Reporting on how the Suns acquired Bradley Beal, where Chris Paul will land, Deandre Ayton’s future, how Frank Vogel became coach, and free agency with Michael Scotto and John Gambadoro.
HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto and Phoenix Sports Radio Talk Show host John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM share new intel surrounding the Suns’ acquisition of Bradley Beal, what’s next for Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton’s future, how Frank Vogel became head coach, and a free agency preview.
For more interviews with players, coaches, and media members, be sure to like and subscribe to the HoopsHype podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and anywhere else you listen to podcasts. Listen to the podcast above or check out some snippets of the conversation in a transcribed version below.
Analyzing the Bradley Beal trade and how it impacts the Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards.
The Bradley Beal era in Washington is officially over. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Wizards are trading him to the Phoenix Suns for Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, and several second-round picks and first-round pick swaps. According to The Athletic’s Josh Robbins, Jordan Goodwin is also being traded to the Suns.
This trade is as “all-in” as it could get for the Suns, who are now extremely limited in ways to improve the roster going forward. They are now set to have their trio of Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant set to earn $50 million each as soon as the 2024-25 season. As for the Wizards, they officially are entering a rebuild as they look to accumulate assets and generate cap flexibility.
The latest reporting on free agents Fred VanVleet, Khris Middleton, Nikola Vucevic, Harrison Barnes, Donte DiVincenzo, Grant Williams, and trade talks surrounding OG Anunoby and Jonathan Kuminga from HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.
With the NBA draft less than a week away, several teams have an eye toward free agency days later.
Below is a look at the latest intel gathered by HoopsHype on Raptors starters Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby, Bucks swingman Khris Middleton, Bulls center Nikola Vucevic, Warriors players Donte DiVincenzo and Jonathan Kuminga, Harrison Barnes, and Grant Williams.
HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reports on which teams could trade their picks in a new NBA mock draft. Plus, which players are rising on boards.
Following the NBA draft’s early entry deadline, mock draft boards have shifted, with several players rising, including Dereck Lively, Bilal Coulibaly, and Brandin Podziemski, making major first-round leaps. Julian Phillips, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Ben Sheppard, Jordan Walsh, Emoni Bates, Seth Lundy, and others rose in the second round.
To better project where the top prospects currently stand, we compiled 10 mock drafts from ESPN, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, The Ringer, NBADraft.net, Sports Illustrated, CBS Sports, Yahoo, SB Nation, and USA TODAY’s For The Win.
Then, HoopsHype gathered thoughts from multiple NBA executives and scouts for their insight on the projected first-round picks for the sixth edition of the aggregate mock draft to find the answer.
NOTE: These rankings reflect the composite score to get a feel for the overall consensus, not our own opinion. For example, if a player was the first pick on a publication’s mock draft, he received 60 points. If a player was second, he received 59 points, and so on. We then tabulated the total number of points for each player’s consensus ranking.
HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report.
Chris Paul will reportedly be waived. How potentially stretching his contract could open up a flexibility for the Suns this offseason.
After the Phoenix Suns got eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in May, we took a look at their upcoming offseason. The biggest theme is their lack of flexibility with such a top-heavy roster expenses-wise, and that the new CBA would significantly restrict them toward improving the roster. We came to the conclusion that the Suns would have to seriously consider moving off at least one of Deandre Ayton or Chris Paul to regain some flexibility.
HoopsHype’s aggregate NBA mock draft reports which teams may trade their picks and lists rising players, including Brandon Miller, Taylor Hendricks, and more.
Following the NBA Draft Combine, mock draft boards have shifted with the lottery results unveiled and several players rising, including Brandon Miller, Taylor Hendricks,Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Ben Sheppard.
To better project where the top prospects currently stand, we compiled 10 mock drafts from ESPN, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, The Ringer, NBADraft.net, Sports Illustrated, CBS Sports, Yahoo, SB Nation, and USA TODAY’s For The Win.
Then, HoopsHype gathered thoughts from multiple NBA executives and scouts for their insight on the projected first-round picks for the sixth edition of the aggregate mock draft to find the answer.
NOTE: These rankings reflect the composite score to get a feel for the overall consensus, not our own opinion. For example, if a player was the first pick on a publication’s mock draft, he received 60 points. If a player was second, he received 59 points, and so on. We then tabulated the total number of points for each player’s consensus ranking.
HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report.
The Phoenix Suns will need to get creative if they’re going to sufficiently add depth with new roster-building restrictions in the CBA.
The Suns have one of the best star duos in the league but not much else around it. They were hoping to rebuild their depth but restrictions added in the new CBA will make it difficult for them to do so. Their best way forward will likely require them to trade some of their highest-paid players for depth and re-sign their free agents.
Here is a preview of the 2023 offseason for the Phoenix Suns.
Bucks forward Jae Crowder discussed what happened with the Suns, why he didn’t want to play for the Nets and free agency with Michael Scotto
After several trade talks that fell through since the summer and leading up to the trade deadline, Bucks forward Jae Crowder has been all smiles since arriving in Milwaukee months later than he expected.
