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World Cup Final Notes: Germany, Schröder, Serbia, Bogdanovic

September 9th, 2023 at 3:26pm CST by Rory Maher

Raptors guard Dennis Schröder has helped lead the German national team to a perfect 7-0 record at the 2023 World Cup ahead of Sunday’s final against Serbia. Germany’s captain says he hopes he’s helping basketball become more popular in his home country, as Aris Barkas of Eurhoops relays.

“I hope that basketball gets to be little bit more attractive and gets more attention,” Schröder said. “Because I’ve been here 10 years now, and from that point to this point, it’s a huge difference. And I’m glad that I can be a part of it. And try to put Germany, our country, on the map. And that’s the reason why I play a national team. I try to help others, like little guys coming up, same as me, 15 years ago. That they can make a difference take care of their families and play on big stages.”

The 30-year-old, who has averaged 17.9 points, 6.7 assists and 1.4 steals thus far at the tournament (27.9 minutes), says doesn’t feel nervous ahead of the gold medal game, according to Barkas.

“I mean, when you play basketball, you compete on the highest level anyway,” said Schröder. “Every summer game, it’s the same game for me. Of course, it’s the World Cup, it’s a big honor to play in the finals. It’s something special, but at the end of the day, it’s still a game.”

Here’s more on tomorrow’s final:

Magic big man Moritz Wagner says Germany’s upset over Team USA in the semifinal was a major milestone for the country, writes Cesare Milanti of Eurohoops. “Germany just made the World Cup final… I think this is the biggest win in German basketball history,” said Wagner, who finished with 10 points on 3-of-5 shooting in 13 minutes in the victory.
Bogdan Bogdanovic has been Serbia’s best player at the World Cup, and he says he’s thrilled to have secured another medal for the national team, which can finish no worse than second place (silver). “I’m really happy and grateful, and also happy for this team,” the Hawks swingman said, per George Efkarpides of Eurhoops. “I know how much effort we put in since day one; the coach was really hard on us, it was tough for me too. Being out of the national team for a couple of years, I forgot how it is. That struggle. In the NBA you have a guy to bring you towels, this and that, here you kind of have to do everything by yourself. We went through all this and made it to the finals.” Asked about Finals MVP Nikola Jokic, who chose to rest this summer after winning the NBA title, Bogdanovic said the Serbian star “texts us after every game.”
Serbian head coach Svetislav Pesic led Germany to its lone EuroBasket gold medal in 1993. According to Barkas of Eurhoops, Pesic says he has fond memories of his time with the German Basketball Federation and respects the current group. “Both teams deserved to be in the final,” Pevic said. “Both teams demonstrated team basketball. I have, of course, and not only me but everybody, big respect for the German team. The German team is one team whose most important quality is continuity. They have played together for five years. This is a generational team and they played together excellently. They demonstrated one more time here in Manila.”

USA, Serbia Advance To World Cup Semifinals

September 5th, 2023 at 9:30am CST by Luke Adams

After their first loss of the summer against Lithuania on Sunday, Team USA bounced back in convincing fashion on Tuesday, blowing out Italy in a quarterfinal matchup that was never close. The U.S. won by a final score of 100-63, led by Nets forward Mikal Bridges (24 points, seven rebounds) and Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (18 points, five assists).

The victory lines up Team USA for a semifinal showdown on Friday against the winner of Wednesday’s quarterfinal between Germany and Latvia. The German team – which includes NBAers like Dennis Schröder, Daniel Theis, and Moritz Wagner – is undefeated in the World Cup and will be the favorite to win Wednesday’s game, though Latvia has exceeded expectations and is a legitimate threat to make it to the final four.

Meanwhile, the Lithuanian squad that defeated the U.S. on Sunday had a disappointing follow-up contest vs. Serbia on Tuesday, losing by a score of 87-68 in another one-sided quarterfinal.

Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic was Serbia’s best player, pouring in 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting, while Sixers big man Filip Petrusev had 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting in just 17 minutes of action. Heat forward Nikola Jovic also chipped in with eight points on 3-of-5 shooting.

Serbia will face the winner of Wednesday’s Canada/Slovenia game in Friday’s semifinal, while Lithuania and Italy move into the consolation games to determine the fifth-through-eighth place finishers.

