HoopsHype ranks the five players who have popped up the most in trade rumors over the past week, including Karl-Anthony Towns.
We haven’t seen another trade since the Cleveland Cavaliers sent Jordan Clarkson to the Utah Jazz, but that doesn’t mean there’s been a shortage of scuttle over the past week. What’s more, as we get closer to February, trade rumors will only start to become more frequent, a trend we’re already starting to see now, in early January.
Below, HoopsHype ranks the five players who have popped up the most in rumors on the site’s Trade page over the past week.
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5. JRUE HOLIDAY
Despite scuttle over previous weeks about the likelihood of a Jrue Holiday trade, the smoke on that end has started to fade a bit, and it looks like the New Orleans Pelicans would prefer to keep their underrated floor general.
“Holiday wants to win and cares most about being in a winning situation, league sources tell The Athletic. He and Griffin had agreed to push into a new Pelicans future over the summer and contend for a playoff berth, but that has not happened. When Griffin took over in New Orleans, Holiday wanted to stay and saw the possibility of being part winner right where he is. So far, the sides have not had any dialogue about his future.”
With New Orleans sitting at 11-23 and Holiday under contract for three more seasons, discontentment on Holiday’s end could begin to grow unless the team experiences a major turnaround.
If that were to happen, Charania listed the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat as two teams who could be interested in pursuing the two-way guard.
Holiday is averaging 19.9 points and 6.5 assists this season.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said as much after Cleveland dealt Clarkson, reporting that the Cavs, “plan to start uprooting veterans from their roster to gather more draft picks and young assets.” The Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Chris Fedorreported that contenders have expressed interest in Thompson, but that the Cavaliers are contemplating whether to trade their best big man or sign him to a long-term contract.
That sounds like it could be a good bit of posturing by Cleveland, however, in hopes of driving up the asking price for Thompson, who is legitimately playing some of the best basketball of his career right now.
This season, the Canadian center is averaging 12.8 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. He’d make a great addition to a top-notch playoff team lacking in toughness on the inside.
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3. DENNIS SMITH JR.
There’s no question Dennis Smith Jr., a former Top-10 pick, has been a pretty big disappointment thus far in his career. And things haven’t improved upon his arrival to the Big Apple.
As a member of the New York Knicks, Smith is averaging 5.2 points and 2.7 assists per game, though he did miss some time due to the death of a loved one, which could have had an adverse effect on his form.
Despite his struggles this season, Smith still holds value as a trade target thanks to his age (22), upside and the fact that he’s under contract for two more seasons after this one, and at a team-friendly price. Maybe in more tenable situation, like one that doesn’t include a midseason coaching change, Smith might have a chance to flourish.
At least that’s the gamble some teams could be willing to make.
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2. KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS
There hasn’t been a full-out trade rumor regardingKarl-Anthony Towns yet, but the seeds of discontent began to appear last week when a report out of each coast came out, stating that two big-market teams were monitoring the star big man and his level of contentment with the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are struggling again this season.
First, came a report fromMarc Berman at the New York Post who stated that the New York Knicks are keeping their eye on Towns, in case he were to demand a trade. Then came the second report, courtesy of Ethan Strauss at The Athletic, who said that the Golden State Warriors are also eyeing Towns for the same reason, and that league execs at the G League showcase said Towns is unhappy in Minnesota.
A latter report had sources within both Towns’ and the Wolves’ camps downplaying concerns, but as the saying goes, where there’s smoke there’s fire. And as long as the Timberwolves continue to struggle despite having two max players on their roster, the team’s future will continue to be unsettled.
“‘I would like to be traded,’ Dedmon told The Bee, speaking publicly about his trade request for the first time. ‘I haven’t been playing, so I would like to go somewhere where my talents are appreciated.’ The Kings are listening to offers and there appears to be a market for Dedmon’s services, but a league source told The Bee any deal would have to make sense for the team and its future.”
Dedmon hasn’t played in 11 of Sacramento’s last 13 games, and his lack of playing time overall this year has a lot to do with the emergence of Richaun Holmes and the development of Harry Giles. It makes sense why Dedmon, who is playing under 14 minutes per game this year, is unhappy in Sacramento, but at the same time, he chose to sign with a team that has a pretty deep frontcourt rotation, filled with promising up-and-comers.
Dedmon’s contract, which pays him over $13 million annually, could make him a bit tricky to move, but his skill-set, that of a floor-spacing, rim-protecting center who would be a decent backup on a contender, could make him appealing to elite teams.
