Paul Silas passed away at 79 due to cardiac arrest. Rest in Peace.
AWARDS:
The MVP will now be awarded the Michael Jordan Trophy.
DPOY: Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy.
Rookie of the Year: Wilt Chamberlain Trophy.
Sixth Man of the Year: John Havlicek Trophy.
Most Improved Player of the Year: George Mikan Trophy.
The NBA has added a Clutch Player of Year award, and the winner will get the Jerry West Trophy.
TRANSACTIONS:
The Spurs waived Alize Johnson and his 1 year non-guaranteed deal.
The Spurs signed Stanley Johnson of the G-League team the Sioux Falls Skyforce. It's a 1 year deal (according to Shams).The Heat waived Dru Smith and his two-way contract. He re-joined their G-League affiliate the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
The Heat re-signed Orlando Robinson of the Sioux Falls Skyforce to a two-way contract.Free agent Tyrell Terry, 22, retired citing mental health reasons.
RJ Nembhard of the G-League team the Motor City Cruise signed with Italian team Pallacanestro Reggiana.
TRADE RUMORS:
League personnel who have spoken with Michael Grange feel it could be a busy trade season because of how flat the standings are - some teams could convince themselves they can make a playoff run, some could tank.
The Knicks, Lakers, and Rockets have been described by league personnel as the more active teams in early trade talks (according to Jake Fischer).
Buyers around the league are waiting for more teams than the Spurs, Magic, Pistons, and Rockets to open for trade business (according to Fischer).
The Suns had engaged in three-team trade talks that would have sent Jae Crowder to the Bucks, four Milwaukee 2nd round picks along with players to the Rockets, and Eric Gordon and/or Kenyon Martin Jr. to Phoenix. The holdup talks was that Houston is coveting a 1st round pick for Gordon, and a very good 1st round pick for Martin Jr. (not a batch of 2nd round picks) (according to Shams). This deal never gained traction past the proposal stage or a 2nd phone call (according to Jonathan Feigen). The talks that extended to include the Warriors but nothing came of it (according to Eric Pincus). Crowder played for Marquette.
The Rockets have had trade interest in Eric Gordon from several contending teams but appear less willing to entertain the topic of Kenyon Martin Jr. (per Shams). However, Martin still wants out. He has fans around the league due to his age (21) (per Pincus).
The Rockets have held preliminary trade talks about Eric Gordon with about a half-dozen teams. A number of contenders are expected to target him for his outside shot-making, defending multiple positions, and his non-guaranteed salary next season (per Feigen).
The Rockets don't just want a 2023 1st round pick from a contender for Eric Gordon since it would likely be in the mid-to-late 20s. They want a 1st round pick in a future season or from a third team that has a chance of a higher pick. However, Houston isn’t all that interested in adding a third 2023 1st round pick with so many young players already on the roster (per Feigen).
A three-team Hawks-Suns-Jazz trade concept circled around league executives that would have sent Jae Crowder to Atlanta. Jarred Vanderbilt is of known interest to the Suns. Atlanta certainly views the Jazz as a potential landing spot for John Collins. Landry Shamet is now often included in deal frameworks that would send Jae Crowder to ATL. However, it appears this three-team framework is an expired idea that never gained traction due to draft pick compensation and other shortcomings.(according to Jake Fischer).
The Heat are expected to have a re-energized trade pursuit for Jae Crowder soon because they have a slew of players who become trade-eligible starting January 15 (per Shams).
The Lakers are also believed to be interested in Jae Crowder (per Pincus).
A league executive who spoke with Steve Bulpett said that they have feeling that the Warriors are going to make either James Wiseman or Jonathan Kuminga available for trade as they just need another solid veteran. The executive said that Golden State thinks Wiseman and Kuminga are decent enough talent-wise but can't execute.
The league executive who spoke with Bulpett said that James Wiseman might be more available for trade than Jonathan Kuminga, as there's concern about how committed he is - did he choose the game or did the game choose him.
In addition to the Lakers and Clippers, the Warriors are included in the plenty of teams interested in trading for Myles Turner (according to Pincus).
Rival teams have eyes on Buddy Hield and T.J. McConnell (per Pincus).
In addition to the Jazz, Wizards, and Nets, the Mavericks are among the several teams in the trade market for John Collins (according to Shams).
The Pacers have been mentioned as a strong candidate to trade for John Collins in recent weeks (according to Marc Stein). Indiana has told inquiring teams that they are searching for a power forward to join their rebuild that features Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin (according to Jake Fischer).
There does not appear to be any traction on a potential framework of a John Collins for Kyle Kuzma trade (per Shams).
The Hawks have yet to show interest in a potential John Collins trade framework that would include Joe Harris from the Nets (per Shams).
