With the regular-season roster deadline approaching, the Rockets waived Moe Harkless and Theo Maledon on Tuesday while adding Darius Days and Trhae Mitchell to the roster.
With the 2022-23 regular-season roster deadline approaching, the Houston Rockets waived Moe Harkless and Theo Maledon on Tuesday while adding Darius Days and Trhae Mitchell to the roster.
Harkless and Maledon were acquired primarily for salary reasons in the trade with Oklahoma City that brought in Derrick Favors and a future second-round draft asset.
Mitchell, who played with the Rockets in the NBA’s 2022 summer league, appears to have been signed for Houston to secure his G League rights. That would allow the Rockets to place him with their affiliate club, the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers.
Meanwhile, Days was claimed off waivers from Miami. Here’s how the Rockets described both players in their announcement:
Days (6-7, 240) was eligible for the 2022 NBA draft following his senior season at LSU, during which he was teammates with Rockets forward Tari Eason. He was one of two Division I players to have averaged at least 13.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.50 steals and 2.0 3-pointers made in 2021-22. Days averaged 13.7 ppg and 10.0 rpg while shooting 55.6% from the floor and 37.5% on 3-pointers for San Antonio at the NBA summer league in Las Vegas.
Mitchell (6-6, 195) was eligible for the 2020 NBA draft following his senior season at South Alabama. He spent the past two seasons with the Rockets G League affiliate, Rio Grande Valley, and played for Houston at the 2022 NBA summer league. From 2018-19 through 2019-20, Mitchell was the only Division I player to have recorded at least 800 points, 400 rebounds, 160 assists, 70 steals, and 100 blocks.
With the NBA’s 2022-23 regular season starting next Tuesday, Oct. 18, teams will need to trim their rosters from the offseason and training camp limit of up to 20 players to the regular-season level of 15 players on standard contracts plus two players on two-way deals.
Players who are let go as part of this process are eligible to be claimed off waivers by other teams around the league, if another team is willing to open up a roster spot for them. If not, each player’s training camp team secures their G League affiliate rights to start the season.
Thus, expect the Rockets to cycle through various players over the coming days — including recently signed big man Willie Cauley-Stein — with an eye on maximizing RGV’s 2022-23 roster.
The Rockets are trading four veteran players to Oklahoma City in a deal bringing Derrick Favors, a future second-round draft pick, and more to Houston. Here’s our analysis of the move.
In a trade between rebuilding rivals in the Western Conference, Oklahoma City is trading Derrick Favors, Ty Jerome, Moe Harkless, Theo Maledon, and a 2025 second-round pick via Atlanta to the Houston Rockets for David Nwaba, Sterling Brown, Trey Burke and Marquese Chriss, as first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
All of the players involved have expiring contracts (see Rockets books, Thunder books), so it shouldn’t materially impact either team’s long-term salary cap planning. Oklahoma City is also sending $6.3 million in cash considerations to compensate for the substantial gap in salaries, per Jackson Gatlin of Locked on Rockets.
The Rockets had acquired Brown, Burke, and Chriss for salary matching purposes as part of the trade sending Christian Wood to Dallas in June, but none were in Houston’s future plans.
Keeping those players into the 2022-23 regular season, which begins in under three weeks, would have been difficult because the NBA’s offseason roster limit of 20 players shrinks to 15 standard contracts and two two-way deals. Thus, Rockets general manager Rafael Stone was searching to make something of those assets before the roster deadline would force many (if not all) of those players to be released.
Of the four players acquired from the Thunder, only Favors — a veteran who could figure into Houston’s backup center mix — would seem to have a plausible path to rotation minutes this season. While Houston is likely to evaluate all or most in the upcoming preseason, the roster deadline is likely to force a handful of releases.
Beyond any value from Favors, now 31 years old, as a player, the primary trade benefits would appear to be his salary and the future second-round draft pick via Atlanta. At $10.2 million, Favors could potentially help the Rockets match salary in trades closer to the 2022-23 trade deadline next February, yet he only occupies one roster spot. To reach that figure prior to this trade, the Rockets would have had to commit multiple roster spots due to the smaller annual salaries.
