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NBA Bar Races: These have been the top playoff scorers through the years
Kevin Durant about to crack the Top 10, but…
Tag: top
What is the trade value of DeMar DeRozan? We asked a bunch of NBA executives
HoopsHype speaks to executives around the NBA to determine what they think about San Antonio Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan’s trade value.
Last week, the 2019-20 San Antonio Spurs earned the dubious distinction of becoming the first Gregg Popovich-led team to lose eight games in a row. And although they finally got off the schneid on Saturday, they wound up dropping their next game against the Los Angeles Lakers, giving them nine losses in 10 games, a 6-12 record and the league’s 10th-worst net rating.
San Antonio’s slow start has led many to quietly begin to wonder if the Spurs might consider changing things up in the form of a deal. The two likeliest trade candidates are their two highest-paid players, DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge, simply because it wouldn’t make much sense for the Spurs to ship out any of their promising young talents who are on cheap contracts, especially since it looks like this is a rebuilding season for the club.
For the purposes of today’s article, we focused on what DeRozan’s trade value might look like if San Antonio did start shopping him and asked several executives for their input.
On the year, DeRozan is averaging 22.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists per contest while shooting 53.3 percent from the floor and 82.7 percent from the foul stripe. The advanced numbers may not like him much (and that’s putting it kindly, as DeRozan doesn’t rank higher than 100th in any of Box Plus/Minus, Value Over Replacement Player or Win Shares per 48 minutes), but he’s just one of 11 players putting up a 22/5/4 stat line this year, along with elite talents like LeBron James, Luka Doncic, James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Surely, then, a team lacking scoring and playmaking on the perimeter would be interested in acquiring DeRozan if he were to be put up on the trade block… right?
It’s not so clear.
“It’s a difficult valuation,” one Western Conference executive told HoopsHype. “You’d think that any team that trades for him either has plenty of three-point shooting elsewhere or they’re desperate for a player who can create his own shot. I’m not sure off the top of my head which team makes sense as a suitor.”
Perhaps a team like the Orlando Magic, who rank 11th in defensive rating but dead last in offensive rating, would make sense as a potential DeRozan suitor.
According to Synergy, the 10-year veteran presently ranks in the 72nd percentile as a pick-and-roll scorer, 86th percentile as an iso scorer and 87th percentile in scoring out of the post. The Magic’s ranks in those three play-types as a team? Out of the pick-and-roll, Orlando scorers rank 15th in the NBA in production, 27th in isolation scoring and 25th in post-up scoring.
DeRozan would give the Magic offense a huge boost, one that it desperately needs.
And, for what it’s worth, Orlando has reportedly expressed some interest in DeRozan. One of the executives who spoke to HoopsHype said that they’ve also heard the DeRozan-to-Orlando rumblings, while another mentioned both the Magic and the Sacramento Kings as sensible suitors for the All-Star 2-guard: “A landing spot for DeRozan is probably a team that badly wants to make the playoffs and, right now, they’re in the 7-to-10 range in their conference. The Magic, the Kings and other teams like that would make sense. What the Spurs could get back really depends on if they’re willing to take back money in the deal.”
Other teams mentioned by league execs as theoretical landing spots for DeRozan include the Houston Rockets, the Detroit Pistons and even… his former team.
“It sounds crazy, but Toronto actually makes a lot of sense as a landing spot for DeRozan,” another Western Conference executive said. “As far as what Toronto is giving up, it would probably have to be a first-round pick plus Serge Ibaka or Marc Gasol.”
That theory might seem far-fetched but with DeRozan cast as the team’s third fiddle behind Pascal Siakam and Kyle Lowry, and surrounded by the Raptors’ other promising young pieces like Fred VanVleet, his second go-around with Toronto could go even better than the first.
Of course, we would be remiss not to mention DeRozan’s enormous contract, which has an uncertain future, as a potential stumbling block in trade talks.
That same Western Conference exec shared the following on how teams view DeRozan’s deal: “With a player option next year, the team that’s trading for him has to be comfortable with him potentially leaving a couple months later, or having to re-sign him to a new long-term deal. Maybe this turns into an opt-in-and-trade scenario, so there’s more security for the team and they know what they’re trading for contractually.”
DeRozan’s contract pays him $27.7 million both this season and in 2020-21, with the latter campaign containing a player option, meaning that whichever team does theoretically acquire him would do so without knowing whether he’ll be on their roster next season.
One NBA executive pointed out that perhaps an extend-and-trade involving DeRozan would benefit all parties involved: “He wants an extension, so maybe we see an extend-and-trade. As for how much he’d get, the extension can’t go above 105 percent of his current contract. But maybe that’s a possibility.”
But the concern is stymied a bit by the fact that it likely wouldn’t cost a team all that much to land DeRozan, not with a contract that hefty for a player in his 30s.
“I don’t think DeRozan or Aldridge are worthy of getting two assets back in return,” another Western Conference executive said.
