Sixers Notes: Harden, Clippers, Embiid, Team USA
One of the biggest league-wide storylines of the summer was James Harden‘s trade request following his opt-in with the Sixers. Drama ensued over the following months, with tensions becoming so volatile that Harden called president of basketball operations Daryl Morey a “liar” publicly in August.
However, after skipping Philadelphia’s media day on Monday, for which he was fined, and the first day of training camp on Tuesday, Harden showed up to Sixers training camp on Wednesday. As we relayed, there was no drama at training camp on Wednesday, nor was there any on Thursday, writes The Ringer’s Seerat Sohi.
Sohi details the summer of opposition between Harden and Morey, writing that Harden may have ended his holdout due to Philadelphia’s history of fining players for non-attendance, just as they did with Ben Simmons two years ago.
Exploring how the partnership got to this point, Sohi writes that Harden’s relationship with Morey began to deteriorate shortly before free agency, with Harden’s representatives wishing to engage in contract talk. But having been stripped of draft capital last offseason for tampering, Morey didn’t wish to have that happen again, and remained silent, according to Sohi. Harden spent the summer waiting to hear from Morey, Sohi writes, but didn’t.
Rumors swirled about Harden’s future well before free agency, with the 34-year-old guard tied to the Rockets, with whom he won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award in 2017/18. However, according to Sohi, new coach Ime Udoka “was not a fan” of Harden, leaving Harden feeling as though he was running out of options and thus, looking to the Clippers, where he ended up demanding a trade to.
Before Harden picked up to his player option, his camp felt as though the Sixers would short-change him on a possible contract, writes Sohi. Seeing as Houston wasn’t a viable option for the star guard, Sohi writes that Harden’s camp felt as though Morey wished to get Harden to agree to a short, team-friendly deal, just as he did last summer. For now, Harden’s request stands as the Sixers approach their first preseason game on October 8.
We have more from the Sixers:
- In a separate story regarding the Harden and Morey fallout, Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic corroborate Sohi’s piece, asserting that Harden joined the Sixers for camp to avoid fines. However, the pair also write that Harden is taking part because he believes a potential deal with the Clippers is still in the works. Los Angeles is “going to great lengths” to trade for Harden, according to Charania and Amick, attempting to move pick swaps for additional draft capital to strengthen their offer. Charania and Amick write that the Clippers offered an unprotected first-round pick, a pick swap and matching salaries for Harden in July, but the Sixers want more, particularly eyeing Terance Mann and multiple first-round picks.
- For Joel Embiid‘s part in the Harden/Morey drama, Sohi writes that the franchise center is open to waiting to see what Morey can build and understands why it may take a while to build a contending team. Embiid has been through this before, Sohi writes, taking part in the “Process Era,” though that was well before his emergence as a superstar and league MVP.
- Embiid committed to play for Team USA in the 2024 Olympics on Thursday. Embiid was picking between the United States, France and Cameroon’s Olympic teams, and he explained his decision to play for the Americans to media on Thursday, as relayed by PHLY Sports’ Kyle Neubeck (Twitter link). “It was tough,” Embiid said. “Obviously, I love all three options. … “My son is American, and you add that to the fact that I’ve been here for such a long time, I feel like for the past few years … every decision has been based off of family.”
Atlantic Notes: Tatum, Ujiri, Sixers, Lillard, Randle
Celtics forward Jayson Tatum went into the offseason thinking he may have needed surgery on his non-shooting wrist, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne said on NBA Today (YouTube link). According to Shelburne, Tatum visited a bunch of specialists and opted against going under the knife.
Shelburne said that Tatum received a cortisone shot in his wrist, adding that the wrist feels “really good.”
Following the trade that sent Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies, Tatum is likely going to be seeing even more primary ball-handling duties. Shelburne reports that Tatum is “comfortable” initiating the offense and handling the ball, with his experience in the postseason helping him build confidence for that role.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Raptors president Masai Ujiri‘s 10-year anniversary as the team’s top decision-maker came and went this offseason and his tenure has been marked by huge successes by the organization, including an NBA title in 2019. However, Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes that Ujiri’s record hasn’t been without misses, especially recently. Missing out on Damian Lillard is an example of a questionable decision, Koreen opines, and it leaves the franchise in a tricky situation moving forward. Importantly, Koreen notes that he doesn’t think that Ujiri is in any danger of being close to losing his position. I recommend reading the article in full, as Koreen evaluates and compares Ujiri’s tenure to other top decision-makers in the league.
