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Draft Rumors: Warriors, Vassell, Suns, Spurs, Mavs, More

November 12th, 2020 at 11:13am CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors continue to actively discuss trades involving the No. 2 pick, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Insider link), who writes within his latest mock draft that the Bulls, Pistons, and Knicks are among the candidates to make a deal with Golden State.

If the Warriors remain at No. 2, the team seems more likely to select Memphis center James Wiseman than Georgia guard Anthony Edwards, per Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report. Wasserman has heard that there are some voices in Golden State’s front office against drafting Edwards, as well as mixed opinions within the front office on LaMelo Ball.

As Wasserman details, the Warriors have also expressed “legitimate” interest in sharpshooting wing Devin Vassell, but the assumption is that the club wouldn’t take the Florida State prospect at No. 2 — he’d be an option in a trade-down scenario. Wasserman adds that Vassell’s camp is confident he’ll go in the middle of the lottery and is unlikely to slip past the Kings at No. 12.

Here are a few more draft-related updates and rumors:

According to Givony, the Suns (No. 10) are “looking heavily” at point guards and wing players, especially prospects who can complement Devin Booker, while the Spurs (No. 11) are eyeing both big men and wings in the hopes of bolstering their frontcourt.
The Mavericks have expressed some interest in trading up into the lottery, league sources tell Jeremy Woo of SI.com. Dallas currently holds the 18th and 31st overall picks.
Teams with picks in the 20s aren’t expecting Precious Achiuwa to be available, according to Wasserman, who says the Memphis forward will likely be picked in the 9-18 range.
Multiple teams believe Arizona shooting guard Josh Green could slip a little, with some clubs viewing him as a “fringe first-rounder,” writes Wasserman.
Jaden McDaniels, Tyrell Terry, Daniel Oturu, Tyrese Maxey, and RJ Hampton are among the first-round candidates with the widest projected draft ranges, per Wasserman.

Hawks Rumors: Holiday, No. 6 Pick, Haliburton, Okongwu

November 12th, 2020 at 8:43am CST by Luke Adams

Following up on Wednesday’s report linking the Hawks to Jrue Holiday, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic explains in further detail why he’s hearing that Atlanta currently isn’t a probable landing spot for the Pelicans guard.

According to Kirschner, there’s a belief that if Atlanta pursued Holiday, it would take the No. 6 overall pick and two young players. The Hawks aren’t interested in giving up that substantial a package for a 30-year-old on an expiring contract, even if Holiday would be a great fit next to Trae Young in the backcourt.

The Hawks could still be involved in a three-team deal where Holiday goes to another team, and could even emerge as a viable landing spot for Holiday if the Pelicans’ asking price drops, says Kirschner. However, a trade that sees the club giving up two young players isn’t being considered.

Here’s more on the Hawks from Kirschner:

Kirschner also addressed trade rumors related to the No. 6 pick, writing that if the draft were today, Atlanta would be prepared to make that selection rather than moving it. He also clarifies that the rumored Timberwolves proposal for the No. 6 pick – which includes the No. 17 pick and Jarrett Culver – is an offer Minnesota has put on the table for multiple teams.
Deni Avdija, Tyrese Haliburton, and Onyeka Okongwu look like the Hawks’ most likely targets if the club remains at No. 6, though Avdija may be off the board by then, Kirschner writes. If Haliburton and Okongwu are available, Kirschner thinks Atlanta would probably lean toward the former Iowa State guard.
Kirschner wonders if the Spurs, who own the No. 11 pick, might be a potential trade partner for Atlanta. Kirschner believes the Hawks would be interested in moving down if they could acquire a young player like Derrick White or Dejounte Murray, though I’m skeptical San Antonio would give up either player to move up five spots. Because Atlanta would prefer a young player whose timeline matches up with the current core, veterans like LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan are probably unlikely targets, Kirschner adds.

Community Shootaround: Spurs’ Offseason Plans

November 11th, 2020 at 5:52pm CST by Luke Adams

While some NBA teams’ offseason checklists are fairly straightforward, there are a handful of clubs that could realistically go in any number of directions with their rosters in the next couple weeks.

The Spurs are one of those clubs. After seeing their streak of postseason appearances snapped this summer, San Antonio will have to decide what to do with veterans like DeMar DeRozan, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Rudy Gay, all of whom will be on pricey expiring contracts in 2020/21, assuming DeRozan exercises his player option.

