Southwest Notes: Z. Williams, Adams, Mavs, Vassell
Following a promising rookie season in 2021/22, Ziaire Williams battled injuries and was limited to just 37 games in ’22/23 — and he was inconsistent when he did play, with his shooting percentages dropping across the board. That down year would seemingly make him a long shot to crack the Grizzlies‘ starting five this fall, but he’s making a case for that open lineup spot with his defensive play in training camp, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.
“I talked to him after practice about how he’s doing a great job in situations using his length, using his mobility,” head coach Taylor Jenkins said earlier this week. “His attention to detail has been spot-on right now defensively.”
According to Cole, making an All-Defensive team and being named Most Improved Player are among Williams’ lofty goals for the season. While those accolades may ultimately prove out of reach, he’s determined to avoid a repeat of last season, telling reporters that he worked hard this summer and is now stronger and weighs more than at any other time in his playing career.
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- Coming off a right knee injury, Grizzlies center Steven Adams was a full participant in scrimmages on Thursday and showed no ill effects of his long recovery process, per Cole of The Commercial Appeal. “He’s looked great,” teammate Luke Kennard said. “He’s done everything. Every drill, all the scrimmages and he’s been dominant down low. He looks good to me.”
- Although Jason Kidd has trended to trust veterans over young players in the past, Tim Cato of The Athletic believes the Mavericks‘ head coach may have a longer leash with Dereck Lively II and Olivier-Maxence Prosper, two defensive-minded rookies who will know not to try to do too much on offense.
- Devin Vassell isn’t a perfect player, but based on the improvements he has made since entering the league and the rising NBA salary cap, he’s worth the five-year, $135MM+ contract extension the Spurs signed him to this week, says Sam Vecenie of The Athletic. As Vecenie points out, by the end of the deal, Vecenie should be earning approximately 15% of the cap, which is about what players like Myles Turner, Bruce Brown, and Mikal Bridges are currently making.
Celtics Notes: Payroll, Gabriel, Pierce, Tatum
The Celtics, on track to be a taxpaying team in 2023/24 for a second consecutive year, extended Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis to lucrative new contracts this offseason and may do the same with Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday within the next year. Those financial commitments mean the franchise is projected to remain over the second tax apron in the coming years, but co-owner Wyc Grousbeck downplayed any concern about the payroll, according to Souchi Terada of MassLive.com.
“We haven’t blinked at all,” Grousbeck said. “I was part of the committee that put the aprons in place with the players committee and we’re aware of all that. We’re going to be over the second (apron), I believe, and paying those penalties and that’s the way life is. But it’s designed also we can have more competition in the league, and we’re fine with competition, as long as we win.”
While paying increased tax penalties is one thing, the new Collective Bargaining Agreement will also place additional free agency and trade-related limitations on teams above the second tax apron. The rules that apply to teams over the second apron will become more restrictive in future seasons, limiting the Celtics’ ability to continue upgrading their roster as long as they maintain their high payroll.
Let’s round up a few more notes out of Boston…
- Wenyen Gabriel‘s new one-year contract with the Celtics is a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contract, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac. Boston only has 10 players only fully guaranteed contracts, with three on non-guaranteed standard deals, so Gabriel (along with Lamar Stevens, who also signed an Exhibit 9 deal) still has a path to a regular season roster spot.
- Former Celtics star Paul Pierce, who attended the team’s practice on Thursday, plans to be a “more visible presence” around the organization this year, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. When Pierce was a Celtic, he explained on Thursday, former Boston stars like Bill Russell and John Havlicek often visited and spent time around the club. He wants to continue that tradition. “It just (brought) a certain energy to the building whenever I saw those guys in practice or at the game,” Pierce said. “So I think it kind of continues the brotherhood. It’s all part of our culture and that is something that the Celtics have always been about.”
- Speaking to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, Tatum expressed excitement about the Celtics’ addition of Holiday, discussed the departures of some longtime teammates, and said he’s not thinking about the possibility of signing a record-setting contract extension next summer.
2023/24 NBA Over/Unders: Northwest Division
With the 2023/24 NBA regular season around the corner, we’re getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign and continuing an annual Hoops Rumors tradition.
With the help of the lines from a series of sports betting sites – including Bovada and BetOnline – we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.
In 2022/23, our voters went 16-14 on their over/under picks. Can you top that in ’23/24?
We’ll begin our series today with the Northwest division…
Denver Nuggets
- 2022/23 record: 53-29
- Over/under for 2023/24: 53.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Justin Holiday, Julian Strawther, Jalen Pickett, Hunter Tyson
- Lost: Bruce Brown, Jeff Green, Thomas Bryant, Ish Smith
How many games will the Nuggets win in 2023/24?
