Community Shootaround: Free Agent Centers
When looking through the list of 2024 free agents, it quickly becomes evident that many of the top players tend to skew on the older side. LeBron James will be 40 at the end of December, James Harden and DeMar DeRozan both turn 35 in August, and Paul George is 34.
The top two free agent centers this year — Nic Claxton and Isaiah Hartenstein — are 25 and 26, however, which is interesting. They’re also both unrestricted free agents.
While reports have indicated Claxton is expected to re-sign with the Nets, perhaps for a deal in the range of $20-25MM annually, Hartenstein’s future is a little more cloudy because the Knicks only hold his Early Bird rights. That means they are limited to offering him a maximum of about $72.5MM over four years, and it’s possible he could get more than that from another team.
Unlike Tyrese Maxey, who is a lock to return to Philadelphia on a max deal in restricted free agency, it’s possible Precious Achiuwa (25 in September) could sign an offer sheet with another team and the Knicks might not match, given their financial situation now and going forward. Achiuwa is more of a four/five than a true center, but he’s another intriguing big man on the market.
Jalen Smith, 24, had an outstanding regular season off the bench for Indiana, but was largely a non-factor in the playoffs, having been supplanted in the rotation by Isaiah Jackson. That was an interesting development, because Smith seems pretty likely to exceed the $5.4MM player option he holds for 2024/25 in free agency (Jackson, on the other hand, still has another year left on his rookie scale contract).
Goga Bitadze, who turns 25 next month, is another young center who flew under the radar a bit in ’23/24. He started the early portion of the season while Wendell Carter was recovering from hand surgery and played pretty well, particularly defensively, averaging 7.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 33 games (23.9 minutes). The Magic have Carter, Jonathan Isaac and Moritz Wagner ahead of Bitadze on the depth chart, so he might look for a larger role elsewhere.
Xavier Tillman (25) and James Wiseman (23) are among the other young free agent centers in 2024, with veterans Jonas Valanciunas and Andre Drummond arguably the top big men over 30 available. Former No. 2 overall pick Wiseman could be restricted if Detroit tenders him a $7.7MM qualifying offer, though that seems unlikely to happen.
What do you think of this year’s group of free agent centers? Will Hartenstein stay with the Knicks or leave for more money elsewhere? What about Achiuwa? Did we overlook anyone? Head to the comments to let us know what you think.
Heat’s Jovic Talks Growth, Next Steps, More
Heat forward Nikola Jovic, the 27th pick of the 2022 draft, had a solid showing as a starter down the stretch of his second regular season, averaging 9.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per night on .476/.390/.815 shooting in 26 games (22.2 minutes per contest). He followed that up by averaging 9.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 2.2 APG and 1.0 SPG on .444/.409/.857 shooting in Miami’s first-round playoff loss to Boston (five games; 25.7 MPG).
Speaking to Cyro Asseo de Choch of HoopsHype, the young Serbian discussed his improvement over the past two seasons.
“I think I grew a lot, especially from last year being in the Finals and learning about how to get there and how hard it is,” said Jovic, who turns 21 years old today (happy birthday). “A lot of veteran players are great guys and great people who taught me how to be first a great person and, after that, a great basketball player. I think I learned a lot, like I said, especially last year.
“This year, I got a little bigger role, and I had the chance to start in the playoffs, which was a big deal, of course, and I’m grateful for the opportunity. I’m grateful that the coaches saw that I can play, and I hope I’ll give back to the team and to the city of Miami soon.”
As for how he can improve further, Jovic said he knows his current job is to be a complementary player, but he still wants to be as well-rounded as possible and improve all aspects of his game.
“You have so many great players you cannot just go out and do whatever you want,” Jovic said. “So being around players like Jimmy (Butler), Tyler Herro, and Bam (Adebayo), you need to figure out how you can help them, and the way I helped was spacing the floor and playing some good defense. I know I can grow in a lot of ways basketball-wise. There’s not one thing that I can focus on, I have to focus on so many of them, like from shooting to, dribbling, passing, basically everything. I feel like there’s so much room and space where I can improve, and I feel like I’ll show it at least a little more next season.”
Jovic’s Q&A with HoopsHype also touches on his competitiveness (“From a young age, I always want to be the best no matter what, and I still want to be the best in every way possible”), among other other topics.
Celtics Notes: Pozingis, Brown, Tatum, Rebounding
In an interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews (YouTube link), Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis said he’ll come off the bench once again in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, which tips off at 7:00 pm CT on Sunday night. The Latvian big man previously said he’s on a minutes restriction, though he didn’t offer any specifics on that restriction.
