Nuggets’ Porter Injures Shoulder, Blames Self For Game 2 Loss
After scoring just three points and not being part of the closing lineup in the Nuggets‘ Game 1 win on Saturday, forward Michael Porter Jr. bounced back in Game 2 on Monday, posting 15 points and 15 rebounds in 33 minutes of action. However, when he spoke to reporters after the game, Porter admitted he was dwelling on a key fourth-quarter moment that he felt cost his team the game.
With the score tied at 100 and 1:40 remaining, Porter grabbed a defensive rebound and went to throw an outlet pass, but lost control of the ball and turned it over (Twitter video link).
Clippers guard Kris Dunn fell on the Nuggets forward as the two players battled for the loose ball, injuring Porter’s shoulder and slowing his efforts to get back on defense. With the Clippers essentially in a 5-on-4 situation, Norman Powell knocked down a three-pointer that turned out to be the difference in a 105-102 L.A. victory.
According to Bennett Durando of The Denver Post, Porter went around Denver’s locker room after the game apologizing his teammates for that play, which he viewed as a difference-maker.
“I feel like it was on me with that turnover,” Porter said (Twitter video link via DNVR Sports). “I thought I had someone streaking down (the floor). I was trying to advance it up. But I saw that I didn’t (have someone looking for the pass), so then I ended up turning it over. Just felt like that was the biggest turnover of the game. … I just had to tell my guys, “My fault, that was my mistake.'”
It was a case of adding insult to injury for Porter, who told reporters he sustained a sprained joint in his left shoulder on the play. He downplayed the issue as “nothing too serious,” expressing optimism that he’ll be good to go for Game 3 on Thursday in Los Angeles, but he admitted he was in a lot of pain when the injury happened.
“I made a stupid play after I got the rebound, and tried to make up for it,” Porter said, per Durando. “And someone landed on my shoulder. … I’ve never experienced a pain like this in my shoulder area. I’ve had rolled ankles, so I know what I can play through with that. I’ve never had this. Luckily, it’s on my left side, not my right side, so that’s good.”
That left shoulder joint sprain isn’t the only health-related issue Porter is dealing with, Durando notes. The 26-year-old, who has worn a foot brace for years to support instability in his left ankle and foot, said after Monday’s game that his brace broke recently and he hasn’t been able to get comfortable in a replacement.
“I’ve been trying to get used to a new one,” Porter said. “None of them seem to fit right, and it’s just affecting my movement. I’m not used to them. So I haven’t been as confident in my movements since that one broke. … It’s the worst time to deal with it.”
While the sample size is very small, Porter’s -13.3 net rating is the worst among Denver’s top seven rotation players through the first two games of the first-round series.
Contract Details: Lawson, Castleton, Williams, Davis, Davison, Payton
The Raptors dipped into their mid-level exception to give A.J. Lawson and Colin Castleton rest-of-season salaries of $100K apiece when they signed standard multiyear contracts during the final week of the regular season, Hoops Rumors has confirmed.
Had Toronto simply signed the duo to minimum-salary deals, Lawson would’ve received about $24K at the end of this season, while Castleton would’ve earned less than $11K.
In exchange for those end-of-season raises, Lawson and Castleton each gave the Raptors favorable terms for the 2025/26 season. Both players have fully non-guaranteed minimum salaries ($2,270,735 for Lawson; $2,191,897 for Castleton) and don’t have offseason trigger dates, so Toronto could hang onto them all the way through training camp and the preseason without owing them any guaranteed money beyond this season’s $100K.
We have details on a few more of the contracts signed during the final days of the regular season:
- The two-year, minimum-salary deal that point guard Brandon Williams signed with the Mavericks on April 10 includes a non-guaranteed $2,270,735 salary for 2025/26. Williams would lock in a partial guarantee of $200K if he remains under contract through July 7 and that partial guarantee would increase to $850K if he’s still on the roster at the start of next season. If Williams plays out the full contract, he’d have four years of NBA experience when he reaches free agency in 2026, so Dallas wouldn’t have the ability to make him a restricted free agent.
- Veteran guard Terence Davis signed a two-year contract worth the veteran’s minimum with the Kings. His $2,546,675 salary for next season is non-guaranteed, but he would earn a partial guarantee worth $250K if he remains under contract for the team’s first regular season game of 2025/26.