San Antonio’s books are nearly entirely clear of veteran contracts beyond 2021, and the team has a promising young core of Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, Lonnie Walker, Keldon Johnson, and Luka Samanic to build around. If the front office decides to accelerate the rebuilding process, it could do so by moving some of those veterans.

The Spurs don’t typically make blockbuster trades unless their hand is forced (as in the case of Kawhi Leonard two summers ago). A typical offseason in San Antonio would probably involve hanging onto their veterans, perhaps extending DeRozan and re-signing restricted free agent Jakob Poeltl, and betting on internal improvement to help the club return to playoff contention.

However, multiple NBA reporters are suggesting that the Spurs may have something bigger in mind this fall. Within his mock draft on Tuesday, John Hollinger of The Athletic wrote of “unusually large plumes of smoke” coming out of San Antonio for a team that is “normally church-mouse quiet.”

Today, draft analyst and former agent Matt Babcock tweeted that there’s a “growing sense” in league circles that the Spurs are up to “something big.” Keith Smith of RealGM (Twitter link) has also heard from multiple teams that the Spurs are “up to something” and that they’re talking to more people than usual.

It’s hard to know yet whether all of this smoke means there will be any fire next week — or what exactly San Antonio might have up its sleeve. A trade involving Aldridge or DeRozan would be the most obvious way for the club to make a splash, and there has been a little Aldridge chatter, at least. A deal involving one of the younger players shouldn’t be ruled out either, if the Spurs aren’t sold on all of them being long-term building blocks.

It’s also worth noting that the Spurs hold a lottery pick (No. 11) for the first time in over two decades. The last time San Antonio drafted a player in the lottery was in 1997, when the team used the top pick on Tim Duncan. The last time the franchise made a draft-night trade to acquire a prospect picked in the top half of the first round was in 2011 for Leonard.

It’s probably safe to say this year’s selection won’t become a Duncan or Leonard, but if San Antonio has zeroed in on a specific 2020 prospect, the organization is in far better position than usual to land that player, even if it means trade up a few spots.

What do you think? Do you expect a fairly quiet offseason in San Antonio or do you think the Spurs could make some noise this month? If you’re expecting bigger moves, what do you suspect the team has in mind?

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

Tim Duncan Stepping Away From Role As Spurs Assistant

November 11th, 2020 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

After being hired by the Spurs last July and spending a year as an assistant coach on Gregg Popovich‘s staff, Tim Duncan has decided to step away from that position, reports Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link).

According to Stein (via Twitter), the news doesn’t come as a major surprise to the Spurs, since the team anticipated Duncan’s stint as a full-time assistant would likely only last one season. As Stein explains, the expectation is that Duncan will return to the informal role he previously held with the franchise, showing up frequently at the Spurs’ facility to provide player development assistance, but without an official title or full-time responsibilities.

It’s not clear whether or not Duncan envisions getting back into coaching in a more formal capacity down the road. He served as San Antonio’s interim head coach for one game in March and picked up a win, so if he doesn’t return to the sidelines in the future, he’ll go out with a perfect 1-0 record. He didn’t accompany the Spurs to the Orlando bubble this summer, having stayed in San Antonio to help oversee LaMarcus Aldridge‘s rehab from shoulder surgery.

Duncan was voted into the Hall of Fame alongside fellow former stars Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant earlier this year. However, the induction ceremony has yet to take place due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Draft Updates: Ball, Nesmith, Green, Nnaji, Hornets, More

November 11th, 2020 at 11:45am CST by Luke Adams

With one week to go until the 2020 NBA draft, we’re continuing to get conflicting information on LaMelo Ball‘s outlook. Earlier this week, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony said that most front office are operating under the assumption that Ball will be the No. 1 pick. Today, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes that league sources have begun speculating that the Timberwolves have decided to draft Ball, assuming they keep the top selection.

However, there’s still plenty of chatter pointing in another direction. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said this week during an appearance on The Jump (video link) that many of the executives he has spoken to think Ball could slide a little on draft night. Jeremy Woo of SI.com has heard similar whispers, writing that there’s an increasing belief that Ball could fall into the 4-6 range of the draft.

