NBA Announces In-Season Tournament Schedule, Tiebreaker Procedures

After previously announcing the dates and groups for its inaugural in-season tournament, the NBA today announced the schedule for the group play portion of the tournament, which will begin on November 3 and run through Nov. 28.

The group play games will take place on four Fridays and three Tuesdays during November. The NBA put out its schedule by date in addition to a schedule by team.

Each Friday will feature a nationally televised doubleheader on ESPN, while TNT will nationally broadcast doubleheaders on Tuesday. NBA TV will also air a pair of tournament games on the afternoon of November 24, prior to ESPN’s doubleheader.

The quarterfinals will take place on December 4 and 5, with the semifinals to follow on Dec. 7 and the final to be played on Dec. 9. The higher-seeded teams will host the quarterfinal matchups, while the semifinals and final will take place in Las Vegas.

The NBA also revealed a few other crucial details about the in-season tournament, including the tiebreaker procedures for determining group winners and wild card teams. The following tiebreakers will be used, sequentially, to determine group winners, seeding among group winners, each conference’s wild card winner, and the overall conference rankings for the tournament:

  1. Head-to-head record in group play (if applicable)
  2. Point differential in group play
  3. Total points scored in group play
  4. 2022/23 record
  5. Random drawing

Because the in-season tournament games (except for the final) will count toward a team’s regular season record, the 22 teams that don’t advance to the quarterfinal stage of the in-season tournament will play regular season games on December 6 and 8, with each club getting one home and one road game. According to the league, a “formulaic approach” will determine the matchups in those games — it will be based on the overall standings of the in-season tournament.

Those extra regular season contests will primarily be intra-conference matchups, though a pair of inter-conference games will be necessary, since there will be 11 teams in each conference that don’t make the knockout stage of the in-season tournament.

The losing teams in the quarterfinals will face one another in a pair of intra-conference games on Dec. 8. Additional regular season contests won’t be needed for the clubs that advance to the semifinals and final.

The full regular season schedule for the 2023/24 season will be announced this Thursday, per the NBA (Twitter link).

Pacers, Darius McGhee Agree To Exhibit 10 Deal

The Pacers have agreed to sign undrafted rookie free agent Darius McGhee to an Exhibit 10 contract, he tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link).

McGhee is an undersized guard at 5’9″, but he became one of the most dangerous outside shooters in the NCAA during his five college seasons at Liberty. Over the last three years, he made 4.1 three-pointers per game at a 39.6% clip, averaging 21.3 PPG in 98 games (32.0 MPG) during that time.

A three-time ASUN Player of the Year, McGhee caught on with Indiana’s Summer League team last month. Although he logged just 12.8 MPG in a pair of appearances in Las Vegas, the Pacers apparently want to see more from the 24-year-old.

An Exhibit 10 contract can be converted into a two-way deal before the season, but all three of the Pacers’ two-way slots are currently full. That means the likeliest next step for McGhee may be joining the Fort Wayne Mad Ants as a G League affiliate player. His Exhibit 10 contract would put him in line for a bonus worth up to $75K if he’s waived by Indiana and then spends at least 60 days with the Mad Ants.

Indiana currently has 18 players under contract — 15 on guaranteed standard deal and three on two-way pacts.

26 Of NBA’s 30 Teams Have Made At Least One Offseason Trade

Since the 2023 NBA offseason began, 30 trades have been made, as our tracker shows. A total of 26 teams have been involved in those 30 deals, with 19 clubs (nearly two-thirds of the league) completing multiple trades.

The Sixers, Trail Blazers, Raptors, and Pelicans are the only teams that haven’t been part of at least one trade since their seasons ended this spring. It’s entirely possible that some of those clubs will still make a deal before the 2023/24 season begins, especially since they currently hold many of the NBA’s top trade candidates, including James Harden, Damian Lillard, and Pascal Siakam.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Celtics and Wizards have been the NBA’s most active teams on the trade market this summer, completing six deals apiece. Some of those trades were relatively minor, but others – including one that included Kristaps Porzingis and Marcus Smart and involved both teams – were more substantial. While Boston was aggressive in looking to upgrade a roster that fell just short of last season’s NBA Finals, Washington’s new front office was looking to reshape its roster entirely.

The Thunder have been the next most active team on the trade market this offseason, making five separate deals. The Suns, Hawks, Spurs, Pistons, and Pacers each completed four trades.

