last week before agreeing to re-sign with the Wolves.
Following up on the recent Deandre Ayton trade rumors, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports puts together 10 hypothetical multi-team deals that send Ayton to the Trail Blazers, Damian Lillard to a third team, and other assets to the Suns.
Mavericks director of player health and performance Casey Smith, who has been on the team’s bench for the last two decades, will have his role adjusted this season, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link). Smith won’t travel with the Mavs on a regular basis or be on their bench, MacMahon says.

Kelly Oubre Signs One-Year Contract With Sixers

September 26th, 2023 at 12:29pm CST by Dana Gauruder

SEPTEMBER 26: Oubre has officially signed with the Sixers, the team confirmed today in a press release. Philadelphia announced in the same release that it has waived Marcus Bagley. The corresponding move was necessary because the team had a full 21-man roster.

SEPTEMBER 18: Veteran forward Kelly Oubre is signing a one-year contract with the Sixers, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

Oubre was one of the last prominent free agents on the market. He struggled to find a contract to his liking in free agency despite averaging a career-best 20.3 points to go along with 5.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game in 48 appearances (32.3 MPG) last season with the Hornets.

He’s signing for the veteran’s minimum, Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports tweets. Having been in the league for eight seasons, Oubre is in line for a salary of $2,891,467.

Oubre spent the last two seasons in Charlotte and has also had stints with Washington, Phoenix and Golden State. In 527 career games, he has averaged 12.8 points in 25.8 minutes. The main drawback in his offensive game remains his spotty 3-point shooting (33.0% for his career, 31.9% last season).

The addition of Oubre will give the Sixers a full 21-man camp roster. If his deal is fully guaranteed, it would give Philadelphia 14 players on fully guaranteed contracts.

Given the uncertainty of James Harden‘s status, Oubre could be in line for major minutes. Philadelphia has a projected lineup of Harden, Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, P.J. Tucker and Joel Embiid. Their wing depth consists mainly of Furkan Korkmaz, Danuel House and De’Anthony Melton.

The Sixers were not among the teams rumored to be interested in Oubre. The Cavaliers, Mavericks and Heat were mentioned, but this could be an even better opportunity for him.

Celtics Sign Lamar Stevens To Non-Guaranteed Deal

September 26th, 2023 at 11:55am CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 26: The Celtics have officially signed Stevens, per RealGM’s transaction log. He received a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contract, Hoops Rumors has learned.

SEPTEMBER 22: The Celtics have reached an agreement with free agent forward Lamar Stevens, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Stevens spent the last three seasons in Cleveland after going undrafted out of Penn State in 2020. He appeared in 62 games last season, starting 25 of them and averaging 18.1 minutes per night. The 26-year-old recorded 5.3 PPG and 3.3 RPG on .448/.316/.702 shooting and was one of Cavaliers’ most reliable perimeter defenders.

After having his non-guaranteed team option picked up by the Cavs, Stevens was included as an outgoing piece in the three-team deal that sent Max Strus to Cleveland via sign-and-trade. He received a $400K partial guarantee and landed in San Antonio in that transaction, but was waived later in July by the Spurs before his $1.9MM+ salary for 2023/24 became fully guaranteed.

Stevens was said last week to be drawing interest from a handful of teams, including Houston, Miami, and Minnesota, but he ended up agreeing to sign with the Celtics after working out for the club in August.

The details of Stevens’ agreement with the Celtics aren’t yet known. Boston is currently carrying just 11 players on fully guaranteed salaries, with Dalano Banton, Svi Mykhailiuk, and Luke Kornet on non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed minimum-salary deals. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Stevens signs a similar contract, perhaps with a partial guarantee in the ballpark of the ones Banton and Mykhailiuk received ($200K apiece).