Despite trade interest from the Hawks, Wizards, Heat, Cavaliers, Mavericks, and other teams for several months – including a brief detour with the Nets as part of the Kevin Durant trade – Crowder kept his eye on one destination throughout, Milwaukee.
While Crowder waited for the Phoenix Suns to trade him, he worked with a trainer and a masseuse while working out twice daily. Crowder didn’t play any five-on-five and focused on individual work and body maintenance to be ready when he got the call.
Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports
After former Suns forward Cam Johnson suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee in early November, some around the league wondered if there could be a pathway to reconciliation for Crowder and the Suns. Despite Johnson’s lengthy injury, the Suns never discussed bringing Crowder back into the fold, nor did he express interest in a return, league sources told HoopsHype.
“Nah, there wasn’t a chance I was going to play there,” Crowder told HoopsHype. “Both sides knew that the road had come to an end. That came to an end way before Cam got hurt. I wasn’t going back on it, and they weren’t going back on it.”
As noted above, Atlanta was one of the teams trying to acquire Crowder. The Hawks, Rockets, and Suns had exploratory discussions on a three-team trade. In that scenario, John Collins would’ve landed with the Rockets, Eric Gordon and KJ Martin with the Suns, and Crowder and Landry Shamet with the Hawks, but nothing of substance materialized, league sources told HoopsHype. Atlanta also tried to acquire Crowder in three-team trade talks with Utah and Phoenix centered around Collins going to Utah, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley going to Phoenix, and Crowder and Shamet going to Atlanta. Among the reasons this scenario didn’t materialize was a disagreement in draft pick compensation that would’ve gone to Utah in the talks.
The Wizards and Suns had trade talks centered around Rui Hachimura for Crowder, but Washington pulled out of the Crowder sweepstakes and sent Hachimura to the Lakers instead.
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
The Bucks tried to acquire Crowder through several other trade scenarios before finally landing him. One included a three-team trade where Crowder would’ve landed in Milwaukee, Grayson Allen in Charlotte with draft pick compensation, and Jalen McDaniels and salary filler in Phoenix. Charlotte was angling for a first-round pick in this scenario but couldn’t secure one in the trade talks, league sources told HoopsHype.
On Tuesday, Crowder faced the Nets for the first time since Brooklyn rerouted him to the Bucks before the trade deadline. Following Milwaukee’s win at Barclays Center, Crowder was asked if he ever thought he’d remain with Brooklyn past the trade deadline.
“Honestly, I think this situation was so far along in the negotiation talks that I was destined to be here,” Crowder told HoopsHype. “I was trying to get here. That’s what it was. It had nothing to do with their organization or team. I just felt like I was so far along in the negotiation period that I was talking to these guys (Bucks) for months. I wanted this situation to go down because I knew my role, and I didn’t want to go to a different situation without a role.”
Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports
Since joining Milwaukee, Crowder has been openly embraced by his teammates and coach Mike Budenholzer. After missing the first 60 games of the season, continuing to learn Milwaukee’s full playbook, and being on a minutes restriction, the Bucks are asking Crowder to bring defense and be a locker room leader comparable to PJ Tucker.
The Bucks are 4-0 with Crowder in the lineup since the trade deadline and extended their winning streak to 16 games with a win over Orlando on Wednesday. Given Crowder’s role and journey to get to Milwaukee this season, could he remain a Buck long-term when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer? Crowder hinted at the possibility.
“I think this team has what it takes to win a championship,” Crowder told HoopsHype. “That’s my main goal right now. I think once you win a championship, the rest of that stuff will take care of itself. My main goal, honestly, is not thinking about free agency or the summer. It’s all about winning the championship. I think that’s our locker room goal, and when I came into it, I knew that was the goal of the team.”
After several months of being in limbo with his free agency value and future hanging in the balance before finally beginning to settle in with Milwaukee, HoopsHype asked if he would’ve done anything different throughout his trade request and experience since the summer.
“I’d do it all over again,” Crowder replied.
You can follow Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) on Twitter.
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Reporting on the potential buyout market for Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, Patrick Beverley, and an Alex Caruso interview on HoopsHype.
The fallout from the NBA’s trade deadline continues with several former All-Stars considering new destinations, such as Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook.
With that in mind, this week’s NBA notebook includes the new intel on the Miami Heat and New York Knicks and conversations with Chicago Bulls players Alex Caruso and Andre Drummond from our Michael Scotto. Plus, the latest buyout market commentary on Love, Patrick Beverley, and others from our capologist Yossi Gozlan, and a free agency stock watch from our Frank Urbina.
Reporting on Mikal Bridges trade talk, free agency for Miles Bridges, PJ Washington, Grant Williams and more from HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto
When the dust settled from the trade deadline, there were 53 players traded, and over $500 million in salaries moved this week.
With the deadline behind us, check out the latest intel gathered by HoopsHype on trade talks that fell through and some things to keep an eye on with free agency looming.
