Community Shootaround Rumors

Community Shootaround: Breakout Candidates

September 7th, 2025 at 10:27pm CST by Rory Maher

In an article for HoopsHype, Mike Shearer lists seven players who could be primed for breakout seasons in 2025/26. Here’s his full list:

Shaedon Sharpe (Trail Blazers)
Bennedict Mathurin (Pacers)
Andrew Nembhard (Pacers)
Sam Hauser (Celtics)
Brandon Miller (Hornets)
Jake LaRavia (Lakers)
Terrence Shannon Jr. (Timberwolves)

Shearer acknowledges that Sharpe’s inclusion is a little unconventional, as the 22-year-old averaged a career-best 18.5 points per game in ’24/25. But the Canadian wing is entering the final year of his rookie scale contract and is eligible for an extension until October 20, so he certainly has financial reasons to be motivated for a big season.

Mathurin, who is also eligible for a rookie scale extension, should have a big role for Indiana with Tyrese Haliburton out for the year. Ditto for Nembhard, one of the league’s more unheralded role players who has a chance to show he can be more than that this season.

Boston revamped its roster this offseason for financial and roster-building reasons. There were rumblings that Hauser might be on the trade block, but he’s still a Celtic, and Shearer believes the former Virginia star should have plenty of opportunities to shine in ’25/26.

Shearer also describes why he thinks Miller (second season cut short due to wrist surgery), LaRavia (essentially replacing Dorian Finney-Smith) and Shannon (a Nickeil Alexander-Walker replacement?) could take leaps forward.

We want to know what you think. Do you agree with the players on Shearer’s list? If not, why? Which other players could be primed for breakout seasons? Head to the comment section to weigh in.

Community Shootaround: Future Hall Of Famers

September 6th, 2025 at 3:11pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

With a starry new Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class being inducted into Springfield this weekend, Zach Kram of ESPN and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic consider which current NBA players are on track for the honor down the line

This weekend, former All-NBA superstars Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard are joining the Hall as first-ballot honorees.

Kram and Vorkunov both tackled the topic of who’s next by stratifying players into tiers of candidacy. Although each differed slightly on who the surefire “locks” would be, there was some overlap.

Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Warriors guard Stephen Curry and forwards Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green, Mavericks big man Anthony Davis and wing Klay Thompson, Rockets forward Kevin Durant, Clippers guards James Harden and Chris Paul and wing Kawhi Leonard, Lakers forward LeBron James, Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Sixers center Joel Embiid, and free agent guard Russell Westbrook are considered no-brainer picks by both parties.

There are a few other NBA players that only one of the two is convinced will be guaranteed honorees. Vorkunov is confident that Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving will earn the honor. Kram, meanwhile, believes the Hall will anoint Sixers forward Paul George, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, while Vorkunov views those players as “near” locks.

Further down on each list — beyond young guns seemingly on track to get to Springfield like Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic — both Kram and Vorkunov each look at some fringe cases. Kram limits his list to active players, while Vorkunov also examines the candidacy of a few recent retirees.

Among current “bubble” players, both agree that former All-Stars and champs Kyle Lowry and Kevin Love are in the mix for Hall of Fame berths. Kram believes DeMar DeRozan ranks among this group, while Vorkunov is more confident that the six-time All-Star is already a virtual lock.

We want to hear from you. Who do you think has punched their ticket already? Who needs to do more to make the grade? Who doesn’t deserve to be a lock? Weigh in below.

Community Shootaround: Knicks’ Roster Spot

September 1st, 2025 at 5:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks have an unusual roster situation with training camps opening late this month.

They have only 12 players on standard contracts, yet they can only sign one more player on a veteran’s minimum contract. How so? They are hard-capped at the second tax apron, since they used the taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Guerschon Yabusele.

They are currently operating roughly $3.72MM below their hard cap, while veteran’s minimum contracts would count as $2,296,274 apiece. Thus, they’ll have to fill their 14th roster spot with a draft-rights-held rookie on a minimum contract ($1,272,870) unless they make a trade for cap relief.

