https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/2v7UsffZhT1vLs2fSGtXGV HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto and Yossi Gozlan previewed the NBA trade deadline a month away, including potential trades for the Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, Hawks, Rockets, Clippers, Thunder, …
HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto and Yossi Gozlan previewed the NBA trade deadline a month away, including potential trades for the Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, Hawks, Rockets, Clippers, Thunder, and Mavericks on the latest edition of the HoopsHype podcast.
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.
In September of 2020, HoopsHype polled 15 NBA talent evaluators and asked them to rank their top five Under 25 players to build around. We have repeated the exercise with 17 NBA executives this time. There was no change at No. 1, but quite a few …
In September of 2020, HoopsHype polled 15 NBA talent evaluators and asked them to rank their top five Under 25 players to build around. We have repeated the exercise with 17 NBA executives this time. There was no change at No. 1, but quite a few after that.
Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic remains the first choice, though he’s no longer the consensus pick after a somewhat disappointing first half of the season in which he’s still playing himself into shape.
Boston’s Jayson Tatum barely retains No. 2 with half the share of the vote of last season while Ja Morant moves up to No. 3.
LaMelo Ball and Trae Young went from no votes to cracking the top five.
In our scoring system, the top player received 10 points, the second received seven points, the third received five points, the fourth received three points, and the fifth player received one point for each ballot.
Ben Simmons and Marvin Bagley are the early trade rumors leaders, and there will be plenty more to come this season. The 2022 free agency market could be dry, as colleague Yossi Gozlan previously wrote on HoopsHype, meaning teams could look to …
Ben Simmons and Marvin Bagley are the early trade rumors leaders, and there will be plenty more to come this season.
The 2022 free agency market could be dry, as colleague Yossi Gozlanpreviously wrote on HoopsHype, meaning teams could look to improve via the trade market.
So with the regular season already underway, HoopsHype spoke with four NBA executives to gauge potential trade candidates and listed the player(s) most likely to be traded on each team.
Which NBA players will earn spots on the Blazers, Timberwolves, Nets, Raptors, Bucks, Hornets, Spurs, Grizzlies, Warriors, Thunder, Pelicans
On the latest edition of the HoopsHype podcast, hosts Michael Scotto and Yossi Gozlan discussed which players could earn roster spots on the Blazers, Timberwolves, Nets, Raptors, Bucks, Hornets, Spurs, Grizzlies, Warriors, Thunder, Pelicans, and more.
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.
Teams who could trade their draft picks, why Collin Sexton could be traded, and which NBA Draft prospects are rising according to scouts.
On the latest edition of the HoopsHype podcast, host Michael Scotto is joined by HoopsHype’s Bryan Kalbrosky. The duo discussed why the Warriors, Knicks, Magic, Thunder, Pelicans, and Nets are teams who could trade their draft picks. They also discussed whether a Collin Sexton trade could be in play for the Cavaliers and which players scouts believe are boosting their stocks and rising leading up to the draft.
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.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are coming off their largest losing streak in franchise history and yet are in a great position for future success.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are coming off their largest losing streak in franchise history and yet are in a great position for future success.
Due to careful cap maneuvering and asset management, Oklahoma City’s roster is loaded with tons of young talent. Since moving on from veteran players like Al Horford and George Hill, the Thunder have been featuring starting lineups younger than teams that played in college basketball’s March Madness.
Oklahoma City has some potential stars, especially in guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. They can also potentially add two lottery picks in the 2021 NBA draft, which could perhaps include one of the stars projected to be available when they are on the clock to make their picks.
While the Thunder have a roster that is still fully in flux, and salary cap flexibility will make it possible for them to make bigger moves, let’s take a look at some of the players currently on their roster who have had success so far:
The Oklahoma City Thunder seem to have struck gold with Moses Brown, who has been absolutely dominant over the last couple of weeks.
The Oklahoma City Thunder seem to have struck gold with Moses Brown, who has been absolutely dominant over the last couple of weeks.
Oklahoma City opted to move five-time All-Star and veteran big Al Horford out of the rotation, leaning on the young talent within the franchise. Brown, who is 7-foot-2, is one of the players to earn an opportunity for increased playing time.
He has played well in the first unit and even helped the Thunder trot out the youngest starting lineup to ever win an NBA game.
