Week in Review

Missed any of this week’s biggest story lines? Don’t worry, because we’ve got it covered with our Week in Review. Listed below are some of the most noteworthy reports from the last seven days.

The Rockets signed restricted free agent center Clint Capela to a five-year, $90MM contract. The contract will contain no team or player options. Capela’s new deal falls short of the $100MM he was reportedly seeking, but considering the lack of cap space other clubs were armed with around the league, it looks like a reasonable deal for both player and team. Capela’s new deal will push the Rockets’ team salary well beyond the luxury tax line of $123.733MM.

The Cavaliers signed All-Star Kevin Love to a four-year, $120MM contract extension. As part of the agreement between Love and the Cavs, the 29-year-old big man declined his player option for 2019/20, with the first year of his new deal replacing that option. Factoring in his salary for the 2018/19 season, Love is therefore on track to earn nearly $145MM over the next five seasons. The extension includes no options and is fully guaranteed.

Clippers forward Tobias Harris reportedly turned down a contract extension offer worth approximately $80MM. Harris, 26, will now play out the final year of his current deal and become an unrestricted free agent next summer, when he will be eligible to sign a five-year, $189.7MM with the Clippers or a four-year, $140.6MM deal with another franchise.

After he officially becomes an unrestricted free agent, veteran forward Carmelo Anthony says he plans to sign with the Rockets. Anthony is now a member of the Hawks (see directly below), but Atlanta has made clear their plans to waive him. Because Houston plans to sign Anthony to a one-year, minimum-salary contract, the team will retain its $5.34MM taxpayer mid-level exception.

The three-team trade involving the Thunder, Hawks, and Sixers is now official. Anthony and Justin Anderson are now members of the Hawks, while both Dennis Schroder and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot are now members of the Thunder. Meanwhile, Mike Muscala joined the Sixers.

Here are 11 more notable NBA headlines from the last week:

• The Celtics traded reserve swingman Abdel Nader and cash to the Thunder in exchange for Rodney Purvis, who will be reportedly be waived by Boston.
• Antonius Cleveland, who was waived by the Hawks in order to make room for Anthony, was claimed off waivers by the Bulls.
• The Hawks and Alex Len have agreed to a deal worth a reported $8.5MM over two seasons.
• The Grizzlies traded Jarell Martin and cash to the Magic in exchange for Dakari Johnson and the draft rights to 2015 second-round pick Tyler Harvey.
• The Knicks signed former lottery selection Noah Vonleh to a one-year, partially guaranteed contract.
• It was a busy week for the Hawks, who also agreed to a one-year, minimum-salary contract with Vince Carter.
• Jabari Bird, who played on a two-way contract with Boston last season, signed a two-year, standard NBA contract with the Celtics.
• The Mavericks and Devin Harris have agreed to a one-year, minimum-salary contract.
• The Pelicans signed swingman Troy Williams to a two-year, partially guaranteed minimum-salary deal with a team option on the second season.
• Pat Connaughton and the Bucks have come to an agreement on a two-year contract worth slightly more than the minimum in each season.
• The Thunder and second-round pick Hamidou Diallo have officially reached an agreement on a reported three-year, $4MM contract.

If you missed any of this week’s biggest free agent signings, don’t worry because we’ve got it covered with our Week in Review. Listed below are some of the most noteworthy signings and other stories from the last seven days.

The Raptors traded All-Star DeMar DeRozan and center Jakob Poeltl to the Spurs in exchange for perennial MVP-candidate Kawhi Leonard and sharpshooter Danny Green. The Spurs will also receive a the Raptors’ 2019 first-round pick, protected for picks 1-20. If the selection doesn’t change hands in 2019, the Spurs will instead obtain a pair of second-round picks from the Raptors. Also, because DeRozan’s salary is able to absorb both Leonard and Green’s salary per CBA rules, Toronto will create a modest trade exception equivalent to Poeltl’s $2.95MM salary. Neither DeRozan nor Leonard seemed pleased with the deal, as Leonard reportedly prefers to play in Los Angeles, while DeRozan feel betrayed by the Raptors’ front office.