- The Celtics‘ new two-year deal with G League MVP JD Davison is a minimum-salary agreement that includes a non-guaranteed team option worth $2,270,735 for the 2025/26 season.
- The two-year, minimum-salary contract that Elfrid Payton signed with the Pelicans also features a non-guaranteed team option for ’25/26. That option would be worth $3,153,598 if exercised.
2025 Pre-Lottery NBA Draft Order
The NBA conducted its draft tiebreakers on Monday, further cementing the draft order for 2025. While we’ll have to wait until the May 12 draft lottery to learn the exact order for this year’s event, we now know what most of the 59 selections look like.
Listed below is the pre-lottery 2025 NBA draft order. Each lottery team’s chances of landing the No. 1 overall pick is noted in parentheses. We’ve also included notes for picks whose status remains up in the air depending on the lottery results.
[RELATED: 2025 NBA Draft Lottery Odds]
The second-round draft order for teams with identical regular season records is the inverse of their first-round order. This rule applies even if one club made the playoffs and one didn’t.
We’ll provided an updated list after the May 12 lottery, once the official draft order is set, but here’s the tentative 2025 NBA draft order:
First round
- Utah Jazz (14.0%)
- Washington Wizards (14.0%)
- Charlotte Hornets (14.0%)
- New Orleans Pelicans (12.5%)
- Philadelphia 76ers (10.5%)
- Note: The Thunder will receive this pick if it falls out of the top six (36.0%).
- Brooklyn Nets (9.0%)
- Toronto Raptors (7.5%)
- San Antonio Spurs (6.0%)
- Houston Rockets (from Suns) (3.8%)
- Portland Trail Blazers (3.7%)
- Dallas Mavericks (1.8%)
- Chicago Bulls (1.7%)
- Atlanta Hawks (from Kings) (0.8%)
- Note: The Kings will retain this pick if it moves into the top four (3.8%).
- San Antonio Spurs (from Hawks) (0.7%)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (from Heat)
- Orlando Magic
- Minnesota Timberwolves (from Pistons)
- Washington Wizards (from Grizzlies)
- Brooklyn Nets (from Bucks)
- Miami Heat (from Warriors)
- Utah Jazz (from Timberwolves)
- Atlanta Hawks (from Lakers)
- Indiana Pacers
- Oklahoma City Thunder (from Clippers)
- Orlando Magic (from Nuggets)
- Brooklyn Nets (from Knicks)
- Brooklyn Nets (from Rockets)
- Boston Celtics
- Phoenix Suns (from Cavaliers)
- Los Angeles Clippers (from Thunder)
Second round
- Minnesota Timberwolves (from Jazz)
- Boston Celtics (from Wizards)
- Charlotte Hornets
- Charlotte Hornets (from Pelicans)
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Brooklyn Nets
- Detroit Pistons (from Raptors)
- San Antonio Spurs
- Toronto Raptors (from Trail Blazers)
- Note: This pick would move to No. 40 if the Trail Blazers end up with a higher first-round pick than the Rockets (from Suns) via the lottery.
- Washington Wizards (from Suns)
- Note: This pick would move to No. 39 if the Trail Blazers end up with a higher first-round pick than the Rockets (from Suns) via the lottery.
- Golden State Warriors (from Heat)
- Sacramento Kings (from Bulls)
- Note: This pick would move to No. 43 if the Bulls end up with a higher first-round pick than the Mavericks via the lottery.
- Utah Jazz (from Mavericks)
- Note: This pick would move to No. 42 if the Bulls end up with a higher first-round pick than the Mavericks via the lottery.
- Oklahoma City Thunder (from Hawks)
- Note: This pick would move to No. 45 if the Spurs (from Hawks) end up with a higher first-round pick than the Hawks (from Kings) via the lottery.
- Chicago Bulls (from Kings)
- Note: This pick would move to No. 44 if the Spurs (from Hawks) end up with a higher first-round pick than the Hawks (from Kings) via the lottery.
- Orlando Magic
- Milwaukee Bucks (from Pistons)
- Memphis Grizzlies (from Warriors)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (from Bucks)
- New York Knicks (from Grizzlies)
- Los Angeles Clippers (from Timberwolves)
- Phoenix Suns (from Nuggets)
- Utah Jazz (from Clippers)
- Indiana Pacers
- Los Angeles Lakers
New York Knicks- Note: The Knicks forfeited this second-round pick due to free agency gun-jumping.
