Team USA Qualifies For 2024 Olympics
The United States has become the fifth men’s basketball team to qualify for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, securing one of the two spots available to the top FIBA Americas finishers in this year’s World Cup.
Entering Sunday’s games, Puerto Rico, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Canada were all still in the running for spots in next year’s Olympics. However, the Puerto Ricans lost to Italy, the Brazilians fell to Latvia, and the Dominicans were defeated by Serbia. As a result, Puerto Rico, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic won’t make the World Cup quarterfinals.
Canada could become the second Americas team to qualify for the Olympics with a win over Spain today. If Canada loses, Brazil would join Team USA as an Olympic qualifier by virtue of a tiebreaker — Brazil defeated Canada on Friday and has a better point differential than Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic.
The roster that represents the U.S. at the 2024 Olympics figures to look quite a bit different than the one currently competing in the Philippines. Most of the country’s biggest stars didn’t commit to playing in the 2023 World Cup, but could be more inclined to travel to Paris for next year’s Olympics.
At the last Olympics, in 2021 in Tokyo, Khris Middleton and Jayson Tatum were the only players that USA Basketball carried over from its 2019 World Cup roster.
The U.S., Australia, France, Japan, and South Sudan have now qualified for the 12-team Olympic tournament in 2024. The two European teams to qualify via the World Cup likely won’t be known for a few more days, since Germany, Slovenia, Serbia, Lithuania, Italy, and Latvia all remain in the hunt, as would Spain with a win over Canada today.
The final four Olympic spots will be decided in a qualifying tournament next year.
Bucks Sign, Waive Iverson Molinar
The Bucks signed combo guard Iverson Molinar to a contract on Friday and waived him on Saturday, according to RealGM’s official NBA transaction log.
Molinar, who went undrafted out of Mississippi State in 2022, spent his first professional season with the Wisconsin Herd. He averaged 10.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 22.4 minutes per game across 23 regular season appearances with Milwaukee’s G League affiliate in 2022/23.
Since Molinar played for the team last season, the Herd will hold his returning rights, so the Bucks’ decision to sign and waive him wasn’t related to securing his G League rights. Instead, it was likely about making sure he earns a bonus for returning to the NBAGL club in 2023/24.
It’s safe to assume that Molinar received an Exhibit 10 contract, which will put him in line to receive a bonus worth up to $75K if he spends at least 60 days with the Herd this season. Those Exhibit 10 bonuses typically exceed the full-season G League salary, so they provide a good incentive to get a player to stick with an NBAGL affiliate rather than seeking out an opportunity in an international league.
Molinar temporarily filled the Bucks’ 21st and final offseason roster spot, but the club’s roster count is back down to 20 following his release. Milwaukee also recently signed and waived Alex Antetokounmpo, who figures to return to the Herd too.
Andre Drummond Believes He Has Hall Of Fame Case
Appearing on The Comfortable Pod (YouTube link) with Marcus Bagley, Bulls center Andre Drummond was asked about the hiatus he took last season for mental health reasons and admitted that he has found it challenging to go from a franchise player in Detroit to a little-used reserve within the last few years.
While it sounds like the veteran big man has come to terms with his role in Chicago heading into 2023/24, the conversation led to a discussion about Drummond’s professional résumé and his place in NBA history. He was an All-Star in 2016 and 2018, made an All-NBA team in ’16, led the league in rebounds per game four times, is the NBA’s all-time leader in rebound percentage, and won a World Cup gold medal with Team USA in 2014.
“I used to play 40-plus minutes. I was a star — All-Star, All-NBA, I’ve done it. Hall of Fame candidate, best rebounder ever,” Drummond said (hat tip to NBC Sports). “… I’ve done great in my career. I think I have a chance to be a Hall of Fame player due to what I’ve done in my career. Actually, I’m pretty sure I’m in the top 20 for being in the Hall of Fame, so I have a great chance.”
Asked where he’d rank himself compared to other centers in NBA history, Drummond replied, “I’d give myself top 30, top 20. I don’t see why not. I’ve done amazing things in my career.”
Given that Drummond – who is still just 30 years old – averaged a career-low 12.7 minutes per game for the Bulls last season, it may seem outlandish on the surface to consider him a Hall of Fame candidate. But his claim that he’s the best rebounder the NBA has ever seen isn’t without merit.