The Thunder, Hawks, and Sixers have agreed to a three-way trade trade that will send Carmelo Anthony and the Thunder’s protected 2022 first-round pick to Atlanta, Dennis Schroder to Oklahoma City, and Mike Muscala to Philadelphia. The 2022 first-rounder going to the Hawks will have 1-14 protection, and will turn into two second-rounders if it doesn’t convey in 2022. The Sixers will also send Justin Anderson to the Hawks and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot to the Thunder. Anthony will be waived by the Hawks upon completion of the trade and is widely expected to sign with the Rockets.

Restricted free agent guard Marcus Smart has signed a four-year, $52MM deal to remain with the Celtics. The $52MM figure mirrors the amount of money that was on the table during extension negotiations in the fall. The signing of Smart takes the Celtics into the luxury tax, which may have been the reason for the negotiations dragging on so long, leading to reported frustration from Smart and his camp.

The Bulls and free agent forward Jabari Parker reached an agreement on a two-year, $40MM deal after the Bucks rescinded Parker’s qualifying offer. The Bucks did not unilaterally withdraw their QO to Parker before the deadline, but did so afterward with the consent of Parker so that he could freely negotiate with his hometown team. Parker’s salary is only guaranteed for the 2018/19 season, with the Bulls holding a $20MM team option in 2019/20.

After reaching a verbal agreement with the Sixers on a one-year, $4.5MM deal, free agent forward Nemanja Bjelica chose to back-out of the deal, instead opting to sign a three-year, $20.5MM agreement with the Kings. Bjelica cited family issues for reneging on the Sixers, saying he wanted a multiple-year deal if he was going to relocate his family from Minneapolis and stay in the U.S. The Kings were able to give him two guaranteed years as opposed to one, with his new deal in Sacramento having a non-guaranteed salary in year three.

Here are 10 more notable NBA headlines from the last week:

• The Kings were able to convince another free agent, Yogi Ferrell, to renege on a previously agreed-to contract, signing Ferrell to a two-year, $6.2MM deal after he originally agreed to a deal worth $5.3MM over the same amount of time with the Mavericks.
• The Kings also traded guard Garrett Temple to the Grizzlies in exchange for Ben McLemore, Deyonta Davis, a 2021 second-round pick, and cash.
• The Suns and Nets have swapped veterans Jared Dudley and Darrell Arthur, with the Nets also acquiring a protected 2021 second-round pick for taking on additional salary.
• The Sixers traded big man Richaun Holmes to the Suns in return for $1MM in cash.
• The Nets signed free-agent guard Shabazz Napier to a two-year, $3.8MM contract with a second-year team option.
• The Trail Blazers waived former first-round pick, center Georgios Papagiannis, who has since signed with Panathinaikos.
• Dirk Nowitzki will return for a 21st season in Dallas, signing a one-year, $5MM contract with the Mavericks.
• Nuggets’ rookie first-rounder Michael Porter Jr. underwent a second back surgery, but plans to be ready for the 2018/19 season.
• The Nuggets and reserve guard Monte Morris have reached an agreement on a three-year, $4.8MM deal.
• Free-agent forward Dante Cunningham has signed a one-year deal with the Spurs.

If you missed any of this week’s biggest free agent signings, don’t worry because we’ve got it covered with our Week in Review. Listed below are some of the most noteworthy signings and other stories from the last seven days.

The most sought-after free agent this summer, all-time great LeBron James, is taking his talents to Hollywood after agreeing to a four-year, $154MM maximum salary contract with the Lakers. The fourth year of the contract will contain a player option, meaning James will remain in Los Angeles at least through the 2020/21 season barring a trade. James also considered re-signing with the Cavaliers – and met with the Sixers as a mere courtesy – but ultimately made a decision based on what he believed to be the best situation for him and his family moving forward. Since making his decision, the Lakers have also begun to fill out their roster with other free agents, including Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, and JaVale McGee.

