Former Ohio State and current Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley beat Tamika Catchings to advance to the semis of ESPN’s H-O-R-S-E competition.
And you thought there were no live sports on television. In a nod to trying to get something for sports fans to watch, ESPN has organized a H-O-R-S-E competition between former and current NBA and WNBA stars. There are eight contestants, one of which being former Ohio State and current Utah Jazz star Mike Conley, Jr.
The first round of the much-anticipated tournament tipped off Sunday night, and Conely was scheduled to go against WNBA Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings.
There were some built-in disadvantages for Catchings. Not only did she have to shoot outdoors in the elements of Indiana while Conley got the benefit of shooting in a climate-controlled indoor court, it’s also known that the former Buckeye guard can use both hands equally.
Either way, the contest didn’t last long. Conley went up early and took care of business rather easily with shots with his “weak” hand, and some behind the backboard fun to dispose of Catchings with a final tally of H to H-O-R-S-E.
With the win, Conley advances to the semifinal round against Chauncy Billups who knocked out Trae Young. The semifinals and finals are set for this Thursday at 9 and 11 PM.
In case you missed some of the action, here’s a brief recap courtesy of ESPN video.
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The lack of cap space will likely result in a smaller percentage of players with player options opting out of their deals.
In the 2019 offseason, half the league had significant cap space, with most teams having maximum space available. The abundance of cap room convinced 11 of 18 players with player options to opt out and test the market. With more than $600 million available to be spent, no player who opted out of their deals got left behind. 2020 pales in comparison, projecting with just over $200 million in cap space to offer with a whopping 29 players with pending player options who will need to make decisions by June 30.
It is really hard to envision most of these players earning a pay raise or even equal to what they currently earn if they become free agents this summer. Most teams operating over the cap will be spending their money working around the margins, and cap space teams could do the same or take in bad contracts with draft picks attached. The lack of cap room will likely result in a smaller percentage of players with player options hitting the market.
GOOD CASES FOR OPTING OUT
Anthony Davis ($28.8 million) is going to decline his 2020-21 player option for sure. He formally declined the Lakers’ maximum extension offer, but that is because he would have left a lot of money on the table doing so. Barring an unexpected change in circumstances, expect Davis to re-sign with the Lakers for maximum dollars on either a one or two-year deal with a player option at the end. This process allows him to maximize his earnings over the next seven years.
Gordon Hayward ($34.19 million) has a very interesting case for opting out because he seems to have finally come back to form since breaking his leg in 2017. His efficiency and most of his numbers (except scoring) are higher than his 2016-17 numbers despite having a lower usage. He had a strong case for making the All-Star game this year if not for missing 13 games with a broken hand.
The Celtics rely on Hayward as part of their wing-centric lineup but they may have suitors to fend off. Charlotte, who previously signed him to an offer sheet in 2014, is projected with $26.7 million in cap space. Miami, who is projected with $26.5 million in cap space, also pursued Hayward in 2017, although indications are that they want to keep the keg dry for 2021. Other teams with at least that much cap space include Atlanta, Detroit, and New York. It seems unlikely that Hayward would want to leave Boston, and none of these teams other than New York can offer Hayward a true maximum contract (projected $40.3 million starting salary). If Hayward opts out, expect him to re-sign with the Celtics on a long-term deal. He is still getting minor injuries every now and then, so it would be wise to get the security given his history.
Jerami Grant ($9.4 million) is very likely, if not a lock, to secure a significant raise if he opts out. His skillset has a place on any modern NBA team and a player such as him could be one of the most sought after this offseason. Denver will not be able to replace him easily with the lack of players like him on the market, nor with just the non-taxpayer mid-level exception (NT-MLE). They’re already invested in him having traded a first-round pick for him and don’t exactly have an up and coming young power forward to take his place. Grant having full Bird rights with a team who can’t easily replace him and multiple suitors in free agency should lead to a lucrative long-term contract.
