Community Shootaround: Wednesday Play-In Team Futures
Wednesday evening will see four teams in very different places fight for the opportunity to earn the No. 8 seeds in their respective conferences.
For the third straight season, the 39-43 Bulls will be squaring off against the 37-45 Heat in a play-in tournament game. This year, however, Chicago seems to have the edge. Per BetOnline stateside and BetVictor Canada, the Bulls are a marginal favorite as the home team.
Having moved on from former All-Star wings DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, Chicago has been emphasizing more pace and ball movement. Star guards Coby White and Josh Giddey are propelling a fast-breaking offense that won 15 of its last 20 games to close out the 2024/25 regular season.
Rookie forward Matas Buzelis has benefited mightily from extended run to close out the year, while center Nikola Vucevic has adapted well to this speedier iteration of the team, operating as a trailing big who can be a release valve in these frenetic offensive sets.
Recently extended guard Lonzo Ball (wrist) and new trade acquisition Tre Jones (foot) will miss Wednesday’s game.
The No. 10 Heat, meanwhile, have been up and down since their blockbuster midseason Jimmy Butler trade. Armed with new additions Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell and Kyle Anderson, the club stumbled into a 10-game losing skid that was immediately followed by a six-game winning streak. Miami, which controls its own 2025 first-round pick as long as it lands in the top 14, might be happy to lose this matchup and reset with a quick rebuild through this year’s loaded draft lottery.
Chicago team president Arturas Karnisovas has been a frequent source of fan ire. He and ownership would probably like to see the young Bulls appear in their first playoff series since 2022. If Chicago does clinch a playoff appearance by beating Miami and then the Hawks in Friday’s final play-in game, would it prompt Karnisovas to shy away from the kinds of personnel changes he might otherwise pursue this summer, including a Vucevic trade for draft equity?
The Mavericks, on paper, are fielding the most talented squad out of the four Wednesday teams. Had nine-time All-Star guard Kyrie Irving not torn his ACL, Dallas could have been in the thick of the playoff hunt. Instead, the 39-43 Mavs are clinging to the Western Conference’s No. 10 seed. With most of the rest of the roster healthy, the club will be riding a super-sized frontcourt lineup centered around 10-time All-Star big man Anthony Davis as its two-way fulcrum.
Dallas was constructed to win around Luka Doncic. After sending him to Los Angeles in exchange for Davis, three-and-D swing Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round draft pick, the front office was roundly criticized. Still, with Irving, Davis, and talented two-way wings and frontcourt pieces, a healthy version of this team looks like it could be a legitimate tough playoff out. Due to the timing of Irving’s recovery and Davis’ extensive injury history, it’s unclear when exactly that healthy iteration might next be available.
Meanwhile, Doncic has raised the Lakers’ ceiling. If Dallas misses the playoffs, will the club’s new ownership cohort look to penalize Nico Harrison for the most unpopular transaction in its franchise’s history? The Mavericks do have the highest upside of any of the teams in action on Wednesday, but that comes with a massive health caveat.
Dallas will be facing off against a mostly-healthy Kings club for the right to play the Grizzlies on Friday.
After Sacramento team owner Vivek Ranadive fired former Coach of the Year Mike Brown midway through the season, guard De’Aaron Fox pushed for – and received – a deal to the Spurs. The 40-42 Kings have since struggled with their newest impact player, LaVine, under interim head coach Doug Christie. Sacramento is loaded with ball stoppers – including LaVine, DeRozan, and Malik Monk – but has perhaps the more talented offense than Dallas sans Irving, thanks in large part to do-everything All-Star center Domantas Sabonis.
Should Sacramento get booted in this initial play-in tournament matchup, would Sabonis at least explore a trade out of town? A report in March suggested that the big man is expected to “seek clarity” this offseason on the Kings’ direction.
Just two years ago, during Brown’s inaugural season, the Kings finally seemed to have discovered a direction and identity. Now, the club is floundering in mediocrity. Massive changes — perhaps starting with Christie and Sabonis — could be underway for the team this summer, barring a strong playoff run.
