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Central Notes: Pistons, Jones, Pacers, Pargo, Cavs

July 22nd, 2021 at 7:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons not only have the top pick in next week’s draft, they possess three second-rounders. It’s a virtual lock they won’t draft three players with those picks and keep them on the roster next season, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com notes. The Pistons have plenty of young players throughout their roster and simply don’t have enough openings to retain that many rookies. It’s very likely they’ll flip one or more of those picks for a couple of future second-rounders, Langlois adds.

We have more from the Central Division:

  • The Pistons have hired away Andrew Jones III from the Sixers as an assistant coach who will focus on player development, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Jones was a player development coach in Philadelphia the past two seasons after a five-year stint with the Thunder.
  • The Pacers are adding Jannero Pargo to Rick Carlisle’s coaching staff, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports tweets. Pargo was an assistant the past two years in Portland under Terry Stotts, who was let go after the season.
  • The Cavaliers hold the No. 3 pick and already have some young talent on their roster. Their greatest need is to nurture that talent alongside some tested veterans, according to Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. They require more capable rotation players to balance out the roster and provide a comfort level and stability.
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Blazers Rumors: McCollum, Simmons, Lillard, Powell, More

July 22nd, 2021 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Teams are calling the Trail Blazers to inquire on guard CJ McCollum and offering the opportunity for Portland to move into the “top part of the draft,” according to Jason Quick of The Athletic. However, Quick reports that the Blazers aren’t seriously considering those offers, since they’re in win-now mode and are seeking veteran help rather than rookies.

As Quick details, the Blazers are open to a trade that would allow them to acquire an upgrade on McCollum. However, there are no obvious opportunities out there. A swap revolving around McCollum and Ben Simmons has long been the subject of speculation, but Quick suggests the Sixers likely wouldn’t be enticed by such a deal, even if Portland adds a young player like Anfernee Simons or Nassir Little to its offer.

Here’s more on the Blazers from Quick:

  • Trail Blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olshey has met twice with Damian Lillard since the season ended. They had a three-hour sitdown on June 19 at the team’s practice facility and then met in Las Vegas with new head coach Chauncey Billups last Friday, per Quick. During those meetings, Lillard conveyed his publicly-stated preference that the Blazers act with more urgency in upgrading their roster.
  • Despite Lillard’s call for urgency, it remains to be seen whether Portland will do anything drastic with its roster this summer. Quick says “there appears to be an inclination to run this group back again” in the hopes that Billups’ influence and a full season of Powell raise the Blazers’ ceiling. Quick acknowledges that exercising patience would be a risky approach, given Lillard’s unease, but points out there are some similarities to 2018, when the club made few roster changes after being swept in the first round and then reached the Western Finals in 2019.
  • Re-signing Norman Powell is the Blazers’ top priority in free agency. Billups recently met with Powell in Las Vegas and “communicated his vision” to the veteran swingman. The team hopes the hiring of Billups helps convince Powell to remain in Portland.
  • Olshey recognizes that building a bench led by Carmelo Anthony and Enes Kanter contributed to the team’s defensive shortcomings and will aim to add “long, rangy” players who can guard multiple positions and comfortably switch on defense, according to Quick.
  • The Blazers will likely try to buy a second-round pick in next Thursday’s draft, says Quick.
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Draft Notes: Garza, Cooper, Pacers, Mock Drafts

July 21st, 2021 at 10:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers, who are in the market for a reserve center, worked out a pair of big men today, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Iowa’s Luka Garza, the two-time national player of the year, was in Philadelphia, along with Utah State’s Neemias Queta.

Garza, who is projected to be taken anywhere from the end of the first round to the middle of the second round, has dropped weight since the college season ended in an effort to become more mobile on defense. Queta was named Player of the Year in the Mountain West Conference and was a finalist for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year honors.

With Dwight Howard entering free agency, Pompey notes that the Sixers don’t have a reliable backup to Joel Embiid. Philadelphia holds the 28th and 50th selections in next week’s draft.

There’s more draft news to pass along:

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Celtics, Sixers, Lakers Interested In Reggie Bullock

July 21st, 2021 at 9:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

Two Atlantic Division rivals are among the teams that may try to lure free agent swingman Reggie Bullock away from the Knicks, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post.

A source tells Berman that the Celtics and Sixers have expressed interest in Bullock, and the Lakers may also get involved. Bullock played alongside LeBron James in L.A. during the 2018/19 season.

