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Community Shootaround: 2024/25 NBA MVP Race

December 22nd, 2024 at 12:06pm CST by Luke Adams

As we relayed on Friday, three-time Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic led the way in the first MVP straw poll conducted by ESPN’s Tim Bontemps for the 2024/25 season. However, while Jokic earned 57 first-place votes from the 100 media members polled by Bontemps, it’s clearly a three-player race at this point.

Jokic totaled 827 total points in the voting, with Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at 678 points and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo at 643. Gilgeous-Alexander received 24 first-place votes, while Antetokounmpo got 19 — no other player earned a single first-place vote, and Celtics forward Jayson Tatum was the only other player to even claim a second-place vote (he got three).

Plenty could change between now and the end of the regular season, and injury luck is always a factor, but it seems highly likely at this point that one of Jokic, Gilgeous-Alexander, or Antetokounmpo will be named this season’s Most Valuable Player. Here are their cases so far:

Nikola Jokic:

As usual, the Nuggets center has been an advanced-stats star. He leads the NBA in player efficiency rating (31.9), win shares per 48 minutes (.287), box plus/minus (12.8), and value over replacement player (3.0).

Of course, Jokic’s traditional stats look awfully impressive too. His 31.0 points per game would be a career best, as would his league-leading 50.0% mark on three-point attempts. He’s nearly averaging a triple-double, with 13.0 rebounds and 9.8 assists per game.

The main knock against Jokic at this point is that his Nuggets are fighting to stay out of play-in territory — they’re currently tied for sixth in the Western Conference at 14-11. But it’s hard to blame the big man for that modest record. Denver has a +9.7 net rating in his 819 minutes on the court, while their net rating in the 391 minutes he hasn’t played is a brutal -14.3.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander:

Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 30.3 points, 6.2 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game with a 50.8% field goal percentage, a very strong mark for a guard. He’s also the only player in the NBA who is averaging at least two steals and one block per contest.

The fact that MVPs historically come from teams at or near the top of the standings works in SGA’s favor — his Thunder are 22-5, which is the second-best record in the league and the top mark in the Western Conference. Oklahoma City has a three-game lead in the conference standings on the No. 2 Rockets.

While his supporting cast is certainly stronger than Jokic’s, Gilgeous-Alexander has obviously had a huge hand in OKC’s success. The team has a +15.5 net rating in his 935 minutes and a +1.5 mark in 361 minutes without him on the floor.

The Thunder star also ranks first in the NBA in defensive win shares (2.0) and total win shares (5.4), while placing just behind Jokic in WS/48, BPM, and VORP. His only real weakness is his subpar three-point rate of 33.5% on 6.3 attempts per night.

Giannis Antetokounmpo:

No NBA player has averaged more points per game this season than Antetokounmpo (32.7), who is also among the league leaders in rebounds per game (11.6). The Bucks forward also fills the box score with 6.0 assists and 1.5 blocks per night, along with a career-best field goal percentage of 61.3%.

Giannis is right there with Jokic in terms of PER (31.8) and ranks third behind Jokic and SGA in BPM (9.1) and VORP (2.4). He earns extra points for pulling the Bucks out of an early-season hole, but as a result of that slow start, the team is still just 15-12, fifth in the Eastern Conference. That won’t help his case, so the Bucks will have to keep winning.

Antetokounmpo’s on/off-court numbers are also surprisingly unflattering compared to his top two MVP competitors. Milwaukee’s net rating is essentially the same with him on the court (+1.4) as it is when he’s not playing (+1.3).

We want to know what you think. Which of these three players would you be your MVP pick right now? Which one do you expect to lead the MVP race as the season progresses? Outside of this trio, which player do you think has the best chance to make a run at this season’s MVP award?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!

And-Ones: MVP Race, Redick, Birch, Obst

December 20th, 2024 at 11:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Nikola Jokic has a commanding lead in ESPN’s first straw poll of the season on the MVP race, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. The Nuggets center captured 57 first-place votes among the 100 ballots, giving him 827 total points.

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander came in second with 24 first-place votes and 678 points, followed by Bucks big man Giannis Antetokounmpo, who topped 19 ballots and has 643 points. Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (267 points) and Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (123) round out the top five.

