Spurs Notes: Lottery Win, Wembanyama, Next Steps
Although Victor Wembanyama stated publicly in the weeks leading up to Tuesday night that he didn’t have a preferred landing spot, he, his family, and his agents were clearly pleased with the outcome of the draft lottery, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, who notes that the Spurs have been popular in France since Tony Parker and Boris Diaw played in San Antonio.
[RELATED: Spurs Win 2023 NBA Draft Lottery]
“Today was a good day,” Wembanyama tweeted at the end of a Tuesday that saw him score 22 points en route to victory in his French’s team regular season finale before he learned his eventual NBA destination.
It was a memorable day for the Spurs too, whose owner Peter J. Holt represented the team on stage at Tuesday’s lottery. Holt couldn’t hold back his excitement when he saw deputy commissioner Mark Tatum pull the Hornets’ logo out of the envelope at No. 2, shouting and jumping out of his seat.
“I think I jumped the gun, apologies to Charlotte and Mark,” Holt said, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. “I said sorry afterward if any of my spittle went everywhere. I felt a little bad that I jumped the gun before they called our name. But it is just thrilling.”
As Jamal Collier of ESPN relays, Holt said that a Spurs future which was “already bright” is now “going to be through the moon.”
According to Windhorst, the NBA asked teams in a recent memo not to disclose their pick if they won the draft lottery, but San Antonio general manager Brian Wright – who repped the team in the drawing room – couldn’t help but discuss Wembanyama’s upside on Tuesday night.
“People talk about generational talent, and they only think on-court skill, but it’s bigger than that,” Wright said, according to Collier. “His ability to be a great teammate, his ability to think the game, unique challenges, you see him doing things that you wouldn’t even have guessed someone could do. His approach, his professionalism. When you use the word generational talent, it extends beyond your ability to put the ball in the basket. And he’s unique in so many ways.”
Here’s more on the Spurs and Wembanyama:
- Wembanyama was telling people close to him that he wanted to play for the Spurs, according to Marc J. Spears of Andscape, who spoke to current and former French NBA players to get a sense of what Wembanyama’s potential success in the NBA would mean for basketball in the country.
- After averaging 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game in France’s top basketball league (LNB) this season, Wembanyama officially earned MVP honors on Wednesday (Twitter link), becoming the youngest player in LNB history to be named Most Valuable Player.
- In a pair of articles for The Athletic, Sam Vecenie considers how the Spurs should build around Wembanyama, while John Hollinger wonders how landing the French phenom might accelerate the rebuilding process in San Antonio. Vecenie observes that the team still has some work to do in the backcourt, but has solid secondary building blocks in Jeremy Sochan, Devin Vassell, and Keldon Johnson. Hollinger writes that outright tanking for another year with Wembanyama in the picture probably isn’t viable, but suggests the Spurs could wait another year before more aggressively seeking roster upgrades.
- LJ Ellis of Spurs Talk shares nine thoughts on the Spurs in the wake of the lottery win, speculating about next season’s starting five and how the team might use its offseason cap room.
- Given the Spurs’ history of success with international players, the franchise should be a perfect fit for Wembanyama, David Aldridge writes for The Athletic.
Haynes’ Latest: Lue, Suns, CP3, K. Young, Blazers
The Clippers met this week with representatives for head coach Tyronn Lue to discuss his future with the team, league sources tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.
With rumors circulating that the Suns are interested in hiring Lue away from their division rivals, there have been some questions about the coach’s future in Los Angeles. According to Haynes, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is a “huge fan” of Lue and has a great relationship with him, so there’s certainly no indication that the team wants to move on from Lue.
As Haynes writes, Lue has two years remaining on his contract with the Clippers, which pays him about $7MM per year. If the two sides decide they want to amend that agreement, they would likely work out an all-new deal rather than negotiating a contract extension, Haynes adds.
Here’s more from Haynes:
- The Suns are considered likely to guarantee Chris Paul‘s salary for 2023/24, league sources tell Haynes. Paul’s $30.8MM cap hit is currently partially guaranteed for $15.8MM. The 38-year-old is considered a trade candidate, but Haynes hears that Phoenix is “currently of the mindset” that CP3 will be the team’s starting point guard when the ’23/24 season gets underway.
- Kevin Young will interview for the Suns‘ head coaching job as early as next week, according to Haynes, who says Young – an assistant on Monty Williams‘ staff for the last three seasons – appears to have the backing of several Phoenix players.
