Many believe the NBA Draft will feature a stronger prospect pool in 2021 than what the 2020 class will offer. But it may get even deeper.
Many believe the NBA Draft will feature a stronger prospect pool in 2021 than what the 2020 class will offer. But it may get even deeper.
Our mock draft for 2021 featured blurbs on several high school juniors who have already reclassified to forego their senior seasons, including Terrence Clarke (Kentucky), Devin Askew (Kentucky) and JT Thor (uncommitted). Another high school junior who narrowly missed the cut was Cam Hayes, who committed to North Carolina State.
However, we believe that the topic of reclassification will become even more pressing in the coming few weeks and months. Perhaps one reason why high school juniors may want to join a class that is already loaded is the following year could become even more crowded.
It is fairly well known that the NBA may allow high school seniors to enter the draft in 2022 for the first time since Amir Johnson was selected in 2005. That means that the draft class will feature all of the usual college prospects as well as an influx of high school talent as well.
There would be an incentive, then, for top high school juniors to find a way to separate themselves by potentially showcasing what they are capable of when playing against NCAA talent. Scouts and executives are more familiar with evaluating college basketball players than high schoolers.
As such, here is what you need to know about the high school stars that are most rumored to join the ranks of the Class of 2020 and then potentially be eligible to be selected in the 2021 NBA Draft.
JONATHAN KUMINGA
Forward, 6-foot-8, The Patrick School (New Jersey)
Background: Jonathan Kuminga is considered, nearly unanimously, the best high school junior in the country. He averaged 20.8 points per game on the Nike EYBL Division B circuit in 2019, showing his prolific scoring ability. Kuminga also had the second-most points per game (27.4) among all players in the Peach Jam Tournament last year. As recently noted by SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell, the forward could be a top-five pick in the 2021 NBA Draft if he chooses to reclassify. He will participate at the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp during All-Star Weekend in Chicago.
NCAA: Back in October, the top prospect announced that he was not going to reclassify. However, that has not quieted any of the speculations that he will forego his senior season and play college basketball next season. He narrowed his collegiate decision to ten schools in November 2019. Kuminga also had an official visit from Kentucky head coach John Calipari in January. Corey Evans of Rivals believes Duke could add Kuminga via reclassification to their Class of 2020. Evans has called his recruitment “fluid” so though the talk of him reclassifying was once silenced, it could easily change.
Oklahoma City lost back-to-back games in nearly a month when the fell to the Celtics on Sunday followed by a loss to the Spurs on Tuesday.
Should two consecutive losses be a cause for concern?
The Thunder dropped the final game of their homestand on Tuesday night, falling 114-106 to the San Antonio Spurs. Coupled with their 112-111 loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday afternoon, it was the first time in nearly a month that OKC had lost back-to-back games.
But its not so much the fact that the Thunder lost as it is the way in which they lost that concerns Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman.
Tramel points out that even with two wins to start the four-game homestand, OKC pulled out “narrow victories over hapless Cleveland and Detroit”.
After playing a grueling schedule of 17 games in 30 days, Oklahoma City had a couple of days off at the beginning of last week prior to the start of their recent homestand.
Billy Donovan told The Oklahoman that while the time away might have helped the Thunder heal up, it also may have negatively impacted their groove.
“I think maybe from a rest standpoint it helped, but maybe from a rhythm standpoint, it didn’t help,” Billy Donovan said. “I felt like we didn’t play to a level we had been capable of playing to. A lot of teams over 82 games have these ebbs and flows. It’s not going to be smooth sailing.”
The Spurs’ win on Tuesday snapped a five-game losing skid for San Antonio. Not exactly a great look for Oklahoma City considering the Spurs were also playing without DeMar DeRozan.
While Chris Paul was exceptional, scoring a game-high 31, the rest of OKC’s go-to guys weren’t at their best. As noted by Tramel, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Schroder and Gallinari combined for 46 points, 12.1 below their collective season average”.
Oklahoma City has one more game before the All-Star break. They’ll play at New Orleans on Thursday night.
They’ll have a full week off before hosting Denver on Friday, Feb. 21. Hopefully this time, the time off will help them regroup.
The Spurs might have beaten OKC on Tuesday night but Gregg Popovich complemented the coaching job done by Billy Donovan this season.
