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Ed Davis To Sign With Chinese Team

August 20th, 2023 at 8:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Former NBA big man Ed Davis is signing with a Chinese team. He has reached an agreement with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers, according to Sportando.

Noted for his rebounding ability, Davis had a lengthy NBA career. The 13th pick in the 2010 draft, Davis appeared in 722 regular-season games, including 106 starts. He averaged 5.9 points and 6.4 rebounds in 19.1 minutes per game with stops in Toronto, Memphis, the Los Angeles Lakers, Portland, Brooklyn, Utah, Minnesota and Cleveland. He also made a combined 33 postseason appearances with three different clubs.

Most recently, he appeared in 31 regular season contests with the Cavaliers during the 2021/22 season. He was unable to receive an NBA contract last season despite his desire to remain in the league.

Davis had a stint in Puerto Ric0 with the Guaynabo Mets last season, averaging more than 13 points and 16 rebounds per contest.

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Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround: Hornets’ Offseason

August 20th, 2023 at 7:08pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Hornets had a 27-55 record last season, 16 fewer victories than the previous season, but they’ve been relatively quiet this summer.

Perhaps the biggest news to come out of Charlotte this offseason was Michael Jordan’s decision to sell his majority stake in the team. The roster looks much like it did at the end of last year.

The most significant developments were signing LaMelo Ball to a five-year max extension and getting the No. 2 pick in the draft. The Hornets used the No. 2 selection on Brandon Miller, who will likely jump right into the starting lineup at one of the forward spots.

Miles Bridges, who missed all of last season due to legal issues, accepted his qualifying offer as he tries to rebuild his value en route to becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer. Bridges and Miller could form the starting forward duo, though Gordon Hayward and P.J. Washington may have something to say about that. Shoulder, hamstring and ankle injuries limited Hayward to 50 games last season but he started every game he was in uniform.

Washington remains a restricted free agent, though it appears the most likely outcome is that he also accepts his qualifying offer or works out a new deal with the Hornets.

Terry Rozier and Cody Martin — limited to seven games last season due to knee issues — are 1-2 on the depth chart at shooting guard, though Bridges could see some time there. Everything revolves around Ball and the Hornets will be much more dangerous if he can stay on the court. The star point guard was limited to 36 games last season. Nick Smith Jr, the team’s other first-round pick, could emerge as his backup.

That leads us to today’s topic: What do you think of the Hornets’ offseason? With the return of Bridges and the addition of No. 2 overall pick Miller, are they a playoff team this upcoming season? Or are they destined for another trip to the lottery?

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

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Eastern Notes: Beverley, DeRozan, Bulls’ Schedule, Embiid, Knicks

August 20th, 2023 at 5:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

It seems unlikely now that new Sixers point guard Patrick Beverley will play with James Harden in Philadelphia but he doesn’t blame Harden for being upset over his contract situation, Dave Early of LibertyBallers.com relays. Beverley weighed in on the Harden saga on his Pat Bev Podcast With Rone.

“I don’t think it’s coming from a bad place. I think he understands exactly what he’s doing,” Beverley said. “And like I said it’s a tough one, ’cause I know both (Harden and Sixers executive Daryl Morey)…. I understand both guys…. it’s just so many pieces that we’re not educated about. But we do know there was something in place that didn’t go down and one man feels some type of way which he’s entitled to feel that way. So I’m not here for the bad James Harden press at all. … I hope I’m able to suit up and play with James Harden but from the way things are looking, [it’s] unfortunate.”

Beverley signed a one-year deal with the Sixers in July.

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

  • DeMar DeRozan ranks as the Bulls’ most valuable trade asset among the team’s core group of players, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times opines. DeRozan, a highly-respected veteran scorer with an expiring contract, could be a hot property for a team with championship aspirations. Nikola Vucevic, despite the fact he signed an extension, could bring more in a deal at the trade deadline than Zach LaVine because of his more affordable contract, Cowley writes.
  • In a separate story, Cowley weighs in on five key games for the Bulls during this upcoming season. The last of the games on his list is the April 1 contest with the Hawks, who played three highly entertaining, hotly-contested games with Chicago last season.
  • The Knicks are one of many teams monitoring the Sixers’ situation and the possibility of Joel Embiid requesting a trade, Matt Ehalt of the New Yok Post writes. It would be an ideal scenario for the Knicks and New York’s top executive, Leon Rose, has the pieces and assets to trade for a superstar. Embiid, whom Rose represented early in the reigning MVP’s career, would immediately make the Knicks serious title contenders.
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International Notes: Bahamas, Poland, Green, Lessort

August 20th, 2023 at 3:23pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Veteran Pacers swingman Buddy Hield submitted a team-most 17 points, while Suns guard Eric Gordon and center Deandre Ayton both made meaningful contributions during Bahamas’ 78-62 blowout win over Uruguay during the 2024 Olympics pre-qualifiers Saturday, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.

