Community Shootaround: Expansion
The NHL’s expansion draft for its newest franchise, the Seattle Kraken, will be held in less than two weeks. It comes just four years after Las Vegas was added to the league.
The other major winter sports league doesn’t seem to be in any rush to add new franchises, however. Commissioner Adam Silver was asked about the possibility of increasing the league’s 30-team membership this week. He made it clear that it’s not near the top of his priority list.
“The most important considerations for us when we look at expansion is, will it ultimately grow the pie? Meaning, it’s potentially 30 more jobs if you expand with two teams,” Silver said. “You expand the league’s footprint. How does that help us in varying ways, sort of increased support nationally. So we’ll continue to look at it. I mean, I’ve said this many times before, we’re certainly not suggesting we’re locked at 30 teams. I think at some point it will make sense to expand, but it’s just not at the top of the agenda right now.”
Seattle, which lost its franchise to Oklahoma City, has long been considered the most likely city to get the next franchise. Las Vegas is also a strong contender, but there are plenty of other options.
Domestically, Kansas City, Louisville, San Diego, Nashville, Tampa and Pittsburgh have been mentioned to varying degrees; the league could also look at major international cities such as London, Vancouver, Montreal and Mexico City.
The Players Association would likely endorse expansion, since it would create more opportunities for players to wear an NBA uniform.
That leads us to our question of the day: Should the NBA seriously consider expansion in the near future? If so, which cities are most deserving of a franchise?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
Community Shootaround: Remaining Coaching Openings
Seven NBA teams have parted ways with their head coaches – mutually or otherwise – since the regular season ended. Of those seven clubs, four have since hired replacements.
The Celtics and Trail Blazers are making Ime Udoka and Chauncey Billups first-time head coaches, while the Pacers and Mavericks are reuniting with Rick Carlisle and Jason Kidd, respectively.
That leaves three teams in search of new head coaches: the Pelicans, Wizards, and Magic.
[RELATED: 2021 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker]
Of those three jobs, the one in New Orleans may be the most attractive. The Pelicans‘ core includes a pair of All-Star caliber forwards (Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram), along with several other young players and a boatload of future draft picks. While the Pelicans missed out on the postseason again in 2021, they’re well-positioned to continue improving their roster.
Nets assistant Jacque Vaughn has been the candidate most frequently linked to the Pelicans’ job. He has some head coaching experience, having coached Orlando for two-and-a-half years from 2012-15 and Brooklyn for 10 games in 2020. A former player who has spent over a decade in the coaching ranks since his retirement, Vaughn might be someone the Pelicans envision building a strong connection with their young roster. Bucks assistant Charles Lee and Pelicans assistant Fred Vinson are among the other candidates reportedly receiving consideration.
The Wizards, meanwhile, are the only one of the three teams without a head coach that is coming off a playoff appearance. The job comes with its share of pitfalls though. Bradley Beal could reach free agency in 2022, so his long-term future in D.C. isn’t assured. And the team, which had to win its second play-in game to sneak into the postseason, is capped out this offseason, with Russell Westbrook still owed $91MM+ over two years.
Still, the opportunity to coach one of the most talented backcourts in the NBA will be a draw, and Wizards ownership is willing to make the necessary investments to upgrade the roster wherever possible. Sixers assistant Sam Cassell, Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley, and Celtics assistant Scott Morrison are believed to be candidates for the Washington job, though the most intriguing name that keeps popping up is that of Nuggets associate head coach Wes Unseld Jr. His return to D.C., where his father spent the majority of his Hall-of-Fame career, would be a great story.
Finally, the Orlando job poses perhaps the most clear-cut challenge for an incoming coach: Help a roster that’s in the very early stages of a rebuild to grow and develop. With their moves at the trade deadline, the Magic tore things down and reset their timeline, so expectations will be modest for at least the next couple years. Whoever gets this job won’t be expected to turn this club into a title contender anytime soon.