Even though his team beat Oklahoma City 114-106 on Tuesday night, Gregg Popovich still thinks Billy Donovan has done an excellent job coaching the Thunder this year.
That means something coming from Popovich, who has been no stranger to success during his tenure with the Spurs.
Pop has won five NBA titles in San Antonio, the most recent coming in 2014. He’s also a three-time NBA Coach of the Year.
And he’s been impressed with what Donovan has done in Oklahoma City this season. He told reporters, including ESPN’s Royce Young, that Donovan has done “one of the more masterful jobs in the league this year”.
Gregg Popovich on Billy Donovan: “He’s done one of the more masterful jobs in the league this year.”
Donovan has taken a team that was expected to win just 31.5 games prior to the season and turned them into a postseason contender.
The Thunder have already surpassed their 2019-20 predicted win total, sitting at 32-22 after Tuesday night’s loss and in sixth in the Western Conference standings, four and a half games ahead of the Grizzlies for eighth.
Despite dropping back-to-back close games, Oklahoma City is still one of the most clutch teams in the league. They’re tied with the Denver Nuggets with 23 clutch wins this season.
They’re also far and away the best in the NBA in terms of plus-minus, coming in at 81.
The next closest team is the Houston Rockets at 58.
Former Texas Longhorns basketball player LaMarcus Aldridge has big fourth quarter to help end the Spurs losing streak.
Basketball in San Antonio hasn’t lived up to expectations as of late. The Spurs headed to Oklahoma City on Tuesday night on a five-game losing streak. Hoping to stop the bleeding prior to the NBA’s All-Star Break it was former Longhorn LaMarcus Aldridge who rose to the challenge.
The Spurs got off to a hot start outscoring the Thunder 25-14 in the opening quarter. Aldridge scored six of his 25 points in the first, he finished with a team high 25 points against the Thunder. They were able to weather the storm during the middle two quarters where OKC was able to outscore the Spurs 63-54 to close the gap to just two points.
The Thunder were able to tie the game up at 79 early in the fourth quarter thanks to a Hamidou Diallo basket with 11:46 to go in the game. It was the closest they had been all game since early on the first quarter. Thanks to Aldridge and Dejounte Murray, the Spurs were able to shut the door on a comeback victory.
Aldridge scored 12 of his 25 in the fourth quarter to go along with his 14 rebounds. That marked LA’s 14th double-double on the season for the Spurs. Murray also matched Aldridge with 12 in the fourth to give the Spurs the 114-106 victory.
After the 2020 NBA Trade Deadline, the focus of basketball transaction rumors often shifts to the potential buyout market for contenders.
After the 2020 NBA trade deadline, the focus of basketball transaction rumors often shifts to the potential buyout market for contenders.
As noted by our own Frank Urbina, the buyout market “might actually be more interesting” than previously expected. While we recently collected a list of potential candidates for a buyout, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported that the last time a buyout addition played at least 100 playoff minutes for a team that won the title was in 2011. That would be Peja Stojakovic.
Aside from him, we broke down the biggest midseason free agency addition (via amnesty clause, buyout or otherwise) of the year each season since 2009-10.
2010: LARRY HUGHES, CHARLOTTE
(Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)
Near the end of his career, former NBA guard Larry Hughes was included in a deal that sent Tracy McGrady to the New York Knicks. After the move, he was waived by the Sacramento Kings and was subsequently picked up by the Charlotte Bobcats. He played 14 games with the franchise but made just two appearances in the starting lineup. Hughes scored just 8.1 points per game during the regular season. He played all four games for the team in the postseason, too, averaging 14.5 minutes per game. But he did not make much of an impact, scoring just 6.0 points per game.
2011: MIKE BIBBY, MIAMI
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
During his second-to-last season in the NBA, former NCAA champion Mike Bibby played for three different teams. He started the year with the Atlanta Hawks and was then moved to the Washington Wizards. After playing just two games, he and the organization agreed to a contract buyout and joined the Miami Heat. Bibby played 26.5 minutes per game for Miami, including 12 appearances in the starting lineup. The point guard connected on his personal-best 2.5 three-pointers per 36 minutes while shooting 45.5 percent from beyond the arc. He also started all 20 games during the playoffs for the Heat. However, Bibby averaged just 3.7 points and 1.2 assists per game during these contests.