The 21-year-old caught headlines when he notched 21 points on just 10 field-goal attempts while also notching 23 rebounds against the Boston Celtics on March 27. He had 17 points and 19 rebounds at the half, recording the second-fastest double-double in franchise history.
That is especially impressive when you consider that this is an organization that has bragged constant double-double threats including the likes of Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Kevin Durant and Steven Adams.
Since getting called up from the Oklahoma City Blue, the center has been a revelation for the Thunder. He has played nine games this month and pulled down 12 or more rebounds in six of those appearances. Brown has also notched at least 12 or more points in five games as well.
As our own Yossi Gozlan predicted, based on his recent performances, the organization made the decision to sign Brown to a multi-year contract just like they did with Lu Dort last season.
The Thunder have signed Moses Brown to a multi-year contract.
Finding that kind of value without using any draft picks or trade capital is how a rebuilding franchise is able to get itself out of the gutter faster than anyone will expect. But how did they end up with such a talented young player and what can he do with the team moving forward?
Brown, a former five-star recruit who was the top-rated player coming out of New York in 2018, played just one season at UCLA, which was a relatively underwhelming campaign.
He went undrafted in 2019 and was then signed to a two-way deal with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2019-20, though he received minimal playing time at the NBA level.
While these last few games have shown arguably the most productive version of Brown that we have seen since he was in high school, his emergence was the logical next step after the series of improvements that he has shown.
Moses Brown when asked whether he likes scoring or rebounding more: “I like winning”
Most recently, during the 2021 season, the big man led the G League with 13.9 rebounds per game. He kept his team alive for additional scoring opportunities by averaging a league-high 6.0 offensive rebounds.
For comparison, no other player was able to record more than 5.0 offensive rebounds per game and only two players notched more than 4.0 offensive rebounds per game.
Even though he misses his putbacks more often than one would hope, his ability to give his team another opportunity to score with second-chance opportunities is invaluable.
He has continued to play well off the boards now that he is in the NBA. His offensive rebound percentage ranks in the 98th percentile while his defensive rebound percentage has him in the 93rd percentile among players at his position, per Cleaning the Glass.
In five starts for OKC this season Moses Brown is averaging 14.2 points, 15 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.
As a scorer, he is a solid interior threat, considering only two players averaged more field goals at the rim (10.1 per 100 possessions) while playing in the G League bubble. He led all players in the bubble for total shots made (83) at the basket as well.
Nearly half of these attempts (47.0 percent) were unassisted, which shows he is capable of creating his own offense. But fortunately, despite his 7-foot-2 frame, he does not depend on post-ups as one of the primary sources of his scoring.
Even when he was matched up against smaller defenders more often in the G League, according to Synergy, post-ups composed just 10.7 percent of his total possessions. Now, during NBA tenure in 2020-21, post-ups have composed just 3.3 percent of his finishes.
This is encouraging because it suggests that he is able to integrate more into the flow of a pro offense rather than trying to take on his man one-on-one.
Most notably, he has developed fantastic chemistry on his two-man game with 7-foot teammate Aleksej Pokusevski. The two have consistently defied the common science of basketball. This frontcourt pairing completed seven big-big pick-and-roll possessions during their time in the G League and then four more while playing at the NBA level.
If this is something that can continue, a duo of 7-footers running the pick-and-roll will be something incredibly hard for opponents to gameplan against.
Another positive takeaway is that Brown has used his height to throw opponents out of their typical rhythm as they struggled to slow him down without making too much contact. Brown drew 8.2 fouls per 100 possessions in the G League, including a league-high mark (5.6 per 100) for shooting fouls on 2-pointers.
He is giving defenders fits in the NBA, too, as he has been fouled on 22.4 percent of his total shot attempts. That ranks in the 93rd percentile among all bigs, via Cleaning the Glass.
During his time in the NBA this season, Brown is averaging 1.1 points per possession during his current campaign with the Thunder. That ranks in the 84th percentile among all NBA players, according to Synergy.
