Poll: Which Team Will Be NBA’s Worst In 2017/18?
Earlier this week, ESPN had a panel of 44 experts pick the Eastern and Western Conference winners for the 2017/18 season, along with the eventual NBA champion. The results were familiar and unsurprising — ESPN projects the Cavaliers and the Warriors to meet in the NBA Finals for a fourth consecutive season, with Golden State winning its third title in four years.
While it’s possible a contender like the Celtics, Spurs, or Rockets will upend the established order, there may be more potential for a crowded field and a dramatic race at the other end of the standings. ESPN also published its first 2018 mock draft this week, which included teams picking in specific positions based on projections for 2017/18 records.
ESPN has the Bulls picking at No. 1, followed by the Celtics (via Nets), Hawks, Suns, Kings, Magic, and Knicks, suggesting those are the teams expected to finish at the bottom of the NBA’s standings this season. A few of those clubs were cellar-dwellers last season as well, but ESPN anticipates teams like the Sixers, Lakers, and Timberwolves will improve and get out of that group, while teams like the Bulls and Hawks are expected to drop off significantly after making the playoffs last season.
It’s not hard to see where those predictions come from — Chicago and Atlanta both lost All-Stars and began rebuilding this offseason, while Minnesota acquired one of those All-Stars (Jimmy Butler) and Philadelphia and L.A. fortified their respective rosters in both the draft and free agency. As for Brooklyn, Phoenix, Sacramento, Orlando, and New York, none of those clubs made the sort of summer splash that would necessarily result in a major jump in the standings.
What do you think? Do you expect one of those clubs to be the NBA’s worst team in 2017/18, or is there another team you believe will end up in the league’s basement? Vote below in our poll, then jump into the comment section to share your thoughts!
Which team will be the NBA's worst in 2017/18?
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Brooklyn Nets 36% (524)
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Chicago Bulls 20% (286)
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Atlanta Hawks 14% (202)
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New York Knicks 12% (178)
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Orlando Magic 7% (101)
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Another team 5% (67)
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Sacramento Kings 4% (62)
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Phoenix Suns 3% (44)
Total votes: 1,464
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
Traded Second Round Picks For 2018 NBA Draft
The 2018 NBA draft is over 10 months away, but many teams have already traded their respective second round picks for that night, and more clubs are likely to do so before this season’s trade deadline.
We’ll use the space below to keep tabs on each team’s second round pick for 2018, continually updating it as necessary throughout the year. Our list of traded first round picks for 2018 can be found right here.
We’ve listed all 30 teams here, so even if a team hasn’t traded its second round pick, that will be noted. We’ll also provide details on protections or swap-rights for each traded pick, including what happens to the pick in 2019 if it doesn’t change hands in 2018. The conditions on certain traded second round picks can be complicated, so feel free to ask for clarification in the comments section if anything is unclear.
Here’s the full breakdown on the status of each 2018 second round pick:
Atlantic
- Boston Celtics: Traded to Thunder (top-55 protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, Celtics’ obligation to Thunder is extinguished.
- Brooklyn Nets: Traded to Sixers or Hornets.
- Philadelphia will receive more favorable of Nets and Cavaliers picks; Charlotte will receive less favorable.
- New York Knicks: Traded to Sixers or Nuggets.
- Philadelphia will receive more favorable of Clippers and Knicks picks; Denver will receive less favorable.
- Philadelphia 76ers: Own pick.
- Toronto Raptors: Traded to Suns (unprotected).
Central
- Chicago Bulls: Traded to Knicks (unprotected).
- Cleveland Cavaliers: Traded to Sixers or Hornets.
- Philadelphia will receive more favorable of Nets and Cavaliers picks; Charlotte will receive less favorable.
- Detroit Pistons: Own pick.
- Indiana Pacers: Traded to Nets (45-60 protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, 45-60 protected in 2019.
- Milwaukee Bucks: Traded to Nets (if it falls between 31-47) or Suns (if it falls between 48-60).
