NBA To Retire Bill Russell’s No. 6 Jersey Throughout League
In the wake of Bill Russell‘s recent passing, the NBA has announced it will retire Russell’s No. 6 jersey throughout the league, confirming the decision in a press release on Thursday. The National Basketball Players Association put out the same announcement on its own website.
Players who currently wear No. 6, including Lakers superstar LeBron James, will be able to continue wearing it, but the number won’t be issued again by any team to any player going forward, according to today’s announcement.
“Bill Russell’s unparalleled success on the court and pioneering civil rights activism deserve to be honored in a unique and historic way,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “Permanently retiring his No. 6 across every NBA team ensures that Bill’s transcendent career will always be recognized.”
“This is a momentous honor reserved for one of the greatest champions to ever play the game,” NBPA executive director Tamika Tremaglio stated. “Bill’s actions on and off the court throughout the course of his life helped to shape generations of players for the better and for that, we are forever grateful. We are proud to continue the celebration of his life and legacy alongside the league.”
Russell, who wore No. 6 for his entire NBA career from 1956-69, won a league-record 11 championships in just 13 seasons. In addition to his unprecedented success on the court, Russell was a trailblazer off of it, championing civil rights, equality, and inclusion. He became the first Black head coach in the NBA and in major U.S. sports when he was named the player-coach of the Celtics in 1966.
According to the NBA, the league will pay further tribute to Russell by having all players wear a commemorative patch on their jerseys during the 2022/23 season, with every NBA court displaying a clover-shaped logo with the No. 6 on the sidelines near the scorer’s table.
Besides James, 24 other NBA players wore the No. 6 in 2021/22, per Basketball-Reference. Many of those players are no longer under contract, but Bulls guard Alex Caruso, Pistons wing Hamidou Diallo, and Wizards big man Kristaps Porzingis are among those who still wear the number and will be allowed to continue doing so.
Nets Notes: Durant, Marks, Nash, Simmons, Curry
Kevin Durant‘s four-year contract extension with the Nets, which he signed last year, went into effect the day after he made his trade request and includes advance payment language that required the team to cut him a hefty pay check on July 1, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack story.
As we noted earlier today in our list of this season’s highest-paid players, Durant is owed a $42,969,845 base salary in 2022/23. According to Stein, the star forward’s contract calls for him to receive 50% of that figure ($21,484,922) in a pair of installments on July 1 and October 1. That means that Durant received $10,742,461 from the Nets on the day after he asked the team to trade him.
As Stein observes, the fact that Durant is owed another $10.7MM+ on October 1 adds another layer of drama to the question of whether or not he’ll show up for training camp during the last week of September if he hasn’t been traded by then. If he doesn’t report, it’s possible the Nets would decide to withhold that payment.
Here’s more out of Brooklyn:
- Elsewhere in his Substack story, Stein says there’s a growing belief among rival teams that Durant knew Nets owner Joe Tsai wouldn’t actually fire GM Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash when KD made his ultimatum. One prevailing theory, according to Stein, is that Durant is trying to sow discord in an effort to make the Nets lower their asking price and trade him “out of exasperation.” If that’s the endgame, it doesn’t appear to being according to plan so far.
- ESPN and ABC analyst Jeff Van Gundy said during a Sirius XM Radio appearance that he believes the relationship between Durant and the Nets (including Marks and Nash) can still be salvaged.
“I think it would be an awkward couple of days and then you win three in a row because I think if (Ben) Simmons comes back, (Joe) Harris comes back, (Kyrie) Irving is in a right space and is able to play and Durant comes back, they’ve got a really good team,” Van Gundy said, per Adam Zagoria of NJ.com. “And so winning helps camouflage any bad feelings and so I don’t think it will be as bad for as long as people might suspect on the outside.” - Simmons and Seth Curry are both eligible for contract extensions with the Nets, but Alex Schiffer of The Athletic doesn’t expect Brooklyn to lock up either player until the team has more clarity on its future. Even if the Nets get resolution on Durant and Irving, it seems unlikely they’d pursue an extension with Simmons, who has yet to play a game for the club and still has two years left on his current contract, but Curry – a free agent in 2023 – would be a logical candidate for a new deal.