We want to know what you think. How will the offseason play out for the the teams that get bounced in Wednesday’s games? What changes would – or should – be made if all four clubs eventually fail to qualify for the playoffs?
Re-Signing Cam Thomas, Day’Ron Sharpe Will Be Priorities For Nets
Whether the Nets decide to continue rebuilding or pursue a star, a priority for this summer will be re-signing Cam Thomas and Day’Ron Sharpe, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required).
Both players were first-round picks in 2021, and they’ve become part of Brooklyn’s foundation during their four NBA seasons. Neither of them reached an extension prior to the deadline last fall, so they’ll both be restricted free agents if the Nets extend qualifying offers.
General manager Sean Marks talked to Lewis about the importance of hanging on to players that the organization has developed.
“It’s always great when you are able to draft somebody like those two specifically, and then they get this opportunity to [decide]: Are they going to sign their second contract with us?” Marks said. “So, I look forward to the summer, and look forward to those conversations with their agents, and we’ll see where it all plays out. But I do think it’s important to be able to keep your homegrown talent.”
Thomas, a 23-year-old shooting guard, established himself as a dynamic scorer during a breakout 2023/24 season, averaging 22.5 PPG in 66 games while shooting 44.2% from the field and 36.4% from three-point range. He increased his scoring averaging to 24 PPG this season and handed out a career-best 3.8 assists per night, but he was limited to 25 games because of a series of hamstring injuries and didn’t play after March 13.
“When I was available, I thought I had a great season when I was able to play,” Thomas said. “Obviously, I’d love to be playing more, but sometimes, that’s just how the cards are dealt. Hungry and ready to get back to playing so this never happens again. … I feel really good, way better than I was. Rehab is going real good, feeling real good. Going into the offseason, feeling good is positive.”
Cap expert Yossi Gozlan told Lewis that Thomas can expect a new contract similar to Collin Sexton‘s, but “adjusted for inflation.” Sexton signed a four-year, $70MM deal with Utah in 2022. Lewis talked to another source who expects Thomas’ annual salary to fall in the range of $20MM to $22MM.
Sharpe isn’t expected to be as costly, with Lewis citing a Spotrac projection that has him re-signing with the Nets at $30MM over three years. The 23-year-old big man has been a reliable reserve during his time in Brooklyn and posted career highs this season with 7.9 points and 6.6 rebounds in 50 games.
“I’m new to this so whatever happens, happens,” Sharpe said. “But I like Brooklyn, so God willing, [I’ll be back].”
Lewis points out that Thomas and Sharpe are among numerous personnel decisions Marks will face this offseason. Ziaire Williams, Tyson Etienne and Reece Beekman can also be made restricted free agents by giving them qualifying offers. In addition, De’Anthony Melton and Trendon Watford will be unrestricted free agents, and Lewis doesn’t expect the club to keep Melton, who was out for the year with a torn ACL when he was acquired from Golden State in December.
Brooklyn holds team options on Keon Johnson, Tyrese Martin, Drew Timme and Jalen Wilson.
Scotto’s Latest: Green, Pelicans, Borrego, Suns, Adelman, Sixers
Former Pelicans head of basketball operations David Griffin wanted to fire head coach Willie Green earlier in the season, but was denied by ownership, which has maintained its support for Green, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
A former assistant in Phoenix, Green has been mentioned as a possible target for the Suns as they seek a new head coach of their own. But now that Griffin has been let go by the Pelicans and replaced by Joe Dumars, Green’s hold on his job in New Orleans looks significantly less tenuous.
Dumars, who nearly drafted Green back in 2003 when he was running Detroit’s front office, is considered likely to retain the former NBA guard as New Orleans’ coach, according to Scotto.
While Green may not emerge as a serious candidate for the job in Phoenix, his top assistant James Borrego is expected to receive consideration from the Suns and other clubs with head coaching openings this spring, league sources tell HoopsHype. If Griffin had remained in the Pelicans’ front office, Borrego may have ended up replacing Green as New Orleans’ coach, Scotto notes, but with Green likely to stick around, changes are expected to be made to his staff, making Borrego a candidate to depart.