In one of the more shocking free agency developments in recent memory, All-Star big man DeMarcus Cousins has signed with the Warriors on a one-year, $5.3MM deal. Cousins, who is coming off a torn Achilles suffered during the 2017/18 season, apparently received a two-year offer for $40MM from the Pelicans earlier this year, but after not accepting, saw his market shrink to the point where he reportedly had to call Warriors’ GM Bob Myers after receiving no offers from any other teams. For Cousins, signing a one-year deal will allow him to rebuild his value and return to the free agent market next summer in the hopes of a more lucrative contract.

The Thunder and Carmelo Anthony have decided to part ways, with both the team and Anthony’s camp expected to work together to figure out whether Anthony will be traded, waived and stretched, or bought out and stretched. Both sides hope to have a plan in place and executed before the summer ends. While Oklahoma City is making this move in an effort to cut costs, Anthony is also on board because recognizes that he’d be in line for a reduced, and perhaps back-up role, if he remains with the Thunder. The early favorites to land Anthony once he becomes a free agent are the Rockets, Heat, and Lakers.

Zach LaVine, one of the top restricted free agents on the market this summer, received a substantial offer sheet from the Kings worth $78MM over four seasons. The Bulls, who have both a plethora of potential cap room and LaVine’s Bird rights, are expected to match the Kings’ offer within the 48-hour deadline. The Bulls decision to match the Kings’ offer came relatively quickly considering the fact that the only offer they had made to LaVine prior was reportedly lower by a significant amount. The purported contract for LaVine contains no options and is fully guaranteed.

Another prominent restricted free agent, forward Kyle Anderson, has signed a four-year $37.2MM offer sheet with the Grizzlies. The Grizzlies, who are over the cap, plan to use the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Anderson, and become hard-capped in the process, should the Spurs opt not to match the offer sheet. The offer from Memphis also includes a 15 percent trade kicker.

Here are 10 more notable NBA headlines (among many others) from the last week:

• The Nuggets and Sixers completed a trade that sent Wilson Chandler and the Nuggets’ 2021 second-round selection to Philadelphia. The Sixers will also have the right to swap second-round picks with Denver in 2022.
• Despite a story rumoring that Jimmy Butler and Kyrie Irving have interest in playing together in the near future, the Timberwolves plan to offer Butler a multi-year contract extension.
• The Suns and Devin Booker have met to discuss a potential five-year, $158MM maximum contract extension.
• After being traded from the Hornets, Dwight Howard and the Nets have finalized a buyout agreement that will allow Howard to sign a deal with the Wizards.
• The Warriors and Kevin Durant came to an agreement on a two-year, $62MM contract with a player option in season two.
• Chris Paul and the Rockets have agreed on a four-year, maximum-salary contract worth nearly $160MM.
• The Thunder have officially signed Paul George to a four-year, $137MM contract with a player option in the final season.
• Long-time Spurs stalwart Tony Parker has agreed to sign with the Hornets and former assistant coach James Borrego for $10MM over two seasons.
• DeAndre Jordan has officially signed a one-year, $22.9MM contract with the Mavericks.
• The Suns have officially signed swingman Trevor Ariza to a one-year, $15MM contract.

Don’t worry if you missed any of this week’s biggest NBA headlines, because we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Listed below are the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days.

LeBron James has chosen to forego the final year of his contract and not exercise his $35.61MM player option for the 2018/19 season. As a result, James will reach the open market as an unrestricted free agent tonight at midnight. Because teams like the Rockets likely needed James to opt in to his contract in order to facilitate a trade, only three suitors realistically remain for James – the Cavaliers, Lakers, and Sixers.

The Nuggets intend to sign big man Nikola Jokic to a five-year, maximum-salary contract worth approximately $146.45MM once free agency begins tonight. In order to make Jokic a restricted free agent, the team declined Jokic’s $1.6MM team option and extended a qualifying offer. Jokic, 23, could have been kept him under team control for his $1.6MM option next season, but the Nuggets chose not to do so for fear of alienating Jokic and his representatives and potentially losing him in unrestricted free agency next summer.