2012: BORIS DIAW, SAN ANTONIO
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Among all of the midseason free agency additions during the 2010s, former first-round selection Boris Diaw perhaps made the largest impact during his time with the team that signed him. The forward was waived by the Charlotte Bobcats in March 2012. However, within two days, he was picked up by the San Antonio Spurs. He started in seven of 20 games for the Spurs in the regular season and then all 14 appearances for the team in the playoffs. During the postseason, he was 9-for-18 (50.0 percent) from the three-point line. Diaw, who was originally claimed in 2012, remained with San Antonio until 2016 (winning a title in 2013) and became one of the more consistent figures in their rotation.
2013: CHRIS ANDERSEN, MIAMI
(Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images)
More famously known by his nickname Birdman, former NBA big man Chris Andersen was waived and amnestied by the Denver Nuggets in 2012 so that the franchise could avoid the dreaded luxury tax bill. After some push by head coach Erik Spoelstra, the Miami Heat signed the 6-foot-10 veteran. He played on two ten-day contracts before eventually getting a deal for the remainder of the season in 2012-13. He played in just over half of the games (42) for the team in that campaign, averaging 14.9 minutes off the bench. He helped Miami go on a 27-game win streak shortly after he was signed. But most notable was his performance in the postseason in which he made all 15 of his first field goal attempts in Game 1 through Game 5 against the Indiana Pacers. Overall, he shot a postseason-best 80.4 percent from the field en route to the Heat winning the title in 2013.
2014: DREW GOODEN, WASHINGTON
(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Former NBA forward Drew Gooden signed a five-year, $32 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2010. However, he was waived by the team using an amnesty clause back in July 2013. Gooden was picked up by the Washington Wizards in February 2014. After two ten-day contracts, he was signed for the remainder of the season by the Wizards. Gooden played 18.0 minutes off the bench for Washington, scoring 8.3 points and grabbing 5.2 rebounds per game. After playing 10 contests in the postseason for the team, he signed a new deal with the Wizards and briefly became the starting power forward in 2014-15.
2015: AMARE STOUDEMIRE, DALLAS
(Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
Six-time NBA All-Star Amare Stoudemire was once a fixture for the New York Knicks. However, his role began to diminish during his final few years with the team. During his final 180 games with the Knicks, the big man was in the starting lineup just 50 times. He was waived by New York and was picked up by the Dallas Mavericks, averaging 10.8 points per game in 23 appearances during the regular season with his new team. The big then scored 7.8 points per game for Dallas during the playoffs.
2016: JOE JOHNSON, MIAMI
(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Seven-time NBA All-Star wing Joe Johnson was a major pickup by the Brooklyn Nets in 2012. But the franchise began to change its identity during the offseason leading into the 2015-16 campaign, letting longtime point guard Deron Williams test the open market and eventually sign with the Dallas Mavericks. Johnson, who had previously scored a field goal in a record 937 straight games, did not score against the Memphis Grizzlies on February 10, 2016. He played just three more games with the Nets before his contract was bought out on February 25. Johnson was fantastic on the Heat, scoring 13.4 points per game during the regular season and 12.1 points per game in the postseason.
2017: DERON WILLIAMS, CLEVELAND
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Three-time NBA All-Star guard Deron Williams signed with the Dallas Mavericks in 2015. He re-signed with Dallas the following season, though Williams missed time with a toe injury. Williams was waived by the team in February 2017 and was then picked up by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Williams averaged 20.3 minutes per game in 24 appearances during the regular season for Cleveland. His best performance was a near-triple double in April, putting up 35 points with 7 rebounds and 9 assists. This ended up being his final year in the NBA, retiring after losing in the Finals to the Golden State Warriors.
2018: MARCO BELINELLI, PHILADELPHIA
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Former first-rounder Marco Belinelli signed with the Sacramento Kings in 2015 after winning the NBA championship and three-point contest with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. He was traded to the Charlotte Hornets in 2016 and then to the Atlanta Hawks in 2017. The wing was waived by Atlanta in February 2018 and then claimed by the Philadelphia 76ers. Belinelli then put up a career-high 13.6 points and 2.0 three-pointers per game. He then scored 25 points against the Miami Heat in the postseason. He also hit a game-tying buzzer-beater to send a game against the Boston Celtics to overtime.