Would a single protected first-round pick not be worth it for a couple of years of DeRozan, particularly for an offense-needy team fighting to make the playoffs?
If the Spurs’ struggles continue, we may get a better idea of San Antonio’s asking price and whether teams are willing to meet it based on how they perceive DeRozan and his contract situation.
HoopsHype’s Alex Kennedy contributed to this article.
You can follow Frank Urbina on Twitter: @FrankUrbina_.
NBA MVP Race: Giving in to Luka-mania
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 our 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:
10. KAWHI LEONARD, LA CLIPPERS
STATS: 25.7 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 5.5 APG, 2.1 SPG, 1.8 3PG, 43.5 FG%
Leonard hasn’t been super effective in the three games that he’s played since returning from a left knee contusion. The Clippers managed to win all three contests (over the Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans), but Leonard seems a bit limited. Sure, Kawhi at 70-80 percent is better than most players at 100 percent, but we dropped him down our rankings a bit as he gets back to full strength. It’s worth noting that Leonard has been much less efficient than usual this season, which is something that the 28-year-old will surely work on. He’s shooting just 43.5 percent from the field and 30.0 percent from three-point range – both of which would easily be career-lows for Leonard. He’s only appeared in 12 games, though, so perhaps it’s just a small sample size. Fortunately for the Clippers (and basketball fans in general), Leonard and Paul George are finally playing together and it’s been fun to watch. So far, L.A. is undefeated when they have their two stars in the lineup at the same time.
9. DAMIAN LILLARD, PORTLAND
STATS: 27.3 PPG, 7.5 APG, 4.9 RPG, 3.2 3PG, 1.1 SPG, 44.3 FG%
Monday’s game against the Chicago Bulls was a perfect example of how adding Carmelo Anthony may help the Blazers win some additional games this season. Lillard scored just 13 points on 40.0 percent shooting from the field and 25.0 percent from three, but Portland still won because Anthony had 25 points on 50.0 percent shooting from the field and 57.1 percent from three. Lillard has been outstanding for the Blazers this year, but one player can only do so much. If Anthony continues to score this efficiently, it’ll be difficult for defenses to shut down Carmelo, Lillard and CJ McCollum. Lillard recently missed a game due to back spasms (insert joke about Dame carrying the Blazers on his back) and the point guard said that the issue is going to linger for a bit, so that may be why he’s struggling as of late. On the season, Lillard ranks fifth in Offensive Box Plus/Minus (6.9), seventh in Win Shares (2.4), seventh in Value Over Replacement Player (1.1) and 10th in Player Efficiency Rating (25.0).
8. JIMMY BUTLER, MIAMI
STATS: 18.9 PPG, 6.7 APG, 5.4 RPG, 2.6 SPG, 43.6 FG%
This is Butler’s first time cracking our MVP rankings this season, but he’s been playing well all year for the Heat. Butler’s decision to leave the Philadelphia 76ers for Miami was one of the biggest surprises of this past offseason, but the 30-year-old forward has fit in perfectly with the Heat’s culture. With Butler leading the way on the perimeter, Miami currently has the second-best defense in the NBA (allowing just 100 points per 100 possessions). This has helped the Heat get off to a 12-4 start, which is the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. Over the weekend, Butler returned to Philadelphia to face off against the Sixers for the first time since his departure and while he would’ve loved to have a monster showing and get the win, he finished with just 11 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals while shooting 30.8 percent from the field (including 0-2 from three) in a losing effort. Still, Butler is having a strong campaign and he has the Heat near the top of the East, which is why he’s in our Top 10 this week.
7. PASCAL SIAKAM, TORONTO
STATS: 25.7 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 4.0 APG, 2.3 3PG, 47.4 FG%
Siakam has emerged as an elite scorer this season, while continuing to play the strong defense that we’ve seen from him in the past. At the moment, Siakam is ranked ninth among all players in Defensive Win Shares (0.9), 16th in Win Shares (1.8) and 18th in Value Over Replacement Player (.7). Interestingly, Siakam’s stats (25.7 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.3 threes, 0.8 steals, 47.4 FG%, 37.4 3P%) are actually very similar to the numbers of his former teammate Kawhi Leonard (25.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.8 threes, 2.1 steals, 43.5 FG%, 30.0 3P%). Everyone expected the 25-year-old to take on a bigger role this season and show some progress in Leonard’s absence, but this kind of leap is just incredible. He’s becoming one of the game’s elite two-way players and he seems poised for superstardom. Not bad for someone who didn’t play organized basketball for the first time until he was nearly 18 years old!
6. KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS, MINNESOTA
STATS: 26.5 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 4.0 3PG, 3.9 APG, 1.5 BPG, 1.1 SPG
Towns continues to shoot the ball extremely well, making 44.4 percent of his three-pointers on 9.0 attempts per game. He’s more than doubled his number of three-pointers per game this season, which has made him an even scarier offensive weapon for Minnesota. Believe it or not, Towns’ 57 three-pointers is third-best in the NBA behind only James Harden (79) and Devonte’ Graham (60). The 24-year-old’s game perfectly fits in the modern NBA. Between Towns’ strong play and Andrew Wiggins’ drastic improvement, it’s possible that the Wolves could shock everyone and sneak into the playoffs for just the second time in 16 years. After winning three-straight games (including an impressive victory over the Miami Heat), Minnesota has the seventh-best record in the Western Conference at 9-8.
5. ANTHONY DAVIS, LA LAKERS
STATS: 25.1 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 3.8 APG, 2.9 BPG, 1.5 SPG, 47.4 FG%
The Lakers’ roster features 11 new players (including Davis), but you’d never know it from watching this team play. Rather than struggling out of the gate as they try to develop chemistry and get everyone on the same page, L.A. opened their season by winning 15 of their first 17 games. Davis and LeBron James have been a terrific one-two punch out of the gate, bringing the best out of each other. Davis may not be posting the jaw-dropping stat lines we got used to seeing from him with the New Orleans Pelicans, but that’s because he has a better supporting cast now and the Lakers aren’t asking him to carry the team on his own. Still, he’s been a dominant rim protector (leading the league in blocks) and he’s capable of scoring from anywhere on the court (averaging a career-high 1.2 threes per game). It may be tough for Davis to win MVP because he’s playing alongside James (and vice versa, perhaps), but there’s no question that he’s having a terrific season. It’ll be interesting to see how this Lakers team looks at midseason once they’re even more cohesive (and once their schedule gets a bit more difficult).
4. JAMES HARDEN, HOUSTON
STATS: 37.9 PPG, 8.0 APG, 6.1 RPG, 4.6 3PG, 1.6 SPG, 43.6 FG%
Last week, we praised Harden’s offensive output and moved him up our rankings because the Rockets held the second-best record in the league and were in the midst of a seven-game winning streak. Unfortunately, Houston went on to drop their next three games to tough teams (the Denver Nuggets, L.A. Clippers and Dallas Mavericks). Harden continues to score at will, despite constantly being double-teamed by opponents. He recently voiced his displeasure with the constant double-teaming, telling reporters: “The whole season, they’re running doubles teams at me. I’ve never seen that in an NBA game where you’ve got really good defenders and someone else running at the top of the key. Y’all let me know the last time you’ve seen that.” He uses this to his advantage at times, drawing contact from both defenders and getting to the foul line (which he’s doing more often than anyone since prime Wilt Chamberlain). With the Rockets’ current losing streak, Harden dropped one spot this week, but there’s no question that he’ll be in the mix for this award come the end of the season as long as he stays healthy.
3. GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO, MILWAUKEE
STATS: 31.1 PPG, 13.9 RPG, 6.4 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.3 BPG, 56.3 FG%
The Bucks have now won 13 of their last 14 games (including eight-straight), climbing to No. 1 in the Eastern Conference standings. Not only have they lost just one game in the month of November, they’re winning convincingly – as evidenced by their +9.3 average point differential, the highest in the NBA. That’s in large part due to Antetokounmpo, who continues to dominate on both ends of the floor. On Monday, he had perhaps his best outing of the season in a win over the Utah Jazz, finishing with 50 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 threes, 2 steals and 0 turnovers. The Jazz entered the game with the NBA’s top-ranked defense (allowing just 99.3 points per 100 possessions), yet Giannis did whatever he wanted against them. Antetokounmpo became just the second player in NBA history to hit all of those statistical marks in a single game, joining Michael Jordan (who did it against the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1989-90).
2. LEBRON JAMES, LA LAKERS
STATS: 25.6 PPG, 11.0 APG, 7.4 RPG, 2.0 3PG, 1.2 SPG, 49.3 FG%
Recently, a courtside fan captured a funny interaction between James and a referee, with James saying, “I know you’ve been reading and they’re saying that I haven’t been playing defense these last couple of years, but it’s a new year!” Well, this season, it seems that James’ main focuses are defending and facilitating. His much-improved defense is perhaps the starkest difference between 2018-19 and this year. James ranks fifth in the NBA in Defensive Win Shares (+1.0) and 20th in Defensive Rating (101.9), and his effort on that end of the floor has been significantly better. Perhaps Anthony Davis deserves credit for this, as he’s been saying since the offseason that he was going to hold LeBron accountable and push him to play at an All-Defensive-Team level like he’s capable of doing. After Monday’s games, the Lakers actually have the best defense in the NBA (allowing just 99.7 points per 100 possessions). As for LeBron’s playmaking, he leads the league in assists per game (10.8) and assist percentage (50.7) by wide margins. In fact, he’s been involved in 49.0 percent of the Lakers’ points, which is easily the highest percentage among all NBA players this season. Los Angeles has won eight-straight and sit at 15-2, which is the NBA’s best record.