- Memphis Grizzlies (from Rockets)
- Orlando Magic (from Celtics)
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Houston Rockets (from Thunder)
2025 NBA Draft Lottery Odds
The NBA will be using its revamped lottery system for the seventh time this year. The format, instituted in 2019, smoothed out the odds for top picks, reducing the league’s worst team’s chance of getting the No. 1 selection from 25.0% to 14.0%.
[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: NBA Draft Lottery]
The changes had an immediate impact in 2019, when the Pelicans and Grizzlies were tied for the seventh-best lottery odds, but jumped up to No. 1 and 2, respectively, allowing them to land Zion Williamson and Ja Morant. There were fewer major surprises in subsequent years until 2024, when the Hawks entered lottery night with the 10th-best odds and came away with the first overall pick.
This year’s draft lottery will take place on Monday, May 12.
With the help of data from Tankathon.com – which is worth checking out for all sorts of draft-related info – the draft lottery odds for 2025 are listed in the chart below.
The numbers in the chart indicate percentages, so the Jazz‘s pick, for instance, has a 14% chance of becoming the No. 1 selection and a 47.9% chance of ending up at No. 5. If a team’s odds are listed as >0, that percentage is below 0.1%. Odds are rounded to the nearest decimal place.
Here’s the full chart:
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UTH | 14 | 13.4 | 12.7 | 12 | 47.9 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| WSH | 14 | 13.4 | 12.7 | 12 | 27.8 | 20 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| CHA | 14 | 13.4 | 12.7 | 12 | 14.8 | 26 | 7 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| NOP | 12.5 | 12.2 | 11.9 | 11.5 | 7.2 | 25.7 | 16.8 | 2.2 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| PHI* | 10.5 | 10.5 | 10.6 | 10.5 | 2.2 | 19.6 | 26.7 | 8.7 | 0.6 | – | – | – | – | – |
| BKN | 9 | 9.2 | 9.4 | 9.6 | – | 8.6 | 29.7 | 20.6 | 3.7 | 0.2 | – | – | – | – |
| TOR | 7.5 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 8.5 | – | – | 19.7 | 34.1 | 12.9 | 1.3 | >0 | – | – | – |
| SAS | 6 | 6.3 | 6.7 | 7.2 | – | – | – | 34.5 | 32.0 | 6.8 | 0.4 | >0 | – | – |
| PHX* | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.9 | – | – | – | – | 50.7 | 28.3 | 3.5 | 0.1 | >0 | – |
| POR | 3.7 | 4 | 4.4 | 4.8 | – | – | – | – | – | 63.4 | 18.5 | 1.2 | >0 | >0 |
| DAL | 1.8 | 2 | 2.2 | 2.5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 77.6 | 13.5 | 0.5 | >0 |
| CHI | 1.7 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 2.4 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 85.2 | 6.6 | 0.1 |
| SAC* | 0.8 | 0.9 | 1 | 1.1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 92.9 | 3.3 |
| ATL* | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 96.6 |
Notes:
- The Sixers‘ pick will be sent to the Thunder if it lands outside the top six.
- The Suns‘ pick will be sent to the Nets.
- The Kings‘ pick will be sent to the Hawks if it lands outside the top 12.
- The Hawks‘ pick will be sent to the Spurs.
The full pre-lottery 2025 draft order can be found right here.
2025 NBA Draft Tiebreaker Results
Tiebreakers among teams with identical regular-season records were broken on Monday through random drawings to determine the order for this year’s draft prior to the lottery.
The results are as follows, according to a press release from the league (Twitter link):
- Phoenix Suns (No. 9) over Portland Trail Blazers (No. 10)
- The Suns will get one more lottery ball combination (out of 1,000) than the Trail Blazers.
- The Suns’ pick will be sent to the Rockets.
- Dallas Mavericks (No. 11) over Chicago Bulls (No. 12)
- The Mavericks will get one more lottery ball combination (out of 1,000) than the Bulls.
- Sacramento Kings (No. 13) over Atlanta Hawks (No. 14)
- The Kings will get one more lottery ball combination (out of 1,000) than the Hawks.
- The Kings’ pick will be sent to the Hawks if it’s outside of the top 12.
- The Hawks’ pick will be sent to the Spurs.
- Memphis Grizzlies (No. 18) over Milwaukee Bucks (No. 19) over Golden State Warriors (No. 20)
- The Grizzlies’ pick will be sent to the Wizards.