You can follow Frank Urbina on Twitter: @FrankUrbina_.
HoopsHype ranks the 12 players who have the biggest chance to make their first All-Star roster this season, including Luka Doncic.
All-Star appearances are often used as a way to partially define legacies, with players who rack up the distinction being rated highly in the minds of NBA aficionados. And although that is far from the best way to define someone’s career, All-Star berths do tell us a lot about which players are considered to be the most impactful (or, sometimes, popular) on any given year.
This season, various up-and-coming stars have the chance to make their first appearances in the prestigious exhibition; in fact, a few of them came quite close last year.
Below, we rank the 12 NBA players who have the best opportunity to make their first All-Star Game this season.
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12. MALCOLM BROGDON
Not only did Malcolm Brogdon have to overcome the transition to a new team, he’s had to take over the role of a primary playmaker for the first time in his career as well, with Victor Oladipo still not back from injury.
And despite all that, Brogdon is still having his best NBA season.
The Virginia product is averaging 18.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 7.6 assists in 2019-20 on 45.2/33.3/93.3 shooting splits; he’s one of just nine players putting up an 18/4/7 stat line this year, with names like LeBron James and James Harden joining him on the list.
Additionally, Brogdon’s impact has been far from empty, as the Pacers have been one of this season’s pleasant surprises at 21-12 through 33 games, which puts them sixth in the East.
Indiana took a risk offering Brogdon such a rich contract despite him having experience mostly as a secondary, or even tertiary, up until this season. Thus far, however, it’s worked out wonderfully for both parties.
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11. DOMANTAS SABONIS
Brogdon’s pick-and-roll partner in Indiana, Domantas Sabonis, also has a solid shot of making his first All-Star roster this season.
The 23-year-old has improved every single year since reaching the NBA, and 2019-20 has been no different, as Sabonis is averaging a career-best 17.4 points, 13.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per contest.
Sabonis ranks fourth league-wide in nightly rebounds and fourth among centers in nightly assists, proving what a well-rounded big man he’s become. Those numbers and the effect they’re having on the Pacers’ strong season could be enough to push Sabonis towards his first All-Star berth, though the East’s depth in the frontcourt positions could have something to say about that.
Even so, the legendary Arvydas’ son is making a strong case for himself.
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
10. BRANDON INGRAM
For years, we’ve waited to see Brandon Ingram start to reach the huge ceiling that many forecast he had when he was just an NBA prospect. Well, this season, we’re starting to see what a fully functional Ingram looks like and, we must say, it’s pretty scary.
Ingram has been nothing short of spectacular in his first campaign as a New Orleans Pelican, with averages of 25.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists to his name, but perhaps even more impressive than that is the fact that after shooting just 32.9 percent from three over his first three seasons, he’s now hitting 41 percent of his outside looks, which has made him nearly impossible to defend.
According to Synergy, Ingram ranks as a “very good” scorer in four separate play-types: as the pick-and-roll ball-handler, as a spot-up shooter, in isolation and in transition. It’s difficult to get much more well-rounded than that.
There are a couple of things standing in Ingram’s way as far as his first All-Star appearance goes, however. For starters, the West is absolutely loaded on the wings, particularly with LeBron, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George absolute locks to make it every season. Second, the Pelicans have been one of the league’s most disappointing teams this year, even despite their recent good form, with a 10-23 record through 33 contests.
Regardless, Ingram’s numbers are so eye-popping that they could be enough to get him in as an All-Star reserve anyway.
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
9. DEVIN BOOKER
For a while early on in the season, the Phoenix Suns looked like a new team, as they boasted a 7-4 record through 11 games with a +6.4 net rating (the league’s fourth-best mark to that point) to show for it, all with Devin Booker leading the way as the franchise’s lone star-level player.
Since then, however, things have fallen off a cliff for Phoenix. The Suns are 6-16 from Nov. 14 through Dec. 29, and have the NBA’s 10th-worst net rating in that stretch at -3.8. Overall, they now sit 10th in the West on a year where the bottom of the conference is weaker than usual, meaning the opportunity is there to sneak into the postseason for the first time since 2010-11.
