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Poll Results: 2017 All-NBA Teams

April 21st, 2017 at 12:51pm CST by Luke Adams

In an NBA season packed with incredible performances and remarkable statistical achievements, we wanted to let you make the call on which 15 players are most deserving of All-NBA recognition.

On Tuesday, we opened voting for the All-NBA First Team. We moved on to the Second Team on Wednesday, and then opened the polls for the Third Team on Thursday. The results of those polls are in, so let’s check them out.

All-NBA First Team

All-NBA Second Team

All-NBA Third Team

Your top vote-getters in the final round of polling that didn’t quite earn spots on the Third Team: Damian Lillard (Blazers), Kyrie Irving (Cavaliers), Draymond Green (Warriors), Gordon Hayward (Jazz), DeMarcus Cousins (Kings/Pelicans), and Nikola Jokic (Nuggets).

My All-NBA choices would look pretty similar to yours, with a couple small changes here and there — I’d likely move Gobert up to the Second Team, and would find room for Green on the Second or Third Team, most likely at the expense of George. All in all though, I think when the official All-NBA selections are announced, they’ll look a lot like these teams.

What do you think? Do you disagree strongly with any of these choices? Expecting major discrepancies when the official All-NBA teams are announced? Let us know in the comments section!

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Poll: 2017 All-NBA Third Team

April 20th, 2017 at 11:00pm CST by Luke Adams

In an NBA season packed with incredible performances and remarkable statistical achievements, we’re letting you decide which 15 players are most deserving of All-NBA recognition.

On Tuesday, we opened voting for the All-NBA First Team, and 24 hours later, we had clear answers for which five players you believe deserve spots on that team. On Wednesday, we published polls for the Second Team, and we have now have our five players for that squad too. In this case, the vote was a little closer, particularly at center, where Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert went down to the wire in the race for a spot on the Second Team.

Here are the voting results so far:

All-NBA First Team

All-NBA Second Team

While your First Team choices consisted mostly of this year’s top MVP candidates, your Second Team picks were heavy on the best players from this year’s best teams — the NBA-leading Warriors got two spots on the Second Team, while Thomas, the top scorer from the East’s No. 1 team, earned one of the guard spots.

We’re moving on today to the All-NBA Third Team, so cast your votes below for the two guards, two forwards, and one center that you believe are most deserving of being named to that squad. You’ll have until about 12:00pm CT on Friday before we close this round of voting and round up the final results. You’ll also have the opportunity to select two players apiece in the guard and forward polls, so be sure to take advantage of that.

Who should be on the All-NBA Third Team?

Guards:

Note: This poll was reset after a top candidate was initially omitted. If you voted in our original poll, please feel free to re-submit your vote.

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote on the All-NBA Third Team guards.

Forwards:

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote on the All-NBA Third Team forwards.

Center:

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote on the All-NBA Third Team center.

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2017 NBA Award Picks: Rookie Of The Year

April 20th, 2017 at 1:11pm CST by Hoops Rumors

With the 2016/17 NBA regular season in the books, we’re making our picks for the year’s major awards. The Hoops Rumors writing team has weighed in with our selections below, but we also want to know which players, coaches, and executives you think are most deserving of the hardware this season, so jump into the comments section below to share your thoughts.

We’re keeping things going today with the award for Rookie of the Year. Here are our picks:

Chris Crouse: Malcolm Brogdon (Bucks)Malcolm Brogdon vertical
As a Philadelphia resident, I wanted to go with Joel Embiid. He’s clearly the most talented player in the rookie class and he was running away with this award while only playing half of the Sixers’ back-to-backs. However, a knee injury ended his season, limiting the big man to only 31 games and a total of 786 minutes. How many minutes would have been enough to win the award? 1,000? 1,500? I’m not sure, but part of being considered the best of the year is being available and the Cameroon native wasn’t.

Brogdon was there for a Milwaukee team that needed a contributor. He gave coach Jason Kidd a solid defender and a player who could be counted on. Dario Saric had a slightly higher scoring average, but he wasn’t nearly as efficient as the Virginia product and he didn’t help to elevate his team as Brogdon did with the Bucks. Brogdon’s 4.1 Win Shares is by far tops among all rookies (Willy Hernangomez was the only other rookie above 3.0). Despite having two local candidates, I can’t argue with The President’s numbers; he gets my vote.