As we wait to see which reports pan out, here are several more draft-related updates:

Vanderbilt sharpshooter Aaron Nesmith told reporters today that he has worked out for the Pelicans, Suns, Spurs, Heat, and Pistons so far, and has a workout lined up with the Celtics (Twitter link via Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington). Nesmith is considered likely to be drafted in the back half of the lottery.
Arizona guard Josh Green has worked out for the Nuggets, while his college teammate Zeke Nnaji has had workouts for the Nuggets, Clippers, and Jazz, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Green’s workout with Utah and Nnaji’s workout with Miami – both mentioned by Rankin – were previously reported.
Count K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link) among those hearing more and more talk around the NBA linking the Hornets to Onyeka Okongwu. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer previously reported that Charlotte is eyeing Okongwu, but ESPN said the team hasn’t seriously considered picking any prospects outside the top tier of Ball, James Wiseman, and Anthony Edwards.
ESPN draft experts Jonathan Givony, Mike Schmitz, and Kevin Pelton share their mock draft detailing which player each team in the first round should pick.

Warriors Rumors: No. 2 Pick, Wiseman, Tax, Aldridge

November 10th, 2020 at 2:34pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors‘ No. 2 pick is “turning into a circus,” according to John Hollinger of The Athletic, who suggests that the team has put out multiple smokescreens while simultaneously engaging in some seemingly genuine internal debate about the choice.

Just days after The San Francisco Chronicle suggested Golden State would likely draft Anthony Edwards if he’s on the board at No. 2 (and if the Dubs keep the pick), ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (video link) provides a conflicting perspective. Appearing on The Jump on Monday, Windhorst said he keeps hearing that James Wiseman will be the Warriors’ guy if they keep their pick and he’s still available.

It has been virtually impossible to tell which way the Warriors are leaning, given all the rumors out there, but Hollinger suspects the club will ultimately keep the pick and select Wiseman with it. As the former Grizzlies executive argues, Wiseman helps Golden State most in the short term and would have the most trade value later.

Here’s more on the Warriors:

The Warriors will benefit from the tweak the NBA has made to luxury tax penalties for the 2020/21 season, as Anthony Slater of The Athletic writes. The penalties for taxpaying teams will be reduced by the same percentage as a basketball related income (BRI) decrease, which means that if the league falls 25% short of its BRI projection, Golden State’s tax bill would be trimmed by 25%.
Some rival teams are already annoyed by the Warriors benefiting from another luxury tax anomaly, tweets ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. The club, of course, was able to sign Kevin Durant in 2016 due to an unprecedented cap increase that summer.
Now that the Warriors are in position to receive a bit of a break on their 2021 tax bill, Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area argues that the team should be more inclined to make use its $17MM trade exception to upgrade its roster around Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.
On a recent episode of his Lowe Post podcast, ESPN’s Zach Lowe said he heard from someone within the league that there’s been buzz about a potential trade involving the Warriors’ No. 2 pick, LaMarcus Aldridge, and the Spurs‘ No. 11 pick (hat tip to HoopsHype). Lowe sounded skeptical about that possibility, and I share that skepticism. But if there’s anything to it, Andrew Wiggins would presumably have to be involved for salary-matching purposes, since Aldridge’s 2020/21 salary ($24MM) won’t fit in Golden State’s trade exception.

Draft Rumors: Avdija, Warriors, Okongwu, Trades, More

November 5th, 2020 at 10:54am CST by Luke Adams

The list of teams that have talked to Israeli wing Deni Avdija includes the Hawks, Pistons, Cavaliers, Spurs, and Bucks, according to Ethan Strauss of The Athletic.

Those first three teams all have draft picks in the top seven and San Antonio could theoretically move up from No. 11, but it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which Milwaukee would have a shot at Avdija. Strauss adds that Avdija is believed to prefer to land with the Warriors, who worked him out last month.

Speaking of the Warriors, as they mull the possibility of trading down from No. 2, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report says there are definitely players they like who will be available in the mid-to-late lottery range. If they remain at No. 2, James Wiseman is probably the favorite, according to Wasserman, who hears Golden State is higher on Wiseman than Anthony Edwards. The team is also believed to be high on Avdija and Devin Vassell, Wasserman adds.