1. LUKA DONCIC, DALLAS
STATS: 30.6 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 9.8 APG, 3.3 3PG, 1.4 SPG, 49.5 FG%
Early in the season, people were praising Doncic’s game while wondering when the sophomore would come back down to the Earth. Well, rather than regressing, Luka has only gotten better and he’s even closer to averaging 30-10-10. Doncic currently leads all NBA players in Win Shares (3.6), Box Plus/Minus (14.2), Value Over Replacement Player (2.2) and Player Efficiency Rating (33.3). In fact, his 33.3 PER puts him on pace for the best single-season efficiency rating of all-time. He makes the game look incredibly easy, destroying teams offensively. Not only does he have the league’s second-best scoring average (30.6), he ranks second in the NBA in assists per game (9.8) and assist percentage (48.9), showing just how many buckets he’s creating for himself and others. Doncic secured this week’s top spot after delivering an MVP-like performance in Dallas’ win over James Harden and the Houston Rockets, finishing with 41 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds, 5 threes, 2 steals and 1 block. And his production is translating into victories for the Mavs, as they’ve now won five-straight games. Dallas is 11-5, which is the fourth-best record in the Western Conference. Right now, Doncic may be the frontrunner for the Most Valuable Player award and the Most Improved Player award.
Mavericks’ Tim Hardaway Jr. is now among NBA’s elite spot-up shooters
Dallas Mavericks veteran wing Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 31 points during a huge victory over the conference rival Houston Rockets on Sunday.
Dallas Mavericks veteran wing Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 31 points during a huge victory over the conference rival Houston Rockets on Sunday.
After joining the team last season as part of the trade that sent star big man Kristaps Porzingis from the New York Knicks to the Mavericks, Hardaway was sidelined for the final 11 games of the 2018-19 season due to injury that required surgery. But after his recent hot streak, the wing has been named to the starting lineup for Dallas.
This is especially good news because Hardaway has been very impactful when on the court with Luka Doncic so far this season.
The former University of Michigan star has connected on 23 three-pointers during the 206 minutes he has played with the 2018-19 Rookie of the Year, including 16 long-rate shots assisted by Doncic. In fact, nearly half of the three’s Hardaway has made this year have been assisted by the 20-year-old Slovenian superstar.
Dallas has outscored opponents by a ridiculously dominant 25.9 points per 100 possessions during those minutes, the best net rating in the league (!) among all two-man lineups that have played at least 150 minutes together.
During their victory over the Rockets, Hardaway made his presence known as a spot-up threat from downtown. Considering the amount of attention that defenses must provide on Doncic, it has been important for the wing to find a niche on the perimeter and fire off the catch from his star teammate.
Hardaway is averaging 1.46 points per possession on spot-up attempts, per Synergy, which currently ranks in the 97th percentile. There are currently 140 players who have had 35 possessions as a spot-up shooter but none have been more efficient than Hardaway has been thus far.
Meanwhile, the Dallas wing is producing 5.3 points per game as a spot-up shooter. That trails only five players in the NBA, though all of them have had more possessions finished on offense.
Considering that Hardaway has only started 3 of 16 games for the Mavericks, we determined what his production would likely resemble if he were to play first-unit minutes.
Based on these calculations, only San Antonio Spurs guard Bryn Forbes has been more productive as a spot-up shooter in 2019-20.
This is an especially notable improvement for him considering last season, among the 61 players who had as many opportunities shooting off the catch, only two had a worse three-point percentage than Hardaway.
Moving forward if the Mavericks continue to be in playoff contention, they will need Hardaway to keep up his hot hand from the three-point line. But with the remarkable success of Doncic and how much attention he draws from his defenders, that is far from out of the question.
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NBA Bar Races: Take a look at the top scorers by age through the years
LeBron James in good pace to become all-time leader.
LeBron James in a good pace to become the all-time leader.
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Celtics’ Marcus Smart thriving as a defender when switching onto bigs
Boston Celtics wing Marcus Smart, despite standing at just 6-foot-4, has done a phenomenal job defenders players much larger than he is.
Boston Celtics wing Marcus Smart, despite standing at just 6-foot-4, has done a phenomenal job defending players much larger than he is.
The 25-year-old made All-Defensive 1st Team last season but has taken another leap forward with a bigger role this year. His ability to switch on to centers has been a focal point of Boston’s defensive identity and something that allows coach Brad Stevens to use his five-man lineups in a different way than almost any other team in the league.
We looked at all of the opponents that Smart has guarded so far this season, then isolated just the players who are classified as big men by Cleaning the Glass.
Based on this research of 146 possessions, Smart has allowed just 16.3 points per 70 possessions. These players are shooting 36.7 percent from the floor on 30 attempts.
For example, look at when Dallas Mavericks’ Kristaps Porzingis attempted three post-up attempts against Smart on November 12. The 7-foot-3 big was not able to convert any, however, despite the ridiculous size mismatch.