Simply put, if Phoenix can’t at least hover close to the playoff line, that’s going to hurt Booker’s All-Star credentials. He’s been productive for years now, with this season being no different at 24.4 points and 6.3 assists per game, but if he can’t prove he’s an actual outcome-changer, there’s a good chance he gets ignored yet again once coaches have to decide who the All-Star reserves are going to be this year.
Fans are sort of ignoring Booker’s All-Star candidacy at this point, too, as the first fan-vote returns have Booker sitting ninth in the West among guards, behind… Alex Caruso.
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8. SPENCER DINWIDDIE
Despite major injuries to Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Brooklyn Nets have remained afloat this year with a 16-15 record and a seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.
A lot of that has to do with Spencer Dinwiddie putting the team on his back for most of the campaign. Dinwiddie is averaging 22.5 points and 6.8 assists per game in 2019-20, and is putting up career-best marks in catch-all advanced metrics Box Plus/Minus and Win Shares per 48 Minutes. And he’s doing that despite shooting quite poorly from beyond the arc this season at 29.8 percent.
Without Dinwiddie, the Nets would surely be sitting outside of the postseason picture out East, and that, plus a usual All-Star lock-in Irving missing so much of the year, could help the 26-year-old make the prestigious exhibition roster.
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7. JAYSON TATUM
After a down sophomore season, at least relative to expectations following such a strong debut, Jayson Tatum’s career trajectory is back on the upswing thanks to his fantastic level of play in 2019-20.
On the year, the Boston Celtics forward is averaging 21.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists nightly and playing some of his best defense since reaching the NBA. He might not be Boston’s best player, that honor would probably belong to Kemba Walker, but Tatum has been a huge part of the Celtics’ bounce-back season (they boast a 22-8 record through 30 outings) after what was deemed widely as a disappointing 2018-19.
Tatum ranks as a very good scorer, per Synergy, both out of the pick-and-roll and in isolation (both with passes included), placing in the 81st percentile and 80th percentile in the two all-important play-types, respectively. The Duke product is really starting to live up to the efficient bucket-getter potential he had coming out of college.
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6. DONOVAN MITCHELL
Similar to Tatum, Donovan Mitchell didn’t make the leap some expected as a sophomore last season. Also like Tatum, however, the third-year guard out of Louisville has placed himself right back on an upward trajectory in 2019-20 with an improved level of play.
Mitchell is averaging 25.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game this year along with a career-high 55.4 true shooting percentage. He’s also posting career-best marks in Box Plus/Minus and Win Shares per 48 Minutes, which do a good job of measuring the nightly impact made by players.
Most importantly, Mitchell has the Jazz sitting at a 20-12 record and sixth in the West, even despite the poor play of the team’s big offseason acquisition, Mike Conley. In fact, once Conley went down and Mitchell took over more primary playmaker duties, his play got even better, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens once the veteran floor general gets healthy.
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5. BAM ADEBAYO
Sitting behind Hassan Whiteside for the last two-and-a-half seasons, Bam Adebayo seldom got the chance to show off his immense skill level, besides a random flash here or there. This year, though, as a full-time Day-1 starter, that’s no longer the case, as Adebayo has taken his new role and run with it.
Playing over 30 minutes nightly for the first time in his career, Adebayo is averaging 15.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting over 56 percent from the floor. Adebayo’s explosion this year has helped the Miami Heat far exceed even the loftiest expectations, as the team sits second in the East at 24-8 through 32 games.
Sure, the addition of Jimmy Butler has played a huge part in that, but without Adebayo performing like an All-Star, on both ends of the floor, Miami wouldn’t be where they’re at today.
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
4. RUDY GOBERT
Arguably 2018-19’s biggest All-Star snub, Rudy Gobert has maintained a strong level of play this season, but hasn’t quite improved upon his play from last year, which could mean the big Frenchman just misses out on being an All-Star again.
Gobert is averaging 14.8 points per game this season (down from 15.9 last), to go along with 14.2 rebounds (career-high mark) and 1.9 blocks nightly. The big man is also sixth in Win Shares in 2019-20 and 12th in Value Over Replacement Player. What’s more, the 27-year-old is making another strong case for Defensive Player of the Year, which would be his third season in a row winning the award.
The 7-footer’s candidacy for All-Star status this season will be an interesting one to monitor, as it’ll really depend on how coaches and media view his defensive acumen and whether they believe he should be rewarded for that, because it looks like the fans won’t be helping Gobert make his first All-Star roster.
As of the first return of fan votes, Gobert did not rank among the Top-10 vote-getters among Western Conference frontcourt players. Mind you, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard both did.
