And-Ones: Tibbetts, J. Jackson, Load Management, Vasiljevic
Veteran NBA assistant Nate Tibbetts, who had been employed by the Magic as part of Jamahl Mosley‘s staff, is finalizing an agreement to become the new head coach of the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). According to Wojnarowski, the deal will make Tibbetts the highest-paid coach in WNBA history.
Tibbetts, who was hired Orlando in 2021, previously served as the associate head coach in Portland and was also an assistant for the Cavaliers. He has head coaching experience at the G League level and has interviewed for the top coaching job for several NBA teams over the years.
Interestingly, one of those NBA head coaching interviews that Tibbetts received was from the Suns back in 2019, before the team hired Monty Williams. Four years later, with the Suns and Mercury under ownership, Tibbetts will be the named the head coach of Phoenix’s other basketball franchise.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Veteran NBA forward Josh Jackson, the No. 4 pick in the 2017 draft, has been accused of raping a woman and then sending two other women to break into apartment to threaten her, according to Shreyas Laddha and Luke Nozicka of The Kansas City Star, who share details from a federal lawsuit filed by Jackson’s accuser. The former Kansas Jayhawk last played in the NBA in 2021/22, when he appeared in 51 games for Detroit and Sacramento.
- While Joe Dumars and the NBA have publicly stated that their data doesn’t support the benefits of “load management,” some coaches around the league are skeptical of that conclusion, according to Joe Vardon and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. “It’s just PR,” one coach told The Athletic. “There are plenty of other studies that prove load management makes sense from an injury and recovery standpoint.”
- Australian guard Dejan Vasiljevic signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Wizards in September and was waived a couple weeks ago, but it seems he won’t be joining the Capital City Go-Go, Washington’s G League affiliate. Olgun Uluc of ESPN reports that Vasiljevic is headed back to his home country and is set to officially sign with the Adelaide 36ers after the Sydney Kings renounced their right of first refusal.
- In a pair of features for The Athletic, John Hollinger makes win-loss predictions for the eight teams he projects to finish at the bottom of the West and his bottom eight teams in the East. Of note: Hollinger has the Kings (39-43) and Bulls (33-49) finishing out of the play-in picture in their respective conferences.
Johnny Davis To Miss 1-2 Weeks With Elbow Sprain
Wizards guard Johnny Davis injured his left elbow on practice on Sunday and has been diagnosed with a sprain, per the team (Twitter link via Ava Wallace of The Washington Post). According to the Wizards, Davis is expected to be out for one or two weeks, so he may not be available when the team tips off its regular season on October 25.
The 2023/24 season is a big one for Davis, who appeared in only 28 games as a rookie and didn’t shoot the ball well (.386/.243/.519). The front office that drafted the former Wisconsin standout 10th overall in 2022 has since been overhauled, so the second-year guard will be looking to make a positive impression on the Wizards’ new decision-makers this season.
Evaluating NBA’s Open Two-Way Contract Slots
As our two-way contract tracker shows, 81 of the 90 available two-way slots available around the NBA are currently occupied, with nine still open as of Friday afternoon.
With the start of the season rapidly approaching, teams will begin cutting down their rosters en masse around October 21, which ensures players clear waivers before the start of the season on October 24. One way teams will manage their rosters before the season is by converting certain Exhibit 10 players to two-way contracts.
[Related: Checking In On NBA’s Two-Way Contract Slots]
Let’s take a look at each open two-way spot on a team-by-team basis and consider who could potentially fill those spots.
Brooklyn Nets
Open two-way spots: 1
The Nets are an interesting case because they don’t currently have anyone signed to the roster that makes sense as a two-way option.
They are reportedly signing Patrick Gardner to an Exhibit 10 deal, though that has yet to happen. Harry Giles, while technically eligible for a two-way deal, is not an option because he is signed to only an Exhibit 9 contract, which are ineligible to be converted if they don’t also include Exhibit 10 language.
For now, it seems as though Brooklyn will either keep the slot open to begin the year, claim someone on waivers from another team, or sign an outside option.