Damian Lillard Rumors: Heat, Raptors, Bucks

September 26th, 2023 at 11:43am CST by Luke Adams

While the Trail Blazers and Heat could rekindle their Damian Lillard trade discussions at some point, each team has an understanding about where the other stands, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald, who says there’s a “fundamental disagreement” between the two clubs about what a fair deal for Lillard looks like.

As Chiang explains, the reason why there has only been limited communication between Portland and Miami in the last few weeks is because a deal sending Lillard to the Heat only seems possible if one of the two teams decides to deviate from its current plan — in other words, the Blazers would have to accept much less than they want to for Lillard, or the Heat would have to offer more than they currently intend to.

A league source who spoke last week to Portland’s front office was told by the Blazers that a trade sending Lillard to Miami is “unlikely,” according to Chiang. We may find out soon whether that’s true or if it’s simply posturing.

Here’s more on Lillard:

Amid rumors that the Raptors appear to be the frontrunners to land Lillard, Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Twitter link) is the latest reporter to say that he’s hearing more chatter about Toronto than any other suitor as of late, though he remains wary of how seriously to take that chatter.
Whatever a Raptors offer for Lillard looks like, it won’t include 2022 Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes, league sources tell Kurt Helin of NBC Sports. Toronto’s front office loves Barnes and hasn’t made him available via trade, according to Helin, who adds, “It’s not that Toronto took him off the table — Barnes was never in the same room as the table.”
In his latest update on Lillard, Marc J. Spears of ESPN identified the Bucks, Celtics, Sixers, and Bulls as teams besides Toronto and Miami that have shown interest in Lillard since he asked to be moved. While most of those clubs have been mentioned as potential suitors this offseason, we haven’t heard much about Milwaukee. Based on their current cap situation and trade restrictions, the Bucks would almost certainly have to include Jrue Holiday in any offer for Lillard.

Jrue Holiday Says He’d “Love To” Sign Extension With Bucks

September 26th, 2023 at 10:41am CST by Luke Adams

Bucks guard Jrue Holiday is very much open to the idea of signing a contract extension that would keep him in Milwaukee beyond his current deal, he tells Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“Would love to,” Holiday said. “Before I even won here, I think I said I’m a Buck for life and I mean that like deep in my heart. I don’t want to play for any other team. I think we have a chance to continue to do great things as the Bucks team and organization, so I want to be in Milwaukee.”

Holiday will earn a guaranteed base salary of nearly $35MM in 2023/24, with another $6MM+ available in incentives. He has a player option on his deal for the ’24/25 season, but could decline that option in order to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Holiday will become eligible to sign an extension on February 23, and there’s a belief among NBA observers that the way the Bucks handle that situation could have a ripple effect on Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s own future in Milwaukee. In order to keep both players, the Bucks will have to keep winning — Holiday says the team’s success in recent years has increased his confidence as a player.

“Being with the Bucks, having three of the best seasons I’ve had in my career, and not only that but having a winning record, being a top team or a top-three team, I don’t think I was ever on a top three-team until I came to the Bucks,” he told Owczarski. “Growing up in the ’90s and always hearing, ‘Yeah, you’re one of the greatest if you win,’ so I’m thinking like, yeah, I’m that dude – or one of them – because of how I won, because we have won, and also because we’re on a winning team. … I knew I was good, a good basketball player, but I didn’t really give myself that credit until I was on a team that won.”

Holiday is coming off another stellar year, having earned the second All-Star berth of his career – and the first in a decade – in 2022/23. He averaged 19.3 points, 7.4 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game in 67 appearances while claiming a spot on the All-Defensive First Team for a third time and winning his third Teammate of the Year award.

While Holiday would be eligible to receive a 40% raise (up to his maximum salary) on a new deal, the taxpaying Bucks will have to weigh how much they’re willing to offer the veteran guard, who will turn 34 next June and has generally been the third option on offense behind Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton since arriving in Milwaukee.

Nets Sign Kyler Edwards, Waive Two Players

September 26th, 2023 at 9:20am CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have made a handful of moves affecting the back of their offseason roster, signing Kyler Edwards and waiving Jordan Hall and Keifer Sykes, per the team.