Teams are waiting to see if the Wizards will trade Kyle Kuzma (according to Eric Pincus).
The Lakers have inquired about trading for Kyle Kuzma and are definitely interested in reuniting with him (according to Chris Haynes).
The Knicks are a suitor for Kyle Kuzma with young players (Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quickley) and draft compensation (per Pincus).
JaVale McGee is a trade candidate (according to Michael Scotto).
Some competing executives think the Mavericks should target Immanuel Quickley (according to Pincus).
The Knicks' asking price for Cam Reddish appears to be a 2nd round pick or a player on a rookie contract with a different skill set (according to Stefan Bondy).
Several teams are interested in Cam Reddish (according to Yossi Gozlan).
The Lakers are prioritizing shooting in their conversations with teams (according to Shams). They feel like they're not far from fielding a contender (according to Eric Pincus).
Concerns persist internally that Russell Westbrook doesn't complement LeBron James and that the mix of stars might not work in the playoffs when rotations shorten. The Heat are a potential destination for Westbrook as a post-trade buyout candidate (per Pincus).
However, Russell Westbrook's play this past month has made it increasingly unlikely that he will be traded before the deadline. Jeanie Buss was known to be reluctant to give up onWestbrook in the days leading into training camp when they came so close to trading with the Pacers (according to Sam Amick).
The Lakers have discussed trade concepts involving Cam Reddish and Evan Fournier (per Shams). Before the Knicks benched Reddish, they had engaged the Lakers to see if they'd be interested in swapping Fournier for Patrick Beverley and Kendrick Nunn (according to Michael Scotto).
The Lakers' primary trade efforts at this point have centered around Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn, and a protected future 1st round pick (according to Jake Fischer).
The Lakers have discussed packages including salaries and a protected 1st round pick for Bojan Bogdanovic (per Shams). They made an offer to the Pistons centered on a protected future 1st round pick (according to Marc Stein). Los Angeles is one of about a dozen teams to inquire about trading for Bojan, offering 1st or 2nd round picks, but Detroit is showing no urgency to move him and have expressed to rival teams a significant reluctance about dealing him (per Shams). The Pistons are patiently waiting for an offer with a suitable 1st round pick for Bogdanovic (per Pincus). The Pistons' acquisition of Bogdanovic further signaled to some people around the league that Detroit wanted to compete for the play-in tournament (per Scotto).
The Lakers offered the Pistons Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn, and a heavily protected future 1st round pick for Bojan Bogdanovic, but Detroit seems keen to hold out for a more tangible draft asset. Should Beverley be traded to a rebuilding team like the Pistons, he desires to return to the Timberwoves if he's bought out (per Fischer).
When talking to people around the league, it doesn't appear to be a guarantee that the Pistons will be sellers by the trade deadline. They are in the business of being better sooner rather than later (according to James L. Edwards III).
Bojan Bogdanovic has added great leadership value to a young Pistons team, and with Detroit interested in turning a corner over the next year, the idea of keeping him is appealing to the organization (per Edwards). The Pistons have yet to be willing to engage in trade talks for Bojan, but rival executives are hopeful that stance changes closer to the trade deadline if Detroit continues to remain in the cellar of the East (according to Scotto).
In addition to the Lakers, the Heat, Mavericks, and Hawks, among several other teams, have expressed interest in trading for Bojan Bogdanovic due to his strong play (per Scotto). The Suns are also believed to be interested in Bogdanovic (according to Pincus).
The Pistons are looking to trade Nerlens Noel and both sides have agreed that a deal is best for both parties. They have had talks with rival teams. The Trail Blazers, Kings, Heat, and Mavericks have been the most engaged (per Edwards). Noel is widely expected to be traded ahead of the deadline (according to Fischer). Detroit is also willing to trade Alec Burks (per Pincus). Burks is drawing trade interest from inquiring teams (per Fischer). However, However, the Pistons view Burks as more than just a veteran mentor because he can contribute now (per Scotto). They have a team option for him next season.
The Mavericks are a potential team to keep an eye on for Nerlens Noel in a Bojan Bogdanovic deal. Dwight Powell and JaVale McGee would be guys to watch out for to be in the mix for a theoretical deal (per Scotto).
Multiple rival teams say that the Pistons' asking price for Saddiq Bey is an unprotected 1st round pick (per Fischer). There is some trade interest from the Heat in Bey. Miami and the Pistons have had conversations about a few players over the last year. Miami was also interested in selecting him in the draft (according to Adam Borai). He went #19, they got Precious Achiuwa at #20.
Rival teams hope the Raptors will fall off and focus on building a new core around Scottie Barnes. The number of teams interested in their players is too long to list (according to Pincus).