Dallas Mavericks
Open two-way spots: 2
Dallas waived Mike Miles on Saturday, giving them two open two-way contract spots. Two logical options to fill those spots, as we wrote, are training camp invitees Greg Brown and Dexter Dennis. Brown is still just 22 with two NBA seasons under his belt and was a consensus five-star prospect out of high school. Dennis averaged 9.5 points and 5.7 rebounds with Texas A&M in his final collegiate season.
The Mavericks also signed Taze Moore to a camp deal on Monday, who averaged 10.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.6 steals in his final collegiate season with Houston. All three appear to be in play for those final spots, though outside options are always possible.
Detroit Pistons
Open two-way spots: 1
The Pistons have one open standard spot, as well as their open two-way slot. It’s unclear what their plans are with those spots, but it’s possible they give both to players currently on their training camp roster. Stanley Umude, Tosan Evbuomwan, Buddy Boeheim, Zavier Simpson and Jontay Porter are signed to Exhibit 10 deals with Detroit.
Umude appears to have the inside track to a roster spot, whether standard or a two-way deal, given his play in the preseason. However, the Pistons are in a good position to claim a young player on waivers from another team if they chose to, so I’d expect them to at least explore that option.
New Orleans Pelicans
Open two-way spots: 1
The Pelicans also have one open standard spot in addition to their open two-way spot, but given their proximity to the tax, I’d expect them to keep their 15th standard spot open.
That leaves one two-way spot, and they have five players currently signed to Exhibit 10 deals in Jalen Crutcher, Izaiah Brockington, Trey Jemison, Tevian Jones and Malcolm Hill. Jemison, who was once reportedly eyed for a two-way with Phoenix, has been impressive in the preseason and a promotion to a two-way deal wouldn’t be surprising.
Orlando Magic
Open two-way spots: 1
Orlando has a talented crop of players signed to Exhibit 10 deals, including last year’s dunk contest champion Mac McClung. Joining McClung are Trevelin Queen, Brandon Williams and Miye Oni, all of whom have NBA experience.
The Magic traded for the G League rights to McClung and Williams earlier this offseason, which could indicate they don’t plan to convert either given that they have secured their potential G League services However, I expect both to have a chance to make the roster.
Phoenix Suns
Open two-way spots: 1
The Suns don’t have any players currently signed to training camp deals, so it’s hard to predict what they’ll do with these slots. Historically, Phoenix has used their two-way spots to sign players who are older and/or have NBA experience. Ish Wainright and Duane Washington are two such examples and they have Udoka Azubuike and Saben Lee already on board who both fit that bill.
Given that Phoenix is the only team without a G League affiliate for the upcoming season, it’d track that whoever they sign to fill that spot, if any player, would also fulfill that criteria.
San Antonio Spurs
Open two-way spots: 1
Charles Bediako is the only player the Spurs have signed to an Exhibit 10 deal as of Friday afternoon, so he could be a logical option to fill San Antonio’s last two-way contract. Bediako was ESPN’s fifth-best ranked undrafted free agent after the 2023 draft and eight of the top 10 signed two-way deals following the draft (Miles was later waived).
Washington Wizards
Open two-way spots: 1
The Wizards are in the process of cycling through Exhibit 10 players, so I’m not 100% convinced they move either Jules Bernard or Michael Foster Jr., their two current Exhibit 10 signees, to two-way slots. Bernard isn’t a bad bet though — he averaged 15.3 points for Washington’s affiliate Capital City Go-Go last season.
It’s also important to note that every player currently signed to a two-way deal isn’t necessarily a lock to make their team. With a modest contract guarantee, teams often swap out two-way players either before the season or during the course of the year. For example, Miles was waived earlier this week by the Mavericks despite holding a two-way deal.
Potential situations to monitor include Jay Scrubb of the Celtics, who is on a one-year two-way deal but is out for the season with a torn ACL; and Dru Smith of the Heat, whom Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel identified as a possible odd man out, though head coach Erik Spoelstra has spoken highly of him.
Wizards Getting More Players Back To Practice
- The Wizards’ Deni Avdija (back), Patrick Baldwin Jr. (knee) and Taj Gibson (groin) were all full practice participants on Sunday, Josh Robbins of The Athletic tweets. Anthony Gill (hamstring) and Landry Shamet (toe) were the only players who didn’t fully participate.