Austin Kent: Joel Embiid (Sixers)
The efficiency and off-court high jinks are just two components of what makes Joel Embiid so special. A third component – and in my opinion the most important one – is the immediate impact he had on a Sixers culture that was so deep in the basement they may as well have been relegated to the D-League. Embiid stepped on the court in October and changed all that overnight. This isn’t a byproduct of desperation, wishful thinking, or confirmation bias — nobody here had anything resembling high hopes for the man who seemed easily more myth than reality, a borderline punchline before he’d even set foot on the court.

I like that Brogdon is a contributing role player on a playoff team and that Saric proved he can fill the stat sheet when half the Philly roster is away on sabbatical, but to me the Rookie of the Year award serves as a way of flagging the most exciting of the league’s latest batch of fresh faces. I’m not going to hold the fact that a company with no rational incentive to start risking a years-long process chose to play it safe and shut its best asset down prematurely.

Dana Gauruder: Malcolm Brogdon (Bucks)
If Embiid had played at least half the Sixers’ games, this would be a no-brainer. Saric put up good numbers on a bad team. Brogdon was a huge surprise, contributing right away and helping the Bucks get through the first half of the season without Khris Middleton.

Arthur Hill: Joel Embiid (Sixers)
The only argument to make against Embiid winning the award is that a cautious Sixers medical staff limited him to 31 games. Otherwise, he was the best scorer, rebounder, shot blocker and overall defender in his rookie class. Embiid’s numbers – 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots per game – tower over the field before taking into account that they were achieved on a minutes restriction. Adjust those on a 36-minute basis and they become 28.7, 11.1 and 3.5 — good enough to be considered for MVP, not just Rookie of the Year. Although it would be unprecedented to give a trophy to someone who played less than half a season, I’ll take 31 games of excellence over anyone else in the field.

Luke Adams: Malcolm Brogdon (Bucks)
A first-half Rookie of the Year award for Embiid and a second-half trophy for Saric would probably make the most sense, but since Rookie of the Year is a full-season award, Brogdon’s consistency and durability give him the edge. While he may not turn into as impressive a pro down the road as Embiid or Saric, Brogdon’s ability to step into a regular rotation role for a playoff team and hold his own (10.2 PPG, 4.2 APG, 1.1 SPG, .404 3PT%) makes him a worthy – albeit not particularly flashy – Rookie of the Year winner.

Who is your pick for Rookie of the Year? Share your choices and your thoughts in the comments section below!

Previously:
April 13: Executive of the Year
April 14: Coach of the Year
April 17: Most Improved Player
April 18: Sixth Man of the Year
April 19: Defensive Player of the Year

Still to come:
April 21: Most Valuable Player

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Hoops Links Vol. 1: Unpopular Raptors, Kobe GIFs, More

April 20th, 2017 at 8:00am CST by Austin Kent

Welcome to Hoops Links. My name is Austin Kent. If you’re one of the many who realize that today is Thursday and not the weekend, you’ll already have noticed that we’re doing things a little bit differently here.

We love the NBA blogosphere. I may have personally mentioned it about a thousand times already. To prove it, we decided to change how we feature content that comes to us from bloggers across the internet.

What you’ll see below are 10 of our favorite original content pieces from around the internet. Some were user-submitted; some we went out and flagged ourselves because we enjoyed them so much.

I urge everybody reading this to make note of the next great article they read and send it to me for possible inclusion in next week’s Hoops Links post (even if that brilliant author is you).

You can get at me on Twitter 24/7 @AustinKent or send your tips to HoopsRumorsTips@Sports.ws. Obviously we don’t have room to include everything that gets sent our way, but unique, genuinely interesting content generally tends to find its way in front of an audience.

The Pistons played their last game in the Palace of Auburn Hills last week and Sports on Earth‘s Will Leitch was there to document it while enjoying a totally normal vacation to Michigan in April. If you’re looking for a nostalgia-soaked ode to the awkwardly suburban masterpiece, this isn’t it. Leitch’s account of the facility’s NBA finale is as emotionless and firmly entrenched in regular old depressing reality as the entire past decade has been for the Pistons organization.
Rating: 7 out of 10 Dancing Ushers.
Author: Will Leitch – @WilliamFLeitch
Link: Pistons’ last game at the Palace of Auburn Hills