Here are a few more details on this summer’s 30 trades:

  • The other clubs that have made multiple trades include the Kings, Grizzlies, and Mavericks, with three apiece. The Nets, Cavaliers, Magic, Heat, Rockets, Jazz, Clippers, and Warriors have each made two trades.
  • That leaves the Lakers, Hornets, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Knicks, Bulls, and Bucks as the teams that have completed just one trade apiece.
  • Of this offseason’s 30 trades, 24 were relatively simple two-team deals. Four were three-team agreements, while there was also one four-teamer and even one five-teamer.
  • Only three players have been signed-and-traded this offseason, but all three of those deals involved three or more teams. Those multi-team agreements were necessary because the clubs moving players via sign-and-trade (Boston with Grant Williams, Miami with Max Strus, and Memphis with Dillon Brooks) weren’t interested in taking back significant salary.
  • Seven first-round picks from the 2023 draft were traded this offseason, including one who was moved twice — No. 25 pick Marcus Sasser was officially selected by the Grizzlies, then was flipped to the Celtics, who traded him to the Pistons.
  • Every single player picked between No. 31 and No. 39 in this year’s draft was traded at least once this offseason, with four of those players (James Nnaji, Colby Jones, Julian Phillips, and Mouhamed Gueye) dealt twice. Of the remaining second-rounders, only three were traded — No. 40 pick Maxwell Lewis, No. 47 Mojave King, and No. 57 Trayce Jackson-Davis.
  • Although a handful of teams acquired the right to swap future first-round picks, very few first-rounders actually changed hands. The Celtics acquired Golden State’s 2024 first-round pick (top-four protected) and the Thunder acquired Denver’s 2029 first-round pick (top-five protected). The only other two first-round picks to be traded had modest value — the Pacers acquired a “least favorable” 2024 first-rounder from Oklahoma City and the Wizards received a top-20 protected 2030 first-rounder from Golden State.
  • Conversely, second-round picks were being passed around like hotcakes all offseason, with a staggering 50 future second-rounders changing hands. Four more second-round selections were traded with protections and may or may not end up being conveyed.

And-Ones: Washington, Available FAs, Player Tiers, CBA

Exploring possible destinations for some of the top remaining free agents, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report suggests that many people around the league think that P.J. Washington – the only standard restricted free agent still on the board – will eventually accept his qualifying offer from the Hornets. Pincus also confirms that the Lakers have conveyed interest in big man Christian Wood.

In considering a potential landing spot for Kelly Oubre, who averaged more than 20 points per game last season, Pincus notes that Memphis makes some sense. While it’s not clear if the Grizzlies have actually expressed interest in Oubre, Pincus points out that they haven’t really replaced Dillon Brooks at forward and have some young players – such as Ziaire Williams or Josh Christopher – who might appeal to the Hornets in a sign-and-trade scenario.

Here are a few more odds and ends from the league:

  • Seth Partnow of The Athletic has published the first two installments of his player tier rankings for the 2023/24 season. Breaking down the top 125 players of the league into five tiers, Partnow lists 45 players in tier five – including Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson and Raptors forward Scottie Barnes – and 41 more in tier four, such as Kings center Domantas Sabonis, Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, and Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns. Partnow’s top three tiers will consist of 39 players and will presumably be posted later this week.
  • Now that hoarding cap room into the regular season is no longer a viable strategy, Rob Mahoney of The Ringer wonders how the new Collective Bargaining Agreement will change the way that rebuilding teams approach future offseasons.
  • With no sign that the Damian Lillard or James Harden situations will be resolved anytime soon, John Hollinger of The Athletic questions whether the NBA’s player empowerment era has reached its ceiling. During the last several years, stars who ask for trades have sought increasingly specific destinations despite having less and less leverage, Hollinger observes, adding that the outcomes for Lillard and Harden could create new benchmarks for future star trade requests.

International Notes: Batum, Randle, Lithuania, Tubelis

Clippers forward Nicolas Batum is playing for France at this year’s World Cup and intends to suit up for the national team at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. However, next year’s Olympics tournament is expected to be the last time Batum represents France in an international competition.

Batum’s wife, Lily Batum, indicated in a tweet that the veteran NBA wing will retire from France’s national team after the 2024 Olympics. Her tweet also suggested that Nicolas will retire as an NBA player following the final year of his contract with the Clippers, though she later clarified in a follow-up tweet that that decision hasn’t been made yet.

Batum, who entered the NBA in 2008 and has spent 15 seasons in the league, will turn 35 later this year. He has spent the last three seasons with the Clippers, but has seen his playing time dip a little in each season, from 27.4 minutes per game in 2020/21 to 24.8 MPG in ’21/22 and 21.9 MPG in ’22/23. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent in 2024.

Here are a few more notes from around the international basketball world:

  • AEK Athens and former NBA guard Chasson Randle have agreed to a one-year deal, according to Stavros Barbarousis of Eurohoops. Randle, who has played in a handful of professional leagues around the world, also has 119 NBA appearances on his résumé, having spent time with the Sixers, Knicks, Wizards, Warriors, and Magic between 2016-21.
  • After defeating Finland in an exhibition game on Monday – overcoming a 32-point outing from Lauri Markkanen – Lithuania has finalized its roster for the 2023 World Cup, per Eurohoops. The roster includes a handful of current or former NBA players, headlined by Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas. However, NBA rookie Azuolas Tubelis, who signed a two-way contract with the Sixers last month, didn’t make the final cut.
  • In case you missed it, veteran NBA wing Sterling Brown completed a two-year deal with Germany’s Alba Berlin. We have the full story here.

Sterling Brown Signs With German Team

AUGUST 15: Brown has officially signed with Alba Berlin, according to a press release from the team. Brown’s deal is for two years and will run through the 2024/25 season.


AUGUST 13: Veteran NBA swingman Sterling Brown is reportedly signing with a German team, Sportando relays.

