Community Shootaround: Spurs’ Offseason Plans
While some NBA teams’ offseason checklists are fairly straightforward, there are a handful of clubs that could realistically go in any number of directions with their rosters in the next couple weeks.
The Spurs are one of those clubs. After seeing their streak of postseason appearances snapped this summer, San Antonio will have to decide what to do with veterans like DeMar DeRozan, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Rudy Gay, all of whom will be on pricey expiring contracts in 2020/21, assuming DeRozan exercises his player option.
San Antonio’s books are nearly entirely clear of veteran contracts beyond 2021, and the team has a promising young core of Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, Lonnie Walker, Keldon Johnson, and Luka Samanic to build around. If the front office decides to accelerate the rebuilding process, it could do so by moving some of those veterans.
The Spurs don’t typically make blockbuster trades unless their hand is forced (as in the case of Kawhi Leonard two summers ago). A typical offseason in San Antonio would probably involve hanging onto their veterans, perhaps extending DeRozan and re-signing restricted free agent Jakob Poeltl, and betting on internal improvement to help the club return to playoff contention.
However, multiple NBA reporters are suggesting that the Spurs may have something bigger in mind this fall. Within his mock draft on Tuesday, John Hollinger of The Athletic wrote of “unusually large plumes of smoke” coming out of San Antonio for a team that is “normally church-mouse quiet.”
Today, draft analyst and former agent Matt Babcock tweeted that there’s a “growing sense” in league circles that the Spurs are up to “something big.” Keith Smith of RealGM (Twitter link) has also heard from multiple teams that the Spurs are “up to something” and that they’re talking to more people than usual.
It’s hard to know yet whether all of this smoke means there will be any fire next week — or what exactly San Antonio might have up its sleeve. A trade involving Aldridge or DeRozan would be the most obvious way for the club to make a splash, and there has been a little Aldridge chatter, at least. A deal involving one of the younger players shouldn’t be ruled out either, if the Spurs aren’t sold on all of them being long-term building blocks.
It’s also worth noting that the Spurs hold a lottery pick (No. 11) for the first time in over two decades. The last time San Antonio drafted a player in the lottery was in 1997, when the team used the top pick on Tim Duncan. The last time the franchise made a draft-night trade to acquire a prospect picked in the top half of the first round was in 2011 for Leonard.
It’s probably safe to say this year’s selection won’t become a Duncan or Leonard, but if San Antonio has zeroed in on a specific 2020 prospect, the organization is in far better position than usual to land that player, even if it means trade up a few spots.
What do you think? Do you expect a fairly quiet offseason in San Antonio or do you think the Spurs could make some noise this month? If you’re expecting bigger moves, what do you suspect the team has in mind?
Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!
Draft Notes: Edwards, Okoro, Toppin, Haliburton, Hampton
Former Georgia guard Anthony Edwards has long been considered a strong bet to be one of the first three players off the board in the 2020 NBA draft, and his list of workouts confirms as much. Speaking today to reporters, including Mark Medina of USA Today (Twitter link), Edwards said he has worked out for the Timberwolves, Warriors, and Hornets, the teams that hold 2020’s top three picks.
That doesn’t necessarily guarantee that Edwards will be selected by one of those three teams, but he also said today that he hasn’t had any contact with the Bulls, who hold the No. 4 pick, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link). That’s a reasonably solid sign that Chicago doesn’t expect him to be available.
Here’s more on the draft:
- Lottery prospects Isaac Okoro, Obi Toppin, and Tyrese Haliburton have only worked out so far for teams holding top-eight picks. Okoro has worked out for the Timberwolves, Warriors, and Cavaliers (Twitter link via Rod Beard of The Detroit News); Toppin has auditioned for the Wolves, Cavs, Hornets, and Knicks (Twitter link via Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com); and Haliburton has had workouts for the Wolves, Warriors, Bulls, and Pistons (Twitter link via Beard).
- RJ Hampton has auditioned for a wider range of teams, telling reporters today that he worked out for the Cavaliers, Pistons, Wizards, Celtics, Magic, Nets, and Nuggets (Twitter link via Ian Begley of SNY.tv). While three of those clubs have top-10 picks, three are outside the lottery, including Denver at No. 22.