While rehabbing his left calf strain, Porzingis admitted he had doubts about whether he would recover in time to return for the playoffs at all.
“Yes,” Porzingis told Andrews. “… Because it was getting longer than expected and you’re like, ‘Am I going to be good? Am I going to be in shape for the Finals?’ It’s tough. I’m not going to lie, it’s tough, just to prepare for that mentally.”
Here’s more on the Celtics:
- Porzingis praised the crowd’s impact in Game 1, as Souichi Terada of MassLive relays. “That was insane, I’m not gonna lie,” Porzingis said. “Just walking in the tunnel, it was kind of a WWE style walk-in. I didn’t even know it was for me at first. Then just walking out, just hearing the crowd roar. I was getting real excitement to start the game and give everything to these fans that came to support.”
- Speaking to reporters during a media session on Saturday, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd referred to Jaylen Brown as the Celtics‘ “best player” when asked about the challenges of facing the Boston wing. For his part, Brown said he was unfazed by Kidd’s apparent attempt at gamesmanship. “I don’t have no reaction,” Brown said, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
- Jayson Tatum, who is generally regarded as Boston’s top player, was similarly nonplussed, according to Bontemps. “This is a team sport,” Tatum said. “We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t have JB on our team, and we can say that for a lot of guys, right. We have all played a part in getting to where we’re at, and we understand that people try to drive a wedge between us. I guess it’s a smart thing to do or try to do. We’ve been in this position for many years of guys trying to divide us and say that one of us should be traded or one is better than the other. So it’s not our first time at the rodeo.”
- ESPN’s Brian Windhorst explains why Boston’s edge in rebounding is an “underrated key” to the series with Dallas.
Eastern Notes: Cunningham, Pistons, Okoro, Hawks, Magic
Cade Cunningham is eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason. James L. Edwards III of The Athletic expects the Pistons guard to receive a maximum-salary deal, he states in a mailbag.
“I’m 99.9 percent sure that Cunningham gets an extension this offseason,” Edwards writes. “I don’t want to say 100 percent because you never know what can happen, but I’d be stunned if the 2021 No. 1 overall pick doesn’t sign a max rookie extension.”
As Edwards outlines, Cunningham improved his averages across the board in his third season and was one of the team’s few bright spots amid another last-place finish which saw Detroit go just 14-68 and break an NBA record by losing 28 consecutive games.
Edwards also answers questions about veteran players who could be attainable for cheap due to their contracts, and Trajan Langdon‘s top priority for Detroit’s roster, among others.
Here’s more from around the East:
- On the Wine and Gold Talk podcast, Ethan Sands and Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com discussed the upcoming restricted free agency of Cavaliers wing Isaac Okoro. While the 23-year-old is a stout defender and made strides with his shot during the regular season (a career-high 39.1% on three-pointers), Okoro also struggled offensively in the playoffs. Sands and Fedor suggest the Cavs could be open to giving Okoro a deal up to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, but might not go beyond that due to future cap concerns.
- With just 3% odds, Atlanta won the draft lottery and the rights to the No. 1 overall pick. Simply drafting a player and going about business as usual isn’t enough for the Hawks, according to Mark Bradley of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, who argues the team needs a drastic overhaul this season, particularly trading either Trae Young or Dejounte Murray.
- Keith Smith of Spotrac previews the Magic‘s offseason, writing that while Orlando will have plenty of cap room this summer, the team will also have to spend that money wisely, as impending rookie scale extensions will complicate the club’s financial outlook in 2025/26 and beyond.
Sasha Vezenkov Seeking Exit From Sacramento?
After an uneven rookie season, forward Sasha Vezenkov has informed the Kings he’d prefer a change of scenery, sources tell Mihalis Stefanou of Eurohoops.
Vezenkov signed a three-year, $20MM contract with Sacramento last summer. His $6.66MM salary for 2024/25 is fully guaranteed, while his $6.98MM salary for ’25/26 is a team option.
According to Stefanou, Vezenkov has yet to decide whether he wants to continue his NBA career or return to Europe. The ’22/23 EuroLeague MVP would generate “huge interest” overseas, Stefanou adds.
Still, as Keith Smith of Spotrac observes (via Twitter), the Kings will certainly have a major say in what transpires. Since Vezenkov’s deal for next season is guaranteed, Sacramento has no incentive to waive him unless he’s willing to give back some or all of the money he’s owed in a buyout.