Carmelo Anthony verticalIt wasn’t long ago when Carmelo Anthony‘s wife was in his ear convincing him to request a trade out of Denver to a bigger market. Now that the pair have split up, some are wondering if the Nuggets should make an effort to reacquired their former All-Star. Matthew Huff of Nugg Love says not to expect it. Or want it, really.
Rating: 7 out of 10 Cheerios
Author: Matthew Huff – @Huff_Melo7
Link: Carmelo Anthony should not return to Nuggets

The Raptors organization has made countless questionable additions over the course of the past two decades, but only a handful have stood the test of time as constant reminders of unadulterated disappointment. Over at Raptors HQ, Mitch Robson facilitated a 64-man tournament to determine which player was the least popular of them all. Nobody holds a grudge like a Raptors fan.
Rating: 9 out of 10 National Primo Pasta Endorsements
Author: Mitch Robson- @_MitchRobson
Link: The most unpopular Raptors of all time

There was a notable discrepancy in fouls calls between the Grizzlies and Spurs when the two collided for Game 2 of their first-round series this week and Memphis head coach David Fizdale wasn’t afraid to make a scene about it. The thing is, the Grizzlies actually do foul a lot. Especially when compared to San Antonio. Please forward all ire and thrown tomatoes at Michael Erler of Pounding the Rock and not me.
Rating: 7 out of 10 Warnings That Memphis Fans Shouldn’t Read This
Author: Michael Erler
Link: Grizzlies average more fouls than Spurs

We’ve all heard by now that Kobe Bryant obsessed over ways of stopping Allen Iverson. Anthony Irwin of Silver Screen and Roll has come through with the video evidence to show just what the Mamba might have learned whilst studying. Seeing the legends square off in their early twenties is a joy to watch, and not just because you will immediately get the NBA on NBC theme song stuck in your head.
Rating: 8 out of 10 CRT Television Sets
Author: Anthony Irwin – @AnthonyIrwinLA
Link: How Kobe Bryant defended Allen Iverson

There’s a fine line between modest transgression and outright corruption, and professional sports organizations would be wise to tread carefully to avoid either. Kenyon Redfoot of Unsung Zeroes recently wrote about how player agents should steer clear of compensating prospective clients to persuade them to sign with their agencies for fear of committing commercial bribery.
Rating: 6 out of 10 Bitter Realizations That I Retained Nothing From My Own Sport Law Lectures
Author: Kenyon Redfoot – @KenyonRedfoot
Link: Commercial bribery between NBA players and agents

Larry Bird verticalIn a matter of two years, the forecast for the Pacers franchise dimmed considerably. Chris Wooden of Sir Charles In Charge wonders if Larry Bird ruined things by making too many reactionary moves and not thinking about the big picture. Had Indiana retained Frank Vogel and George Hill, might the team stand a better chance of making its first-round matchup with the Cavaliers competitive?
Rating: 6 out of 10 Nate McMillan Playbooks
Author: Chris Wooden – @SDChrisWooden
Link: Larry Bird’s impact on Pacers

Consider David Fizdale‘s rant about the lack of respect his Grizzlies get from the officials an all-timer. So says Ball Don’t Lie‘s Kelly Dwyer, who breaks down the fiery post-conference monologue and the impact it’s already had. As Dwyer notes, Grizzlies players – appreciative of Fizdale’s lobbying on their behalf – agreed to pay their bench boss’s $30K fine.
Rating: 7 out of 10 Data
Author: Kelly Dwyer – @KDOnHoops
Link: David Fizdale’s post-game rant

It’s hard to determine whether the Celtics have been underachieving in the postseason or whether the Bulls have been punching above their weight — that’s part of what makes the NBA postseason so special. Andrew Tobolowsky of The Step Back argues that it could very well be a little bit of both.
Rating: 8 out of 10 Playoff Rondos
Author: Andrew Tobolowsky – @AndyTobo
Link: Bulls-Celtics series analysis

There are plenty of cases where player comparisons between draft prospects and existing NBAers don’t hold much weight, but that’s not the case with De’Aaron Fox. Kevin Rowley of The Sixers Sense explained how Fox fits the bill as another Elfrid Payton, and says that’s exactly why the Sixers should avoid the temptation to draft him this June.
Rating: 7 out of 10 Ping Pong Balls
Author: Kevin Rowley
Link: Sixers should not draft De’Aaron Fox

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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2017 NBA Award Picks: Defensive Player Of The Year

April 19th, 2017 at 1:12pm CST by Luke Adams

With the 2016/17 NBA regular season in the books, we’re making our picks for the year’s major awards. The Hoops Rumors writing team has weighed in with our selections below, but we also want to know which players, coaches, and executives you think are most deserving of the hardware this season, so jump into the comments section below to share your thoughts.