- While the Sixers didn’t land Lillard, Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports writes that Philadelphia is in a better position with Lillard on the Bucks rather than the Heat, who were heavily linked to the seven-time All-Star. Neubeck reasons that if Miami had landed Lillard, they would be firmly in the top tier of Eastern Conference teams ahead of the Sixers, along with the Bucks and Celtics. With Lillard on the Bucks, it makes Milwaukee better, but the Sixers are only behind two teams in the conference’s hierarchy, opines Neubeck. The deal also opens Philadelphia to make other moves via trade.
- The Knicks have several storylines to watch for this upcoming season after earning the No. 5 seed and reaching the second round in the NBA playoffs in 2022/23. Zach Braziller of the New York Post argues that the biggest storyline surrounding the Knicks is the play of Julius Randle. In Braziller’s view, the Knicks will need Randle to step up in the postseason in order to increase their ceiling for next season and beyond.
Pacific Notes: Primo, Hachimura, Jasikevicius, Poole
The Clippers signed guard Joshua Primo to a two-way contract on Friday, the same day the league suspended him for four games after the league determined he “engaged in inappropriate and offensive behavior by exposing himself to women.” Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times writes that the Clippers felt comfortable with signing Primo after meeting with him for months and hearing from specialists who spent time with him.
Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, said that the decision to sign Primo came with “a great deal of conversation with people throughout the organization,” according to Greif. Frank also said that female employees who most frequently interact with players were consulted on the decision, per Greif.
“We took many steps to make sure that we could feel very confident that we will be able to create a safe and comfortable workplace,” Frank said.
The specialists who met with Primo worked in mental health fields, Frank said, according to Greif.
“We’re not disputing allegations or condoning the alleged conduct, but why we’re here is because of all the work he’s put in since those allegations,” Frank said.
Primo was drafted with the 12th overall pick by the Spurs in the 2021 NBA Draft but was waived four games into his second season after a psychologist who worked for the Spurs, Dr. Hillary Cauthen, alleged in a civil complaint against the Spurs that Primo exposed himself to her nine times during individual private sessions.
A source tells San Antonio Express-News’ Tom Orsborn (Twitter link) that, in addition to Dr. Cauthen, Primo exposed himself to two other women, with all incidents occurring while he was with the Spurs. Orsborn adds that it’s possible that charges could arise in other counties like they did in Bexar County (Twitter link).
In addition to being suspended for the first four games of the season, Primo is ineligible to appear in the NBA’s preseason, Greif writes.
We have more notes from the Pacific Division:
- The Lakers have four of their five starting positions relatively locked in, with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell expected to start. According to The Athletic’s Jovan Buha, Rui Hachimura will enter camp as the favorite to earn the third starting frontcourt spot, though Taurean Prince and Jarred Vanderbilt could also build their own respective cases.
- Veteran coach Sarunas Jasikevicius will be with the Kings for the preseason, according to Eurohoops. Jasikevicius parted ways with FC Barcelona after winning the ACB championship in 2021 and 2023, along with the Copa del Rey in 2021 and 2022. Jasikevicius holds 138 games played during his stint as a player in the NBA, playing for the Pacers and the Warriors.
- While getting Chris Paul is an overall positive, Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area writes that Jordan Poole‘s departure shouldn’t be glossed over. The former Michigan guard was one of the quickest players on the team, according to Poole, who says that the Warriors may miss his burst and overall offensive production.
Jrue Holiday Notes: Clippers, Sixers, Kings, Pacers, Knicks
After being sent to the Trail Blazers as part of the Damian Lillard blockbuster, Jrue Holiday is likely the next guard to be traded by a Portland team seeking draft capital and/or players who fit the club’s timeline. The Blazers are expected to be active in the next few days in attempting to find a landing spot for the two-time All-Star and there’s a “good chance” he’s on the move by Monday, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
The market for Holiday, a tenacious defender, is already robust. As we wrote on Thursday, the Clippers, Heat, Bulls, Celtics, Knicks, Pacers, and Sixers are among the teams that could explore acquiring him.