As the Thunder march towards a rebuild, it looks like they have a formidable center with a long-term future in Brown.
https://omny.fm/shows/the-hoopshype-podcast-with-alex-kennedy/danilo-gallinari-on-free-agency-knicks-mike-d-anto/embed On the latest episode of the HoopsHype podcast, Michael Scotto is joined by Danilo Gallinari, who is one of the top unrestricted …
On the latest episode of the HoopsHype podcast, Michael Scotto is joined by Danilo Gallinari, who is one of the top unrestricted free agents entering the market this offseason. Gallinari discussed his upcoming free agency, including what he’s looking for from a team and the possibility of re-signing with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He recalled memories of playing for the New York Knicks and what he thinks his former agent, Leon Rose, will do as Knicks President. The Italian forward talked about playing alongside Chris Paul, playing for Billy Donovan, Mike D’Antoni, and George Karl. The 32-year-old veteran also opened up about his injury-prone label, whether he’s underrated, his desire to play in the Olympics, and more. Listen to the podcast above or check out a transcribed version below.
Have you been doing anything different besides weights? Have you been doing yoga, pilates?
Danilo Gallinari: I do a lot more yoga and pilates. I do a lot of MMA, mixed martial arts. Those are the three things I do the most. Then, I work out here in Denver with Steve Hess, who used to be my trainer when I was with the Nuggets. Those four things together with the schedule is pretty busy. For fun, when I have time, I play some golf.
These past two years for you, you’ve been healthier than at any other point in your career and shooting over 40 percent from three back-to-back years. What have you done in your mind to overcome those early injuries when you were younger?
DG: First of all, I think all the workouts and knowing my body better. I wish I knew my body like that when I came into the league at 19. Knowing different people and different workouts. Now, I have my team. If I want to do a workout here, I go with Steve. I have my MMA trainer. I have my pilates courses and my yoga trainer. That’s a huge difference. I think team-wise, in the past few years, I think having everybody on the same page from the coaches to the trainers to the strength coach when everybody is on the same page, you can schedule the season and workouts way better. I think that was a big part of my successful seasons.
During your career to this point, some people have labeled you as injury-prone, but over the past two seasons, you’ve played more games than guys like Paul George, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Kawhi Leonard, to name a few. What do you say to people who consider you injury-prone at this point in your career?
DG:I don’t understand why they do that. Honestly, a huge problem was when I first came into the league as a rookie. I had back surgery, which was a big injury right away. When you come from Europe, and you have to show who you are right away, you get injured and get that stereotype on your shoulders. That was the beginning. But honestly, in my career, I’ve had small injuries that everyone has. I only had two big injuries, which was the back my first year and the ACL back in 2013 when I was in Denver. I honestly don’t understand why I have this injury-prone stigma on my shoulders, but it’s just not true. It’s not facts. The facts are different. I’m very healthy, and I’ve been playing seasons with no problems playing almost every game. Most of the games I didn’t play is because it was a team decision to rest and not being injured.
Do you feel that you’re underrated in a sense or appropriately rated? What do you think of your value around the league?
DG:Maybe, yes, a little bit underrated if I think about it. The thing is that it might be a perception from the fans, but people in basketball, coaches, analytics, and everybody know what the value is, what’s going on and what I can bring to the table every night for the past 12-13 years.
You and the Oklahoma City Thunder made the playoffs and gave the Houston Rockets a great series in the first round. What were your thoughts on OKC’s season this year, playing alongside Chris Paul, and what you guys were able to do?
DG:I think maybe the best definition is miracle seasons, last year and this year. Nobody expected us to do what we did. It’s not just that. They expected us to win maybe like 30 games, 33 games I remember when I was in LA (Clippers), and this year even worse (with OKC). That’s what I mean when I talk about being underrated. That’s when that talk comes to my mind because the seasons were amazing seasons. We did something that wasn’t expected by anybody. I think they were both miracle seasons because we did not just go to the playoffs, but I thought when I was in LA we won two games against Golden State when of course everyone thought it was going to be 4-0. We did a miracle come back, the best in NBA history from being down 31. Then, you go into this season where not just we made the playoffs, but we were fifth, we went to Game 7 with Houston, and I honestly thought we should have won that series. Amazing miracle seasons.
Do you think you can help a team that maybe isn’t considered a playoff team similar to what you did with OKC and the Clippers in exceeding expectations?
DG:For sure. I have enough confidence that whatever I do or wherever I go, that’s what’s going to happen. We did it in LA, and we did it in OKC two years in a row. The feeling and confidence that I have makes me think that for sure, it’s something I can do, and we can do with a team.
Were you surprised Billy Donovan and OKC parted ways?