Drummond has averaged 12.7 rebounds in 28.2 minutes per game across 785 career appearances. Dennis Rodman, widely considered the NBA’s greatest rebounder, averaged 13.1 in 31.7 minutes per night (911 games). The two men rank first and second in league history in rebound percentage, with Drummond (24.85%) comfortably ahead of Rodman (23.44%), for now.
Of course, while he has always excelled as a rebounder, Drummond hasn’t necessarily been elite in other areas of the game. He’s a solid scorer and defender around the basket, but has seen his role reduced in recent years because he doesn’t stretch the floor on offense and isn’t particularly switchable on defense. He also doesn’t have the sort of postseason accolades that bolster a Hall of Fame case — his teams have won just two games in four playoff appearances.
In an earlier era, when NBA teams were built around traditional centers, Drummond would have been in a better position to enjoy a Hall of Fame career. He could still have several more seasons ahead of him to continue building his résumé, but his case will be harder to make in the modern-day game.
Longest-Tenured NBA Head Coaches
It has been an eventful year on the NBA’s coaching carousel. Within the last 12 months, nearly a third of the NBA’s teams (nine of 30) have made head coaching changes.
Those changes impacted four of the eight longest-tenured coaches in the NBA. Mike Budenholzer (Bucks), Dwane Casey (Pistons) and Nick Nurse (Raptors) were among just seven head coaches who had been employed by their respective teams since 2018 (or earlier), but all three were dismissed – or, in Casey’s case, transitioned to a new role – at the end of the 2022/23 season. Monty Williams, who had been with the Suns since the spring of 2019, was also among the coaches let go in the last year.
Given the turnover in the head coaching ranks, it’s time we update our list sorting the NBA’s 30 head coaches by when they were hired. Here’s the current breakdown of the league’s longest-tenured head coaches by team:
- Gregg Popovich, Spurs: December 1996
- Erik Spoelstra, Heat: April 2008
- Steve Kerr, Warriors: May 2014
- Michael Malone, Nuggets: June 2015
- Taylor Jenkins, Grizzlies: June 2019
- J.B. Bickerstaff, Cavaliers: February 2020
- Tom Thibodeau, Knicks: July 2020
- Billy Donovan, Bulls: September 2020
- Tyronn Lue, Clippers: October 2020
- Mark Daigneault, Thunder: November 2020
- Chris Finch, Timberwolves: February 2021
- Rick Carlisle, Pacers: June 24, 2021
- Chauncey Billups, Trail Blazers: June 27, 2021
- Jason Kidd, Mavericks: June 28, 2021
- Jamahl Mosley, Magic: July 11, 2021
- Wes Unseld Jr., Wizards: July 17, 2021
- Willie Green, Pelicans: July 22, 2021
- Mike Brown, Kings: May 2022
- Darvin Ham, Lakers: June 3, 2022
- Steve Clifford, Hornets: June 24, 2022
- Will Hardy, Jazz: June 29, 2022
- Joe Mazzulla, Celtics: September 2022
- Note: Mazzulla became the Celtics’ interim head coach in September 2022 and was named the permanent head coach in February 2023.
- Jacque Vaughn, Nets: November 2022
- Quin Snyder, Hawks: February 2023
- Ime Udoka, Rockets: April 2023
- Nick Nurse, Sixers: June 1, 2023
- Monty Williams, Pistons: June 2, 2023
- Adrian Griffin, Bucks: June 5, 2023
- Frank Vogel, Suns: June 6, 2023
- Darko Rajakovic, Raptors: June 13, 2023
While there are no surprises at the very top of this list, Jenkins’ spot in the top five reflects how short the typical tenure for an NBA head coach is — he has moved that high despite having coached the Grizzlies for only four seasons.
Similarly, 20 of the NBA’s 30 head coaches have only been employed by their current teams since 2021 and have no more than two full seasons under their belt.
Japan Becomes Fourth Team To Qualify For 2024 Olympics
The Japanese men’s basketball team has claimed a spot in the 2024 Olympics by winning a pair of World Cup classification games against Venezuela and Cape Verde.
The two victories boosted Japan’s record for the tournament to 3-2 (the team also defeated Finland in round one), making it the only FIBA Asia club to win three World Cup games this year.