- After announcing earlier this week that 86 early entrant prospects had remained in the 2020 draft pool, the NBA announced today that two of those prospects submitted their paperwork in time to withdraw. Spanish forwards Sergi Martinez and Joel Parra have pulled out of the draft, per the league, leaving 84 early entrants – including 13 international prospects – eligible to be picked next Wednesday.
Tim Duncan Stepping Away From Role As Spurs Assistant
After being hired by the Spurs last July and spending a year as an assistant coach on Gregg Popovich‘s staff, Tim Duncan has decided to step away from that position, reports Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link).
According to Stein (via Twitter), the news doesn’t come as a major surprise to the Spurs, since the team anticipated Duncan’s stint as a full-time assistant would likely only last one season. As Stein explains, the expectation is that Duncan will return to the informal role he previously held with the franchise, showing up frequently at the Spurs’ facility to provide player development assistance, but without an official title or full-time responsibilities.
It’s not clear whether or not Duncan envisions getting back into coaching in a more formal capacity down the road. He served as San Antonio’s interim head coach for one game in March and picked up a win, so if he doesn’t return to the sidelines in the future, he’ll go out with a perfect 1-0 record. He didn’t accompany the Spurs to the Orlando bubble this summer, having stayed in San Antonio to help oversee LaMarcus Aldridge‘s rehab from shoulder surgery.
Duncan was voted into the Hall of Fame alongside fellow former stars Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant earlier this year. However, the induction ceremony has yet to take place due to the coronavirus pandemic.
New York Notes: Knicks, Greer, Nets, Ivey, Stoudemire
Three Knicks employees have tested positive for the coronavirus, prompting the team to temporarily shut down its practice facility while the building gets a “thorough cleaning,” the team announced on Tuesday night in a press release.
The NBA recently allowed teams to begin conducting group workouts at their facilities, though players who are participating in those group activities must return daily negative coronavirus tests. There’s no indication that the Knicks employees who tested positive for COVID-19 were players. However, the temporary shutdown of the team’s facility is an early sign of the challenges the league will face in the coming weeks as teams all over the U.S. ramp up for the 2020/21 season without the safety of a bubble.
Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York teams:
- Larry Greer, who was an assistant coach in Phoenix last season, is joining the Knicks as an advance scout, tweets Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Marc Berman of The New York Post first reported that the Knicks may hire Greer, whose brother Andy Greer joined the team as an assistant coach in the summer.
- The Nets have added another coach to Steve Nash‘s staff, announcing (via Twitter) that they’ve hired Royal Ivey as an assistant. Formerly a Knicks player development coach, Ivey is good friends with Brooklyn forward Kevin Durant.
- Alex Schiffer of The Athletic takes an in-depth look at another Nets assistant, exploring why Amar’e Stoudmire is getting into coaching and why he should be a good fit in Brooklyn.
- News that the 2020/21 NBA season will start next month comes at a good time for Nets owner Joe Tsai, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, who writes that Tsai recently lost over $1 billion in net worth due to the impact of new China regulations on the value of his company Alibaba.
Sixers Hire Jameer Nelson As Scout, G League Exec
NOVEMBER 11: Nelson’s hiring is now official, with the Delaware Blue Coats announcing he has joined the team as its assistant general manager and will also assist the 76ers in their scouting efforts.
OCTOBER 21: Former NBA point guard Jameer Nelson is poised to join the Sixers‘ front office, according to John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia, who hears from sources that the 76ers are hiring Nelson as a scout and as the assistant GM of the Delaware Blue Coats, Philadelphia’s G League affiliate.
The 20th overall pick in the 2004 draft, Nelson spent 14 seasons in the NBA, averaging 11.3 PPG and 5.1 APG across 878 regular season contests, earning All-Star honors for the Magic in 2009. He last appeared in the league during the 2017/18 season, when he played a total of 50 games for the Pelicans and Pistons.
About a month before the 2019/20 season began, Nelson said he hadn’t given up on the idea of making an NBA comeback and was putting off retirement for the time being. However, after not catching on with a team over the last year, it sounds like he’s prepared to transition into the next stage of his career.