We’re keeping things going today with the award for Defensive Player of the Year. Here are our picks:

Arthur Hill: Rudy Gobert (Jazz)rudygobert vertical
Gobert is the league’s greatest shot-blocking force, averaging 2.6 per night, but he also has more mobility to cover pick-and-rolls than a traditional big man. He is the centerpiece of a Utah defense that is eight points better (per 100 possessions) when he is in the game. The Jazz were able to overcome a long string of injuries to win the Northwest title, and Gobert’s presence in the paint was a major reason why.

Austin Kent: Rudy Gobert (Jazz)
There are a number of defensive metrics that tilt the Defensive Player of the Year conversation in Gobert’s direction, but the fact that his emergence as the unquestioned anchor of Utah’s defense corresponded perfectly with the Jazz emerging as a borderline elite team is what does it for me. It doesn’t matter what defensive schemes the Jazz run; it doesn’t even matter what team he suits up for; pick any randomly conceived set of circumstances, add a healthy Gobert in the middle, and suddenly life is impossibly hard for the 29 other teams in the league.

While you could trot out various numbers for a handful of solid candidates when debating who should win this award, I’ll take Gobert’s league-leading defensive win share mark and his 2.6 blocks per game. Imagine what that BPG mark would look like if opponents didn’t start game planning ways of avoiding the 7’1″ game-changer the second they saw the Jazz on their team schedule.

Chris Crouse: Draymond Green (Warriors)
What Green does on the floor is truly remarkable. There isn’t a position he can’t guard and you could compile an instructional coaching video purely off his help defense. Gobert is the best rim protector in the league, but Draymond’s ability to disrupt the opposition’s offense at any given spot on the floor is what makes him this season’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Dana Gauruder: Rudy Gobert (Jazz)
Utah defended the two-point shot better than any other team, mainly because it had the league’s top shot blocker anchoring the paint. Green and Kawhi Leonard are also worthy candidates, but the Jazz improved dramatically this season and a healthy Gobert (until the postseason) was a major factor.

Luke Adams: Draymond Green (Warriors)
I’ve gone back and forth between Green and Gobert, and the Jazz center is certainly a worthy choice. However, after the Warriors appeared to take a major step backwards last offseason in terms of interior defense by replacing rim-protecting rotation players like Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli with Zaza Pachulia and David West, Green’s play this season helped ensure that rim protection wasn’t an issue for Golden State after all. Green’s versatility – including his ability to switch onto virtually any player – gives him the slightest edge over Gobert and his interior dominance.

Who is your pick for Defensive Player of the Year? Share your choices and your thoughts in the comments section below!

Previously:
April 13: Executive of the Year
April 14: Coach of the Year
April 17: Most Improved Player
April 18: Sixth Man of the Year

Still to come:
April 20: Rookie of the Year
April 21: Most Valuable Player

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Poll: 2017 All-NBA Second Team

April 19th, 2017 at 10:48am CST by Luke Adams

In an NBA season packed with incredible performances and remarkable statistical achievements, we’re letting you decide which 15 players are most deserving of All-NBA recognition.

On Tuesday, we opened voting for the All-NBA First Team, and 24 hours later, we have clear answers for which five players you believe deserve spots on that team. James Harden and Russell Westbrook ran away with the two guard spots, while LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard comfortably won the vote for forwards. At center, Anthony Davis topped all challengers to earn a spot on our All-NBA First Team.

The voting results so far:

All-NBA First Team

With four clear-cut MVP candidates on the First Team, the choices were somewhat straightforward, but that’s not the case for the next 10 spots, where there should be several interesting races. We’re moving on today to the All-NBA Second Team, so cast your votes below for the two guards, two forwards, and one center that you believe are most deserving of being named to that squad.

You’ll have about 24 hours for this round of voting before we move on to the All-NBA Third Team on Thursday. You’ll also have the opportunity to select two players apiece in the guard and forward polls, so be sure to take advantage of that. And if there’s a player not listed below that you believe deserves All-NBA consideration, be sure to mention him in the comments section too — if I agree, I’ll make sure he’s included in our All-NBA Third Team poll.

Guards:

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote on the All-NBA Second Team guards.

