Victor Wembanyama Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Wembanyama, Hall Of Fame, Cap Room, Prospects, Europe

August 10th, 2023 at 9:26pm CST by Earnest Marshall

Victor Wembanyama‘s first NBA game takes place on Oct. 25, one day after opening day, according to NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link). The Spurs play the Mavericks on the second day of the regular season, pitting Wembanyama against Dallas star Luka Doncic.

The Spurs’ offseason revolved around developing their young corps, featuring players like Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and Jeremy Sochan, along with taking in big contracts in exchange for draft capital. Meanwhile, the Mavericks made several moves in free agency and in the draft to help them rebound from a lackluster 2022/23.

Stein also tweets that the full ’23/24 schedule release is expected next week. Shams Charania reported the NBA’s opening day lineup and the slate of Christmas Day games earlier today.

Here are more notes from around the basketball world:

With the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2023 induction taking place this weekend, The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov explored candidacies of several players for the Hall. Vorkunov evaluates DeMar DeRozan, Paul George and Kyrie Irving‘s respective cases. Even though he lists all as “near locks,” DeRozan and Irving could be on the cusp. In total, Vorkunov lists 41 players, breaking them into tiers for their likelihood of reaching the Hall. Vorkunov predicts some are obvious locks to be named, like LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, while others like Rajon Rondo and Blake Griffin, might not make it. Vorkunov also discusses players who are on track to be named to the Hall, like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Bam Adebayo, and breaks down why Derrick Rose will be the only MVP to not make the Hall of Fame. I recommend reading the article in full, some picks may surprise you.
Spotrac contributor Keith Smith made his first pass at 2024 cap space projections (Twitter link). Smith lists seven teams that are projected to have over $20MM in cap to work with. The Spurs lead the way with projected 2024 cap space, sitting at $55.3MM, according to Smith, while the Magic are close behind with $51.3MM to spend. The Jazz, Hornets, Pistons, Sixers and Wizards round out the top seven. Pascal Siakam, LeBron James (player option), James Harden and DeMar DeRozan are among the players who could be available next free agency.
The FIBA U18 European Championship took place from July 22-30. The event is a great tool to evaluate future NBA prospects, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, who says that more than four first-round picks per year participated in the event between 2011-21. Givony lists his top 10 prospects from the event (subscription required). UCLA-bound Aday Mara, Mohamed Diawara and Mario Saint-Supery are among the players who crack Givony’s top 10. Givony lists 17-year-old Hugo Gonzalez as his pick for best player at the tournament, as he impressed with his blend of size, frame, shot creation and feel.
Players like Kemba Walker, Willy Hernangomez and Raul Neto are among those who made the move to play in Europe next season. In recent years, we’ve seen players like Nikola Mirotic depart the NBA in the middle of their primes in order to pursue opportunities in Europe. Jabari Parker, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft, recently signed overseas and is one of the highest-selected draft picks to do so. Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews (subscriber link) explores why players are making such moves overseas and why European basketball might be an appealing alternative to the NBA or other overseas leagues for players.

Poll: Early Rookie Of The Year Pick

August 9th, 2023 at 3:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Scoot Henderson declared this week that he intends to take home the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award in 2024, and he should be in a good position to do so.

Assuming the Trail Blazers trade Damian Lillard before the season begins, Henderson is primed to play a key role in the backcourt for a Portland team that figures to take a step back and focus more on developing its young cornerstones than vying for a high seed in the Western Conference. In that scenario, this year’s No. 3 overall pick would have the ball in his hands a lot and would be given the opportunity to take on considerable scoring and play-making responsibilites as a rookie.

Unsurprisingly though, betting site BetOnline.ag doesn’t consider Henderson the Rookie of the Year favorite. That spot belongs to No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama, widely considered the best prospect to enter the NBA since LeBron James.

Like LeBron in 2003, Wembanyama is considered a safe bet to make an immediate impact. While San Antonio will likely manage his workload, especially in back-to-back scenarios, he should play a significant frontcourt role on a retooling Spurs team that intends to build around him for years to come. It’s possible Wembanyama won’t match Henderson’s scoring numbers as a rookie, but he has a better chance to be a two-way force in his first NBA season.