- Confirming prior reports, Haynes says the Trail Blazers are expected to make the No. 3 overall pick available for trade, though the club is also examining the players who may be available at that spot in the draft. Damian Lillard has let the front office know that he wants the focus to be on acquiring veterans who can help Portland win now, and he and the front office seem to be on the same page, Haynes adds.
- In case you missed it, Haynes also reported that James Harden intends to decline his player option with the Sixers in search of a long-term deal.
James Harden Intends To Decline Option, Seek Long-Term Deal
Sixers guard James Harden plans to turn down his $35.6MM player option for 2023/24 and seek a long-term contract, reports Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report. According to Haynes, Harden hopes to sign a four-year deal in free agency.
Harden will turn 34 in August, so this summer could be his last and best opportunity to secure a significant multiyear contract. He took a pay cut a year ago in order to give Philadelphia the cap flexibility necessary to add roster reinforcements.
The Rockets have been repeatedly linked to Harden since December, and those rumors have only intensified since the Sixers were eliminated from the playoffs over the weekend. However, sources tell Haynes that the former Arizona State standout will only consider suitors that can provide a “competitive roster and the basketball freedom” for Harden to be himself.
That makes Philadelphia the most logical option for now, according to Haynes, who suggests the Rockets would have to retool their roster to some extent if they’re committed to the idea of a reunion with Harden and want to sell the former MVP on the situation in Houston.
Although Harden missed out on All-Star honors this year for the first time since 2012, he still posted strong numbers during the regular season, averaging 21.0 points, a league-leading 10.7 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per game with a .441/.385/.867 shooting line in 58 appearances (36.8 MPG).
His playoff production was inconsistent — his overall averages of 20.3 PPG, 8.3 APG, and 6.2 RPG were solid, but he shot just 39.3% from the field during the postseason and averaged only 12.5 PPG in four losses to Boston.
Asked on Wednesday during his end-of-season media session about the possibility of retaining Harden for next season, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey told reporters, “We can’t have those discussions yet, but we are interested in bringing him back” (Twitter link via Derek Bodner of The Daily Six).
When Morey was asked if that would mean signing Harden to a new contract, he responded, “Well, that’s the only way to do it,” signaling that the 76ers had been planning for the 10-time All-Star to opt out even before Haynes‘ report.
Southeast Notes: Hornets, Wizards, Magic, Haslem
G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson has long been considered the top prospect besides Victor Wembanyama in the 2023 draft class, but an inconsistent 2022/23 season and the emergence of Alabama wing Brandon Miller have loosened his hold on that No. 2 spot. The Hornets, who won the second overall pick in Tuesday’s lottery, already have a long-term cornerstone at point guard (LaMelo Ball), further complicating the team’s decision.
Although Hornets president of basketball operations Mitch Kupchak didn’t mention either Henderson or Miller by name after the lottery, he strongly hinted that the team will consider both players. As Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer writes, Kupchak didn’t rule out the possibility of adding another ball-handling guard to the roster while also indicating that fit will be a consideration.
“We are getting a little bit more advanced in putting this team together. I think three years ago or even two, three years ago I would have said that without question that we are going to take the best available player, and that’s been our position the last three or four years when we are trying to accumulate talent,” Kupchak said. “And I don’t think we are where we need to be from a talent level, but we’ve got a lot more talent now than we did two or three years ago. So, I think we can be a little bit picky and take into consideration not only the overall talent, but the position.”
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- As Josh Robbins of The Athletic writes, head coach Wes Unseld Jr. admitted that it was a “disappointing” lottery night for the Wizards, who didn’t move down but had a great chance to land the No. 1 pick after the first three balls were drawn. Unseld remains confident that the team will be able to find a talented player at No. 8. “I can’t really talk in-depth about individuals, but I think there is some talent (in this draft),” Unseld said. “There’s some positional size. There’s some versatility, some wing depth. So, there certainly is going to be a good player there.”
- Speaking after Tuesday’s lottery, Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman didn’t sound like someone who will be looking to trade one or both of the team’s lottery picks. Weltman, whose Magic control the No. 6 and No. 11 picks this June, said the team’s goal has long been to “build through the draft” and that he’s looking forward to meeting with several of this year’s top prospects (Twitter video link via Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel).