Quite a few free agents have been mentioned as candidates for that veteran contract, mostly guards and wings.

Malik Beasley is no longer the target of a federal gambling investigation but his future in the league remains cloudy. However, Beasley – who had the second-most three-pointers in the league last season – would be an obvious boost to any bench.

The Knicks could instead pivot to a more familiar face. Shooting guard Landry Shamet and point guards Cameron Payne and Delon Wright are still available and each wore a New York uniform last season.

Malcolm Brogdon and Ben Simmons could also be considerations for the 13th spot. And there are plenty of other players looking for a deal — check out the list here.

That brings us to today’s topic: Which free agent should the Knicks sign to a veteran’s minimum contract with their available roster spot?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Community Shootaround: Russell Westbrook

August 25th, 2025 at 9:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Recent reports indicate that the Kings are the only team with genuine interest in signing free agent guard Russell Westbrook.

However, that comes with a major stipulation — they first have to clear some salary and some playing time to make that happen. Sacramento already signed a veteran point guard in Dennis Schröder, so the only way Westbrook could get a meaningful role is if Sacramento deals either Malik Monk or 2024 No. 13 overall pick Devin Carter.

Both of those guards have been the subject of trade rumors this summer. That’s in part due to the Kings’ interest in trading for Warriors restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga. One recent report declared that the Kings are still interested in finding a new home for Monk. A subsequent report stated that Sacramento isn’t actively engaged in any discussions about a Monk deal.

Westbrook will be 37 in November but it’s still somewhat surprising that his market is so limited. He appeared in 75 regular season games with the Nuggets last season, including 36 starts, averaging 13.3 points. 4.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists. He also appeared in 13 postseason games but struggled to make an impact.

He could have guaranteed himself $3.47MM by exercising his player option but chose to test the market instead. There have been no indications in recent weeks that Denver is showing interest in a reunion, and the same goes for his previous two teams, the Lakers and the Clippers.

That brings us to today’s topic: Do you think the Kings will eventually sign free agent guard Russell Westbrook? If not, do you think he’ll find another landing spot and if so, what will be his likely destination?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Community Shootaround: Malik Beasley’s Future

August 23rd, 2025 at 3:54pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Malik Beasley could be considered the top unrestricted free agent on the market now that he is no longer a target of a federal gambling investigation.

Beasley played a major role in Detroit’s return to relevance last season. He was the runner-up in the Sixth Man of the Year voting after knocking down 319 three-pointers during the regular season, second only to Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards (320).

The investigation – and Beasley’s financial issues – came to light at the worst possible time. He was reportedly poised to sign a three-year, $42MM contract with the Pistons but that offered was pulled during the federal probe.

Detroit pivoted from Beasley and acquired Caris LeVert via free agency and Duncan Robinson in a sign-and-trade to serve as the wings on its second unit. The Pistons still hold Beasley’s Non-Bird rights but can only offer him a starting salary of $7.2MM. On paper, the Pistons don’t really have a pressing need to bring back Beasley.

If Detroit doesn’t re-sign him, Beasley will almost certainly have to take less in the marketplace, considering the salary cap challenges that a majority of teams are facing. Beasley might even have to settle for a veteran’s minimum deal and hope for better luck next summer.

The Knicks are one of the teams believed to have interest in Beasley but they could only give him a minimum deal. The Timberwolves, Cavaliers, Warriors and Sixers are some of the other teams with roster openings that might be looking to add another shooter, but all four clubs project to be taxpayers and have limited cap flexibility.

That brings us to today’s topic: Now that Malik Beasley is no longer a target in a federal gambling investigation, where will the unrestricted free agent wind up? Will he re-sign with Detroit or head elsewhere? Which contender would benefit the most from signing Beasley, one of the league’s premier three-point shooters?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Community Shootaround: 2025 Rookie Class

August 17th, 2025 at 10:52am CST by Rory Maher

The 2025 draft lottery produced some unexpected results, with the Mavericks (No. 1), Spurs (No. 2) and Sixers (No. 3) leapfrogging multiple teams to select Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper and VJ Edgecombe, respectively.