Bullock prefers to stay in New York, Berman adds, but he’s hoping for a three-year contract worth in the neighborhood of the full mid-level exception ($9MM+). The Knicks have Early Bird rights on Bullock, so they can go above the cap to re-sign him after using their space. They’ll likely be able to offer up to about $10.3MM for the first year, according to Berman.

Bullock became a dependable contributor during his second year with the team, starting 64 of the 65 games he played and averaging 10.9 PPG per night while shooting 41% from three-point range. However, a disappointing playoff performance may have dragged down his value.

The Knicks have other options if they don’t re-sign Bullock, although they may be much more expensive, Berman adds. Coach Tom Thibodeau is a fan of Trail Blazers guard Norman Powell, who opted out of his contract Tuesday, and New York has also expressed interest in Warriors forward Kelly Oubre.

Berman suggests the Knicks might be willing to match a minimal offer to restricted free agent Frank Ntilikina if they lose Bullock. Ntilikina didn’t play much in Thibodeau’s first season with the team, but a source tells Berman that the Knicks haven’t ruled out a possible return.

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Kings Notes: Holmes, Trade Ambitions, Workouts

July 20th, 2021 at 5:04pm CST by Eli Cohen

Richaun Holmes had a breakout season with the Kings this year, averaging career-highs in points, rebounds, assists and blocks and emerging as one of the better defensive centers in the league. But the 27-year-old is entering unrestricted free agency, and as Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee writes, it may be difficult for the Kings to retain him without freeing up cap space via a trade of Harrison Barnes or Buddy Hield.

Anderson takes a look at some of the options GM Monte McNair could choose from to address the massive hole Holmes’ departure would leave, both in the draft – where the Kings have the ninth overall pick – and in free agency, where cheap but productive veterans such as Nerlens Noel, Daniel Theis, and others could come into play.

Jason Jones of The Athletic has similar concerns, and details why the Kings may want to look at centers Alperen Sengun and Kai Jones in this year’s draft.

We have more from out of Sacramento:

  • The Kings have been reported to be one of the more aggressive suitors for Blazers star Damian Lillard, but even if a deal between the Kings and Blazers doesn’t materialize, McNair may look to get involved from a different angle, Anderson writes. The Kings have also been linked to Sixers point guard Ben Simmons, and are generally expected to be aggressive pursuing upgrades this summer. If they don’t believe they’re in a position to land Lillard, they could try to facilitate a deal with the Blazers and Sixers, Anderson writes, in order to land Simmons in a blockbuster three-team trade.
  • The Kings worked out Isaiah Todd and Jaden Springer on Sunday, tweets James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area. While neither are expected to be in play for the ninth pick, Todd could be available at No. 39 and Springer could be a trade-up candidate. Todd, a gifted shot-creator at 6’10”, could hold interest as a home-run swing in the second round if he’s still on the board.
  • The Kings are also working out potential undrafted free agent targets. Scottie Lewis, a defensive specialist out of Florida and Jose Alvarado, the 2020/21 ACC DPoY worked out on Monday, according to Jason Jones of The Athletic, and Jason Anderson reports that the Kings will work out sharpshooter Marcus Burk on Wednesday.
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Northwest Notes: Lillard, Blazers, Hernangomez, Nuggets

July 20th, 2021 at 8:26am CST by Luke Adams

While it doesn’t look at this point like the Trail Blazers will seriously explore Damian Lillard trades this offseason, that doesn’t mean they’re not getting calls about their All-NBA point guard. Front office sources tell Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer that the Heat, Kings, Knicks, Rockets, and Sixers have been the most aggressive suitors for Lillard as of late.

With no Lillard trade request imminent, the Blazers are more likely to pursue upgrades around the star guard, though O’Connor notes that the team’s trade assets are somewhat limited. Portland doesn’t have any draft picks this year and rival teams aren’t particularly high on young players like Anfernee Simons and Nassir Little, according to O’Connor. The club’s best bet for a deal that reshapes the roster and increases its ceiling might involve CJ McCollum and Ben Simmons, O’Connor adds.

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

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Draft Notes: Early Entrants, Bleijenbergh, Sengun, Hurt, Reaves

July 19th, 2021 at 7:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Senegalese center Ibou Badji and German big man Ariel Hukporti have withdrawn from the 2021 NBA draft, according to a pair of reports from Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter links).

Both players were considered potential second-round picks, ranking 59th and 63rd respectively on ESPN’s big board of 2021 prospects. However, Givony notes that Hukporti – like a number of international players who withdrew before today’s deadline – wasn’t interested in being a draft-and-stash prospect. It’s unclear if Badji felt the same way, but both players will be looking to boost their stock ahead of the 2022 draft.