Evan Fournier ($17.2 million) could also see a nice raise or at least an incremental one. There should be suitors for him despite the dry market. His playmaking and scoring ability gives him a rotation spot on just about every team with or without cap space. He should be considered an extension candidate ahead of free agency as he currently can extend with the Magic for up to a maximum of $92.2 million between 2020-21 and 2023-24. If he opts out and is not offered long-term security, he could probably still earn more than $17.2 million on a one-year deal. Whether he opts out or not, he’s in an excellent position heading into the offseason because of his options.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($8.5 million) and Avery Bradley ($5 million) are having resurgences under Lakers head coach Frank Vogel. Assuming the Lakers re-sign Davis, they will be over the cap and replacing them will be difficult if they leave. Caldwell-Pope finally has full Bird rights with the Lakers, so unless they can replace him with just the NT-MLE, he has a lot of leverage to secure a higher salary, although for now they’re likely only offering a one-year deal in preparation for 2021. Bradley could get a very small raise for up to his non-Bird amount ($5.7 million) or can get more via the NT-MLE. Whether their success is just a product of Vogel’s system or not, many over-the-cap teams with the NT-MLE could be preparing offers in hopes of stealing them from the Lakers.
COMPLICATED CASES FOR OPTING OUT, SHOULD CONSIDER AN EXTENSION IF ELIGIBLE
Mike Conley ($34.5 million) is in his age-32 season and may have started to show signs of a decline, although his February numbers are much closer to his career norms. Even if he plays at a level closer to that in Memphis, it makes very little sense for him to opt out because most of the 2020 cap space teams already have a starting point guard. Miami could make sense, but they’d likely only offer a one-year deal. The maximum amount he is eligible to extend for is $174.8 million over four years, but realistically he is looking at at least half that total. Utah is heavily invested in Conley after trading two first-round picks for him, but whether or not he fits in with them is still a work in progress. Conley will most likely opt in, but his long-term future in Utah is in question.
Andre Drummond ($28.6 million) is soon facing a very harsh and frustrating reality. In the past few offseasons, centers have been getting smaller and smaller guaranteed deals. In 2018, a considerably low cap-space offseason, we saw non-stretch centers Clint Capela and Jusuf Nurkic earn $16 million and $12 million annually, respectively. Charlotte and New York are the only two teams with significant cap space who make some sense for Drummond, but it’s hard to see either team shelling most of their cap space just to him. If Drummond were to opt-out and test the market, he might end up getting offered similar figures as Capela and Nurkic did. That is a steep paycut overnight, and because he was traded in February he is not extension eligible for the rest of the season. If he were to opt-out, it probably won’t be without assurances of a lucrative deal via a cap space team or a sign-and-trade. Otherwise, expect him to opt-in.
DeMar DeRozan’s ($27.7 million) next contract should be a lucrative one, but it is difficult envisioning a 2020 cap space team that makes sense for him. He could be a sign-and-trade candidate if he opts out and if there is a return that interests San Antonio. He has discussed an extension with the Spurs, but according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, they are far apart on an agreement. If he’s hoping for the maximum $149.1 million he is eligible for, he may not even get that from a team he’s potentially traded to. He has options, but unless he signs a lucrative extension, his best option is to opt-in and test the market in 2021.
INDIFFERENT BUT SHOULD AT LEAST RECOUP DECLINED MONEY
Enes Kanter, Robin Lopez, and JaMychal Green ($5 million) signed for the $4.8 million room mid-level exception (R-MLE). That became the price tag for other backup big men such as Richaun Holmes, Frank Kaminsky, and Mike Scott. JaVale McGee ($4.2 million) is also earning a similar amount. Most likely that $5 million range will remain the price for backup big men, so if any of these players opt-out, they should have the R-MLE amount to fall back on.
Austin Rivers ($2.4 million), Willie Cauley-Stein ($2.3 million), Wesley Matthews ($2.7 million), Mike Muscala ($2.3 million), and James Ennis ($2.1 million) all signed for the veteran minimum or slightly above it. It is tough to gauge whether they’ve done enough this season to garner a raise, but at the very least they should have a minimum offer available next season. If any of these players opt out, it could be for a change of scenery.
BAD CASE FOR OPTING OUT
Otto Porter ($28.5 million) had an unbelievable stretch during the 2018-19 season that made opting out in 2020 a reasonable possibility. However, injuries have severely limited him over the past two years, making him very unlikely to hit free agency. Rodney Hood ($6 million) was making a strong case too, but his Achilles injury will certainly have him opting in.
Tim Hardaway Jr. ($19 million) and Kelly Olynyk ($13.2 million) have been productive role players and are likely looking at paycuts down the line. Meanwhile, Jabari Parker ($6.5 million) and Stanley Johnson ($3.8 million), have not been as productive and are probably leaving money on the table if they opt out. All these players might as well opt in and try to boost their stock for 2021.