Bahamas will now square off against home team Argentina in the final of this year’s Olympic pre-qualifying tournament Sunday night, with the winner earning a spot in next summer’s Olympic qualifying tournament. This is an entirely separate event from the FIBA World Cup, which tips off next week.

Here are more international hoops notes:

  • In winning one of this month’s Olympic pre-qualifying tournaments, Poland has now clinched a spot in the 2024 Olympic qualifying tournament, according to Eurohoops. Poland vanquished Bosnia and Herzegovina, 76-72, in the final. Napoli Basket small forward Michal Sokolowski paced Poland with 16 points and seven boards.
  • While playing their fourth FIBA World Cup exhibition game in Tokyo, Team Australia beat Team France 78-74. Boomers (and Mavericks) wing Josh Green departed the warm-up bout with a mild ankle injury, but the ailment appears fairly minor, per Olgun Uluc of ESPN (Twitter link).
  • After sitting out most of France’s training camp with an ankle issue, national team center Mathias Lessort has been given the green light to suit up for next week’s World Cup, reports Eurohoops. The Knicks own Lessort’s draft rights, though it remains unclear whether he will ever come stateside.
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California Notes: CP3, Curry, Kings, Sabonis

August 20th, 2023 at 2:16pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Longtime rival point guards Stephen Curry and Chris Paul are looking forward to their new status as teammates on a contending Warriors team this year, writes Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

“It’s a beautiful thing about basketball, you can’t write these narratives,” Curry said. “To go full circle, we’ve had a lot of battles over the years. He’s in Year 18, I’m going into Year 15, it’s amazing we have an opportunity to play together, and hopefully win at the highest level. He’s super competitive, and so am I.”

“I’m excited about Steph, Draymond [Green], Klay [Thompson], all the different guys, Wigs [Andrew Wiggins],” Paul said. “I’m excited for us to get together and see what it looks like. It’s just crazy how life works. But when it comes to basketball, I’m probably closest to my happiest. I’m obviously happiest when I’m with my family, but basketball is my safe haven; it’s been that way for a long time.”

Paul, a 12-time All-Star, was sent from the Suns to the Wizards as part of the Bradley Beal trade earlier this summer. The Warriors then traded for the 38-year-old as the centerpiece of its deal to offload Jordan Poole and some other young players.

There’s more out of California:

  • The new-look Warriors will have to fight to stand out in a crowded Western Conference as they pursue another ring. Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area unpacks 10 key regular season bouts that he believes will serve as a critical proving ground for Golden State.
  • After finishing with the West’s third seed while returning to the playoffs for the first time in 17 years, the revitalized Kings be featured prominently on national TV this season. According to James Ham of ESPN 1320 (Twitter link), the club will play six regular season contests on TNT, five on ESPN and 11 on NBA TV. Ham adds (via Twitter) that 16 of those 22 national bouts will be played in Sacramento.
  • Kings All-Star big man Domantas Sabonis is looking forward to the NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament, as he told Kyle Irving of The Sporting News. “It’s another chance to win something,” Sabonis said. “In international basketball, these cups in the middle of the season are big. They mean something. And then history happens and it’s important. “I feel like this year, if people aren’t on board at the moment, once that first champion wins, everyone is going to be like, ‘Oh, I want that next year.’ It’s only going to get better and better.”
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Traded Second Round Picks For 2024 NBA Draft

August 20th, 2023 at 1:00pm CST by Luke Adams

We’re using the space below to keep tabs on each NBA team’s second round pick for 2024, continually updating it as necessary throughout the year. Our list of traded first round picks for 2024 can be found right here.

We’ve listed all 30 teams here, so even if a team hasn’t traded its second round pick, that will be noted. We’ll also provide details on protections for each traded pick, including what happens to the pick in 2025 if it doesn’t change hands in 2024.