The largest workload came when he guarded Kevin Love for a total of 31.1 possessions during the game Boston played against Cleveland on November 5.
While Smart was guarding Love during the third quarter, the five-time All-Star was left completely flabbergasted to the point where he was forced to take an undeniably bad pass.
Smart, however, tipped the ball and forced a turnover that Robert Williams was able to recover. The guard leads his team with 2.8 deflections per game so far this season. Last season, he recorded more total deflections (228) than all but just one player in the Eastern Conference.
But even more impressive was when the Celtics played the Bucks early in the season on October 30.
Smart matched up against the reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo for 16.9 possessions. The superstar scored just five points and managed only two attempts from the floor. That means Smart held the Milwaukee sensation to less than half of the field goal attempts Antetokounmpo has taken against all other defenders.
Antetokounmpo had three turnovers, was impacted by his defensive presence all game and he even ended up tumbling to the floor amidst a brief scrap with Smart.
Watch Marcus Smart on D… picks up Bledsoe on the cross match, switches onto Giannis, fronts to prevent the entry pass, Milwaukee turnover. This won't go down as a turnover Smart forced, but it's a turnover Smart heavily influenced. pic.twitter.com/Tf6AL4u3u8
— John Karalis 🇬🇷 (@RedsArmy_John) October 31, 2019
Here is what the scrappy defender said after the game, which was a rematch of the Eastern Conference Semifinals (via NBC Sports):
“Every time I’m boxing him out, he’s trying to throw me out the way. It lets me know he’s frustrated, I’m getting to him, especially when he’s not getting to the ball, or he’s not getting to the rim, or he’s not getting the shots that he usually gets.”
Smart also forced New York Knicks star Julius Randle into a frenzy and picked his pocket on the perimeter, creating a transition opportunity for the Celtics.
Other notable matchups against bigs for Smart include his strong showing against Dario Saric. The Phoenix Suns starter took four shots (including a three-pointer) when guarded by Smart but missed all of them.
Another highlight was when the 6-foot-4 wing was able to record a block over 6-foot-11 big man Moritz Wagner in a game against the Washington Wizards.
Smart offers Boston a grittiness that Stevens can trust against and he has played a crucial role in their hot start and placement atop the standings in the East.
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Celtics’ Danny Ainge is the master of trades in the NBA
There is no exact science to measuring the success of an NBA executive, though re-evaluating trades is common practice by basketball media.
There is no exact science to measuring the success of an NBA executive, though re-evaluating trades is common practice by basketball media.
As part of this, we looked at how many All-Stars seasons the traded players have had after the deal. The executive who did the best in this mark is Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge and it’s not even close.
Ainge has had 16 seasons of All-Star campaigns from players he has traded for during his tenure with the Celtics. Perhaps most notable is that he landed Kevin Garnett (who was an All-Star five times with Boston) without giving up any in return. Ray Allen also made three All-Star teams and the Celtics surrendered none in return.
Even more impressive: none of the players he has traded has ever made an All-Star team after leaving the franchise. That also includes offering Isaiah Thomas (who made an All-Star team with Boston but has not since) in a deal for superstar guard Kyrie Irving.
The only other active executive in the NBA who has netted more than two All-Star seasons without giving up any is Portland Trail Blazers president of basketball operations and general manager Neil Olshey – who acquired Chris Paul while he was working for the Clippers.
Houston Rockets executive Daryl Morey has given up five All-Star seasons in exchange for seven. His trades have clearly been the most high-risk, high-reward of the executives around the league.
This study also looks at folks who were formerly executives for other teams (e.g. Mitch Kupchak with the Los Angeles Lakers as well as the Charlotte Hornets) before arriving at their current destination.
Overall, the basketball exec who fared the worst in this research was Sam Presti. This is mostly from trading James Harden, who has been an All-Star seven years in a row since getting moved to the Rockets. It also includes two All-Star nods from Victor Oladipo, who was acquired in exchange for Paul George.
HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report
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A behind-the-scenes look LaMelo Ball’s crazy life with Mirin Fader
Mirin Fader spent two weeks with LaMelo Ball in Australia and wrote a piece about his life. She discusses all things LaMelo on this podcast.
On this episode of The HoopsHype Podcast, Alex Kennedy is joined by Mirin Fader of Bleacher Report. She recently wrote a fantastic, in-depth piece about LaMelo Ball’s life. Alex and Mirin discuss how LaMelo has dealt with fame, his experience overseas, how he feels like people see him as “a dollar sign” rather than a person, his relationships with LaVar Ball and Lonzo Ball and more. Time-stamps are below!
1:00: Mirin spent three weeks in Lithuania with LaMelo and the Ball family last year, and then spent two weeks with them in Australia for this new piece. She talks about how this latest article came together.
2:05: Mirin talks about how she picks who she’s going to profile and what that process is like from reporting to writing.