-
Over 53.5 52% (272)
-
Under 53.5 48% (251)
Total votes: 523
Minnesota Timberwolves
- 2022/23 record: 42-40
- Over/under for 2023/24: 44.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Troy Brown, Shake Milton, Leonard Miller
- Lost: Taurean Prince, Jaylen Nowell, Nathan Knight
How many games will the Timberwolves win in 2023/24?
-
Over 44.5 53% (264)
-
Under 44.5 47% (233)
Total votes: 497
Oklahoma City Thunder
- 2022/23 record: 40-42
- Over/under for 2023/24: 44.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Davis Bertans, Cason Wallace, Vasilije Micic, Jack White, Victor Oladipo
- Lost: Dario Saric, Lindy Waters
- Note: The Thunder have 18 players on standard contracts and will have to trade or waive three players before the regular season begins.
How many games will the Thunder win in 2023/24?
-
Under 44.5 54% (253)
-
Over 44.5 46% (219)
Total votes: 472
Utah Jazz
- 2022/23 record: 37-45
- Over/under for 2023/24: 35.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
How many games will the Jazz win in 2023/24?
-
Over 35.5 55% (259)
-
Under 35.5 45% (208)
Total votes: 467
Portland Trail Blazers
- 2022/23 record: 33-49
- Over/under for 2023/24: 28.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
How many games will the Trail Blazers win in 2023/24?
-
Under 28.5 51% (263)
-
Over 28.5 49% (254)
Total votes: 517
Pacific Notes: Batum, LeBron, Hachimura, Christie, Warriors
Rumors that Nicolas Batum may be entering his final NBA season swirled in August following a series of tweets from his wife, Aurelie. She clarified in those tweets that her husband hasn’t formally decided to retire following the 2023/24 season and that his future beyond his current contract is still up in the air. This week at training camp, the Clippers forward confirmed that message, as Janis Carr of The Orange County Register writes.
“I think I’ve done a lot in the NBA,” Batum said. “I’m trying to focus on this season. We’ll see what happens after this season. Maybe I’m going to stay, maybe not. I don’t know yet.
“… (I’m) thinking about what I’ve got left. All I’m thinking right now is I’m just ready for this year. … I’m really excited for this year and what’s ahead for this franchise, that’s for sure.”
Batum averaged 21.9 minutes per night in 78 appearances for the Clippers last season, his most games played in a season since 2013/14. The veteran anticipates having a rotation role again this season and indicated a willingness to play as much as head coach Tyronn Lue wants to use him, even though he’ll turn 35 in December.
“A bunch of guys want to get like minutes, and they don’t get it. I’m playing, so I’m not complaining about it,” Batum said. “You can’t be tired and complain because you play too much when guys only want opportunities to play.”
Here are a few more notes from around the Pacific:
- No player was around LeBron James this offseason more than Rui Hachimura, according to LeBron, who has taken his Lakers teammate under his wing this offseason in the hopes of unlocking his full potential, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. James, the NBA’s oldest player, will sit out the team’s preseason opener on Saturday as the club manages his minutes, though he still plans to see plenty of action during the preseason, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
- Lakers guard Max Christie, who was expected to be given a chance to prove in training camp that he deserves a rotation spot, appears to be taking advantage of that opportunity, earning praise this week from coach Darvin Ham and his teammates, according to Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. “Max Christie is a dog! … His game surprised me a lot,” big man Jaxson Hayes said of Christie. “I already knew he was a good player, but he can really go.”
- Warriors wing Klay Thompson said on Thursday that he’s up to the challenge of defending some power forwards this season and will do whatever’s asked of him (Twitter video link via Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area). Head coach Steve Kerr spoke about that plan earlier in the week.
- Stephen Curry said he played a lot of pickup ball with new Warriors teammate Chris Paul this summer and believes the fit on offense will be “seamless” (Twitter video link via Anthony Slater of The Athletic). The goal will be making sure the pairing works on defense as well.
Hornets Notes: Miller, Oubre, Williams, Ball
The Hornets don’t want to ask too much of No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller at the start of his rookie season, and the roster depth at the forward spots puts the club in a good position to avoid putting pressure on him in the early going, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. As Miller notes, with plenty of reliable veterans, he can focus on getting comfortable in his role.
“It definitely gives me a lot of confidence just to come in here and take an open shot on a passed ball from LaMelo Ball or one of our vets out here,” Miller said. “It’s just a confidence thing.”
While Miller may not immediately be a focal point on offense or the player who’s taking on the toughest defensive assignments, he has been a quick study so far in training camp, impressing his Hornets teammates.