Approximately a week after Spurs general manager R.C. Buford told reporters that the club still hoped to smooth things over with Kawhi Leonard, it now appears that the Spurs are ready to move on, with San Antonio “fully engaged” in Leonard trade talks with a number of teams, including the Lakers, Celtics, and Sixers. The Lakers, who hope to woo James to Los Angeles, are reportedly feeling pressure to make a deal for Leonard in order to help convince James to leave Cleveland.

The league held its second annual NBA Awards Show on Monday night, with the following players taking home the following awards:

• Ben Simmons – Sixers – Rookie of the Year
• Victor Oladipo – Pacers – Most Improved Player
• Rudy Gobert – Jazz – Defensive Player of the Year
• Lou Williams – Clippers – Sixth Man of the Year
• James Harden – Rockets – Most Valuable Player

Two other notable free agents, Paul George and DeAndre Jordan, have also chosen not to exercise their player options for next season. Jordan is reportedly interested in going to Dallas, while George is likely to decide between the Thunder and Lakers. James, George, and Jordan represent a minority of players who opted not to exercise player options this year, as the market has shrunk since the salary cap boom in the summer of 2016.

Here are 10 more notable NBA headlines from the last week:

• Knicks big man Enes Kanter has opted to exercise his $18.6MM player option for the 2018/19 campaign.
• Clippers guard Milos Teodosic exercised his $6.3MM player option for next season.
• Hawks frontcourt player Mike Muscala opted in to his $5MM player option.
• The Suns and 2018 second-round draft pick Elie Okobo have agreed to a four-year contract worth approximately $6MM.
• The Magic waived veteran reserve point guard Shelvin Mack.
• Lance Stephenson had his $4.36MM team option declined by the Pacers, putting him on track to be an unrestricted free agent.
• Spurs veteran guard Danny Green exercised his $10MM player option for next season.
• Pacers forward Thaddeus Young opted in to the final year of his contract for next season worth $13.7MM.
• Kings guard Garrett Temple has opted to exercise his $8MM player option for the 2018/19 season.
• The Warriors and head coach Steve Kerr are finalizing a contract extension that will make Kerr one of the NBA’s highest paid coaches.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Missed any of this week’s biggest NBA headlines? We’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Listed below are the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days.

The 2018 NBA draft took place on Thursday, and the full results are right here. The Suns kicked off the proceedings by taking Deandre Ayton with the No. 1 pick, as expected, and the Mavericks made the biggest trade of the night by moving up to No. 3 to nab Luka Doncic. A recap of all the draft-night deals, including Phoenix’s acquisition of Mikal Bridges and the Clippers‘ trade for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, can be found here.

The Nets and Hornets agreed to a trade involving Timofey Mozgov and Dwight Howard. Although the deal can’t be finalized until July 6, Mozgov will head to Charlotte along with second-round picks and cash in exchange for Howard. The former No. 1 overall pick isn’t expect to stick around with the Nets though, as the two sides are said to be working on a buyout.

Kawhi Leonard met with Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich in San Diego. There’s no indication that Leonard has changed his mind on his desire to be traded, but Spurs GM R.C. Buford said this week that the team still hopes to repair its relationship with the star forward.

Carmelo Anthony has informed the Thunder that he won’t opt out of his contract. His decision comes as no surprise, since it locks Anthony into a salary worth nearly $28MM for 2018/19. However, it remains to be seen whether he’ll ultimately suit up again for the cap-strapped Thunder, who could explore a trade or buyout.

The Hawks have reportedly placed Dennis Schroder and Kent Bazemore on the trade block. Atlanta, considered one of the NBA’s most active teams in terms of trade talks leading up to the draft, didn’t find a taker for Schroder or Bazemore, the two highest-paid players on the roster. However, the club figures to continue to explore potential deals.