Unseld Thinks Rollins Has "Elite" Defensive Potential
- Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. thinks second-year guard Ryan Rollins has “elite” defensive potential, per Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network. Rollins, a 2022 second-rounder who was traded to Washington from Golden State this summer, concurs with Unseld’s assessment. “I appreciate that,” he said. “I feel the same way. I’ve got a very long wingspan and I love to play defense. You put the mentality with the physical attributes that I have, I mean, why not?“
2023/24 NBA Over/Unders: Southeast Division
With the 2023/24 NBA regular season around the corner, we’re getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign and continuing an annual Hoops Rumors tradition.
With the help of the lines from a series of sports betting sites – including Bovada and BetOnline – we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.
In 2022/23, our voters went 16-14 on their over/under picks. Can you top that in ’23/24?
We’ll keep our series going today with the Southeast Division…
Miami Heat
- 2022/23 record: 44-38
- Over/under for 2023/24: 46.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
How many games will the Heat win in 2023/24?
-
Under 46.5 59% (242)
-
Over 46.5 41% (168)
Total votes: 410
Atlanta Hawks
- 2022/23 record: 41-41
- Over/under for 2023/24: 42.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Wesley Matthews, Patty Mills, Kobe Bufkin, Mouhamed Gueye
- Lost: John Collins, Aaron Holiday, Vit Krejci, Tyrese Martin
How many games will the Hawks win in 2023/24?
-
Under 42.5 61% (234)
-
Over 42.5 39% (149)
Total votes: 383
Orlando Magic
- 2022/23 record: 34-48
- Over/under for 2023/24: 37.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Anthony Black, Jett Howard, Joe Ingles
- Lost: Bol Bol, Michael Carter-Williams
How many games will the Magic win in 2023/24?
-
Over 37.5 61% (236)
-
Under 37.5 39% (153)
Total votes: 389
Charlotte Hornets
- 2022/23 record: 27-55
- Over/under for 2023/24: 31.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, Nick Smith Jr., Frank Ntilikina
- Lost: Kelly Oubre, Dennis Smith Jr., Kai Jones, Kobi Simmons
How many games will the Hornets win in 2023/24?
-
Under 31.5 66% (246)
-
Over 31.5 34% (128)
Total votes: 374
Washington Wizards
- 2022/23 record: 35-47
- Over/under for 2023/24: 24.5 wins
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Jordan Poole, Tyus Jones, Bilal Coulibaly, Landry Shamet, Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala, Patrick Baldwin, Ryan Rollins
- Note: The Wizards have 17 players on fully guaranteed contracts, so it’s possible not all of these additions will be on the regular season roster.
- Lost: Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, Monte Morris, Kendrick Nunn, Jordan Goodwin, Isaiah Todd
- Added: Jordan Poole, Tyus Jones, Bilal Coulibaly, Landry Shamet, Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala, Patrick Baldwin, Ryan Rollins
How many games will the Wizards win in 2023/24?
-
Over 24.5 53% (204)
-
Under 24.5 47% (179)
Total votes: 383
Previous voting results:
- Denver Nuggets (53.5 wins): Over (52.0%)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (44.5 wins): Over (53.1%)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (44.5 wins): Under (53.6%)
- Utah Jazz (35.5 wins): Over (55.5%)
- Portland Trail Blazers (28.5 wins): Under (50.9%)
- Milwaukee Bucks (54.5 wins): Over (76.9%)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (50.5 wins): Under (52.0%)
- Indiana Pacers (38.5 wins): Over (64.1%)
- Chicago Bulls (37.5 wins): Under (61.9%)
- Detroit Pistons (27.5 wins): Over (53.8%)
- Memphis Grizzlies (46.5 wins): Under (52.1%)
- New Orleans Pelicans (44.5 wins): Under (60.8%)
- Dallas Mavericks (44.5 wins): Under (50.3%)
- Houston Rockets (31.5 wins): Over (59.2%)
- San Antonio Spurs (28.5 wins): Over (54.4%)
Wizards Notes: Coulibaly, Gill, Avdija, Omoruyi, Lineup
It raised some eyebrows around the NBA when the Wizards traded up to No. 7 in June’s draft to nab French forward Bilal Coulibaly, who played second fiddle to Victor Wembanyama for the Metropolitans 92 last season. But Coulibaly, the NBA’s third-youngest player, has impressed the team with his poise and maturity so far this fall, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic.