Moreover, because the Rockets are taking in more money than they are sending out and reducing Oklahoma City’s potential luxury tax figure, the Thunder are compensating Houston with a future second-round draft pick and cash. In effect, the Rockets are buying a future pick by absorbing a contract from a team looking to shed payroll, similar to the 2024 second-round pick they got from Brooklyn last preseason in a deal involving Sekou Doumbouya, who was subsequently waived by the Rockets.
According to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, Houston’s newly acquired 2025 second-round pick via Atlanta is protected for picks 31-40. If that doesn’t convey, the Rockets would then receive the second-best 2026 second rounder between Dallas, Oklahoma City, and Philly (all are currently owned by the Thunder).
Scroll on for recent statistics of players involved in the trade, along with further analysis and reaction to the move.
The Oklahoma City Thunder will send Derrick Favors to the Houston Rockets in a large deal that includes eight players.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are done wheeling and dealing as they continue with training camp on their way to preparing for the 2022-23 season.
The Thunder, who are rebuilding, made a large deal Thursday night in terms of players but a minor one in terms of impact. They are sending Derrick Favors, Theo Maledon, Moe Harkless, Ty Jerome and a 2025 second-round pick to the Houston Rockets for Trey Burke, David Nwaba, Marquese Chriss and Sterling Brown.
All in all, it’s more of a deal for salary cap relief. The Thunder gain two trade exceptions, and they drop roughly $10 million below the luxury tax. OKC also gains some intriguing players to continue their rebuild.
Cap-centric deal for both teams: Thunder gain two trade exceptions and drop about $10M under luxury tax. Rockets get a second-round pick for taking on $1M in salary. Favors will have value as a backup center, or elsewhere on a trade in marketplace too. https://t.co/k8zpgthwOh
Favors was a respected veteran who was a nice presence for the youngsters. He averaged 5.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 39 games in the 2021-22 season as he now heads to Houston where he could be moved again.
The Thunder had recently acquired Harkless in a trade earlier in the week while Jerome and Maledon will be looking for fresh starts with the Rockets.
The Oklahoma City Thunder will acquire Moe Harkless and a pick from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Vit Krejci.
As the Oklahoma City Thunder continue to rebuild, they pulled off a deal on Tuesday to bring in a reliable veteran.
The Thunder acquired Moe Harkless and a second-round pick from the Atlanta Hawks for Vit Krejci. Harkless spent the 2021-22 season with the Sacramento Kings. He averaged 4.6 points and 2.4 rebounds in 47 games with 24 starts in Sacramento, and he shot 30.7% from deep. He was traded to the Hawks in the offseason in the Kevin Huerter deal.
Harkless is a 10-year vet who can at least lend a helping hand to the youngsters on the Thunder and help push them forward.
Sources: Oklahoma City is trading Vit Krejci to Atlanta for Moe Harkless and a second-round pick.
As for Krejci, he played 30 games for Oklahoma City in his rookie season and he averaged 6.2 points and 3.4 rebounds and he shot 32.7% from deep. Those numbers will be sent to the Hawks as he looks to find his place in the league.
In this 2012 NBA re-draft, the Philadelphia 76ers select JaMychal Green at 15 overall.
The 2012 version of the Philadelphia 76ers was an exciting team that was just one win away from an Eastern Conference Finals appearance. Granted, they needed a Derrick Rose injury to happen for them to upset the Chicago Bulls in Round 1, but they did push the Boston Celtic to seven tough games in Round 2.
Then, they pulled off the dreaded Andrew Bynum deal, and any hope that team had at competing went out the window. Before they made that deal, the team had the 15th pick in the NBA Draft and they selected Moe Harkless before he was sent to the Orlando Magic as part of the Bynum deal.
In a re-draft done by Bleacher Report, Harkless doesn’t get drafted in the first round, and the Sixers select JaMychal Green out of Alabama. Green actually went undrafted in 2012, but he has had a solid career in the league.
B/R on Green:
Green follows Bazemore as a second straight undrafted player doing much better for himself this time around.
The 6’8″ forward completely changed his profile by adding a three-point shot in 2015-16, and he’s now at 36.7 percent on 2.0 attempts per game for his career. His best years were in Memphis, but Green’s most tantalizing stretch came in the 2019 playoffs when he had success as a small-ball center for the Clippers.