A win by Jokic would give him four MVP trophies in five years and would put him in very select company, Bontemps notes. Only LeBron James and Bill Russell have collected the award four times in five seasons, while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain are the other players to be named MVP at least four times.

Bontemps adds that Antetokoumpo had a significant surge in the poll after his dominant performance in the NBA Cup final. Twenty-nine voters changed their ballots after Tuesday’s game, giving him more than twice as many first-place votes and moving him much closer to Gilgeous-Alexander.

There’s more from around the basketball world:

J.J. Redick, who was a rising media star before being hired to coach the Lakers, weighed in on the NBA’s declining television ratings after Thursday’s game, according to Sam Amick and Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Redick doesn’t believe the league is being presented well by its national TV outlets. “We don’t have anybody that’s willing to step up to the fact that this is an awesome game and we should talk about it and celebrate it in a positive way,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we don’t critique it. We should critique it, but we should celebrate it. Nobody’s doing that, and the people that are have a small niche following on Twitter. And frankly, I would argue as well, that everyone in our ecosystem pays too much attention to what is said on Twitter. And part of this whole ratings discussion is because people on Twitter are talking about it.”
Khem Birch will remain with Fenerbahce for the rest of the season, relays Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. In September, Birch signed a one-year contract with an exit clause that would have allowed the Turkish team to terminate the deal in January. Urbonas states that other EuroLeague teams had interest if the 32-year-old center had become a free agent again.
German sharpshooter Andreas Obst spoke about a potential three-point shootout with Stephen Curry and his interest in an NBA future in a BasketNews Film Session Episode. Obst says he heard that NBA executives were talking about him after he starred in the 2023 World Cup, but he never got a formal offer. “At some point, yeah, I could see myself in the NBA,” he said. “I can fill a role as a shooter. I know how to use my gravity to space the floor, spot up, and play off the ball. That’s something I think any NBA team could use.”

Nuggets Show Significant Interest In Zach LaVine

December 17th, 2024 at 8:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nuggets have interest in making a deal for Bulls wing Zach LaVine, The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Tony Jones report.

Denver is active in the market for an offensive upgrade at the wing position to ease some of the burden off Nikola Jokic. Despite a history of injury issues, LaVine would certainly fit that bill. He’s averaging 21.7 points and 4.2 assists per game this season and holds career shooting percentages of 46.6% from the field and 38.4% on three-pointers.

LaVine is also on a sizable contract — $43MM this season, $45.9MM next season and a $48.9MM player option for 2026/27.

LaVine isn’t the only player the Nuggets are looking at. They have also expressed interest or have had preliminary trade discussions regarding Jordan Poole, Jordan Clarkson, De’Andre Hunter, Cameron Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas, per The Athletic. Brandon Ingram, currently sidelined by an ankle injury, is on the Nuggets’ radar too, SNY TV’s Ian Begley tweets.

However, league sources tell Amick and Jones that Denver’s focus on LaVine in recent talks has been “significant.”

Any big trade Denver might make would likely involve Michael Porter Jr., according to The Athletic duo. Porter is making $35.8MM this season, $38.3MM next season and $40.8MM in 2026/27.

Porter is off to a strong start statistically, averaging 18.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per contest. He’s shooting 51.2% overall and 38.5% on three-point attempts.

So why is Denver willing to part with him? The Nuggets are seeking help in the form of someone who is able to create offense. Jokić and Jamal Murray are the only players on the roster who are consistently capable of creating their own shots, The Athletic notes.

Little-used forward Zeke Nnaji, a 2020 first-round pick, is also available. He’s signed through the 2027/28 season on a four-year, $32MM deal that includes a player option.

Northwest Notes: Braun, Nuggets, R. Williams, Thunder

December 12th, 2024 at 6:37pm CST by Rory Maher

In an lengthy interview with Spencer Davies of RG.org, Nuggets wing Christian Braun says he has learned from a number of veterans over the course of his three NBA seasons, including Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic. Braun, who is posting career highs in several statistics, will be eligible for a rookie scale extension next offseason.

“I mean, I’ve learned a ton in my years, not just from [Jokic]. Each player I’ve played with, I think, has done a good job of helping me out,” Braun told RG. “Just watching KCP [Kentavious Caldwell-Pope] and Bruce [Brown] and how they played off of [Jokic] helped me a lot, and they were always quick to reach out and tell me what they thought or what they saw.