Edwards, 24, went undrafted out of Houston in 2022 and spent his rookie season playing for the Motor City Cruise, the Pistons’ G League affiliate. In 41 regular season and Showcase Cup appearances for the Cruise, the 6’4″ shooting guard averaged 11.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 25.6 minutes per contest, posting a shooting line of .397/.335/.738.

Hall and Sykes had been on Exhibit 10 contracts and Edwards’ new contract will almost certainly be an Exhibit 10 deal as well. The terms of those deals make them eligible to earn bonuses worth up to $75K if they spend at least 60 days this season with the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s NBAGL team.

Long Island has acquired the returning rights to all three players, so Edwards – like Hall and Sykes – figures to be waived before the regular season begins and will likely start the year in the G League.

Brooklyn has 19 players under contract following its latest roster moves, including 13 on guaranteed salaries and a pair on two-way deals.

Clippers Sign Brodric Thomas To Exhibit 10 Contract

September 26th, 2023 at 7:49am CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers have signed free agent shooting guard Brodric Thomas, according to RealGM’s log of official NBA transactions. The agreement was first reported by Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link), who says it’s an Exhibit 10 deal.

Thomas, 26, appeared in a total of 44 NBA regular season games from 2020-22 for the Rockets, Cavaliers, and Celtics, averaging 3.3 points and 1.4 rebounds in 10.4 minutes per contest.

Although his impact at the NBA level has been limited, Thomas has played well in the G League, averaging 16.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.6 steals in 31.9 minutes per game across 36 regular season appearances for three NBAGL teams. He posted a .436/.384/.714 shooting line in those games.

Thomas played for the Clippers’ Summer League team in Las Vegas this July and now seems likely to end up with the Ontario Clippers, Los Angeles’ G League affiliate. His Exhibit 10 contract would put him in line for a bonus worth up to $75K if he’s waived by L.A. and then spends at least 60 days with Ontario.

Thomas could also be a candidate to fill one of the Clippers’ two-way contract slots. His Exhibit 10 deal can be converted into a two-way anytime up until the day before the regular season, and L.A. has an open spot alongside Jordan Miller and Moussa Diabate.

The Clippers now have 20 players under contract.

Community Shootaround: Mavericks’ Season

September 25th, 2023 at 10:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

One of the teams that will be closely watched this season is the Mavericks.

While Luka Doncic is signed through the 2026/27 season – he has a player option in the final year of his contract – the Mavericks need to be a major contender on a yearly basis to prevent Doncic from being the next superstar to ask for a trade.

Dallas rolled the dice on Kyrie Irving last season, making a blockbuster trade for the mercurial point guard. In the short run, it blew up in the Mavs’ faces as they didn’t participate in the postseason. Irving was signed to a three-year, $120MM contract this offseason but that won’t end the speculation that he could eventually be dealt to the Lakers – if Los Angeles wants him.

Dallas’ other big move this offseason was to engineer a sign-and-trade with the Celtics for power forward Grant Williams.

The backcourt duo and Williams will comprise three-fifths of the starting lineup. From there, it gets murky.

Josh Green or Tim Hardaway Jr. would seem to be the logical candidates at small forward but coach Jason Kidd won’t rule out the possibility of Olivier-Maxence Prosper – the 24th pick in the draft — grabbing that spot if he has a strong training camp.

Ditto for center Dereck Lively II, their lottery selection at No. 12. Kidd believes Lively will be a factor from the get-go, even though there are veteran options in Dwight Powell and Richaun Holmes at that position.

The Mavs have also been involved in a number of trade rumors, with Deandre Ayton, Clint Capela and Buddy Hield among the players they’ve been linked to in recent months.

Kidd would seemingly be on the hot seat this season, following last season’s flop and owner Mark Cuban desire to have a serious shot at a title while keeping Doncic happy.