Another potential second-round pick, Senegalese big man Amar Sylla, will be keeping his name in the draft, Givony tweets. The 19-year-old, who ranks 81st on ESPN’s board, is a strong draft-and-stash candidate, Givony adds.

Here’s more on the 2021 draft:

  • Belgian wing Vrenz Bleijenbergh, another one of the international prospects keeping his name in the draft, indicated (via Twitter) that he completed a workout with the Mavericks and has a meeting with the Raptors up next.
  • Turkish League MVP Alperen Sengun, who visited the Kings over the weekend, had a workout this morning with the Spurs and is on his way to meet with the Magic, reports Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link). Sengun could be a lottery pick next Thursday.
  • Duke forward Matthew Hurt worked out for the Sixers today and has the Clippers, Nets, and Magic on tap later this week, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link), who adds that Hurt also recently impressed in workouts with the Rockets and Bucks.
  • Oklahoma guard Austin Reaves is keeping busy during the pre-draft process — Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweets that Reaves is working out for a total of 18 NBA teams, including the Hawks, Knicks, Sixers, Nets, and Hornets.
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2021 NBA Offseason Preview: Philadelphia 76ers

July 19th, 2021 at 5:56pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Sixers entered this season still smarting from their sweep at the hands of the Celtics in the first round of the 2020 playoffs and looking to regain their status as a Finals contender.

And for much of the year, it looked like they were on track to do just that. With a rebalanced roster and Joel Embiid playing at an MVP level, the Sixers finished the year with a 49-23 record, one game ahead of the Nets for the top seed in the East.

Though Ben Simmons had a disappointing year, averaging the fewest points, rebounds, and assists per game of his career, Tobias Harris looked rejuvenated under head coach Doc Rivers, Seth Curry finished the year sixth in the NBA in three-point percentage, and Dwight Howard and young guards Shake Milton and Tyrese Maxey shined in their limited roles.

In the first round of the 2021 playoffs, the Sixers comfortably dispatched the Wizards in five games, but Embiid suffered a meniscus tear in Game 4. While he was able to keep up his dominant level of play in the Sixers’ seven-game series against the Hawks, the team’s supporting cast was ultimately unable to provide enough to best an underdog Atlanta squad. For the second year in a row, the team was left with more questions than answers heading into the offseason following a disappointing playoff performance.

The Sixers’ Offseason Plan:

All questions regarding the Sixers offseason begin with Simmons.

Simmons didn’t just take a step back during the regular season — his lack of aggression against the Hawks in the playoffs was so notable that both Embiid and Rivers addressed it in comments to the media following the series’ end. While team president Daryl Morey spoke publicly of his faith in Simmons to address his unwillingness to shoot and to continue to be an important part of the team, reports have since indicated that the Sixers have opened up trade dialogues and are hoping to get a star in return for the 25-year-old point guard.

Despite his flaws, Simmons is a huge part of how the 76ers function, and the possibility of trading him away creates a major question mark about what the team will look like next year. Luckily, the Sixers are no strangers to offseason overhauls. Should Morey manage to trade Simmons in a blockbuster deal, it will be the fourth season in a row in which one of the team’s highest-paid players was either added or subtracted. From acquiring – then losing – Jimmy Butler to signing Al Horford to a $100+MM contract to dumping Horford for Danny Green, the 76ers have gotten into the habit of shaking up the roster on an annual basis.

The Sixers will also have to address Green’s unrestricted free agency. Although he only scored seven points per game during the playoffs, the threat of Green’s shooting and his versatile defense was important, especially given Curry’s limitations on the defensive end. And with the team paying maximum contracts to Embiid, Harris, and Simmons (or, potentially, the centerpiece of a Simmons trade), there will be very little money to replace Green on the open market.

The team will also need to rebalance its roster, as promising rookie Paul Reed represents the only bench depth at the forward/center spot. Furkan Korkmaz, the 6’7″ scoring specialist, will hit unrestricted free agency this summer, meaning Maxey, Milton, Isaiah Joe and Matisse Thybulle are the only bench players on guaranteed contracts, and all are combo guards.

George Hill, who came over in a midseason deal with the Thunder, has a partially-guaranteed deal and was largely ineffective in the series against the Hawks, though he still provided his typical brand of stout defense. With so many guards on the roster, the Sixers may decide not to guarantee the rest of his $10MM deal.

One player of interest will be Howard. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year was great for the Sixers off the bench and filled in when needed for Embiid. Philadelphia would undoubtedly like to keep him around, but it remains to be seen if Howard will be able to score one last slightly bigger payday elsewhere after two solid years of being a backup center.