Nicolas Batum ($27.1 million), James Johnson ($16.1 million), and Tony Snell ($12.2 million), the last of the remaining ‘sour sixteens’ (or ‘seventeens’ in Snell’s case), can thank the cap spike of 2016 for their fortune. No cap smoothing led to a surplus in cap space, and one of the unintended consequences was allocating large portions of it to non-qualified players. Expect these players to opt in.
Despite only earning minimum salaries, there is no guarantee that Rajon Rondo ($2.6 million) and Mario Hezonja ($2 million) would be signed next season. They should only opt out if they have assurances of a minimum deal from at least one team.
Former Ohio State and current Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley, Jr is 1 of 44 finalists to make the Team USA Basketball roster for the Olympics.
It may be February, but the Summer Olympics in Tokyo will be here before the Michigan football team gets overhyped yet again — or heck, who knows, maybe around the same time.
In that vein, the folks that run these sorts of things are starting to put together the USA Basketball Team. USA Basketball announced the 44 finalists that will compete for a spot on the team vying for gold in Japan, and there’s a former Ohio State player on the list.
That player is none other than Mike Conley, Jr who is now with the Utah Jazz after spending almost his entire career with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Conley, left Ohio State after one season in Columbus and was drafted as the fourth overall pick of the NBA Draft in 2007. He quickly became one of the better point guards in the league and has had a long and distinguished twelve-year career. He will have his number retired by the Grizzlies after being traded away to Utah last summer.
The former Buckeye guard has done some pretty cool things in his career. He has won an Indiana state basketball championship with another former OSU teammate, Greg Oden. He’s also appeared in a Final Four and national title game with Ohio State in 2007. Now, he has a shot to do something not many have an opportunity for, and that’s to play on the USA Basketball team in the Olympics.
With the recent decade now suddenly in the rearview mirror, we looked at the top player who defined the 2010s for each team in the NBA.
With the recent decade now suddenly in the rearview mirror, we looked at the top player who defined the 2010s for each team in the NBA.
Atlanta Hawks: Al Horford
(Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Paul Milsap, Jeff Teague
The Atlanta Hawks were defined by their depth under former head coach Mike Budenholzer. It is what helped their entire starting lineup earn Eastern Conference Co-Players of the Month back in January 2015. But the best player during this era was Al Horford. The big man averaged 15.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game from the 2010-11 season until he left the team during the 2016 offseason.
Boston Celtics: Paul Pierce
(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Al Horford, Isaiah Thomas
Even though he won the 2008 NBA championship and the Finals MVP in 2008, Paul Pierce went on to make the Eastern Conference All-Star team three more times this decade. Before he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in the summer of 2013, he was averaging 18.9 points and 5.6 rebounds with 4.1 assists this decade. Pierce even had a chance to officially retire with the organization on a one-day contract in July 2017.
Brooklyn Nets: Brook Lopez
(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Deron Williams, Joe Johnson
Before they were the franchise that managed to sign both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in the same offseason, the Nets were long led by Brook Lopez. He was a member of the team both in New Jersey and in their move to the new home in Brooklyn back in 2012, which was his first and only career All-Star appearance. During his tenure with the team this decade, the big man put up 19.7 points and 6.6 rebounds as well as 1.7 blocks per game.
Charlotte Hornets: Kemba Walker
(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Marvin Williams, Nicolas Batum
During a tough decade for the Hornets, the one thing that kept them alive and interesting was star point guard Kemba Walker. He was a part of the team as a member of the Bobcats and then when they rebranded as the Hornets. Walker was a two-time All-Star as well as a two-time recipient of the NBA Sportsmanship Award. The guard averaged 19.9 points, 5.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game for the team during the decade before he joined the Celtics.
Chicago Bulls: Jimmy Butler
(Photo by Randy Belice/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah
When former No. 1 overall pick Derrick Rose won MVP in 2011 at 22 years old, fans in Chicago fairly assumed they would have a new defining talent for their city. Unfortunately, serious injuries made the point guard become a less impactful player than projected. However, the blow was softened a bit with the sudden emergence of a late first-round pick in Jimmy Butler. The wing won the league’s Most Improved Player in 2015. He was a difference-maker on both sides of the ball, averaging 15.6 points and 1.5 steals per game with the Bulls.
Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James
(Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love
Considering that Cleveland’s hometown hero LeBron James notably left the Cavaliers as a free agent in 2010, few would have expected him to still be the Player of the Decade for this franchise. After such an ugly exit memorialized forever with a public shaming by team owner Dan Gilbert, though, James is a player who more than made up for the first early goodbye when he actually returned in 2014. All that he had to do was win the city’s first championship in any sport since 1948. In the process, he averaged an absurd 26.1 points per game with 7.7 rebounds and 8.0 assists for the Cavs in the 2010s.
Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki
(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Shawn Marion, Luka Doncic
Even though he was drafted in 1998, the undisputed most important in the career of Dirk Nowitzki happened in 2011 when he won a title and NBA Finals MVP. While his best playing days may have been before this decade, he still managed to be a perennial All-Star. The face of the franchise, he also won the league’s award for Teammate of the Year in 2017. His presence was felt, too, during his final season in the league as he helped ease the transition into the new era led by fellow European star Luka Doncic.
Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokic
(Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Kenneth Faried, Ty Lawson
The Denver Nuggets may have hit the lottery when they selected Serbian big man Nikola Jokic with the 41st overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft. Jokic is a talent like no other in the league and has become one of the more versatile players in recent memory. He has averaged 16.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists for the Nuggets and the most exciting part is that he may still plenty of room to improve. At just 24 years old, the center could also be the best player of the decade in the 2020s for the Nuggets as well.
Detroit Pistons: Andre Drummond
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Greg Monroe, Blake Griffin
Despite not coming into the league until 2013, Detroit Pistons big man Andre Drummond has the second-most rebounds in the NBA since 2010-11. He has led the NBA in rebounds three times, twice earning All-Star considerations. Drummond has been consistent in his role and despite the team not being much of a contender, he has made his presence felt day in and day out.
Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant
The things that Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry was able to accomplish during the 2010s were almost laughable. He was a back-to-back NBA MVP who won the championship three times. Curry led the Warriors to an unbelievable 73-9 regular season while topping the league in scoring and in steals in 2016 as well. He also connected on 3.8 three-pointers per game, which is 0.9 more than the next-best player during the decade. Curry has clearly redefined the way the game is played and is a generational talent unlike any we have ever seen step foot on a basketball court.
Houston Rockets: James Harden
(Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Dwight Howard, Clint Capela
There has been no trade recently that changed the league quite like the one that sent the 2012 Sixth Man of the Year winner James Harden from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Houston Rockets. He has been an All-Star every year for Houston and led the league in assists 2017. The guard then led the league in scoring in 2018 as the NBA MVP and then again in 2019. Harden has put up an absurd 29.6 points with 6.0 rebounds and 7.7 assists for the Rockets. In an age of analytics, he has been the darling for general manager Daryl Morey.
Indiana Pacers: Paul George
(Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: David West, George Hill
Former Indiana Pacers wing Paul George was a four-time All-Star with the franchise, winning NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2013. The two-way star also received All-Defensive team honors three times while with the team. He averaged 18.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game for Indiana during his team with the Pacers. One of the other best factors about George is that his trade allowed Indiana’s front office to acquire two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo and potential first-time All-Star big man Domantis Sabonis.
LA Clippers: Chris Paul
(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan
Before there was Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on the Clippers, there was Lob City. None of the success happening for the franchise now would be possible if it weren’t for Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. The tide was turning when Griffin was drafted in 2009 and won Rookie of the Year in 2011. But it was solidified when they traded for CP3 in December 2011. Paul averaged an impressive 18.8 points and 9.8 assists with 2.2 steals per game when he was a member of the Clippers. He made the All-Star team five times in Los Angeles and twice led the NBA in assists during that time.
Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant
(Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Pau Gasol, LeBron James
Unlike with Nowitzki, the peak accomplishments for Kobe Bryant occurred before 2010. But even during this decade, he added another NBA title to his arsenal and an All-Star appearance each year before retiring in 2016. Bryant averaged 24.2 points per game for the Lakers starting in 2010-11, which was above average for someone who was his age. Of course, there was little more memorable than Bryant scoring 60 points in his final professional game.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: MARC GASOL
(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Mike Conley, Zach Randolph
Former Memphis Grizzlies big man Marc Gasol averaged 15.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists during his time with the Grizzlies this decade. He made three All-Star appearances while a member of the franchise, winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2013. The center was a fixture for Memphis, making the playoffs six times with the Grizzlies. Gasol, a World Cup winner with Spain, eventually won his first NBA title in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors after a midseason trade.