Just one other FIBA Asia club earned more than a single win at the event — Lebanon picked up victories over Iran and Cote d’Ivoire in the classification games. China and the Philippines each had one win, while Jordan and Iran went 0-5.
Japan played in the 2020 Olympics as the host nation, but hadn’t qualified outright for the Olympics since 1976, so this represents a major achievement for the national team.
The World Cup squad was led by Suns forward Yuta Watanabe (14.8 PPG, 6.2 RPG) and former Washington State big man Josh Hawkinson, a naturalized Japanese citizen who has played professionally in the country’s B.League since 2017 and averaged a double-double (21.0 PPG, 10.8 RPG) in five World Cup contests.
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura – who wasn’t part of the World Cup team but who played in the 2020 Olympics – will be a prime candidate to join next year’s Olympic roster.
A total of seven teams will qualify for the Olympics based on their World Cup results. The top-ranked team from each of Asia, Africa, and Oceania make the cut, as do the top two clubs from both Europe and the Americas.
Although Japan, South Sudan (Africa) and Australia (Oceania) have all been eliminated from World Cup medal contention, they’ve each qualified for the Paris Olympics based on their overall finish. France, the host nation, also receives an automatic Olympic berth, which means four spots are still up for grabs at the World Cup.
Germany, Slovenia, Lithuania, Italy, Latvia, Serbia, and Spain remain in the running for the two Europe spots, while the U.S., Brazil, Canada, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico are vying for the two Americas openings.
The teams that don’t qualify for the 2024 Olympics via the World Cup will get one more opportunity to do so at a series of four Olympic qualifying tournaments next year.
Bucks Sign Drew Timme; Sign, Waive Alex Antetokounmpo
SEPTEMBER 2: The Bucks have officially waived Alex Antetokounmpo, per NBA.com’s official transaction log.
The Bucks retain Antetokounmpo’s G League rights and he’ll receive a bonus if he spends at least 60 days with Milwaukee’s G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd. The Athletic’s Eric Nehm first reported that the team would waive Antetokounmpo on Friday.
SEPTEMBER 1: The Bucks have added a third Antetokounmpo brother to their offseason roster, according to RealGM’s official NBA transaction log, which lists Milwaukee as having recently signed Alex Antetokounmpo to a one-year contract.
While terms of the deal aren’t known, it will almost certainly be a non-guaranteed contract, likely with Exhibit 10 language. Such a deal could be converted to a two-way contract or would make Antetokounmpo eligible for a bonus worth up to $75K if he’s waived before the regular season and then spends at least 60 days with the Wisconsin Herd, the Bucks’ G League affiliate.
Antetokounmpo, 22, has played in the G League since going undrafted in 2021. The 6’8″ forward spent the 2021/22 campaign with the Raptors 905, then played in Wisconsin last season. In 32 regular season G League games with the Herd in ’22/23, he averaged 5.8 points and 3.0 rebounds in 22.3 minutes per night, with a subpar shooting line of .372/.247/.559.
Antetokounpmo joins his older brothers Giannis Antetokounmpo and Thanasis Antetokounmpo on the Bucks’ roster, which has now reached its 21-man offseason limit. The club is carrying 15 players on guaranteed deals, three on (presumed) Exhibit 10 contracts, and three on two-way pacts.
To get to 21 players, Milwaukee also officially signed undrafted Gonzaga forward Drew Timme, whose Exhibit 10 agreement with the team was reported back in June.
Timme spent four college seasons at Gonzaga, building an impressive résumé before declaring for the 2023 draft as an early entrant. He was a three-time consensus All-American and won the WCC Player of the Year award in both 2022 and 2023.
In his final year with the Bulldogs, the 6’10” big man averaged 21.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 31.5 minutes per game across 37 appearances, making 61.6% of his shots from the floor.
Poll: 2023 FIBA World Cup Quarterfinalists
As we outlined earlier today, four of the eight teams who will play in the quarterfinals of FIBA’s 2023 World Cup have been set. The United States, Lithuania, Slovenia, and Germany earned their spots in the knockout round with victories on Friday.