Yikes.
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3. TRAE YOUNG
The Atlanta Hawks may be having a pretty disappointing season, but it’s impossible to fault Trae Young for that. The second-year guard ranks fourth in the league in scoring this year at 28.5 points per game and fifth in assists with 8.3 nightly.
His vision as a playmaker is nearly unmatched, he can hit reliably from deep three-point range (Young is shooting a healthy 35.5 percent from 25 to 29 feet from the basket) and he has the ability to draw fouls at a high rate (shooting over seven free throws nightly), where he sinks freebies at 84.5 percent, which gives his offensive efficiency a huge boost.
So although the Hawks have been disappointing in 2019-20, their most promising player has not been. The fans have taken notice, too, as the first returns of votes have Young as the No. 1 vote-getter among Eastern Conference guards, ahead of Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker.
He still might not be a lock to make it because of the media and coaches vote accounting for 50 percent of the total, but the fans are doing their best to push the talented floor general in.
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2. PASCAL SIAKAM
A surefire lock to make his All-Star debut this season, barring injury, is Toronto Raptors swingman Pascal Siakam. After a Most Improved Player campaign last year, Siakam is making the rare case to win the award again this year thanks to another massive leap in his level of play.
On the year, Siakam is averaging 25.1 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists nightly while hitting a career-best 39.2 percent of his triples. Siakam’s big improvement has made the sting of Kawhi Leonard’s departure hurt a little less, as the Raptors boast a 23-11 record and the league’s No. 6 net rating at +6.0.
Siakam has missed Toronto’s last seven games due to injury, and in that span, the team’s net rating has dropped and their record is just 4-3, including a blowout loss to the Celtics, which goes to show how important the 25-year-old to the team’s chances of Eastern Conference contention later in the year.
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1. LUKA DONCIC
Without question, Luka Doncic is posting one of the best sophomore campaigns in league history, averaging 29.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 8.9 assists per contest while shooting 47.1 percent from the floor and 80.6 percent from the foul stripe (on over nine attempts per game).
As if that wasn’t enough to earn the young Slovenian his first bid to the All-Star Game, his massive popularity globally has already made him one of the league’s most marketable stars. The first returns on fan All-Star voting bear that out:
Leaders in fan voting for first return of NBA All-Star voting: Dallas' Luka Dončić and Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Each week, HoopsHype’s staff gives our Top 10 candidates for this year’s Most Valuable Player award. Which stars have stood out thus far?
Each week, HoopsHype’s staff gives the Top 10 candidates for this year’s Most Valuable Player award. This list highlights stars who are in the mix for the 2019-20 MVP award due to their impressive play.
Which stars have stood out? Here are our latest MVP rankings:
The past week-plus has been the perfect encapsulation of the Philadelphia 76ers’ 2019-20 season. The team was able to start off that stretch with a massive win on Christmas against the Milwaukee Bucks, on a night where Joel Embiid dropped 31 points and 11 rebounds against one of the league’s title favorites, but followed that up by losing their next three games, two on the road by one point apiece, and then a blowout at the hands of the Indiana Pacers in a game Embiid was forced to sit due to injury. Prior to going down, Embiid was averaging 30 points and 11 boards over a three-game stretch, so Philadelphia has to hope their star center doesn’t miss much time with what’s being described as left knee soreness.
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9. NIKOLA JOKIC, DENVER
STATS: 18.1 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 6.7 APG, 50.1 FG%
There’s no question Nikola Jokic got off to a frighteningly slow start to his 2019-20 campaign, but recently, the stud Serbian center has started to resemble his old self again, which is great news for the Denver Nuggets and bad news for teams in the Western Conference below the two-L.A.-team tier. Over the past three weeks (a 14-game span), Jokic has averaged 22.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game on fiery shooting splits of 55.9/41.4/84.6.
Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard has been performing at an elite level this season, and yet, his team can’t seem to garner even the slightest amount of momentum in 2019-20. Portland – losers of five straight, including an embarrassing 117-93 loss to the New York Knicks – are 14-21 on the season and have the league’s 12th-worst net rating at -2.0, which puts them behind the Orlando Magic and Chicago Bulls this year. What has to be especially frustrating for Lillard is the fact that with him on the floor, the Blazers are 11.6 points per 100 possessions better than when he’s on the bench, meaning the team gets absolutely destroyed in the minutes they’re without their All-NBA-caliber floor general. Luckily for Lillard and Co., however, the bottom of the Western Conference playoff race is a mess right now, so they’re still merely 1.5 games out of the eighth seed. They can thank Lillard for that.