” … You can take a little bit from each person. I think I’ve tried to take a little bit from each of the guys that have been in the league for a long time. Whether it was Ish Smith, DJ [DeAndre Jordan], they all do little things. Jeff Green. Just watching each person’s routine and try to take a little part of each of their routine that I like and make it mine and do it my way.

“But just watching [Jokic’s] approach and the way he was in the training room, the way he’s on the court, the way he approaches each game, his routine, his consistency. Each person, like I said, has good parts of their routine that I try to put into mine, but I’m still learning every day and trying to implement different things.”

Here’s more from the Northwest:

Tony Jones of The Athletic takes a look at the Nuggets‘ “confusing” and “inconsistent” start to the season, with Denver currently holding a 12-10 record despite regular “herculean” efforts from three-time MVP Jokic, who may be having the best season of his career. According to Jones, while depth has been an issue, the biggest concern for the Nuggets has been the play of Murray, who hasn’t looked like the same player who helped Denver win its first NBA championship in 2023.
Big man Robert Williams is nearing a return for the Trail Blazers following a six-game absence while in the league’s concussion protocol, writes Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report. As Highkin notes, Williams has been sidelined by numerous injuries throughout his career, but a hard fall vs. Memphis on Nov. 25 resulted in his first concussion. “I was in a daze,” Williams said. “Nausea, headaches, stuff like that. I didn’t feel terrible. I’ve seen people with worse concussions than mine, for sure. But it slowed me down.” Williams, who was a full practice participant on Thursday, needs to pass one more computer-based test before being cleared by the medical staff — that could come on Friday vs. San Antonio. “I’m tired of dealing with all this s–t, man,” said Williams, who also missed several weeks early in the season due to a hamstring injury. “I miss the game so much. Trying to have fun with my teammates on the court, not just in practice.”
Unlike some teams, who watch film as a whole group, the Thunder split into subgroups for their sessions, according to Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman, who details how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams have grown comfortable using game tape to learn and grow from their mistakes. “Film, for me, opens my eyes,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It’s right in your face. The writing is on the wall. If I should’ve been in this spot, it’s right in front of your face that you should’ve been in that spot. If I should’ve took a shot and I was passive-aggressive, it’s right in front of my face.“

Northwest Notes: Jokic, Nuggets, Edwards, Jazz, Thunder

December 9th, 2024 at 1:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Nikola Jokic‘s 56 points on Saturday weren’t enough to get the Nuggets a win in Washington, but his 48-point, 14-rebound, eight-assist performance in Atlanta just 24 hours later did the trick, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. Denver bounced back from a disappointing loss to the lowly Wizards by blowing out the Hawks 141-111, which head coach Michael Malone called “the response that was needed.”

According to Malone, Jokic – who joked after Saturday’s game that “a paycheck that is a little bit less than usual” might help motivate Nuggets players – was “vocal” with the team on Sunday morning, Durando details in a separate story.

Jokic’s comments seemed to make an impact on his team. As good as the three-time MVP was vs. the Hawks, the Nuggets got production from players up and down their lineup, including second-year guard Jalen Pickett, who was a +18 in 17 minutes in perhaps his best game as a pro. Jokic suggested that sort of effort is what the team needs from everyone.

“When I was coming off the bench, when I was like playing small minutes, my goal was: ‘When I sit on the bench, I’m going to be so tired that I cannot breathe,'” Jokic said. “So just give 100% those three, four, five, six, seven, whatever minutes you have.”

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was fined $25K by the NBA on Monday for using profane language during his post-game media session on Friday (Twitter video link), the league announced (via Twitter). Edwards, perhaps aware that announcement was coming, declined to talk to reporters after Sunday’s loss, citing his history of being fined for cursing, tweets Chris Hine of The Star Tribune.
The Jazz‘s bench has been ineffective since John Collins moved into the starting lineup nearly a month ago, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune, who states that the team has neither a source of consistent offense or defense in its second unit right now and suggests it might make sense to move Collins back to the bench until Jordan Clarkson is healthy. Utah’s bench has a -7.5 net rating since Collins’ first start on November 12, the worst mark in the NBA during that time.
The Thunder, whose 103.3 defensive rating and 12.1 steals per game comfortably rank first in the league, have been playing historically effective defense so far this season, proving Sam Presti right, as Rylan Stiles of SI.com observes. “I think defensively we have the opportunity to have a lot of compounding talent that can make it very hard for us to play against,” the Thunder’s head of basketball operations said before the season began.