Here’s the full breakdown on the status of each 2024 second-round pick:

Atlantic

  • Boston Celtics: Traded to Mavericks.
  • Brooklyn Nets: Traded to Grizzlies or Rockets (55-58 protection).
    • If this pick lands in the top 54, the Grizzlies will receive the most favorable of the Warriors’ and Nets’ 2024 second round picks and the Rockets will receive the least favorable; if this pick lands between 55-58, the Nets would keep it and their obligation to Memphis or Houston would be extinguished.
  • New York Knicks: Traded to Pistons.
  • Philadelphia 76ers: Own pick.
  • Toronto Raptors: Traded to Pacers or Clippers.
    • Details at bottom of page.

Central

  • Chicago Bulls: Traded to Sixers, Pacers, or Warriors.
    • The Sixers will receive the most favorable of the Bulls’ and Pelicans’ 2024 second round picks; the Pacers will receive the least favorable of the two. The Pacers may subsequently flip their pick to the Warriors (details at bottom of page).
  • Cleveland Cavaliers: Traded to Knicks, Clippers, Pacers, or Warriors.
    • Details at bottom of page.
  • Detroit Pistons: Traded to Raptors.
  • Indiana Pacers: Traded swap rights to Clippers.
    • Details at bottom of page.
  • Milwaukee Bucks: Traded to Pacers or Warriors.
    • Details at bottom of page.

Southeast

  • Atlanta Hawks: Traded to Trail Blazers.
  • Charlotte Hornets: Traded to Trail Blazers or Nuggets.
    • The Trail Blazers will receive the most favorable of the Hornets’ and Timberwolves’ 2024 second round picks; the Nuggets will receive the least favorable of the two.
  • Miami Heat: Possibly traded to Hawks or Knicks.
    • The Hawks would receive this pick if it lands between 51-55; the Knicks would receive it if it lands between 56-58; the Heat would keep it if it lands in the top 50. If the Heat keep the pick, their obligations to the Hawks and Knicks would be extinguished.
  • Orlando Magic: Own pick.
  • Washington Wizards: Traded to Jazz or Timberwolves.
    • The Jazz will receive the most favorable of the Wizards’ and Grizzlies’ 2024 second round picks; the Timberwolves will receive the least favorable of the two.

Northwest

  • Denver Nuggets: Traded to Suns.
  • Minnesota Timberwolves: Traded to Trail Blazers or Nuggets.
    • The Trail Blazers will receive the most favorable of the Timberwolves’ and Hornets’ 2024 second round picks; the Nuggets will receive the least favorable of the two.
  • Oklahoma City Thunder: Traded to Grizzlies.
  • Portland Trail Blazers: Traded to Bucks.
  • Utah Jazz: Traded to Knicks, Clippers, Pacers, or Warriors.
    • Details at bottom of page.

Pacific

  • Golden State Warriors: Traded to Grizzlies, Rockets or Cavaliers.
    • If this pick lands in the top 55, the Grizzlies will receive the most favorable of the Warriors’ and Nets’ 2024 second round picks and the Rockets will receive the least favorable; if this pick lands between 56-58, the Cavaliers would receive it. The Warriors’ obligation to the team that doesn’t receive the pick will be extinguished.
  • Los Angeles Clippers: Traded to Lakers.
  • Los Angeles Lakers: Traded to Spurs.
  • Phoenix Suns: Traded to Wizards.
  • Sacramento Kings: Own pick.

Southwest

  • Dallas Mavericks: Traded to Celtics.
  • Houston Rockets: Traded to Hornets.
  • Memphis Grizzlies: Traded to Jazz or Timberwolves.
    • The Jazz will receive the most favorable of the Grizzlies’ and Wizards’ 2024 second round picks; the Timberwolves will receive the least favorable of the two.
  • New Orleans Pelicans: Traded to Sixers, Pacers, or Warriors.
    • The Sixers will receive the most favorable of the Bulls’ and Pelicans’ 2024 second round picks; the Pacers will receive the least favorable of the two. The Pacers may subsequently flip their pick to the Warriors (details at bottom of page).
  • San Antonio Spurs: Possibly traded to Suns or Celtics.
    • The Suns would receive this pick if it lands between 50-54; the Celtics would receive it if it lands between 55-58; the Spurs would keep it if it lands in the top 49. If the Spurs keep the pick, their obligations to the Suns and Celtics would be extinguished.

Here are the details on how the Raptors‘, Cavaliers‘, Pacers‘, and Jazz‘s second round picks will be distributed:

The Knicks will receive the most favorable of:

  1. The Jazz’s 2024 second round pick.
  2. The Cavaliers’ 2024 second round pick.

The Pacers will receive the most favorable of:

  1. The Raptors’ 2024 second round pick.
  2. The most favorable of the Pacers’ 2024 second round pick and the Jazz/Cavaliers 2024 second round pick that the Knicks didn’t acquire.