While Wembanyama (-150) and Henderson (+250) are the two Rookie of the Year frontrunners, BetOnline.ag considers Thunder big man Chet Holmgren (+325) a legitimate contender too. The No. 2 overall pick in 2022, Holmgren missed his entire rookie season due to a foot injury, putting him in position to essentially get a second rookie year in 2023/24.

Holmgren likely won’t be asked to carry much of the offensive load for an Oklahoma City team that has plenty of scoring options, but his ability to protect the rim and block shots could make him an ideal fit for the Thunder, who could have used that sort of player last season (they ranked 22nd in blocks per game).

Holmgren’s year of NBA seasoning off the court could work in his favor, as could a strong year from the Thunder, who came one play-in game away from a postseason spot last season. Playing a key role on a playoff team helped swing the Rookie of the Year vote in Scottie Barnes‘ favor in 2022, for instance.

While BetOnline.ag views them as longer shots, other rookies who were drafted in the lottery in June, including Hornets forward Brandon Miller and the Thompson twins, could make a run at Rookie of the Year honors too.

We want to know what you think. Who’s your early pick for Rookie of the Year in 2023/24? Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!

Who will be the NBA's 2023/24 Rookie of the Year?

Victor Wembanyama (Spurs) 29.99% (374 votes)

Scoot Henderson (Trail Blazers) 28.79% (359 votes)

Chet Holmgren (Thunder) 25.74% (321 votes)

Someone else 15.48% (193 votes)

Total Votes: 1,247

Southwest Notes: Spurs Arena, Mavs’ WNBA Investment, Jackson Jr., Aldama

August 7th, 2023 at 9:02pm CST by Dana Gauruder

It’s no coincidence that the Spurs found a sponsor for their arena after winning the lottery and selecting Victor Wembanyama, Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News writes. The arena, previously named the AT&T Center, has been renamed Frost Bank Center. The agreement is expected to last for the duration of the team’s lease, which runs through the 2031/32 season.

The Spurs received about 4,000 new season-ticket deposits between the lottery and draft due to Wembanyama mania. That helped to convince Front Bank to become the new sponsor.

The AT&T Center’s marquee became available in 2021, when the telecommunications company decided not to renew its naming rights deal. The Spurs were unable to find a new partner at that time, so they extended their agreement with AT&T through last season.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

The Mavericks and the WNBA’s Dallas Wings have forged a business and philanthropic partnership, according to Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. The Wings, who are independently owned, are now wearing a Mavericks-sponsored jersey patch featuring the logos of the Mavericks and GEM: Girls Empowered by Mavericks. The Mavericks have made a seven-figure investment in the WNBA club. “I’m unaware of any partnership to this extent, breadth and depth between NBA and WNBA teams that are not a shared ownership situation,” Wings president and CEO Greg Bibb said.
In a subscriber-only article, Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal details how the Grizzlies front office has been in contact with Team USA and Spain with regard to the minutes Jaren Jackson Jr. and Santi Aldama will play in the FIBA World Cup and is pleased with the communication from both national teams.
Aldama is looking forward to playing against top competition in the World Cup, the Grizzlies forward told Michael Wallace of the team’s website. “This is all just in general for my growth,” he said. “It’s just a learning opportunity. I need to put on some pounds, get bigger, quicker and stronger overall. I’ve got to get to the best version of myself and help my teammates in as many ways as possible, play multiple positions.”
The Rockets recently added two players to their training camp roster. Get the details here.

Players Who Signed July 1 Are Now Eligible To Be Traded

July 31st, 2023 at 9:22am CST by Arthur Hill

The peak of the NBA’s transactions season has calmed down after an active start to July, but a few more players have become eligible to be traded on the final day of the month, notes Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link).

The 30-day trade restriction window has expired for draft picks who signed their contracts on July 1, along with six players who inked two-way contracts on that date.

The designation won’t matter for those at the very top of the draft, as the Spurs and Trail Blazers obviously won’t consider trading Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson, respectively. However, it could come into play for a few others, especially if more big-name players are on the move as the summer winds down.

In addition to those top-three picks, first-rounders who signed on July 1 are the Magic’s Anthony Black and Jett Howard, the Pacers‘ Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard, the Trail Blazers‘ Kris Murray and the Heat’s Jaime Jaquez. The No. 18 pick out of UCLA, Jaquez has been mentioned as a potential asset in a trade to bring Damian Lillard to Miami.