He might get a more extended shot at the 5 on another team, but backup-big extraordinaire Montrezl Harrell is blocking his path to the gig in Los Angeles. Having moved beyond the point in the draft at which clear starters are available, Green is a solid frontcourt option off the bench.
Green has career averages of 8.1 points and 6.2 rebounds and he was a consistent starter for the Memphis Grizzlies before moving to a bench role with the Los Angeles Clippers. He would have had a solid role on the 2012-13 Sixers unless the team decided to trade him too in order to acquire Bynum. [lawrence-related id=30331,30325,30318]
The Los Angeles Lakers are meeting with Dion Waiters next week, but what about other potential buyout candidates?
The Los Angeles Lakers already have a meeting set for next week with available free agent guard Dion Waiters and that’s good because there are not a ton of options left available for them to sign someone to their team ahead of their playoff run. Moe Harkless, one of the veteran players thought to be a buyout candidate, will finish the season with the New York Knicks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
That takes Harkless off the table as a potential free agent move. Another name that did come available on Saturday was Sacramento forward Anthony Tolliver. Tolliver has agreed to a buyout, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic/Stadium.
Sources tell @TheAthleticNBA@Stadium: Kings and forward Anthony Tolliver are finalizing a contract buyout that allows Tolliver to pursue opportunities with playoff contenders. March 1 is deadline for players to be released and playoff-eligible.
Players have to be released by March 1 to be playoff eligible, meaning that today is the last day players who are not yet free agents can get waived and still sign with a playoff team. After already adding a power forward in Markieff Morris, it’s unlikely the Lakers would pursue Tolliver to play that same position.
Isaiah Thomas discusses his free agency, health, relationship with Kobe Bryant, the Boston Celtics’ decision to trade him in 2017 and more.
Two weeks ago, Isaiah Thomas was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-team deal with the New York Knicks and Washington Wizards (that also sent Marcus Morris to Los Angeles, Moe Harkless and a first-round pick to New York, and Jerome Robinson to Washington). Shortly after, the Clippers decided to waive the two-time All-Star, making him a free agent.
Prior to the trade, Thomas played in 40 games with the Wizards, averaging 12.2 points, 3.7 assists and 2.0 threes (while shooting 41.3 percent from deep) in just 23.1 minutes per game. HoopsHype sat down with the nine-year NBA veteran to discuss his free agency, health, relationship with Kobe Bryant, the Boston Celtics’ decision to trade him in 2017 and more.
After producing with the Wizards, were you surprised that the Clippers decided to waive you after the trade? They just brought in Reggie Jackson, so they did seem to need a veteran guard. Did it shock you?
Isaiah Thomas: I was surprised, but I understood the situation on the business side of things. I was really a throw-in in the trade. It’s not like they were really trading for me; they were trading for Marcus Morris, which I understand. In my nine years in the NBA, I’ve learned that anything can happen. I thought it could work and I thought it was a good fit for me, but they thought otherwise. That’s okay. Now, I’m just trying to figure out the best situation moving forward.
How is your health at the moment?
IT: My health is good. As everybody has seen this season, I’ve been able to play every game and I’ve been able to practice every day. I wasn’t having to take days off; I was able to just focus on working and getting better. With my health, there are no questions. Now, I’m staying in shape and staying ready for the next opportunity.
Have you or your camp had any talks with teams yet?
IT: Yeah, I won’t say specific teams, but we’ve had talks with several teams. Teams are interested, but we’re just trying to figure out what’s the best situation for me. Also, we know that other things may open up very soon. But I’m just trying to stay as patient as possible when it comes to this while knowing that I’m ready for any opportunity that I’m given. Whether it’s a playoff team where I’ll be whichever piece they need to complete their puzzle or an up-and-coming team where I’m helping the young players and being a good veteran, I’m going to take advantage of whatever opportunity I’m given.
In the meantime, what have you been doing as far as training?
IT: I have a trainer who is with me at all times – he works with me throughout the season. I’ve just been staying in the gym, staying in the weight room and doing a lot of conditioning. I’ve been sticking to my routine so that I can keep my rhythm. I have trainers and people in my circle who help me out and continue to make me better, and that’s what we’ve been doing.