If the Pacers don’t receive the Raptors’ 2024 second round pick, the Clippers will receive it and the Pacers will end up with the other two picks. If the Pacers do receive the Raptors’ 2024 second round pick, the Clippers will receive the most favorable of the two remaining picks and the Pacers will receive the least favorable.

From there, the Pacers will send the least favorable of the following picks to the Warriors:

  1. The least favorable pick of the two they receive based on the guidelines outlined above.
  2. The least favorable of the Bulls’ and Pelicans’ picks.
  3. The Bucks’ pick.

Information from RealGM was used in the creation of this post.

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Only Two NBA Teams Control Their Own 2024 Second-Round Picks

August 20th, 2023 at 11:43am CST by Luke Adams

As we noted earlier this week when we took a closer look at the 30 trades that have been completed so far during the NBA offseason, second-round picks have become a more popular form of currency than ever, with 54 second-rounders (50 unprotected) included in summer deals.

It’s perhaps no surprise then that nearly every NBA team has either traded away its 2024 second-round pick or could lose it or swap it if certain conditions are met.

The Magic and Kings are currently the only two NBA teams that fully control their own second-round picks in 2024.

The Sixers also haven’t traded away their own ’24 second-rounder, but will have to forfeit it as a result of an NBA investigation into free agency gun-jumping last year.

Of those two clubs that have unconditional control of their second-round picks in next year’s draft, Orlando is the only one that has never traded that 2024 second-rounder at any time. Sacramento sent its ’24 second-round selection to Detroit in a 2021 deal for Delon Wright, then reacquired it a year later in the trade that sent Marvin Bagley III to the Pistons.

Of the NBA’s 27 other teams outside of Detroit, Sacramento, and Philadelphia, a total of 22 will definitely send their second-round picks to another team next June, having traded them without protections or swap rights.

The Nets will, in all likelihood, join that group. They’d keep their own second-round pick if it ends up between Nos. 56 and 59, but if it’s in the top 55, it will be sent to Houston.

The Heat and Spurs, meanwhile, have traded away their 2024 second-round picks with protection. Miami will keep its second-rounder if it’s in the top 50, but would otherwise have to send it to Atlanta or New York. San Antonio will hang onto its ’24 second-rounder if it’s in the top 49, but would otherwise have to send it to Phoenix or Boston.

Given the expectations for those two teams in 2023/24, the Spurs appear far more likely than the Heat to hang onto their own pick.

Finally, the Pelicans and Pacers have given up swap rights to their second-round picks, but will still control a second-rounder, even if it’s not their own. New Orleans will receive the least favorable of its own ’24 second-rounder and Chicago’s pick. Indiana will end up with the least favorable of its own selection, Cleveland’s second-rounder, Utah’s second-rounder.

We’ll publish a full post this afternoon breaking down all the details on 2024’s traded second-round picks.

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Terrence Ross Received Offer From Serbian Team

August 20th, 2023 at 10:11am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on a Twitch live stream, veteran NBA wing Terrence Ross confirmed that he has received a contract offer from a Serbian team (Twitter video link via B92 Sport).

“They did offer me (a contract),” Ross said when asked about rumors that he could make the move to Serbia. “I was like, ‘Oh?’ Who knows.”

While Ross didn’t specifically name the team, there are only two Serbian clubs that compete in the EuroLeague and could make a viable offer for a player with the 32-year-old’s professional résumé. Of those two, Crvena Zvezda isn’t believed to be in the market for a player like Ross, per Eurohoops, so the 11-year NBA vet is likely referring to KK Partizan.

Whether that offer remains on the table is unclear. KK Partizan has recently added two other NBA veterans, including one wing, having signed PJ Dozier and Frank Kaminsky. According to Christos Harpidis of Bet Corner News (Twitter link), Partizan isn’t necessarily looking to acquire another NBA player right now.

It’s also not clear whether or not Ross is enthusiastic about the idea of playing overseas. He has been in the NBA since being selected with the eighth overall pick in the 2012 draft, appearing in a total of 733 regular season games and another 47 playoff contests during those 11 years.

Ross spent his first 10 NBA seasons in Toronto and Orlando, then was bought out by the Magic after the 2023 trade deadline. He caught on with the Suns and finished the season in Phoenix, averaging 9.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 18.4 minutes per game across 21 appearances with his new club.

A career 36.2% three-point shooter, Ross should still appeal to an NBA team seeking three-and-D depth at the back of its roster, but he has yet to find a new home after becoming a free agent on July 1. Presumably, he’ll continue to exhaust his NBA options before seriously considering a move to Europe.

