Community Shootaround

Community Shootaround: Ja Morant

November 4th, 2025 at 8:07pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Ja Morant’s days with the Grizzlies appear to be numbered.

The controversial guard served a one-game team suspension on Sunday after he expressed frustration with the team’s coaching staff following their previous game, a loss to the Lakers in which Morant played poorly at both ends of the floor.

Morant wasn’t any cheerier after returning to action against the Pistons on Monday. He was held to 18 points after another subpar shooting performance, going 5-for-16 from the field. He also committed five turnovers, while counterpart Cade Cunningham took over the game in the fourth quarter, scoring 19 of his 33 points.

When asked if he had any joy playing basketball right now, Morant responded, “No.”

Morant’s career has nosedived after a very promising start. He was the second overall pick in the 2019 draft and quickly emerged as one of the league’s top point guards.

However, off the court issues stained his reputation. He was twice suspended in 2023 for conduct detrimental to the league for brandishing weapons in social media videos.

Injuries have also marred his career. After serving those suspensions, he was limited to nine games during the 2023/24 season due to a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Last season, he appeared in just 50 games, mainly due to an ankle injury. Since his rookie year, he’s never played in more than 63 regular season games.

With Morant leading the way, the franchise seemed poised to be a perennial powerhouse after the Grizzlies reached the conference semifinals in 2021/22. In the last three seasons, they’ve been knocked out in the first round, sandwiching the 27-55 campaign when Morant was limited to nine games.

It’s not a novel concept for the Grizzlies to consider dealing their floor leader, even if he doesn’t request a trade. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the idea of the Grizzlies moving Morant is a possibility that rival teams have been monitoring since at least the summer. However, ESPN’s Marc Spears reported on Tuesday that executives he’s spoken to have no interest in dealing for Morant, citing his off the court conduct and contract issues.

“Four of the execs I talked to today say they really have no interest in trading for him. One said it was because it’s a combo of contract and off the court issues,” Spears said on NBA Today (YouTube link). “Another suggested that if Ja is traded it’ll probably be a problem star for a problem star. I asked one current NBA coach if he would like to coach Ja Morant and he said I’m not sure I’d want to.”

Salary considerations would be a big factor for any team pondering a trade for Morant. He has two more years left on his current five-year, $197.22MM contract. He’s also due a 15% trade bonus (capped at his maximum salary) if he’s dealt.

His new team would have to believe Morant would be the missing piece to a championship. That team would also have to be convinced that Morant would benefit from a change of scenery and come in with a more mature, focused approach.

That brings us to today’s topic: Do you think the Grizzlies will deal Ja Morant this season? If so, which teams would be a logical fit for him?

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

Community Shootaround: NBA’s Undefeated Teams

October 31st, 2025 at 1:33pm CST by Luke Adams

If NBA fans had been polled prior to the season about which four teams would be the last to lose a regular season game, it’s safe to assume the defending champion Thunder would have received a ton of votes. So it doesn’t come as a huge surprise that Oklahoma City – which set a new NBA record by winning a 21st consecutive game against an Eastern Conference opponent on Thursday, per Nick Gallo (Twitter link) – is the league’s only 6-0 team entering Friday’s games.

But fans would presumably have hard a much tougher time predicting the other three teams in that undefeated group alongside the Thunder. After 10 days of regular season action, the Spurs (5-0), Sixers (4-0), and Bulls (4-0) also haven’t lost a game.

Incredibly, while the Spurs have been playing in the NBA for a half-century and have won five titles during that time, this is the first year the team has ever gotten off to a 5-0 start. As Michael C. Wright of ESPN details, Victor Wembanyama has been leading the way by playing at an MVP level. After piling up 26 points, 18 rebounds, and five blocked shots on Thursday vs. Miami, Wembanyama leads the league in rebounds (14.6) and blocks (4.8) per game while also averaging 30.2 points per night.

“It feels great,” Wembanyama said of the Spurs’ five consecutive wins, per Wright. “It’s not random. We didn’t get those five wins randomly. We worked for it. We started this season strong, and we need to keep that streak going for as long as possible.”

As impressive as the Spurs’ hot start has been on the heels of a 34-win performance in 2024/25, it’s not the most surprising season-opening run. That honor belongs to either the Sixers, who went 24-58 last season and still haven’t had star forward Paul George in their lineup, or the Bulls, a perennial play-in team who had an over/under of 32.5 wins prior to the season.

Besides not having George available yet, the Sixers have had star center Joel Embiid on a minutes restriction — he has played in just three of the team’s four games and has logged 21.0 minutes per night. Philadelphia’s success has been largely driven by a trio of guards, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Quentin Grimes, who have combined to average a remarkable 77.5 points per night, led by 37.5(!) from Maxey.

While the 76ers’ ability to make a deep playoff run in the spring will largely come down to what Embiid and George can give them, the fact that they’re thriving in the early going without major contributions from either of those two veteran stars is an extremely encouraging sign.

