BY: Tony Liebert
â Youth Career
In August 2018, Avdija participated at the Basketball Without Borders Europe camp in Belgrade, Serbia. Basketball Without Borders is a camp that takes place all over the world, and gives non-American youth players the ability to showcase their skills to American college scouts as well as sometimes NBA scouts. There has been a long list of NBA players who have attended this camp, which include:
Profesional Career
In November 2017, Avdija started his professional career with Maccabi Tel Aviv, signing a six-year deal with the club. On November 19, 2017, he made his professional debut against Ironi Nes Ziona. Avdija played three minutes and became the youngest player ever to play for Maccabi at age 16 years, 320 days. He is still currently playing with the club, although Deni has struggled to find playing time in 2019. This is most likely due to his involvement with the Israeli National Team, and Maccabi Tel Aviv not wanting to "over-work" him.
âNational Team Career
In August of 2017, Avdija was a member of the Israel U-16 team that participated in the 2017 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship. He would lead the tournament in rebounds (12.6) and assists (5.3), to go with 15.3 points per game.
The following year in July, Avdija became a member of the Israeli Under-20 team that won the gold medal at the 2018 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship. Where he again performed very well averaging 12.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Avdija performed so well, he earned a spot in the All-Tournament Team. âOn February 21, 2019, as an 18 year old Avdija made his debut for the Israeli senior national team in an 81â77 win over Germany.
Just recently this July Avdija and the Israeli Under-20 team was competing in the â 2019 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship. Deni and Israel took home their second consecutive gold medal in the event. Avdija was named the Tournament MVP after scoring 26 points, 11 rebounds and 5 steals against France and 23 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds against Spain. This is just the beginning of the hype train for Avdija, but he has now shown he can dominate his peers.
2020 NBA Draft
Full (5:35) Highlights from 2019 FIBA Europe Under-20 MVP and Championship run:
What Makes Deni Different?
You might ask, "What makes Deni Avdija different from any other hyped European prospect?" There have been plenty that have been HUGE disappointments, Dragan Bender, Dante Exum, and Mario Hezonja just to name a few.
âBut Deni is different. He fits the perfect mold for a modern NBA superstar. Outside of Anthony Davis the top 10 players in the league are predominantly ball dominant point guards or wings. Avdija fits that mold... as a 6'9" wing he averaged 7.6 assists per contest during Israel's gold medal run in the FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship. Those numbers would make his game comparable to a player like Luka Doncic or LeBron James. And you may say, "Deni Avdija in the same conversation as Luka Doncic and LeBron?... you're crazy." I obviously don't think Avdija will be as good as Doncic or LeBron, but his game sure has some similarities to theirs. Athleticism/Defense
As an 18 year old Avdija already has elite athleticism, that will carry right into the NBA. The biggest trait in an all-NBA defender is usually athleticism, and Deni flashes just that. Even in the 2019 FIBA Europe Under-20 championship game against Lithuania, he made big block after big block showing the potential of a lock-down defender. Once he is in an NBA coaching/training system I expect him to develop into a elite defender.
Scoring Ability
Passing
There is not doubt that the strength of Avdija's game is his passing ability. Like I previously said Deni averaged a ridiculous 7.6 assists per game during the FIBA Europe Under-20 tournament. This would be where I begin to compare Avdija to LeBron or Luka Doncic. All three players have a knack to make a pass before the play even happens. If Deni remains hungry he could become the next great point forward in the NBA.
The FIBA Europe Under-20 has historically been dominated by great basketball countries like Spain, Lithuania, or Serbia. In the last two years Israel has taken home their first two medals both being gold medals led by Deni Avdija. Israel is a country of only 8.7 million people and Deni has taken the entire population by storm. Even if Deni doesn't thrive in the NBA he will be the king of Israel's and have an entire country behind him during his basketball career.
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BY: Tony Liebert
The NBA offseason was just as wild as everyone wanted. There were blockbuster trades, big name free agents, and surprise draft picks. The great Warriors dynasty may be falling in front of our eyes, and a new rivalry between the Lakers and the Clippers is just beginning. With every offseason there are teams that make terrific moves, so I will go through which teams I think improved their situation most this offseason.