In our Kings offseason preview, which was released last night, Luke Adams identified Vezenkov as a possible salary-dump candidate due to the team’s proximity to the luxury tax.
Vezenkov, 28, averaged 5.4 PPG and 2.3 RPG on .440/.375/.800 shooting in 42 games last season for Sacramento (12.2 MPG). He missed 22 games with a Grade 3 right ankle sprain, but even when he was healthy, he wasn’t a consistent part of the team’s rotation.
Interestingly, the former Olympiacos star said he had no regrets about coming stateside when the Kings’ season concluded in April.
“I made the right choice, no doubt about it,” Vezenkov said.
Heat Notes: Draft, Two-Way Players, Bam, Jones, Cap, More
The Heat began hosting prospects for pre-draft workouts this week, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald, who reports that Providence guard Devin Carter, USC guard Isaiah Collier, Indiana center Kel’el Ware, Arizona forward Keshad Johnson and UConn guard Tristen Newton are among the players who are taking part. The Heat control one first-round pick (No. 15 overall) and one second-rounder (No. 43).
One of the draft’s risers, Carter was a standout performer during athletic testing at the combine. The 22-year-old is rumored to have a lottery promise, with the Heat reportedly viewed as his floor at No. 15. The son of former Heat guard and assistant coach Anthony Carter, Devin is ranked No. 13 on ESPN’s big board.
Collier (No. 22) and Ware (No. 24) are other possible options with Miami’s first-round pick, Chiang notes, while Johnson (No. 50) and Newton (No. 68) are viewed as potential second-rounders.
Here’s more on the Heat:
- In a separate article for The Miami Herald, Chiang examines what’s next for the Heat’s trio of players — Jamal Cain, Cole Swider and Alondes Williams — on two-way contracts. All three players will be free agents this summer. As Chiang writes, Cain was dominant at the G League level in 2023/24 and he’s hoping to be promoted to a standard deal, whether it’s with Miami or elsewhere. Swider and Williams, meanwhile, are expected to play for Miami’s Summer League team and will continue to work out with the team in the offseason, Chiang adds.
- Appearing on the Point Game podcast with John Wall and C.J. Toledano, big man Bam Adebayo discussed how he views the Heat’s culture. “To me, it’s just a standard,” Adebayo said, according to Chiang. “People try to make up these myths and [expletive] like that. The biggest thing I could say about it is it’s a standard. Every year, [Heat coach Erik Spoelstra] comes in and is like, ‘This is what we’re trying to get. We’re trying to get the trophy.’ Sixteen wins, whatever that may be, but it’s a standard because every day our coach walks in and challenges us. Every day, he walks in and is like, ‘You’re going to be prepared for what’s about to happen in this season.’ That doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to execute. But it’s the standard of always having to be that way, having to come in there and really lock in every day to the point where like you get in the playoffs, it’s second nature.” Adebayo also talked about his potential role with Team USA at the upcoming Olympics in Paris, among other topics.
- Former Heat forward Derrick Jones has “found new life” with the Mavericks, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “Ever since I stepped foot in Dallas, they tell me to be me, play my game, go out there and be the best defender I can be,” Jones said. “Whenever I get shots, opportunities, I take the shots, I drive the ball, I finish the ball, make another play for a teammate.” Jones, who signed a one-year, minimum salary deal with Dallas as a free agent last summer, will be an unrestricted free agent again this offseason.
- In a pair of subscriber-only mailbag articles for The Sun Sentinel, Winderman answers questions about the Heat’s postseason potential going forward as well as the team’s future cap outlook. According to Winderman, Miami has no viable way to move off their top players to free up cap space without becoming a lottery team. And since the Heat have already traded away two future first-round picks, rebuilding probably isn’t a realistic option, as Miami is constantly striving to be as competitive as possible.
Knicks Notes: Thibodeau, Draft, Dunn, Jokubaitis
The Knicks and Tom Thibodeau reportedly have mutual interest in extending the head coach’s contract, which runs through the 2024/25 season. Some reports have pegged a potential new deal as starting at $10MM annually.
Fred Katz of The Athletic spoke to eight rival front office executives to get a better idea of what a new deal for Thibodeau could look like. All eight officials said they would extend Thibodeau, with their projections ranging from $10-13.3MM per season.
According to Katz, the “sweet spot” among the group he spoke to was $12MM annually. Five of the executives landed on that figure, though there was some minor variance in duration.
“He’s in (the facility) all the time,” one of the people who proposed $12 million a year said. “He’s built a culture with the team. He’s done a good job.”