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic looks at several hypothetical landing spots for Holiday and considers what the trade package might look like in each scenario. In his view, the Clippers are the most viable destination for Holiday, with an easy-to-build package consisting of matching salaries, young players and draft picks. While the Clippers have been tied to Sixers guard James Harden for some time, Vecenie reasons that Holiday could be more appealing, since he’s extension-eligible while Harden is not, due to his two-year deal last offseason.
Of course, the rumors linking Harden and the Clippers make a three-team deal that sends Harden to L.A, Holiday to Philadelphia, and salaries, picks and other assets to Portland easy to imagine, Vecenie writes. However, Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports says that he’s hearing no real traction on any such move and that it will be difficult for Philadelphia to land Holiday.
The Heat, Knicks and Warriors are among other teams who can put together reasonable packages for Holiday, Vecenie writes, with Golden State providing his favorite potential landing spot for the guard.
We have more Jrue Holiday-related notes:
- The Kings are one of the few teams who will not be in on the Holiday sweepstakes, tweets Sam Amick of The Athletic. According to Amick, the Kings “looked at” the possibility, but will not pursue the guard. While Holiday makes sense for just about every team in the league, it stands to reason that the Kings, who seem to have a set backcourt rotation, wouldn’t want to shake things up this close to the season.
- Indiana is a dark horse candidate to trade for Holiday. IndyStar’s Dustin Dopirak explores the subject, weighing the pros and cons of the Pacers acquiring Holiday. While adding the former All-Star would give Indiana a secondary ball-handler and shooting, along with high-level defense, it might not be the best idea for the team to sacrifice draft capital and/or young players at this stage of its timeline. With Holiday potentially becoming a free agent next offseason, it’s also possible he would be a rental and, if not, he would be costly at 33 years old, Dopirak writes. Ultimately, Dopirak believes the Pacers shouldn’t get desperate to acquire Holiday, even if he would boost their playoff odds this season.
- As noted above, New York makes some level of sense as a suitor for Holiday’s services. Fred Katz and Mike Vorkunov write about the topic, arguing that while Holiday would help in a major way on the court, the cost to acquire him would be great. Ian Begley of SNY writes that if the Knicks did acquire Holiday, they’d do so with the idea of extending him.
Pelicans Sign Malcolm Hill, Four Others
9:11am: The Pelicans announced the signings of Hill, Jones, Jemison and Robbins, along with Nolley.
New Orleans also confirmed the signing of Kaiser Gates to a two-way contract, which became official earlier in the week. The Pelicans’ offseason roster now stands at 21.
8:18am: The Pelicans have officially signed Malcolm Hill, Tevian Jones, Trey Jemison and Liam Robbins, according to RealGM’s transaction log. We previously wrote that New Orleans had agreed to sign Jones, Jemison and Robbins, but the Hill signing hadn’t been covered.
Hill, 27, has 24 games of NBA experience across stints with the Hawks and Bulls holding averages of 3.2 points and 1.6 rebounds. Most recently, Hill spent time with Chicago on a two-way contract, but was waived in February.
A product of Illinois, Hill has received more extensive playing time in the G League. In 32 regular season and Showcase Cup appearances last season with the Windy City Bulls (Chicago’s affiliate) and Birmingham Squadron (New Orleans’ affiliate), Hill averaged 15.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals.
It was reported in August that Jemison would be receiving an Exhibit 10 contract, and it’s likely safe to assume that’s the type of deal Hill, Jones and Robbins received from the Pelicans as well. If that’s indeed the case, all four players would be eligible for a bonus of up to $75K if they are waived by the Pelicans before the season begins and spend at least 60 days with Birmingham.
The signings of all four players brings New Orleans to 20 players under contract, one short of the offseason maximum. New Orleans has 14 players on standard contracts and two players signed to two-way deals. However, New Orleans is a bit over the tax and isn’t likely looking to keep a 15th standard player on the opening night roster in case they can duck under the tax. That means filling out the final open two-way spot is likely their primary goal, and one of these players could fill that spot.
It’s important to note that Landers Nolley was also reported to be joining New Orleans, but that deal has yet to be made official. It’s possible Nolley will fill the 21st and final spot on the team’s offseason roster.
Rockets Sign, Waive Joshua Obiesie
SEPTEMBER 29: Obiesie has been waived, per NBA.com’s official transactions log.
AUGUST 1: The Rockets officially signed Joshua Obiesie to a one-year contract, having completed the move last Friday, according to RealGM’s NBA transaction log.
According to Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link), it’s a non-guaranteed training camp deal that includes Exhibit 10 language.
Obiesie has played the past six seasons for teams in Germany. The 6’6″ wing declared for the 2019 NBA draft but ultimately went undrafted. Still just 23 years old, Obiesie averaged 12.1 points and 3.2 assists per game last year for the Fraport Skyliners.
Obiesie is the first reported training camp contract for the Rockets, who have one two-way contract roster spot open. The signing gives Houston 16 players on its roster — 12 on guaranteed standard contracts, one on a partially guaranteed deal, a pair on two-way pacts, and now Obiesie on an Exhibit 10 contract.
Obiesie’s contract is eligible to be converted into a two-way deal, which could be in play if he impresses in camp. If he’s cut, clears waivers, and remains stateside, the Rockets would control his G League rights. In that scenario, Obiesie could earn a bonus worth up to $75K if he joins Houston’s G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, and spends at least 60 days with the club.
Pacific Notes: Iguodala, Hall Of Fame, Clippers, Suns
Though it was widely reported he would retire at the conclusion of the 2022/23 season, Andre Iguodala remains noncommittal on his retirement. On a recent episode of J.J. Redick‘s Old Man and the Three podcast (Spotify link), Iguodala continued to be 50/50 on whether he would play in the NBA this season.
“We recorded my decision, but I might come back and hoop … or I might go home,” Iguodala said.
Iguodala, 39, is a four-time NBA champion with the Warriors and won the 2015 Finals MVP award. Through his 19 seasons in the league, Iguodala holds career averages of 11.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.
His most productive on-court seasons came with the Sixers and Nuggets, but he quickly became a staple on Golden State’s championship teams after arriving in ’13/14. Iguodala spent six consecutive seasons with the Warriors from 2013-19 before being traded to the Grizzlies and then the Heat. After playing in 84 games with the Heat, Iguodala signed back with the Warriors ahead of ’21/22 and has played 39 games with the team in the past two years.
For what it’s worth, as of August, it sounded like general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. didn’t expect Iguodala to return to Golden State this season, although he wasn’t ruling out the possibility.
“We’re not going to close the door on anything,” Dunleavy said in August. “But my guess, and my belief, is that he won’t be back.”
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- While Iguodala was a massive part of Golden State’s championship teams, he doesn’t think he deserves to be enshrined in Springfield, he admitted on the Old Man and the Three podcast (Spotify link). “I’m not a ‘ring culture’ guy, but I’ve benefited from that,” Iguodala said. “I know I have a lot of flaws. And I think there should be tiers of the Hall of Fame. … I’m not a Hall of Famer, if you ask me. No, no, no. Those guys [Hall of Famers] had no flaws.“
- While four of the five starting positions for the Clippers appear to be filled, there still remains a hole at the starting power forward spot, opines Law Murray of The Athletic. Murray explores the team’s depth chart and goes through multiple possible options for the starting position, including Marcus Morris, Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, and outside options like Kobe Brown and Kenyon Martin Jr. Murray expects the team to eventually make an outside addition via trade at some point during the season.
- The Suns are one of 10 NBA teams who have yet to win an NBA championship. However, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic believes this season provides one of the franchise’s best opportunities to change that. Rankin lists five reasons why the Suns can win the NBA Finals this year, including their newly developed big three, their defensive-minded coach and their chemistry.
Jordan Bell To Sign Exhibit 10 Deal With Pacers
Free agent big man Jordan Bell is signing an Exhibit 10 deal with the Pacers, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto (Twitter link).
Bell, 28, won an NBA championship with the Warriors in 2017/18 and has 161 games of NBA experience across five seasons with Golden State, Minnesota, Memphis, Washington and Chicago. The former Oregon big man holds career averages of 3.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per night.
The 6’8″ forward/center began his career in Golden State after being drafted with the No. 38 overall pick in the 2017 draft and spent the subsequent two seasons with the Warriors. Bell bounced around the league over the next few years, with his last NBA appearance coming with the Bulls in ’21/22 on a 10-day contract. He then played with the Guangzhou Loong Lions in China last season, appearing in 44 games, averaging 10.7 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 2.0 blocks.
Scotto adds that Bell “will be a veteran leader” for the Indiana Mad Ants, the Pacers’ G League affiliate. Bell has 39 games of G League experience in the regular season and Showcase Cup, and he averaged 13.5 points with the Mad Ants last season.
If Scotto’s phrasing wasn’t enough indication that Bell is almost certainly headed to the G League, the Pacers also have what looks to be a set regular season roster. Barring a potential Buddy Hield trade, the Pacers have 15 players on standard, guaranteed contracts, as well as three players on two-way contracts. Indiana is also reportedly bringing Darius McGhee to training camp.
Bell’s Exhibit 10 deal will make him eligible for a bonus worth up to $75K if he’s waived by the Pacers and spends at least 60 days with the Mad Ants.
Atlantic Notes: Raptors Front Office, Stevens, Hield, Harden
The Raptors issued a press release on Friday announcing several front office changes, including the promotions of Chad Sanders to director of scouting, Luke Winn to Raptors 905 general manager and Rayhan Malik to head athletic trainer, as well as the hiring of Ben Uzoh as a pro scout. We previously wrote about the hiring of Uzoh, which is now official.
Sanders was the Raptors 905 general manager before his promotion, earning 2020/21 G League Executive of the Year honors. Winn is entering his seventh year with the organization and is continuing his role with Toronto as director, prospect strategy. Malik began with the organization as the head athletic trainer for the Raptors 905 before moving to an assistant athletic trainer with Toronto in ’21/22.
Uzoh appeared in 60 NBA games from 2010-12 with the Nets, Cavaliers and Raptors. The former NBA guard joined the Raptors organization prior to last season as part of the NBA’s Future Basketball Operations Stars (FBOS) program.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- In agreeing to a deal with Lamar Stevens, the Celtics are hoping he can bring “grit and toughness” that was lost following the offseason departures of Marcus Smart and Grant Williams, tweets The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach. Stevens has 165 NBA appearances over the past three seasons, averaging 5.3 points per game across that span.
- The Sixers are among the teams mentioned by The Athletic’s Shams Charania who are displaying a level of interest in acquiring sharpshooter Buddy Hield from the Pacers, prompting PHLY Sports’ Kyle Neubeck to consider how Hield would fit in Philadelphia’s system. From an offensive standpoint, the fit is obviously seamless, as Hield is a career 43.4% shooter from deep, but Neubeck assesses his defense as a red flag for a team trying to contend. Neubeck also breaks down what a trade might look like, with Tobias Harris or P.J. Tucker among the pieces that could potentially be used in a swap.
- If James Harden were to hold out from Philadelphia, the Sixers would have an obvious hole to fill at the point guard position. Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required) breaks down possible options to take over for Harden in the rotation if the Sixers were to be without the 10-time All-Star. Tyrese Maxey and Patrick Beverley are among the obvious in-house options named by Mizell.
Kings Sign Deonte Burton
The Kings have signed free agent guard/forward Deonte Burton to a contract, according to RealGM’s NBA transaction log. The move was first reported by Sactown Sports 1140’s Brenden Nunes (Twitter link).
While the exact details of the deal aren’t known, it’s a safe bet that it’s a non-guaranteed camp contract with Exhibit 10 language.
Burton, 29, has 73 games of NBA experience across three seasons with Oklahoma City and Sacramento, with the majority of his time in the league coming from 2018-20 with the Thunder. The former Iowa State wing began his professional career in South Korea’s Korean Basketball League, where he won the KBL Foreign MVP Award after averaging 23.8 points.
His overseas scoring antics captured the attention of the Thunder in 2018, who signed him to a two-way deal before converting him to a standard contract in 2019. Burton then spent the past couple seasons in the G League, first with the Maine Celtics in 2021/22 and then the Stockton Kings for most of ’22/23. He earned a brief call-up with Sacramento last season on a 10-day deal, but did not close out the season with the Kings after being waived in February.
Having signed Burton, the Kings have 19 players under contract, with 14 on standard deals, three on two-way contracts, and Burton and Chance Comanche on training camp deals.
The Kings aren’t in the tax and could add a 15th player to a standard deal — it’s possible they’ll use training camp as an audition for that spot. It’s unclear what Sacramento plans to do with that opening but there’s technically a route for Burton to make the regular season roster if he impresses in camp.
If Burton’s contract includes Exhibit 10 language, he would be eligible for a bonus worth up to $75K if he’s waived before the season starts and spends at least 60 days with Sacramento’s G League affiliate in Stockton.