5 Winners
=trade =free agent =draft =2-way-player
In 2018-19 the Utah Jazz finished the regular season as the fifth seed with a 50-32 record. They ended up falling to the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs in only five games. Utah knew they needed to shake things up. The first move they made was acquiring Mike Conley from the Grizzlies. I explain the details of the trade below, highlighting the Grizzlies offseason. But Conley will finally add a point guard alongside Donovan Mitchell who has the ability to score, and keep the defense on their toes. Conley is one of the most well respected pros in the league, and I think he will help with Mitchell’s development tremendously.
The Jazz traded away the majority of their bench in the Mike Conley deal, so they knew they needed to find some future role players in the draft. They only had three second round picks, so they didn’t have much flexibility. But they found Justin Wright-Foreman who averaged 27.1 points per game last season at Hofstra which was second in the country. He was the 17th ranked prospect in my rankings (check out the rest of the list here) so they got great value with him in the second round. Miye Oni from Yale, and Jarrell Brantley from the College of Charleston both were great “flyer” picks that could both develop into solid role players. Which at the end of the day is an average expectation for a second round pick. Utah began their free agency period with trading their own veteran big man Derrick Favors to the Pelicans for two second round picks. This move was done mostly in part to make room for Mike Conley, but I think it was time for the Jazz to finally move on from Favors. Their first signing was adding former Pacers forward Bojan Bogdonovic on a 4-year $73 million dollar deal. Bojan quietly averaged 18 points a game for Indiana last season. Adding a player like Bogdonavic had to be done, because in today's NBA, a market like Utah will never be able to attract the big name free agents, and the Jazz already have their big three of Conley, Gobert, and Mitchell. So going all in for right now was the correct decision. Next the Jazz needed to add veterans to their bench. They inked Ed Davis for 2 years $10 million. He will be a great big to back up Gobert. Lastly they added Emanuel Mudiay and Jeff Green both to one year deals. Both players will add great depth to their roster and hopefully lead to a deep playoff run. They Utah Jazz clearly don't have the same fire power as teams like the Sixers, Clippers, or Lakers, but they quietly have a chance at contending for a title next season.
Chris Paul has always been a pass-first point guard. And the Houston Rockets are not a pass-first team. Houston has built their roster on being able to shoot as many threes as possible, and being able to get to the rim for dunks. They now have the two best volume shooters in the league who also may be two of the best players at getting to the rim. Trading Chris Paul for Russell Westbrook was a move that needed to be made by GM Daryl Morey.
The Rockets attempted to make Chris Paul into a volume three point shooter, which clearly did not work. Russell Westbrook and James Harden are the two best players in the league at doing what the Rockets want to do. Houston had little risk in acquiring Westbrook, they really only gave up two first round pick, two first round pick swaps, and Chris Paul for the former MVP. The Rockets gave up Paul who had a terrible contract so taking on Westbrook's monster contract was not a tough burden to swallow for Houston. Next the Rockets needed to fill in their bench, and they didn't have much money to do so. Daryl Morey has always been historically great at bringing great role players to surround Harden for cheap every season. Bringing back Austin Rivers, Gerald Green, and Danuel House will all add instant offense and solid perimeter defense off of the bench. Tyson Chandler is just an older version of Clint Capela, so he will be a solid veteran backup. Houston also brought in Chris Clemmons and Shamorie Ponds as undrafted free agents. There is a solid chance neither one makes the roster but they were arguably the two best volume scorers in college basketball last season. So they could fit their system perfectly. And... Anthony Bennett, the former 2013 number one overall pick signed a one year deal. Morey has loved taking flyers on players like Bennett. His contract is not guaranteed so there is a solid chance he does not even make the final roster, but last season in the G-League he shot a very good 43.4% from the three point line. Bennett has shown he has a vastly improved work ethic as well as the ability to knockdown threes, as well as being rumored to be in the best shape of his career. The best case scenario is that Bennett will be a solid role player for Houston, but there is always hope for more. Houston was in a tough situation after loosing to the Warriors for the second year in a row in the playoffs, but they made moves to give them a different chance to make a run at a title in 2020.