The Magic appear to be conducting a wide-range search and are considering several assistants without NBA head coaching experience, though there’s a belief that they’d prefer a more experienced leader. Kenny Atkinson and Terry Stotts are among the former NBA head coaches who have been repeatedly cited as strong candidates for the job. Penny Hardaway, who has no NBA coaching experience but is a Magic legend and a head coach at the University of Memphis, is also said to be firmly in the mix.
We want to know what you think. Of the Pelicans’, Wizards’, and Magic’s head coaching jobs, which is most appealing? Which candidates do you think those clubs should be targeting? And which coaches do you expect to ultimately be hired?
Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!
Community Shootaround: Conference Finals Outcomes
With the start of the NBA Finals around the corner, it’s time to examine who might represent the East and West in the annual championship series this year.
The Bucks and Hawks are currently tied 1-1, with Milwaukee winning Game 2 on Friday night 125-91. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way with 25 points, nine rebounds and six assists, while Hawks star Trae Young recorded just 15 points and nine turnovers.
In the West, the Suns lead the Clippers 3-1, with Game 5 set to commence on Monday night. Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard (knee) has already been ruled out for the contest. Game 4 featured some ugly shooting performances from both sides, but Phoenix prevailed to take a commanding lead in the series.
Both the Clippers and Hawks have overcome long odds numerous times during the postseason — the Clippers came back to beat the Mavericks in a seven-game first-round series, then won four straight to beat the Jazz after trailing 2-0 the next round. The Hawks, meanwhile, were not expected to make it here.
“What I like about this team is we always beat the odds,” Hawks center Clint Capela recently said, as relayed by Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “People just don’t expect us to do it. People keep doubting us, and we just keep shocking them. In Houston, it was really a championship mentality every year, so it was almost like a must-win game, every game.”
With that in mind, what do you think? Do the Clippers have enough left in the tank to pull off a third postseason miracle? Will the Hawks win another series despite being widely viewed as the underdogs?
Take to the comments section below to share your opinions!
Community Shootaround: Rockets Lottery Pick
The Pistons hit the jackpot in the lottery on Tuesday, getting the top pick for the first time in over 50 years.
They essentially flipped positions with the Rockets, who finished with the worst regular-season record, as Detroit entered the lottery in the No. 2 slot.
Pistons general manager Troy Weaver didn’t immediately commit to Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham, who has been considered by most pundits to be the top prospect in the draft.
Weaver blew up the Pistons’ roster in his first year on the job, so it’s not out of the question he’ll go outside the box and draft another player or trade down. But the most likely outcome is that the Pistons will select the player who has drawn comparisons to Luka Doncic, Penny Hardaway and another former Detroit lottery pick, Grant Hill.
That leaves Houston in an interesting spot. There’s three players generally considered candidates for the second spot – Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs, USC big man Evan Mobley and G League shooting guard Jalen Green.
The most notable players on the Rockets’ roster are oft-injured guards John Wall and Eric Gordon, big man Christian Wood and All-Rookie First Team forward Jae’Sean Tate. So, there’s needs across the board and the rebuilding team could go in any number of directions.
If they want a solid two-player point guard with superior leadership skills, they could choose Suggs. If they want to a highly-skilled power forward built for the modern NBA game, they could grab Mobley. If they’re seeking a prolific scorer on the wing, they could snare Green.
That leads us to our question of the day: Assuming the Pistons take Cade Cunningham with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, which player should the Rockets select at No. 2?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
Community Shootaround: Clippers-Suns Game 2
The Clippers have faced adversity in each of the first two rounds during this year’s playoffs, and the Western Conference Finals seem to be shaping up no differently.
The Clippers rallied from down 0-2 to Luka Doncic and the Mavericks to win Game Seven, thanks to a well-rounded team effort in round one. In round two, they once again started out down 0-2 to the one-seed Jazz, only to win the next four games in a row, weathering the loss of star Kawhi Leonard to take the final two games in convincing fashion. In doing so, the Clippers became the only team to overcome a 2-0 deficit in multiple series during a single playoff run.