Here’s more on the draft:

Wasserman provides a few more interesting tidbits within his latest mock draft for Bleacher Report, writing that Patrick Williams has become a “coveted target” for the Pistons, the Suns have legit interest in Kira Lewis, and the Kings are heavily weighing analytics as they mull their draft options. Previous reports indicated that Williams is in play for Detroit at No. 7 and that Phoenix has interviewed Lewis more than once.
Projected lottery pick Onyeka Okongwu has recently met with the Hornets, Spurs, and Wizards and will meet with the Cavaliers this week, tweets Wasserman. Teams believe that Okongwu could come off the board as high as No. 3 to Charlotte and is unlikely to fall past Washington at No. 9, Wasserman notes (via Twitter).
ESPN’s Zach Lowe doesn’t expect any teams with first-round picks to sell them, but wouldn’t be surprised if some clubs look to swap a late first-rounder for a “roughly equivalent” future pick. He also says it’s a safe bet that a number of second-rounders will be sold for cash.

Will Hardy Receiving Serious Consideration From Thunder

November 4th, 2020 at 11:53am CST by Luke Adams

Spurs assistant coach Will Hardy, Bucks assistant Charles Lee, and Oklahoma City assistant Mark Daigneault are among the candidates who have received strong consideration for the Thunder‘s open head coaching position, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times.

Community Shootaround: Western Conference Odds For 2020/21

October 14th, 2020 at 3:04pm CST by Luke Adams

After winning the NBA Finals in 2020, the Lakers are currently listed by sportsbooks as the odds-on frontrunners to do so again in 2021.

Over at BetOnline.ag, oddsmakers have listed the Lakers as +275 favorites to come out of the Western Conference in 2020/21. That means if you place a $100 bet on the Lakers and they win the West next season, you’ll win $275.

While the Lakers are the current favorites, BetOnline.ag places two other Western Conference teams in roughly the same tier. The Clippers (+375) have the second-best odds to win the conference, while the Warriors (+400) have the third-best odds.

Golden State’s placement is an interesting one. We can safely assume that the Warriors will be much improved in 2020/21 with a healthy Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson back in their lineup, and they have the resources necessary to make further roster upgrades. Still, the club is coming off a dismal 15-50 season that saw them finish in last place in the NBA. Winning the West in 2021 would represent a historic turnaround.

The rest of the odds to win the West next year are as follows, per BetOnline.ag:

Nuggets: +1200
Rockets: +1200
Mavericks: +1400
Trail Blazers: +1800
Jazz: +2500
Pelicans: +2500
Suns: +3300
Thunder: +4000
Grizzlies: +5000
Kings: +12500
Spurs: +12500
Timberwolves: +12500

As we acknowledged on Tuesday when we asked you for your thoughts on the Eastern Conference odds for 2020/21, it’s way too early to confidently predict next year’s conference champions. Rosters will undergo significant changes in the coming months in the draft and free agency, and on the trade market.

Still, the anticipated offseason directions for certain teams is baked into BetOnline’s odds. The Thunder would certainly be higher on the above list if the possibility of a rebuild wasn’t hanging over the franchise.

So, with the caveat that plenty could change in the coming months to alter the outlook of the West for the 2020/21 season, we want to get your thoughts on the early projections from oddsmakers.

Should the Lakers be considered the favorites to come out of the West again in 2021? Are the Warriors or another team being overvalued? Are there other clubs being undervalued? Which team do you like to come out of the West next season? And which club do you view as the best value pick based on the odds listed above?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your early forecast for the Western Conference in 2020/21!

Hawks Hire Landry Fields As Assistant GM

October 2nd, 2020 at 1:05pm CST by Jovan Alford

OCTOBER 2: The Hawks have officially hired Fields as their assistant general manager, the team confirmed today in a press release. According to the team, his role will focus on “bolstering player relations, scouting, and strategic planning.”

“Landry has quickly risen through the ranks, bringing a unique combination of playing experience, sharp eye for player development and strong skills as a communicator,” Schlenk said in a statement. “He will be a welcome addition to our group.”

SEPTEMBER 23: The Hawks are hiring Austin Spurs general manager Landry Fields as their new assistant general manager, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The 32-year-old Fields joined the Spurs as a scout in 2016 and was promoted to G League GM last year. He is filling a vacancy in Atlanta that has been open since Jeff Peterson, who was the Hawks’ assistant general manager under general manager Travis Schlenk, left in 2019.

Fields also spent five seasons in the NBA, playing for both the Knicks and Raptors. In 255 games, he averaged 6.8 PPG and 4.3 RPG.