Here are a few more items of interest from Scotto:
- Veteran NBA executive Scott Perry and Bucks VP of global scouting Ryan Hoover, both of whom worked with Dumars in Detroit, are viewed as candidates to join the Pelicans‘ front office this offseason, according to Scotto, who points out that Perry also has a connection to Green, having worked in Orlando’s front office when the current Pelicans coach was a Magic player.
- Scotto confirms several of the potential Phoenix coaching candidates identified earlier this week by Chris Haynes and adds another name to the list, suggesting that Rockets assistant Ben Sullivan could get a look from the Suns. Scotto also writes that front office changes remain in play in Phoenix, where general manager James Jones is on an expiring contract and his future with the club is considered “murky.”
- Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman, who has the support of stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, has a “real chance” to earn the permanent job in Denver, Scotto reports. An extended postseason run would presumably go a long way toward making Adelman the frontrunner.
- Although the Sixers don’t plan to make a head coaching change this offseason, there’s an expectation that there will be some changes made to Nick Nurse‘s coaching staff, league sources tell HoopsHype.
Kings’ Monte McNair On Hot Seat
Kings general manager Monte McNair is on the hot seat entering the play-in tournament, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
McNair, who was hired as Sacramento’s general manager in September 2020, helped the franchise end its long playoff drought in 2023, but the team hasn’t progressed as hoped since then. The Kings were eliminated in the play-in tournament in 2024 and will face the same fate this spring unless they can beat the Mavericks at home on Wednesday and the Grizzlies in Memphis on Friday.
After going 48-34 in 2022/23, the Kings won 46 games last season and dropped back below .500 with just 40 victories this season. DeMar DeRozan, Sacramento’s major acquisition last summer, hasn’t had the sort of impact the front office envisioned, while De’Aaron Fox time as a King came to an end earlier this season when the club decided to trade its star point guard after he made it clear he didn’t plan to sign an extension.
The Kings’ front office has already undergone some changes this year — assistant general manager Wes Wilcox left his position in Sacramento to become the GM for the University of Utah. Reporting at the time suggested it was a signal that the Kings’ top executives may be on shaky ground.
According to Scotto, if McNair is replaced this offseason, former Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth is considered by a number of people in league circles as a possible candidate to watch in Sacramento.
As for McNair, some of Scotto’s sources believe a reunion with the Rockets would be a possibility for him if he’s let go by the Kings. McNair worked in Houston’s front office for over a decade before being hired by Sacramento.
The Kings’ head coaching position is also in flux, with Doug Christie having held the job on an interim basis since December. Management’s decision on Christie could depend in part on which direction the franchise goes with its front office, but Scotto notes that team owner Vivek Ranadive is fond of Christie, who also has support from Vlade Divac.
Divac, Sacramento’s former general manager who was fired in 2020, returned to the organization in a team ambassador role in 2023 and has been around the club more frequently lately, as Sam Amick of The Athletic first noted and Scotto confirms. According to Scotto, Divac’s increased presence has league personnel wondering if he could return to a front office role in the event of McNair’s exit.
Grizzlies Notes: Play-In, Morant, Jackson, First-Round Pick
The Grizzlies had a 35-16 record at the trade deadline, but finished the season on a 13-18 run and lost their first play-in game on Tuesday vs. Golden State. After falling behind by 16 points in the first half, Memphis fought its way back and trailed by just three points in the game’s final seconds, but was unable to inbound the ball on a crucial possession and was called for a five-second violation (Twitter video link via Bleacher Report).
The loss means that the Grizzlies will face a win-or-go-home game on Friday in Memphis, when they host the winner of Wednesday’s Kings/Mavericks matchup for the right to earn the No. 8 seed in the West and a first-round matchup with the 68-win Thunder.
“It’s just frustrating because of how far we fell,” Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. said on Tuesday, per William Guillory of The Athletic. “I wouldn’t say we were confident in where we were at, but the fall has been pretty hard on the team. … It’s definitely doable, but we put ourselves in this spot.”