Even though he’s shooting at pretty horrific rates, primarily from three where he’s sinking just 27.6 percent of his looks, Jimmy Butler still ranks 10th in VORP this season, as well as 10th in BPM, ninth in WS/48 and 12th in PER, proving what an immense impact he’s having for the Miami Heat. It’s scary to think about what would happen to those marks if Butler is able to relocate his formerly semi-respectable outside stroke, too. Regardless, Butler is a lock to regain All-Star status this season after he missed the festivities last year, as his Heat boast an impressive (and unexpected) 24-9 record through 33 contests.
As far as statement games go, no one on this list had a more important one over the past week than Kawhi Leonard on Christmas. Facing off with the Los Angeles Lakers and their two own MVP candidates, Leonard was spectacular, dropping 35 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and five triples while shooting 11-for-19 from the floor. Leonard’s Los Angeles Clippers came out on top against the Lakers for the second time this season that night by a final score of 111-106, raising questions about what a series would look like between these two super talented teams. One thing is for sure, though: Leonard has been playing at a scary level over the past month and a half.
Since sustaining the groin injury in mid-December, LeBron James’ shooting marks have plummeted, as the four-time league MVP is shooting 39.8 percent from the floor and 24.2 percent from three in those five contests. Regardless, James is still playing insanely well on the year as a whole, especially when you consider the fact that he just turned 35. James leads the league in nightly assists this year, and as he’s taken a bit of a backseat to his new super teammate, he’s posting a career-best 51.2 percent assist rate. Leave it to LeBron to set career marks in his 17th season.
That aforementioned super teammate of LeBron’s we referenced, of course, is Anthony Davis, who, for the first time in his career, gets to play for a legit title contender. And with the way Davis is playing on a team expected to compete for a championship, it’s a shame we haven’t gotten to see this version of the superstar power forward sooner. Davis is shooting more than eight free throws nightly and sinking them at an 85.3 percent rate, which is insane for a big man, and just part of what makes him such an efficient/special scorer. Couple that with his otherworldly defense and it’s easy to see why many thought Davis could one day become a perennial MVP candidate. That day seems to have arrived.
In the four games he’s played since returning from an ugly ankle injury, Luka Doncic is putting up 27.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game, so it looks like the Dallas Mavericks didn’t rush their burgeoning superstar back too quickly. On the year, the 20-year-old ranks third league-wide in scoring, 22nd in rebounds and third in assists, an absolutely absurd feat for someone in just their sophomore campaign. It hasn’t taken long for Doncic to become one of the most entertaining players in the league, thanks to his audacious step-back jumpers and wonderful playmaking prowess.
As the decade came to a close this week, it was fun to look back at some of the absurd numbers James Harden put up in the 2010s. Two immediately stand out: The Beard ranks second in wins over the last 10 years, trailing just LeBron, with 502, and he leads the entire league in points scored over the decade with 19,578. People may complain about his style of play, but there’s no doubt Harden is one of the most special talents the NBA has ever seen. Also noteworthy: Harden is shooting 45.3 percent from three over the past 13 games and shooting just 8.4 free throws nightly in that stretch, so it looks like his game continues to evolve, which is downright scary for opponents.
The no-brainer MVP favorite at this point in the season is still Giannis Antetokounmpo. Harden’s individual numbers (at least scoring-wise) might be more impressive, but Antetokounmpo is also one of the most impactful defenders in the league while averaging over 30 points per game – a ridiculous combination for a single player to possess. Antetokounmpo is even becoming a respectable outside threat, hitting over a third (33.1 percent) of his outside looks on the year. But by far the most impressive aspect of the Greek Freak’s campaign so far is the level at which he has the Milwaukee Bucks performing, who are 31-5 and have by far the league’s best net rating at +12.5. The next highest team in that stat, the Boston Celtics, are at +7.8, which goes to show Milwaukee’s level of dominance on the year.
You can follow Frank Urbina on Twitter: @FrankUrbina_.
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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 Utah Jazz acquired Jordan Clarkson via trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers on December 23. He made his debut with them on Thursday night.
The Utah Jazz acquired Jordan Clarkson via trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers on December 23. He made his debut with them on Thursday night.