DG:I don’t know, maybe a little surprised, but I understood both situations. I understand the NBA and the NBA business, so I talked to the team, I talked to Sam (Presti), I talked to Billy, and I think that was something that could’ve happened in the same way that it could’ve happened that he signed back with OKC. I’m very happy for Billy because it was a great season for him and the whole team. He did an amazing job. I had a great time with him. It was great to work with him.
Looking ahead to free agency, when they let go of Billy, does anything like that affect your decision of whether you could return to OKC in free agency? What do you think about the possibility of coming back to OKC next year?
DG:I would consider it for sure. I think as a player when you have such a great time with the team, and you go through what we’ve been through this season living this amazing miracle season, of course, I’d love to run it back and spend some more time in OKC. When you have this winning season, you always want to be on a winning team, and so, of course, I’d consider it. I think not just Billy, but also Sam, everything started with Sam. I thought Sam did a great job of building that team and also being on the same page as the players. He’s a guy that you can talk to him every day, and he was a guy that was very honest with me since the beginning of the season. I have a great relationship with him too.
When you get towards free agency, what are you looking for from whichever team you end up signing with? What’s on your checklist as a free agent?
DG:I think the best thing about free agency is that, especially in my situation, you have to look at everything. The part I love is that I have the chance to look at everything. Honestly, I don’t have one direction or one thing that I’m looking at. In your career, you can’t be a free agent every year. When it happens, for me, it’s this summer, I want to take my time and look at everything.
This is a chance for you in your early 30s to get a big contract, whether it’s long- or short-term. Are you looking to lock up something long-term coming off the past two healthiest seasons in your career?
DG:That’s definitely a thought. At the same time, because we don’t know and nobody knows the dates, how it’s going to look, and what’s going to happen next season, the long-term is an option, but everything is an option. Of course, the long-term is very good, but at the same time, because of the uncertainty we’re living in, I want to see everything that’s going on.
What was that experience like playing with Chris Paul?
DG:One of the best players that I ever played with. Definitely one of the best point guards, if not the best point guard that I ever played with. It was great to play with him, especially because the guy has a very high IQ. He knows how to play basketball. For a guy like me and the way that I play the game, he made my life way easier. He likes to talk and is always communicating. He’s very straight forward. We were on the same page the very first day we started working together during training camp. Also, being the only two guys over 30 on this very young team, we had to be on the same page.
What was it like for you and Chris trying to lead these young guys and your message throughout the season?
DG: I honestly loved it. I love working with the younger guys and being the guy they look up to and listen to you. You work with them every day, and you see them improving. What happened with Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander), what happened with (Darius) Bazley, and all these young guys working every day, listening, and following the right path and advice, I think, is something that I’d love to keep doing, and I love to do.
What’s going through your mind being a free agent during COVID-19?
DG:It’s a mix of feelings. There is a feeling of excitement about free agency. At the same time, when I think about COVID and all the things I’ve been through with my country and the stuff I did for my country and Oklahoma, the quarantine and the numbers that are going up right now, it’s not easy. It’s a tough situation. I’m always optimistic and have positive thoughts, but at the same time, it’s not an easy situation. I don’t know when or how we’re going to get through it. Nobody knows. I just hope everybody stays safe and takes care of themselves, follow the instructions and rules.
With CAA, you work with Michael Tellem, and you also worked with Leon Rose, who went to the Knicks. When you think of Leon, what do you think of him as a basketball person?
DG:The first thing that I think about Leon is the relationship that we have. When I think about the Knicks, I can say they got the right guy. I’m very happy for him and the Knicks. It doesn’t matter if he’s an agent if he’s a GM, president, or whatever he’s going to be. We have a great relationship, and he did such a great job for me working with him. I wish him the best in everything he’s going to do. Knowing him, I think he’s going to make sure that he succeeds in every career that he’s going to do.
What do you remember about those Knicks teams at the start of your career?
DG: When you are an athlete, you always remember the winning seasons and the good times when you’re winning. My third season was very exciting. We had very good talent, a good team, and great guys. STAT (Amare Stoudemire) was a great guy. I loved playing with him. Raymond Felton was our point guard, and he was playing great. We had my guy Wilson Chandler. We had Timofey Mozgov. We had a very good team, and we were doing great. I’ve experienced the city is a little different when you win than when you lose. To experience New York and the Garden when you win, it’s different, and it’s pretty cool.