Much of the team’s recent success has been due to Paul George‘s stellar two-way play. The All Star wing has averaged 31.3 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 5.3 APG, and shot 43.6% from three over his last six games, while providing lock-down, versatile defense. George previously spoke of the feeling of getting “the monkey off the Clippers’ back” in regard to making it past the second round, and it seems that he’s feeling some of that same looseness personally.
Now, once again, the Clippers find themselves down heading into Game Two. Despite another strong game from George, in which he scored 34 points and defended Suns‘ star Devin Booker well all night, it wasn’t enough, as Booker managed to overcome the defense en route to a 40-point triple-double and a six-point victory. Booker became the third-youngest player to record a 40-point triple-double in the playoffs – only Doncic and Oscar Robertson accomplished the feat earlier – and the first Sun to do so since Charles Barkley in 1993.
The Suns are as hot as they’ve ever been. They haven’t lost a game since the third game of the playoffs, and Booker proved his ability to put the team on his back and be a play-maker in the absence of Chris Paul, at least for one game. The question will be if he can sustain that level of play should Paul’s absence continue.
Even if Booker drops off, though, the Suns have generally had a wide range of players they’ve been able to rely on. Third-year center Deandre Ayton has had a breakout playoffs, and has been a consistent source of two-way production. Jae Crowder, Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, and Torrey Craig have all provided scoring and shooting while forming a tight-knit defensive wing rotation, and Cameron Payne has been solid in his role, stepping up to score 11 points and dish out nine assists as he filled in for Paul.
On the other hand, the Clippers’ role players have been a little more sporadic in their contributions. Reggie Jackson has been a consistent source of offense, and Terance Mann has had moments of excellence, but if the Clippers want any hope at making it to the Finals, they’re going to need more from guys like Marcus Morris, Nicolas Batum, and Patrick Beverley, among others.
This is especially true because, while both players are still on unspecified timetables, it seems likely that Paul could be cleared for a return before Leonard.
All of that makes Game Two a crucial one for the Clippers, who want to avoid a third straight series down 2-0. If the Clippers can split the two road games, and get one while Paul is still out, it bodes well for their chances in the series. If not, they will still have a shot, but it certainly makes things tougher — especially if CP3 does return for the later games.
So the question of the day is: Who will win Game Two between the Clippers and Suns, and who will win the individual duel between George and Booker?
Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!
Community Shootaround: Bucks-Nets Game 7
There’s been plenty of activity around the NBA the last couple of weeks. A flurry of coaching changes, some front office moves, finger-pointing regarding injuries and star players opting in or out of the Tokyo Olympics. We even saw a major trade – Kemba Walker and another first-round pick headed to Oklahoma City, Al Horford returning to Boston – on Friday.
All this has somewhat overshadowed the ultimatum aim – winning a championship. Other than the Suns’ sweep of the Jamal Murray-less Nuggets, the conference semifinals have been entertaining, with several wild comebacks tossed in.
The Sixers and Jazz are fighting for their playoff lives on Friday and the Bucks–Nets matchup has already reached a Game 7.
The Milwaukee-Brooklyn series figured to be hotly contested, though it didn’t look that way after the first two games. The Nets blew out the Bucks to take a 2-0 lead but injury issues to James Harden and Kyrie Irving helped the Bucks storm back in the series.
Milwaukee squandered a chance to win on the Nets’ home floor in Game 5, but big offensive games from Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo in Game 6 forced Saturday’s do-or-die showdown at Barclays Center. Harden toughed it out through 40 minutes, but only took nine shots and scored 16 points.
Brooklyn clearly needs another monster game from Kevin Durant (33.3 PPG in the series) to advance, especially with Irving remaining sidelined. Antetokounmpo has won two MVP awards, but star players are judged by playoff success. Carrying his team to a Game 7 road victory would be a defining moment in his career.
That leads us to our question of the day: Who will win Game 7 between the Bucks and Nets and what will make the difference?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
Community Shootaround: Scott Brooks’ Future
Four NBA teams are currently on the lookout for new head coaches, while most other clubs whose seasons have ended will stick with their current leaders. However, one team has notably yet to make a call on its head coach — Scott Brooks‘ doesn’t have a contract with the Wizards for the 2021/22 season, and Washington has yet to finalize a decision on whether or not he’ll be back.