Northwest Notes: Edwards, Timberwolves, Jokic, Malone

December 8th, 2024 at 1:41pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Anthony Edwards‘ improving ability to stay patient on the offensive end has started to pay off for the Timberwolves, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

“I’m young, I still want to get my (shot) off,” Edwards said. “It’s frustrating sometimes, but I got to understand the bigger picture.”

The All-Star shooting guard is trying to be more egalitarian in his approach as he faces even more defensive attention with Karl-Anthony Towns gone. Minnesota is currently on a four-game win streak, improving the team’s overall record to 12-10.

“We gotta do a little bit better job of providing clean spacing around some of that time that he is getting doubled,” head coach Chris Finch said. “But I thought he did a great job of getting off of it, embracing it. Getting downhill, mixing it all up.”

There’s more out of the Northwest Division:

Still just 23, Edwards is beginning to establish a confident leadership style with the Timberwolves, notes Chris Hine The Minnesota Star Tribune. The All-NBA guard may be intense, but he’s also an enthusiastic supporter of his teammates. “As much as he gets on you, he’s 10 times more on your side when you’re doing the right things or something positive happens,” point guard Mike Conley said. “There’ll be games where I’ll make three threes in a row, and he’ll be like, ‘Mike, you might be the best shooter in the world. I’ve never seen anybody shoot like that. I’ve never seen that.’”
With Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon sitting, Nuggets MVP center Nikola Jokic took on more of a scoring burden than ever before, racking up a career-best 56 points – on a career-most 38 field goal tries – against Washington. But it still wasn’t enough to hold off the Wizards, who snapped a 16-game losing skid, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post.
Following the Wizards loss, Nuggets leaders Jokic and head coach Michael Malone spoke frankly about the team’s disappointing start to the season, writes David Aldridge of The Athletic. Denver is now 11-10, good for just the No. 9 seed in the West. “We have to realize that we all have to start participating in our own recovery,” Malone said. “That’s where I take blame for us to be 11-10, because obviously I’ve a done a poor job as a head coach in preparing this team, not only to win, but to go out there and execute.” For his part, Jokic pulled few punches in criticizing the club’s slippage this fall while refuting the notion that Malone is solely to be blamed. “Today, and the last couple of games, were really bad for us,” Jokic said. “We’re really going in the wrong direction. I think it’s everybody’s fault. It’s not just Coach’s fault. It’s not his fault that we cannot make shots. It’s not his fault that we don’t communicate.” Over the past two offseasons, Denver has seen three of the top seven players from its 2023 title team depart in free agency, without convincingly replacing any of them. The Nuggets may be paying the price for those exits.

And-Ones: D-Lo, Lithuania, 2025 Draft, Awards, Fall

November 26th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell recently confirmed rumors that he’d have interest in playing for the Lithuanian national team. Addressing those reports on Tuesday, however, the Lithuanian Basketball Federation announced that it doesn’t intend to initiate the naturalization process for Russell, citing both legal and basketball reasons.

Russell’s wife is of Lithuanian descent, but today’s statement from the Lithuanian Basketball Federation indicated that there are no grounds for Russell himself, as a foreigner, to be granted citizenship by exception, which can only be approved by the President of Lithuania.