The Raptors are said to be making calls with more urgency than would be expected from a management group that tries to keep things lowkey (per Grange).
Internally, the Raptors are still very high on their core and believe that Fred VanVleet, Scottie Barnes, OG Anunoby, and Pascal Siakam are a strong foundation for an elite team (according to Michael Grange).
The Nets will likely ride it out with Kyrie Irving this season (according to Pincus). One executive who spoke with Pincus said the last thing Brooklyn wants to do is inspire another trade demand from Kevin Durant.
The Spurs are trying to rebuild and Josh Richardson and Doug McDermott aren't part of those plans. The fact that Richardson will likely walk this summer and McDermott being overpaid gives San Antonio extra incentive to try and move them (according to Evan Dammarrell).
The Magic would like a 1st round pick for Mo Bamba (according to Pincus).
Several teams hope the Bulls see their roster as a dead-end endeavor (according to Pincus).
Bulls officials have told inquiring teams that they believe they can make the playoffs when healthy (according to Jake Fischer).
FREE AGENCY:
A poll of league executives has Jakob Poeltl's upcoming contract valuation between $15 million per year and $25 million per year (according to Jake Fischer).
Myles Turner would be amenable to returning to the Pacers amid a career season. Indiana has suggested to opposing front offices that they are open to contract extension talks with Turner. However, some rival executives have painted that stance as a negotiating tactic for Indiana to draw greater trade offers for Turner - there were was no development of any contract conversation with Indiana before Turner switched representation (according to Jake Fischer).
Update: The Bulls never truly had significant conversations to restructure Nikola Vucevic's deal, and there are no ongoing contract extension talks between Chicago and Vucevic (according to Fisher).
NCAA:
The NCAA hired Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker (R) as President effective March 2023. His term as Governor ends January 5, 2023. Preceding president Mark Emmert will serve as a consultant through June 2023.
Emoni Bates was sentenced to misdemeanor probation under a diversion program that dismisses the misdemeanor after successful completion of probation.
Cincinnati and head coach Wes Miller signed a 2 year contract extension through the 2028-29 season.
RECRUITING:
NC State commit 3 star PF-C Mady Traore had not been with the team this past semester as he was completing his academic work necessary for enrolling. He was expected to join after the semester break but following the commitment of Isaiah Miranda, Traore has decommitted. H/t Travis Branham.
2023 3 star PF Baye Ndongo is down to 5 schools: Colorado, Nebraska, San Diego, Michigan, and Rutgers. He plans to decide before the end of the year. H/t Joe Tipton.
Despite having a top 5 of Maryland, Texas, Iowa, LSU, and Rutgers, 2024 5 star PF Donnie Freeman, the #1 recruit in his class from DC, still has an open recruitment (according to Jake Weingarten).
Update: 2024 4 star SG Juke Harris said that he would like to commit by the first week of his senior hear if not earlier. H/t Jamie Shaw.
2024 4 star PF-SF Khani Rooths said that the schools keeping in the most contact are Auburn, Maryland, Georgetown, Georgia, Ohio State, and Illinois. H/t Joe Tipton. 24/7 lists Maryland, his hometown school, as the favorites.
2024 4 star C John Bol, the #1 recruit in his class from Kansas, said that in addition to Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Texas Tech, Florida, and USC, Michigan, Marquette, and Nebraska are some other schools that are recruiting him pretty consistently. H/t Jamie Shaw.
2024 4 star SF Rob Dockery said that Texas A&M, Mississippi State, and LSU have been the schools in the most consistent pursuit. H/t Travis Branham.
2024 4 star PG Daquan Davis said that some of the schools he has been hearing from lately include Penn State, George Washington, Maryland, Butler, Mississippi State and Illinois. H/t Branham.
TRANSFERS:
Tony Johnson Jr. transferred from UCF to Manhattan, he announced via Twitter.
Jay Allen Tovar transferred from New Mexico to Southern Utah (according to Jon Rothstein).
AGENTS:
R.J. Hampton's agent at CAA Sports is Aaron Mintz, the same agent of Terrence Ross and Gary Harris (according to Khobi price).
2023 4 star SG-PG Bronny James and 2025 SG Bryce James signed on with Klutch Sports Group for NIL.
Dennis Schroder said that LeBron James told him that he'd like to play another 5-7 season and retire at age 45. H/t Deandre Hayton. He is 38.
NC State sophomore SG Terquavion Smith signed on with Life Sports Agency for NIL (according to Guido Guida).
INJURIES:
Cade Cunningham is out for the season due to left shin surgery. He is expected to make a full recovery ahead of training camp for next season.
Nimari Burnett of Alabama is out 6-8 weeks due to left wrist surgery.
Follow me on Twitter @Kylecohennba.
“Trophies” -- Drake