Nelson’s agreement with the Sixers will represent a homecoming of sorts for the 38-year-old. Nelson grew up in Chester, Pennsylvania and played his college ball at Saint Joseph’s before going pro.
The Sixers have been making an effort to revamp their front office around general manager Elton Brand this offseason, with Nelson’s hiring representing the latest part of that effort. The team is also bringing aboard Peter Dinwiddie as executive VP of basketball operations and Prosper Karangwa in a key scouting role.
NBA Sends Teams Memo Outlining Protocols For Hosting Fans
The NBA has sent its 30 teams a memo detailing the tentative protocols for hosting fans in arenas during the 2020/21 season, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (all Twitter links).
[RELATED: NBA Hopes To Have Some Fans In Arenas To Start Season]
Whether or not teams will be able to fill their arenas to partial capacity will depend in large part on the restrictions imposed by the municipal and state governments in each NBA market. Large-scale gatherings are still prohibited in many areas around the U.S. and the NBA’s protocols and regulations obviously wouldn’t overrule those restrictions.
However, in places where larger gatherings are permitted, the league will have its own protocols in place. According to Charania, some of those – outlined in today’s memo – will be as follows:
- Fans within 30 feet of the courts must register a negative coronavirus test two days prior to the game or – if using a rapid test – on the day of the game.
- Food and beverage won’t be permitted for fans within 30 feet of the court.
- Fans (above the age of two) will be required to wear masks, social-distance, and undergo symptom surveys.
- Teams will have the option of installing plexiglass behind their benches.
- If arena suites are filled to 25% capacity or less, coronavirus testing won’t be required for fans in those suites.
- Teams could fill those suites up to 50% capacity if all fans are tested or if the local county’s COVID-19 numbers meet certain thresholds (a positive test rate of 3% or less, plus a seven-day average of 10 or fewer new cases per 100,000 residents).
With the start of the 2020/21 regular season less than six weeks away, I imagine we’ll soon get further clarity and more official details from the NBA on its healthy and safety protocols for the coming year.
Latest On Chris Paul/Suns Rumors
After co-authoring a Tuesday report revealing that the Suns and Thunder have discussed a potential Chris Paul trade, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst appeared on The Drive with Jody Oehler on FOX Sports 910 Phoenix on Wednesday morning to go into more detail on the possibility of a CP3 deal between the two Western clubs.
According to Windhorst, the Thunder have given Paul permission to talk to the Suns, which suggests that Oklahoma City is unlikely to complete a trade with Phoenix unless the veteran point guard is comfortable with it. And Windhorst does believe that CP3 has interest in becoming a Sun, pointing out that Phoenix’s proximity to Los Angeles – where Paul has a home – helps give the team a leg up.
Pressed to place odds on the two teams finalizing a trade, Windhorst told Oehler that he thinks the Suns and Thunder have better than a “50-50” chance to work something out.
Here’s more on the rumors connecting Paul to the Suns:
- John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link) wouldn’t expect the Suns to include the No. 10 pick in any offer for Paul. He adds that Phoenix may have to take advantage of its cap flexibility to complete a deal, noting that Frank Kaminsky and Aron Baynes aren’t expected to return to the team, which will free up some space (Twitter link).
- Gambadoro has also heard that the Thunder don’t want to take back any multiyear contracts, which would make a trade difficult, since Ricky Rubio almost certainly has to be included for salary-matching purposes (Twitter link). Oklahoma City doesn’t have real interest in Rubio – who has two years and $34.8MM left on his deal – or Kelly Oubre, per Gambadoro. That doesn’t mean a deal is impossible, but it means the Thunder and Suns could be motivated to try to get a third team involved.
- Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic weighs the pros and cons of acquiring Paul from the Suns’ perspective.
Nuggets Exploring Trading Into Top 10 Of Draft
The Nuggets are exploring the possibility of trading up into the top 10 of this year’s draft, two league sources tell Mike Singer of The Denver Post. The team currently holds the No. 22 overall pick.
Moving into the top 10 wouldn’t be easy for the Nuggets, who would likely have to give up some combination of young players and/or future draft picks. A source tells Singer that a deal is probably unlikely, though a handful of lottery selections – including those belonging to the Hawks (No. 6), Wizards (No. 9), and Celtics (No. 14) – are believed to be available.