What are the biggest things that you can bring to a team right now – on and off the court?
IT: Everything that I’ve always brought to a team. I’m a leader, first and foremost. I won the NBA’s Community Assist award so, off the court, I help in the community. On the court, I think it’s self-explanatory what I bring to a team when given an opportunity. I also bring my wisdom. I don’t think anybody has been through the things that I’ve gone through in this league. Despite obstacle after obstacle, I’ve overcome everything that’s been thrown at me and taken advantage of any opportunity that I’ve gotten. I think that’s what is most important. I think I can help in whatever situation I end up in. Ideally, I’d love to be part of a championship-contending team – a playoff team – because I know that I can still contribute and help win playoff games, if need be. That’s in my DNA. The biggest thing is just trying to figure out the best opportunity for me and staying ready. Understand that any opportunity that’s given to me, I’ll be ready for it. And I think everybody knows that.
You made it to the NBA at 5-foot-9, succeeded after being the last pick in the 2011 NBA draft and developed into an All-NBA player after bouncing around to three different teams. When you’ve repeatedly succeeded against all odds, how does that help you in moments like this when you’re once again being doubted?
IT: I mean, it’s just another stepping stone, another chapter in my book. This has been my story and that’s probably the way it’s always going to be. Everything is going to be an uphill battle and that’s fine because I’ve been through it. I think that just builds character. Right now, being patient is tough. But I also know that I want to be wanted, I want to be valued and I want to be part of something. That’s all I want. I work hard, I never cheated the game and I’m in it for all of the right reasons. I love this game. But it’s never been easy, so why would it be easy now?
You’re no stranger to the business side of the NBA. What advice would you give to a young player who has yet to experience that?
IT: At the end of the day, I think you have to continue to be who you are. You have to continue to believe in yourself and be a professional, on and off the court. I think being professional is one of the most important attributes of a player. You have to know that it’s a business and, at the same time, just do your part each and every day – no matter what the circumstances are. You should appreciate the highs, but appreciate the lows as well. I’ve always said that my goals are bigger than the obstacles I faced. Adversity builds character. I’m not saying it’s easy (because it’s not), but I always look at my end goal, which is to try to be one of the best best basketball players to ever play the game. I mean that. I just turned 31 years old and I still have a lot of basketball left in me. It’s just a matter of being in the right situation.
Pacers GM Chad Buchanan told me an interesting story: After the Boston Celtics traded you in 2017, Indiana’s veterans asked if the front office would notify players when they were surfacing in trade talks. Darren Collison explained why players typically don’t trust executives, using your situation as a perfect example: Even if a player is loyal and gives everything to the team, they may still get traded. Now, the Pacers’ front office informs players when they’re being discussed in serious trade talks. Did you know about that?
IT: I hadn’t heard of that! I didn’t know anything about that, but it’s good to hear. That’s definitely a step in the right direction. I mean, I’m not saying that either way is right or wrong, but when you’re playing in the league, you definitely want to be notified if something may be close to happening. But it doesn’t always work like that, though. I guess some players may not want to know about trade talks because they can’t play well or get over it once that’s in the back of their head. You just have to understand that [anything can happen] and trust the process. I think that’s what it comes down to. Obviously, guys are going to be emotional or upset if they’re being traded or being put in a situation that they don’t like. But the best thing you can do is just try to figure it out and move on. That’s what I’ve always tried to do. I think you should remain professional no matter what. Whether you’re in trade talks or not (and whether they tell you or not), your job is to come to work every day and bring what you’re supposed to bring. That’s the least you can do, no matter what situation you’re in.
Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
You played through a torn hip labrum and suited up the day after your sister’s death, only to be traded by the Celtics a few months later. After that trade, what kind of response and support did you receive from fellow players around the NBA?
IT: I mean, it was just surprising. Any trade like that is surprising. Everybody in the NBA family supports each other. It wasn’t the end of the world, but I think it caught a lot of people by surprise and that’s probably the main way that I can describe that. I was surprised as well, but I know that everybody else was too because it was a really big trade for both teams! It caught everybody off guard, but that’s the life of a professional athlete. There are only a few guys who [are untouchable] and know for certain what’s going on with their future.