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- New York controls three picks — Nos. 24, 25 and 38 — in the upcoming draft. While it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Knicks trade one or more of those selections, Ian Begley of SNY.tv thinks they’ll probably draft at least one young player. According to Begley, in recent meetings some people within the organization have expressed concern about back-end roster depth, which suggests the Knicks may be targeting players they think can contribute right away.
- According to Begley (Twitter link), Virginia wing Ryan Dunn worked out for the Knicks on Wednesday. Viewed as one of the best defenders in the 2024 class, Dunn averaged 8.1 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.3 SPG and 2.3 BPG in 34 games as a sophomore this past season for the Cavaliers (27.5 MPG). He’s ranked No. 34 on ESPN’s big board.
- Draft-and-stash prospect Rokas Jokubaitis has spent the past three years with Barcelona after New York acquired his rights in a draft-night deal back in 2021. The 23-year-old’s agent tells Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscriber link) that his client is willing to play in Summer League with the Knicks, but there’s a catch. “If Lithuania makes it to the Olympic Games in Paris, unfortunately, Rokas won’t be able to attend NBA Summer League,” Sarunas Broga told Sports+. “Otherwise, Rokas will strongly consider taking part.” Lithuania will compete in an Olympic qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico from July 2-7, Bondy notes. If Jokubaitis doesn’t make the leap to the NBA, he could switch European clubs, with Lithuania’s Zalgiris Kaunas reportedly showing interest in the young guard.
Celtics Notes: Porzingis, Brown, Mazzulla, Kyrie, Takeaways
Making his first appearance in five-plus weeks due to a strained right calf he sustained in the first round, big man Kristaps Porzingis gave the Celtics a major spark off the bench in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
The 28-year-old finished with 20 points (on 8-of-13 shooting), six rebounds and three blocks in 21 minutes. Boston was plus-13 when he was on the court in the 18-point victory.
“Kristaps had a monster game for us,” Jaylen Brown said. “Just his presence shooting the ball and then him being able to attack those switches and mismatches, he made ’em pay every time, and that’s what we need going forward in the series.”
According to Bontemps, Porzingis praised Boston’s crowd for getting his adrenaline flowing in just the second game of his career as a reserve.
“Tonight was an affirmation to myself that I’m pretty good (physically), you know?” Porzingis said. “Maybe I’m not perfect, but I’m pretty good and I can play like this and I can definitely add to this team.”
Here’s more on the Celtics, who now hold a 1-0 lead on the Mavericks:
- Porzingis’ coach and other teammates raved about his performance as well, per Jay King of The Athletic. “He’s a matchup nightmare,” Derrick White said. “Even when you play good defense, he doesn’t see you. It’s been unreal just watching him all year. Then defensively, he uses his size well, just impacts the games in so many different ways. He changes us and he makes us a better team.”
- Brown provided a steadying influence for the Celtics when the Mavs went on a third-quarter run, as Jared Weiss of The Athletic writes. At one point, Boston’s lead was cut from 29 points to eight. “We just said, just breathe. The game is starting now. Just breathe,” Brown said. “This is a moment where our experience shines through. Just breathe, just keep playing basketball.” The three-time All-Star made a major impact on both ends of the court, finishing with 22 points (on 7-of-12 shooting), six rebounds, three steals and three blocks in 37 minutes.
- Steve Buckley of The Athletic lays out why he believes head coach Joe Mazzulla deserves credit for how the Celtics responded following a timeout when the third-quarter lead was down to eight points. Boston immediately went on a 14-0 run after the break in action. Mazzulla was often criticized last season for the ways in which he used his timeouts, Buckley notes.
- Former Celtics guard Kyrie Irving, who is now a Maverick, said he thought Boston’s crowd “would be a little louder” following the Game 1 loss, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Irving knows the jeers will continue anytime he’s in Boston, but he’s focused on what he can control on the court. “But again, the energy has to be focused towards the game,” Irving said. “I felt like I had a lot of great looks. They hit (the) back rim or were just a little left or right. Just got to stay confident and stay poised throughout this, man. This is the best time of the year to be playing. There’s only two teams left. Let’s put it in perspective. The environment is going to be what it is but my focus is on our game plan and making sure my guys feel confident and I feel confident and continue to shoot great shots.” Irving finished with just 12 points on 6-of-19 shooting in 37 minutes.
- ESPN insiders Tim Bontemps, Marc Spears and Kevin Pelton provide their takeaways from Game 1.