5:00: Having spent time around LaMelo in Lithuania and Australia, how has his life changed over the last year? Mirin was curious to find out.
6:40: LaMelo started signing autographs at 5 years old and he says he can’t remember a time when he wasn’t in the spotlight. Alex and Mirin talk about how he was essentially a child star and how he has handled that kind of crazy existence.
8:40: LaVar Ball pushed all three of his sons to be professional basketball players. In Mirin’s piece, LaMelo said, “All my life, I felt like I was just supposed to go to the NBA.” He also talked about how his father pushed him away from any other career path. Does LaMelo love the game and will he be happy in the NBA, or is he just doing this to please others?
11:10: At one point, LaMelo said something very sad to Mirin: “People don’t look at you as a human. People look at you as a dollar sign.” And his manager, former NBA player Jermaine Jackson, told her, “People done made money off this kid for years… It’s damn near like he’s a prostitute.” Does this affect his relationships and ability to trust other people?
14:15: Mirin talks about the sacrifices LaMelo has made and how he’s been forced to grow up quicker than his peers.
16:15: LaMelo told Mirin that he always wanted to finish high school and spend one year at USC, but his father forced him to go to Lithuania. LaVar hasn’t been as visible recently, which seems intentional. Is he still as involved when it comes to LaMelo’s career?
19:50: Mirin talks about how LaMelo’s relationship with Lonzo seems to have changed, to the point that LaMelo said he doesn’t really get advice from Lonzo these days.
21:40: Lonzo seems fed up with Big Baller Brand. Does LaMelo have similar concerns and does anyone know the status of BBB right now?
23:55: What is LiAngelo Ball up to these days? What does the future hold for him?
26:35: Mirin wrote that LaMelo doesn’t want to do the “Ball in the Family” reality show and drags when he’s asked to film scenes. How is he handling that distraction and having so much of his life play out on a reality show?
29:00: Alex and Mirin talk about how different LaVar is from his sons.
33:14: Mirin talks about the competition in the NBL and whether LaMelo is being challenged and truly helping his development.
35:55: Will more players take the NBL route in the future, especially if LaMelo and RJ Hampton get drafted high in the 2020 NBA Draft?
This episode is sponsored by Menlo Club! Click here to give it a try and get $35 off your first monthly or seasonal package by using our promo code: HOOPS
If you’re interested in advertising on The HoopsHype Podcast, email hoopshype@hoopshype.com for more information.
James Harden is shooting more free throws than anyone since Wilt
Houston Rockets superstar James Harden has redefined basketball based on the way he is able to draw contact from his defenders on the court.
Houston Rockets superstar James Harden has redefined basketball based on the way he can draw contact from his defenders on the court.
This has been an increasing trend for the 2018 NBA MVP, who has been able to get to the free-throw line more often than any other player in the league. It has defined his style as a basketball player and has recently forced officials to change the way that his games are called by referees.
Harden has taken 14.5 free throws per game for the Rockets so far this season. That is the most since Wilt Chamberlain (17.0) during his 1961-62 campaign.
On a recent podcast, The Hoop Collective’s Brian Windhorst noted that Harden is averaging four additional free-throws per game since last season (via ESPN):
“He is also on pace for one of the highest free throw seasons in the modern era. Now, free throws are a lot different than they used to be … The modern player with the most free throws ever was Dwight Howard in the 2010-11 season. Other than that, you are going back to Chamberlain. But he certainly could end up with the most free throws ever in the modern era.”
According to Cleaning the Glass, Harden has been fouled on 18.3 percent of his shooting attempts. He currently leads the league with 123 personal fouls drawn so far this season, which is good for 8.8 per game.
After 14 games, Harden has been awarded free throws on 18.6 percent of the offensive possessions he has finished this season. Among all players with at least 200 possessions finished, that is the second-highest rate in the NBA.
Perhaps most surprising is that the guard has also drawn a foul on a career-best 3.7 percent of non-shooting fouls per team play. He has drawn 1.47 non-shooting fouls per 36 minutes, per PBP Stats, significantly more than any of his previous campaigns.
As noted by Ben Cohen, it has become the most efficient way of scoring for Harden (via The Wall Street Journal):
“His statistics over the last six years help explain why free throws are such a priority for him. Harden’s shots around the basket are worth 1.22 points, and his 3-pointers return 1.09 points per shot. They’re both fabulously profitable shots. But they’re not as valuable as when he goes to the line for two shots (1.73 points) or three shots (2.59 points). Harden’s free throws are just about the best shots in basketball.”
The fact he has been able to get to the line even without taking field goal attempts has been a remarkably effective way for him to add points to his overall scoring distribution.
Overall, especially considering he is a much better free-throw shooter than Chamberlain, he may be able to shatter his own career-best points per game despite the addition of Russell Westbrook.
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NBA MVP Race: James Harden climbs into the Top 3
Each week, HoopsHype’s staff gives their Top 10 candidates for this season’s Most Valuable Player award. Check out this week’s rankings.