Curry could potentially offer a point of flexibility. Curry was massively important to the Sixers, both in the playoffs and the regular season. But should Morey move Simmons for a scoring guard (such as CJ McCollum), it’s possible the club could view Curry as redundant and – given his bargain contract – try to move him for another wing, inserting defensive specialist Thybulle into the starting lineup to complement the newly-acquired guard.

Whatever happens, one thing is clear: given the team’s high expectations, roster holes, and lingering trade rumors, the Sixers we see on opening night of the 2020/21 season could look very different from the group we last saw walking off the floor against the Hawks.

Salary Cap Situation

Note: Our salary cap projections are based on a presumed 3% increase, which would result in a $112.4MM cap for 2021/22.

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

  • None

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Restricted Free Agents

  • None

Two-Way Free Agents

Draft Picks

  • No. 28 overall pick ($2,023,800)
  • No. 50 overall pick (no cap hold)
  • Total: $2,023,800

Extension-Eligible Players

  • Seth Curry (veteran)
  • George Hill (veteran)
  • Shake Milton (veteran)

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

Offseason Cap Outlook

If they were to waive Hill, the Sixers would have $120MM+ in commitments for nine roster spots, giving the team the flexibility to remain below the tax line and even use the full mid-level exception.

However, if Philadelphia either hangs onto Hill or re-signs Green, that flexibility below the tax line will mostly disappear and the club would be limited to the taxpayer mid-level. I lean toward the front office taking that approach for now, but it’s hardly set in stone — the 76ers’ financial outlook could also change if they’re able to trim team salary at all on the trade market.

Cap Exceptions Available

  • Taxpayer mid-level exception: $5,890,000 4
  • Trade exception: $8,190,134

Footnotes

  1. Hill’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after August 3.
  2. Tolliver’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after September 4.
  3. The cap hold for O’Quinn remain on the Sixers’ books from a prior season because he hasn’t been renounced. He can’t be used in a sign-and-trade deal.
  4. This is a projected value. If the Sixers stay below the tax apron, they could have access to the full mid-level exception ($9.5MM) and the bi-annual exception ($3.7MM).

Salary and cap information from Basketball Insiders, RealGM, and ESPN was used in the creation of this post. Luke Adams contributed to this post.

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Could Wells Fargo Renovations Convince Sixers Not To Build Own Arena?

July 18th, 2021 at 4:20pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum
  • Wells Fargo Center, home court to the Sixers, is soon set to resume its $300MM renovation, which had been paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. New club level seating tweaks will be added this fall, and further improvements will be built next summer. Mike Sielski of The Philadelphia Inquirer wonders if the club will opt to remain at Wells Fargo long-term or will continue pursuing the rumored construction of their own arena. The team’s lease with Wells Fargo expires in 2031. Sielski notes that the improvements to Wells Fargo could entice Sixers ownership to stay. “I don’t want to get into speculation about how the Sixers think about this,” Valerie Camillo, Wells Fargo’s president of business operations, said. “The Sixers know we want them to stay.”
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Olympic Notes: Exhibition Game, Beal, Harris, Wood, Adebayo

July 15th, 2021 at 8:23pm CST by Dana Gauruder

There have been discussions about canceling Team USA’s exhibition game with Australia on Friday due to the U.S. team’s COVID issues, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Olgun Uluc tweet. Bradley Beal has been ruled out of the Olympics and Jerami Grant has also been placed under health and safety protocols. Australia defeated Team USA earlier in the week.

We have more on Team USA:

  • Coach Gregg Popovich is crestfallen for Beal, Joe Vardon of The Athletic writes. “I’m dying for him. We all are,” Popovich said. “Since he’s a little kid this has been a dream of his, he was playing great, he was having fun, being a big part of us coming together chemistry-wise and as a family. So for him and his family, his immediate family, it’s devastating. We just feel horrible about it.”
  • USA Basketball is checking into Tobias Harris‘ availability, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The Sixers forward is currently out of the country but is expected to return Saturday evening. Rockets big man Christian Wood is also being considered as Beal’s replacement.
  • Heat center Bam Adebayo contributed 12 points, five assists, and five rebounds in the team’s victory over Argentina on Tuesday. Adebayo’s versatility could be a major component for the squad, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. “The one thing about it is we don’t want everybody on the court thinking too much,” Adebayo said. “So I feel like with me and (Draymond Green), we have a responsibility to do all the little stuff — the screening, getting people open, making the extra pass. And obviously go score when there’s an opportunity.”
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