The Grizzlies held a top-five spot in the Western Conference standings for more than four months from November through the end of March before falling to sixth at the start of April, seventh a day later, and eighth on April 11.
Here’s more on the Grizzlies:
- Star point guard Ja Morant turned his right ankle in the third quarter of Tuesday’s loss when he came down on Buddy Hield‘s foot (Twitter video link via Bleacher Report). Although he looked hobbled for the rest of the night, Morant was able to finish the game and said he fully intends to suit up on Friday, as Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal relays. “I’m playing,” Morant said. “That’s basically the answer I’m giving. It ain’t nothing different.”
- Within a story about Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s emergence as an NBA star, Guillory of The Athletic notes that the big man’s increased usage rate for an injury-plagued Memphis team in 2023/24 paved the way for him to put up the best offensive season in ’24/25. “It was everything. It gave me a chance to be defended by teams in a specific way,” Jackson told Guillory. “(Opposing teams) were throwing all types of crazy coverages and schemes out there. There were a lot of things I had to learn. It presented me with a new challenge. … Usually, my job was to just get it and score. But I had to learn to set up my teammates; make sure they were involved. That was a big step for me.” An All-NBA candidate this spring, Jackson would become eligible for a super-max extension worth up to a projected $345MM over five years if he’s named to one of the three All-NBA teams.
- Friday’s game will have major draft implications for the Grizzlies, who agreed in February to send their 2025 first-round pick to Washington if it lands outside of the lottery. It seemed like a safe bet at the time that the Wizards would receive that first-rounder, but if Memphis loses on Friday, the Grizzlies would keep the pick (No. 14 in the lottery standings) and Washington would instead receive a pair of second-rounders — either the Celtics’, Pacers’, Clippers’, or Heat’s 2026 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable), plus the Hawks’ 2027 second-round pick. If the Grizzlies win on Friday, the Wizards would acquire their first-round pick, which would land at either No. 18, 19, or 20, depending on the results of a Monday tiebreaker.
Michigan’s Danny Wolf Declaring For NBA Draft
Michigan forward/center Danny Wolf has decided to enter his name in the 2025 NBA draft pool and forgo his remaining college eligibility, he tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN.
Wolf transferred to Michigan ahead of the 2024/25 season after spending the first two years of his college career at Yale. He started all 37 games he played for the Wolverines as a junior, averaging 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.4 blocks in 30.5 minutes per contest. He earned a spot on the All-Big Ten second team and was the conference’s leading rebounder.
Wolf’s strong play helped Michigan win the Big Ten tournament and a pair of NCAA Tournament games. They were eliminated by Auburn in the Sweet 16.
“This season exceeded all expectations,” Wolf said, per Givony. “We had an awesome year from a team standpoint. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into with a brand-new roster and coaching staff, but Dusty May had an out-of-the-box plan for my development with a unique style of offense that allowed me to play my game. I wouldn’t be in the position I am today without them letting me showcase my skill set and developing me into the player I am today.”
A seven-footer, Wolf has displayed impressive versatility, according to Givony, who notes that the big man showed off an ability to start fast-breaks, play-make, and create out of the pick-and-roll. He can also knock down the occasional three-pointer, having made 34.0% of 2.9 attempts per game over the past two seasons.
“In the summer, the coaching staff started tinkering with different ideas for utilizing me alongside another 7-footer in Vlad Goldin,” Wolf said. “Dusty May and I watched a lot of NBA film, guys like Lauri Markkanen, Alperen Sengun and Karl-Anthony Towns operating next to Rudy Gobert. I had some reservations in the process of what it would look like, but coach laid out his vision and really believed in me. I am happy it worked out.”
Wolf is the No. 19 prospect on ESPN’s big board.
Pacers’ NBAGL Affiliate Rebrands As Noblesville Boom
The Pacers‘ G League affiliate will no longer be known as the Indiana Mad Ants. According to a press release from the team, the NBAGL club has been rebranded as the Noblesville Boom.
The new nickname, per today’s announcement, is a tribute to the phrase “Boom, baby!” made famous by former Pacers coach and commentator Bobby “Slick” Leonard, who passed away in 2021.