- Heat big man Udonis Haslem, who will retire at season’s end, said this week that he would’ve found a way to be happy about how his career ended even if the team hadn’t made it this far in the playoffs, but he’s pleased to be going out on a positive note, according to Anthony Chiang and Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. “I just didn’t want to underachieve,” Haslem said. “It wasn’t really about how we go out. It’s really about underachieving and not reaching our maximum potential. That’s what I would hate to do any year is underachieve.”
Lowe’s Latest: GM Meetings, Wizards, Blazers, Lue, Kuminga, Harden
The NBA’s general managers held their annual meeting in Chicago on draft lottery day and the discussions among those GMs about a handful of competition-related issues were “lively,” according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe (Insider link).
One of the topics the GMs talked about on Tuesday, according to Lowe, was the idea of turning the NBA draft into a two-day event. They also discussed whether the modern game has tilted too far toward offensive production and considered what could be done to help defenses. Additionally, sources tell Lowe that some executives in attendance suggested bringing back escalating fines as a penalty for players who flop.
Much of the general managers’ conversation revolved around the issue of load management, and Lowe hears from sources that there may be more load management-related rules implemented as soon as next season. According to Lowe, some in attendance at the meetings believe the NBA may revisit its guidelines on when teams are permitted to rest players, as well as the penalties for clubs that violate those guidelines.
Here’s more from Lowe, who was in the drawing room for Tuesday night’s lottery:
- Before the fourth and final lottery ball was drawn for the No. 1 pick, the Wizards had six of the 11 available combinations, according to Lowe and other reporters who attended the drawing. The Magic, Pacers, and Trail Blazers were also still alive for the top pick at that point, but it was the Spurs who lucked out and held the winning combination: 14-5-8-2.
- Rival executives are expecting Portland to re-sign Jerami Grant this offseason, according to Lowe, who says he believes the Trail Blazers will also look into renegotiating the protections on the lottery-protected first-round pick they owe to the Bulls. Removing or reducing the protections on that pick would give the Blazers more flexibility to trade future first-rounders.
- The Clippers love having Tyronn Lue as their head coach and are “happy to remind” teams with interest in Lue that he remains under contract, Lowe reports. The Suns are said to have legitimate interest in hiring Lue away from their division rivals, but it sounds like Los Angeles would make that very difficult. As Lowe notes, it’s still unclear whether or not that’s even something Lue would want.
- Executives in Chicago are “buzzing” about what the future holds for the Warriors and Sixers. Based on his conversations, Lowe says there’s a strong level of interest in Golden State forward Jonathan Kuminga around the NBA. Lowe adds that, while the Rockets and James Harden have mutual interest in a reunion, league sources made it clear that Harden’s return to Houston is no lock after the dismissal of Doc Rivers in Philadelphia.
Draft Rumors: Blazers, Mavericks, Pacers, Kings
While it’s safe to assume the Spurs will be hanging onto their No. 1 overall pick, a number of other first-round picks could be up for grabs following Tuesday’s lottery. Here are a few early reports on some selections that are worth keeping an eye on:
- The Trail Blazers‘ move to No. 3 “raised eyebrows all over the league,” according to Zach Lowe of ESPN.com (Insider link), who says rival executives think Portland will explore the possibility of trading that pick for win-now help. The Blazers, who are expected to be in the market for wings and big men, may not get a difference-making veteran for the No. 3 pick on its own, but attaching a player like Anfernee Simons to it would make for an intriguing package, Lowe notes.
- Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports also touches on the possibility of the Trail Blazers making that third overall pick available via trade, pointing out that there’s a consensus on the top three prospects in this draft. In other words, Portland could hold a “bidding war” on either Scoot Henderson or Brandon Miller, depending on which of them is drafted second overall, Fischer writes.
- The Mavericks, who are eager to build a contender around Luka Doncic, are considered likely to gauge the trade value of the No. 10 overall pick, according to both Fischer and Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link).
- The Pacers control five picks in this year’s draft, including three first-rounders and four in the top 32. They already explored the idea of trading for veteran talent prior to February’s deadline and may revisit that possibility this summer, says Fischer.
- According to Fischer, the Kings are another team to monitor for first-round trade possibilities. Sacramento holds the No. 24 overall selection.
Steve Kerr Talks Draymond, Myers, Poole, Contract
As Draymond Green considers whether or not to pick up his $27.6MM player option for 2023/24, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr made it clear on Tuesday that he wants the veteran forward on Golden State’s roster next season, per Kendra Andrews of ESPN.com.