Even though the Grizzlies will not be in contention for a title next season, their offseason could not have gone much better. They started with moving on from their “franchise-player” Mike Conley. They traded Conley to the Utah Jazz, and in return they received Grayson Allen, Jae Crowder, Kyler Korver, and a protected 2020 first-round pick. This was a solid return for an aging, injury prone, and overpaid veteran point guard. Grayson Allen can be a great rotational player or possibly an average starting guard, Jae Crowder will add a great veteran presence to their young team, and Kyle Korver was used in a later trade.
Conley was traded to make room for their point guard of the future Ja Morant, whom they selected with the second pick. Morant and teammate Jaren Jackson Jr. will arguably be the best young duo in the league. Memphis selected Brandon Clarke with their second pick in the first round, whom they traded the 23rd pick and a future second round pick for. Clarke was my seventh ranked prospect (check out the rest of the list here) so in my eyes that was terrific value. The Grizzlies now would have the ability to play Clarke and Jackson Jr. on the floor at the same time, which would make one of the most athletic frontcourts in the entire NBA. After already making two franchise changing moves, Memphis was not done heading into free agency. They started out by bringing back veteran center Jonas Valančiūnas, whom they acquired in the Marc Gasol trade. Jonas is surprisingly only 27 years old, and he quietly had a great second half of the season with the Grizz averaging 20 points and 7.9 rebounds per contest in 19 games. They signed the Lithuanian to a solid contract, 3 years at 45 million. This is the only move that the Grizzlies made that I do not love, but when his contract is up their young core will be entering their prime, so I don’t really have a problem with it. Next the Grizzlies acquired Andre Iguodala and a first round pick for Julian Washburn. This move has zero risk, and while rebuilding acquiring salary for first round picks in return is what really speeds up a rebuild. The Grizzlies were not yet done. They then traded Kyle Korver, Jevon Carter, and 2 future second round picks for De’Anthony Melton and Josh Jackson. Melton can develop into a solid backup point guard. But Josh Jackson was the 4th overall pick just two seasons ago. I think a change of scenery to along with a stable front office will help Jackson tremendously. If Jackson could even become an average starter this trade would be a win for the Grizzlies. Lastly Memphis signed free agent guard Tyus Jones to a three-year-$24 million contract. This is an absolute steal for Jones, who is a player that has been very efficient when given playing time. I expect Jones to surprise a lot of people next year with the Grizzlies. The "Grit and Grind" era may be over, but Memphis has began their rebuild with a flurry of great transactions.
The Sixers offseason could not have gone any better. The majority would say that bringing back Jimmy Butler would have been better for Philly but I would disagree. If the Sixers want Ben Simmons to be their point guard of the future, Jimmy Butler would have hindered his development.
Josh Richardson is the perfect guard to pair with Simmons. Last season in Miami, J-Rich averaged 16.6 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per contest. For Ben Simmons to flourish I think a less ball dominant guard like Richardson will be the perfect pair alongside him. Tobias Harris is one of the most efficient shooters in the NBA, and in today's NBA shooting is a valuable asset. Which made Harris more valuable than Butler. Not signing Butler opened up the cap space available to sign Al Horford. Big Al alongside Joel Embiid will make one of the most interesting backcourts in the NBA. Next Philly took Matisse Thybulle in the back of the first round of the draft and he will be a great defending rotational player. Lastly second round pick Marial Shayok may add some scoring deep on the bench. Philly rounded out their offseason bringing back James Ennis and Mike Scott will add great depth off of the bench. As well as Raul Neto as a backup point guard, and Kyle O'Quinn as a backup big. The Philadelphia 76ers trusted the process and now they are the favorite to win the Eastern Conference championship.