“I think that’s unique for a teenager,” head coach Wes Unseld Jr. said of Coulibaly’s mindset. “It doesn’t seem like he gets rattled. He’s not overly demonstrative in any way, but I think he’s got the right approach.”
Third-year wing Corey Kispert said that Coulibaly has had to learn a lot in his first NBA training camp and preseason, joking that the rookie has been forced to “drink out of a fire hose” in taking in all the information the Wizards are throwing at him. However, Kispert added that he has been “nothing but impressed” with Coulibaly so far.
According to Ava Wallace of The Washington Post, Unseld said this week that the plan for Coulibaly this season is to give him a “steady diet” of meaningful minutes in games. That might happen in the NBA with the Wizards or in the G League with the Capital City Go-Go. The franchise doesn’t want to rush the developmental process with the 19-year-old, and he’s on board with that plan.
“I know I’m young,” Coulibaly said. “I’ll take the time that it will take.”
Here’s more out of D.C.:
- The Wizards announced on Thursday that forward Anthony Gill has suffered a strained left hamstring and will be sidelined for the next two or three weeks, tweets Wallace. That means Gill likely won’t be available when the club’s regular season begins on October 25.
- Deni Avdija, who has missed the Wizards’ first two preseason games due to back tightness, was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and could’ve played on Thursday if needed, tweets Robbins. It’s sounds like Avdija will be good to go for the start of the regular season, barring a setback.
- Wallace shares some takeaways from the Wizards’ first two preseason games, singling out two-way player Eugene Omoruyi as an under-the-radar standout and observing that the club’s starting lineup is beginning to take shape. Tyus Jones, Jordan Poole, Coulibaly, Kyle Kuzma, and Daniel Gafford have started both preseason contests for Washington, though Wallace suspects Avdija may supplant Coulibaly in that five-man group once he returns.
- With Bradley Beal no longer in Washington, which player or players might emerge as the locker room leader(s) in 2023/24? Candace Buckner of The Washington Post explores that topic, writing that those leadership roles will come down to stature and won’t simply fall to the highest-paid players by default.
Wizards Sign Michael Foster Jr. To Exhibit 10 Contract
The Wizards have made a minor change to their roster, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve signed forward Michael Foster Jr. to an Exhibit 10 contract. Rookie guard Chase Audige, who was also on an Exhibit 10 deal, was waived to open up a spot on the 21-man roster.
Foster went undrafted a year ago after playing for the G League Ignite in 2021/22. He caught on with the Sixers and spent a few weeks at the start of the regular season on a two-way contract with the team, making his NBA debut during that time. However, he was waived last November and spent the rest of the season with the Delaware Blue Coats, Philadelphia’s G League affiliate.
Foster, 20, averaged 13.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in 24.3 minutes per contest in 41 appearances last season for the Blue Coats, posting a shooting line of .519/.254/.693. He continued to play a rotation role for the club en route to its NBAGL championship in the spring.
As we noted earlier today, the Blue Coats traded Foster’s returning rights to the Capital City Go-Go, so he’ll now be in line to play for the Wizards’ G League affiliate if he’s waived and heads to the NBAGL. In that scenario, Foster would be eligible to earn an Exhibit 10 bonus worth up to $75K as long as he spends at least 60 days with the Go-Go.
And-Ones: Dybantsa, Weatherspoon, Breakout Candidates, More
A.J. Dybantsa, a 6’8″ wing from Massachusetts and one of the top high school prospects in the country, intends to reclassify to the 2025 recruiting class, as Jeff Borzello of ESPN.com writes. Dybantsa had previously been the No. 1 player in ESPN’s 2026 recruiting rankings. Now, he becomes the favorite to be selected first overall in the 2026 NBA draft, according to Borzello.
As Borzello explains, Dybantsa, Cooper Flagg, and Cameron Boozer are widely considered the best high school prospects in the country. When ESPN asked 20 college coaches and NBA evaluators to rank the trio this summer, Dybantsa earned seven first-place votes and placed second behind Flagg, who is the frontrunner to be the top pick in the 2025 draft.