- If sent to Nets, Bucks’ obligation to Suns is extinguished; if sent to Suns, Bucks will send unprotected 2020 second-round pick to Nets.
- If sent to Nets, Bucks’ obligation to Suns is extinguished; if sent to Suns, Bucks will send unprotected 2020 second-round pick to Nets.
Southeast
- Atlanta Hawks: Traded to Clippers (top-55 protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, Hawks’ obligation to Clippers is extinguished.
- Charlotte Hornets: Traded to Grizzlies, Magic, or Rockets.
- Memphis will receive most favorable of Hornets, Heat, and Grizzlies picks. Orlando will receive second most favorable. Houston will receive least favorable.
- Miami Heat: Traded to Grizzlies, Magic, or Rockets.
- Memphis will receive most favorable of Hornets, Heat, and Grizzlies picks. Orlando will receive second most favorable. Houston will receive least favorable.
- Orlando Magic: Can swap own pick for Lakers pick if Lakers pick is more favorable.
- Washington Wizards: Own pick.
Northwest
- Denver Nuggets: Traded to Lakers (unprotected).
- Minnesota Timberwolves: Own pick.
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Own pick.
- Portland Trail Blazers: Traded to Mavericks or Kings.
- Sacramento will receive more favorable of Trail Blazers and Kings picks; Dallas will receive less favorable.
- Utah Jazz: Own pick.
Pacific
- Golden State Warriors: Traded to Nuggets (unprotected).
- Los Angeles Clippers: Traded to Sixers or Nuggets.
- Philadelphia will receive more favorable of Clippers and Knicks picks; Denver will receive less favorable.
- Los Angeles Lakers: Traded to Nets or Magic.
- Brooklyn will receive less favorable of Magic and Lakers picks; Orlando will receive more favorable.
- Phoenix Suns: Traded to Grizzlies (top-55 protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, Suns’ obligation to Grizzlies is extinguished.
- Sacramento Kings: Can swap own pick for Trail Blazers pick if Blazers pick is more favorable.
Southwest
- Dallas Mavericks: Traded to Bucks (top-55 protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, Mavericks’ obligation to Bucks is extinguished.
- Houston Rockets: Traded to Sixers (unprotected).
- Memphis Grizzlies: Will own most favorable of Hornets, Heat, and Grizzlies picks. Orlando will receive second most favorable. Houston will receive least favorable.
- New Orleans Pelicans: Own pick.
- San Antonio Spurs: Own pick.
Information from RealGM was used in the creation of this post.
Pacers Sign Damien Wilkins
AUGUST 15: The Pacers have officially signed Wilkins, the team announced today in a press release.
JULY 20: Veteran swingman Damien Wilkins is making an NBA comeback, according to Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders, who reports (via Twitter) that Wilkins and the Pacers have agreed to a one-year deal. It will be a veteran’s minimum contract, per Scotto.
Wilkins, 37, has 563 career regular season games on his NBA résumé, but hasn’t played in the league since he spent the 2012/13 campaign with the Sixers. Since then, Wilkins has bounced around various international and G League clubs, most recently spending the 2016/17 campaign with the Greensboro Swarm.
In 48 games last season for Charlotte’s G League affiliate, Wilkins averaged 14.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 3.8 APG, with a shooting line of .486/.358/.844.
While I wouldn’t expect Wilkins to have a substantial role for the Pacers in 2017/18, he’ll provide some veteran stability on a roster that has undergone significant changes this offseason, assuming he earns a spot on the 15-man regular season roster. However, Wilkins’ deal will be non-guaranteed, tweets Nate Taylor of The Indianapolis Star — that suggests the 37-year-old won’t be assured of a regular season roster spot.
Having lost Paul George, Jeff Teague, and C.J. Miles, Indiana has added Darren Collison, Victor Oladipo, Cory Joseph, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Domantas Sabonis this summer.