As BasketNews.com notes, Lithuanian Basketball Federation president Mindaugas Balciunas added that national team head coach Rimas Kurtinaitis and general manager Linas Kleiza, “aim to achieve success using our own talent pool.” The naturalized slot on the club’s roster is currently held by Ignas Brazdeikis, who was born in Lithuania but moved to North America as a child, represented Canada in youth international competitions, and had his Lithuanian citizenship restored in 2021.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Looking ahead to the 2025 NBA draft, Jonathan Givony of ESPN identifies 10 international prospects worth knowing, starting with French point guard Nolan Traore, a projected top-10 pick, and Spanish wing Hugo Gonzalez, a lottery candidate. Israeli guard Ben Saraf, French forward Noa Essengue, and Croatian forward Michael Ruzic are among the other candidates to be first-round picks, according to Givony.
Also at ESPN.com, Tim Bontemps shares his top takeaways from the first month of the 2024/25 NBA season, noting how important depth has been for many of this fall’s top teams, and ESPN’s NBA insiders make their early award picks, selecting Nikola Jokic (MVP), Jared McCain (Rookie of the Year), and Payton Pritchard (Sixth Man of the Year) as a few of their first-month winners.
Former NBA big man Tacko Fall has officially finalized a two-year deal with the New Zealand Breakers that will run through the 2025/26 season, per the team. A previous report indicated that Fall would join the Breakers to replace Freddie Gillespie, who left Australia’s National Basketball League to play in the EuroLeague.

Michael Malone Rips Nuggets’ Effort Following Blowout Loss

November 26th, 2024 at 9:11am CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets lost at home for the second time in four days on Monday, falling by a score of 145-118 to the Knicks. Asked by a reporter during his post-game media session if he was prepared to “flush” the game and move on, head coach Michael Malone strongly pushed back on that idea (Twitter video link via DNVR Sports).

“F–k that, no, no, no. We’re not flushing,” Malone said. “You don’t flush when you get embarrassed. You don’t flush when you gave up 145 points. You don’t flush when you didn’t play hard, didn’t play with effort, didn’t play with physicality. I’m not flushing anything.”

Malone praised Russell Westbrook, who scored a team-high 27 points, for his willingness to be “vocal” on and off the court, but said he’d like to see more of that sort of leadership from players who have been cornerstones in Denver for years.

“I need Nikola Jokic, I need Jamal Murray,” Malone said. “I need guys that have been here in that starting lineup to be vocal.”

The Nuggets have been without starting forward Aaron Gordon since November 4 due to a calf injury, and Jokic and Murray have each missed a few games, but Malone doesn’t view that as an excuse for a modest 9-7 record and what he views as an inconsistent compete level so far this season.

“Regardless of who’s in (and) who’s out, who do we want to be as a team?” Malone said. “Leadership would be great. toughness would be great. Physicality would be great. Playing like you actually care would be great. We didn’t do that tonight.

“… We’re just fooling ourselves,” Malone added later. “Yes, (the Knicks) are a good team, but if that’s the effort we’re going to give forth, we won’t even be close to being a playoff team.”

Jokic agreed with Malone’s assessment, telling reporters that the Nuggets needed “a good punch in the face just to wake up” and said the players “collectively need to do a better job” (link via ESPN.com). Murray agreed that it was on the players, not the coaches, to figure things out and wondered if staying in Los Angeles overnight after Saturday’s win vs. the Lakers might’ve played a part in the team’s sluggishness on Monday.

“It’s a long season. Guys have lives outside of basketball,” Murray said (Twitter video link via Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports). “We just beat L.A. in L.A. We’ve got some guys who live in L.A., so (we) stayed in L.A. I don’t think the focus was there from everybody, and that’s what happens when you don’t have the focus.”

The Nuggets are currently tied with the Suns for the seventh-best record in a crowded Western Conference and sit just one game ahead of the No. 11 Timberwolves.

And-Ones: Harrell, Covington, Neto, Awards, More

November 25th, 2024 at 9:02am CST by Rory Maher

Former NBA big man Montrezl Harrell, who won the Sixth Man of the Year award in 2020, is currently playing in Australia’s National Basketball League as a member of the Adelaide 36ers. The 30-year-old received a three-game suspension on Monday for his part in on- and off-court incidents during a Nov. 17 game vs. Melbourne United.

As Olgun Uluc of ESPN details, United big man Rob Loe drew a charge on Harrell early in the fourth quarter of the contest, and while both players were on the ground, Harrell shoved Loe. That led to a “melee involving most players” for both teams. Harrell appeared to throw a punch at one opponent and “multiple open-handed strikes” at other United players, per Uluc.

Directly after the on-court scuffle, 36ers staffers and players — including Harrell and teammate Kendric Davis — were involved another altercation, this time with spectators behind the team’s bench. Davis received a two-game suspension for initiating contact in that incident, which saw four spectators ejected. Davis claimed a fan directed racist language at him; the United put out a statement saying they were unable to corroborate that allegation.