Team USA Sets Roster For August World Cup Qualifiers
Team USA will play a pair of qualifying games for the 2023 World Cup this month, squaring off against Uruguay on August 25 in Las Vegas and then facing Colombia on August 29 in Barranquilla, Colombia.
USA Basketball issued a press release today announcing its 12-man roster for those qualifying games. The following players will be representing the U.S. on a club led by head coach Jim Boylen:
- Malik Ellison, G
- Michael Frazier, G
- Langston Galloway, G
- John Jenkins, G
- Mac McClung, G
- David Stockton, G
- McKinley Wright IV, G
- Tyler Cavanaugh, F
- DaQuan Jeffries, F
- Robert Woodard, F
- Eric Mika, F/C
- Dewan Hernandez, C
McClung is the only member of the 12-man group who is currently under contract with an NBA team, having signed a training camp contract with the Warriors last month. However, everyone on the roster except for Ellison has appeared in at least one NBA regular season game.
Galloway and Jenkins are the most experienced NBA veterans on the roster. Galloway has 452 regular season games for seven teams under his belt, while Jenkins has made 171 appearances for five clubs.
Team USA has a 5-1 record through the first three qualifying windows, putting the squad in a tie for first place with Brazil atop Group F. After this month’s games, the remaining two qualifying windows are scheduled for November and February — teams will end up playing a total of 12 qualifying contests apiece.
The 2023 World Cup will take place in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia from August 25 to September 10 next year. Assuming its team qualifies – which looks like a pretty safe bet – USA Basketball is expected to send a roster of more accomplished NBA veterans to the event.
Jordan Hall Signs Two-Way Contract With Spurs
AUGUST 11: The Spurs have officially signed Hall to his two-way deal, the team announced today in a press release.
JULY 23: Free agent swingman Jordan Hall has agreed to a two-way contract with the Spurs, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Hall went undrafted last month and played with San Antonio in the Las Vegas Summer League. A previous report stated that he was expected to sign with the Spurs, but it didn’t clarify that he’d be receiving a two-way deal.
At 6’8″ and 215 pounds, Hall has been known as a point forward. He averaged 14.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game with Saint Joseph’s last season, but he shot only 39% from the floor. The 20-year still showed potential as a well-rounded player.
San Antonio now has both two-way spots filled. The other went to Dominick Barlow, who most recently played in the Overtime Elite league. The Spurs are pushing forward with a rebuild after trading away Dejounte Murray for three first-round picks and a pick swap.
Hall will have the opportunity to compete for a spot on the 15-man roster as the season progresses. He’s set to spend time with both San Antonio and the team’s G League affiliate while on his two-way deal.
NBA’s Top 50 Highest-Paid Players For 2022/23
Many of the NBA’s highest-paid players are on contracts considered maximum-salary deals, but the 2022/23 salaries for those players vary significantly depending on when the player signed his contract and how much NBA experience he has. That’s why a player like Stephen Curry will earn about $17.7MM more than Donovan Mitchell in ’22/23 despite both stars technically being on max deals.
When a player signs a maximum-salary contract, he doesn’t necessarily earn the NBA max for each season of that contract — he earns the max in year one, then gets a series of identical annual raises. In Curry’s case, his 2022/23 salary actually exceeds this year’s maximum, since the annual cap increases since he began earning the max haven’t kept pace with his annual 8% raises.
Listed below, with some help from Spotrac‘s salary data, are the top 50 highest-paid NBA players for the 2022/23 season. The players on this list don’t necessarily have the contracts with the largest overall value. The list below only considers salaries for ’22/23.
Additionally, we’ve noted players who could potentially increase their earnings via incentives or trade bonuses. We didn’t add those notes for players like Curry who have trade bonuses but are already earning the maximum — their salaries for this season can’t increase beyond their max.
The cutoff for a spot on this year’s top-50 list is over $25MM, so 13 players earning $20MM+ didn’t make the cut, led by Knicks forward Julius Randle ($23.76MM, plus incentives) and Hawks big man John Collins ($23.5MM).
