- Suns star guard Devin Booker recently tested positive for COVID-19, but returned to practice on Friday. He confirmed he’s been fully vaccinated and has passed the league protocols, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic reports. Coach Monty Williams said it’s unlikely Booker will play in Monday’s preseason opener at Sacramento.
Bobby Marks of ESPN recently broke down the biggest training camp questions facing all 30 NBA teams. Marks also provides camp rosters and projected depth charts for every team. He’s keeping a close eye on the rookie-scale extension deadline (Oct. 18) for several players and teams, including Kevin Huerter of the Hawks, Jaren Jackson Jr. of the Grizzlies, Collin Sexton of the Cavs, and Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges of the Suns. The article is worth checking out in full for all ESPN+ subscribers.
Here’s more from around the NBA:
- The COVID-19 vaccination rate for NBA players has risen to 95%, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The figure includes players that have received one dose, sources tell Wojnarowski, and thus are not yet considered fully vaccinated.
- The NBA Board of Governors formally approved a change to automatic late-game out-of-bounds reviews, the league tweets. Those plays will now only be reviewable by coach’s challenge, as we previously detailed. The change is an effort to improve the flow of end of games, which had become onerous and disruptive.
- Shams Charania of The Athletic interviewed former Baylor Bears star Isaiah Austin, a projected first round pick of the 2014 draft, who was ruled ineligible to compete as a player after being diagnosed with Marfan syndrome. Austin will finally achieve his dream of making it to the NBA — in a front office role.
Few players who returned to their teams for the 2021/22 season came closer to being traded over the summer than Kings sharpshooter Buddy Hield. However, speaking to reporters at the start of training camp this week, Hield sounded happy to still be in Sacramento and unbothered by seeing his name pop up in offseason trade rumors, as Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee relays.
“Yeah, I saw (the trade rumors), but I can’t control none of that and this is the business we live in,” Hield said. “My job is to come in and work my butt off every day and produce, and try to produce wins, and I can’t get mad at that. I get paid lots and lots of money to do this, so I’m blessed each and every day to come in here and compete. I love being around my guys. I love the team camaraderie we share and all that. The coaching staff has been great. It’s been fun, so I love it. Whatever happens, happens.”
Kings forward/center Marvin Bagley III, who was also the subject of trade speculation during the offseason, downplayed those rumors too, telling reporters that he’s “right where God wants me to be,” per Anderson. Head coach Luke Walton expressed enthusiasm about getting both players back, suggesting that Bagley was having a career year last season before breaking his hand and calling Hield “one of the most elite shooters” in the NBA.
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- Veteran center Richaun Holmes told reporters on Tuesday that he never got the feeling during free agency that he wouldn’t be back with the Kings, who “came out of the gate and showed (him) love from the beginning” (Twitter link via Sean Cunningham of ABC10). Holmes also lauded the team’s offseason additions of Davion Mitchell and Tristan Thompson. “You add guys like Davion and Tristan Thompson, and a certain attitude comes,” Holmes said of his new teammates (Twitter link via James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area). “They bring a certain attitude, a certain swagger and that’s something we’re going to need.”
- Suns head coach Monty Williams said on Tuesday that Phoenix had been trying to acquire Landry Shamet for two years (Twitter link via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic). Shamet was traded during the 2020 offseason from the Clippers to the Nets, who flipped him to Phoenix last month.
- Warriors camp invitee Avery Bradley, who said on Tuesday that he believes he “might be the best on-ball defender in the NBA,” has a viable case for a regular season roster spot, according to Kendra Andrews of NBC Bay Area, who writes that Golden State could use Bradley’s presence on defense — even if he may be overstating his own talents.
- The Warriors are already feeling the effects of Andre Iguodala‘s leadership, says Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. Rookies Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody both spoke this week about looking forward to learning from the veteran swingman. “He’s a guy that’s been through it all in the NBA,” Moody said. “So, especially a guy if a guy of his stature is in the perfect position to teach me as a young guy whatever I need, whatever I need to know.”
Suns center Deandre Ayton expects to sign a rookie scale extension before the season-opening deadline, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic reports.
Ayton is eligible for a five-year, $172.5MM max contract that would kick in at the start of the 2022/23 season.
“Honestly, I’m expecting something to get done so that we as a team can finish what we started, which is bring a championship to Phoenix,” he said. “Period. Literally. That’s all it is.”
Mikal Bridges is also eligible for a rookie scale extension. Suns GM James Jones would not elaborate on either player’s contract situation.
“We’ll address that when the time comes, but for us right now, our focus is training camp and getting ready for the regular season,” Jones said.
The top pick in the 2018 draft, Ayton has averaged a double-double in all three of his seasons. His scoring average dropped last season (14.4 PPG) but his efficiency rose (62.6% from the field). He averaged 10.5 RPG during the regular season.
He ramped up his production during the Suns’ Finals run, averaging 15.8 PPG on 65.8% shooting and 11.8 RPG in 22 games.
Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Michael Porter Jr. have all reached rookie scale max agreements with their respective teams this offseason.
Suns star Devin Booker confirmed on a Twitch stream on Sunday that he’s currently dealing with a case of COVID-19, as Kellan Olson of 98.7 Arizona Sports relays (via Twitter). The team had announced over the weekend that Booker was in the NBA’s health and safety protocols and will miss at least part of training camp.
According to Olson, Booker said on Sunday’s stream that he tested positive about a week ago. He has experienced some symptoms – including losing his senses of taste and smell – but said he’s feeling good now and expects to be back soon.
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- Addressing the oft-repeated rumor that he could’ve signed a four-year, $84MM extension with the Lakers during the 2020/21 season, Dennis Schröder said today that he technically never had that contract offer in front of him to sign. That may be just a matter of semantics, since it sounds like there was a time when the Lakers were willing to put that offer on the table. However, Schröder said that he never felt like he fit in 100% in Los Angeles, adding that “money isn’t everything” and he still got a “nice deal” for him and his family (Twitter links via Keith Smith of Spotrac and Jared Weiss of The Athletic). Schröder signed a one-year, $5.9MM contract with the Celtics.
- Kings forward Maurice Harkless said he didn’t explore other opportunities when he became a free agent, preferring to work out something quickly with Sacramento (Twitter link via James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area). Harkless agreed to a two-year, $9MM deal with the team on the first night of free agency.
- The Kings have a new jersey advertisement sponsor, announcing today in a press release that they’ve partner with Dialpad and will wear the company’s logo on their uniforms in 2021/22 and beyond.
SEPTEMBER 27: The Suns have officially signed Randle, the team announced in a press release late on Sunday night.
SEPTEMBER 22: Free agent guard Chasson Randle is signing a training camp contract with the Suns, a source tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Randle, 28, has appeared in a total of 119 NBA regular season games for the Sixers, Knicks, Wizards, Warriors, and Magic since making his debut in January 2017. Last season, he signed a two-way contract with Orlando in February and played a regular role for the team in the second half, averaging 6.5 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and 1.8 APG on .388/.338/.792 shooting in 41 games (20.4 MPG).
Based on Wojnarowski’s report, it sounds like Randle’s contract with Phoenix will be non-guaranteed. However, it won’t include Exhibit 10 language, since the Suns don’t have a G League affiliate and Randle is ineligible to have his contract converted to a two-way deal.
As such, the only path for Randle sticking with the Suns would be to earn the final spot on the regular season roster. Phoenix is currently carrying 14 players on guaranteed deals, and retaining a 15th man wouldn’t push team salary over the tax line, so there’s a viable path to a roster spot for Randle, though the club may bring other players to camp to compete for that spot.
Rookie Warriors shooting guard Moses Moody, chosen with the No. 14 pick out of Arkansas in the NBA draft this summer, is optimistic heading into his first NBA season, writes Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle. The 6’6″ wing was highly coveted by Golden State, who even considered drafting him with the seventh pick before ultimately selecting Jonathan Kuminga.
“I want to establish the foundation for my career, and I feel like I will be able to do that with this coaching staff and these players,” the 19-year-old Moody said of how he intends to develop with the Warriors.
Moody is a solid defender with an elite 7’1″ wingspan. He averaged 16.3 PPG, including 37% shooting from long range, during his four games in the 2021 Las Vegas Summer League. Simmons observes that, until Klay Thompson‘s anticipated return from an Achilles tear a couple months into the season, there will be something of a competition for the Warriors’ starting shooting guard position, and Moody will certainly make his case for consideration.
There’s more out of the Pacific Division:
- Suns All-Star shooting guard Devin Booker has entered the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols and will miss part of the team’s upcoming training camp for the 2021/22 season, per Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. It is unclear whether or not Booker himself has tested positive for the novel coronavirus or has been determined to have been exposed via contact tracing.
- New Suns assistant coach Jarrett Jack had intended to continue his career as a player before he was summoned to the Phoenix bench, he indicated in an interview with Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. The former NBA point guard had most recently served as a veteran leader with the G League Ignite during the 2020/21 season. “I know what they’re about and I know what they want to build and how they want to build it,” Jack said of the Suns. “So now I got to get my head wrapped around this pretty fast.” In the second part of Jack’s conversation with Rankin, he discussed his role with the club. “I believe player development,” Jack said. “I believe I’ll be pretty much with the point guards for the most part.”
- The Clippers have added former Wizards director of athletic performance and rehabilitation Jesse Phillips to their medical staff, reports Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link).
- JaVale McGee is the Suns‘ most important offseason addition, contends Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Rankin notes that Phoenix hasn’t had a rim-protecting center to back up Deandre Ayton since he was a rookie, and suggests that McGee can serve another veteran leader in the locker room.
- The Suns get an A-minus from Zach Harper of The Athletic for their offseason moves. Phoenix kept the core of last season’s Finals team together, re-signing both Chris Paul and Cameron Payne, and added depth with McGee and Landry Shamet.
- The Suns issued a press release today announcing some additions to their coaching staff, including Michael Ruffin as an assistant. Ruffin has some experience working under Monty Williams in the past, having served as an assistant on the Pelicans’ staff from 2014-20. The 2014/15 season was Williams’ last as New Orleans’ head coach.
The 2021/22 NBA regular season will get underway in less than a month, so it’s time to start getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign and to resume an annual Hoops Rumors tradition.
With the help of the lines from a handful of sports betting sites, including Bovada and BetOnline, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.
In 2020/21, our voters went 17-13 on their over/under picks. Can you top that in ’21/22?
As a reminder, the NBA played a 72-game schedule in 2020/21, so a team that won 41 games last year finished with a 41-31 record. This year, a club that wins 41 games would be a .500 team (41-41). For added clarity, we’ve noted the record that each team would have to achieve to finish “over” its projected win total.
We’ll turn today to the Pacific division…
Los Angeles Lakers
- 2020/21 record: 42-30
- Over/under for 2021/22: 52.5 wins (53-29)
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Russell Westbrook, Kendrick Nunn, Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, DeAndre Jordan, Rajon Rondo, Trevor Ariza, Malik Monk, Kent Bazemore, Wayne Ellington
- Lost: Dennis Schröder, Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, Alex Caruso, Marc Gasol, Markieff Morris, Andre Drummond, Wesley Matthews, Ben McLemore, Jared Dudley, Alfonzo McKinnie
Phoenix Suns
- 2020/21 record: 51-21
- Over/under for 2021/22: 51.5 wins (52-30)
- Major offseason moves:
Golden State Warriors
- 2020/21 record: 39-33
- Over/under for 2021/22: 48.5 wins (49-33)
- Major offseason moves:
Los Angeles Clippers
- 2020/21 record: 47-25
- Over/under for 2021/22: 43.5 wins (44-38)
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson, Brandon Boston, Jason Preston, Harry Giles, Isaiah Hartenstein
- Lost: Patrick Beverley, Rajon Rondo, Patrick Patterson, DeMarcus Cousins, Yogi Ferrell, Daniel Oturu
- Note: Kawhi Leonard is expected to miss most or all of the season while recovering from ACL surgery.
Sacramento Kings
- 2020/21 record: 31-41
- Over/under for 2021/22: 36.5 wins (37-45)
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Davion Mitchell, Tristan Thompson, Alex Len
- Lost: Delon Wright, Hassan Whiteside, Justin James
Previous voting results:
- Brooklyn Nets (55.5 wins): Over (63.2%)
- Philadelphia 76ers (51.5 wins): Under (70.0%)
- Boston Celtics (46.5 wins): Over (58.1%)
- New York Knicks (42.5 wins): Over (65.1%)
- Toronto Raptors (36.5 wins): Under (50.6%)
- Utah Jazz (52.5 wins): Over (61.7%)
- Denver Nuggets (48.5 wins): Over (69.3%)
- Portland Trail Blazers (44.5 wins): Over (53.0%)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (34.5 wins): Under (57.1%)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (23.5 wins): Under (65.0%)
- Milwaukee Bucks (54.5 wins): Over (63.7%)
- Indiana Pacers (42.5 wins): Under (58.2%)
- Chicago Bulls (42.5 wins): Over (68.3%)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (26.5 wins): Under (50.5%)
- Detroit Pistons (25.5 wins): Under (52.6%)