Here are 10 more notable NBA headlines from the last week, including plenty of player-option news:

• Spurs forward Rudy Gay will decline his 2018/19 player option and hit the open market.
• The Wizards are reportedly looking for a trade partner for veteran center Marcin Gortat.
• Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler has opted into the final year of his contract, putting him on track for a $12.8MM salary.
• Austin Rivers has officially exercised his $12.65MM player option with the Clippers.
• Hawks center Dewayne Dedmon has picked up his $7.2MM player option for 2018/19.
• Knicks big man Kyle O’Quinn will opt out of his deal and seek a new contract in free agency.
• The Raptors are said to be gauging the trade value of Norman Powell, whose four-year extension is about to take effect.
• Danny Green is expected to exercise his 2018/19 player option with the Spurs, which will pay him $10MM.
• The Mavericks, who will be in the market for a center in free agency, reportedly believe they have a real chance to land DeMarcus Cousins.
• The Pistons have offered a key front office role to former NBA player and current Hawks executive Malik Rose.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

In case you missed any of this past week’s top stories from around the NBA, we have you covered with our Week in Review. Below are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days.

The Bryan Colangelo investigation has concluded, with the Sixers and Colangelo mutually agreeing to part ways. The investigation was conducted by the law firm of Paul/Weiss, who ended up finding that Colangelo’s wife Barbara Bottini was behind the incendiary tweets at issue but that Colangelo was nonetheless culpable by being reckless with his safeguarding of team information. Sixers’ ownership met earlier in the week to discuss Colangelo, with a decision apparently being made to move on from the embattled executive despite no conclusive evidence that Colangelo was aware of his wife’s social media activity. Colangelo released his own statement on the matter, vehemently denying that his conduct was in any way reckless.

With the 2018 NBA Draft nearly upon us, more and more prospects are working out for NBA teams. Some of the potential lottery selections who were reported to have worked out and/or scheduled a workout with lottery teams this week include, but are not limited to:

• Deandre Ayton (Arizona): Suns
  • Per Ayton, he will only workout with the Suns and expects to be taken No. 1 overall.
• Marvin Bagley III (Duke): Hawks and Kings, Suns
• Mohamed Bamba (Texas): Hawks, Mavericks and Suns
• Mikal Bridges (Villanova): Bulls, Hornets, Knicks, and Sixers
• Miles Bridges (Michigan State): Knicks, Sixers
• Wendell Carter Jr. (Duke): Bulls, Cavaliers, Grizzlies, Knicks, Magic, and Mavericks
• Jaren Jackson Jr. (Michigan State): Hawks
• Kevin Knox (Kentucky): Bulls, Cavaliers, Knicks, and Magic
• Collin Sexton (Alabama): Knicks
• Lonnie Walker IV (Miami): Bulls and Knicks, Hornets, Sixers
• Robert Williams (Texas A&M): Bulls, Hornets, and Knicks
• Trae Young (Oklahoma): Bulls and Hawks, Knicks, Magic

The Pistons continue to narrow down candidates for their vacant head coaching position, with the finalists now appearing to be former Raptors’ coach Dwane Casey and Spurs’ assistant coach Ime Udoka. Michigan head coach John Beilein was also considered to be a finalist before announcing his intention to stay in the college ranks with the Wolverines. Another report has TNT Analyst and former NBA player Kenny Smith as an additional finalist.

The Pelicans and head coach Alvin Gentry have reached an agreement on a contract extension that will keep Gentry in New Orleans through the 2020/21 season. For his success this season, which included leading the Pelicans to the Western Conference Semifinals and a 48-34 record, Gentry will receive a raise and a guaranteed salary for the next two seasons. His 2020/21 deal will be performance-based.

Before being crowned NBA Champion and named NBA Finals MVP for a second consecutive year, Kevin Durant reiterated that he plans to re-sign with the Warriors this offseason. Durant, who previously indicated he would opt out of his contract in the summer, has Early Bird rights with Golden State, meaning the Warriors can pay him the maximum annual salary in the first year of his new contract next season.

