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Remaining Offseason Questions: Atlantic Division

August 26th, 2019 at 2:11pm CST by Luke Adams

NBA teams have now completed the brunt of their offseason work, with the draft and free agency practically distant memories. Still, with training camps more than a month away, many clubs around the league have at least one or two outstanding issues they’ve yet to address.

Over the next week, we’ll be looking at all 30 NBA teams, separating them by division and checking in on a key outstanding question that each club still needs to answer before the 2019/20 regular season begins.

We’re starting today with the Atlantic division, so let’s dive right in…

Boston Celtics
How will the Celtics’ World Cup contingent respond to the experience?

Six Celtics players are set to represent their respective countries at the 2019 World Cup in China, starting this weekend, including four for Team USA.

Boston’s top priority will be making sure that Kemba Walker (USA), Jayson Tatum (USA), Marcus Smart (USA), Jaylen Brown (USA), Vincent Poirier (France), and Daniel Theis (Germany) make it through the tournament healthy. But the team will also be curious to see how its international contingent performs in China and is affected by the experience.

A strong World Cup showing for a player like Poirier or Theis could increase his confidence heading into the 2019/20 season and put him in position to take on a more prominent rotation role. Meanwhile, a run at a gold medal could help the Team USA group develop the kind of on- and off-court chemistry that last year’s Celtics never quite had.

Brooklyn Nets
What’s next for second-round pick Jaylen Hands?

One of just four second-round picks who remains unsigned, Hands doesn’t project to be part of the Nets‘ regular season roster for 2019/20. The club already has 15 players on fully guaranteed contracts and is unlikely to cut one of its veterans for the No. 56 overall pick.

The logical place for Hands to begin his career would be in one of Brooklyn’s two-way contract slots, where he’d spend much of his rookie season developing his game with the Long Island Nets in the G League. Henry Ellenson currently occupies one of the Nets’ two-way slots, but the other one is open.

Still, there were rumblings that Brooklyn had interest in Ron Baker as a potential two-way player before he headed overseas. And if the Nets had that second two-way slot earmarked for Hands, it seems like the two sides would have completed a deal by now. It’s still possible that he’ll end up on a two-way deal, but it’s far from a certainty — we should find it in the coming weeks what the team has in mind for the rookie out of UCLA.

New York Knicks
Does Frank Ntilikina have a place in the Knicks’ plans?

NBA teams have completed a total of 43 trades so far this offseason, but not one of them involved Ntilikina, who was among the league’s most frequently cited trade candidates heading into the summer.

The Knicks didn’t land the star free agents they were hoping for, but they reshaped their roster with a series of veteran signings in early July, jettisoning all of their own free agents. As New York goes through a transition period, it remains to be seen whether the club will recommit to finding out what it has in Ntilikina or whether his inevitable departure has just been delayed.

Shortly after the regular season begins, the Knicks will have to decide whether or not to exercise Ntilikina’s fourth-year option for 2020/21. But if the club revisits the trade market this fall, it’s possible another team will be making that decision on the the former lottery pick.

Philadelphia 76ers
Do the Sixers plan on making Trey Burke their 15th man?

Currently, the Sixers have 14 players on fully guaranteed contracts, leaving a potential spot open on the team’s projected 15-man regular season roster. However, that count doesn’t include Burke, whose salary for 2019/20 is said to be partially guaranteed.

Although Burke appears likely to be Philadelphia’s 15th man, the specifics on his deal remain a question mark — if his partial guarantee isn’t significant, he’s not necessarily a lock to make the team.

The 76ers signed Raul Neto as a backup this offseason and may rely on Shake Milton to play a larger role behind Ben Simmons as well. If the team determines that it has a more pressing need at another position, perhaps it brings in someone else to fill that 15th and final roster spot.

Toronto Raptors
Will Pascal Siakam or Kyle Lowry sign an extension?

The Raptors have two of the more intriguing extension candidates in the NBA, as Siakam and Lowry each project to be top-10 free agents on the 2020 market if they don’t get new deals before then.