The main reason for the move is that the Jazz have an anemic offense when Donovan Mitchell is not on the court. Their offensive rating in these minutes (100.4) has been far below the league average (109.1) so far this season. Cleveland, meanwhile, had scored well (110.5) with Clarkson in December. He has long shown he is capable of massive scoring eruptions any given night.
Dennis Lindsey, Utah’s executive vice president of basketball operations, spoke about Clarkson before his debut with the Jazz (via Deseret.com):
“There was a little bit of a duh-factor being 28th in bench scoring. We needed to add someone that could just go and get a shot … He was a player that Quin asked me about this summer so it’s not the first conversation we’ve had about him.”
During his first game for the franchise, he showcased his ability to get a quick bucket off the bench. He scored nine points in his first nine minutes with the new squad.
He was held scoreless for the remainder of the game as the Jazz, though. The beginning of the match showed why the team was willing to move on from a former lottery pick in Dante Exum. The latter half showed why both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers have been so willing to move on from him via trade as too often he can vanish.
While he has shown he can play one-through-three, the 27-yar-old has spent 86 percent of his minutes as the shooting guard this season. That will be his primary position, though his experience as a point guard and small forward will make him valuable as veteran Mike Conley recovers from a hamstring issue over the next few weeks.
He was able to slide into the three alongside Mitchell as well as Emmanuel Mudiay in the backcourt. However, he spent a few possessions as the point with Mitchell and Joe Ingles on the wing.
But more likely than not, his primary role (once Conley returns from his injury) will be as a scoring sparkplug during minutes without Mitchell. This is mostly because he’s a high-usage, ball-dominant player that requires the rock to make his biggest impact. The 6-foot-5 guard has averaged 59.7 touches per 36 minutes during his professional career, indicating it will be hard for him to do much while Mitchell is on the court.
Meanwhile, one of the other advantages of his addition is that it allows Royce O’Neale to play his natural position as their backup small forward. O’Neale has spent 57 percent of his minutes in 2019-20 at shooting guard out of necessity, though it has not been his best position.
According to Cleaning the Glass, for example, the Jazz have been outscored by 1.0 point per 100 possessions when O’Neale has played the two. But they have outscored their opponents by 14.4 points per 100 when he has played at the three.
Jordan Clarkson is shooting 42% on catch-and-shoot 3s this year. Could be a valuable quality if he adjusts well to Snyder's motion offense.
During his debut, the guard was actually held scoreless on catch-and-shoot opportunities. This is another way he can surely make a difference for his new offense once he gets more in rhythm.
Only five teams have taken fewer catch-and-shoot three-pointers per game than Utah (20.8) so far this season. But the Jazz lead the NBA in three-point percentage (42.4 percent) on these attempts.
Clarkson is currently shooting 39-for-93 (41.9 percent) on three-pointers off the catch. Considering how well Utah has been on these attempts, they will have another weapon in the arsenal with Clarkson as a viable option on their team.
HoopsHype ranks the five players who have popped up the most in trade rumors over the past week, including Marcus Morris and Andre Iguodala.
After a painfully long 160 days between trades, the NBA finally saw a bit of movement on that front this past week when the Cleveland Cavaliers agreed to send Jordan Clarkson to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Dante Exum and a couple of second-round draft picks.
Various big-name players have been bandied about over recent days, and though a huge deal may not seem imminent, one could spring up on us at any time, just like how the Clarkson-for-Exum swap occurred almost out of nowhere.
Below, HoopsHype ranks the five players who have popped up the most in rumors on the site’s Trade page over the past week.
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5. KEVIN LOVE
Following the Clarkson trade, the expectation is for Cleveland to continue unloading veterans for premium assets, according to reports from Adrian Wojnarowski and the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Chris Fedor. The latter reported the following on Tuesday:
“The [Clarkson] move puts Cleveland about $5.1 million below the luxury tax threshold, which gives the team more financial flexibility when it comes to other deals. Make no mistake, more are coming between now and the trade deadline on Feb. 6. Players are already bracing for those shakeups.”
Love is averaging 16.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game this season while shooting 44.2 percent from the floor and 37.3 percent from beyond the arc. The floor-spacing big man also ranks in the “excellent” range, according to Synergy Sports, in scoring out of the pick-and-roll (as the roller) and coming off screens, so teams know the value Love still possesses as a scorer.