Each week, HoopsHype’s staff gives our 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:
10. PASCAL SIAKAM, TORONTO
STATS: 25.7 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 4.2 APG, 2.3 3PG, 47.0 FG%
Siakam is making the Raptors look smart for giving him that four-year, $130 million extension. This is Siakam’s first appearance in our Top 10, but he’s been playing well all season. Even if he doesn’t receive significant MVP love this year because there are so many great candidates, it’s possible that he could become the first player in NBA history to win the Most Improved Player award twice. One could make the argument that his growth over the last year (+8.8 ppg, +1.7 rpg, +1.1 apg) is just as impressive as his sophomore-to-junior leap (+9.6 ppg, +2.4 rpg, +1.1 apg). Regardless of whether he wins MIP for a second-straight year, he’s made huge strides this season. Becoming a team’s No. 1 option and a 25-point-per-game scorer is extremely hard, but Siakam has made it look easy. The 25-year-old has essentially filled the Kawhi Leonard role in this offense and it’s been amazing to watch his development in recent years. He has the Raptors sitting at 9-4, which is the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference.
9. KAWHI LEONARD, LA CLIPPERS
STATS: 26.8 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 6.0 APG, 2.1 SPG, 1.6 3PG, 1.0 BPG
Leonard dropped down our list over the last week because he’s missed three-straight games due to a left-knee contusion that he suffered in the Clippers’ loss to the Houston Rockets last Wednesday. Leonard has been terrific on both ends of the floor when he’s suited up, but he’s now missed five of a possible 14 games this season. As we wrote in this space last week, voters tend to reward players who haven’t missed significant time when considering Most Valuable Player. The last 15 MVP winners have missed an average of 3.93 games in the season in which they won the award (with no individual missing more than 10 games). The Clippers are likely going to be cautious with Leonard moving forward to ensure that he’ll be at 100 percent for their playoff run (like the Toronto Raptors’ approach that worked so well last year). Also, when two MVP candidates have teamed up in the past (like Kevin Durant and Steph Curry on the Golden State Warriors), voters weren’t sure what to do and they basically canceled each other out. It’s possible that could happen with Leonard and 2018-19 MVP finalist Paul George, who returned recently.
8. DAMIAN LILLARD, PORTLAND
STATS: 28.6 PPG, 7.1 APG, 4.9 RPG, 3.3 3PG, 1.1 SPG, 45.2 FG%
The big news in the NBA over the last week was the Trail Blazers’ decision to sign free agent Carmelo Anthony. After sustaining numerous injuries and getting off to a slow start (5-9, which is the third-worst record in the Western Conference), Portland is hoping that Anthony can help revitalize this team. Last time Anthony was in the NBA, he averaged 13.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.1 threes while shooting 40.5 percent from the field and 32.8 percent from three-point range in 10 games with the Houston Rockets. It remains to be seen how much this addition will impact Lillard and CJ McCollum, who are Portland’s top options on offense. Lillard is averaging career-highs across the board, but he’s received little help from his supporting cast, which is why the Blazers are struggling so much.
7. KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS, MINNESOTA
STATS: 27.0 PPG, 12.1 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.6 BPG, 1.4 SPG
Not only has Towns been filling the stat sheet, he’s been extraordinarily efficient in the process. He’s shooting 51.2 percent from the field on 17.9 field goal attempts and he’s making 43.5 percent of his threes on 9.0 attempts. Only James Harden (4.9) is making more threes per game than Towns (3.9), and the big man’s three-point percentage is 6.5 percentage points higher than Harden’s. Also, Towns currently ranks fourth in Box Plus/Minus (+10.1), fourth in PER (30.4) and fifth in Value Over Replacement Player (1.2). With Towns making his presence felt all over the court and Andrew Wiggins playing the best basketball of his career, the Timberwolves are now 8-6 and holding the Western Conference’s eighth seed, putting them just 3.5 games back from the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers.
6. ANTHONY DAVIS, LA LAKERS
STATS: 24.5 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 3.3 APG, 3.2 BPG, 1.2 SPG, 47.5 FG%
It didn’t take long for Davis and LeBron James long to develop chemistry, as they’ve been a terrific one-two punch for the Lakers thus far. As our Bryan Kalbrosky noted, James is passing the ball to Davis 25.2 times per 36 minutes, which is more than he dished to any other past teammate, including Dwyane Wade, Kyrie Irving, Chris Bosh and Kevin Love. It’s clear that James trusts his big man and if they’re playing this well with very little time spent getting acclimated to each other (and their many new teammates), it’ll be interesting to see how well they’ll be playing together toward the end of the season when they’ve learned each other’s tendencies more. Davis is leading the NBA in blocks per game and he’s swatted 24 shots in his last seven games.
5. KEMBA WALKER, BOSTON
STATS: 23.4 PPG, 5.0 APG, 4.5 RPG, 3.7 3PG, 39.7 3PT%
Kyrie Irving who? When news broke over the summer that Irving (and Al Horford) planned to leave Boston via free agency, it seemed like the Celtics were going to take a significant step back. It would’ve been understandable if they shifted their focus to developing Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Co. Instead, the Celtics found a terrific replacement for Irving in Kemba Walker. The 29-year-old is posting impressive numbers and he has Boston sitting at No. 1 in the Eastern Conference standings with an 11-2 record (which is also tied for the best record in the entire NBA). It seems that Walker brings production similar to that of Irving without the behind-the-scenes drama and chemistry issues that hurt the Celtics last year. If Boston can keep this up and sit atop the East, Walker would get some MVP consideration (and deservedly so) and Brad Stevens would likely get some Coach of the Year love. And as Walker gets more comfortable with his new team, his play should only improve. With that said, there seems to be a significant gap between the Top-4 players on this list and everyone else.
4. LUKA DONCIC, DALLAS
STATS: 29.5 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 9.3 APG, 2.8 3PG, 1.2 SPG, 47.7 FG%
Doncic is used to having unprecedented success for someone his age. Remember, he won the Euroleague MVP award at 19 years old prior to entering the NBA. Now, as a 20-year-old sophomore in the Association, his numbers aren’t too far off from what Russell Westbrook averaged back in 2016-17 when he won MVP (31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 10.4 assists and 1.6 steals). While posting triple-doubles no longer seems to draw the same jaw-dropping reaction since Westbrook normalized it, it’s unheard of for a 20-year-old to be having this kind of success. He had an MVP performance on Monday night, dropping 42 points, 12 assists, 11 rebounds and 5 threes in a win over the San Antonio Spurs. Only two players in NBA history have posted a 40-point triple-double at age-20: Doncic and LeBron James. The sophomore is having a special campaign, his Mavericks are fifth in the West at 8-5 and he deserves to be high on this list as long as he keeps this up.
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3. JAMES HARDEN, HOUSTON
STATS: 39.2 PPG, 7.6 APG, 5.7 RPG, 4.9 3PG, 1.6 SPG
If the season ended today, Harden’s 39.2 scoring average would be the highest since Wilt Chamberlain posted 44.8 points per game in the 1962-63 season. In fact, Harden is on pace to join Chamberlain as the only players in NBA history to average 39 or more points in a season. (Michael Jordan came close in 1986-87, but he finished the campaign averaging 37.1 points). Harden’s shooting percentages aren’t pretty – 42.5 percent from the field and 34.0 percent from deep – but when Houston is winning and he’s averaging nearly 40 points and eight assists per game, it feels like nitpicking to complain about his efficiency. Also, it’s worth noting that his True Shooting Percentage (.618) is actually up from last season. The Rockets have won eight-straight games and are 11-3, which is the second-best record in the Western Conference (and the third-best record in the NBA). If Harden continues at this pace, this season will go down as one of the most impressive offensive displays in league history.
2. LEBRON JAMES, LA LAKERS
STATS: 25.0 PPG, 11.2 APG, 7.6 RPG, 1.9 3PG, 1.2 SPG, 49.0 FG%
At this point, James has the “best player on the best team” argument going for him. He’s filling the stat sheet on a nightly basis and it’s translating into wins for the Lakers, who are an NBA-best 11-2 (with a league-best +10.2 average point differential) thus far. Can the Lakers sustain this level of play? That remains to be seen, but James will have a strong case as long as they do. If James were to win his fifth MVP award this season, he’d become the second-oldest MVP in NBA history behind only Karl Malone (who was named Most Valuable Player in his age-35 season). Malone was 35 years and 284 days old at the end of the 1998-99 regular season. James is also in his age-35 season, but he would only be 35 years and 107 days old at the end of this regular season. Whether he ultimately wins the honor or not, nobody can deny how impressive it is for James to be producing like this at 35 years old.
1. GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO, MILWAUKEE
STATS: 30.3 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 6.2 APG, 1.5 BPG, 1.5 SPG, 1.4 3PG
Antetokounmpo is having another incredible season and while it may not feel like past years because his cheat-code dominance is no longer fresh and surprising, at the end of the day, he’s the reigning MVP and he has somehow managed to improve his stats across the board. He’s averaging career-highs in points, rebounds, assists, field goal percentage, three-pointers made, three-point percentage, Player Efficiency Rating, Box Plus/Minus, Defensive Rating and the list goes on and on. The advance stats love him too, as he leads all NBA players in Box Plus/Minus, Value Over Replacement Player and PER. He’s led the Bucks to the second-best record in the Eastern Conference at 10-3 (with an East-best +9.5 average point differential). He has the numbers, record and signature performances to potentially win back-to-back MVP awards. Also, he’s doing this without another star on his team, unlike LeBron James (who has Anthony Davis) and James Harden (who has Russell Westbrook). It remains to be seen if voters will take that into consideration, as they have in the past.