- The Bucks’ pick will be sent to the Nets.
- The Warriors’ pick will be sent to the Heat.
- Los Angeles Lakers (No. 22) over Indiana Pacers (No. 23) over Los Angeles Clippers (No. 24) over Denver Nuggets (No. 25)
- The Lakers’ pick will be sent to the Hawks.
- The Clippers’ pick will be sent to the Thunder.
- The Nuggets’ pick will be sent to the Magic.
While the tiebreaker winner will pick ahead of the loser(s) in the first round, that order will be flipped in the second round.
For instance, the Warriors’ second-round pick (traded to the Grizzlies) will be at No. 48, followed by the Bucks’ pick (traded to Detroit) at No. 49, and the Grizzlies (traded to New York) at No. 50 — that’s the opposite of their order in the first round.
For lottery teams that finished with identical records, the second-round order is still to be determined depending on the lottery results.
For example, if Phoenix’s first-round pick (traded to Houston) stays at No. 9 and the Blazers’ first-rounder stays at No. 10, Portland’s second-round pick (traded to Toronto) would be at No. 39 and Phoenix’s (traded to Washington) would be No. 40. But if the Trail Blazers win the No. 1 overall pick on lottery night, moving ahead of Phoenix in the first round, then the Suns’ second-round pick would be No. 39, while Portland’s would be No. 40.
We’ll publish the full lottery odds and pre-lottery draft order for 2025 later tonight.
2025 NBA Draft Early Entrants List
Early entrants who wish to declare for the 2025 NBA draft have until the end of the day on Saturday, April 26 to make that decision official.
Players who declare for the draft this year will have to withdraw by the end of the day on May 28 if they wish to retain their NCAA eligibility. The NBA’s withdrawal deadline, which is more relevant for international prospects, is on June 15 at 5:00 pm Eastern time. The 2025 draft will take place on June 25 and 26.
[RELATED: 2025 NBA Draft Dates, Deadlines To Watch]
Typically, the initial number of early entrants declaring for the draft is far bigger than the final total will be, since many players “test the draft waters” to get feedback on their stock before ultimately deciding to withdraw. Additionally, many players who are technically seniors have been on the early entrant list in recent years after being granted an extra year of NCAA eligibility in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the implementation of a rule allowing student athletes to be compensated for their name, image, and likeness (NIL) has resulted in the number of early entrants trending downward in recent years. In 2024, a total 201 prospects initially declared as early entrants, with 77 of those players ultimately keeping their names in the draft and going pro. Those figures were down from 242 and 92, respectively, in 2023, and 283 and 149 in 2022.
We’ll use this post to keep track of reports and announcements on early entrant prospects and their decisions. We’ll archive them all here in a running list, which will be accessible anytime under “Hoops Rumors Features” on the right sidebar of our desktop site, or in the “Features” page found in our mobile menu.
The players below are listed in alphabetical order. If you have any corrections or omissions, please contact us.
Last updated 6-17-25 (12:22 pm CT)
College Underclassmen
Remaining in draft:
- Ace Bailey, G/F, Rutgers (freshman)
- Carter Bryant, F, Arizona (freshman)
- Egor Demin, G, BYU (freshman)
- V.J. Edgecombe, G, Baylor (freshman)
- Jeremiah Fears, G, Oklahoma (freshman)
- Cooper Flagg, F, Duke (freshman)
- Rasheer Fleming, F/C, St. Joseph’s (junior)
- Dylan Harper, G, Rutgers (freshman)
- Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois (freshman)
- Tre Johnson, G, Texas (freshman)
- Kon Knueppel, G/F, Duke (freshman)
- RJ Luis, F, St. John’s (junior)
- Khaman Maluach, C, Duke (freshman)
- Liam McNeeley, F, UConn (freshman)
- Collin Murray-Boyles, F, South Carolina (sophomore)
- Asa Newell, F, Georgia (freshman)
- Yanic Konan Niederhauser, F/C, Penn State (junior)
- Drake Powell, G/F, UNC (freshman)
- Tyrese Proctor, G, Duke (junior)
- Derik Queen, C, Maryland (freshman)
- Jase Richardson, G, Michigan State (freshman)
- Will Riley, F, Illinois (freshman)
- Thomas Sorber, F/C, Georgetown (freshman)
- Adou Thiero, F, Arkansas (junior)
- Danny Wolf, F/C, Michigan (junior)
Withdrew from draft after testing waters:
Note: Some of these players will also be transferring to new schools.