Lowry, who is eligible for a veteran extension, recently said that he’d “love” to sign a new deal to remain in Toronto rather than reaching unrestricted free agency next summer. It’s unclear whether he and the club will see eye-to-eye on his value though as his 34th birthday nears.

As for Siakam, he’s among the top candidates for a rookie scale extension. However, given the dearth of talent on the 2020 free agent market, he may only be willing to ink a new deal if he gets a max salary or something close to it — after all, he can reasonably expect to get offers in that range next summer if he continues to improve.

Siakam will certainly be a part of the Raptors’ long-term future. Since we can’t definitively say the same about Lowry, the up-and-coming forward is probably more likely to be extended within the next couple months than the veteran guard.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Atlantic Notes: Randle, Dudley, Scott, Nets

August 25th, 2019 at 10:17am CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks‘ Julius Randle got a head start on building chemistry with his new teammates during workouts last month in Los Angeles, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post. Randle, who signed a three-year, $63MM contract, is among seven free agent additions in New York, along with rookies RJ Barrett and Ignas Brazdeikis.

“It’s important for us to get to know each other, spend time together on the court before training camp starts,” Randle said. “There’s a lot of new pieces. Everyone’s going to be trying to figure out their role. Coach (David Fizdale) is going to do a great job of helping us through that. If we want to be a good team and have a chance, we have to jump-start that process ourselves.”

From an individual standpoint, Randle is working this summer on becoming a more efficient scorer and is watching a lot of tape to try to improve defensively. He believes people who are expecting another losing season in New York are undervaluing the team.

“It’s easy to do that because the last couple of seasons have been hard,’’ Randle said. “It’s easy to underestimate us. But we’re a deep team. We’re a very deep 1-to-15 with guys who can play. If they underestimate us, I don’t care.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Jared Dudley was interested in signing with the Celtics, but the team believed it already had enough wings and wanted to keep a roster spot open, reports Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. The Boston College alum wound up joining the Lakers on a one-year deal.
Sixers forward Mike Scott is looking forward to having Al Horford as a teammate again, writes Lauren Rosen of NBA.com. Scott broke into the league with the Hawks in 2012/13 when Horford was one of the stars in Atlanta. “Not only is he a great player, he’s a great person,” Scott said. “You love to play with people like that. He’s humble, he’s grateful, he knows his role.”
The NBA Board of Governors is expected to address Joe Tsai’s purchase of the Nets next month, according to a NetsDaily article. The sale shouldn’t affect any of the basketball operations, but changes may be coming on the business side of the organization.

Horford, Simmons May Be Shooting More 3-Pointers

August 22nd, 2019 at 12:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

With a video circulating of Ben Simmons sinking long 3-pointers, Michael Kaskey-Blomain of CBS Sports notes that the All-Star guard’s development in that area could be critical for the Sixers‘ long-term success. Simmons, who signed a five-year extension last month, hasn’t made a 3-point shot during his first two NBA seasons.

Al Horford is likely to become more of an outside shooter playing alongside Joel Embiid, predicts Rich Hofmann of The Athletic. Horford, who signed with the Sixers in free agency, took 203 3-point shots last season, but Hofmann expects that number to grow as he tries to provide more spacing for his teammates.
With a video circulating of Ben Simmons sinking long 3-pointers, Michael Kaskey-Blomain of CBS Sports notes that the All-Star guard’s development in that area could be critical for the Sixers‘ long-term success. Simmons, who signed a five-year extension last month, hasn’t made a 3-point shot during his first two NBA seasons.

Mike Scott Used Doc's Advice

August 21st, 2019 at 1:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Sixers forward Mike Scott said some advice from Clippers coach Doc Rivers helped him after he was dealt to Philadelphia last season, Kevin Murphy of The Athletic writes. Scott emerged as a key reserve after he was included in the Tobias Harris blockbuster and earned a two-year, $9.8MM contract in free agency. “I feel I didn’t play well in L.A., and I think for the most part it was on me,” Scott said. “I was still trying to figure it out. When I got here, I said, ‘[The heck with it], I am going to ball-out and try to do what Doc says.’ Do the little things and see what happens.”

