The Athletic’s staff released an article this week focused of one player with the most to prove for each of the NBA’s 30 teams in 2022/23. Interestingly, several players mentioned are current or former All-Stars, including a trio who missed all of last season: Ben Simmons of the Nets, Kawhi Leonard of the Clippers, and Zion Williamson of the Pelicans.
Simmons’ head coach, Steve Nash, also made the list, as Alex Schiffer wonders whether or not Nash can finally show he’s a solid coach if the roster stays healthy.
In addition to more established veterans, eight former first-round picks who are still on their rookie contracts made the cut, including De’Andre Hunter of the Hawks, Killian Hayes of the Pistons, and James Wiseman of the Warriors, amongst others.
Here are a few more odds and ends from the NBA world:
- One league executive of tells Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com that he expects more transactional activity, like the recent Lakers/Jazz trade, to transpire now that the Kevin Durant saga is over — at least for now. “I think we’ll see some things,” the executive said. “I don’t think L.A. thought it had a chance at Durant, but they had to see how that played out. You had to be on the whole ‘Let’s keep hope alive for the possibility of being involved in this,’ thing. Teams have been like, ‘Something may fall to us if a deal for KD gets expanded to include other teams.’ But now I think teams return to sanity and say, ‘OK, what do we need to do?’“
- The Sioux Falls Skyforce, Miami’s G League affiliate, recently made a couple of returning player rights trades, the team announced in a press release. The Skyforce acquired the G League rights to Jared Harper from the Birmingham Squad (Pelicans’ affiliate) for Javonte Smart. They also acquired Cheick Diallo from the Motor City Cruise (Pistons’ affiliate) for Micah Potter, with Potter subsequently signing an Exhibit 10 deal with Detroit. Both deals involved G League draft picks swapping hands. All four players have NBA experience, and Harper, Smart and Diallo remain NBA free agents, these moves only impact their G League rights.
- The Motor City Cruise made a separate trade (Twitter link) with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Houston’s affiliate. The Cruise sent Cassius Stanley‘s returning player rights to the Vipers in exchange for the Vipers’ 2022 first-round pick. Like previously mentioned with the players above, Stanley remains an NBA free agent.
Who still doesn’t believe that Kawhi is a living legend? Lol what can he do thst he hasn’t already done multiple times… BFFs DeAndre (young Kawhi) Hunter & Cam Reddish def have a lot to prove tho. I’ll throw high draft picks Marvin Bagley & Markelle Fultz in there too
Oh snap I didn’t even see that Dre was listed in the article. If the boy can stay healthy he’s gonna beast tho. He’s not talked about much nationally but he has major game, he’s versatile & there’s gonna be more shots available now that Gallo & Kev are elsewhere
Hawks have got to find a way to trade Clint Capela. Atlanta should have been talking to Minnesota. They could have gotten a haul for Capela. Not the same as Gobert, but a haul for a player they no longer need, and saved Minnesota some assets in the process.
Playoff series we just had vs Mia showed how badly we need Capela. Not sure if you remember the Hawks before Capela. There was a lot of losing.
Capela saw his minutes reduced last year. At times, dramatically reduced, and given to Okongwu. John Collins doesn’t appear to be moving.
No Trae Young-led team will ever advance past 2nd round of playoffs. He is that bad defensively.
Atlanta can win a 1st round matchup against a fraudulent team like the Knicks or Bulls.
Atlanta is a full notch below Brooklyn, Milwaukee, Miami, Boston and Philadelphia.
Last year, the Hawks with Capela …. A lot of Losing!
Need to move Capela!
Atlanta lost in the third round with Trae running the point.
Trae for KD straight up. When Trae Young is your best player you have a very slim chance of really contending. Getting KD can make the Hawks a ligit contender
I will defend Steve Nash here.
In essence what he had his first year were not so much four players whom were playing in the leauge when he was in the mist of back to back MVP campaigns,as much as 3 were already considered future hall of famers and were considered to know what to do when the time came.
He only had to manage the Nets, not “Coach” the Nets in order for them to win it.
Last year Kyrie is not there and Harden is nursing a hamstring injury. The internal hope, wish and pray of all was that Durant holds down the fort, Kyrie comes back and a miracle cure occurs for Harden.
Steve Nash was only allowed to “Guide” the team till the time came for the big three to take over and win it.
At no time ever has he been expected to coach the team.
The time arc between player and coach needs to be there, for said former player to be a coach.
This is his real first chance. Unfortunately, I believe before Durants demand, that Marks had decided to let him go already.
As eastern conference style coach has already been picked out I believe.
Having said that, like all things you have to come out in order to be that thing.
In Steve’s case the best team for him to be Steve Nash the coach is the Thunder.
My inner old school GM traded him to Portland for Billups. Both are in the wrong conference for their style of play and thinking.
Nash is a legend in the Northwest and is as perfect for that region and style of play as is Billups for the east.
The Nets are not unlike those Piston teams he was on.
And there you go.