Do you ever wonder what could’ve been with that team before the trade to Denver for Carmelo Anthony?
DG: Yeah, sometimes I think about it with my family and my friends. We think about what happened that year or what could’ve happened that year. The only thing I think about is we could’ve had a lot of fun, not just for that season, but for many more years. I’ve got to say, I went from New York when we were winning, and I came to Denver and had some amazing times here in Denver with coach (George) Karl and the winning seasons that we had. When you win, every city is amazing, especially in New York.
What was it like playing for George Karl?
DG: I had a great relationship, and I still have a great relationship. I actually talked to him last week. He’s here in Denver. As a coach and a guy, I had a great time. He’s maybe the definition in the States, maybe you guys would say he’s an old school coach. I don’t know what that means, but I’ve heard that before. He’s a guy that tells you straight up what he thinks, and he makes you work and practice a lot, but the results were great when I was there together with him.
Oct 14, 2019; Dallas, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward (8) dribbles as Dallas Mavericks guard (55) defends during the first quarter at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
What are your goals for the rest of your career?
DG:A lot of things. I definitely want to keep playing the way I’ve been playing and be a key player for a franchise. I want to be able to help these young guys that are growing up and some amazing talents. The goal, of course, as a player is to win.
Have you thought about what you’d do after you hang up your sneakers?
DG: I honestly haven’t thought about it yet. With this new challenge that I have in my life with the baby coming, the main goal is to be a family guy and a great father. I grew up in an amazing family, and I want to reproduce the same thing my parents gave me and showed me. That’s the first goal I have in mind.
When you came to the USA, and Mike D’Antoni was your coach, what did you think of him as a coach in the league?
DG:A lot of great times. Mike was key for me because he was able to help me throughout the transition from Europe to the NBA, which isn’t an easy transition. Him playing in Europe all his career and coaching in Europe too, it was very easy for me to adapt too. I have to thank him for that. He’s a very good coach. He has his own style. He’s always going to bring that style wherever he goes. It’s a very exciting style. For a guy like me that plays a lot from the three-point line, if you’re a good three-point shooter to play for him is always great.
Do you think D’Antoni will be back as a head coach later this year or down the road?
DG:For sure. In my view of the NBA and the coaching situation, he has to have a team. The way that he coaches and the way that he approaches basketball, I think the NBA and basketball need him. He’s great to have as a coach. I think he’s going to find a place for sure.
Have you noticed any young Italian players in Italy or in the USA that can be the future of Italian basketball?
DG:I hope so. I think there are some Italian players that are playing in college right now that have good talent and some good Italian players that play for my former team in Milan. I think we have some good young players coming up. Being away from Italy for all these years, I don’t have or follow that much. I don’t have a lot of names. It’s good every summer to come back and play for the national team and see the new guys coming up. It’s a great test for me to see them and test them out every time I go back.
Have you thought of playing for the Italian National Team in 2021 and the Olympics down the road?
DG:For sure. I never played in the Olympics, so that’s a goal of mine with the national team. It’s something I’d like to achieve. I honestly think I have a lot of years left with them because I wanted to give my country and my fans what they deserve. I haven’t been able to do that yet, so that’s something that when I think about the summer, it’s something that’s in my mind every time, and I’m very focused on that because we need to achieve something with this group of guys that have been together for more than 10 years.
Have you talked about that with Marco Belinelli and the other Italians?
DG:That’s something we talk about all the time when we’re together for dinner or lunch, even in the group chat. We are separate here in the States, but when it’s summertime, and it’s time to get back together, it’s something we really like, and we want to do as much as we can.
Do you feel that you’re the face of Italian basketball, and is there a pressure that comes with that?
DG:There is pressure, but I like it. That’s something that I always wanted. To be the face or the model for the young Italian players is a goal that I had when I was a little kid. Now, I’m here, and I love it. Of course, it’s a lot of responsibility, but you don’t play basketball for 40 years. You only play basketball for a short amount of time. If you don’t want to deal with the responsibility, you need to change jobs.
Have you kept tabs on Nico Mannion, Arizona’s point guard?
DG:Yeah. I’ve been following him, especially last year. I haven’t met him yet. He played a couple of games for the Italian national team. He did very well. If he can help me and my team achieve something special, I can’t wait.