- John Blackwell, G, Wisconsin (sophomore)
- Jaden Bradley, G, Arizona (junior)
- Miles Byrd, G, San Diego State (sophomore)
- Rueben Chinyelu, C, Florida (sophomore)
- Alex Condon, F/C, Florida (sophomore)
- Tae Davis, F, Notre Dame (junior)
- Silas Demary, G, Georgia (sophomore)
- Jerry Deng, F, Florida State (sophomore)
- Treysen Eaglestaff, G, North Dakota (junior)
- Isaiah Evans, G/F, Duke (freshman)
- Elijah Fisher, G/F, Pacific (junior)
- Boogie Fland, G, Arkansas (freshman)
- PJ Haggerty, G, Memphis (sophomore)
- Chris Howell, G, UC San Diego (junior)
- Josh Hubbard, G, Mississippi State (sophomore)
- Karter Knox, F, Arkansas (freshman)
- Kobe Knox, G, South Florida (junior)
- Toibu Lawal, F, Virginia Tech (junior)
- Brenen Lorient, F, North Texas (junior)
- Jaland Lowe, G, Pittsburgh (sophomore)
- Ven-Allen Lubin, F, North Carolina (junior)
- Nick Martinelli, F, Northwestern (junior)
- Camron McDowell, G, Northwestern Oklahoma State (junior)
- Devin McGlockton, F, Vanderbilt (junior)
- Mackenzie Mgbako, F, Indiana (sophomore)
- Kebba Njie, F, Notre Dame (junior)
- AK Okereke, F, Cornell (junior)
- Otega Oweh, G, Kentucky (junior)
- Tahaad Pettiford, G, Auburn (freshman)
- Labaron Philon, G, Alabama (freshman)
- Devon Pryor, F, Texas (sophomore)
- Joson Sanon, G, Arizona State (freshman)
- Raysean Seamster, F, UT Arlington (junior)
- Bruce Thornton, G, Ohio State (junior)
- Milos Uzan, G, Houston (junior)
- Brandon Walker, F, Montana State (junior)
- Lamar Wilkerson, G, Sam Houston State (junior)
- Darrion Williams, F, Texas Tech (junior)
- Money Williams, G, Montana (sophomore)
College Seniors
Remaining in draft:
- Cedric Coward, F, Washington State
- Omar Rowe, G, Morehouse
- Jamir Watkins, G/F, Florida State
Withdrew from draft after testing waters:
Note: Some of these players will also be transferring to new schools.
- Chad Baker-Mazara, G/F, Auburn
- Quincy Ballard, C, Wichita State
- Nathan Bittle, C, Oregon
- Tayton Conerway, G, Troy
- Melvin Council Jr., G, St. Bonaventure
- Dominick Harris, G, UCLA
- Yaxel Lendeborg, F, UAB
- Jaron Pierre, G, Jacksonville State
- Malik Thomas, G, San Francisco
International players
Note: The country indicates where the player had been playing, not necessarily where he was born.
Remaining in draft:
- Izan Almansa, F/C, Australia (born 2005)
- Joan Beringer, C, Slovenia (born 2006)
- Mohamed Diawara, F, France (born 2005)
- Noa Essengue, F, Germany (born 2006)
- Hugo Gonzalez, F, Spain (born 2006)
- Bogoljub Markovic, F/C, Serbia (born 2005)
- Muodubem Muoneke, G, Spain (born 2003)
- Ousmane N’Diaye, F/C, Spain (born 2004)
- Eli Ndiaye, C, Spain (born 2004)
- Saliou Niang, F, Italy (born 2004)
- Noah Penda, F, France (born 2005)
- Ben Saraf, G, Germany (born 2006)
- Alex Toohey, F, Australia (born 2004)
- Nolan Traore, G, France (born 2006)
- Hansen Yang, C, China (born 2005)
- Rocco Zikarsky, C, Australia (born 2006)
Withdrew from draft after testing waters:
- Mohammad Amini, G/F, France (born 2005)
- Alec Anigbata, F, Germany (born 2004)
- Neoklis Avdalas, G/F, Greece (born 2006)
- Bassala Bagayoko, C, Spain (born 2006)
- Asim Djulovic, G/F, Serbia (born 2005)
- Mouhamed Faye, C, Italy (born 2005)
- Lazar Gacic, C, Serbia (born 2005)
- Ben Henshall, G/F, Australia (born 2004)
- Malique Lewis, F, Australia (born 2004)
- Mathias M’Madi, G, Spain (born 2005)
- Paul Mbiya, F/C, France (born 2005)
- Zaion Nebot, G, France (born 2004)
- Michael Ruzic, F, Spain (born 2006)
- David Torresani, G, Italy (born 2005)
Other players
Remaining in draft:
- Isaac Nogues, G, Rip City Remix (born 2004)
- Dink Pate, G/F, Mexico City Capitanes (born 2006)
Withdrew from draft after testing waters:
- Thierry Darlan, G, Delaware Blue Coats (born 2004)
Note: Information from Rookie Scale and HoopsHype was used in the creation of this post.