Northwest Notes: Knecht, Bjorkgren, Blazers, Jazz, Wolves
Tennessee star Dalton Knecht had a solo pre-draft workout with the Trail Blazers on Thursday, tweets Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report. The 23-year-old wing is ranked No. 8 on ESPN’s big board, while Portland controls a pair of lottery picks (Nos. 7 and 14) and two second-rounders (Nos. 34 and 40).
ESPN recently reported that each team in the 6-10 range holds “strong interest” in Knecht, who averaged 21.7 points and 4.9 rebounds on .458/.397/.772 shooting in 36 games for the Volunteers in 2023/24 (30.6 minutes per contest).
Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) hears the Blazers will host a 3-on-3 workout next week “that’s supposed to feature” G League Ignite wing Ron Holland, French forward Tidjane Salaun, Virginia wing Ryan Dunn, Purdue center Zach Edey, Baylor center Yves Missi, and Miami guard Kyshawn George. Five of those prospects are projected first-round picks — the only exception is Dunn, who is No. 34 on ESPN’s board.
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- Nate Bjorkgren, who went 34-38 as head coach of the Pacers in 2020/21, has been attending Portland’s recent pre-draft workouts, according to Highkin, who points out (via Twitter) that the Trail Blazers have some vacancies on their coaching staff. Bjorkgren had two stints as an assistant with Toronto, most recently in ’22/23.
- In a press release, the Jazz announced several members of their basketball operations staff have been promoted to new positions. Shane Fenske, who previously served as VP of analytics and insights, is now an assistant GM. Assistant coach Sean Sheldon will move to the front of head coach Will Hardy‘s bench, as previously reported. Andrew Warren, who has been an assistant video coordinator the past two seasons, is now an assistant coach. Several other basketball operations employees have new positions as well.
- Chris Hine of The Star Tribune examines which players on the Timberwolves‘ roster will return in 2024/25, while John Hollinger of The Athletic wonders if “really good” can be good enough for Wolves guard Anthony Edwards.
Pacific Notes: Hurley, Lakers, Bronny, Suns, Kings
UConn’s Dan Hurley is meeting with the Lakers regarding their head coaching vacancy on Friday. L.A. is reportedly going to offer Hurley a “significant” contract in terms of both years and salary.
A source close to Hurley tells Jeff Goodman of The Field Of 68 (via Twitter) that it’s “50-50” whether the 51-year-old accepts the job or returns to the Huskies in pursuit of a third consecutive national championship.
According to Goodman (Twitter links), UConn has an offer extended to Hurley that would make him the third-highest paid college coach in the country, behind only Bill Self and John Calipari. However, there’s an expectation that the school’s offer will likely pale in comparison to what the Lakers will put on the table.
Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live, former president of basketball operations Magic Johnson was enthusiastic about the prospect of the Lakers hiring Hurley, as Chuck Schilken of The Los Angeles Times relays (subscriber link).
Here’s more from the Pacific:
- Howard Beck of The Ringer argues that Hurley shouldn’t be viewed as a risky candidate despite never coaching at the NBA level. The Lakers‘ top target has admirers around the NBA, such as longtime assistant Ron Adams, who is currently with the Warriors. “I think he’s a marvelous coach,” Adams said of Hurley. “He comes from a tremendous basketball family. … I think his skill set is excellent for coming into the pros. … I know a lot of people will say, ‘Well, he’s a really demanding coach.’ Well yes, and that’s going to be a strength in the pros. You may have to dress it up differently, but that will be a strength of his if he’s good with people and good at bringing out the best version of a player. That’s going to work in the pros, too.”
- USC guard Bronny James, who is ranked No. 53 on ESPN’s big board, had a strong showing during a workout with the Suns on Wednesday, sources tell Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Villanova guard Mark Armstrong and West Virginia guard Raequan Battle also impressed Phoenix during the group workout, according to Rankin. The Suns hold the No. 22 pick in this month’s draft.
- Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports examines five big men the Suns could target with their first-round pick, including Baylor’s Yves Missi and Indiana’s Kel’el Ware.
- The Kings hosted a pre-draft workout on Wednesday featuring Weber State’s Dillon Jones, Creighton’s Trey Alexander, Pitt’s Carlton Carrington and Miami’s Kyshawn George, a league source tells Brenden Nunes of Sactown Sports 1140. Sacramento controls the No. 13 and No. 45 picks in the 2024 draft. George (No. 19) and Carrington (No. 20) are projected first-round picks, according to ESPN, while Jones (No. 48) and Alexander (No. 65) are potential second-rounders.