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Decisions On 2024/25 Rookie Scale Team Options

August 20th, 2023 at 9:06am CST by Luke Adams

While decisions on player and team options for veteran NBA contracts are typically due in June, the deadline to exercise third- and fourth-year team options for players on rookie scale contracts arrives each fall. This year’s deadline for teams to pick up rookie scale options is October 31, 2023.

All the players whose options will be exercised or declined by Oct. 31 are already under contract for the 2023/24 season. Their teams will have to make a decision on whether they want to lock in those players’ contracts beyond the coming season, picking up or turning down team options for the 2024/25 campaign.

For players who signed their rookie scale contracts in 2021 and have already been in the NBA for two years, teams must decide on fourth-year options for 2024/25. For players who just signed their rookie deals last year and only have one season of NBA experience under their belts, teams will already be faced with a decision on third-year options for ’24/25.

In many cases, these decisions aren’t difficult ones. Rookie scale salaries are affordable enough that it usually makes sense to exercise most of these team options, even if a player isn’t a key cog on the roster. And for those players who do have a significant role on a team’s roster, the decision is even easier — it’s not as if the Kings will consider turning down their option on Keegan Murray, for instance.

Still, we’ll wait for a trusted reporter, the NBA, a player (or his agent), or a team itself to confirm that an option is indeed being exercised or declined, and we’ll track that news in this space.

Listed below are all the rookie scale decisions for 2024/25 team options that clubs must make by Oct. 31. This list will be updated through the deadline as teams’ decisions are reported and announced. The salary figures listed here reflect the cap hits for each team.

Here are the NBA’s rookie scale team option decisions for 2024/25 salaries:

Atlanta Hawks

Boston Celtics

  • None

Brooklyn Nets

Charlotte Hornets

Chicago Bulls

Cleveland Cavaliers

Dallas Mavericks

  • None

Denver Nuggets

Detroit Pistons

Golden State Warriors

Houston Rockets

Indiana Pacers

Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers

  • None

Memphis Grizzlies

Miami Heat

Milwaukee Bucks

Minnesota Timberwolves

New Orleans Pelicans

New York Knicks

Oklahoma City Thunder

Orlando Magic

Philadelphia 76ers

Phoenix Suns

Portland Trail Blazers

Sacramento Kings

San Antonio Spurs

Toronto Raptors

Utah Jazz

Washington Wizards

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Bulls GM Says Keeping Nikola Vucevic Was “No. 1 Goal”

August 19th, 2023 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls were determined to re-sign their free agents this summer and center Nikola Vucevic was the top priority, general manager Marc Eversley told K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

Appearing on the Bulls Talk podcast, Eversley discussed the need for continuity, especially regarding Vucevic, who has been with Chicago since a trade deadline deal in 2021. Vucevic opted to forgo free agency and accepted a three-year, $60MM extension.

“I’m excited for Vooch,” Eversley said. “There’s not many starting centers in the NBA. So if Vooch were to go away, how would you replace him? Those options were just not appealing to us. So retaining him became the No. 1 goal of the offseason.”

Vucevic will turn 33 in October, but he’s coming off a productive season. He played 82 games for the first time in his career and averaged 17.6 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per night while shooting 52% from the floor and 34.9% from beyond the arc.

The Bulls also re-signed guards Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu, setting up a battle for playing time in a crowded backcourt. They added Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig as well to cap off a productive free agent session.

On the first night of free agency, White committed to a three-year, $36MM deal that could reach $40MM with incentives. He’s coming off the worst scoring season of his career at 9.7 PPG, but the Bulls are happy with other parts of his game.

“Coby White had, I thought, a terrific year last year. I think the growth he has shown over the last three years has been second to nobody on the roster,” Eversley said. “I think his ability to shoot (and) he’s much more comfortable handling it now. He doesn’t get pressured or panic anymore.

“He has found his voice in the locker room. He has become a quiet leader. We’ve seen growth and development from him. And that’s why it was critical to bring him back.”

Dosunmu, who started 51 games in his second NBA season, signed a three-year, $21MM contract as a restricted free agent. He earned second-team All-Rookie honors in 2022, but experienced a decline in his three-point shooting last season.

“He would not argue with me; he didn’t have quite the second year he thought he might’ve,” Eversley said. “Call it a sophomore slump. But we’ve seen him in the Advocate Center and how hard he has worked from the end of the season to today and there’s nothing but good things that are going to happen to him.”

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