Here are the NBA’s 50 highest-paid players for the 2022/23 season:
- Stephen Curry, Warriors: $48,070,014
- Russell Westbrook, Lakers: $47,063,478
- LeBron James, Lakers: $44,474,988
- Kevin Durant, Nets: $44,119,845
- Note: Durant’s cap hit includes a $42,969,845 base salary and $1,150,000 in likely incentives.
- Bradley Beal, Wizards: $43,279,250
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks: $42,492,492 (15% trade kicker)
Kawhi Leonard, Clippers: $42,492,492 (15% trade kicker)
Paul George, Clippers: $42,492,492
Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers: $42,492,492 - Klay Thompson, Warriors: $40,600,080 (15% trade kicker)
- Rudy Gobert, Timberwolves: $38,172,414
- Anthony Davis, Lakers: $37,980,720 (15% trade kicker)
- Khris Middleton, Bucks: $37,948,276
- Jimmy Butler, Heat: $37,653,300 (15% trade kicker)
- Tobias Harris, Sixers: $37,633,050 (5% trade kicker)
- Luka Doncic, Mavericks: $37,096,500
Zach LaVine, Bulls: $37,096,500
Trae Young, Hawks: $37,096,500 - Kyrie Irving, Nets: $36,934,550 (15% trade kicker)
- Note: Irving’s cap hit includes a $36,503,300 base salary and $431,250 in likely incentives. He also has another $718,750 in unlikely incentives.
- Pascal Siakam, Raptors: $35,448,672
Ben Simmons, Nets: $35,448,672 - Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves: $33,833,400 (15% trade kicker)
Devin Booker, Suns: $33,833,400
Kristaps Porzingis, Wizards: $33,833,400 - Jrue Holiday, Bucks: $33,665,040
- Note: Holiday’s cap hit includes a $32,544,000 base salary and $1,121,040 in likely incentives. He also has another $4,752,000 in unlikely incentives.
- Joel Embiid, Sixers: $33,616,770
Andrew Wiggins, Warriors: $33,616,770 - CJ McCollum, Pelicans: $33,333,333
- Nikola Jokic, Nuggets: $33,047,803
- Note: Jokic’s cap hit includes a $32,478,837 base salary and $568,966 in likely incentives. He also has another $568,966 in unlikely incentives.
- James Harden, Sixers: $33,000,000 (15% trade kicker)
- Brandon Ingram, Pelicans: $31,650,600
Jamal Murray, Nuggets: $31,650,600 - D’Angelo Russell, Timberwolves: $31,377,750
- Deandre Ayton, Suns: $30,913,750
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder: $30,913,750
Michael Porter Jr., Nuggets: $30,913,750 - Donovan Mitchell, Jazz: $30,351,780 (15% trade kicker)
Jayson Tatum, Celtics: $30,351,780 (15% trade kicker)
Bam Adebayo, Heat: $30,351,780
De’Aaron Fox, Kings: $30,351,780 - Gordon Hayward, Hornets: $30,075,000 (15% trade kicker)
- Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies: $28,946,605
- Kevin Love, Cavaliers: $28,942,830
- Jaylen Brown, Celtics: $28,741,071
- Note: Brown’s cap hit includes a $26,669,643 base salary and $2,071,428 in likely incentives. He also has another $1,035,714 in unlikely incentives.
- Chris Paul, Suns: $28,400,000
- Kyle Lowry, Heat: $28,333,334
- Jalen Brunson, Knicks: $27,733,332 (10% trade kicker)
- DeMar DeRozan, Bulls: $27,300,000
- Al Horford, Celtics: $26,500,000
- Draymond Green, Warriors: $25,806,468 (15% trade kicker)
One player notably missing from this list is Clippers guard John Wall, who exercised a $47,366,760 player option for the 2022/23 season in June, when he was still a member of the Rockets. Wall eventually agreed to a buyout with Houston, but still counts for $40,866,760 against the team’s books this season, and is earning $6,479,000 on his new deal with L.A.
Wall’s combined cap hits would make him one of the top three highest-paid players for 2022/23, so why doesn’t he make the cut? Because he’s not actually earning all that money this season — even if a team doesn’t apply the stretch provision to a player’s cap hit when he’s waived, the player’s payments still get “stretched” across multiple seasons.