The G League team was known from 2007-23 as the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. That nickname was a reference to “Mad” Anthony Wayne, the namesake of Fort Wayne, who was a general in the American Revolutionary War and a U.S. congressman.
The club relocated from Fort Wayne to Indianapolis in 2023 and temporarily kept the Mad Ants nickname, but it was determined that a rebrand was necessary as the team makes the move to Noblesville for the 2025/26 season.
The Boom have revealed their new color scheme and logo on their official website, as well as via a promotional YouTube video. A new court design, mascot, and uniforms will be unveiled in the coming months, ahead of the ’25/26 season.
In the past, the make-up of the G League typically changed a little from year to year as teams relocated or the league introduced expansion franchises. That won’t happen as often going forward now that each NBA team has an affiliate of its own – especially since many of those affiliates are conveniently located near their respective NBA homes – but we could still see rebrands like this one happen every now and then.
Duke’s Kon Knueppel Entering 2025 NBA Draft
Duke wing Kon Knueppel is declaring for the 2025 NBA draft and will go pro, he announced today on social media (Instagram link).
“Forever a Blue Devil,” he wrote in his Instagram post. “Taking the Brotherhood with me to the next chapter.”
Knueppel was a full-time starter as a freshman on a Duke team that made the Final Four this spring. Across 39 games, he averaged 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.0 steal in 30.5 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .479/.406/.914.
Although the Blue Devils fell short of the championship game, Knueppel cemented his status as a projected lottery pick with a handful of strong performances in the NCAA Tournament. He scored 20 points vs. Arizona in the Sweet 16 and 21 against Alabama in the Elite Eight. He contributed 16 points and seven rebounds in Duke’s Final Four loss to Houston.
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo have Knueppel coming off the board at No. 8 in their most recent mock draft, noting that the 19-year-old gave the Blue Devils elite efficiency and spacing as a freshman while also showing more than expected as a play-maker and defender.
Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report also has Knueppel at No. 8 in his most recent mock draft, while Sam Vecenie of The Athletic places him at No. 6.
Pelicans Hire Joe Dumars As Head Of Basketball Operations
April 16: The Pelicans have officially hired Dumars to lead their front office, announcing in a press release that he has been named their new executive vice president of basketball operations.
“Joe’s achievements as a renowned Hall of Fame player, NBA champion and front office executive are indisputable,” Pelicans governor Gayle Benson said in a statement. “I have a great deal of respect for what Joe has already accomplished as a player and executive, but more importantly I admire his character and leadership. His vast experience and relationships throughout the NBA, along with his strong leadership qualities, will have a tremendous impact on our organization and our goal of winning an NBA championship.
“While at the league, he was involved in every aspect of basketball operations and got unparalleled perspective and knowledge of the most effective personnel, strategy and tactics throughout the league. That will benefit our team immediately as we move forward. I am delighted to welcome Joe, his wife Debbie, and their children Jordan and Aren to the Pelicans.”
In a statement of his own, Dumars said the Pelicans’ roster features “a lot of talent,” adding that he envisions overseeing a “disciplined team that is built on toughness, smart decision-making and a no-excuses mindset.”
April 15: The Pelicans and Joe Dumars are finalizing a deal that will make him the team’s new president of basketball operations, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). Charania first reported on Monday that Dumars had emerged as a “serious frontrunner” for the job.
A Hall of Famer as a player, Dumars began his front office career in 2000 as Detroit’s president of basketball operations. He remained in that role until 2014, earning Executive of the Year honors in 2003 and building the Pistons team that won a championship in 2004.
Dumars turned the Pistons into a perennial contender during the first half of his front office tenure in Detroit, making a series of savvy moves to compile a roster led by Chauncey Billups, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Richard Hamilton, and Tayshaun Prince. The club advanced to at least the Eastern Conference Finals for six straight years from 2003-08, making two NBA Finals appearances during that time.
However, Dumars made his share of missteps while running the Pistons, most memorably drafting Darko Milicic with the No. 2 overall pick in 2003, right ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. Detroit had a losing record in each of Dumars’ last six seasons at the helm and wasn’t set up for success following his exit.
