Wizards Notes: Offseason, Trade Market, Beal
The Wizards will soon have to make a decision on the fate of head coach Scott Brooks, and if the team opts not to sign him to a new contract, a head coaching search will be the top priority to begin the offseason. However, there are plenty of other items on Washington’s summer checklist, as Ava Wallace of The Washington Post and Fred Katz of The Athletic detail in a pair of stories.
As Wallace writes, general manager Tommy Sheppard has said he’s not looking to make “wholesale changes” to the Wizards’ roster, but he’ll face decisions on several free-agents-to-be, including Robin Lopez, Ish Smith, Raul Neto, and Garrison Mathews. Additionally, upgrading the team’s defense and depth will be a key goal.
While the mid-level exception could net the Wizards a solid rotation player in free agency, Sheppard may need to return to the trade market to meaningfully upgrade the roster, says Katz. Making a clever trade to improve the team is easier said than done, Katz acknowledges, but Sheppard has a decent track record in that area over the last couple years, as trades for Davis Bertans, Russell Westbrook, and Daniel Gafford have turned out relatively well.
Here’s more on the Wizards:
- Bradley Beal has been a frequent subject of trade speculation over the last year or two, but the Wizards still have no plans to move him, and Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington wonders if the team could actually go in the opposite direction, pursuing an impact player on the trade market to complement Beal. As Hughes observes, Washington isn’t exactly loaded with valuable trade assets, but does have some young players and moveable contracts. The Wizards could also theoretically make draft picks available, though the multiyear protections on their traded 2023 first-rounder would complicate matters.
- Beal said at season’s end that he plans to be involved in recruiting free agents this offseason. In a separate story for NBC Sports Washington, Hughes explores what Beal’s pitch to those players might look like.
- In a mailbag for The Athletic, Fred Katz answers questions about the Wizards’ possible draft targets, Beal’s contract situation, and whether Kristaps Porzingis makes sense as a trade target.
Penny Hardaway Drawing Interest As NBA Coaching Candidate
NBA teams are making calls to gather intel on University of Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that Hardaway is expected to get offers to interview for NBA jobs this offseason.
A four-time All-Star as an NBA player, Hardaway has slowly been climbing the coaching ladder over the last decade. After several years in the high school ranks, he was hired by Memphis in 2018 and has landed top recruits like James Wiseman and Precious Achiuwa in recent years. The Tigers haven’t made the NCAA tournament since Hardaway joined the program, but had a 20-8 record and were NIT champions in 2020/21.
It’s not clear which teams might offer Hardaway an interview – or if he’d be open to leaving Memphis – but the Celtics, Pacers, Magic, and Trail Blazers currently have head coaching openings.
Another noteworthy college coach, Juwan Howard of Michigan, continues to draw NBA interest as well, but he has been telling teams that he has no interest in leaving the Wolverines, according to Wojnarowski. Howard, who was specifically identified as a potential Blazers candidate, also rebuffed NBA interest in 2020.
Southwest Notes: Jackson, Grizz Roster, Rockets, Pelicans
Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. will be eligible for a contract extension of his rookie deal in August, and Evan Barnes of the Memphis Commercial Appeal contends that Memphis’ executive VP Zach Kleiman should exercise caution with Jackson, who has been healthy for just 126 of a possible 227 regular season games across his three seasons with the Grizzlies.
Barnes notes that the Grizzlies could take some steps to insure themselves against future Jackson maladies, like possibly baking an Exhibit 3 clause into a new contract to temper Jackson’s guaranteed money. The Grizzlies can opt to hold off on inking Jackson to an extension until October 18, the day before the 2021/22 season is set to begin.
There’s more out of the Southwest Division:
- With the young Grizzlies having officially entered their offseason, Chris Herrington of the Daily Memphian takes a look at the club’s most valuable players. Point guard Ja Morant, Jackson, and wing Dillon Brooks comprise Herrington’s top three. Herrington wonders about the offensive ceiling of Brooks and the long-term healthy of JJJ.
- The suddenly-rebuilding Rockets find themselves faced with a variety of offseason questions, writes Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Iko thinks that Houston may look to add some intriguing, cost-effective restricted free agents this summer, along the lines of Bulls power forward Lauri Markkanen and Lakers shooting guard Talen Horton-Tucker, tantalizing role players who may be asked to do more with a developing Houston club. Iko also opines on which of the Rockets’ own restricted free agents will be retained. He notes that, in more minor free agency news, that the Rockets may look to shore up their center depth behind Christian Wood.
- To get back into the playoff mix, the Pelicans need to add more perimeter shooting this offseason, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. A revamped Pelicans roster in the 2020/21 season, led by new coach Stan Van Gundy, finished the year ranked 25th in three-point attempts and 26th in three-point percentage. The team’s lack of consistent reliable perimeter scorers made it easier for defenses to game-plan against its best players, forwards Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.