It’s unclear which prospect the Nuggets would be targeting if they trade up into the top 10 — or if they might simply be looking to acquire a more appealing draft pick to flip in a package for an impact player. Singer contends that Tyrese Haliburton, Isaac Okoro, and Devin Vassell are among the potential top-10 picks who would be fits in Denver.
If the Nuggets don’t make a trade and remain at No. 22, they’re confident they’ll still end up with a player they like, a source tells Singer.
Draft Updates: Ball, Nesmith, Green, Nnaji, Hornets, More
With one week to go until the 2020 NBA draft, we’re continuing to get conflicting information on LaMelo Ball‘s outlook. Earlier this week, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony said that most front office are operating under the assumption that Ball will be the No. 1 pick. Today, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes that league sources have begun speculating that the Timberwolves have decided to draft Ball, assuming they keep the top selection.
However, there’s still plenty of chatter pointing in another direction. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said this week during an appearance on The Jump (video link) that many of the executives he has spoken to think Ball could slide a little on draft night. Jeremy Woo of SI.com has heard similar whispers, writing that there’s an increasing belief that Ball could fall into the 4-6 range of the draft.
As we wait to see which reports pan out, here are several more draft-related updates:
- Vanderbilt sharpshooter Aaron Nesmith told reporters today that he has worked out for the Pelicans, Suns, Spurs, Heat, and Pistons so far, and has a workout lined up with the Celtics (Twitter link via Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington). Nesmith is considered likely to be drafted in the back half of the lottery.
- Arizona guard Josh Green has worked out for the Nuggets, while his college teammate Zeke Nnaji has had workouts for the Nuggets, Clippers, and Jazz, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Green’s workout with Utah and Nnaji’s workout with Miami – both mentioned by Rankin – were previously reported.
- Count K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link) among those hearing more and more talk around the NBA linking the Hornets to Onyeka Okongwu. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer previously reported that Charlotte is eyeing Okongwu, but ESPN said the team hasn’t seriously considered picking any prospects outside the top tier of Ball, James Wiseman, and Anthony Edwards.
- ESPN draft experts Jonathan Givony, Mike Schmitz, and Kevin Pelton share their mock draft detailing which player each team in the first round should pick.
Hawks Emerging As Suitor For Jrue Holiday?
11:22am: Chris Kirschner of The Athletic (Twitter link) provides a conflicting report on Holiday, citing multiple sources who say that Atlanta isn’t currently a possible trade destination for the Pelicans guard.
10:32am: The Hawks are emerging as a potential trade destination for Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday, reports Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link). Both Stein and Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link) suggest that a three-team structure is a possibility for a Holiday deal.
According to Stein, the expectation is that the No. 6 pick in next week’s draft would be involved if the Hawks are able to make a move for Holiday. A previous report indicated that New Orleans is among the teams expressing interest in that selection, along with Minnesota and Boston.
The Hawks are an intriguing suitor for an impact player like Holiday, who would be a good fit alongside up-and-coming star Trae Young. Atlanta badly wants to make the postseason in 2021 and is focusing on adding veteran talent rather than another young prospect, making that No. 6 pick expendable.
Additionally, no team projects to have more cap room available this fall, which means the Hawks could theoretically absorb a salary like Holiday’s ($26.2MM) without sending out any money in return. That could be appealing if New Orleans or another potential trade partner wants to cut costs.
While the Hawks are emerging as a viable suitor for Holiday, they’ll face plenty of competition for the veteran guard, who is one of the few big names expected to be available via trade this offseason. A previous report indicated that the Pelicans are “openly discussing” Holiday, while another report said about 10 clubs had already inquired on him. The Nuggets and Nets are considered likely to be among his most aggressive suitors.
Holiday, 30, is coming off a 2019/20 season in which he averaged 19.1 PPG, 6.7 APG, 4.8 RPG, and 1.6 SPG with a shooting line of .455/.353/.709 in 61 games (34.7 MPG) for the Pelicans. Although he didn’t earn a spot on one of this season’s All-Defensive teams, he has done so twice in the past and is widely considered one of the NBA’s best perimeter defenders. He holds a $27.1MM player option for 2021/22, giving him an opportunity to reach free agency next year.