“Yeah, I think it’s definitely rare, but his game speaks volumes,” P.J. Washington said. “I’ve been saying this a long time, but he doesn’t do anything (wrong) on the court. I’m very happy the way he’s been working. He’s getting extra shots, he’s doing everything to be successful in this league. And I just can’t wait to see him play.”
Here’s more on the Hornets:
- In his initial comments to reporters as a 76er this week, former Hornets wing Kelly Oubre appeared to take a shot at his old team, as Boone relays. “Honestly, this team wins every year, right?” Oubre said of the Sixers. “The fan base wants them to win more, but I’ve come from teams where they have no hope. Like, zero hope within the whole city. And this is not that at all. … The organization gives its players the platform to do so with everything around us. So, it’s night and day from what I’ve been to, and I’m going to just take advantage of it, soak it all in, and take it day by day.” Oubre spent the past two seasons with the Hornets.
- Second-year big man Mark Williams wasn’t able to play in Summer League or complete his usual offseason workout routine since he spent part of the summer recovering from thumb surgery. Instead, he focused on spending extra time in the weight room, adding roughly 12 pounds without sacrificing speed and lateral movement, Boone writes for The Observer.
- Within the same story, Williams said he’s looking forward to picking the brain of Patrick Ewing, the former star center who has rejoined the Hornets as a coaching consultant. “Obviously, what he can do, what he’s done, and then now to have a legend like that here will be great for me,” Williams said. “He obviously played the five, played against a lot of greats. So, to have him here will be really cool.”
- LaMelo Ball, who signed a five-year, maximum-salary contract extension with the Hornets in July, is embracing his role as a team leader, according to Boone. “(We) see the difference in him from last year and the last couple of years,” veteran guard Terry Rozier said of his teammate.
Northwest Notes: Knox, Reath, Wolves, NAW, Thunder, Micic
Kevin Knox‘s new contract with the Trail Blazers is an Exhibit 10 deal, Hoops Rumors has learned. That doesn’t mean Knox won’t have an opportunity to make Portland’s regular season roster, but if he does, he’ll be on a non-guaranteed, minimum-salary contract that only covers a single season.
If Knox is waived before the season begins, he’d be eligible to earn a bonus worth $75K if he signs a G League contract and spends at least 60 days with the Rip City Remix, Portland’s affiliate. Exhibit 10 contracts can also be converted into two-way deals, but that won’t be an option for Knox, who has five years of NBA service, making him ineligible to be a two-way player.
Most of the Trail Blazers’ recent free agent additions also received Exhibit 10 contracts. One exception is big man Duop Reath, whose deal includes an Exhibit 9 clause but not Exhibit 10 language. That suggests he may not be a candidate to join the Remix if he doesn’t make Portland’s regular season roster.
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- The Timberwolves, who defeated Dallas on Thursday, are taking the preseason seriously, recognizing that it’s a good opportunity to establish early chemistry with Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert healthy, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “If we don’t get something out of these games, you’re risking putting yourself behind the eight ball,” said head coach Chris Finch, adding that the team is looking to figure out its identity.
- One encouraging sign from the Timberwolves‘ preseason opener was that Nickeil Alexander-Walker picked up right where he left off last season, according to Chris Hine of The Star Tribune, who notes that the guard became a starter and important defender in the postseason. Alexander-Walker signed a two-year, $9MM contract in July to remain in Minnesota.
- Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman rounds up the highlights from the Thunder‘s media day earlier this week, passing along the most notable comments from head coach Mark Daigneault and many Oklahoma City players, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
- In a separate story for The Oklahoman, Joe Mussatto goes more in depth on Vasilije Micic‘s first session with local reporters, sharing the explanation the new Thunder wing provided for why he felt the time was right to make the move from Europe to the NBA. According to Micic, he had serious talks with the Thunder a couple years ago, but felt he still had something to prove in the EuroLeague. “I wanted to come somewhere that someone knows me and someone really wanted me, and this is what happened this summer,” he said.
Hoops Rumors Chat Transcript: 10/5/2023
Hoops Rumors hosted a live chat today at 1:00 pm Central time (2:00 pm Eastern).
Click here to read the transcript, and join us on Tuesday for our next live chat, hosted by Dana Gauruder.
Celtics Sign, Waive Kylor Kelley
OCTOBER 5: As expected, the Celtics have waived Kelley, per NBA.com’s transaction log.
OCTOBER 3: The Celtics have signed free agent center Kylor Kelley to an Exhibit 10 contract, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac.