That leaves four spots up for grabs, to be determined in a series of win-or-go-home matchups on Sunday. We want to get your predictions on which teams will advance. Let’s dive in…
Italy vs. Puerto Rico
The Italians and Puerto Ricans entered the second round with 2-1 records and kept their quarterfinal hopes alive by upsetting Serbia and the Dominican Republic, respectively. Italy had previously lost to the Dominicans, while Puerto Rico fell to the Serbians in the first round.
This version of the Italian national team isn’t as strong as some past groups, but it still features some NBA talent, past and present. Jazz forward Simone Fontecchio increased his World Cup scoring average to a team-high 20.0 PPG with 30 points on Friday, while former Pistons forward Gigi Datome and ex-Pelicans forward Nicolo Melli have also played key roles.
Puerto Rico’s roster also features some names that may be familiar to NBA fans, starting with former Celtics second-rounder Tremont Waters, who racked up 37 points on Friday and leads the team with 21.8 PPG through four games. Former Cavaliers forward John Holland is representing Puerto Rico too.
Who will win on Sunday and advance to the quarterfinals?
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Italy 63% (207)
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Puerto Rico 37% (120)
Total votes: 327
Brazil vs. Latvia
Brazil lost to Spain by 18 points in the first round, while Latvia was blown out by 26 points by Canada. However, Brazil defeated Canada on Friday while Latvia eked out Spain, keeping them in the quarterfinal hunt.
Brazil’s leading scorer through four games is former NBA first-round pick Bruno Caboclo, who is showing in international competition the upside that the Raptors saw when they selected him 20th overall in 2014. He has averaged 15.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game through four contests. Former Lakers guard Marcelo Huertas, former Bulls big man Cristiano Felicio, and Warriors draft-and-stash prospect Gui Santos are among the other notable players on Brazil’s roster.
Latvia is missing star big man Kristaps Porzingis, but has multiple impressive wins so far in the tournament, knocking off 2019 bronze medalists France in the first round before beating Spain on Friday. The Latvians have several talented shooters, starting with Thunder forward Davis Bertans, who is averaging 12.0 PPG. Former Nets forward Rodions Kurucs is among Latvia’s other key contributors.
Who will win on Sunday and advance to the quarterfinals?
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Latvia 55% (189)
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Brazil 45% (152)
Total votes: 341
Dominican Republic vs. Serbia
Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns has been the leader of an upstart Dominican Republic team, averaging 24.3 points and 8.3 rebounds in four games. Joined by Warriors two-way guard Lester Quinones and former Clippers center Angel Delgado, Towns led the Dominicans to three first-round wins before they lost to Puerto Rico on Friday.
Unlike the Dominican Republic, which hasn’t won a game by more than seven points, the Serbians were dominant in round one, defeating Puerto Rico, South Sudan, and China by an average of over 30 points per game.
Without Nikola Jokic, the Serbians don’t have a star as impactful as Towns, but they do have a well-balanced roster that includes Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (18.0 PPG, 5.3 APG), Heat forward Nikola Jovic (14.0 PPG), and Nets draft-and-stash prospect Nikola Milutinov (13.5 PPG, 10.8 RPG).
Who will win on Sunday and advance to the quarterfinals?
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Serbia 75% (258)
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Dominican Republic 25% (86)
Total votes: 344
Canada vs. Spain
Through the first round, Canada and Spain looked like two of the biggest threats to challenge Team USA for gold. But after disappointing showings on Friday, one of them won’t advance to the single-elimination round.
Prior to Friday’s four-point loss to Brazil, Canada had the best point differential of any team in the tournament (+111), as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (22.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 4.8 APG) led the way with his scoring and play-making. The Canadians will be hoping that Friday was just a blip on the radar and that a squad which also features RJ Barrett, Dillon Brooks, Luguentz Dort, Kelly Olynyk, Dwight Powell, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker bounces back on Sunday.
It certainly won’t be a cakewalk though. Spain is the defending World Cup champion and entered this year’s tournament as FIBA’s top-ranked team. The Spaniards are missing 2019 World Cup MVP Ricky Rubio, but Willy Hernangomez and Juancho Hernangomez have played well, and the club has gotten solid contributions from current and former NBAers like Santi Aldama, Usman Garuba, Rudy Fernandez, Victor Claver, and Alex Abrines.
Who will win on Sunday and advance to the quarterfinals?