“Look, if Draymond is not back, we’re not a championship contender,” Kerr said. “We know that. He’s that important to winning and to who we are. I absolutely want him back.”
As Andrews relays, Kerr told reporters that he and Green haven’t spoken since the Warriors’ season ended last week, but he expects to talk to him soon and is confident that the 33-year-old will want to stay with the team.
While Kerr hopes Green will remain with the Warriors, the head coach also stressed that Draymond’s punch of Jordan Poole during training camp negatively impacted the level of trust and chemistry within the locker room entering this season. The club isn’t prepared to sweep that under the rug, according to Kerr, who said that rebuilding the organizational culture will be a top priority this offseason.
“He knows that he also compromised things by what happened back in October,” Kerr said. “So part of him coming back next year has to be about rebuilding some of that trust and respect that he’s earned here for a long period of time.”
Here’s more on the Warriors, including additional comments from Kerr:
- Kerr referred to Bob Myers‘ decision about whether or not to remain in his role of president of basketball operations as a crucial one for the future of the Warriors, per Andrews. “Bob is such an important part of our organization,” Kerr said. “I absolutely hope he comes back, but it’s also a case where I want what’s best for Bob, and if he decides that he’s going to leave, of course, I’m going to support him 100 percent. … I would miss him, but I support him regardless of what he does.”
- Reports last week indicated that the Warriors may not view Jordan Poole as a member of the team’s long-term core going forward. However, Kerr said on Tuesday that he believes Poole is a “foundational” member of the team whose growth will be a key factor in Golden State’s progress in the coming years, according to Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. “He helped us win a lot of games. He helped us win a championship a year ago,” Kerr said. “He would be the first to admit it wasn’t his best season. But that’s how these things go. That’s how careers go. As his coach, it’s my job to help him get better and help him really find his groove and find a good comfort zone next year.”
- Kerr, who has one year remaining on his contract with the Warriors, suggested on Tuesday that he hasn’t begun discussing a contract extension with the team (Twitter video link via Anthony Slater of The Athletic). Kerr added that he’s in “no rush” to push for those talks, since he recognizes that the franchise needs resolution on Myers’ situation first. “Our organization has a lot to sort through this summer,” he said (link via Slater). “My contract situation is not, nor should it be, at the top of the list. Right now Bob’s contract situation is number one because that influences a lot of the player decisions that have to be made, contracts, draft, free agency.”
Commissioner Silver “Shocked” By Morant Video
MAY 17: After Silver spoke to Andrews on Tuesday, Morant issued a statement through his representatives addressing the recent viral video, per Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.
“I know I’ve disappointed a lot of people who have supported me,” Morant said. “This is a journey and I recognize there is more work to do. My words may not mean much right now, but I take full accountability for my actions. I’m committed to continuing to work on myself.”
MAY 16: In a TV appearance at the draft lottery Tuesday evening, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said he was “shocked” by the latest incident of Ja Morant appearing to waive a gun on social media, he told ESPN’s Malika Andrews (Twitter video link).
“Honestly, I was shocked when I saw this weekend that video,” Silver said. “Now, we’re in the process of investigating it, and we’ll figure out exactly what happened to the best we can. The video is a bit grainy and all that, but I’m assuming the worst.”
The incident came less than two-and-a-half months after Morant flashed a firearm at a Denver-area strip club while streaming on Instagram Live. That video, which immediately prompted an investigation from the NBA, eventually led to an eight-game suspension.
“We talked directly about the consequences first,” Silver said of his conversation with Morant following the first incident (hat tip to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon). “Before we got to a subsequent potential to have done something wrong, we were very focused on the misconduct that was in front of us at the time. Frankly, most of our conversation was about how incredibly serious the first incident was of waving a firearm on social media.
“Again, the consequences there — an eight-game suspension — was pretty serious and something that he, at least to me, seemed to take incredibly seriously in that time. And we spoke for a long time about not just the consequences that could have on his career, but the safety issues around it — (Morant) could’ve injured, maimed, killed himself, someone else with an act like that — and also the acknowledgment that he’s a star.
“He has an incredibly huge following, and (we discussed) my concern — and I thought he shared with me — that millions, if not tens of millions, of kids globally would have seen him do something that was celebrating in a way that act of using a firearm in that fashion.”
Morant’s live stream in March was part of a series of troubling off-court incidents allegedly involving the 23-year-old, who punched a 17-year-old during a pickup game last summer, was accused of threatening a security guard at a Memphis mall, and was reportedly involved in a confrontation with members of the Pacers’ traveling party after a January game.