Halfway through the 2020/21 season, Brooks looked like he might be the first coach to be let go, either right after the All-Star break or when the regular season ended. The Wizards had a 17-32 record and looked dead in the water, far removed from the playoff picture.
However, a second-half surge saw the Wizards finish the season on a 17-6 run, earning them a play-in spot, which they parlayed into a playoff berth. Washington didn’t last long in the postseason, falling to Philadelphia in five games in the first round. But the late-season hot streak complicated the team’s decision on Brooks, who probably couldn’t realistically have been expected to lead the squad any further, given its lack of top-tier talent outside the backcourt combo of Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook.
Those two star guards both endorsed Brooks in their end-of-season sessions with the media. Westbrook, who also played for Brooks in Oklahoma City, was particularly effusive in his praise of the veteran coach.
“If it was up to me, Scotty wouldn’t be going anywhere. It’s not even a question or a conversation to even be brought up,” Westbrook told reporters last week. “If the conversation is brought to me, I will definitely voice my opinion like I’m voicing it now and see what happens.”
Westbrook’s support of Brooks – as well as Beal’s – could play a significant role in the Wizards’ decision, according to Quinton Mayo, who suggests there has been momentum toward the two sides working out a new deal. If Brooks does return, Mayo says, it would be contingent on him overhauling his coaching staff.
Still, the Wizards haven’t officially made their decision yet, so before they do, we want to know what you think. Should – and will – they bring back Brooks? If they don’t, which coaching candidate(s) should they target? And, in that scenario, would Brooks be a good fit for another team’s head coaching vacancy?
Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts on the Wizards and Brooks!
Community Shootaround: Team USA’s Olympic Roster
Long delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Tokyo Olympics are now just a month-and-a-half away. The games are scheduled to begin on July 23 and will run through August 8.
With the Olympics around the corner, USA Basketball will soon have to determine which players will make its preliminary roster, then will have to pare that group down to 12 players for Tokyo.
Team USA announced an initial pool of 57 players in March, so there are seemingly plenty of options to represent the country at next month’s Olympics. However, many of the names on that list may be off limits.
As Joe Vardon of The Athletic writes, Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis are expected to skip this year’s Olympics in favor of letting their late-season injuries recover. Other players on that list of 57 names, such as Celtics stars Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker, Pacers center Myles Turner, Heat guard Victor Oladipo, Spurs guard Derrick White, and Knicks center Mitchell Robinson were also dealing with injuries when the season ended and probably won’t be prepared to suit up this summer. LaMarcus Aldridge has retired.
Meanwhile, players who could be poised for deep playoff runs, such as Nets stars Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden, also may be off the table for Team USA, since the NBA Finals could run as late as July 22. Olympic training camps will begin well before then.
Jazz guards Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley, Sixers forward Tobias Harris, Hawks guard Trae Young, Suns guards Devin Booker and Chris Paul, and Clippers forwards Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are among the other players who may not be inclined to participate if they’re in the playoffs until July, or even late June.
Still, there are several intriguing names potentially available for Gregg Popovich‘s squad. Vardon hears that Warriors guard Stephen Curry is “50-50” on participating, while Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard is thought to have strong interest in playing. Vardon also suggests that Celtics forward Jayson Tatum could be a headliner for Team USA.
Among players whose NBA seasons are over, Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, Bulls guard Zach LaVine, Knicks big man Julius Randle, Wizards guards Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook, and Heat stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are among the most intriguing names. Raptors guard Kyle Lowry, Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan, Warriors big man Draymond Green, and Kings forward Harrison Barnes were members of the 2016 Team USA squad that won Olympic gold and could be considered again.
If Team USA’s top choices opt not to participate, there are plenty of other intriguing names on the list of 57 candidates, including up-and-comers like Jarrett Allen, Jerami Grant, Christian Wood, Duncan Robinson, and Fred VanVleet.
We want to know what you think. Taking into account the players who are unlikely to participate for health reasons or due to deep postseason runs, what would your ideal 12-man USA Basketball roster look like?
Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your picks!
Community Shootaround: Best Coaching Vacancy
After a slow start to this year’s coaching carousel, three jobs have opened up over the past four days.
News broke Wednesday morning that Danny Ainge was stepping down as president of basketball operations for the Celtics and Brad Stevens had been selected to replace him. On Friday night, the Trail Blazers announced that Terry Stotts won’t return next year, and the Magic parted ways with Steve Clifford earlier today.
Decisions still have to be made about Scott Brooks in Washington and Nate Bjorkgren in Indiana, but for now the coaching rumors are focused on Boston, Portland and Orlando. All three jobs have some advantages as potential candidates consider their options.
The Celtics have two young foundation pieces in place with 23-year-old Jayson Tatum and 24-year-old Jaylen Brown both signed to long-term deals. Boston may try to trade Kemba Walker this summer, and a decision has to be made on free agent guard Evan Fournier. The team could also use an upgrade at center and a stronger bench, but Tatum and Brown should be enough to guarantee a playoff spot every year.
The Trail Blazers also have a solid foundation if they choose to keep it together. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum are both under contract for the next three seasons, while Jusuf Nurkic has a partially guaranteed deal for next year. Norman Powell ($11.6MM) and Derrick Jones Jr. ($9.72MM) both have player options this summer and could be back even if they choose free agency. Portland has been to the playoffs in eight consecutive seasons, but has been knocked out in the first round four times in the past five years.
The Magic don’t have any stars in place, but they have a lot of young talent to build around. Jonathan Isaac, who is under contract through 2024/25, could develop into a franchise player if he can avoid injuries. He missed the entire season after tearing his ACL last August. Orlando is loaded with players 23 and under, including former No. 1 draft pick Markelle Fultz and recent first-round selections Cole Anthony, Chuma Okeke and Mohamed Bamba. The Magic unloaded most of their veteran talent at the trade deadline, but the future could be bright for a coach who’s willing to rebuild.
We want to get your input. Which of these situations offers the best opportunity for a new head coach? Please leave your answers in the comments section.
Community Shootaround: Blazers Offseason
While the Lakers’ first-round flameout grabbed most of the media attention on Friday, another Western Conference franchise is facing similar questions after coming up short in the opening round.
The Trail Blazers were built for a deep postseason run and seemingly got a good draw against a Nuggets team playing without its starting backcourt. Despite the efforts of All-Star Damian Lillard, Portland lost to Denver in six games, creating a wave of uncertainty regarding the front office, coaching staff and roster.
The Trail Blazers have qualified for the playoffs in eight consecutive seasons, yet they’ve reached the conference finals just once – in 2018/19, when the Warriors swept them.
That was the only time in the past five seasons Portland has gotten out of the first round.
Lillard averaged 34.3 PPG and 10.2 APG against Denver and made 35 3-pointers but it still wasn’t enough. He was worn out and frustrated in the second half of Game 6 on Thursday as his shots stopped falling.
In an era when superstars seek greener pastures, Lillard has been unfailingly loyal to the Blazers organization. It may come to a point, perhaps this offseason, where the annual postseason disappointment finally gets to him.
It’s fair to wonder whether a shakeup is necessary in the front office and the coaching staff. President of basketball operations Neil Oshey acquired starting forwards Robert Covington in the offseason and Norman Powell at the trade deadline. But the second unit remained thin, in large part because recent draft picks Nassir Little, Anfernee Simons and CJ Elleby have made little to no impact.
Highly respected Terry Stotts has been the head coach as long as Lillard has been on the team. Does the team need a new voice and some fresh ideas to get over the hump?
Powell is expected to decline his player option in order to test the free agent market. Jusuf Nurkic’s contract is only partially guaranteed ($4MM of $12MM), though there’s no obvious replacement for him. Covington’s contract ($13MM in 2021/22) expires after next season.
The Blazers could look to trade him or CJ McCollum, but his three-year extension kicks in next season, making it difficult to break up the high-scoring backcourt.
That leads us to our question of the day: What changes should the Trail Blazers make in order to become a true title contender?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.