Forwards:

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote on the All-NBA Second Team forwards.

Center:

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote on the All-NBA Second Team center.

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NBA Draft Tiebreaker Results, Tentative 2017 Order

April 18th, 2017 at 2:29pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA conducted its draft tiebreakers today, determining which teams who finished tied in the standings at the end of the season will receive higher picks in the 2017 draft.

There was one tie in the lottery, for the No. 6 spot, and the Timberwolves won today’s tiebreaker over the Knicks. However, both teams will have essentially equal odds to jump into the top three, since their lottery chances will be split evenly.

In instances where the two teams are splitting up an odd number of chances, the Wolves will receive very slightly better odds by virtue of winning today’s tiebreaker. For instance, they’ll have a 7% chance at the No. 3 pick, while the Knicks will have 6.9% odds.

Here are today’s tiebreaker results:

  • Timberwolves win tiebreaker over Knicks for 6th pick (pending lottery results).
  • Trail Blazers win tiebreaker over Bulls for 15th pick.
  • Bucks win tiebreaker over Pacers for 17th pick.
  • Hawks win tiebreaker over Grizzlies for 19th pick. Portland receives the Grizzlies’ pick.
  • In four-way tie for picks 23-26, the tiebreaker order is Clippers (23), Jazz (24), Raptors (25), Cavaliers (26). Three of these picks will be traded, as noted below.

Listed below is the tentative draft order for the 2017 NBA draft, pending next month’s lottery results. The order below isn’t set in stone, but it’s what the 2017 draft will look like if the lottery doesn’t result in any changes. This draft order includes all traded first-round and second-round picks.

First round:

  1. Boston Celtics (via Nets)
  2. Phoenix Suns
  3. Los Angeles Lakers
  4. Philadelphia 76ers
  5. Orlando Magic
  6. Minnesota Timberwolves
  7. New York Knicks
  8. Sacramento Kings
  9. Dallas Mavericks
  10. Sacramento Kings (via Pelicans)
  11. Charlotte Hornets
  12. Detroit Pistons
  13. Denver Nuggets
  14. Miami Heat
  15. Portland Trail Blazers
  16. Chicago Bulls
  17. Milwaukee Bucks
  18. Indiana Pacers
  19. Atlanta Hawks
  20. Portland Trail Blazers (via Grizzlies)
  21. Oklahoma City Thunder
  22. Brooklyn Nets (via Wizards)
  23. Toronto Raptors (via Clippers)
  24. Utah Jazz
  25. Orlando Magic (via Raptors)
  26. Portland Trail Blazers (via Cavaliers)
  27. Brooklyn Nets (via Celtics)
  28. Los Angeles Lakers (via Rockets)
  29. San Antonio Spurs
  30. Utah Jazz (via Warriors)

Second round:

  1. Atlanta Hawks (via Nets)
  2. Phoenix Suns
  3. Orlando Magic (via Lakers)
  4. Sacramento Kings (via Sixers)
  5. Orlando Magic
  6. Philadelphia 76ers (via Knicks)
  7. Boston Celtics (via Timberwolves)
  8. Chicago Bulls (via Kings)
  9. Philadelphia 76ers (via Mavericks)
  10. New Orleans Pelicans
  11. Charlotte Hornets
  12. Utah Jazz (via Pistons)
  13. Houston Rockets (via Nuggets)
  14. New York Knicks (via Chicago)
  15. Houston Rockets (via Trail Blazers)
  16. Philadelphia 76ers (via Heat)
  17. Indiana Pacers
  18. Milwaukee Bucks
  19. Denver Nuggets (via Grizzlies)
  20. Philadelphia 76ers (via Hawks)
  21. Oklahoma City Thunder
  22. Washington Wizards
  23. Boston Celtics (via Cavaliers)
  24. Phoenix Suns (via Raptors)
  25. Utah Jazz
  26. Boston Celtics (via Clippers)
  27. Brooklyn Nets (via Celtics)
  28. New York Knicks (via Rockets)
  29. San Antonio Spurs
  30. Atlanta Hawks (via Warriors)

We detailed lottery odds for each of the teams in the top 14 last week. Here are the lottery scenarios that could affect which teams receive draft picks:

  • If the Lakers‘ first-round pick falls outside the top three, the Sixers will receive it. In that scenario, the Lakers would retain their own second-round pick rather than sending it to the Magic.
  • If the Pelicans‘ first-round pick jumps into the top three, they’ll keep it rather than sending it to the Kings.
  • If the Kings‘ own first-round pick falls outside the top 10, the Bulls will receive it, and the Kings will keep their second-round pick rather than sending it to Chicago. If the Kings’ pick jumps into the top three, the Sixers will have the opportunity to swap their first-round pick for Sacramento’s.
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2017 NBA Award Picks: Sixth Man Of The Year

April 18th, 2017 at 1:00pm CST by Hoops Rumors

With the 2016/17 NBA regular season in the books, we’re making our picks for the year’s major awards. The Hoops Rumors writing team has weighed in with our selections below, but we also want to know which players, coaches, and executives you think are most deserving of the hardware this season, so jump into the comments section below to share your thoughts.

We’re keeping things going today with the award for Sixth Man of the Year. Here are our picks:

Chris Crouse: Lou Williams (Lakers/Rockets)Lou Louis Williams vertical
The league’s MVP may be the only award race that’s tighter than the Sixth Man of the Year’s. Eric Gordon had an excellent debut season before cooling off in the second half. James Johnson breathed life into Miami after the team was decimated by injuries. Andre Iguodala held down the second unit of 67-win team. Zach Randolph gave the Grizzlies firepower off the bench where they didn’t have very much else to count on.

Yet, Williams stands out. The 2014/15 Sixth Man of the Year scored 17.5 PPG this season while sporting a career-high 21.4 PER. He had a true shooting percentage of .609 during his 58 games in Los Angeles. His numbers dipped after he was sent to the Rockets at the trade deadline, but he remained a key contributor in Houston, scoring the second-most points per game on the team after the All-Star break. There were plenty of great options off the bench this season, but Williams gets my vote for the best of the bunch.

Dana Gauruder: Lou Williams (Lakers/Rockets)
Williams was so effective off the bench for the going-nowhere Lakers that he got himself traded to a contender. He’s been in the league since 2005/06 and averaged a career high 17.5 points. Williams’ perimeter shooting cooled off after joining the Rockets but he makes them that much more dangerous in the postseason.

Arthur Hill: Eric Gordon (Rockets)
Ever since James Harden arrived in Houston, the Rockets have struggled to score when he’s not in the game. The franchise has been searching for years for a guard who can put pressure on opposing defenses while Harden is resting. They struck gold last summer when Gordon agreed to a four-year, $53MM deal. Gordon shook off his long history of injuries and played 75 games, the most since his rookie season, while averaging 16.3 points per night and shooting 37% from 3-point range. His stats alone make him worthy of the Sixth Man award, but his impact on the Rockets has been even greater.

Luke Adams: James Johnson (Heat)
Players like Williams and Gordon fit the mold of a traditional Sixth Man of the Year as second-unit scorers capable of changing games and single-handedly keeping an offense afloat when the starters get some rest. But Johnson’s all-around play on both ends of the floor was game-changing during the Heat’s 30-11 second-half run.

Always an intriguing part-time player, Johnson finally put it all together this season in Miami, scoring (12.8 PPG), passing (3.6 APG), and shooting (.341 FG%) at career-best rates. Most impressively, he showed the ability to guard virtually anyone on an opponent’s roster, one through five, averaging more than a block and a steal per game while maintaining that invaluable versatility.

Austin Kent: Zach Randolph (Grizzlies)
The decision to bump 35-year-old Randolph to the second unit paid off for the Grizzlies and the veteran’s 15th NBA season will go down as one of his most efficient on a per-minute basis. In just over 24 minutes per game, Randolph averaged 14.1 points and 8.2 rebounds, all while playing a vital role in keeping Memphis in the Western Conference playoff picture.

Sure, Z-Bo isn’t doing anything he hasn’t already done for ages, but the fact that he’s now doing it off the pine makes him the scariest bench player in the game. His stats are comparable with any other elite reserve, his team is a winner, and he’s the only backup that’s obviously more intimidating to check than the guy who starts ahead of him.

Who is your pick for Sixth Man of the Year? Share your choices and your thoughts in the comments section below!