Here are 8 more headlines from the past week:

• Kings guard Iman Shumpert, who was traded to Sacramento as part of the Cavs’ mid-season shake up, has opted in to his contract for next season, which will pay him a little more than $11MM.
• Thunder assistant coach Royal Ivey will accept a similar position on David Fizdale’s coaching staff with the Knicks.
• The NBA will experiment with a new coach’s challenge system during the Las Vegas Summer League this July.
• The Suns will hire Joe Prunty, who spent this season as the Bucks’ interim head coach, as head coach Igor Kokoskov’s new lead assistant.
• Likewise, the Sixers will hire Monty Williams as their new lead assistant coach under Brett Brown. Williams spent this season as the Spurs’ vice president of basketball operations.
• The Raptors interviewed EuroLeague head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius for their open head coaching position.
• Spurs’ head coach Gregg Popovich and star player Kawhi Leonard are expected to sit down and discuss this season’s issues sometime before the NBA Draft.
• The Warriors, fresh off another NBA Championship, plan on signing head coach Steve Kerr to a contract extension this summer.

In case you missed any of the past week’s top stories from around the NBA, we have you covered with our Week in Review. Below are the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days.

In what is likely the most bizarre story of the 2017/18 NBA season, Sixers’ president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo is under investigation by the team for allegedly using burner accounts on Twitter to divulge confidential team information and criticize his own players. In a report rife with compelling circumstantial evidence connecting Colangelo to the burner accounts, Ben Detrick of The Ringer details how the accounts went after, among others, current Sixers’ players Joel Embiid and Markelle Fultz and former Sixers’ players Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel. Colangelo immediately denied the report, issuing statements such as “Someone’s out to get me” and “This is clearly not me.” The current narrative is that perhaps it was a family member who operated the accounts.

As the NCAA deadline for college underclassman to make a choice on their draft status came and went, we relayed numerous relatively high-rated players’ decisions on whether to stay or go:

• Brian Bowen (South Carolina): Staying in Draft
• Donte DiVincenzo (Villanova): Staying in Draft
• Kevin Huerter (Maryland): Staying in Draft
• Omari Spellman (Villanova): Staying in Draft
• Jarred Vanderbilt (Kentucky): Staying in Draft
• Tyus Battle (Syracuse): Returning to School
• Jalen Hudson (Florida): Returning to School
• Shamorie Ponds (St. John’s): Returning to School
• Jontay Porter (Missouri): Returning to School
• PJ Washington (Kentucky): Returning to School
• Lindell Wigginton (Iowa State): Returning to School
• Austin Wiley (Auburn): Returning to School
• Kris Wilkes (UCLA): Returning to School

The Magic have hired former Hornets’ head coach Steve Clifford to the same position, with league sources reporting that Clifford and Orlando management have agreed upon a four-year contract through the 2021-22 season. Widely respected, Clifford led the Hornets to a 196-214 (.478) record over five years before he was dismissed in April. He previously worked as an assistant coach for the Magic under Stan Van Gundy from 2007 to 2012.

Knicks’ guard Ron Baker has exercised his player option for the 2018/19 season and will remain under contract with the team for one more season. Baker’s decision comes as no surprise, as his salary for next season of $4.544MM is likely far more than he would have received as a free agent this offseason after he missed most of this season with injury and ended up averaging only 2.4 PPG and 1.6 APG with a .339/.333/.769 shooting line in 13.3 minutes per contest.

The Sixers and coach Brett Brown have reached an agreement on a three-year contract extension that will lock up Brown as the team’s head coach through the 2021/22 season. Brown, 57, has coached the team through some tough years, guiding Philadelphia through a now-famous rebuild colloquially known as “The Process.” This is Brown’s second contract extension after he received a two-year extension in December, 2015.