Two-way players who signed on July 1, according to NBA.com’s transactions log, are the Sixers‘ Terquavion Smith and Ricky Council, the Heat‘s Dru Smith and Jamaree Bouyea, the Trail Blazers‘ Ibou Badji and the Rockets‘ Trevor Hudgins.

Most veteran free agents who signed this summer won’t become eligible to be traded by their teams until December 15 or January 15, depending on their circumstances. Those signings didn’t become official until July 6 or later because of the NBA’s summer moratorium.

And-Ones: Walker, Irving, Summer League Rookies

July 22nd, 2023 at 8:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kemba Walker is ready for the opportunity to revive his career in France, whether it eventually leads him back to the NBA or not. After signing a one-year deal with AS Monaco Basket, Walker talked about his future in a press release issued by the team.

“The NBA is obviously the main focus, but I played there for many years,” he said. “For now I am only focusing on my new adventure, this experience that awaits me with the new life I will have. I am so excited and looking forward to this opportunity in Monaco. I’m really looking forward to discovering the city, the people, my teammates, the staff and everything around the club. We are going to live great moments. Let it begin.”

Walker is a four-time All-Star, but his career has been slowed by knee issues over the past three years. He signed with the Mavericks late last November, but played just nine games before Dallas waived him in January to avoid having a full guarantee on his salary.

Walker hasn’t gotten any other NBA offers, so he was open to playing in Europe when AS Monaco reached out to him.

“The club was very interested in me, and I just wanted to be part of a club that wanted me, that believed in me,” Walker said. “I saw that the leaders felt that I could help them reach another level. That’s what convinced me, and what made me decide to join Monaco. In addition, it is an extraordinary city, in which I want to spend time, gain a new life experience. So it’s going to be a lot of fun, and I’m looking forward to this opportunity. I just want to keep playing basketball at a high level, and Monaco allows me to do that.”

There’s more news from around the basketball world:

Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving posted a triple-double on Saturday in his first-ever appearance at the Drew League in Los Angeles, writes Law Murray of The Athletic. Irving helped his team, Nationwide Souljas, qualify for next month’s playoffs in the pro-am league, which he is now eligible to participate in.
Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama should eventually become a dominant player, but turnovers might be a problem for him in his first NBA season, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic states in a review of several rookies at Summer League. Wembanyama’s handle isn’t as tight as it needs to be when he drives to the basket, Vecenie observes, but he’s still likely to have the best career of anyone in the 2023 draft class. Vecenie also predicts stardom for Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson and offers his thoughts on numerous other first-year players.
Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic explains why it makes more sense to evaluate new free agent contracts by the percentage of the salary cap they take up rather than their overall dollar value.

Southwest Notes: Collins, Wembanyama, Green, Wood, Williamson

July 16th, 2023 at 5:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Spurs big man Zach Collins believes the team’s league-worst defense will instantly improve next season with the addition of Victor Wembanyama, he told Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News. “If he was just that tall and he wasn’t good at basketball, we would be better defensively,” Collins said. “But the fact that he is obviously very smart on defense and uses his length really well, it’s going to be so much better for us.”

Wembanyama had eight blocks in the first two Spurs’ Summer League games. “I think it will give our guards so much more confidence to get up and pressure guys knowing we have him back there,” Collins said.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

The Mavericks are expected to engage in rookie scale contract extension talks with Josh Green, according to Marc Stein in a Substack article. The two sides had an agreement that they would begin talks later in free agency. Green will be a restricted free agent next summer if an extension is not reached.
In the same piece, Stein reports the Mavericks would have some interest in doing a sign-and-trade deal involving Christian Wood but only if they get a player they really want in return. They are already hard-capped and would be in some danger of surpassing the luxury tax threshold if they bring in another non-minimum player, which would give them pause regarding a Wood sign-and-trade.
Pelicans VP of basketball operations David Griffin claims his team never discussed a Zion Williamson trade this offseason. “We never had a single (trade) conversation that Zion was part of,” Griffin said on a SiriusXM NBA Radio interview (hat tip to RealGM). Griffin also said there’s no disconnect between Williamson and the franchise. “I would say that it’s as good as it’s ever been,” Griffin said of Williamson’s relationship with the team.