Atlantic Notes: Brown, Celtics, Raptors, Knicks, Lillard
Nets guard Bruce Brown has proven to be a key role player for a stacked Brooklyn club, write Alex Schiffer and Seth Partnow of The Athletic in a detailed examination. Brown is hitting his stride just in time for him to reach restricted free agency this summer.
Brown has proven invaluable as the starting shooting guard in the stead of the injured James Harden during Brooklyn’s series against the Bucks so far. On the floor, Brown has flashed significant positional versatility for the Nets, beyond just functioning as a shooting guard. His help as a short-rolling center in the pick-and-roll has unlocked a variety of offensive opportunities for his teammates.
“It kind of evolved in front of us,” Nets head coach Steve Nash said of Brown’s transition from defensive-oriented wing to frequent pick-and-roll center. “We asked him to pick at times because he can bring up a defender that was more favorable, and then he became surprisingly such a good roller and adept at it that we encouraged it and pushed for it.”
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- With new Celtics team president Brad Stevens now in charge of finding his own replacement as head coach, there are several possible internal hires he could consider, writes Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Assistant coaches Jay Larranaga, Jerome Allen, Scott Morrison and Joe Mazzulla have all interviewed for the vacant head coaching gig so far, prompting Weiss to take a closer look at Boston’s in-house options.
- This summer, there will be a variety of free agents who could serve as quality fits with the Raptors, writes Eric Koreen of The Athletic. Shoring up the club’s frontcourt appears to be a top priority for Koreen, as big men Richaun Holmes, Jarrett Allen, and John Collins, Nerlens Noel and Daniel Theis rank highly on Koreen’s list of candidates.
- After an encouraging return to the playoffs this season, the Knicks could be in the market for a point guard upgrade. Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic considers whether Trail Blazers All-Star Damian Lillard could be a realistic trade target for New York. Whether or not Portland would even be interested in dealing their All-NBA point guard for a trade package from the Knicks is another matter.
Assistant GM David Mincberg Leaving Pistons
Assistant Pistons GM David Mincberg is leaving Detroit after one season under GM Troy Weaver, tweets James Edwards III of The Athletic. Edwards indicates that the split was mutual.
The rebuilding Pistons collected an array of intriguing young players during 2020/21, Mincberg’s lone year with the club. Detroit selected promising rookies Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart, Killian Hayes, and Saben Lee in the 2020 draft. The Pistons also made tactical free agent acquisitions in adding ex-Nuggets Jerami Grant and Mason Plumlee last fall, traded for athletic 22-year old swingman Hamidou Diallo during the season, and will be selecting a top lottery pick in the 2021 draft.
Mincberg got his start as in-house legal counsel for the Grizzlies and the MLS club D.C. United. With Memphis, he became active in a variety of front office capacities, including scouting, the draft, trades and free agency. Mincberg was then hired as the Bucks’ director of basketball strategy in 2017, before being promoted to VP of basketball strategy ahead of the 2019/2020 season.
The Pistons have been actively reshaping their leadership group already during the offseason, having added longtime Michigan head coach (and short-term Cavaliers head coach) John Beilein as senior advisor/player development earlier this month.
Kelly Oubre’s Prospective Suitors Include Heat, Spurs
The Heat and Spurs have interest in signing unrestricted free agent Warriors swingman Kelly Oubre Jr. this summer, per Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. Goodwill also lists the Knicks among Oubre’s prospective suitors, which aligns with a previous report from Marc Berman of the New York Post stating that there was mutual interest between Oubre and New York.
Oubre signed a two-year, $30MM contract extension while with the Suns in 2019.
In his lone season with Golden State, Oubre showcased his value as a defensive-oriented athletic wing, and could help fill needs for all three clubs mentioned by Goodwill, who predicts that the 25-year-old will be on the move during the 2021 offseason.
Though the 6’7″ wing out of Kansas connected on a middling 31.6% of his long-range looks during the 2020/21 season, there is hope that he can return to something approaching the respectable 35.2% three point shooting mark he enjoyed in ’19/20 with the Suns.
Goodwill notes that comparable non-All-Star wings of a similar age have fetched a respectable annual sum lately, citing salaries ranging from $12MM-$21MM per year.
The Spurs and Heat could both carve out significant cap space this summer, depending on their decisions when it comes to re-signing free agents such as DeMar DeRozan, Rudy Gay, and Patty Mills (for San Antonio) and Victor Oladipo, Goran Dragic, and Andre Iguodala (for Miami).
Coby White Undergoes Left Shoulder Surgery
5:05pm: The left shoulder surgery White underwent on Thursday addressed a labrum injury, tweets K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Although the Bulls plan to reassess White’s recovery in four months, his anticipated recovery timeline could range from four-to-six months, Johnson adds.
3:45pm: Bulls guard Coby White underwent surgery on his left shoulder on Thursday, the team announced today in a press release.
White had a relatively healthy season in 2020/21, appearing in 69 of 72 contests and not missing a game during the final month of the season. However, he injured his shoulder this past weekend while “engaged in basketball activities away from the team,” according to the Bulls.
The club’s statement indicates that White will be re-evaluated in four months, which means he may not be available for the start of the 2021/22 season.