Previously:
April 13: Executive of the Year
April 14: Coach of the Year
April 17: Most Improved Player

Still to come:
April 19: Defensive Player of the Year
April 20: Rookie of the Year
April 21: Most Valuable Player

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Poll: 2017 All-NBA First Team

April 18th, 2017 at 9:40am CST by Luke Adams

Russell Westbrook‘s full-season triple-double was the most impressive statistical achievement of the 2016/17 regular season, but the NBA’s stars put up astounding numbers across the board this year, making All-NBA decisions tougher than ever. No matter which 15 players earn spots on the three All-NBA teams for 2017, worthy candidates will miss the cut.

Still, we want you to do your best to identify which 15 players are the most deserving of All-NBA recognition this year. Over the next few days, we’ll be running a handful of polls to let you make your selections for this year’s All-NBA teams.

We’re starting today with the First Team. Polls for the guards, forwards, and center are below — you’ll have the opportunity to pick two players apiece in the guard and forward polls. We’ll leave today’s polls open for about 24 hours, at which point we’ll name the players with the most votes to our All-NBA First Team and move on to voting for the Second Team.

Vote for your All-NBA picks below, and then take to the comments section to explain your reasoning. And if there are a player not listed below that you believe deserves All-NBA consideration, be sure to mention him in the comments section too — if I agree, I’ll make sure he’s included in our Second and Third Team polls.

Guards:

Note: This poll was reset after a top candidate was initially omitted. If you voted early in our original poll, feel free to vote again.

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote on the All-NBA First team guards.

Forwards:

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote on the All-NBA First team forwards.

Centers:

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote on the All-NBA First team center.

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2017 NBA Award Picks: Most Improved Player

April 17th, 2017 at 3:12pm CST by Hoops Rumors

With the 2016/17 NBA regular season in the books, we’re making our picks for the year’s major awards. The Hoops Rumors writing team has weighed in with our selections below, but we also want to know which players, coaches, and executives you think are most deserving of the hardware this season, so jump into the comments section below to share your thoughts.

We’re keeping things going today with the award for Most Improved Player. Here are our picks:

Arthur Hill: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)Giannis Antetokounmpo vertical
Antetokounmpo showed the nation on Saturday what Bucks fans have been watching all season. His 28 points and eight rebounds only told part of the story of his Game 1 dominance against Toronto. Already pegged as a future star before the season began, Antetokounmpo increased his scoring average by six points per game to 22.9 and raised his rebound (8.7) and assist (5.4) averages significantly over last year. He was also the Bucks’ leader in steals and blocks, making him the only player this season to lead his team in all five categories. Antetokounmpo may be a future MVP and is a clear choice for Most Improved.

Luke Adams: Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
While Antetokounmpo’s leap from star to superstar was thrilling to watch and Rudy Gobert‘s improved offensive play took his game to another level, Jokic is my pick for making the jump from solid rotation player to one of the NBA’s best big men. After being inserted into the starting lineup permanently in mid-December, Jokic averaged an eye-popping 19.2 PPG, 10.9 RPG, and 5.8 APG in 51 games. And this wasn’t just a case of increased minutes resulting in increased production — his field goal percentage and his per-minute numbers across the board improved significantly this season.

Dana Gauruder: Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
Who knew this guy would turn into a triple-double threat every night? Certainly not many NBA scouts, as he lasted until the 41st pick in 2014. He’ll provide the Nuggets with a unique weapon in the post for years to come.

Chris Crouse: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
The Greek Freak became a star during the 2016/17 campaign, averaging career-highs in points, assists, rebounds, steals, and blocks per game. As noted above, he led the Bucks in all those categories and he helped them secure a playoff berth after missing the postseason last year. Going from good to great is the hardest step a player can make, and Antetokounmpo deserves credit for making that improvement.

Austin Kent: Isaiah Thomas (Celtics)
There are a number of players who went from good to great this year, but Thomas has been the most improved player in the traditional sense that I’m choosing to base my vote on. This season, Thomas evolved from an opportunistic volume scorer into an outright star, raising his point production (28.9 PPG) and shooting percentages (.464/.380/.909) across the board.

Despite his small stature, Thomas can be a primary offensive weapon for an elite team and not just in a quirky, forced way because he’s the only option. As Boston has grown into a contender, Thomas has developed into a reliable cornerstone and actually answered a lot of the organization’s needs from within.

Who is your pick for Most Improved Player? Share your choices and your thoughts in the comments section below!

Previously:
April 13: Executive of the Year
April 14: Coach of the Year

Still to come:
April 18: Sixth Man of the Year
April 19: Defensive Player of the Year
April 20: Rookie of the Year
April 21: Most Valuable Player

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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