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Canada 76% (303)
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Spain 24% (98)
Total votes: 401
Teams With Full 21-Man Offseason Rosters
The offseason roster limit for NBA teams has historically been 20 players, but the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement raised that limit to 21 to account for the fact that each team’s total two-way contract slots have increased from two to three.
By the time training camps open at the start of October, we can expect most – if not all – of the NBA’s 30 teams to be carrying full 21-man rosters. There’s little downside to filling up the roster, as doing so gives teams more bodies in camp and more roster flexibility during the preseason.
[RELATED: 2023/24 NBA Roster Counts]
For now though, only eight teams have maxed out their rosters. The other 22 clubs are carrying fewer than 21 players and will likely have more moves to make in the next month or so.
Here are the eight teams that currently have full 21-man offseason rosters:
Denver Nuggets
15 guaranteed, three Exhibit 10s, three two-ways
It’s still possible the Nuggets could make a change or two to their projected regular season squad, but right now their roster decisions appear pretty straightforward. Once the defending champions cut their three Exhibit 10 players, their roster will be set for opening night.
Memphis Grizzlies
17 guaranteed, one TBD, three two-ways
We still don’t know the details on Shaquille Harrison‘s new deal with the Grizzlies — I expect it’ll be non-guaranteed, but even if that’s the case, Memphis would have to trade or release two players on guaranteed deals in order to set their roster for the start of the regular season. Isaiah Todd and Josh Christopher are among those whose spots appear to be most in danger.
Miami Heat
12 guaranteed, one partially guaranteed, five Exhibit 10s, three two-ways
With the Damian Lillard sweepstakes unresolved, the Heat’s roster is still very much subject to major changes. But if no Lillard trade materializes, perhaps Miami will consider promoting one or two of their two-way players (including Jamal Cain) to the standard roster, allowing their Exhibit 10 players to compete for a two-way deal.
Milwaukee Bucks
15 guaranteed, three Exhibit 10s, three two-ways
Eric Nehm of The Athletic reported today (via Twitter) that newly signed forward Alex Antetokounmpo has already been waived. But that transaction hasn’t shown up in NBA.com’s log yet, and he’s still listed on the Bucks’ official roster, so we’re assuming the team is still carrying 21 players for now.
Of course, Antetokounmpo and his fellow Exhibit 10 signees will likely be cut sooner or later, but maybe there will be an opportunity for one of them to earn a conversion to a two-way deal with a strong preseason. Players like Lindell Wigginton, whose two-way deals carried over from 2022/23 to ’23/24, typically have less job security than those who have signed new contracts since July.
New York Knicks
12 guaranteed, three non-guaranteed, three Exhibit 10s, three two-ways
The Knicks may opt to shake things up a little before opening night. One of their 12 players on guaranteed contracts – Evan Fournier – is an obvious trade candidate, and none of their three players on non-guaranteed deals (Isaiah Roby, DaQuan Jeffries, Duane Washington) are locks to make the 15-man roster.
Oklahoma City Thunder
15 guaranteed, one partially guaranteed, two non-guaranteed, three two-ways
Setting the Thunder’s roster won’t be as simple as cutting the players without full guarantees. Two of those guys – Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe – were solid rotation players last season and another – Jack White – was newly signed in July. We took a closer look last week at where the Thunder’s roster crunch stands and which players might end up on the outside looking in.
Toronto Raptors
15 guaranteed, one non-guaranteed, two Exhibit 10s, three two-ways
Pascal Siakam has been the subject of trade rumors throughout the offseason, but if the Raptors don’t make a deal before the season starts, the only drama may be whether Jeff Dowtin (on a non-guaranteed deal) can play well enough to crack the 15-man opening night roster.
Dowtin would earn a $900K partial guarantee if he makes it to opening night. In that scenario, Malachi Flynn, Garrett Temple, or Otto Porter might be the odd man out.
Utah Jazz
12 guaranteed, two partially guaranteed, one non-guaranteed, three Exhibit 10s, three two-ways
If Romeo Langford had received a small partial guarantee or signed a standard non-guaranteed contract, I’d view him as a threat to earn a 15-man roster spot. However, the Exhibit 10 clause reported to be included in his deal suggests the Jazz aren’t counting on that and will be happy to stick with their 15 players on standard contracts, including the three guys without full guarantees (Kris Dunn, Omer Yurtseven, and Luka Samanic).