That means the Rockets will actually be paying the $40,866,760 they owe Wall across three years instead of just one, which works out to annual payments of approximately $13.62MM. Combining that number with Wall’s new $6,479,000 salary for 2022/23 wouldn’t make him one of the NBA’s top 50 highest-paid players for this season.
Atlantic Notes: Quickley, Durant, Sixers, Raptors, R. Williams
While the addition of Jalen Brunson and the return of Derrick Rose will likely move Immanuel Quickley off the ball in 2022/23, the Knicks guard is making it a priority to improve his play-making abilities this offseason, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post.
“We put a big emphasis on his passing, we’ve worked a lot on his passing out of the pick-and-roll,” Andrew Morant, Quickley’s trainer, told Braziller. “Early pockets, late pockets and finding the corner shooters as he comes out of the pick-and-roll.”
Quickley’s name has come up in trade rumors linking Donovan Mitchell to New York, and it’s very possible that if the Knicks make a play for the Jazz star, Quickley will end up in Utah. However, Morant said he and the former Kentucky standout aren’t paying attention to that trade speculation as they attempt to hone Quickley’s skills this summer.
“I think he’s an asset to the Knicks in terms of if they want to win games, and he [could] be an asset to a lot of teams,” Morant told The Post. “I don’t know what the Knicks are thinking, what they want to do with him or what the situation is. What him and I try to do is be prepared for any situation and any opportunity that comes his way.”
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- Responding to a report that suggested there may be some mutual interest between Kevin Durant and the Sixers, Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com evaluates whether or not Philadelphia could put together a competitive trade package for the Nets star. While Neubeck suggests an offer centered around Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey, and Matisse Thybulle wouldn’t be “laughable,” he believes other suitors could comfortably top it, given the 76ers’ limited draft assets.
- Damien Cox of The Toronto Star considers whether or not the Raptors should be seriously pursuing Durant, given the way the Nets forward’s recent demands have defied the “traditional owner-management-coach-player hierarchy” and the effect that could have on the culture the team has built in Toronto.
- The Celtics, who have spoken to the Nets about Durant, have made center Robert Williams unavailable in trade talks, sources tell Kurt Helin of NBC Sports.
Cat Barber Signs With BC Budivelnyk
Former NC State standout Cat Barber will play in Ukraine for the 2022/23 season, having signed with BC Budivelnyk, the team announced this week (via Twitter).
Barber, who went undrafted in 2016, has bounced all over the place since beginning his professional career, spending several seasons in the G League and also playing for teams in Italy, Israel, Germany, and Canada. He finally made his NBA regular season debut during the 2021/22 season, appearing in three games for the Hawks after signing a 10-day hardship contract with the team on Christmas Day.
In 178 career G League games from 2016-22, Barber has averaged 17.1 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.6 rebounds in 31.0 minutes per contest. His career three-point rate is just 32.7%, though he made 42.9% of his attempts in 28 games for the College Park Skyhawks this past season en route to a spot on the All-NBAGL Second Team.
Barber’s new team competes in the Ukranian SuperLeague and is participating in qualifying contests to earn a spot in Europe’s Basketball Champions League. He’ll be joined in the backcourt by former NBA first-round pick Archie Goodwin, who is returning to Budivelnyk after leaving the team last season following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Norman Powell Eager To Settle Down With Clippers
Clippers swingman Norman Powell isn’t worried about blending his talents with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, as he told Law Murray of The Athletic.
Powell projects as a sixth man in Los Angeles, backing up Leonard, George, and Nicolas Batum to varying degrees.
“This what I’ve been doing my whole career,” Powell said. “I know what the team needs. I’ve played with Kawhi before and playing against PG my whole career it seems like. … I think my game is really used to being in different roles, getting different looks. So, I’m not really worried about that. My focus is to stay healthy … I feel like the game is going to work itself out with all the time I put in.”
Powell was acquired by the Clippers from Portland at the trade deadline but fractured a bone in his left foot three games after the deal. He returned for two regular season appearances in April and also saw action in the play-in tournament.