The 36ers have 24 hours to appeal the suspensions, according to Uluc, who says Harrell has suggested multiple times on social media he may not return to Australia, pending the outcome of his punishment; he’s currently back home in the United States with the NBL season on pause due to the FIBA window (qualifiers for international tournaments).

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

In an interview with Sam Yip of HoopsHype, free agent forward Robert Covington says he’s confident he can still contribute to NBA teams. “Ain’t nothing changed,” Covington said. “Someone that can give energy on the other side, the defensive side, can come in space the floor, move the ball, do the little things that won’t show up on the stat sheet, what made me very effective.” The 33-year-old, who holds 11 seasons of NBA experience, dealt with a knee injury for most of last season, last suiting up on December 30, 2023, but he says he’s fully healthy now. Covington is currently playing for Team USA in a qualifying round for the AmeriCup. One recent report said he might be open to playing in the G League as he attempts to make it back to the NBA.
Former NBA guard Raul Neto has signed a rest-of-season contract with Spanish club Barcelona, as Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops relays. Neto, who played eight seasons in the NBA from 2015-23, missed all of last season with a knee injury, but he’s “fully recovered” now. Barcelona was looking for backcourt help after losing Nicolas Laprovittola to a season-ending ACL and meniscus injury, Askounis notes.
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports lists his award winners for the first month of the 2024/25 season. As of now, O’Connor has Nuggets center Nikola Jokic as the frontrunner to win his fourth MVP in five years, Spurs center Victor Wembanyama leading the race for Defensive Player of the Year, and Sixers guard Jared McCain as the league’s top rookie.
On a somewhat related note, with the first month of the season finished, several writers for The Athletic to compiled a list of each team’s biggest concern, with one exception — the 17-1 Cavaliers don’t have a have a real weakness right now, says Joe Vardon.
Magic guard Anthony Black and Rockets guard/forward Amen Thompson are two of the six young players John Hollinger of The Athletic highlights as showing marked improvement in their season seasons.

Western Notes: Jokic, Hachimura, R. Williams, Warriors

November 22nd, 2024 at 7:25pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets got some very good news ahead of Friday night’s showdown vs. the defending Western champion Mavericks, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), who says three-time MVP Nikola Jokic has rejoined the team and will be active on Friday against Dallas.

Jokic had missed Denver’s past three contests, having been listed as out for personal reasons. As Charania details, the superstar center and his wife welcomed a newborn son on Thursday night.

We have more from around the Western Conference:

Lakers forward Rui Hachimura is off the injury report and appears set to return on Saturday vs. Denver after missing four games due to a left ankle sprain, tweets Mark Medina of Sportskeeda. Rookie Dalton Knecht has thrived in the starting lineup over the past few games, but a new starting five featuring Hachimura won three games in a row prior to his injury. “My expectation is that Rui would stay in the starting lineup,” head coach J.J. Redick said, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. “He’s been awesome for us and I think for the group. … Whatever designation Dalton has, whether he’s coming off of the bench or as a starter, I don’t think his role changes at all. And I think for him mentally, there’s no effect to that. He’s just going to be the same guy. We have to, as a coaching staff, we have to be cognizant about getting him longer stretches on the court.”
In his first five games for the Trail Blazers this season, Robert Williams has provided a reminder of why he’s so valuable when healthy, averaging a career-high 10.8 points per game on 79.3% shooting while also contributing 6.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 1.2 steals in just 20.6 minutes per night off the bench. Williams, one of just two Blazers with a positive net rating, has long been viewed as a potential trade chip for Portland, but Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Substack link) wonders if there may actually be a stronger argument for the team keeping the big man, given how well he has fit. For what it’s worth, Bill Oram of The Oregonian (Twitter link) is strongly in favor of making Williams a trade chip, arguing it would be an “egregious dereliction of duty” not to move him.
With 13 players averaging between 11 and 30 minutes per game, the Warriors‘ approach to their rotation so far this season has been unprecedented, as Howard Beck of The Ringer writes. Even with De’Anthony Melton out for the season, head coach Steve Kerr is in position to deploy a 12-man rotation when everyone’s healthy, prompting Beck to explore whether that plan is sustainable and what Golden State’s ceiling might be.