Morant didn’t face any criminal charges for the March incident and almost certainly won’t face any for this video either, but the NBA has significant latitude to fine or suspend its players for conduct it deems detrimental to the league.
The most recent reporting has indicated that Morant, who was suspended from all team activities by the Grizzlies after the latest video, is likely to face a much harsher punishment this time around.
Full 2023 NBA Draft Order
Now that the NBA’s draft lottery results are in, the full 2023 draft order has been set.
We’ll likely see some of these picks change hands on June 23, or in the days leading up to draft night — we’ll be sure to update the list below if and when picks are traded.
Here’s the full 2023 NBA draft order:
First Round:
- San Antonio Spurs
- Charlotte Hornets
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Houston Rockets
- Detroit Pistons
- Orlando Magic
- Indiana Pacers
- Washington Wizards
- Utah Jazz
- Dallas Mavericks
- Orlando Magic (from Bulls)
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Toronto Raptors
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Atlanta Hawks
- Utah Jazz (from Timberwolves)
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Miami Heat
- Golden State Warriors
- Houston Rockets (from Clippers)
- Brooklyn Nets (from Suns)
- Brooklyn Nets
- Portland Trail Blazers (from Knicks)
- Sacramento Kings
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Note: This pick is reportedly being traded to the Celtics.
- Indiana Pacers (from Cavaliers)
- Charlotte Hornets (from Nuggets)
- Utah Jazz (from Sixers)
- Indiana Pacers (from Celtics)
- Note: This pick is reportedly being traded to the Nuggets.
- Los Angeles Clippers (from Bucks)
Second Round:
- Detroit Pistons
- Indiana Pacers (from Rockets)
- Note: This pick is reportedly being traded to the Nuggets.
- San Antonio Spurs
- Charlotte Hornets
- Boston Celtics (from Trail Blazers)
- Note: This pick is reportedly being traded to the Wizards.
- Orlando Magic
- Oklahoma City Thunder (from Wizards)
- Note: This pick is reportedly being traded to the Nuggets.
- Sacramento Kings (from Pacers)
- Charlotte Hornets (from Jazz)
- Denver Nuggets (from Mavericks)
- Note: This pick is reportedly being traded to the Lakers (via the Pacers).
- Note: This pick is reportedly being traded to the Lakers (via the Pacers).
- Charlotte Hornets (from Thunder)
- Washington Wizards (from Bulls)
- Portland Trail Blazers (from Hawks)
- San Antonio Spurs (from Raptors)
- Memphis Grizzlies (from Timberwolves)
- Atlanta Hawks (from Pelicans)
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Note: This pick is reportedly being traded to the Pacers.
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Cleveland Cavaliers (from Warriors)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (from Heat)
- Brooklyn Nets
- Phoenix Suns
- Minnesota Timberwolves (from Knicks)
- Sacramento Kings
- Indiana Pacers (from Cavaliers)
- Memphis Grizzlies
Chicago Bulls (from Nuggets)- Note: The Bulls forfeited this second-round pick due to free agency gun-jumping.
Philadelphia 76ers- Note: The Sixers forfeited this second-round pick due to free agency gun-jumping.
- Washington Wizards (from Celtics)
- Milwaukee Bucks
Wizards Interview Trajan Langdon For Front Office Job
The Wizards have formally interviewed Trajan Langdon for their head of basketball operations vacancy, sources tell Josh Robbins and David Aldridge of The Athletic (Twitter link).
A former first-round pick who spent three seasons in the NBA and several overseas, Langdon has been the Pelicans‘ general manager since 2019. He started his front office career with San Antonio as a scout from 2012-15, had a one-year stop in Cleveland, and was an assistant GM with Brooklyn from 2016-19.
Langdon currently works under Pelicans VP of basketball operations David Griffin. The two have a longstanding work relationship, as Langdon was hired by Griffin when he was running the Cavs’ front office.
The 47-year-old was the first Alaskan to play in the NBA when he was drafted by Cleveland in 1999. Langdon was first identified as a potential candidate by Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today after the Wizards fired president of basketball operations and general manager Tommy Sheppard.
Ava Wallace of The Washington Post reported a couple weeks ago that the Wizards had spoken to Langdon, but cautioned that the team was still in the “information-gathering” stage. Bucks assistant GM Milt Newton was another candidate Wallace mentioned.