Powell, who played in the Drew League in Los Angeles over the weekend, says he still has to do extra work to ensure he’ll be 100% when the season tips off in the fall.
“I feel good,” Powell said. “Still going through the rehab process, but I feel good to be able to go full tilt. I have my insoles to help that bone in my foot. Everything is good. No issues, no problems. Hopefully, we can keep it that way so that I can feel healthy going into the season.”
Powell was also traded the previous season to Portland by Toronto at the March 2021 deadline. He’s entering the second year of a five-year, $90MM contract he signed with the Trail Blazers and hopes to settle in with one franchise.
“Really looking forward to having a full season under my belt with one team,” Powell said. “Last two seasons have been up and down, being traded twice and trying to figure all of that out. So, I’m looking forward to being on this team for a full season and being really adjusted with the guys, and to build my foundation out here in L.A.”
And-Ones: Wood, O’Quinn, Extensions, Offseason Rankings
Christian Wood should thrive with Luka Doncic and the Mavericks, Stephen Noh of the Sporting News writes. Noh, who examines how Wood will blend his talents with the Dallas superstar, also takes a closer look at how Donte DiVincenzo (Warriors), Bruce Brown (Nuggets) and De’Anthony Melton (Sixers) could benefit after a change of scenery.
We have more from around the basketball world:
- Former NBA big man Kyle O’Quinn has signed with the Japanese team, SeaHorses Mikawa, according to a team press release. O’Quinn played in France and Turkey after his last NBA appearance, a 29-game stint with Philadelphia during the 2019/20 season.
- LeBron James, CJ McCollum, Jaylen Brown, Jerami Grant and Nikola Vucevic are among numerous notable players who are eligible to sign veteran extensions and are legitimate candidates to get them done. Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report examines what those extensions, among others, might look like.
- Which 10 teams have improved the least this offseason? The Athletic’s David Aldridge takes his annual look at whether teams have gotten better or worse since the end of last season. The Spurs sit at the lowest end of the spectrum, with the Pacers, Hornets, Jazz and Lakers also in the bottom five.
Southeast Notes: Oladipo, Durant, Wagner, Maker
Victor Oladipo, who re-signed with the Heat this summer on a two-year deal worth approximately $18MM, has only appeared in 12 regular season games since he was acquired from Houston at the 2021 trade deadline, but he’s ready to return to top form, he told Vince Carter on the VC podcast (hat tip to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald).
He’s calling it his “Revenge Tour.”
“When I say revenge, I’m taking about God’s revenge,” Oladipo said. “They messed up my surgery, I sat back. I tore my quad, I sat back. But now it’s my time to rise, I truly believe that. So that’s the revenge tour. That’s what it’s all about. It’s one day at a time, it’s a constant grind every day. That’s what I’m focused on doing.”
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- Kevin Durant‘s ultimatum to the Nets could be a potential boost for the Heat in trade talks, Chiang speculates. Brooklyn might decide to lower its asking price before having the awkward situation drags into training camp. The Heat have been unwilling to part with center Bam Adebayo or Jimmy Butler in a Durant deal. Adebayo is not currently eligible to be included in a Durant trade unless the Nets also trade Ben Simmons to the Heat or another team due to the Designated Rookie Extension rule. Miami’s current trade package would be highlighted by Tyler Herro.
- Magic big man Moritz Wagner won’t play for Germany in the World Cup qualifiers or FIBA EuroBasket 2022 due to an ankle injury, according to Eurohoops.net. The severity of the ankle injury wasn’t revealed but Wagner expressed disappointment that he won’t be able to participate. “The fact that my ankle isn’t healed is difficult to accept at first, but it’s part of the game,” he said in a statement released by the German federation. “This team is special and I’m looking forward to watching the boys play and supporting them.”
- The plan for Makur Maker is to play with the Wizards’ G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go, during the upcoming season, Ava Wallace of the Washington Post. Maker was signed to an Exhibit 10 contract on Wednesday. The contract will allow Maker to receive a bonus worth up to $50K if he’s waived during the preseason and then spends at least 60 days as an affiliate player.