Pacers Sign Ben Moore To Camp Deal
AUGUST 15: Nearly two full months after Moore’s agreement with the Pacers was initially reported, the team has announced the deal, making it official. According to the Pacers, Moore isn’t expected to break camp with the club — he’ll be an affiliate player for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Indiana’s G League affiliate.
JUNE 23: The Pacers have reached an agreement on a free agent deal with former SMU power forward Ben Moore, according to Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated (via Twitter). Woo reports that Moore’s contract with Indiana will feature a partial guarantee.
International basketball journalist David Pick had initially reported that Moore would be joining the Grizzlies on a partially guaranteed deal, but later tweeted an update, confirming that the 22-year-old had opted for Indiana over Memphis.
Moore, ranked as 2017’s No. 38 senior prospect by DraftExpress, averaged 11.4 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 1.1 BPG during his final year at SMU. When he finalizes his partially guaranteed deal with the Pacers, he figures to be part of the team’s 20-man roster in training camp, and could have a chance to compete for a regular season roster spot.
Moore is the third SMU prospect to find a new NBA home this week, joining teammates Semi Ojeleye and Sterling Brown, who were both second-round picks on Thursday.
Raptors Inquired On Kyrie Irving
Appearing on TSN 1050 Radio in Toronto on Tuesday, Raptors GM Bobby Webster was asked if his club has called the Cavaliers about Kyrie Irving. As Josh Lewenberg of TSN tweets, Webster confirmed that the Raptors did reach out to Cleveland to inquire on Irving.
“Definitely. We all do our due diligence,” Webster said. “Things don’t always make sense, but if they do we’re always prepared. That’s a lot of talk that we do — that doesn’t really see the light of day, that happens behind closed doors. So we’re in touch with all the teams and obviously when a player like that becomes available you’d be remiss not to call.”
Webster, who was promoted earlier this summer to replace the departed Jeff Weltman as the Raptors’ new general manager, didn’t suggest that the Raptors’ talks with the Cavaliers went beyond the preliminary or exploratory stages, and I wouldn’t view Toronto as a likely landing spot for Irving.
Having re-signed both Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan to lucrative long-term contracts within the last 14 months, the Raps aren’t in a great position to upend their backcourt, and don’t have the sort of young star the Cavs are reportedly seeking. As Webster suggests, Toronto was probably just doing its due diligence, along with most other teams in the league — a previous report suggested that about 20 teams inquired on Irving.
As we heard earlier today, the Celtics, Nuggets, Suns, and Knicks continue to be viewed as the most viable trade partners for the Cavs, who have their eye on a young player with star potential on each of those clubs.
Kyrie Irving Rumors: Spurs, Celtics, Porzingis
If the Cavaliers had received assurances from LeBron James that he intends to remain with the franchise beyond the 2017/18 season, their approach to a Kyrie Irving trade might be much different, writes ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. While the Cavs certainly haven’t given up hope of James remaining in Cleveland, the franchise wants to use an Irving trade to protect itself against his possible departure — that means focusing on acquiring a young potential star, rather than targeting veteran help for LeBron.
Initially, the Cavs’ desire in an Irving trade was to acquire young players and picks that could help the team down the road and to get pieces that could help the club contend immediately. However, that kind of massive return may not be available for the star point guard, forcing the Cavaliers to choose one path or the other. And with LeBron unwilling to commit, the Cavs are leaning toward prioritizing long-term pieces over short-term help.
As Wojnarowski details, Josh Jackson (Suns), Jayson Tatum (Celtics), Jamal Murray (Nuggets), and even Kristaps Porzingis (Knicks) are among the young players the Cavaliers have their eye on in trade talks. In his own piece on the situation in Cleveland, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders agrees that those four teams – Phoenix, Boston, Denver, and New York – are mentioned most frequently as trade partners, and continue to have discussions with the Cavs.
Here’s plenty more on the Irving situation:
- According to both Wojnarowski and Kyler, teams around the NBA believe that the Cavaliers will ramp up trade talks and get more serious about moving Irving in September, with training camps approaching.
- The Spurs have interest in Irving, but the fact that the Cavs are prioritizing young potential stars over veteran help means Cleveland doesn’t have much interest in the likes of LaMarcus Aldridge, Tony Parker, or Danny Green, says Wojnarowski.
- Although the Cavaliers are intrigued by Tatum, the Celtics have yet to make an official offer for Irving and the two sides haven’t formally discussed this year’s No. 3 overall pick, according to Wojnarowski. Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe adds (via Twitter) that Boston has remained in touch with the Cavs throughout the process.
- The idea of including Porzingis in an Irving offer is currently a “non-starter” for the Knicks, per Wojnarowski. However, Woj adds there may still be some lingering tension between Porzingis and the franchise, and teams are wondering how emphatic the Knicks’ “no” really is — especially if the Cavaliers would be willing to take on Joakim Noah‘s contract.
- Wojnarowski reports that the Bucks have shown interest in Irving. However, with Giannis Antetokounmpo obviously untouchable, Milwaukee may not have a young star who makes sense for the Cavs.
- Although the Clippers have been mentioned as a possible landing spot for Irving, a league source tells Kyler that L.A. doesn’t appear to have the right combination of assets to appeal to the Cavs — a third team would be necessary, and even that may not be enough to make the Clips a serious contender for Irving.
Top Prospect Marvin Bagley Reclassifies, Commits To Duke
Top high school prospect Marvin Bagley has reclassified into the class of 2017, and will now be eligible to play college basketball during the coming season, rather than in 2018, he announced on Monday. As Evan Daniels of Scout.com details, Bagley committed to playing ball at Duke in 2017/18, making the Blue Devils the odds-on favorite to open the year as the No. 1 team in the nation.
While Bagley’s decision to attend Duke is good news for Mike Krzyzweski’s program, his reclassification itself is the most important news for NBA teams and evaluators, who will now have the opportunity to select the big man in the draft next June, assuming he enters the 2018 draft class after his freshman year.
If he does submit his name for next year’s draft, Bagley is expected to be one of a handful of players who will receive consideration for the No. 1 overall pick, alongside Michael Porter, DeAndre Ayton, and Luka Doncic, among others. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony suggests (via Twitter) that he believes there are still seven viable candidates for that top pick, adding that it’s too early to lock anyone in.
In his first 2018 mock draft for ESPN, Givony has Bagley coming off the board at second overall, writing that Duke’s newest player is “a terror in the open court” and has “a natural feel for scoring, rebounding and blocking shots.” NBA scouts will be keeping a close eye this season on the 18-year-old’s defense and outside shooting potential as he transitions to the college game, Givony writes.
Of course, before he can take the court for the Blue Devils, Bagley will still need to be deemed eligible by the NCAA. According to Givony, one college assistant for a team that was recruiting Bagley suggests that he expects that ruling to come in “a matter of days or weeks,” and he’s optimistic the young forward/center will be cleared. “[Bagley’s father] is way too detail-oriented for this not to work,” the assistant told Givony.
Pacific Notes: Kings, Ball, Warriors, Jordan
The decision to remove DeMarcus Cousins from the equation has brought a sense of happiness and hope around the moribund Kings franchise, Nick Zappulla of RealGM opines. The pieces are now in place for a quick turnaround via the acquisition of Buddy Hield in the trade with the Pelicans along with four promising rookies taken in the draft, particularly floor leader De’Aaron Fox and forward Harry Giles, Zappulla continues. Big men Skal Labissiere and Willie Cauley-Stein showed progress once Cousins was removed from the picture and the club also brought in three veteran free agents to facilitate the development of the young players, Zappulla adds.
In other items regarding the Pacific Division:
- The league’s television partners certainly have Lonzo Ball fever, as evidenced by the Lakers’ 35 nationally-televised games next season, Bill Oram of the Orange County Register notes. That’s the fifth-most national broadcasts among all teams despite the franchise coming off a 26-win season. Much of it can be attributed to lottery pick Ball, both for his passing skills and the hype-man routine of his father LaVar, Oram adds.
- The Warriors’ center rotation is unlikely to change next season despite the presence of some promising young players at the back end, Anthony Slater of The Athletic opines. Zaza Pachulia will continue to start with JaVale McGee backing him up and David West getting minutes there at the start of second quarters, according to Slater. Damian Jones, who was inconsistent in summer-league play, or rookie Jordan Bell could force their way into the rotation at some point, Slater adds.
- Center DeAndre Jordan realizes the Clippers won’t be the same team without Chris Paul, but expects point guard additions Patrick Beverley and Milos Teodosic to keep the franchise among the best in the West, Jovan Buha of ESPN.com reports. “Those guys are going to come in and play their style of basketball, and it’s going to be fun,” Jordan told Buha.
Southwest Notes: Rondo, Rockets, Finney-Smith, Mavs
The pairing of Jrue Holiday and Rajon Rondo in the Pelicans’ backcourt should work out quite well and could turn New Orleans into a spoiler during the Western Conference playoffs next season, Spencer Davies of Basketball Insiders argues. Holiday has never been hesitant to shoot and he’ll find plenty of good looks at shooting guard with defenses focusing on Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins, Davies continues. Davies notes that Rondo has led the league in assists three times and is an underrated 3-point shooter and rebounder for his position who can also contribute defensively by making steals. A quality season would also help convince Cousins, who becomes an unrestricted free agent after the season, to stay put, Davies adds.
In other news around the Southwest Division:
- Billionaire Dan Friedkin has expressed interest in buying the Rockets, Mark Berman of Fox26Houston.com reports. Friedkin is owner and CEO of Gulf States Toyota and the president and CEO of the Friedkin Group. Forbes lists his net worth at $3.1 billion. Owner Leslie Alexander announced last month that the team was up for sale.
- Forward Dorian Finney-Smith will have to earn a roster spot with the Mavericks by showing improvement in two key areas, according to Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. Sefko believes Finney-Smith needs to become tougher around the boards and improve his 3-point shooting or else he’ll wind up in a salary-saving transaction. All but $100K of Finney-Smith’s $1.3MM salary is not guaranteed and the contract doesn’t fully guarantee unless he’s on the roster through January 10.
- The Mavericks need to dramatically improve their rebounding to have any shot at a playoff berth next season, Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com writes. Dallas ranked last in overall rebounding and grabbed the fewest offensive rebounds in the league. Coach Rick Carlisle told Sneed his frontcourt players have to get more physical. “We’ve got to get some monsters that push and shove, throw people out of the way and go get the ball,” Carlisle said. “We’ve got to get more of those guys.”
Julyan Stone Granted Release From Italian Team
AUGUST 14, 7:22pm: Stone has been granted his release from Umana Reyer Venezia and is expected to sign with the Hornets this week, Bonnell reports.
AUGUST 13, 2:30pm: The Hornets plan to sign Stone to a two-year minimum deal with a second-year trigger date, pending clearance from FIBA, per Shams Charania of The Vertical (via Twitter).
10:18am: Julyan Stone is making progress toward getting out of his Italian League contract so he can sign with the Hornets, reports Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer.
The 28-year-old combo guard recently agreed to a two-year extension with defending league champion Umana Reyer, based in Venice. Stone doesn’t have an opt-out clause to leave for the NBA, but he is asking the team to release him from his deal so he can be closer to his father, who is in a coronary care unit in the United States with severe lung, heart and kidney conditions.
Charlotte has a two-year, veteran’s minimum offer waiting for Stone and envisions him as a third-string point guard backing up Kemba Walker and free agent addition Michael Carter-Williams. However, before he can join the Hornets, Stone has to obtain a letter from FIBA stating that he has no contractual obligation to any other team.
Stone has prior NBA experience with the Nuggets and Raptors. He has also played in Turkey and Italy.