What was the experience like for you inside the bubble?
DG:I always say the NBA did an amazing job the way they were able to set up everything in such a short amount of time. It was amazing. They set up everything perfectly from the testing to the activities off the court we could do, the gyms to practice, the timing of the games.
We don’t know if there will be fans in the stands. Have you thought about what next season could look like?
DG:Of course, I’d like to get back to normal, but if I understand the situation and we need to play in another bubble, I will do it. Of course, we would love to get back to normal to play in front of regular fans.
You can follow Michael Scotto on Twitter:@MikeAScotto
https://open.spotify.com/embed-podcast/show/1ttIdLU9DIBJoarp5YXFQb On this episode of the HoopsHype podcast, Michael Scotto is joined by colleague Yossi Gozlan, our salary cap expert. Scotto and Gozlan discuss Chris Paul trade scenarios for the …
On this episode of the HoopsHype podcast, Michael Scotto is joined by colleague Yossi Gozlan, our salary cap expert. Scotto and Gozlan discuss Chris Paul trade scenarios for the Bucks and teams who could sign Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2021. They also discuss whether it makes sense for the Bucks to trade Antetokounmpo if he declines a super-max extension.
0:55 – What went wrong for the Bucks against the Heat
3:17 – Giannis and the supermax extension scenarios
Gozlan: “From Giannis’ perspective, if he doesn’t take the supermax, two things: One, If he’s really interested in signing a supermax and wants the long-term security, wants the money, I think he would want it, but what could be holding him back could be what the salary cap is going to be. We still haven’t gotten any guidance from the NBA. The recent cap projection was $115 million. The following year was $125 million. Now, it could end up being the same salary cap figure for the next two years. If it were to be much lower and closer to what it is now, even less, then I would imagine Giannis would want to hold back on signing the supermax because that’s a lot less money to lock down versus what he was expected to get earlier. Under the $125 million salary cap, he was going to get around $250 million over five years. If it’s going to stick closer to the current $109 million salary cap or lower, he’s looking at closer to $210 or $220 million. That’s a big difference right there.”
6:31 – Should Milwaukee consider trading Antetokounmpo?
Scotto: “If I’m Milwaukee, purely from a basketball standpoint in trying to win a championship, whatever he says (about an extension), he’s not going anywhere in my opinion, because Milwaukee’s never been a traditional free agency destination. It’s a cold-weather city, and it’s not a location that’s really been desired by a bunch of free agents in the past. If you try to trade him, you’re not going to get equal value back for the reigning MVP in a trade. For me, it’s never going to get better for the Bucks. I think you’ve got to push all the chips into the center of the table and really go for it.”
7:35 – Is Chris Paul the missing piece for a Bucks title run?
10:33 – What a CP3 trade could look like
Gozlan: “Eric Bledsoe, Ersan Ilyasova – assuming you guarantee his $7 million salary for next season – and then you can do a variation of George Hill. I don’t think they want to trade George Hill. I think he was awesome for them, and they want to keep him. In that case, you can get away with Robin Lopez and DJ Wilson. After that, then you start talking about the incentives, maybe Donte DiVincenzo. On OKC’s side, they’d love to get a lot of picks and young players.”
Scotto: “At that point, if you’re OKC, you’re signaling you’re fully rebuilding, and you’re going to really start to gut that roster. If you get rid of Chris Paul, Steven Adams will probably be talked about in trades. Dennis Schroder as well. Danilo Gallinari (free agent) probably wouldn’t be brought back at that point, or you try a sign-and-trade to get him to a certain destination.”
16:00 – Evaluating Milwaukee’s current roster
20:00 – Where Milwaukee ranks in the East if the acquire Paul
23:11 – Are there other trade targets for the Bucks who could make sense?
27:10 – Which teams could make a run at Antetokounmpo in 2021 free agency?
31:40 – The Miami Heat’s chances of landing Giannis
Gozlan: “The interesting thing about how the Heat positioned themselves is that they’ll have a maximum contract slot for 2021, but they’ll also still be able to re-sign Bam Adebayo, Duncan Robinson, and Kendrick Nunn while still having Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro still on the roster. Robinson and Nunn have minimum free agent cap holds. They can just keep their Bird Rights, and it won’t cost them anything or take away their max cap space. Bam, who I think is an unbelievable talent and the modern center of what centers will be over the next decade, he deserves a max contract or close to it. Unfortunately, the Heat are not likely to give him the extension now just because then they would lose that cap flexibility to sign Giannis later in 2021. But with the way they positioned themselves, they can hold off on the extension, sign Giannis and then re-sign all those guys I was talking about, including Bam.”