Kelley, 26, has played in England, Denmark, Canada, and the G League since going undrafted out of Oregon State in 2020. The seven-footer appeared in 21 NBAGL games for the Raptors 905 last season, averaging 7.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 15.3 minutes per night. He most recently played for the Calgary Surge in the Canadian Elite Basketball League this spring and summer.
Kelley’s G League rights were traded from the Raptors 905 to the Maine Celtics in a deal last month. That’s a strong signal that Boston intends to waive Kelley before the regular season begins and have him report to Maine.
Assuming Kelley spends at least 60 days with the Celtics’ G League team, he’ll be eligible to earn an Exhibit 10 bonus. Those bonuses can be worth up to $75K.
Boston now has 19 players officially under contract. The team has also reportedly reached an agreement with big man Wenyen Gabriel that hasn’t yet been finalized.
Lakers Notes: Hood-Schifino, LeBron, Davis, Storylines
A 20-year-old rookie on a deep, experienced team, Jalen Hood-Schifino likely won’t have a major role in his first NBA season, but multiple Lakers players pointed to this year’s No. 17 overall pick earlier this week when asked who stood out most at the club’s first practice, writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times.
“I will give you one actually,” veteran point guard D’Angelo Russell said when asked about early camp standouts. “Jalen played really well today. Competitive. Made shots. Got after it.”
“Jalen looked really good today for his first day,” Austin Reaves said of the rookie. “So, super excited just to see what (he does).”
With Russell and Reaves penciled in to start, Gabe Vincent expected to play a major role, and Max Christie on track to get rotation minutes, it’s hard to see a clear path to regular playing time for Hood-Schifino in the backcourt as long as everyone is healthy. However, a strong showing in camp and the preseason could make the Lakers think twice about where he ends up on the depth chart.
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- LeBron James was slowed in the spring by a foot injury that sapped him of some of his athleticism and explosiveness, but that hasn’t been an issue so far in camp, per Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. Teammate Jarred Vanderbilt said that James has been “a freight train,” while head coach Darvin Ham confirmed the foot injury is no longer affecting the four-time MVP, who isn’t looking like the NBA’s oldest player. “He’s 100% healthy,” Ham said. “He looks fine. He looks like third- or fourth-year LeBron.”
- The Lakers view the trash talk aimed at them by the Nuggets following Denver’s win over L.A. in last season’s Western Conference Finals as “motivational,” according to Anthony Davis, who said the team is looking forward to its regular season opener in Denver on October 24. “There was just so much of that going on it was like, ‘All right, we get it, y’all won,'” Davis said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “But me and Bron had some conversations like, ‘We can’t wait (to play them again).”
- Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times has noticed a change in Davis’ demeanor this fall, writing that the star big man appears more focused, determined, and vocal as a leader. “I think I’m going to be the second-oldest guy here now, so guys lean on me a lot, especially the bigs,” Davis said. “I feel like it’s my responsibility, being one of the leaders on the team alongside Bron.”
- Jovan Buha of The Athletic identifies 10 of the most important Lakers storylines to follow this season, including Russell’s future with the organization, whether Christie can make a leap, how the team will handle its stars’ workloads, and how frequently the coaching staff will use two-big lineups.
Reggie Bullock Signs With Rockets
OCTOBER 4: The signing is official, the Rockets announced (via Twitter). Bullock’s contract is a one-year deal worth the veteran’s minimum, tweets Kelly Iko of The Athletic.
OCTOBER 3: Veteran swingman Reggie Bullock intends to sign with the Rockets, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Bullock, who finalized a buyout agreement with the Spurs over the weekend, received interest from multiple clubs, according to Charania. He’ll join a Rockets team that had been seeking another rotation player to replace Kevin Porter Jr., who is not expected to play another game for Houston following his arrest last month.
Bullock, who was traded from the Mavericks to the Spurs as part of the three-team Grant Williams deal in July, spent the past two seasons with Dallas, serving as a part-time starter. His scoring average dipped to 7.2 points per game last season, his lowest mark since 2016/17. However, he still made 38.0% of his three-point attempts, which is right in line with his 38.4% career rate.
The Rockets have made an effort this offseason to bring in veteran talent in the hopes of moving up the standings following three consecutive seasons with no more than 22 wins. Bullock will join Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Jeff Green among the team’s veteran newcomers.
Charania’s report says Bullock will sign with Houston after he clears waivers, but NBA.com’s official transaction log indicates that the 32-year-old was officially cut on Saturday, meaning he would’ve cleared waivers and become an unrestricted free agent on Monday. That means he should be free to complete his deal with the Rockets anytime.
While details of Bullock’s deal haven’t been reported, it seems likely to be a one-year, minimum-salary contract. Houston has an open spot on its 21-man preseason roster and won’t have to cut anyone to make room for Bullock.