One of the people who supported you the most as you recovered from your hip injury was the late Kobe Bryant. You’ve said that you started playing basketball because of Kobe, and you were one of the players who participated in his Mamba Camp last August. Do you have any favorite Kobe stories?
IT: One on-court story that stands out was facing off against Kobe in my first NBA game. I was on the Sacramento Kings and during training camp, Coach Paul Westphal had a rule that nobody could back me down. Everybody always turned the ball over or was forced into a bad shot when they tried to post me up, so he’d always say that nobody could back me down. When he subbed me into my first NBA game for the first time, he was telling everybody who they were guarding and he didn’t say who had Kobe. I looked at him like, “Uh, who has Kobe?!” Paul Westphal goes, “IT, you’ve got Kobe. Remember, nobody can back you down!” (laughs) He was hyping me up and I don’t know if he even realized that Kobe was my favorite player. For three-straight possessions, Kobe backed me down and he scored two out of three times (laughs). I was just smiling on the way back down the court. It was just hilarious. That was an on-court memory that stands out, even though at that point I didn’t have a close relationship with him yet.
But the biggest memory for me was when Kobe and I sat down after every game of my series against the Chicago Bulls in 2017 and watched film together. I had my people send the film to him and he’d look it over. Then, we’d be on speaker phone and he’d be telling me everything that he saw, breaking the game down the way he would if he was in the series. I think that’s why he started doing that Detail show with ESPN because it was basically just like that, but it was just me and him. I was going through one of the toughest times in my life with the passing of my sister and he took the time out of his day to help me. We were on the phone for about an hour-and-a-half to two hours the day after every game, looking over the film and seeing how I’d adjust for the next playoff game. It was so surreal. It didn’t seem real that Kobe Bryant was really on the phone with me, helping through playoff situations. That was probably my biggest memory of Kobe, taking the time to really be there and help me. He saw what kind of path I was going on and he saw something special in me. For him to nickname me “Mighty IT” and help me so much and to have Player-Edition Kobe shoes, it was a dream come true. I’ve always dreamed of that and it actually came true.
You were one of the players that he issued a Mamba Challenge on Twitter. What did it mean for you to build that kind of relationship with an all-time great who also happened to be your favorite player?
IT: That’s what I’m saying! He challenged me to make 1st Team All-NBA. It was amazing. It didn’t make sense; I really dreamed of that and it happened. For me to have Kobe Bryant basically on speed dial, where I could call him or text him anytime I needed him and he was there for me, that meant so much to me. For someone of that stature to always be there for me and always lend a helping hand, whether it was with basketball or when I was dealing with my sister passing, it meant so much. When my sister passed away, he was one of the first people to reach out and he sent a long text message on that game-day. I remember he said, “If you’re going to play, you play. You play like Isaiah Thomas plays and nobody knows how to make that happen but you.” That goes a long way. He’s someone who is close to my hard and this is a tragedy that’s going to change the world. It really sucks because it’s just such an unfortunate situation with all involved. He’s such an iconic athlete, so it was just amazing to have that relationship with him.
He definitely saw something special in you. He saw some Mamba Mentality in you.
IT: With what I’m going through now, I know that he would never want me to quit. No matter how hard it gets, he’d want me to find a way. That’s what he would’ve done. He would’ve found a way and figured it out. That’s what Mamba Mentality is all about. No matter what, he was going to figure out. That’s what I’m trying to do. I will never fold; I will always keep going, no matter what.
You mentioned the death of your sister, Chyna. What was it like to grieve on a national stage and go through something like that so publicly?
IT: I mean, that was the toughest time of my life. Basketball was the only thing that got me through for those two-and-a-half hours. Other than that, once I was off the court, it was real life again. I’ve said this before: I think I had the best year of my career and the worst year of my life at the same time. Let that sink in. It was tough, and it’s still tough to this day. But I know that people like my sister and Kobe Bryant and Nipsey Hussle are… (goes silent)
Do you ever wonder what would’ve happened if Boston hadn’t traded you or if you hadn’t played through your torn hip labrum during the 2017 playoffs? Obviously, basketball was an escape for you during those playoffs, but do you ever think about those what-ifs?