World Cup Notes: Quarterfinals, USA, Canada, Fontecchio
Four teams at the 2023 World Cup punched their tickets to the quarterfinals with victories on Friday, as the U.S., Lithuania, Germany, and Slovenia all pushed their records to 4-0 and secured their spots in the eight-team knockout round, eliminating Montenegro, Greece, Australia, and Georgia.
As Armando Caporaso of Sportando tweets, that leaves four win-or-go-home games set for Sunday to determine the other four World Cup quarterfinalists. Those matchups will be Italy vs. Puerto Rico, Brazil vs. Latvia, Serbia vs. the Dominican Republic, and – perhaps most intriguingly – Canada vs. Spain.
Any European team that doesn’t advance to at least the quarterfinals will fail to clinch a spot at the 2024 Olympics in this event and would have to win a qualifying tournament next year in order to try to claim one of the last four Olympic berths.
Puerto Rico, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Canada would keep themselves in the running for an Olympic spot with a win on Sunday. If just one of those four teams makes the quarterfinals, that club would join Team USA as the two Americas clubs that will qualify for the Olympics through the World Cup.
As we wait to see how the second round of the World Cup plays out, here are a few more notes on the tournament:
- Team USA earned its spot in the quarterfinals by defeating Montenegro in what was its toughest test yet. Montenegro led at halftime and kept the game close until the final minutes, but a closing lineup that included reserve guards Tyrese Haliburton and Austin Reaves helped the U.S. put the game away, writes Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Haliburton and Reaves took the place of starters Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart while Anthony Edwards scored all 17 of his points in the second half to help lock up the victory.
- Team Canada head coach Jordi Fernandez had harsh words for his players after Friday’s upset loss to Brazil, tweets Oren Weisfeld. “Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander) has to score the ball and play-make and he didn’t,” Fernandez said. “And I can go down the line. Kelly (Olynyk) has to play-make, rebound and score efficiently – he didn’t. RJ (Barrett) has to run the floor and score efficiently and defend and he didn’t.”
- As Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca notes (via Twitter), a loss on Sunday for Canada would ensure that Brazil finishes ahead of them in their group standings, regardless of whether the Brazilians win or lose on Sunday. So the Canadians will need a victory if they want to hang onto a chance to clinch an Olympic berth this year.
- Italian forward Simone Fontecchio played a limited role for the Jazz in his first NBA season in 2022/23, but he showed in Friday’s upset victory over Serbia what he’s capable of. As Cesare Milanti of Eurohoops details, Fontecchio led the charge in Italy’s comeback win over the Serbians, pouring in 30 points on 11-of-15 shooting.
And-Ones: Lewis, Hunter, Coon, 2024 Free Agency
Prior to closing its investigation into referee Eric Lewis‘ social media points, the NBA hadn’t found any indications of inappropriate behavior or issues on the court for Lewis, tweets Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.
The veteran official, who announced his retirement earlier this week, was being investigated due to his possible connection to an anonymous Twitter account that responded to many posts about NBA officiating to defend Lewis and other referees.
League rules prohibit referees from publicly commenting on the officiating without authorization, but even if that Twitter account belonged to Lewis, it doesn’t sound like there’s reason to believe it influenced his behavior on the court at all.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Former Ohio State forward Othello Hunter, who had a brief NBA stint with the Hawks from 2008-10, has announced his retirement as a player, per Eurohoops. Hunter, who is 37, appeared in just 23 regular season NBA games but had a successful career overseas, winning a EuroLeague championship in 2019 with CSKA Moscow, along with multiple titles in Russia, Greece, and Israel.
- In an entertaining feature, Tim Cato of The Athletic explores the work that Larry Coon has done to popularize the NBA’s salary cap and Collective Bargaining Agreement and to explain them to a broader audience. Coon’s CBA FAQ has certainly been an invaluable tool for us at Hoops Rumors, particularly in the development of our glossary.
- Danny Leroux of The Athletic takes an early look at the 2024 free agency landscape, examining the probable cap room teams (Magic, Spurs, Sixers, Wizards, Jazz, and Pistons), the clubs projected to be over the second apron (Suns, Celtics, Nuggets, Clippers) and everyone in between.