Dumars later had a stint in the Kings’ front office, working in a variety of roles in the organization from 2019-22. He joined Sacramento as a special advisor to then-GM Vlade Divac and became the Kings’ interim head of basketball operations when Divac was fired in 2020.
Dumars subsequently transitioned into a chief strategy officer role following the hiring of general manager Monte McNair and held that title for two years before joining the league office as the NBA’s executive vice president of basketball operations in 2022. He has been in that position under commissioner Adam Silver for the last three seasons.
A Louisiana native who played his college ball at McNeese State, Dumars will be returning home for his new job with the Pelicans. He’ll be replacing former executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin, who was let go by the club on Monday following a disappointing 21-61 season.
New Orleans’ 2024/25 season was decimated by injuries, some of which are expected to carry over to ’25/26, but there’s a solid foundation of talent on the roster for Dumars to work with. Forwards Zion Williamson and Herbert Jones, guard Dejounte Murray, wing Trey Murphy, and center Yves Missi are all locked up for multiple seasons, with CJ McCollum set to enter the final year of his contract.
The Pelicans also control all of their own future first-round picks, along with Indiana’s 2026 first-rounder (top-four protected) and the right to swap picks with Milwaukee in 2026 and 2027 (the Bucks’ 2027 pick is top-four protected). New Orleans’ 2025 first-rounder projects to be in the top half of the lottery.
The future of head coach Willie Green is uncertain — reporting on Monday indicated his status would be decided after a new head of basketball operations is hired, so Dumars will presumably be heavily involved in the decision on whether to retain Green or seek a new coach.
Dumars will be tasked with turning a Pelicans team with just one 50-win season (in 2008) and two playoff series victories (2008 and 2018) since its inception in 2002 into a contender.
Central Notes: Bulls Play-In, Vucevic, Pistons, Haliburton
Tempo will be a key in the Bulls’ play-in game against the Heat tonight, Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune writes. Chicago will want to speed up the game, while the Heat would prefer a half-court battle.
“Our identity is up and down — and it’s not a secret,” guard Josh Giddey said. “Everyone knows the way we play.”
Coby White says the Bulls need to match the Heat’s physicality. Chicago lost to Miami in the play-in round in each of the last two seasons.
“I feel like Miami — the last two years we played them in the play-in — they physically dominated us,” White said.
We have more from the Central Division:
- Bulls center Nikola Vucevic remains one of the league’s most consistent players, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic writes. Vucevic averaged a double-double this season. “It’s the hardest thing in this league,” he said. “There’s so many games. There’s a lot of ups and downs. You win, you lose. You have good games, bad games. But you just have to learn to deal with it and move on. I just try to bring it every night and do what I do and not get out of that. I’ve had better years and worse years, but I don’t think there’s been a huge difference in the way I’ve played and my numbers. So, I take a lot of pride in it. I try to bring it every night.”
- Coach J.B. Bickerstaff has a warning for the younger players on the Pistons — you’re about to step into a new dimension. They’re about to get a taste of postseason basketball, a totally different experience from regular season action. “It’s a completely different basketball game,” he said, per Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. “And until you’re in it, it’s hard to understand it. We’ve been through this before. At some point in time, we were all kids and didn’t listen to our parents, either, and didn’t figure it out until we experienced it on our own. That’s what the playoffs are. We can tell guys what to expect, but until we experience it you don’t understand just how different it is from an intensity standpoint, from the execution of schemes, the importance of possession-by-possession basketball.”
- The Pacers enter the playoffs as the No. 4 seed with a home-court advantage over Milwaukee in the first round. They made a surprise run to the conference finals last season. Expectations are different this time around, Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star writes. “I think even last year we were just satisfied with being in the playoffs,” guard Tyrese Haliburton said. “Everything from there was kinda playing with house money to be honest with you. This year I think we have real expectations to do something special as a group and when I say something special, I mean a championship. That’s definitely an expectation we’ve had since the start of the year. That doesn’t change.”