Hawks Fire General Manager Landry Fields
The Hawks have fired general manager Landry Fields and will begin a search for a new president of basketball operations, the team announced today in a press release.
While Atlanta seeks a new top front office executive, assistant general manager Onsi Saleh will replace Fields as GM on an interim basis, overseeing day-to-day basketball operations for the organization.
“Every offseason we evaluate how we operate and ways we can improve our organization,” team owner Tony Ressler said in a statement. “As we enter this pivotal offseason, we have several complex decisions ahead of us, and we are committed to providing the human and financial resources needed to ensure that we navigate these decisions with a high level of precision and foresight. Adding an accomplished, senior-level leader to provide strategic direction and structure as well as partnering with Onsi and our talented front office is a top priority.
“I would genuinely like to thank Landry for his leadership during his time with us. Landry made our franchise better and left contributions that have positioned us for growth. I am grateful for his dedication and wish him success in his next endeavor.”
Fields replaced former president of basketball operations Travis Schlenk during the 2022/23 season and has been running the Hawks’ front office since then. The team has won 41, 36, and 40 games in his three seasons at the helm, making a single playoff appearance during that time and not advancing past the first round.
Atlanta was eliminated in the play-in tournament this year, doesn’t control any of its own first-round picks through 2027, and faces an uncertain future with star guard Trae Young, who will be extension-eligible this offseason.
However, the Hawks’ roster features a promising core of young talent, including forward Jalen Johnson, Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player finalist Dyson Daniels, and last year’s No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher. The club also controls a handful of draft picks from other teams, including the Kings’ (top-12 protected) and Lakers’ first-rounders in 2025.
According to today’s announcement, the Hawks have hired Sportsology Group, an advisory firm, to direct their search for a new head of basketball operations. That suggests the process likely won’t move as quickly in Atlanta as it did in New Orleans or Sacramento, where the Pelicans and Kings chose new top executives almost immediately after firing their former GMs.
Sixers general manager Elton Brand, who works under Daryl Morey in Philadelphia, is among the candidates expected to receive consideration from the Hawks, according to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer (Twitter link).
During his end-of-season media session, Fields shot down any speculation that Quin Snyder‘s job was in danger. While that may still be true, it’s worth keeping an eye on Snyder’s status with Fields out of the picture, since it’s not uncommon for new lead executives to want to make their own head coaching hires.
Poll: Who Should Win 2024/25 NBA Awards?
The NBA announced the 2024/25 finalists for its seven major awards on Sunday, revealing the top three vote-getters for Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Player, Sixth Man of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Clutch Player of the Year.
A few of these awards have felt like foregone conclusions for a while, but some other results could be genuine surprises.
Today though, we’re not focusing on which players will win the awards, but the ones you believe should win them. Select your winners for this year’s major NBA awards in the seven polls below, then head to the comment section to weigh in with your thoughts.
Our polls only include the three finalists in each category, but if you think someone else deserves to win one of these awards, be sure to use the comment section to “write in” that pick and explain your reasoning.
Most Valuable Player
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
- Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
Who should win Most Valuable Player?
-
Nikola Jokic (Nuggets) 54% (640)
-
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) 41% (492)
-
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks) 5% (56)
Total votes: 1,188
Defensive Player of the Year
- Draymond Green (Warriors)
- Dyson Daniels (Hawks)
- Evan Mobley (Cavaliers)
Who should win Defensive Player of the Year?