34:28 – The Toronto Raptors’ chances of landing Giannis
Scotto: “They’re going to have an interesting decision with Fred VanVleet. I think Fred is a guy who can command a Malcolm Brogdon type of contract. A couple of general managers I’ve spoken with and executives around the league agree with that.”
37:48 – The Dallas Mavericks’ chances of landing Giannis
Gozlan: “They don’t need to do that much. Under that $125 million projection, they don’t have to do anything. If it’s closer to the $115 million, they’d be around $8 million short. They would just have to trade one guy like Delon Wright, Maxi Kleber, or Seth Curry.”
38:53 – The Golden State Warriors’ chances of landing Giannis
Gozlan: “They have one of the more difficult paths to getting Giannis because they’re not going to have cap space as long as they have Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. They’re not going to be able to sign him outright. Their easiest path to getting him would be a midseason trade or a trade during this offseason. What they’re probably hoping to do is trade Andrew Wiggins, whose salary alone will basically equal Giannis’ this year and package the No. 2 pick, the Wolves’ pick and maybe some more future picks. Maybe they throw in Eric Paschall? Throw in everything they’ve got now for Giannis.”
42:53 – The Los Angeles Lakers’ chances of landing Giannis
45:00 – Ranking the teams that can land Antetokounmpo in 2021
Many expected the Oklahoma City Thunder to move on from either Chris Paul or Dennis Schroder once they landed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Many expected the Oklahoma City Thunder to move on from either Chris Paul or Dennis Schroder once they landed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
After all, these three players all play the same position and it would be hard to build around Gilgeous-Alexander with Paul or Schroder potentially taking away from his touches. As such, Oklahoma City was considered a team most likely to sell their assets at the trade deadline.
Meanwhile, however, only the Milwaukee Bucks have won more games than the Thunder (13) since December 1. One of the factors for the success has been the decision to play their three point guards at the same time, which coach Billy Donovan hinted he would do before the season began.
Billy Donovan says there might be times when all three of Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dennis Schröder are on the floor together.
Oklahoma City originally started using this group more often when Terrance Ferguson missed time between December 6 and December 14. But now even with Ferguson back in the rotation, it is clear that there is something positive there with the three-guard lineups.
Paul, Gilgeous-Alexander and Schroder have played 206 minutes together so far. During that time, they have outscored opponents by a ridiculous 26.7 points per 100 possessions. Their offensive rating (125.9) has been the best in the NBA among all three-man lineups with as much playing time together.
Steven Adams, who alongside forward Danillo Gallinari has been on the floor with the guards for the majority of these possessions, explained why it has worked so well (via The Athletic):
“You’ve got four playmakers that put a lot of pressure on different parts of the floor. You’ve got Dennis who can get to the paint, you’ve got Shai who can also, also Chris who can, and Gallo … It’s pretty tough on the switches. Say one forces a switch, and they’ve got a guard on Gallo. They can all attack and cause the defense to make these sort of rotations. They can beat their man whenever they want.”
While they have obviously had team success with the group, the three have all played well individually when sharing the floor as well. All three players are scoring at least 20 points per 36 minutes when they’ve played together.
It is worth mentioning that more than half of the minutes that this trio has been used (115) have occurred in the fourth quarter. Perhaps the biggest surprise is how well they have shut down opponents to close games.
Paul spoke about their defensive prowess as a unit despite being relatively undersized (via Oklahoman.com):
“We all bring different abilities defensively. Shai has his length. Dennis is a pest, you know what I mean? Me and Dennis usually argue a lot of times about who’s going to guard who. Like, I had Luka for a second, and Dennis said he wanted him. So, we all bring something different.”
Their collaborative perimeter defense has been arguably their best attribute. Teams are shooting just 28.5 percent from three-point range with the three guards on the floor, per NBA Wowy.
It is what has allowed the Thunder to be a potential playoff contender in the Western Conference despite lowly preseason expectations.