Miami Heat: Dwyane Wade
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: LeBron James, Chris Bosh
While it was obvious that James was the best player on the team, none of The Big 3 era Miami Heat would have been possible if it were not for Dwyane Wade. He was the instrumental player recruiting both James and Chris Bosh to Miami and even gave up more money in the process to allow it to happen. Wade also sacrificed his role as the key star to make room for more touches to both James and Bosh. This led to two more NBA Finals wins for Wade and All-Star appearances between 2010 and 2016. He was also able to come back to the Heat and retire with the franchise.
Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has been one of the most dominant basketball players in recent memory. He has averaged 19.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game since entering the league. After winning the NBA MVP in 2019, he has followed up with an equally impressive season so far this year. His play has been so sharp that one of the league’s most pressing questions, even now a year and a half away from his eligibility, is what will he decide to do as an upcoming free agent.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Karl-Anthony Towns
(Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Kevin Love, Andrew Wiggins
After trading away Kevin Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2014 offseason, the Minnesota Timberwolves were able to bounce back in some ways by grabbing No. 1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns. He has played the part of one of the elite big men in the NBA, averaging 22.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game since entering the pros. Towns has also made 39.6 percent of his three-point attempts, showing his versatility as an offensive force.
New Orleans Pelicans: Anthony Davis
(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Jrue Holiday, Ryan Anderson
His exit may have left a sour taste in the mouth of the New Orleans Pelicans, but Anthony Davis was absolutely stellar during his time with the team. He averaged 23.7 points and 10.5 rebounds per game and also led the league in blocks three times. Davis was a six-time All-Star for the Pelicans and while he now plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, his return will leave New Orleans in a fine place for the upcoming decade. Not only did the front office get an unreal surplus of draft picks in the deal but Brandon Ingram is playing like a potential superstar.
New York Knicks: Carmelo Anthony
(Photo by Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE via Getty Images)
It was a relatively underwhelming decade for the New York Knicks under team owner James Dolan. The front office mortgaged quite a bit of their future to secure Carmelo Anthony via trade in 2011 despite knowing that the star would become a free agent that offseason. As such, the team was a bit of a one-man show under his leadership. He averaged 24.7 points as well as 7.0 rebounds per game on the Knicks, eventually leaving in 2017.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Kevin Durant
(Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka
The Oklahoma City Thunder somehow drafted three MVP winners who all hit their primes during the 2010s. While none of them is still with the team, the one who made the biggest splash was Kevin Durant. The former No. 2 overall pick put up 28.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while also shooting 38.6 percent from three-point range. Even though point guard Russell Westbrook was the player who had the longest tenure with the team, it was obvious that Oklahoma City was the most successful version of itself with Durant on the roster.
Orlando Magic: Nikola Vucevic
(Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Dwight Howard, Evan Fournier
Orlando Magic big man Nikola Vucevic might be the most underrated NBA player of the decade. He made just one All-Star appearance, finally earning the love last season. While he originally started his career in Philadelphia, he has found a niche in Orlando. The former No. 16 overall pick has averaged 16.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per game for the Magic.
Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Ben Simmons, Thaddeus Young
His career may have started off defined by injury but since he has become a healthier player, there have been few with a higher ceiling than Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. The big man has scored 24.2 points and pulled down 11.6 rebounds per game. He made the NBA All-Rookie First Team his first year in the league back in 2017. He has made the All-Star team, All-NBA Second Team and All-Defensive Second Team in both years since.
Phoenix Suns: Devin Booker
(Photo by Barry Gossage NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Goran Dragic, PJ Tucker
The Phoenix Suns have not had a decade many fans will want to look back on with fond memories. But the one takeaway is that there is at least some hope for the future due to the scoring punch of Devin Booker. He has been able to put up 21.7 points and 4.5 assists per game since he entered the NBA just two days before his 19th birthday. Booker put up 70 points back in March 2017 and at just 20 years old, he was the youngest player to put up 60 points in an NBA game. Back in March 2019, Booker had three games in a row where he scored at least 48 points.
Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard
(Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: LaMarcus Aldridge, CJ McCollum
There are few players in NBA history who have embraced their team’s city quite like Trail Blazers star has welcomed Portland into his life. After he was drafted No. 6 overall in 2012, he has turned his the Blazers into one of the most consistent contenders in the league. Lillard, who won Rookie of the Year his first season in the pros, is a four-time All-Star. He was honored with All-NBA 1st Team consideration in 2018 and led Portland to the Western Conference Finals in 2019. He has averaged 23.7 points and 6.4 assists per game for the Trail Blazers during his professional career thus far.
Sacramento Kings: DeMarcus Cousins
(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Isaiah Thomas, Rudy Gay
While the Sacramento Kings had a disappointing decade in many ways, their most feared player during the 2010s was undeniably DeMarcus Cousins. He was a force to be reckoned with on the Kings, averaging 21.1 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. He earned All-Rookie First Team honors in 2011 and he then took home All-NBA 2nd Team in 2015 and 2016. The big man was also disciplined and suspended a bit too often for comfort during his time on the Kings, eventually leading to an inevitable divorce of the two parties.
San Antonio Spurs: Kawhi Leonard
SAN ANTONIO, TX – (Photo byJoe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker
When he won NBA Finals MVP in 2014, it was clear that former No. 15 overall pick Kawhi Leonard was a special player in this league. But he was able to take his game to the next level during his time with the San Antonio Spurs, also winning back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards for his efforts in 2015 and 2016. Leonard, who led the league in steals in 2015, also came into his own on the offensive side of the floor while before his time in San Antonio came to a surprisingly ugly close that kept him sidelined for the majority of 2017-18.
Toronto Raptors: Kyle Lowry
(Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: DeMar DeRozan, Kawhi Leonard
While it was Leonard who was the undisputed best player of the team that won the Toronto Raptors their first NBA championship, veteran point guard Kyle Lowry was the heart and soul of the squad. After the team traded away his longtime teammate DeMar DeRozan during the 2018 offseason, the year was inevitably going to be an emotional rollercoaster for Lowry. But for him to respond by helping Toronto finally carry the Larry O’Brien trophy was an effort that solidified his place as the Player of the Decade for the Raptors.
Utah Jazz: Rudy Gobert
(Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors
If general fans valued defense the same way they value offense, Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert would be considered one of the Top 10 players in the NBA. After he led the league in blocks back in 2017, the French big went on to win Defensive Player of the Year in 2018 and in 2019. Gobert has actually averaged 2.2 blocks per game since entering the league in 2013. He has also pulled down 10.8 rebounds per game and has connected on 63.4 percent of his total field goal attempts.
Washington Wizards: John Wall
(Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Bradley Beal, Marcin Gortat
Before his recent injury trouble, Washington Wizards point guard John Wall was an electrifying player. He has averaged 19.0 points and 9.2 assists for the Wizards since going No. 1 overall in the 2010 NBA draft. He made the All-Star team from 2014 until 2018, also grabbing All-Defensive 2nd Team honors in 2015 and All-NBA 3rd Team in 2017. Wall has averaged 1.7 steals per game, too, showing he can be a defensive stopper. Now he is on a tough contract, though he initially earned it with his previously fantastic play.
The Los Angeles Lakers continue their three-game road trip on Wednesday night against the Utah Jazz, who have hit a rough patch.
After coming through with their most impressive win of the young season last night in Denver, the Los Angeles Lakers will look to complete the NBA’s most difficult back-to-back 2-0 as they are in Salt Lake City to take on a Utah Jazz squad with high expectations in the middle of their first rough patch of the season.
The Jazz are finally back home for a few games after ending their five-game road trip 1-4. The bad trip has put into focus some issues the Jazz have had to begin the season, such as the struggles of former Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley and a slight drop-off in production from starting forward Joe Ingles.
Donovan Mitchell can still take over a game, but often he and Bojan Bogdanovic are asked to do everything for the Jazz offensively. On the flip side, their defense has taken a significant step back from the elite level they’ve been on for the last few seasons. According to Basketball-Reference, the Jazz are No. 10 in defensive rating after finishing in the top-three in the league in defensive rating in each of the previous three seasons.
However, the Jazz entered this season seen by many as a dark horse title contender. While they are in the midst of a bad stretch, the opportunity to come home and lick their wounds before hosting the best team in the West on a second of a back-to-back is the exact type of opportunity that can bring back belief in their season.