Southwest Notes: Wembanyama, Kyrie, Bane, Rockets, Liddell

July 11th, 2023 at 1:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Victor Wembanyama‘s Summer League experience is over after just two games, the Spurs confirmed on Monday (story via Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press). Wembanyama had an up-and-down debut on Friday, making just 2-of-13 shots from the floor, but showed on Sunday why he’s considered the best prospect to enter the NBA in years, racking up 27 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks in 27 minutes of action vs. Portland.

As Reynolds writes, shutting down Wembanyama at this point will give the Spurs an opportunity to evaluate other young players during the club’s remaining games in Vegas. It will also give the No. 1 overall pick a much-needed break — his season in France didn’t end until June, and he has had a demanding schedule of media obligations since arriving stateside last month.

“In the past month, I think basketball wasn’t even 50% of my schedule,” Wembanyama said on Sunday. “I can’t stand it. I know it’s a special moment in my life, but I’m glad it’s over. Honestly. I just want to hoop. I just want to work out, lift because this is my life. Obviously, every first pick is going to go through this. And it just makes me better for the future.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Kyrie Irving‘s new three-year, $120MM+ contract with the Mavericks features a 15% trade kicker, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). There’s also a 15% trade kicker in Desmond Bane‘s five-year, $197MM+ extension with the Grizzlies, Hoops Rumors has learned.
New Houston forward Dillon Brooks sees similarities between his new team and his old one, suggesting that the Rockets are where the Grizzlies were a few years ago, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscriber link). “I feel like it’s almost the exact same team,” Brooks said. “Three, four years ago, we had almost the same type of players. Jalen Green (is) like Ja Morant. Jabari (Smith) is like Jaren (Jackson Jr.). Young guys that can expand their game to be among the best or the best in the league. I feel like those two guys are almost the same type of deal.”
After missing his entire rookie season due to an ACL tear, E.J. Liddell was thrilled to get a promotion from his two-way deal to the Pelicans‘ standard roster, as he tells William Guillory of The Athletic. “They told me how happy they were about my approach during the recovery process, and that meant everything to me,” said Liddell, whom New Orleans signed using a small slice of the mid-level exception. “I’m just going to keep embracing this opportunity. Keep showing up and doing what I’ve got to do everyday. I’ve just got to keep being me, and it’s great to know they appreciate me for being me. It means the world.”

Southwest Notes: Wembanyama, Kareem, Bane, Pelicans

July 9th, 2023 at 3:25pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Spurs’ prized 2023 draft pick, power forward Victor Wembanyama, may not be a superstar immediately when his rookie year begins, but San Antonio will need to give him a long leash, notes Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

The 7’4″ big man submitted a middling first Summer League game against the Hornets, scoring nine points on 2-of-13 shooting from the floor and pulling down eight boards. Fischer notes that Wembanyama will be playing against veteran pros who could weigh as much as 60 pounds more than him. Adding muscle and improving his jump shooting could be the keys to his long-term growth.

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

Wembanyama recently received some advice from one of the other most highly-touted NBA prospects ever, Hall of Fame Bucks and Lakers center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, at the first ever NBA Con in Las Vegas, writes Jeff Maillet of The Athletic. “We were overcoached,” Abdul-Jabbar opined about his own era of players. “I wanted to bring the ball up (like Wembanyama did in his summer-league opener) but wasn’t allowed to. If I did, I would’ve had splinters in my ass (from sitting on the bench).” The first-year Spurs big man will certainly have the option of running more plays himself than Abdul-Jabbar did in his era.
Signing Grizzlies shooting guard Desmond Bane to a five-year, $200MM+ contract extension was a fairly straightforward choice for the Memphis front office brain trust, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. “He is what we’re about and what we’re pushing for together,” team president Zach Kleiman said. “We want people who are wired like Des driving us to get there, so [not] the most complicated decision on our end.”
The Pelicans are kicking off a crucial 2023/24 run without huge personnel adjustments, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. Clark notes that, though the Pelicans potentially had the assets to trade up for the draft rights to now-Trail Blazers point guard Scoot Henderson, the team reportedly never made an offer. Clark observes that, under team president David Griffin‘s guidance for the past four years, the team has never had better than the ninth-best record in the West. The team did make the playoffs in 2022 thanks to a strong play-in contest showing, but the health issues of stars Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram seem to have impeded the club’s growth.
Within that same story, Clark reports that the Pelicans extended Griffin’s contract in the spring.