As Shams Charania of The Athletic reported today, the NBA sent a memo to teams announcing that training camps will begin on September 28 and the regular season will tip off on October 19. Four months from today would be October 10.
White’s injury shouldn’t have much of an impact on the Bulls’ offseason plans, however. Even if the former lottery pick were healthy, Chicago was still expected to make it a priority this summer to add a point guard via trade or free agency.
Western Notes: Paul, Ibaka, Nuggets, Wolves, Nori
Executives that Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link) has spoken to estimate that Suns guard Chris Paul could get a deal in the three-year, $60MM-ish range if he were to decline his $44MM player option this summer. A previous report, which stated that Paul would likely turn down that option, suggested that he’d likely be seeking a three-year contract worth about $100MM.
In actuality, Paul’s new deal could end up landing somewhere in between those two estimates. One possible route would be for him to pick up his $44MM option and negotiate a two-year extension with the Suns at a much lower rate. That would still allow the veteran point guard to secure a significant guarantee this offseason, while making him a little more affordable for Phoenix in a year or two when many of the team’s younger players are up for new deals.
Here’s more from around the West:
- Initially listed as doubtful for Game 2, Clippers center Serge Ibaka has since been ruled out, tweets Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. The big man, who missed most of the second half of the regular season due to back problems, returned briefly at the end of the season and start of the postseason, but hasn’t played since Game 2 of the Dallas series.
- Nuggets head coach Michael Malone didn’t mince words in criticizing his team’s effort in a Game 2 loss vs. Phoenix on Wednesday, as Nick Friedell of ESPN details. Malone said Denver had “a lot of guys play really bad tonight” and said he felt the club “quit” in the second half. “I saw one team that wanted to be here, that played with a purpose and urgency, and one team that did not want to be here and played with no urgency,” Malone said. We’ll see how the Nuggets respond to Malone’s harsh assessment in Game 3 on Friday.
- Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link) identifies Micah Nori as a name to watch as a potential addition to Chris Finch‘s Timberwolves coaching staff. Nori has spent the last few years with the Pistons on Dwane Casey‘s staff.
Draft Notes: Moyer, F. White, Sasser, Segu, M. Wright
George Washington forward Matthew Moyer will be remaining in the 2021 NBA draft after declaring as an early entrant, he tells Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link).
Moyer played at Syracuse and Vanderbilt before arriving at GWU for the 2020/21 season. He averaged 10.1 PPG and 9.6 RPG in 12 games (32.1 MPG) as a senior. Like other seniors, he was granted an extra year of NCAA eligibility due to the coronavirus pandemic, but he won’t take advantage of that extra year.
Moyer, who doesn’t show up in ESPN’s list of top 100 prospects for 2021, is a long shot to be drafted.
Here are a few more draft-related updates:
- Houston forward Fabian White, who entered the draft this spring, has decided to withdraw his name and return to school for another year, he tells Rothstein (Twitter link). White’s 2020/21 debut was due to his recovery from an ACL tear — he averaged 6.2 PPG and 4.1 RPG in 13 games (15.6 MPG) for the Cougars upon returning.
- White’s teammate, Houston guard Marcus Sasser, will also pull his name out of the draft and return to school, he tells Rothstein (Twitter link). A sophomore in 2021/22, Sasser was the Cougars’ second-leading scorer, recording 13.7 PPG and 2.2 APG in 29 games (31.9 MPG).
- Buffalo junior guard Ronaldo Segu is pulling his name out of the draft, per Rothstein (Twitter link). After being named the Mid-American Conference Sixth Man of the Year in 2020, Segu entered the starting lineup in ’20/21, averaging 13.3 PPG and 4.3 APG in 25 games (33.1 MPG).
- Colorado guard McKinley Wright IV worked out earlier this week for the Cavaliers and had an audition on Thursday with the Warriors, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. Wright ranks 97th overall on ESPN’s big board.
2021/22 NBA Regular Season To Begin On October 19
The NBA’s 2021/22 regular season will tip off on October 19, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter links). According to Charania, the league sent a memo to teams today to inform of that date and several others, confirming that the annual calendar will return to normal next season.
Per Charania, some of the other key dates are as follows:
- September 28, 2021: Training camps begin
- April 16, 2022: Playoffs begin
- June 2, 2022: NBA Finals begin
- June 19, 2022: Last possible date for NBA Finals (Game 7)
- June 23, 2022: NBA draft
The coronavirus pandemic resulted in a disruption to the NBA’s usual schedule, leading to a shortened offseason in both 2020 and 2021. There was some talk last year about the possibility of the league embracing the change and moving its calendar back by a couple months on a permanent basis, but that talk quickly subsided, particularly when TV ratings were down for last year’s playoffs, which took place in the summer.
ESPN’s Baxter Holmes noted this week that a decision was collectively made by the NBA, the players’ union, and the league’s TV network partners to get the annual schedule back to normal as quickly as possible rather than doing so slowly over the course of a few years. Today’s memo to teams confirms that will happen in 2021/22.