Peers Choose Zion, Morant As Top Rookie Of Year Candidates

August 19th, 2019 at 5:36pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Top pick Zion Williamson of the Pelicans is considered the favorite to win the Rookie of the Year award by his peers, but he’s not a clear-cut choice. The second pick in the draft, point guard Ja Morant of the Grizzlies, finished a close second in the voting. However, that might not be such a good thing for either player.

For the 11th time in 13 years, John Schuhmann of NBA.com got the opportunity to ask the NBA’s incoming crop of rookies a series of questions related to their fellow draftees.

Historically, the NBA rookies haven’t been soothsayers. They haven’t accurately identified a Rookie of the Year winner since Kevin Durant in 2007/08. Last season, Deandre Ayton and Collin Sexton were considered the co-favorites. Luka Doncic ended up winning the award with Trae Young finishing a solid second.

Here’s some of the highlights from the survey:

Williamson got 35% of the vote for the Rookie of the Year prize, while Morant received 27% backing. No one else got more than 5%.
Nuggets second-round pick Bol Bol and Cavaliers’ late first-rounder Kevin Porter Jr. were considered the steals of the draft, with each getting 19% of the vote.
Two players stood out to their peers as being the best defenders in the draft — the Sixers’ Matisse Thybulle and the Hawks’ De’Andre Hunter. Thybulle collected 37% of the votes in that category, while Hunter received 29% backing.
By a wide margin, Williamson was chosen as the most athletic rookie, garnering 87% of the votes. Morant was selected as the best ball-handler, receiving 40% of those votes.
The Heat‘s Tyler Herro (33%) edged out the Kings’ Kyle Guy (29%) as the best shooter.
LeBron James (38%) got the highest total in the ‘Favorite player in the league’ category with Kevin Durant (20%) finishing second.

World Cup Notes: Bolden, Wagner, Luwawu-Cabarrot, Popovich

August 18th, 2019 at 11:41am CST by Arthur Hill

Team USA isn’t the only FIBA World Cup nation dealing with last-minute withdrawals. Sixers forward Jonah Bolden has informed the Australian squad that he won’t be participating in the tournament, which starts in 13 days, according to Olgun Uluc of Fox Sports Australia. He cited “personal reasons” for the decision.

Bolden looked good in exhibition play, posting 12 points and five rebounds in Saturday’s win over Canada. His place could be taken by Deng Adel, who signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Nets last month, or Brock Motum, according to Uluc. The Australians are already playing without Ben Simmons, Thon Maker, Ryan Broekhoff and Dante Exum.

“My first thought is always with the player in these situations — having to withdraw from the national team is tough for anyone,” Boomers head coach Andrej Lemanis said. “From a team perspective, the timing is sub-optimal, but again, we are very fortunate to have the depth of talent we have in this country available to take up this opportunity. Whilst it can feel like we need to make a quick decision, the most important thing is to bring in the player that best complements the other skill sets we have on the team.”

There’s more World Cup news to pass along:

Germany has cut Wizards center Moritz Wagner, relays Dario Skerletic of Sportando. The Germans, whose preliminary roster includes Maxi Kleber, Dennis Schroder, Daniel Theis and Isaac Bonga, still have to get rid of one more player before the tournament begins. Wagner was sent to Washington last month as part of the Anthony Davis trade.
France trimmed Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot from its World Cup squad, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. The free agent forward played for the Thunder and Bulls last season.
Gregg Popovich only has one cut to make from Team USA, but he expects it to be very difficult, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. The Americans headed to Australia yesterday for a pair of exhibition games with 13 players still on their roster. The final decision is expected to come around August 27. “When you cut people from your regular NBA team, it’s difficult,” Popovich said. “We’re going to have to do that. And it’s going to be even more so. I’m dreading having to do that. But it’s got to get done.”

Raul Neto, Trey Burke Vie For Reserve Point Guard Role

August 17th, 2019 at 7:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

Derek Bodner of The Athletic examines the expected battle for backup point guard minutes between Sixers newcomers Raul Neto and Trey Burke. Both veterans signed minimum salary contracts this summer and both will try to fill the void created when T.J. McConnell left for the Pacers. Bodner notes that Burke has received more playing time than Neto over his career, but he has also been on worse teams that offered greater opportunity. He adds that Neto prefers to read the defense on any given play, while Burke tends to seek his own shots.
Malachi Richardson, who saw infrequent playing time for the Raptors last season, has signed with Hapoel Holon in Israel, relays Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Richardson appeared in 22 games for Toronto before being traded at the deadline to the Sixers, who waived him.