According to European reporter Tolis Kotzias, Brown is close to signing with Alba Berlin. Another European basketball insider, Lucas D’Alessandro, writes that it’s a done deal (Twitter link).

The 2017 second-round pick has appeared in 268 regular season NBA games. He has averaged 5.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 16.6 minutes per game during his NBA career.

Brown played three seasons in Milwaukee and saw action in 51 games with Houston in 2020/21, including 14 starts. He played 49 games, including three starts, with the Mavericks in 2021/22.  He also saw action in nine playoff games with Dallas.

Last season, Brown made four brief appearances off the bench for the Lakers after signing a 10-day contract in early January. He spent most of the season with the Raptors’ G League affiliate, appearing in 24 games (22 starts) and averaging 15.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists.

Brown was traded twice last offseason, first by the Mavericks to the Rockets. He was later dealt to the Thunder, who waived him in early October.

Eastern Notes: Bailey, Herro, Wiseman, Butler

Second-round pick Amari Bailey averaged 9.3 points in 16.1 minutes per game in Summer League and the Hornets rookie found the experience very beneficial, he told Sarah Efress of The Charlotte Observer.

“It was just an amazing experience, being able to spend time with some of the guys on the team and the coaches as well. I feel like we have a great family dynamic around the whole organization,” Bailey said. “Given us being somewhat of a younger team, I feel like I can come in and just work right with everyone else. I feel like we’re very hungry, so there’s a lot to look forward to here.” Bailey signed a two-way contract with the Hornets last month.

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

  • If Tyler Herro is re-routed in a potential blockbuster between the Heat and Trail Blazers, the Raptors should only be moderately interested in being the third team, Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes in a mailbag piece. While the Raptors could use a high-level shooter and scorer like Herro, he’s a defensive liability and the Raptors are not in a position where they should be giving away more first-round picks, Koreen opines.
  • If the Pistons can unlock James Wiseman‘s overall game to match his physical gifts, they’ll have two premier young centers, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes. Wiseman is expected to share minutes with Jalen Duren, a late lottery pick last year who turned heads during his stint with the USA Select Team. Wiseman felt reinvigorated merely by getting an opportunity to play through his mistakes after he was traded from Golden State, Langlois notes.
  • Jared Butler was arguably the Thunder’s best player during his four Summer League appearances, averaging 20.0 points and 4.3 assists per game, Bijan Todd of the NBC Sports Washington writes. Todd takes a closer look at Butler, who signed a two-way deal with the Wizards last month.

Pacific Notes: Queta, Noel, Ham, Reaves, Azubuike

A training camp roster battle is on tap between Kings big men Neemias Queta and Nerlens Noel, according to James Ham of The Kings Beat.

Sacramento now has essentially five options at center. Queta and Noel have partially guaranteed contracts and with starter Domantas Sabonis, Alex Len and small-ball center Trey Lyles also on the roster, there’s probably no need to carry both Queta and Noel out of camp. Queta offers much more on the offensive end, while Noel is the safer choice defensively.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

  • Lakers coach Darvin Ham is thrilled with the depth moves the front office made this offseason, he told ESPN’s Leonard Solms. The team signed Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish, Jaxson Hayes in free agency. “I think we added a lot of depth, a lot of guys that have skill, size and athleticism, so I look forward to all of that coming together,” Ham said.
  • Austin Reaves re-signed with the Lakers on a four-year deal worth nearly $54MM. He said the money won’t change him or his approach. “It obviously changes things in the fact that me and my family, my friends, don’t have to worry about that part of life anymore,” Reaves told Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. “Like, if you’re good with me, you’re good on that standard. But my everyday life, I don’t think anything really will change. It’s not like I’m going to go out and buy the craziest stuff or things like that.”
  • Udoka Azubuike played against Deandre Ayton in high school. They’re now on the same NBA team after Azubuike signed a two-way contract with the Suns. Azubuike is excited to compete against his new teammate in practice. “Playing alongside him, it’ll be great. Just us competing. Ultimately, we’re competing for one another,” he told Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “We’re a team. It’s all for the best interest of the team. Whatever is going to make the team better, just competing. I’m excited. I’m looking forward to that from the jump, going into training camp and competing and working hard.”

Bulls Re-Sign Forward Terry Taylor

The Bulls have signed restricted two-way free agent Terry Taylor to a standard contract, the team tweets.

Taylor had been just one of four restricted two-way free agents who remained unsigned, as our free agent tracker shows.

The 23-year-old was waived by the Pacers after being thrown into the four-team Kevin Durant blockbuster at February’s trade deadline. The Bulls signed him to a two-way deal later that month.

Taylor appeared in 59 games with Indiana over the past two seasons, including nine starts, after going undrafted in 2021 out of Austin Peay. The 6’4” player, listed as a forward despite his height, came off the bench in five games for Chicago. Overall, he has averaged 6.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in 15.3 minutes during his 64-game NBA career. He also appeared in eight G League contests last season.

The addition of Taylor gives the Bulls 15 players on standard contracts, though Carlik Jones has a non-guaranteed contract and Taylor’s deal also seems unlikely to be fully guaranteed.