“Dybantsa is just the most complete,” one coach told ESPN. “Scores at all three levels. Super athletic. He’s the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft whenever he goes.”
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the league:
- Former Pelicans assistant Teresa Weatherspoon will be the next head coach of the WNBA’s Chiacgo Sky, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). The former WNBA star was an assistant in New Orleans for four seasons before the team parted ways with her in June.
- In John Schuhmann’s general manager poll, two players received more votes than Magic forward Franz Wagner for this season’s top breakout candidate. However, Wagner sits atop the list compiled by Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who spoke to 25 executives around the NBA and has shared the top nine vote-getters. Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and Rockets guard Jalen Green round out Scotto’s top three.
- John Hollinger of The Athletic lists a dozen under-the-radar NBA players whom he expects to have a real impact this season, including Celtics wing Oshae Brissett, Nuggets forward Peyton Watson, Thunder guard Vasilije Micic, and Pelicans forward Naji Marshall.
- The Capital City Go-Go have traded the returning rights to Isaiah Mucius to the Delaware Blue Coats along with a 2024 first-round pick and 2023 second-round pick in the G League draft. In exchange, the Sixers‘ G League affiliate has sent Michael Foster Jr.‘s returning rights to the Wizards‘ affiliate, the Go-Go announced today (via Twitter).
Southeast Notes: Kuzma, Carter, Sheppard, Bridges
When asked to address the Wizards‘ issues in recent seasons, Kyle Kuzma often spoke about how the team wasn’t “playing winning basketball,” writes The Washington Post’s Ava Wallace. Having won a championship in 2021 with the Lakers, Kuzma is now part of an organization that is making winning secondary to building a top-notch organization, according to Wallace.
That’s why it was intriguing to see Kuzma re-up with Washington this offseason. Wallace writes that while money was a factor – he can earn up to $102MM over four years – Kuzma’s communication with the front office and a chance to be a No. 1 on a team were the primary reasons for coming back.
“I’ve said it before: I want to have a chance to lead people and really have a lasting impact on an organization, and this was the best opportunity for me to do that,” Kuzma said.
Jordan Poole quickly moved to try to help convince Kuzma to stay after arriving in a June trade, according to Wallace, who says Poole valued Kuzma and realized the duo could grow together.
“You feel it — the authenticity, the knowledge, the basketball knowledge, his experience,” Poole said. “Being able to have a running mate like that is huge, especially when we have a new group, new front office, new coaches. As long as you think the right way and have the right perspective, everything else will kind of just fall in place.”
Head coach Wes Unseld Jr. feels Kuzma and Poole have “bought in” to the rebuild, according to Wallace. Kuzma averaged 21.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists last season and will embark on his seventh season in the league and third with Washington.
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- Wendell Carter Jr. has had a solid stint with the Magic, but he’s hoping to take things to the next level, as Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel details. Carter is attempting to improve his play-making and shooting in 2023/24, according to Beede, and he’s sometimes been taking over 1,000 shots per day in practice. “His jumper definitely looks cleaner,” Magic forward Paolo Banchero said. “It looks like he’s shooting it more comfortably; less hesitation and letting it rip. It’s been going in.”
- Despite not playing last year after pleading no contest to felony domestic violence in November, Miles Bridges is back with the Hornets and, according to his teammates and coaches, is in game shape, as Roderick Boone writes. “Yeah, it’s been great,” Hornets wing Gordon Hayward said. “Honestly, it’s like he never left, the way he’s fit in just because he knows a lot of the same stuff that we are doing, and he’s going to bring so much versatility to us.“
- While former general manager Tommy Sheppard is out of the picture for the Wizards, his philosophies on defense, pace and attention to detail still ring true, as The Athletic’s Josh Robbins lays out. “You get to the end of the season, and if there’s still questions [about how to play defense], if there’s still confusion or anything, then maybe sometimes you either have to simplify or really go back and say, ‘How much accountability [was there] throughout the year to get us to this point?” Sheppard said in April. “Are we still doing some of the same things?” The Wizards are focusing on using this season as a building block for something bigger, but Robbins opines that if Bilal Coulibaly, Deni Avdija and others don’t make individual strides, it will have been a wasted year.