Bodner On Vasilije Micic, Sixers' Trade Options, More

August 16th, 2019 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

In his latest mailbag for The Athletic, Derek Bodner explores the likelihood of the Sixers bringing draft-and-stash prospect Vasilije Micic stateside at some point, weighs the team’s ability to make another big splash on the trade market, and addresses a handful of other 76ers-related topics.

Josh Richardson Talks Trade To Sixers, New Role

August 13th, 2019 at 5:21pm CST by ChrisCrouse

After four seasons in Miami, Josh Richardson finds himself on a new team. The shooting guard was shocked when he first heard about the Jimmy Butler sign-and-trade that sent him to Philadelphia. However, after digesting the news, he became excited for the new opportunity, as Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes.

“I mean once it happened and I started looking at everything, it was smooth,” Richardson said. “I got excited once I saw our roster that we’re going to be working with, and I think we’ve got a good chance to come out of the East. And I’m excited to be able to go and play for a contender.”

While Miami appears to be a lock for the playoffs this upcoming season, the Sixers have positioned themselves to make the NBA Finals. Adding Richardson and Al Horford to go with incumbent starters Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Tobias Harris arguably gives Philadelphia the best starting five in the league.

Richardson saw an increase in field goal attempts in each of his four seasons in Miami with last year’s 14.1 shots per game representing his career high. The shooting guard understands that he may see fewer attempts on his new team, but he’s not worried about being deemed the fifth option in Philadelphia.

“It’s not really like that — one through five — that makes no sense,” Richardson said. “It’s not like a certain amount of touches every game. But being able to play with so much talent, it’s exciting. You can’t give one guy too much attention because you have four other guys that can hurt you just as much. Being able to play with guys like Ben and Jo, Tobias, Al is just, I don’t know, I’m excited.”

And-Ones: Clippers, Wroten, Giedraitis, Caffey

August 11th, 2019 at 12:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The signing of Kawhi Leonard and the trade for Paul George helped the Clippers have the league’s best offseason, according to David Aldridge of The Athletic. L.A. added two potential MVP candidates while keeping the core of last year’s playoff team intact and acquiring another rotation piece by trading for Maurice Harkless.

The Nets, who also hit the jackpot in free agency by signing Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, finished second on Aldridge’s list, followed by the Jazz, Lakers and Sixers. At the bottom are the Hornets, who lost Kemba Walker and replaced him with Terry Rozier, and the Warriors, who not only saw Durant leave, but also parted with Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston, two key components of their championship teams.

There’s more NBA-related news to pass along:

Tony Wroten, whose journey to the EuroLeague we profiled earlier this week, has decided to sign with Anwil Wloclawek in Poland rather than KK Zadar in Croatia, tweets Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Wroten, 26, attended a mini-camp with the Wizards in June.
Lithuanian swingman Rokas Giedraitis turned down multiple opportunities to play in Summer League this year, according to international basketball writer Donatas Urbonas (Twitter link). A few teams considered offering him a two-way deal last year, but he remains “under the NBA radar.” Giedraitis is considered a late bloomer at 27 and is under contract with Alba Berlin for the upcoming season.
Jason Caffey admits he embraced an irresponsible lifestyle during his time in the NBA, and now he is trying to warn younger athletes not to make the same mistakes, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Caffey believes the choices he made, along with an undiagnosed mental illness, prevented him from having a longer career. Caffey had 10 children with eight women and says watching their success inspired him to change. “When I saw them doing so well — got a son at Alabama and a daughter at Missouri, D1 schools,” he said. “I knew then if I could help my own kids — kids who were pegged to be kids of a guy who’s a deadbeat dad, a guy who’s never going to be anything again — when I overcame that stigma, I knew it was time for me to step out and help other children.”

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