Of course, the main issues when it comes to trading Love are his age (31) and contract (he’s the 22nd-highest paid player this year and signed through 2022-23), but if Clarkson was able to net two second-rounders and a decent prospect like Exum, there’s a good chance Cleveland will be able to get a first-rounder, even a protected one, for their star power forward, especially if they’re willing to take back bad salary in return.
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4. MARCUS MORRIS
Despite the New York Knicks’ struggles this season, Marcus Morris has been a revelation, averaging a career-high 18.4 points per game to go along with 5.6 rebounds and 2.7 triples (on 46.6 percent shooting from the outside) nightly.
“‘Teams love his leadership and he’s been shooting incredibly well,’ a representative for one Eastern Conference team said. ‘You can easily see them getting a late first-round pick for him if that team feels Marcus pushes them over the top.'”
It might not be for another few weeks, but expect to see Morris traded by early February; one of the two L.A. teams, for example, would make a whole lot of sense for him.
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3. DION WAITERS
Everyone is pretty well-versed in Dion Waiters’ impossibly bad season so far, but for those who aren’t, the gist of it is: He’s been suspended three separate times and has yet to play a minute for the Miami Heat.
As such, logically, Miami would prefer to move on from their troublesome 2-guard, but there aren’t many ways they could do so. On its own, Waiters’ contract lends itself nicely to be used as a trade chip, since it only has a year-and-a-half left on it and merely pays him $12.3 million annually in that span, but why would any team want to add Waiters to their locker room, especially with the way he’s behaved this season?
Now that Elfrid Payton is healthy for the Knicks, third-year guard Frank Ntilikina’s playing time has gone way down, from over 26 minutes nightly over a 23-game stretch to under 14 minutes nightly over his last four. With that dip in playing time, the French ball-handler’s averages have gone way down (and they were never that impressive to begin with), as Ntilikina is scoring 3.8 points and securing 2.0 rebounds in that stretch.
There have been trade rumors surrounding Ntilikina for a long time now, and that hasn’t changed recently, not with how poorly he’s played in New York and the upside other teams still think he might have. If nothing else, Ntilikina is still just 21 and has proven to have huge promise on the defensive end of the floor, where he routinely makes special plays while covering opponents one-on-one.
According to SportsNet New York, teams around the Association still value Ntilikina for the aforementioned reasons, with one exec speculating that this might be a Markelle Fultz situation, where both sides might benefit from a clean break.
The question is whether Ntilikina still has enough value to net a first-rounder in return, or if he’s fallen so far that other teams only see him worthy of a second-round pick instead.
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
1. ANDRE IGUODALA
Memphis Grizzlies swingman Andre Iguodala, who has yet to play a minute for his new team, has long been at the center of trade rumors, pretty much since the time the Golden State Warriors decided to trade him to a rebuilding team.
Contenders around the league are watching this situation closely, as some believe the 2015 Finals MVP could be bought out by Memphis, which would lead to an intense recruitment for his services. However, according to The Athletic, Grizzlier higher-ups are still confident they’ll be able to find a trade for Iguodala, one that will net them either a first-rounder or a promising young player.
That seems reasonable, as Iguodala has proven time and time again that he can contribute at a high level once the playoffs roll around, particularly on the defensive end, where he would wreak havoc for Golden State over the last few years.
As far as the teams rumored to be interested in Iguodala, reports state that the two L.A. teams are at the forefront of this chase, while the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets have also looked into the possibility of adding the 35-year-old.
You can follow Frank Urbina on Twitter: @FrankUrbina_.
While it may have been a rough decade for the Longhorns, there still was some good moments. Here are the top five moments of the decade.
While it may have been a rough decade for the Longhorns as far as the win column goes, there still was some good moments for Texas. Picking up wins against Oklahoma, top 10 opponents, in some bowl games, and ending a rivalry on a high note, even during the lowest time of the program’s history, they have produced some magic.
Having three coaches since 2010, Mack Brown, Charlie Strong, and Tom Herman have each been in charge for at least three years. Brown was fired after the 2013 season, marking the end of a 15 year period for Texas. Strong got three years from 2014-2016, but all three seasons ended in seven losses. Tom Herman has returned Texas to a bowl game in all three years in charge, but still has some work to do.
Texas has had a mix of success and failure throughout the 2010s, but the moments have no doubt made fans believe they can return to the level they should be at. Here are the top five moments of the decade for the Longhorns:
