Poll: Who Will Win NBA Finals MVP?
The NBA Finals between the Bucks and Suns tip off tonight, and they’re surrounded by much uncertainty. The biggest question, of course, relates to the health of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who hyperextended his knee halfway through Game 4 of the Bucks’ series against the Hawks. The Bucks are being cagey with his injury — initially ruled as doubtful by the team, he has since been upgraded to questionable, with his status for Game 1 to be determined after pre-game warmups.
If Antetokounmpo is fully healthy, or even mostly healthy, he is a great bet to take him the coveted Bill Russell Award, which would make him the third player to have a Finals MVP, MVP, and Defensive Player of the Year award to his name, joining Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon.
If Antetokounmpo isn’t ready to go by the opening tip-off, though, things get much more interesting.
The Bucks managed to get contributions from multiple sources in Games 5 and 6 of the Eastern Finals. In Game 5, Brook Lopez led the way with 33 points, going back to his Nets days as a low-post offensive hub despite the defensive presence of Hawks’ center Clint Capela.
In Game 6, though, Lopez was unable to keep up the pace, providing 13 points on nine shots. It seems unlikely Lopez would be able to maintain his Game 5 level of offensive production over a full series, especially while battling with defensive anchor Deandre Ayton. If Ayton gets in foul trouble, however, Lopez could have an easier path, as the one weakness on the Suns’ roster is their lack of a back-up center.
Meanwhile, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday both exploded in the last two games against the Hawks. Holiday averaged 26 PPG and 11 APG over the final two contests while Middleton averaged 29 PPG and 7.5 APG. The Hawks had no match for either player, though the Suns have far more wing and guard defenders to throw at them than the Hawks did.
As for the Suns, their big three of Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and Ayton have been rolling all playoffs long. While detractors have pointed to the injuries of their opponents, the Suns’ ability to close out series – especially for a relatively inexperienced team – has been extremely impressive.
Ayton has been a force on both ends, averaging 17.8 PPG, 13.7 RPG and 1.7 BPG in his first Western Conference Finals. Booker, hounded
all series long by the likes of Patrick Beverley and Paul George, was able to put the team on his back as a scorer time after time. And Paul is coming off possibly the performance of his career: a 41-point, eight-assist, zero-turnover game to eliminate his former team, the Clippers, and advance to the first NBA Finals of his 16-season career.
It seems unlikely that Ayton will be named Finals MVP in the case of a Suns championship, barring an unexpected offensive explosion, but both Paul and Booker are prime candidates for the award.
In fact, according to DraftKings.com, Booker and Paul have the two highest odds for coming away with the Finals MVP, with Paul having a slight edge on Booker. Middleton and Antetokounmpo are tied for third, but Giannis’ odds are sure to change if news breaks that he will, in fact, return in time to play in Game 1 of the Finals.
So here’s our question of the day:
Who do you expect to be named Finals MVP?
Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!
Who will win Finals MVP?
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Chris Paul 49% (746)
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Devin Booker 19% (287)
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Giannis Antetokounmpo 15% (227)
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Khris Middleton 8% (120)
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Deandre Ayton 4% (67)
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Jrue Holiday 2% (38)
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Someone else 1% (22)
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Brook Lopez 1% (17)
Total votes: 1,524
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
Suns Notes: Galloway, Crowder, Saric, Craig
With Game 1 of the NBA Finals set to tip off in a matter of hours, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington examines Suns guard Langston Galloway‘s path from going undrafted in 2014 to being four wins away from an NBA championship.
“Oftentimes when I’m in the locker room, I’m the only undrafted guy in the locker room,” Galloway said. “I look at it like this, it’s like if I can beat out the next guy to me, I can worry about myself going forward and the opportunity I’ve provided in front of me.”
Galloway discussed the ever-vigilant edge that being an undrafted player causes you to play with: “You have to always be paranoid. It’s knowing that I can’t rest on my laurels, I can’t rest on my career. I have to always get better knowing that the next opportunity is my best opportunity.”
Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News also takes a look at Galloway’s impending free agency, as well as his potential fit with the first team that gave him a shot, the Knicks.
We have more news from the Suns:
- Jay King of The Athletic has a piece on Jae Crowder and why every team in the league, especially the Celtics, need a guy like him. “I’m not saying Boston don’t have toughness,” Crowder’s father said on a podcast with former player Etan Thomas, “but they could have used a Jae Crowder. Miami got to the Finals last year. Jae Crowder’s gone, now where they at?” Celtics president Brad Stevens seems to agree: “Everywhere Jae Crowder goes, they win, which is great credit to him,” Stevens said.
- Between injuries, a positive COVID test, and inconsistent minutes, it wasn’t the easiest year for forward Dario Saric, tweets Suns reporter Gina Mizell. “But to be, right now, here, with my teammates, it’s a dream come true, you know what I mean,” Saric said.
- In a video from The Arizona Republic, Torrey Craig speaks on the experience of going up against his former team in the Finals: “… To compete against guys you played with, not only just compete against them but with the NBA Finals competing against them, that definitely sets the bar for whatever narrative you want to set for it,” Craig said, a smile on his face. “I’m definitely excited.”
2021 NBA Offseason Preview: Washington Wizards
Despite enduring plenty of Bradley Beal trade speculation before and during the 2020/21 season, the Wizards never wavered on their stated plan to build around Beal. And the All-Star guard didn’t force the team’s hand by asking to be dealt, even after a dismal first two-thirds of the season that saw Washington get off to a 17-32 start.
Still, with the Wizards out of the playoff – and play-in – picture in early April, it looked like it might just be a matter of time until the team had to start seriously considering major offseason changes to the roster, the coaching staff, and even the front office. But a 17-6 finish to the regular season and a win in their second play-in game gave the Wizards a glimmer of hope heading into the summer, even if their playoff run was short-lived.
That run in April and May wasn’t enough to save Scott Brooks‘ job, however. The Wizards and their head coach were unable to agree to terms on a new contract, leaving the team in the market for a new coach, with Wes Unseld Jr. and Jamahl Mosley among a handful of finalists.
As for whether the team’s second-half success was enough to stave off major front office and roster changes, that remains to be seen. But for now, it looks like the plan is to hope a new coach and some tweaks to the roster will help buoy a core group led by Beal and Russell Westbrook to greater heights in 2021/22.
The Wizards’ Offseason Plan:
As long as Beal and Westbrook remain on the Wizards’ books, the team’s options for revamping the roster around them are somewhat limited. The star duo is earning a combined $78MM in 2021/22, over two-thirds of the projected $112MM cap.
Washington’s next two highest salaries belong to Davis Bertans ($16MM) and Thomas Bryant ($8.67MM), who would each likely be expendable in the right trade this offseason. Bertans’ contract, which still has four years on it, would be trickier to move than Bryant’s expiring deal.
It’ll be interesting to see whether Bryant is in the Wizards’ plans going forward — he missed nearly all of the 2020/21 season with an ACL tear and may not be back to 100% by the fall. Daniel Gafford, who is on a minimum-salary contract, emerged as a legitimate option at the five in the spring, but the team will need at least one more center with Alex Len and Robin Lopez facing free agency.
Besides Len and Lopez, the Wizards will have to make decisions on free agent guards Ish Smith, Raul Neto, and Garrison Mathews. All played roles in 2020/21 and would be worthwhile investments as long as their price tags remain modest.
However, re-signing more than one of their free agents, hanging onto their first-round pick, and not dumping any contracts in trades could put the Wizards’ team salary pretty close to the tax line, preventing the team from making use of its full mid-level exception. Without that mid-level, Washington’s best hope of upgrading its roster will be on the trade market, with Rui Hachimura, Deni Avdija, the No. 15 pick, and future first-rounders among the club’s most appealing assets.
It will be crucial this offseason to get a clear sense of where Beal stands. If the Wizards believe they can convince him to sign a contract extension this summer, or re-up with the team in 2022, trading some of those young players and draft assets for a win-now piece might make sense. If Washington feels Beal’s commitment to D.C. isn’t iron-clad, hanging onto those assets – and potentially even shopping Beal before he reaches free agency – may be the right play.
Salary Cap Situation
Note: Our salary cap projections are based on a presumed 3% increase, which would result in a $112.4MM cap for 2021/22.
Guaranteed Salary
Russell Westbrook ($44,211,146)- Bradley Beal ($33,724,200)
- Davis Bertans ($16,000,000)
- Thomas Bryant ($8,666,667)
- Rui Hachimura ($4,916,160)
- Deni Avdija ($4,692,840)
- Chandler Hutchison ($4,019,459)
- Total: $116,230,472
Player Options
- None
Team Options
- None
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Daniel Gafford ($1,782,621)
- Anthony Gill ($1,517,981) 1
- Caleb Homesley ($1,517,981)
- Total: $4,818,583
Restricted Free Agents
- Isaac Bonga ($2,079,826 qualifying offer / $2,079,826 cap hold): Bird rights
- Total (cap holds): $2,079,826
Two-Way Free Agents
Draft Picks
- No. 15 overall pick ($3,383,640)
- Total: $3,383,640
Extension-Eligible Players
- Chandler Hutchison (rookie scale)
- Bradley Beal (veteran)
- Thomas Bryant (veteran)
- Daniel Gafford (veteran)
- Russell Westbrook (veteran)
Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds
- Ian Mahinmi ($23,175,077): Bird rights 3
- Robin Lopez ($8,760,000): Non-Bird rights
- Ish Smith ($7,800,000): Early Bird rights
- Alex Len ($1,669,178): Non-Bird rights
- Raul Neto ($1,669,178): Non-Bird rights
- Shabazz Napier ($1,669,178): Early Bird rights 3
- Ty Lawson ($1,669,178): Non-Bird rights 3
- Ramon Sessions ($1,669,178): Non-Bird rights 3
- Total: $48,080,967
Offseason Cap Outlook
The Wizards’ seven guaranteed contracts, Gafford’s non-guaranteed salary, and the No. 15 pick add up to approximately $121MM in commitments for nine roster spots. That puts Washington’s team salary well over the cap.
The tax line projects to be in the $137MM range for 2021/22. Depending on how they fill out the back end of their roster, the Wizards could have just enough flexibility to make use of the full mid-level exception. If they take on any additional salary in trades or re-sign certain free agents, they’ll likely be limited to the taxpayer MLE.
Cap Exceptions Available
- Mid-level exception: $9,536,000 4
- Bi-annual exception: $3,732,000 4
- Trade exception: $2,161,920
- Trade exception: $1,000,000
Footnotes
- Gill’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after August 7.
- Because he has been on a two-way contract with the Wizards for two seasons, Mathews is eligible for a standard minimum-salary qualifying offer.
- The cap holds for these players remain on the Wizards’ books from a prior season because they haven’t been renounced. They can’t be used in a sign-and-trade deal.
- These are projected values. If the Wizards approach or cross the tax line, they may forfeit these exceptions and instead gain access to the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.9MM).
Salary and cap information from Basketball Insiders, RealGM, and ESPN was used in the creation of this post.
Central Notes: Tucker, Bucks, Pacers, Workouts, Pistons
P.J. Tucker is used to being a part of contending teams, but this season took a detour before he landed in Milwaukee, notes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Tucker had to endure a lot of losing in Houston after the Rockets dealt James Harden in mid-January. He was stuck in a rebuilding situation until the Bucks traded for him in March.
“I thought about the stuff I was doing with Houston this year, this season has just been a long year for me,” Tucker said. “To go from being a top team in the West to falling apart instantly and being the last one left (in Houston) and everything I went through with that, the transition, it was just a lot this season.”
Tucker has enjoyed his time with the Bucks and is looking forward to competing for his first NBA championship, but isn’t sure whether his time in Milwaukee will extend beyond this season, as Nehm writes.
“I’m really excited to be able to pick where I want to go,” Tucker said. “The (contract) extension thing was for a different period of time. We didn’t even talk about that when I came to Milwaukee. There was no extension. I just wanted to come play and get a chance to do what I do and that was it. I just wanted to have a chance.”
Here’s more from around the Central:
- Florida guard Scottie Lewis worked out for the Bucks on Monday, Adam Zagoria of Forbes tweets. Milwaukee owns the top pick in the second round after a swap with Houston.
- The Pacers hosted Kai Jones and Moses Moody for pre-draft workouts on Tuesday, according to a press release. The club also announced that it will have Derrick Alston Jr., Ayo Dosunmu, Isaiah Jackson, Kyle Mangas, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, and Terry Taylor in for auditions on Wednesday.
- In addition to the No. 1 pick, the Pistons hold three second-rounders in this year’s draft (Nos. 37, 42, and 52). James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, who believes Detroit will look to consolidate some of those assets and acquire a second first-round pick, examines a few prospects the team could target late in the first round or early in the second, including VCU guard Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Draft Decisions: Agbaji, Cockburn, Dickinson, Wong, More
Kansas wing Ochai Agbaji has decided to withdraw from the 2021 NBA draft and will return to school for his senior year, a source tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN.
Agbaji, who was the No. 67 prospect on ESPN’s big board, averaged 14.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game for the Jayhawks last year, knocking down 37.7% of his three-point attempts in 30 games (33.7 MPG). Agbaji projected as a potential second-round pick, according to Givony, who refers to him as one of the best defenders at the NCAA level.
The NCAA’s withdrawal deadline for early entrants in this year’s draft is on Wednesday, so there are plenty of other prospects making decisions on their future today. Here are a few of the other early entrants who are pulling out of the draft and returning to school:
- Warith Alatishe, F, Oregon State (Twitter link via Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports)
- Maurice Calloo, F, Oregon State (Twitter link via Rothstein)
- Kofi Cockburn, C, Illinois (Twitter link via Andrew Slater of Pro Insight)
- Hunter Dickinson, C, Michigan (link via Jonathan Givony of ESPN)
- Remy Martin, G, transferring to Kansas from Arizona State (Twitter link via Rothstein)
- Jaden Shackelford, G, Alabama (Twitter link via Rothstein)
- Roman Silva, C, Oregon State (Twitter link via Rothstein)
- Deon Stroud, G, Fresno State (Twitter link via Rothstein)
- Sidney Wilson, G/F, SIU-Edwardsville (Twitter link via Rothstein)
- Isaiah Wong, G, Miami (link via Givony)
While a number of prospects are removing their names from the 2021 draft pool, some early entrants have made the decision to go pro. UCLA’s Chris Smith is one, posting a farewell message to Bruins fans on Instagram. Sources tell Rothstein (Twitter link) that Saint Louis forward Hasahn French is also going pro rather than returning to college.
Hoops Rumors Chat Transcript: 7/6/2021
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Click here to view the transcript of today’s chat.
Rockets Adding Chris Wallace, Matt Bullard To Front Office
The Rockets are hiring Chris Wallace and Matt Bullard to positions in their front office, according to reports from Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link) and Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.
Wallace, a longtime NBA executive who has decades of experience in front office roles, previously served as the general manager for both the Celtics and the Grizzlies. He was re-assigned to a scouting job when Memphis shook up its basketball operations department in 2019.
According to MacMahon, Wallace will join the Rockets as the team’s director of scouting. As MacMahon explains, Houston has prioritized adding experience and expertise to its front office around general manager Rafael Stone, making an effort to invest in infrastructure during the organization’s rebuilding period.
As for Bullard, his résumé looks quite different than Wallace’s. A former NBA forward for the Rockets, Hawks, and Hornets, Bullard transitioned to broadcasting after he retired. He had been a television analyst on Rockets broadcasts for the last 16 years, up until an announcement last month that AT&T SportsNet Southwest wouldn’t be renewing his contract for the coming year.
Bullard’s exact role is unclear, but he’ll become the third former player in Houston’s front office, joining Ed Pinckney and Chuck Hayes, Feigen notes.
Ian Mahinmi Announces Retirement
Veteran center Ian Mahinmi has decided to call it a career, announcing his retirement during an appearance on ‘NBA Extra,’ a show produced by international outlet beIN Sports (video link).
Mahinmi, 34, made his NBA debut in 2007, but was playing professional basketball well before then, spending time with multiple French clubs beginning in 2003. After being selected 28th overall in the 2005 draft by the Spurs, he was a draft-and-stash prospect in France for two more years before coming stateside.
Mahinmi appeared in 618 total regular season NBA games for the Spurs, Mavericks, Pacers, and Wizards, averaging 5.2 PPG and 4.4 RPG in 16.8 MPG. The big man, who also played in 67 postseason contests, won a title with Dallas in 2011 and was a beneficiary of the 2016 salary cap spike, signing a four-year, $64MM contract with Washington during that offseason.
That ended up being Mahinmi’s last NBA contract, as he went unsigned when he reached unrestricted free agency in 2020. We heard in April that he was one of the options the Heat considered before they signed Dewayne Dedmon, but Mahinmi ultimately didn’t catch on with any team in 2020/21, prompting him to decide to hang up his sneakers this summer.
As he transitions to the next phase of his career, Mahinmi will be involved with NBA Africa as one of the investors in the venture, per beIN Sports.
Nicolò Melli, Troy Daniels To Join Olimpia Milano?
Former NBA guard Jerian Grant recently signed a contract with Olimpia Milano, and it doesn’t appear the Italian team is done acquiring players with NBA experience.
According to a pair of reports from Emiliano Carchia of Sportando, Olimpia Milano is also on track to sign veteran power forward Nicolò Melli and is close to reaching a deal with free agent shooting guard Troy Daniels.
Melli, 30, played for Olimpia Milano from 2010-15 and has spent time with a handful of other European clubs since beginning his pro career in 2007. He made his NBA debut in 2019 with the Pelicans and has since appeared in a total of 105 games (15.3 MPG) for New Orleans and Dallas, averaging 5.0 PPG, 2.9 RPG, and 1.2 APG on .392/.316/.745 shooting.
Melli was involved in the March trade that sent J.J. Redick from the Pelicans to the Mavericks and played a part-time role for Dallas down the stretch. However, it seems his NBA career won’t continue, as the 6’9″ Italian sounds poised to return home. Melli is also expected to play for Italy in the Olympics later this month after helping the team earn a spot in last week’s qualifying tournament.
Daniels, meanwhile, has appeared in 339 career regular season NBA games, but didn’t catch on with a team for the 2020/21 season. His last stint in the NBA came in ’19/20, when he averaged 4.3 PPG on .387/.348/.625 shooting in 47 games (11.3 MPG) for the Lakers and Nuggets.
If Daniels finalizes a deal with Olimpia Milano, it’ll be his first time playing overseas, Carchia notes.
Willie Green, Charles Lee Among Top Candidates To Coach Pelicans
Suns assistant Willie Green and Bucks assistant Charles Lee are “prominent” candidates in the Pelicans‘ head coaching search, according to Marc Stein (Twitter link).
Earlier in the process, Nets assistant Jacque Vaughn was considered the frontrunner to replace Stan Van Gundy as New Orleans’ new head coach, but he withdrew from consideration last week for family reasons. Now, it appears the Pelicans have their eye on two other veteran assistant coaches. New Orleans’ own assistant, Fred Vinson, has also interviewed for the position, Stein notes.
A former NBA shooting guard, Green transitioned into the coaching ranks in 2016, working with the Warriors as an assistant for three seasons before making the move to Phoenix in 2019. He has been on Monty Williams‘ staff for the last two years and has generated some buzz as an up-and-coming head coaching candidate, having also talked to the Wizards and Magic about their vacancies.
Lee is also a former shooting guard, having played at Bucknell from 2002-06 and then in international leagues until 2010. After joining his alma mater as an assistant coach in 2012, he was hired as part of Mike Budenholzer‘s staff in Atlanta in 2014. Lee followed Budenholzer to Milwaukee in 2018 and – like Green – is now receiving head coaching interest from multiple teams — he’s said to be one of the Wizards’ finalists.
Green and Lee are set to face one another in the NBA Finals, beginning on Tuesday night.
While many candidates have been linked to the Wizards’ and Magic’s head coaching jobs, things have been relatively quiet on the Pelicans front. Besides the names mentioned above, Pelicans assistant Teresa Weatherspoon has been the only other contender confirmed to be in the mix, and David Griffin downplayed the chances of her being promoted. It’s possible New Orleans’ search has been fairly narrow, but it’s just as likely that a number of meetings have gone unreported.