Flagg is, unsurprisingly, the odds-on favorite (-190 at ESPN BET) to win Rookie of the Year for the 2025/26 season, according to Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com.

But the last two American prospects who were as hyped as Flagg — Zion Williamson and Anthony Davis — didn’t end up winning the award, so it’s not a given that the 18-year-old will claim it next spring, even if it currently seems as though it will “probably be Flagg’s award to lose,” as Pelton puts it.

Which players from the 2025 rookie class are best positioned to challenge Flagg for the award? Pelton groups them into categories, with the “contenders” being Kon Knueppel (No. 4; Hornets), Tre Johnson (No. 6; Wizards) and Ace Bailey (No. 5; Jazz).

As Pelton explains, Johnson, Knueppel and Bailey were selected by three of the NBA’s worst teams from last season should be given plenty of opportunities to earn both shots and minutes. While Knueppel is a distant sixth in betting odds (+2800), Pelton thinks the former Duke guard/forward might be in the best position to have a strong start to his career, followed by Johnson (+750) and Bailey (+1600).

Harper (+1000) and Edgecombe (+1200) are in their own “wild cards” tier. Although they’re undeniably talented, Pelton writes that both guards are joining crowded backcourts on teams that are striving to be competitive, so their playing time might be limited, barring injuries.

Pelton’s final group of rookies — Walter Clayton Jr. (No. 18; Jazz), Nique Clifford (No. 24; Kings), Egor Demin (No. 8; Nets), Jeremiah Fears (No. 7; Pelicans), Ryan Kalkbrenner (No. 34; Hornets) and Derik Queen (No. 13; Pelicans) — are the “long shots” to win the award. Kalkbrenner is the only second-rounder of the bunch and isn’t among the top 28 betting favorites, but Pelton is “intrigued” by his potential as a rookie, noting that the former Creighton center could be a day-one starter in Charlotte.

We want to know what you think. Do you agree with Pelton’s categories of the players best positioned to challenge Flagg for Rookie of the Year? Is there anyone who wasn’t mentioned that you believe could be a dark-horse contender? Head to the comment section to weigh in.

Community Shootaround: Eastern Conference Favorites

August 12th, 2025 at 7:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Looking at the Eastern Conference, two teams stand out among the pack – at least in the betting lines.

In the NBA futures odds posted by FanDuel for next year’s championship, the Cavaliers (+750) and Knicks (+800) are the clear favorites.

That seems to be more of a process of elimination, rather than those teams dramatically improving this offseason.

The Celtics have spent the offseason shedding salary since star forward Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles during the playoffs.

Another perennial playoff contender, the Bucks, lost Damian Lillard in similar fashion and then waived him, allowing them to sign free agent Myles Turner. However, the oddsmakers peg them just eighth among Eastern Conference teams with even Boston ahead of them.

The defending conference champions, the Pacers, sit below both of them after losing Turner, as well as star guard Tyrese Haliburton for all of next season due to his Game 7 Achilles tear.

The Magic (+1700) rank third in the conference, followed by the Hawks (+3000), Sixers (+3500) and Pistons (+4000).

The merits of the favorites are obvious. Cleveland won 64 regular season games but couldn’t get past Indiana in the postseason. New York suffered a similar fate in the conference finals.

The Knicks made a head coaching change, but otherwise the rosters of the two conference favorites remained pretty much intact.

Orlando was snake-bit by injuries last season but have two star forwards in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. The Magic made arguably the biggest trade among Eastern teams this offseason, adding Desmond Bane to their backcourt. The Hawks also made a major deal, acquiring Kristaps Porzingis to upgrade their frontcourt.