The top 20 highest paid players in the NBA all make at least $30 million.
It’s a great time to be a professional basketball player. If you were thinking of putting your kid in sports soon, definitely have them pick up a basketball.
We knew the league’s salary cap was blowing up a while ago, but I’m not sure anybody imagined it being like this. The NBA is flush with cash right now. The 20 highest paid players in the NBA will all make at least $30 million this season.
It’s not just the LeBron Jameses and Kevin Durants of the world either — there are legitimate non-All-Star players who are jumping into the NBA’s top tax bracket.
The Warriors clawed back into a hard-fought battle with the Utah Jazz, but in the end, Mike Conley and Donovan Mitchell were too much for the injury strapped dubs.
For a team that’s coming off a 48-point loss at the end of a week-long road trip, the Golden State Warriors gave as much effort as you could possibly ask for against the Utah Jazz.
The 15.5-point underdogs battled Utah for 48-minutes of the game. However, in the end, the talent of Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley overpowered the grit of the understaffed Warriors.
The scrappy Dubs were able to cut down The Jazz’s 21-point lead to single digits in the final minutes, but the team couldn’t manufacture a bucket when it mattered, falling 113-109 in Utah.
When the game got close, the backcourt duo of Mitchell and Conley took over, combining for 57 of their team’s 113 points. Conley’s handling of the pick and roll with Rudy Gobert was a problem all night for Golden State’s lowly defense.
Utah shot 61-percent from the field in the first half and was able to stretch a two-point first-quarter lead into a 14-point lead heading into the locker room at halftime. The Warriors slowly scratched their way back into the game behind a flurry of 3-pointers from an unlikely hero.
Big man Omari Spellman dropped four-threes on four shots behind the arc, with all four coming in the fourth quarter. Spellman had one of his best nights in a Golden State uniform, totaling 18 points with five boards.
Seven players scored in double figures for the Warriors on a night where they only had eight healthy players, and none of them included Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, D’Angelo Russell, or Klay Thompson.
Undrafted rookie, Ky Bowman turned in another impressive performance as the Dubs primary ball-handler, scoring 17 points, with five assists and four steals. Bowman had a crafty steal that led to a powerful dunk to cut the Jazz lead to six with less than two minutes to play. Bowman is currently on a two-way contract, but has easily played his way onto the Warriors full-time roster for the 2019-20 season.
After a four-game road swing, the Warriors will now get a rare weekend off and hope for good news on the returns of Kevon Looney and Draymond Green. Both bigs could return as soon as Monday against Oklahoma City, providing a much-needed boost to the Warriors injury-riddled roster.
The 13-year NBA veteran had some words of wisdom for the Grizzlies’ first-round pick on Friday morning.
As Mike Conley prepares to play his first game back in Memphis since he was traded to the Utah Jazz over the summer, the 13-year NBA veteran offered up some advice to Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant.
Although the Jazz did not hold a media availability Friday morning as a team, Conley volunteered to meet with reporters ahead of his return. He was asked a wide range of topics, including what advice he would offer to Morant as his career begins this season.
Just continue to ask questions, continue to learn. He has got so much in his game already that I didn’t have at that stage. It’s easy for guys to get complacent or whatever and he is a guy that the sky is the limit. If you continue to grow, continue to work and if anybody has advice for him, make sure you listen and respect it and add stuff to your game. Get stronger, get bigger and all of the things that you might feel is something that can add to your game, add it. He has the ability to add anything he wants.
Mike Conley on Ja Morant: “He’s got so much in his game already that I didn’t have at that stage.” pic.twitter.com/mgHUUzCSzU
Since joining the Jazz, Conley has had nothing but nice things to say about his former team. He understood that the organization was moving in a different direction and helped facilitate a trade to send him to a contender after playing 12 seasons in Memphis.
Over the summer, Conley raved about what he saw from the Grizzlies’ other first-round pick, Brandon Clarke, during Summer League.
I think Clarke is going to be really good. He really surprised a lot of people and I’m sure the Grizzlies are very pleased with getting him where they did. I’m really happy for the future of the team.
His return to Memphis on Friday night will certainly be an emotional moment for him as he will surely receive a warm ovation by Grizzlies fans.
The game will tip-off at 8 p.m. ET and can be seen on ESPN.