IT: I don’t think about it because there are so many what-ifs in life. I try to always be present in the moment and think about the future and figure things out. If I did what-ifs, my mind would just be racing, so I try not to think about things like that. You can think positively or negatively. I just try to stay in the moment as best as I can and try to figure out what’s next at all times.
I love that mentality. You were a fan favorite in Boston, so I’ve seen some Celtics fans on Twitter hoping the team signs you. After everything that went down, would you be open to playing for the Celtics again?
IT: For sure, if the opportunity presented itself. I hold no grudges, and they know that. I have genuine love for the city of Boston. If that were to happen, I’d love to be part of what they have going on. You never know. I’m always open for any opportunity to be in the NBA and play the game that I love at the highest level. If that opportunity presents itself, for sure. Time has passed.
The Los Angeles Lakers don’t have any open roster spots, but reportedly have an eye on New York Knicks forward Moe Harkless.
Fans of the Los Angeles Lakers have been waiting for their team to make a move and answer the various moves made over the past few months by their Western Conference rivals. But names have come and gone on the waiver wire over the past few weeks, with only 11 days until players can get bought out without losing playoff eligibility after March 1. Earlier on Tuesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news that Reggie Jackson would join the Clippers, but the Lakers aren’t completely done when it comes to leads for their roster.
According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, appearing on The Sedano Show, the Lakers are keeping an eye on Moe Harkless, who is on the New York Knicks after being included by the Clippers in the Marcus Morris trade at the deadline.
“Moe Harkless is a name I’ve heard they’re interested in and monitoring and still have an eye on.”
Considering Harkless’ best position is at the 3-4 spot, Jared Dudley would almost certainly be the candidate most likely to get waived. However, the Lakers have to still weigh whether they want to make a move at all. Their team chemistry has been a pillar of their success all season and they may decide that it’s too delicate of a thing to mess with.
The Los Angeles Clippers have geared up to take on the Los Angeles Lakers in a run at the 2020 NBA Championship.
The Los Angeles Clippers are tooling up for a run to the 2020 NBA Finals and enlisted some veteran help in the closing minutes before the NBA trade deadline as they hope to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers later this year.
The Clippers landed Marcus Morris from the New York Knicks, as well as Isaiah Thomas from the Washington Wizards, in a three-team deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Clippers sent native New Yorker Moe Harkless and their 2020 1st round pick to the Knicks while the Wizards got shooting guard Jerome Robinson from the Clippers. Altogether, it cost quite a bit but the Clippers added to their team for a potential showdown with the Lakers.
Morris adds another body and six fouls to throw at LeBron James while Thomas gives them an emergency point guard who can provide scoring and ballhandling in a pinch. If Lou Williams turns an ankle or gets in foul trouble, Thomas is the perfect fit to fill in. Also considering the Lakers weakness in the backcourt, Thomas could do well in a Lakers matchup.
Thomas has had a bounceback season after a hip injury derailed his past few years, averaging 12 points and four assists per game while shooting 41.3% from the 3-point line. Morris averaged a career-high 19.6 points and shot nearly 44% from the 3-point line in 43 games this season with the Knicks.
The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t give in on including Kyle Kuzma in a reported trade for New York’s Marcus Morris.
The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly been engaged in serious discussions with the New York Knicks, along with their hallway rivals the Los Angeles Clippers, regarding forward Marcus Morris. However, any deals for the Lakers to improve their team would have likely had to include third-year forward Kyle Kuzma. And Kuzma, according to the latest intel on the trade talks, was a bridge too far for L.A.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported minutes ago that the Lakers have removed Kuzma from trade talks with the Knicks. However, the Clippers appear closer than ever to acquiring Morris to give them another body to throw at LeBron James in the playoffs.
Knicks are in significant talks to move Marcus Morris to the Clippers for Moe Harkless and other assets, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA@Stadium. Lakers have informed Knicks that Kyle Kuzma has been removed from discussions, sources said.
The Lakers were reportedly looking for help for the past few months, but with Kuzma finally healthy and understanding his role within the Lakers, they don’t need to be in a rush to move him. Also, should Kuzma have a solid performance once the Lakers get to the playoffs, his value will only rise between now and the NBA Draft.