That brings us to today’s topic: Do you agree with the oddsmakers that the Cavaliers and Knicks are the top teams in the East? If not, which team or teams do you believe can challenge them for conference supremacy?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Community Shootaround: Early Offseason Winners, Losers

July 5th, 2025 at 10:23am CST by Rory Maher

We’re in a quiet transactional period as we wait for the July moratorium to lift tomorrow. There are still a handful of top restricted free agents who have yet to sign new contracts, but with a dearth of cap space around the league, the players don’t have a ton of negotiating leverage, so it could take a while for those situations to play out.

John Hollinger of The Athletic recently weighed in on some of the biggest winners and losers to this point in the offseason. The article is technically centered around free agency, but it takes all offseason moves into account.

Hollinger lauds the moves the Hawks have made, including trading for Kristaps Porzingis, landing what could be an extremely valuable 2026 first-round pick from the Pelicans (only this deal is official), acquiring Nickeil Alexander-Walker in a sign-and-trade, and signing sharpshooter Luke Kennard. Atlanta still has its bi-annual exception available, Hollinger notes, and is about $7.4MM below the luxury tax line.

While they’re facing a minor roster crunch, Hollinger also likes the Hornets‘ offseason thus far, saying they had a strong draft (Kon Knueppel, Liam McNeeley, Sion James, Ryan Kalkbrenner) and have done solid work on the trade market, particularly adding Collin Sexton and a second-round pick from Utah for Jusuf Nurkic. He also views Spencer Dinwiddie as a nice pickup on a veteran’s minimum deal.

The defending champion Thunder are the third team on Hollinger’s list of winners, bringing back 14 of their 15 players on standard deals while essentially replacing Dillon Jones with first-round pick Thomas Sorber. Oklahoma City is below the luxury tax line and also retained Jaylin Williams and Ajay Mitchell on team-friendly deals, Hollinger observes.

The month of July is Hollinger’s biggest loser, as free agency is no longer the same type of event on the league’s schedule as it used to be, for a variety of reasons.

For actual teams, Hollinger thinks the Celtics and Pacers have taken steps back. He credits Boston’s front office for shedding the salaries of Porzingis and Jrue Holiday without having to attach sweeteners (the Celtics will actually receive two second-rounders from Portland in the Holiday deal).

But the Celtics also lost Luke Kornet in free agency and Al Horford is viewed as unlikely to return. And they still need to trim about $20MM from their books to move below the luxury tax to avoid the repeater penalty. The biggest question mark, according to Hollinger, is how can the Celtics position themselves to be a contender again in 2026/27, when Jayson Tatum has recovered from his torn Achilles tendon?

As for the Pacers, they’re on Hollinger’s list for losing longtime center Myles Turner to the division-rival Bucks in free agency. They still have pathways to find a new starting center, Hollinger writes, and their front office has largely done excellent work over the years. But Indiana is in a similar boat as Boston, with 2025/26 increasingly looking like a “gap year” in the wake of Tyrese Haliburton‘s Achilles tear and more uncertainty heading into ’26/27 with Turner no longer on the roster.

We want to know what you think. Do you agree with Hollinger’s winners and losers? Most people seem high on the Rockets’ moves, but they weren’t included. I was also mildly surprised to not see the Pelicans on the list of losers. Head to comment section to weigh in with your thoughts.

Community Shootaround: Lottery Team Most Likely To Trade Pick?

June 3rd, 2025 at 11:45am CST by Luke Adams

From 2017 to 2019, at least one top-five pick was traded in three consecutive NBA drafts.

The Sixers and Celtics swapped the first and third overall picks (used on Markelle Fultz and Jayson Tatum, respectively) in 2017; the Mavericks and Hawks made a deal involving the No. 3 and No. 5 picks (Luka Doncic and Trae Young) in 2018; and the Lakers included the No. 4 pick (which became De’Andre Hunter) in their package for then-Pelicans star Anthony Davis in 2019.

We haven’t seen a top-five pick on the move since 2019, but trades involving lottery selections have remained relatively common. At least one lottery pick has been moved on or around draft night in each of the past four years, often by teams moving down a little in the first round.