As for the Bulls, they opened the season with wins over three far trendier Eastern Conference playoff picks – the Pistons, Magic, and Hawks – before beating old friends Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan on Wednesday in a victory over the Kings. As Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune (subscription required) writes, the Bulls – without top scorer Coby White – are succeeding as a result of a balanced offensive attack, with at least six players scoring in double figures in all four of their victories and no one averaging more than 20 points per game.

Whether their strong start will continue is up for debate, but Josh Giddey seems to be carrying his momentum from last year’s strong second half over to 2025/26, while Matas Buzelis is taking a step forward in his second NBA season and veteran center Nikola Vucevic continues to be a reliable source of offense. Role players like Tre Jones (.581/.625/.750), Ayo Dosunmu (.524/.500/.857), and Patrick Williams (.542/.500/.571) have all be on fire to open the season too.

We want to know what you think of those four undefeated teams. While there’s probably not much to say about the Thunder, what do you make of the Spurs’, Sixers’, and Bulls’ hot starts? Will they come back to earth sooner rather than later, or have you seen enough so far to feel confident about those teams’ chances to exceed their preseason expectations? Which team will be the last to lose a game this season?

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

Community Shootaround: Knicks’ Final Roster Spots

September 21st, 2025 at 5:07pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Knicks have been busy lately. After signing Jordan Clarkson following a buyout with the Jazz, as well as Guerschon Yabusele earlier in the summer, New York found itself in a severe salary cap crunch, but that hasn’t stopped the team from trying to upgrade on the margins.

The Knicks added Landry Shamet and Malcolm Brogdon on training camp deals, and are reportedly hoping to keep both for the regular season, despite their cap limitations. They also signed Garrison Mathews, a sharpshooter like Shamet, along with Alex Len and Matt Ryan on camp deals.

Finally, they signed second-round draft pick Mohamed Diawara to a non-guaranteed deal while rounding out their two-way contract rotation with deals for Trey Jemison, Tosan Evbuomwan, and Kevin McCullar Jr.

For a team with limited space and money, the Knicks have done a good job of finding quality NBA players to compete for their final roster spot behind Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride, Tyler Kolek, Pacome Dadiet, and Ariel Hukporti.

With Diawara expected to claim a roster spot due to his rookie-minimum cap hit, the Knicks technically have two more openings on their 15-man roster. However, without enough room below a second-apron hard cap to carry a full 15-man squad, retaining two more veterans would require a salary-shedding trade, likely involving one of McBride, Kolek, or Dadiet.

McBride is the most proven player of that group, having demonstrated his ability to contribute during the playoffs after a tough opening series against the Pistons. He’s on a team-friendly contract, but only for one more season after this one. While it’s unlikely McBride would be moved, his defense and shooting could appeal to a team looking to add an established backcourt contributor on the cheap.

Among the Knicks’ 2024 draftees, Kolek played more than Dadiet last season and showed himself to be a heady decision-maker, but he needs to be more consistent as a shooter to cover for his defensive limitations. While Dadiet played less than half the minutes of Kolek, his size (6’8″), flashes of shooting, and the fact that he’s four years younger than Kolek could make him a more attractive trade target for teams.

As for who will win the training camp battle for the final roster spot(s), Shamet appears to be a frontrunner. The 6’4″ guard played well when called upon by former coach Tom Thibodeau, operating as an effective off-ball shooting threat and giving good effort on defense. Head coach Mike Brown has reportedly put an emphasis on player movement this summer, which should play into the skill set of Shamet, as well as Mathews and Ryan.

Brogdon is the most accomplished of the players under consideration. He was named Rookie of the Year in 2016/17 and Sixth Man of the Year in 2022/23, had a season of shooting over 40/50/90 while scoring 15.6 points per game, and holds a career three-point percentage of 38.8%, as well as a career assist-to-turnover rate of 4.7 to 1.7. For a team that was lacking secondary ball-handling alongside Brunson last season, Brogdon’s ability to function in either guard spot and play alongside Brunson could be appealing, especially with the defensive concerns that could come with playing Brunson and Clarkson together for long stretches.

However, Brogdon comes with an extensive injury history, having played just 166 games over the last four seasons. The decision on Brogdon could come down to how comfortable the team is with his health, as well as his willingness to move the ball quickly.

The Knicks’ roster-building strategy this summer has been very focused on offensive-minded guards and wings. Brown faces an uphill battle when it comes to ironing out an effective defensive scheme, and starting Robinson could be one way that he addresses it.

Adding Shamet and Brogdon, along with Clarkson, would make for a roster crunch in the backcourt with McBride still there as the incumbent sixth man. Starting McBride could make it easier to slot the guards in around Hart and Yabusele, while also allowing McBride to take over the primary initiator defensive duties, a role that Bridges struggled with at times last season. This would allow the team to have three high-level wing defenders in McBride, Bridges, and Anunoby while also playing five shooters offensively.

If Brown decides during training camp to start the two-big lineup, it could change the team’s plans for the back of its roster. Brown coached Len for over two years in Sacramento, so there’s a built-in familiarity between the two. Jemison has less size than Len, but he could be viewed as a potential longer-term depth piece given that he’s only 25 years old.

We want to hear your thoughts. How do you think the Knicks should round out the final spots on their roster?

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.

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