Jerry West strikes again. The same man who traded for Kobe Bryant on draft night, recruited Shaquille O’Neal to Los Angeles, prevented a Kevin Love/Klay Thompson trade, and helped recruit Kevin Durant. Has just helped sign Kawhi Leonard and trade for Paul George… WOW. Obviously the Clippers won the offseason by adding two of the top 10 players in the NBA. But the reason I like their offseason is so much is their ability to retain their role players. We just saw the Raptors win the NBA Championship behind Kawhi, and great surrounding role players. Patrick Beverly will be able to lock up just about any wing player in the NBA. Ivica Zubac is coming off of a season where as a 21 year old he averaged 9.4 points and 7.7 rebounds in only 20.2 minutes per game. JaMychal Green and Rodney McGruder averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds combined last season. Both players will be solid defenders while Paul George and Kawhi are off the floor. Moe Harkless is a very similar player, but his addition was so vital to their offseason because, they acquired a first round pick from the Miami Heat, where they later used to acquire Paul George. Overall the Clippers have made, brilliant move after brilliant move since moving on from Blake Griffin.
They have now made themselves into the NBA title favorite just three full seasons after the “lob-city” era has ended.
Honorable Mention:
It was clearly time for the Pelicans to find a trade for Anthony Davis, and new GM David Griffin did just that. As soon as David Griffin arrived in New Orleans you could clearly tell he had a direction. In return, from trading Anthony Davis the Pelicans received Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and three future first round picks, one of which was the fourth overall pick in this years draft. You really can’t ask for much more in return for a superstar. I expect Lonzo to flourish in new scenery and we will start to figure out why he is a former number two overall pick. Brandon Ingram on the other hand still has some developing to do. He has shown flashes of greatness with the Lakers, but no consistency at all. With much less pressure out in New Orleans, and being out of the LA spotlight we could see a completely different Ingram in New Orleans… but who knows? Josh Hart has already shown he can be a great sixth man on any team and will add defense and shooting right away for the Pelicans off the bench. The fourth pick that the Pelicans acquired they later turned into the eighth, 15th and 35th picks in this years draft, as well as getting off of Solomon Hill’s $12 million contract, adding plenty of cap space for free agency.
New Orleans clearly took Zion Williamson with the top overall pick, who is a transcendent talent that will contribute to the Pelicans right away. With the eighth pick the Pelicans took Jaxson Hayes who has already shown in summer league the type of player he can be…
Nickeil Alexander-Walker was also a very interesting selection with the 17th overall pick. He is a very athletic combo guard that should be a great rotational player off the bench, or even possibly develop into a starting guard. He has the ability to create his own shot and facilitate which he should be able to do right away in New Orleans. They also took Marcos Louzada Silva with their 35th pick. He is a very raw guard with great potential, who will play at least one more season overseas.
With the salary cap they opened from trading away Solomon Hill, the Pelicans had a lot of opportunities for free agency. Their first move was bringing euro-league big man Nicolo Meli. Meli is a stretch big that would be the perfect player to pair next to Zion Williamson. He shows flashes of being a Brook Lopez/Nikola Mirotic type and I expect him to add points to New Orleans’ offense right away. They also brought in JJ Reddick who has clearly been one of the best shooters in the NBA his whole career. They also brought back Darius Miller on a very team friendly contract, who has secretly been a knockdown shooter for his whole career. He has been a 43% plus shooter during his time in New Orleans. Lastly David Griffin practically stole Derrick Favors from the Jazz for two second round picks. Overall David Griffin did a terrific job adding shooters to surround Lonzo Ball and Zion Williamson, which clearly don’t have shooting as a strength of their game. And their future looks as bright of any young team in the NBA. By: Tony LiebertNBA free agency begins tomorrow, and by now everyone is familiar with the big name start that will be available. But the Toronto Raptors just showed that you sometimes need more than just big names to win an NBA Championship. Obviously every time would love to add Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant or even Kyrie Irving. For the majority of teams they won’t have that luxury, and they will have to look at the “second tier.” Before the chaos unfolds, let’s look at some players that still might be huge difference makers next season. The list will be comprised of players that might not be inexpensive, but rather players who aren’t just being talked about. Honorable Mentions