Here are 10 more headlines from the past week:

• Kevin Love missed the Cavaliers’ Game 7 Eastern Conference Finals win over the Celtics with a concussion, but returned for the team’s Game 1 loss to the Warriors in the NBA Finals.
• Warriors’ swingman Patrick McCaw has returned to action after missing nearly two months with a back injury, while Andre Iguodala remains out with a left lateral leg contusion/bone bruise.
• Celtics’ backup guard Marcus Smart believes he’s worth more than the $12-14MM he’s reported to earn in free agency.
• Thunder’ swingman Andre Roberson underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee after complications arose during rehab from a ruptured patella.
• The Pistons intend to interview TNT analyst Kenny Smith for their head coaching job, as well as Heat’ assistant Juwan Howard, former Raptors’ head coach Dwane Casey, and Spurs’ assistant Ime Udoka.
• The Pistons have also interviewed Michigan head coach John Beilein and plan to interview former Bucks’ coach Jason Kidd.
• Spurs’ vice president of basketball operations Monty Williams is in discussions with Sixers’ head coach Brett Brown about a possible lead assistant role.
• Clippers guard Patrick Beverley has received medical clearance to resume full basketball activities about three months earlier than originally projected.
• The Pistons have parted ways with now former general manager Jeff Bower.
• Tristan Thompson was fined $25K for his actions at the end of Game 1 of the NBA Finals, but will not be suspended.

In case you missed any of the past week’s top stories from around the NBA, we have you covered with our Week in Review. Below are the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days.

Rockets’ point guard Chris Paul injured his right hamstring in his team’s Game 5 win against the Warriors and has been ruled out for Game 6 in Oakland. Paul will be re-evaluated after the team returns to Houston for Game 7 or in preparation of the NBA Finals, but there is pessimism inside the organization that Paul would be ready for a Game 7.

The NBA announced the 2017/18 All-NBA Teams, with James Harden and LeBron James both unanimously selected to the First Team. They were joined by Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard, and Kevin Durant. The Second Team was made up of Russell Westbrook, DeMar DeRozan, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Joel Embiid, while Stephen Curry, Victor Oladipo, Jimmy Butler, Paul George, and Karl-Anthony Towns rounded out the Third Team.

The NBA announced the 2017/18 All-Defensive Teams, with Jazz center Rudy Gobert receiving the most votes. He was joined on the First Team by Oladipo and Sixers forward Robert Covington, as well as Pelicans’ teammates Davis and Jrue Holiday. The Second Team consisted of Embiid, Butler, Draymond Green, Al Horford, and Spurs’ guard Dejounte Murray.

The NBA announced the 2017/18 All-Rookie Teams, with Sixers forward Ben Simmons and Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell both voted as unanimous First Team selections. Celtics forward Jayson Tatum almost joined them, receiving 99 out of a possible 100 First Team votes. Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma and Bulls power forward Lauri Markkanen rounded out the First Team, while the Second Team consisted of Mavericks point guard Dennis Smith Jr., Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball, Hawks big man John Collins, Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Suns swingman Josh Jackson.

The Raptors conducted interviews with several candidates for the team’s next head coach, with Raptors 905’s Jerry Stackhouse (link) and Spurs’ assistant coaches Ettore Messina and Ime Udoka (link) all meeting with front office personnel. Stackhouse took over the head coaching job with Raptors 905 two seasons ago, leading the G League team to two straight championship game appearances, while Messina or Udoka would be the second Spurs’ assistant to receive a head coaching job this Spring after James Borrego was hired by the Hornets.

Here are 11 more headlines from the past week:

• Luka Doncic was named MVP of the EuroLeague, becoming the youngest MVP in league history.
• There appears to be some differing opinions between the Lakers and imminent free agent Julius Randle regarding the team’s interest in Randle.
• Georgia Tech shooting guard Josh Okogie will remain in the 2018 NBA Draft.
• The Clippers and head coach Doc Rivers reached an agreement on a contract extension.
• The Heat and center Hassan Whiteside appear to still be at odds after Whiteside posted a video on social media accusing the team of prohibiting his shooting from the perimeter.
• Former All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire is thinking about attempting an NBA comeback.
• The Magic will interview former Hornets’ head coach Steve Clifford for its head coaching vacancy.
• The Magic also had interest in Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo, but the interest is apparently not mutual.
• The Hornets have hired former Suns interim head coach Jay Triano as an assistant coach.
• The Mavericks have hired former Hornets’ assistant coach Stephen Silas to their coaching staff.
• The Pistons hired Ed Stefanski as a senior advisor responsible for overhauling the team’s basketball operations.