In other words, while we can’t count on a high draft pick being included in a blockbuster trade every year, there’s clearly a precedent for top-14 selections changing hands in June. And this year’s draft features plenty of teams who could be prime candidates to deal.

The Mavericks, at No. 1, proved in February when they traded Doncic to Los Angeles that nothing’s off the table for them. But it sounds pretty safe to assume they won’t be moving the first overall pick, which they’ll use on Cooper Flagg.

That means the list of legitimate trade candidates in the lottery starts with the Spurs, who hold the No. 2 and No. 14 picks. Dylan Harper is widely considered the frontrunner to be the first player drafted after Flagg, but San Antonio already has De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle in its backcourt. Could that open the door for another team to trade up for that No. 2 pick, with the Spurs acquiring some extra assets while moving down in the draft and selecting a prospect who would be a better fit alongside their current core?

At No. 3, the top prospect on the Sixers‘ board might be Ace Bailey, but he’s widely viewed as a long-term play who might not be ready to contribute to a veteran team with title aspirations right away. The 76ers are reportedly eager to add some more youth and athleticism to a roster that was plagued by injuries in 2024/25, but perhaps they could trade down a few spots and still accomplish that feat.

There are no obvious reasons why the Hornets (No. 4), Jazz (No. 5), Wizards (No. 6), Pelicans (No. 7), and Nets (No. 8) would need to make a deal, but several of those clubs are loaded with future draft assets, which could put them in a good position to move up for a player they like.

The Raptors at No. 9 appear ready to transition to win-now mode as they prepare to incorporate deadline addition Brandon Ingram, while the Rockets at No. 10 are already very much in win-now mode, having struggled to find playing time for third overall pick Reed Sheppard last season. Will Toronto and Houston be looking to bring in another rookie or would they prefer to include their lottery picks in trades for more veteran help?

The Trail Blazers (No. 11), Bulls (No. 12), and Hawks (No. 13) round out the lottery, along with the aforementioned Spurs. And it’s worth noting that many of the deals in lottery-pick trades in recent years have involved these back-end selections — the 11th and 13 picks were included in trades in 2022, the 10th and 12th picks were moved in 2023, and the 14th pick was dealt in 2024.

We want to know what you think. Which lottery team is most likely to trade its pick? What sort of deal will that team be looking to make? How many selections in this year’s top 14 do you expect to change hands?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!

Community Shootaround: Draft Lottery Changes

May 13th, 2025 at 8:26pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Is it time for another change to the draft lottery?

That’s what many people are thinking after seeing the Mavericks leapfrog 10 other teams and win the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes on Monday.

If not for a wave of injuries – and of course, the controversial Luka Doncic trade – Dallas wouldn’t have even held any lottery combinations. The Mavs’ good fortune comes one year after the Hawks jumped from No. 10 to the top spot.

The current lottery format was introduced in 2019, in which the teams with the three worst records have an equal chance – 14 percent – of getting the top pick. Since that time, no team entering the lottery at No. 1 has gained the top pick, though four teams in either the second or third spot has had the winning combination.

With the lottery determining the top four slots, the team with the worst record has dropped from No. 1 to No. 5 three consecutive times – the Pistons twice and this time the Jazz. It can be argued that Utah, which overtly tanked for a good portion of the season, deserved its fate.

And that’s the issue. The current system was designed to discourage tanking, as was the creation of the play-in tournament to get more teams into the postseason. But it certainly hasn’t erased that strategy by struggling or rebuilding franchises.

There could be ways to make the lottery seem more fair. Perhaps not allowing a team to win the lottery more than once in a short span. Similarly, there could be a rule against a team moving up from its slot more than once or twice in a certain time frame. It certainly seems unfair that San Antonio has wound up with the top pick, the No. 4 pick and the No. 2 pick in three straight drafts.

The lottery could also be changed so that teams near the bottom of it can’t get the No. 1 pick. Any number of tweaks could be considered and it appears the current system could use some.

That brings us to today’s topic: How do you feel about the current lottery format? Should changes be made? If so, what should be done to make it fairer?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.