Jeremy Lamb, G, Charlotte Hornets, UFA, Age: 27 While Kemba Walker was having an all star level season, Jeremy Lamb was quietly the Hornet’s second best player last season. The 6’5” guard averaged 15.3 points, five and a half rebounds, and just over one steal per contest for Charlotte. His prototypical height to go along with his 6’11” wingspan gives him the size to be a starting wing for any team in the NBA. In comparison, a player like Malcolm Brogdon will probably demand upwards of $20 million on the open market. He averaged 15, four and a half, and just under one steal in his 2018-19 campaign. If the Hornets lose Kemba Walker they might like to bring back Lamb, but he may want a change of scenery for himself. So while Brodgon will likely return to Milwaukee, Lamb may become the premier “budget” two-guard on the market. Possible landing spots: Lakers, 76ers (if they lose Butler or Harris), or Pacers Predicted annual salary: $8-15 million Kelly Oubre Jr, F, Phoenix Suns, RFA, Age: 23 In the 2015 NBA Draft the Atlanta Hawks selected Kelly Oubre with the 15th pick and then traded his rights to the Washington Wizards. During his time in Washington Oubre was overshadowed by Otto Porter who was consistently getting more minutes. Last season the Wizards decided to let Oubre go, and they traded him to the Suns. In Phoenix Oubre flourished putting together his best season. In 40 games he averaged 16.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. That is while Oubre was often the third or fourth offensive option on the floor. For any team wanting a great wing player that can create his own shot and play consistent defense, Oubre would be great value. He would be able to add depth to any rotation, while still having the majority of his career left to develop. Although making moves like signing Oubre never jump off the page, It is often what separates playoff teams and championship contenders. Oubre is unfortunately a restricted free agent, so any contract offer he gets, the Suns have to ability to match, and retain his rights. Possible landing spots: Magic, Mavericks, Hornets, or resigning with the Suns Predicted annual salary: $8-15 million Bojan Bogdanovic, F, Indiana Pacers, UFA, Age: 30 When all star guard Victor Oladipo went down with a quad injury last season for the Pacers, they had a clear void of a number one option. Bogdanovic was able to step into that void perfectly for Indiana. Without Oladipo, the Pacers were still able to play themselves into the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. This was largely in part of Bogdanovic’s play. The Croatian was able to average 18 points, and just over four rebounds on 49.7 percent shooting from the field. Although Bojan will not be shutting anyone down on the defensive end, he would be a great third or fourth option on the offensive end. So while everyone is going after the big names, there are bound to be teams that strike out. Bogdanovic could contribute to any championship team the same way that Pascal Siakim did for the Raptors last year. Possible landing spots: Mavericks, 76ers (if they lose Butler or Harris), Lakers Predicted annual salary: $10-20 million Julius Randle, F, New Orleans Pelicans, UFA, Age: 24 During all of the Anthony Davis drama in New Orleans, Julius Randle was having an all star level season. Randle is the perfect modern NBA four man. His 6’9” height and 7’0 wingspan, gives him the ability to guard multiple positions while switching on any ball screen. Last season for the Pelicans Randle put up terrific numbers, 21.4 points, almost nine rebounds, and just over three assists. While carrying the offensive load Randle was able to shoot a respectable 34.4% from three and an unreal 52.4% from the field. While every team in the NBA has been trying to find a Draymond Green type player, Randle quietly became a much better version of Draymond. Although he may command a contract upwards of $20 million, Randle could seamlessly fit into any roster in the NBA. Similar to Bogdanovic, when teams end up striking out on the big name free agents Randle will be waiting to take all of their extra money. Possible landing spots: Mavericks, Knicks, Pacers, or Bulls Predicted annual salary: $20-25 million DeMarcus Cousins, C, Golden State Warriors, UFA, Age: 28