Lithuania and Italy will now have to win qualifying tournaments next summer in order to earn one of the final four spots in the 2024 Olympics, while Serbia remains in the running to claim one of the two FIBA Europe Olympic berths up for grabs in the World Cup.

The winner of Germany/Latvia on Wednesday would join Serbia as the two European Olympic qualifiers if Slovenia falls to Canada; if Slovenia wins, three European teams would still be alive for two Olympic berths heading into the semifinals.

World Cup Notes: Neto, Jones, Doncic, Bogdanovic

August 26th, 2023 at 12:03pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Brazilian guard Raul Neto ruptured the patellar tendon in his right knee during Brazil’s 2023 FIBA World Cup opener against Iran, Eurohoops.net reports. Neto will miss the rest of the World Cup.

It’s a brutal blow for Neto, who recently signed overseas with Turkish club Fenerbahce. In a recent interview with Eurohoops, the veteran spoke about his excitement for joining one of the top overseas clubs. Neto, who played in the NBA from 2015-23, didn’t rule out a return stateside, but said he was a bit disappointed not to receive a contract offer.

Neto averaged 8.7 points per game with the Wizards in 2020/21. After leaving Washington in 2022, he signed with the Cavaliers, where he spent all of last year, but he didn’t play much.

“I just think that the NBA season… it’s very hard if you aren’t a role player,” Neto said. “It’s hard on you. You don’t play much.”

Neto, 31, was hoping that his time with Fenerbahce would allow him to see the floor more and show that he’s still got his guard skills, according to his interview with Eurohoops. However, this recent injury puts his time with Fenerbahce in doubt. Patellar tendon ruptures typically take six-to-12 months to recover from, so it’s safe to say that Neto’s ’23/24 season is in jeopardy.

The Brazilian guard was poised to be a significant part of not only Brazil’s national team, but also Fenerbahce, as he was essentially signed to replace Nick Calathes.

We have more World Cup notes:

Bulls guard Carlik Jones, playing with South Sudan in the World Cup, put up a record-breaking performance in the team’s opening loss to Puerto Rico. Jones recorded 38 points, 11 assists, six rebounds and four steals in the defeat, hitting four of his nine attempts from downtown. According to HoopsHype, that is the best scoring mark for any African national team at the World Cup. He also recorded the first 30-point, 10-assist game in tournament history. This was South Sudan’s World Cup debut. Jones is signed to a non-guaranteed deal for the Bulls — it becomes partially guaranteed for $250K if he makes the opening-night roster.
Mavericks star guard Luka Doncic made a statement in Slovenia’s opening game of the World Cup, putting up 37 points in their matchup with Venezuela. Doncic’s 37 points were a tournament high briefly before Jones had his record-setting performance. Former NBA center Mike Tobey had a terrific game for Slovenia, putting up 21 points on 9 of 9 shooting.
Serbia’s World Cup experience has been a roller coaster so far. While the team blew out China 105-63, it also lost center Filip Petrusev due to injury. Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic is one of the leaders on Serbia’s team and spoke about its World Cup experience thus far in a recent interview with Eurohoops. “We expect the next two games to be much harder than the first against China. They’re both experienced teams, with a lot of good players,” he said of the schedule. Serbia takes on South Sudan and Puerto Rico next. In the interview, Bogdanovic talked about his main goal for the World Cup, which is to qualify for the Olympics and medal in the event.
In case you missed it, we had more World Cup notes on Friday.

World Cup Notes: White, Maluach, Bodganovic, Batum

August 24th, 2023 at 9:02pm CST by Rory Maher

Thunder forward Jack White will be playing for Team Australia during the 2023 FIBA World Cup, which tips off at 3 a.m. CT early tomorrow morning. However, as Tom Hersz writes for NBL.com.au, White was very nearly left off the roster — he was set to be the odd man out, but Rockets center Jock Landale sustained an ankle injury during the team’s final exhibition game in Melbourne last week, creating an opening.

White, who signed a two-year deal with OKC this summer, says he’s excited to represent his home country.

“Excited to try and help this group try to get a gold medal,” White said. “It’s been our goal all camp, it’s been our standard now for the last couple of years, especially after Tokyo. But this is a dream come true for me and [I’m] just excited to do everything I can to help us win.”

Here are a few more notes ahead of the World Cup:

At 16 years old, South Sudan’s Khaman Maluach is the third-youngest participant in World Cup history, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN. The 7’2″ big man, who plays in the NBA Africa Academy in Senegal, is considered an “elite prospect” for the 2025 draft class, Givony writes. “He has a great feel for the game,” South Sudan basketball federation president Luol Deng told ESPN. “Good court awareness, amazing skill set. He has made a huge improvement. At the same time, he needs to improve on everything. Sharpen every part of his game, as you expect from a 16-year-old. That’s what makes him scary. He still has so much room to grow. But he has a great spirit, is always smiling and is hungry to learn. Everyone loves being around him, and that’s why it’s been so easy to welcome him into the team.”
Hawks swingman Bogdan Bogdanovic is used to being a play-maker, but he’ll have the ball in his hands even more for Serbia in the absences of Nikola Jokic and Vasilije Micic. Still, he says his role won’t be all that different than he’s used to in the NBA, as Eurohoops relays. “I play the same way here and there, now with maybe more minutes,” Bogdanovic said. “In Atlanta, I have a similar role, my teammates look for me, and the defense is more focused and we use that. Here they are a little different and then the game adapts more.”
Two of the tournament’s top contenders will square off on day one, with Canada set to face France in Group H. Clippers forward Nicolas Batum says the French national team is eager for the challenge. “We have a big game ahead of us but that’s why we are here. We can’t wait to start the tournament,” Batum said, per Eurohoops.

International Notes: Serbia, Bahamas, Gordon, Croatia

August 22nd, 2023 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Serbian national team has officially announced its 12-man roster for the 2023 World Cup, which tips off on Friday (Twitter link). The Serbians are missing star center Nikola Jokic, along with accomplished veteran guard Vasilije Micic, who made the move from the EuroLeague to the NBA this offseason.

However, the squad still features multiple current and former NBA players, starting with Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic. Heat forward Nikola Jovic, Sixers big man Filip Petrusev, and former Grizzlies guard Marko Guduric are among the notable players representing Serbia at this year’s World Cup.

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

The Bahmas defeated Argentina on Sunday in the final of an Olympic pre-qualifying tournament, with Suns guard Eric Gordon scoring a game-high 27 points, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Following the Bahamian victory, former NBA forward Andres Nocioni – who won an Olympic gold medal with Argentina in 2004 – questioned whether it was fair for FIBA to allow Gordon to suit up for the Bahamas despite representing Team USA earlier in his international career (Twitter link). “Let’s not lose the essence of international competitions,” Nocioni added in a follow-up tweet.
A Croatian team led by Warriors forward Dario Saric and Clippers center Ivica Zubac scored an upset victory over Alperen Sengun and Turkey in the final of another Olympic pre-qualifying tournament on Sunday, as Eurohoops details. Croatia, the Bahamas, Cameroon, Poland, and Bahrain won this month’s pre-qualifying tournament to secure spots in next year’s Olympic qualifiers.
Vangelis Papadimitriou of Eurohoops highlights a handful of non-U.S. NBA players who could be difference-makers in this year’s World Cup, including Canadian forward RJ Barrett and Dominican big man Karl-Anthony Towns.

World Cup Notes: Jackson, Reaves, Murray, Bogdanovic

August 7th, 2023 at 10:42am CST by Arthur Hill

Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. was named the standout of training camp in a straw poll of Team USA players taken by Joe Vardon of The Athletic. The American World Cup team wrapped up camp on Sunday in advance of tonight’s first exhibition game, and Jackson made a strong impression on his teammates.

“Jaren, particularly (Saturday), his energy and the way he went to the glass and went to the foul line every other possession,” Jalen Brunson said. “He was just really a force (in the Saturday scrimmage against the Select Team).”

As its best rim protector and most versatile big man, Jackson will be important to Team USA’s chances of capturing a gold medal. He’s looking forward to the international competition, noting that it’s conducive to his style of play, which often gets him into foul trouble in the NBA.

“It’s more physical in FIBA,” Jackson said. “You can use your chest a lot more. You can’t really use your hands, so that’s the similarity (with the NBA), but you can use your chest in FIBA just to get him off you or whatever the case. The defense gets a lot of benefit of the doubt, for the most part.”

There’s more World Cup news to pass along:

Even after a breakout season, Austin Reaves was surprised to receive an invitation to join the Team USA roster, per Steve Carp of The Sporting Tribune. Entering the league as an undrafted player, Reaves doesn’t have the credentials of his more heralded teammates, but his performance with the Lakers caught the attention of USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill. “I was shocked,” Reaves said. “As a kid, you watch (USA Basketball) and you fantasize taking that last shot to win the gold medal. Now I’m here and with a chance to contribute and be part of it. It’s a tremendous honor personally and to also represent the Lakers.”
Nuggets guard Jamal Murray will miss Team Canada’s exhibition games in Europe as his status for the World Cup is evaluated, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. The Canadians will play three times this week in Germany and twice next week in Spain before the actual tournament begins August 25. Canada will also be without newly signed Warriors guard Cory Joseph, who experienced an issue with his back during training camp, Kassius Robertson, who will report to his new EuroLeague team instead, and Oshae Brissett, who is rehabbing an injury (Twitter link).
Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic tells Eurohoops that he’s optimistic about Serbia’s chances even though it won’t have NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic or new Thunder guard Vasilije Micic. “Given that it’s a relatively young team, we’ve managed well,” Bogdanovic said. “… We play a fast and attractive style of basketball.”

Hawks Notes: Coaching Staff, Snyder, Bogdanovic, Tax

March 17th, 2023 at 7:53am CST by Luke Adams

Quin Snyder‘s coaching staff in Atlanta has grown by two members, according to Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (subscription required), who reports that the Hawks have hired Steven Klei as an assistant coach and Jeff Watkinson as an assistant with a focus on “integrative basketball development.”

As Williams outlines, both Klei and Watkinson worked with Snyder in Utah, though Watkinson is no stranger to Atlanta, having previously served as the Hawks’ strength and conditioning coach. According to Snyder, Watkinson is taking on something of a hybrid role in his second go-round with the team.

“He’s working right now with the front office in a player-development role,” Snyder said. “It’s kind of (the) line is blurred as far as him being able to do some stuff on the floor. That’s kind of something we’ve talked about, (Hawks general manager) Landry (Fields) and I, you want that type of intersection in different things, and some of it’s organic.”

Besides the two new additions, Snyder’s coaching staff is otherwise made of Nate McMillan‘s old assistants. According to Williams, most of those coaches still have at least one year left on their contracts, though it’s unclear what sort of changes Snyder might make to the staff during the offseason.

Here’s more on the Hawks:

In a conversation with David Aldridge of The Athletic, Snyder explained why the Hawks’ coaching job appealed to him and discussed the challenges of stepping into the role midway through the season. Snyder said his conversations with Hawks owner Tony Ressler, Fields, and assistant GM Kyle Korver (who played under Snyder in both Atlanta and Utah) helped convince him to take the job. “I didn’t anticipate this happening now, but it was intriguing enough,” Snyder said. “And then the more I learned about it, it just made sense to me, even though the timing wasn’t what you thought it would be, that it made sense to do.”
Bobby Marks of ESPN provides some additional information on Bogdan Bogdanovic‘s new extension with the Hawks, tweeting that the deal will begin at $18.7MM next season, then decline a little in subsequent seasons before staying flat for the final two years. The contract includes a $16.02MM team option in the fourth year, Marks adds.
Having locked up Bogdanovic, the Hawks now have approximately $162MM in guaranteed salaries on their books for 2023/24, according to Marks. Next season’s projected tax line? $162MM.

Bogdan Bogdanovic Signs Four-Year Extension With Hawks

March 16th, 2023 at 7:00pm CST by Rory Maher

7:00pm: Bogdanovic’s extension is official, the Hawks confirmed in a press release.

2:06pm: Bogdan Bogdanovic has agreed to a four-year, $68MM extension with the Hawks, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, Bogdanovic had an $18MM player option for 2023/24 — the first year of his extension will replace that option and cannot be less than that amount. The Hawks are projected to be a taxpayer next season, but owner Tony Ressler has never paid the luxury tax, Marks adds.

Bogdanovic was originally selected No. 27 overall in 2014, but continued to play overseas for a few seasons until his NBA rights were acquired by the Kings. The Serbian swingman spent his first three seasons with Sacramento before signing a four-year, $72MM deal with Atlanta as a restricted free agent in 2020 — the Kings elected not to match.

The 30-year-old missed the first 22 games of 2022/23 after offseason knee surgery, but has been his normal productive self since he returned to action on December 2, averaging 14.1 PPG, 3.2 RPG and 2.9 APG on .437/.401/.806 shooting in 43 games (28.5 MPG). Those numbers are very similar to his career stats of 14.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG and 3.3 APG on .439/.386/.820 shooting in 359 games (28.6 MPG).

Numerous teams, including Cleveland, reportedly inquired on Bogdanovic’s availability ahead of last month’s trade deadline. However, the Hawks were reluctant to part with the veteran guard/forward, who provides a valued combination of outside shooting and complementary play-making.

One report earlier this month indicated that Bogdanovic was expected to decline his option for next season and enter free agency. Instead, he’ll sign a long-term extension with the Hawks, who have made the playoffs in each of the past two seasons and are currently 34-35, the No. 8 seed in the East.

It’s interesting that Bogdanovic’s new contract comes in at an average annual value of $17MM versus his current deal’s $18MM, as the salary cap is expected to continue to rise in the coming years. Still, it’s a significant commitment given his injury history, and obviously he was interested in remaining with Atlanta despite a tumultuous season that saw the team switch head coaches.

As Marks notes (via Twitter), Bogdanovic was permitted to extend off his ’23/24 salary until the start of next season.

Hawks Notes: Resslers, Front Office, Snyder, Young, Bogdanovic

March 3rd, 2023 at 6:15pm CST by Luke Adams

Hawks owner Tony Ressler believes his team has underachieved this season, which is why he decided to overhaul the front office and signed off on the new group’s plan to replace head coach Nate McMillan with Quin Snyder, he tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

According to Ressler, he’s staying out of basketball decisions and has given new general manager Landry Fields the autonomy to make those calls. The Hawks’ owner said he removed Travis Schlenk from his role as the team’s head of basketball operations because he wasn’t happy with the front office’s level of “collaboration and communication,” per Wojnarowski.

“I can tell you this: Landry and (assistant GM) Kyle (Korver) are running a much better, much more collaborative front office,” Ressler said. “That’s of huge importance to me because I think that’s how you get better. Having ownership, a front office, a coaching staff and the right roster — when all of those folks work well together, I think results improve. That was the objective and that’s why I made the change that I did.”

There has been some skepticism about the new-look Hawks’ front office due to the relatively inexperienced nature of the head executives, along with the reported empowerment of Tony’s son Nick Ressler. However, the elder Ressler expressed full confidence in the new group.

“What I’ve always done is rely on people who know more than I do to run a business better than I could,” Ressler said to ESPN. “Who makes the decisions (now), it’s undoubtedly Landry with Kyle — with (head coach) Quin (Snyder). (They) are going to work beautifully together from what I can tell. I do believe we will make better decisions going forward than we have done in the past.”

Here’s more on the Hawks:

In a separate interview with Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Ressler insisted that his son Nick’s influence in the basketball operations department has been overstated. “Nick works in the organization, helps me in both the business and basketball operations, helps me understand the goings-on of the organization, if you will, helps me evaluate what we’re doing,” Tony said. “But he sits in the same role (I do). He’s in ownership, but is full time to the organization. So the simple answer, is ‘No, he’s not in charge of any (basketball) decision-making.'”
Although the Hawks have made some roster moves this year that seemed aimed at avoiding the luxury tax, Ressler insists those moves weren’t driven by him. “We’re not worried about the luxury tax,” he told Williams. “… Do I think it’s a good idea to be incredibly average (and) in the luxury tax? I’d rather not. I’d rather be contending in the luxury tax or being a great team in the luxury tax. But at the end of the day, I’ve never suggested a trade to get out of the luxury tax ever. Whoever said that will be giving you an untruth, directly, indirectly, intentionally, unintentionally. Never said it. Never will.”
Rival executives lauded the Hawks for the hiring of Snyder, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who spoke to Williams for the latest HoopsHype podcast. There have been suggestions that Snyder may have taken the job in part to have a bigger say in roster changes — when Williams spoke to Snyder she got the impression that while Fields and Korver will “weigh his opinion pretty heavily,” but she doesn’t believe Snyder’s voice will be the “end all and be all.”
Williams also touched on the slow-developing chemistry of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, saying “they’re still learning from each other” and suggesting that the two guards may not have a close relationship. Williams is surprised by that because Young was eager to team up with Murray in the offseason. Williams says Young “is a nice guy,” but has heard “sometimes he has some trouble endearing himself to his teammates off the court,” though she says people like playing with him.
Veteran wing Bogdan Bogdanovic is expected to decline his $18MM player option for 2023/24 and enter unrestricted free agency, says Scotto. Williams is a little skeptical Bogdanovic will exceed $18MM per year on his next contract due to his injury history, but Scotto believes he could at least equal, if not exceed, that total on annual basis, noting that the salary cap is expected to go up each year for the foreseeable future. It could be tricky for Atlanta to re-sign Bogdanovic, Scotto adds, citing luxury tax concerns.

Rory Maher contributed to this post.

Central Notes: Cavs, O’Neale, Crowder, Wiseman, Noel, Pacers

February 10th, 2023 at 11:21am CST by Luke Adams

Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman has made 14 in-season trades since taking the reins in Cleveland’s front office in 2017, but he had an uncharacteristically quiet deadline this season. As Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes, the Cavs are one of just two teams (along with Chicago) that hasn’t made a trade since the 2022/23 season got underway.

“We just didn’t feel like anything was going to really move the needle for us,” Altman said on Thursday. “Scoured the market and talked to every team I could. We could have made a move that was lateral, multiple moves that were lateral, that I didn’t think appreciably made us better. I really wanted to see what this group looked like together, fully healthy, and the potential of this group, which we’ve seen right in front of our eyes, continue to grow.”

Royce O’Neale, Dorian Finney-Smith, Cameron Johnson, Grant Williams, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Bojan Bogdanovic were among the top targets on the Cavaliers’ wish list, according to Fedor, but the team either didn’t have the assets to acquire those players or deemed the asking prices too high.

Sources tell Fedor that the Cavs made a strong push for O’Neale and tried to line up other deals to get the Nets the sort of assets they wanted, but Brooklyn – which was seeking more than a first-round pick – didn’t bite.

“I think there’s value in continuity,” Altman said. “I think there’s value in giving this group a runway. Sometimes you just say to yourself, ‘Don’t mess this up.’ I think that was a big key for us this deadline. It was not easy for me. We’re the fifth-best team in the NBA right now — 35 wins, which is the fourth-most in the NBA — and some really good numbers to back up what I think you guys see on the court every day. I didn’t see anything that was going to put us over the top.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (subscription required) explores what Jae Crowder can bring to the Bucks and contends that hanging onto Grayson Allen through the trade deadline was a win for the team, since he’s having a strong two-way season.
Adding former No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman to an already crowded frontcourt in a trade that sent out Saddiq Bey may be Pistons general manager Troy Weaver‘s biggest gamble yet, argues Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). James L. Edwards III of The Athletic spoke to colleague Anthony Slater about what to expect from Wiseman in Detroit, with Slater noting that the young center still has a ways to go on the defensive end.
After not being included in a deadline deal, Pistons center Nerlens Noel has been listed as “not with team” on the club’s injury report, Edwards notes (via Twitter). Noel isn’t owed any guaranteed money beyond this season and finds himself buried even further down the depth chart following Wiseman’s arrival, so he could be a buyout candidate.
The Pacers‘ relative inactivity at the trade deadline reflected president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard‘s desire not to shake up his core or disrupt the chemistry that the current roster has built, says Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required). As Dopirak observes, Indiana’s lone deadline deal was primarily about using their remaining cap room to add more draft assets, but it will also give the team to take a low-risk look at young wing Jordan Nwora.