-
Evan Mobley (Cavaliers) 44% (474)
-
Dyson Daniels (Hawks) 37% (401)
-
Draymond Green (Warriors) 19% (205)
Total votes: 1,080
Rookie of the Year
- Stephon Castle (Spurs)
- Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks)
- Jaylen Wells (Grizzlies)
Who should win Rookie of the Year?
-
Stephon Castle (Spurs) 68% (663)
-
Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks) 19% (189)
-
Jaylen Wells (Grizzlies) 13% (129)
Total votes: 981
Most Improved Player
- Cade Cunningham (Pistons)
- Dyson Daniels (Hawks)
- Ivica Zubac (Clippers)
Who should win Most Improved Player?
-
Cade Cunningham (Pistons) 47% (482)
-
Dyson Daniels (Hawks) 28% (294)
-
Ivica Zubac (Clippers) 25% (259)
Total votes: 1,035
Sixth Man of the Year
- Malik Beasley (Pistons)
- Ty Jerome (Cavaliers)
- Payton Pritchard (Celtics)
Who should win Sixth Man of the Year?
-
Payton Pritchard (Celtics) 47% (462)
-
Malik Beasley (Pistons) 30% (294)
-
Ty Jerome (Cavaliers) 24% (233)
Total votes: 989
Coach of the Year
- Kenny Atkinson (Cavaliers)
- J.B. Bickerstaff (Pistons)
- Ime Udoka (Rockets)
Who should win Coach of the Year?
-
Kenny Atkinson (Cavaliers) 54% (542)
-
J.B. Bickerstaff (Pistons) 36% (358)
-
Ime Udoka (Rockets) 10% (102)
Total votes: 1,002
Clutch Player of the Year
- Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
- Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
- Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
Who should win Clutch Player of the Year?
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Nikola Jokic (Nuggets) 49% (481)
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Jalen Brunson (Knicks) 30% (289)
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Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves) 21% (204)
Total votes: 974
Cooper Flagg Entering 2025 NBA Draft
Top prospect and projected No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg is entering the 2025 NBA draft, according to an announcement from Duke’s men’s basketball program (Twitter link) and a video posted to Flagg’s Instagram account.
The 6’9″ forward submitted one of the most impressive seasons by a college freshman in recent memory, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks in 30.7 minutes per game across 37 outings (all starts) for the Blue Devils.
Flagg posted a shooting line of .481/.385/.840 and led Duke to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and a berth in the Final Four. He was a consensus first-team All-American and was named the ACC Player of the Year, as well as the Naismith College Player of the Year.
While Flagg isn’t necessarily viewed as a generational prospect like Victor Wembanyama was in 2023, he’ll be the clear-cut top choice for whichever NBA team wins the draft lottery next month.
The Jazz, Wizards, and Hornets each have a 14% chance to land this year’s first overall pick, followed by the Pelicans at 12.5%, the Sixers at 10.5%, the Nets at 9%, and the Raptors at 7.5%.
Flagg is the third Duke underclassman to declare for the 2025 NBA draft this spring, joining teammates Kon Knueppel and Tyrese Proctor.
One 2025 Free Agent To Watch From Each NBA Playoff Team
A team's evaluation of a player's worth typically doesn't fluctuate wildly from game to game in the postseason, but it's not uncommon for a strong run on the NBA's biggest stage to boost a player's stock as he enters free agency.
In 2023, for instance, veteran wing Bruce Brown played a crucial role for the champion Nuggets, averaging nearly 27 minutes off the bench and establishing himself as the type of complementary piece any playoff team could use. Brown, who had never earned more than $6.5MM in a season, signed a contract with the Pacers in free agency that paid him $45MM over the next two years.
Isaiah Hartenstein was essentially the 2024 version of Brown. Starting every playoff game for a Knicks team that was one win away from the conference finals, the big man led the NBA in postseason offensive rebounding, anchored New York's defense, and showed off his offensive play-making. Up until that point, the most lucrative contract of Hartenstein's career had paid him $18MM over two seasons. Coming off that postseason showing, he landed a three-year, $87MM deal with the Thunder.
There's no guarantee that a role player like Brown or Hartenstein will parlay a strong playoff run this spring into a free agent contract that dwarfs their previous career earnings, but it's certainly a possibility.
With that in mind, let's take a closer look at one player from each of this year's 16 NBA playoff teams who could - or will - reach free agency this offseason and whose future earnings will depend at least in part on how they perform in the postseason.