Southwest Notes: Wembanyama, Smart, GG Jackson, Samuels

July 8th, 2023 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Victor Wembanyama was the biggest star in Las Vegas Friday night, but his performance didn’t match the hype leading up to his Summer League debut, writes Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. With NBA legends such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Jerry West watching as part of a sold-out arena, Wembanyama looked more like a 19-year-old adjusting to a new league than a future superstar.

The top pick in this year’s draft scored just nine points while shooting 2-of-13 from the field as the Spurs topped the Hornets. He blocked five shots, showing his potential dominance on defense, but Vorkunov notes that he also had trouble dealing with the physicality of NBA players and was posterized by Charlotte’s Kai Jones.

“Honestly, I didn’t really know what I was doing on the court tonight,” Wembanyama told reporters after the game. “But (I’m) getting ready for the next games. The important thing is to be ready for next season.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Marcus Smart admits being shocked upon learning that he had been traded to the Grizzlies, but he’s looking forward to becoming part of the team’s “Grind City” tradition, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Memphis general manager Zach Kleiman feels fortunate to be able to acquire Smart after the original version of a three-team deal sending Kristaps Porzingis to the Celtics fell apart. “We’re looking for someone who can be the lockdown defender, versatile across positions,” Kleiman said. “We’re looking for more playmaking. We’re looking for someone who’s battle-tested at the highest levels of the NBA. (We were able) to find someone — and I don’t think there’s many players in the NBA and I think Marcus is the very best of them — who kind of checks all those boxes. But much more importantly, somebody who also just passes the gut test. Marcus is someone that is just a flat-out winner.”
The Grizzlies plan to start GG Jackson on a two-way contract, but his Summer League performance suggests he might soon be headed for a standard deal, suggests Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. The second-round pick is averaging 13.7 PPG in his first three games and is coming off a 23-point, 10-rebound outing Thursday night.
Free agent forward Jermaine Samuels has impressed Rockets officials in practice and could be a candidate for a roster spot or a two-way deal, tweets Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.

Southwest Notes: Bullock, Wembanyama, Grizzlies, Kleber

July 6th, 2023 at 3:54pm CST by Rory Maher

The sign-and-trade agreement that is sending Reggie Bullock and a 2030 first-round pick swap (via Dallas) to the Spurs could help them both now and in the future, according to Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscriber link).

As McDonald writes, Bullock will immediately become the oldest player (32) on the roster, with an opportunity to serve as a veteran mentor while competing for rotation minutes. His $10.5MM expiring contract will also push the Spurs above the salary cap floor, giving them access to the annual tax payment from the league’s biggest spenders.

However, the pick swap could turn out to be the real prize, McDonald notes. No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama theoretically will be in his prime in seven years, which might give San Antonio an edge in terms of having a better record than Dallas in 2030 (and thus the swap conveying).

Here’s more from the Southwest:

Speaking of Wembanyama, the Spurs will be cautious with their franchise player, but that doesn’t mean they have durability concerns about the 7’4″ big man, writes Mark Medina of Sportsnaut. It’s normal for top draft picks to have their minutes limited during Summer League action, as Wembanyama will when he makes his debut on Friday in Las Vegas, Medina notes. People around the league believe the Spurs are focused on Wembanyama’s transition to the NBA being as seamless as possible, which is why they want to limit his workload early on.
The Grizzlies‘ playing style won’t change with Ja Morant suspended for the first 25 games of 2023/24, head coach Taylor Jenkins said on NBA TV. “Our system doesn’t change,” Jenkins said, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. “What we emphasize offensively — the pace, the space, the unselfishness — defensively, the discipline nature that we got to have every single night, that’s what we’re going to lean on.” The Grizzlies will also be looking for internal development from Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. to fill Morant’s void, Jenkins added.
Maxi Kleber‘s ’22/23 campaign was ravaged by injury, having suffered a torn hamstring in December that required surgery. The Mavericks big man is healthy again now and feels much more like himself, he tells Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. “I’m ready, yeah. That’s what I’ve been preparing for,” Kleber said when asked if he’s ready for an injury-free season. “Last year was obviously frustrating because I was out for so long. And even coming back, I had so many issues. I couldn’t move properly. It’s something you don’t want to have to deal with during the season. So it was good to have this summer actually to recover and do some work.” Kleber also told Sefko he’ll play for Germany in the World Cup next month, his first national team appearance in several years due to various injuries.