That brings us to our topic of the day: How do think the Mavs will fare this season? What player should they trade for to significantly improve their chances?

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

Latest On Raptors’ Interest In Damian Lillard

September 25th, 2023 at 9:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Raptors are now the frontrunners to land Damian Lillard, two high-ranking executives told ESPN’s Marc Spears.

Reports of genuine interest by Toronto’s front office to land the perennial All-Star guard have surfaced in recent days. It’s almost been a foregone conclusion since Lillard requested a trade at the beginning of July that he would inevitably end up with the Heat, his preferred destination.

However, there haven’t been any substantial trade conversations between the Trail Blazers and Heat, according to Spears. Meanwhile, the Raptors have had recent conversations with the Blazers regarding Lillard, though there’s nothing imminent in terms a potential blockbuster deal.

That could change soon. Those same unnamed executives believe Lillard will be dealt before media day next Monday.

Toronto’s package could include some combination of Pascal Siakam, Scottie Barnes and/or OG Anunoby. The Blazers are also highly interested in the Raptors’ first-round pick, Gradey Dick. The Heat initially offered a trade package that included Tyler Herro and two first-round draft picks, according to Spears’ sources.

While the Raptors front office has long admired Lillard, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports isn’t quite sure if it will go all-in on a 33-year-old point guard with a four-year contract worth upwards of $216MM. Lewenberg doubts the Raptors would include Barnes in any deal and doesn’t see the 29-year-old Siakam as a fit for the Blazers.

He speculates a Lillard package from the Raptors could include Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr., Dick, salary filler and multiple first-round picks. In that case, Toronto might need to lift the protections on the 2024 pick it sent to San Antonio in the deadline-day trade for Jakob Poeltl last February.

Whether Lillard would be happy to go north of the border is a major question mark. He believes he’d have a great shot at a ring by joining forces with Heat stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. The lack of a state tax in Florida, greater marketing potential and the Heat’s renowned culture also intrigue him, according to Spears.

Warriors Notes: Lineup, Howard, Roster Spots, Load Management, Kerr

September 25th, 2023 at 8:07pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The decision on the Warriors’ starting lineup will be made during training camp, coach Steve Kerr said in a video link provided by The Athletic’s Anthony Slater.

Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney and Chris Paul will all get significant minutes regardless but Kerr wants to look at various combinations before making a decision.

“We basically have six starters, the way I look at it,” he said. “Only five can go each night, so I haven’t decided yet what we’re going to do. I want to see in training camp. We’re going to try to different combinations. Obviously, all six guys are going to play a lot of minutes for us. But if this is going to work, everyone is going to have to embrace it, regardless of who is starting and who isn’t.”

Kerr will look at a smaller lineup with either Green or Looney in the middle. However, he likes the chemistry that Green and Looney have developed over the years.

We have more on the Warriors:

In regard to Dwight Howard meeting with the front office, general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said the longtime center is just one of many candidates for the remaining roster spots. The Warriors have held open the 14th and 15th spots. “In general, we brought in maybe 40 or 50 guys this summer to get a further look at,” Dunleavy said, as relayed by Warriors on NBCS (video link). “Some of them, we’ll bring into camp.” Dunleavy added that he’s not targeting a specific position to fill one or both of those spots. “We’re kind of open,” he added.
Dunleavy said the team will follow the new league rules regarding load management, Warriors on NBCS relays in another video link. Kerr has sometimes rested multiple starters during back-to-backs in recent years. “The league makes the rules. We’ll play by them,” Dunleavy said. “That’s the best I can say.”
Kerr says he’ll run a tighter ship after the Warriors’ disappointing postseason performance, according to Kendra Andrews of ESPN. “When you lose in the second round and you feel like you’ve had a disappointing year, it’s a lot easier to come in and be focused,” Kerr said. “It’s a lot easier for me to come in as a coach and be more demanding, and I think the players will expect that, too.”