In case you missed any of the past week’s top stories from around the NBA, we have you covered with our Week in Review. Below are the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days.

The NBA Draft Lottery took place on Tuesday night, with the Suns winning the top prize – the No. 1 pick in June’s draft. Arizona big man DeAndre Ayton is the favorite to be selected No. 1 overall, but he isn’t a lock, with Phoenix also interested in top European prospect Luka Doncic, who already has a player-coach relationship with new Suns’ head coach Igor Kokoskov. Both the Kings and Hawks moved up in the draft through the lottery, with the Grizzlies and Mavericks, and to a lesser extent the Magic and Bulls, dropping down. The full results of the lottery can be found right here, with the newly set draft order in its entirety here.

Speaking of Doncic, he is reportedly unsure as to whether or not he will come to the NBA next season. Speaking to reporters at the EuroLeague Final Four Press Conference on Thursday, Doncic said that he and his team have yet to make a decision as to where he will play next season, leaving open the possibility that he will remain overseas. While it’s certainly an option, some believe that Doncic’s comments are simply being used as a leverage to avoid certain teams selecting him in this summer’s draft.

After receiving strong interest from both the Bucks and the Raptors, former Hawks’ head coach Mike Budenholzer has chosen to take his talents to Milwaukee, with the Bucks officially naming Budenholzer as the franchise’s sixteenth head coach on Thursday. Both Budenholzer and Spurs’ assistant Ettore Messina received second interviews with the Bucks that included team ownership, but the Bucks ultimately decided on someone who many considered to be the most popular candidate on the coaching market this offseason. Budenholzer will reportedly sign a four-year contract with the Bucks.

Wizards’ big man Jason Smith will exercise his player option for the 2018/19 season worth $5.45MM, putting the Wizards’ dangerously close to the estimated luxury tax line for next season while still awaiting a player option decision from reserve shooting guard Jodie Meeks worth approximately $3.45MM. Smith’s player option was given to him when he signed a three-year contract during the free agency bonanza of 2016.

A potential frontrunner has emerged for the vacant head coaching job in Orlando, with the Magic reportedly having serious interest in University of Houston’s head coach Kelvin Sampson. The Magic, who are the only team still looking for a coach among those teams who have had an opening since the end of the regular season, have been quiet during their search, with only a few candidates – David Fizdale, Blazers assistant David Vanterpool, and Spurs assistant Ime Udoka – confirmed to have received interviews.

Here are 10 more headlines from the past week:

• The United States Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, a federal statute that banned sports gambling, thereby opening the door for states to pass laws legalizing sports betting.
• Hawks’ point guard Dennis Schroder made some comments while in his home country of Germany that indicated he may not be happy in Atlanta.
• There is also some reported tension between the Timberwolves and their franchise youngster, big man Karl-Anthony Towns.
• Creighton guard Khyri Thomas, currently ranked as the 23rd best NBA prospect by ESPN, has announced his intention to keep his name in the 2018 NBA Draft.
• The Grizzlies, disappointed by moving from No. 2 to No. 4 in this year’s draft, are more likely than other high-selecting teams to trade their pick.
• After already being ruled out for Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, it is now being reported that Celtics’ guard Shane Larkin will likely miss the remainder of the series.
• The Raptors plan to interview assistant coaches Nick Nurse and Rex Kalamian for their vacant head coaching position.
• Before hiring Budenholzer and meeting with Messina for a second time, the Bucks also met with Celtics’ assistant coach Jay Larranaga.
• The Hornets and new coach James Borrego have their eye on Jay Triano as a potential assistant on Borrego’s new coaching staff.
• Finalists for this season’s NBA awards were announced on Wednesday night.