2019 WESLEY MATTHEWS, INDIANA
(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
After an impressive tenure with the Portland Trail Blazers from 2010 until 2015, Wesley Matthews signed a four-year deal with the Dallas Mavericks. He was traded to the New York Knicks, where he played just two games for the team before he was waived in February 2019. Matthews was picked up by the Indiana Pacers, then connecting on six three-pointers against the New Orleans Pelicans later in the month. He played 31.5 minutes per game in his 23 appearances during the regular season, starting in each contest. Matthews also started all four games he played in the postseason for Indiana.
HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report
Schroder struggled in the loss. OKC scored just 14 points in the first quarter, dropping two in a row for the first time in nearly a month.
Oklahoma City dropped their second game in a row on Tuesday night, a 114-106 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
Here are three takeaways.
Schroder’s struggles against San Antonio continue
Dennis Schroder will probably be happy after February 23. That’s because he won’t have to play against the Spurs for the rest of the regular season.
In the 10 games prior to Tuesday night, Schroder had been averaging 24 points per game. Against the Spurs, he scored just 14.
In the two games against San Antonio prior to Tuesday’s loss, Schroder averaged only 15.0 points per game, more than four points below his season average. He was shooting 40% from the field in those games, down from 47.4% on the year. On Tuesday, he shot worse than that, hitting on just five of his 13 attempts (38.4%) from the floor.
It’s been a while since OKC suffered back-to-back losses
You have to go back almost a month to find the last time the Thunder lost two in a row. On Jan. 15 they lost 130-121 to the Toronto Raptors and fell the next night to the Miami Heat 119-106.
They responded by running off five straight wins and nine of their next 10.
Oklahoma City has one more game this week, at the New Orleans Pelicans, before the All-Star break.
Another sluggish start
Although the Thunder battled back to tie the game at 79 early in the fourth quarter, they never were quite able to overcome their sluggish start.
OKC scored just 14 points in the first quarter, committing more fouls (eight) than made shots (five).
The Thunder were plagued by a severe scoring drought, going more than five minutes without a point and the final 6:17 of the quarter without a field goal.
As if that wasn’t enough, Oklahoma City also turned the ball over four times during that span.
San Antonio snapped a five-game skid with the win over OKC. The Thunder have now lost two in a row, ending their four-game homestand 2-2.
Make that back-to-back losses for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
After winning four in a row, OKC has dropped their last two to split their four-game homestand 2-2, ending it with a 114-106 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
Chris Paul scored a game-high 31 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, Dennis Schroader, and Steven Adams were all in double-digits. Adams scored 10 points and led the team with 10 rebounds as he posted a double-double.
Schroder’s struggles against the Spurs continued on Tuesday night.
Coming into the game, Schroder was averaging just 15 points while shooting 40% from the floor in OKC’s two previous games against San Antonio this season. On Tuesday, Schroder was held to just 14 points, hitting on just 5 of his 13 shots in 32 minutes of game time.
Billy Donovan said after the game that he thought his team played well defensively in the first half, but they struggled all night long on offense.
“I thought offensively it was a hard night for us. We just never got going like we had been. We’d been so good offensively for a number of games now and this was probably one of those games, offensively, that wasn’t as good.”
Donovan also added that he thought Oklahoma City had plenty of opportunities at the rim, but that the Thunder “just didn’t finish well enough”.
LaMarcus Aldridge and Dejounte Murray led the Spurs with 25 points apiece. DeMar DeRozan was out again with back spasms.
The Thunder fall to 32-22 overall and 17-12 at home. They’ll head on the road for a single game at New Orleans on Thursday prior to the All-Star break.
OKC will see San Antonio soon. The two teams will play again on Sunday, Feb. 23 inside Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Oklahoma City is looking to bounce back from a close loss to the Celtics on Sunday while San Antonio comes in on a five-game losing streak.
Both Oklahoma City and the San Antonio Spurs will be in need of a win when they square off inside Chesapeake Energy Arena on Tuesday night.
The Thunder are coming off a 112-111 loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday afternoon, another game in which they were competitive right up until the very end.
Dennis Schroder was one of four players in double-digits on Sunday afternoon, scoring 22 points on 8-of-21 shooting. His shooting percentage in the loss to the Celts was unusually low. Schroder is shooting a career-best 47.4% from the floor this season, although he has struggled against the Spurs this season.
In two games against San Antonio, Schroder is averaging just 15 points per game, more than four below his season-average, hitting just 40% of his shots from the field.
The Spurs, meanwhile, come into Tuesday in the midst of a five-game skid and are just 8-19 away from home. That record doesn’t bode well for a team that is going 25 days without a home game.
DeMar DeRozan, who was a late scratch for Monday’s game against the Nuggets, is doubtful Tuesday against the Thunder according to Spurs digital journalist JeffGSpursZone.
Oklahoma City will be without Darius Bazley, who injured his right knee late in the first quarter of Sunday’s loss. Bazley will be out for four-to-six weeks.
It won’t be long before yet another matchup between these two. They play twice in 12 days, their next game coming on Sunday, Feb. 23 in Oklahoma City.
Previewing Tuesday’s San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.
The San Antonio Spurs (22-31) visit the Chesapeake Energy Arena to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder (32-21) Tuesday. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. E.T. We analyze the Spurs-Thunder sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.
Spurs at Thunder: Key injuries
Spurs
SG Demar DeRozan (back) questionable
Thunder
PF Darius Bazley (knee) out
SG Andre Roberson (knee) out
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Spurs at Thunder: Odds, lines, picks, and betting tips
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 11:50 a.m. ET.
The Thunder (-334) are big moneyline favorites over the Spurs (+260). Oklahoma City is in the midst of a hot streak, winning eight of its last 10 games. The Thunder have been strong at home with a 17-11 record. Meanwhile, the Spurs have lost six-straight road games as they continue to fall in the Western Conference.
OKC would be the play if it weren’t for the chalky odds. It isn’t worth the small risk to bet $10 on the Thunder to win in order to make a profit of just $3.
The THUNDER (-7.5, -115) have been hot against the spread, as of late, covering in eight of their last 11 games. The Spurs can’t say the same, as they’ve managed to cover the spread just once in their previous five contests. Considering this point spread is relatively low, take the Thunder to cover the 7.5-point spread and win by at least 8 eight points.
The total for this Western Conference matchup is set at 220.5 points, which feels about right considering the Spurs have one of the worst defenses in the NBA. This season, San Antonio is allowing nearly 114.7 points per game, but an even worse 117 points per game on the road. While Oklahoma City’s offense isn’t special, the OVER 220.5 (+100) will hit as both teams should score at least 110 points.
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Previewing Monday’s San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.
The San Antonio Spurs (22-30) visit Pepsi Center to take on the Denver Nuggets (37-16) Monday. Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. E.T. We analyze the Spurs-Nuggets sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.
Spurs at Nuggets: Key injuries
Nuggets:
SG Will Barton (knee) out
C Mason Plumlee (foot) out
SF Michael Porter Jr. (ankle) out
C Bol Bol (foot) out
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Spurs at Nuggets: Odds, lines, picks, and betting tips
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 10:45 a.m. ET.
The Nuggets (-295) are heavy favorites at home over the Spurs (+230). Denver has won seven of its last nine games, while the Spurs have lost five-straight road games. San Antonio has struggled mightily on the road this season, going 8-18. Take Denver to win at home on Monday.
The Nuggets would be the play, but there’s far too much chalk on this line with a $10 bet returning a profit of just $3.40 with a victory. PASS and look to the spread.
The NUGGETS (-7.5, +100) have been excellent against the spread as of late, covering in five of their last six home games. San Antonio has been decent against the spread on the road this season, going 13-12-1 against the spread. Give the edge to Denver and back the Nuggets to win by at least 8 points at even money.
The projected total for this Western Conference matchup is set at 217.5 points, which feels a bit low. Both teams are averaging at least 110 points per game this season, and this game should be no different as the Spurs allow 114.4 PPG on defense. Expect this to be a relatively high-scoring game, with the OVER 217.5 (-110) hitting in Denver.
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