Cousins is obviously not as under the radar as the other players on this list, but people really just forget how good Cousins is. In his last season fully healthy, Cousins averaged a ridiculous 25.2 points, 12.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 1.6 steals… MY GOODNESS. People argue that significantly declined after his Achilles injury, which I think is wrong. Last year in 30 games for the Warriors, he averaged 16.3, 8.2, 3.6, 1.5, and 1.4. Cousins was usually the fourth option or maybe even the fifth on the floor. Those numbers are terrific for his situation. There are 12 teams with enough cap space available for at least one max contract. So again there will be plenty of teams that strike out on the big names, and they would still like to spend their money. Cousins could be a great second or third option for any team. Teams will obviously still be hesitant in paying a 7’0” 270 pound player that has injury history. But I think with Golden State last season Cousins proved he can still be a productive player, if not an all star. If teams don’t want to commit to Cousins long term, he may still get a one year contract again. I expect any team that signs Cousins will be pleasantly surprised with his play next season. Possible landing spots: Mavericks, Celtics, Lakers, or resigning with the Warriors Predicted annual salary: $5-30 million BY: Tony LiebertThe Atlanta Hawks are quietly putting together the best young roster in the NBA. Not the Pelicans, Nuggets, or Celtics, the Atlanta Hawks have the best young core in the NBA. Atlanta began their rebuild in May of 2017, when they decided to hire Golden State Warriors assistant GM Travis Schlenk to fill their own vacant role of GM. When Schlenk came to Atlanta he inherited a roster of: The RebuildWhen Atlanta’s new regime took over you could quickly tell what direction they wanted to go, and they began rebuilding. Travis Schlenk has made a plethora of moves during his time in Atlanta. Which have the potential to tremendously pay off. First Trade:
The Hawks were able to move on from Dwight Howard’s two years remaining on his 3 year $71 million dollar contract, but in return that had to take on Miles Plumlee’s three years remaining on his 4 year $50 million dollar contract. 2017 NBA Draft
Atlanta decided to select John Collins who is a versatile big, with elite level athleticism who averaged just under 20 points his sophomore season at Wake Forest.
During the 2018 season Atlanta decided buy out both of their verteran sharpshooters’ contracts.
Atlanta was able to have a draft, that had similarities to the Warriors big three of Curry, Klay and Draymond. They got Trae Young a sharpshooting point guard with great passing ability. Kevin Huerter who has serious 40/50/90 potential, and has the ability to be a solid defender. Lastly Omari Spellman, a versatile big man who can defend all 5 positions and shoot the three. Along with the three players, Atlanta was also able to receive a future first round pick from the Dallas Mavericks. Trade
The Hawks decided to take in the last two years of Jeremy Lin’s three year $38.3 million dollar contract and have a veteran presence in the locker room. Trade
The Hawks were able to get off of the last two years of Dennis Schroeder’s 4 year $70 million dollar contract. But in return take in the last year of Carmelo Anthony’s 5 year $124 million dollar deal.
In 2018 free agency the Hawks added Alex Len on a bargain of 2 years $8.5 million, got a legendary veteran presence with Vince Carter, and lastly bought out Carmelo Anthony’s massive contract.
Atlanta decided to buy out the last season of Jeremy Lin’s contract who later signed with the Raptors. Trade:
The Hawks took on the last year of Allen Crabbe’s 4 year $75 million dollar contract, and got two first round picks in return. Trade
This may have been the first move where Atlanta slightly overpaid, but it was worth it. They were able to move up to the fourth pick in the draft and took on the last year of Solomon Hill’s 4 year $48 million dollar contract. This move was still great, because near the end of a rebuild you have to make moves with urgency, rather than with patience.
The Hawks were able to round out their starting lineup and add DeAndre Hunter who will be a lockdown defender. Cam Reddish was a great selection, in a lower pressure situation I expect him to flourish. Lastly, Bruno Fernando will add great frontcourt depth. Future The Hawks current roster has few holes before free agency. Their projected starting lineup heading into free agency looks like one of the best young rosters in the league. PG: Trae Young (2018-19 stats: 19.1p/8.1a/3.7r) SG: Cam Reddish (n/a) SF: DeAndre Hunter (n/a) PF: John Collins (19.5p/9.8r/2a) C: Alex Len (11.1p/5.5r/1.1a) 6th: Kevin Huerter (9.7p/3.3r/2.9a) 7th: Omari Spellman (5.9p/4.2r/1a) 8th: Bruno Fernando (n/a) 9th: Kent Bazemore 10th: Allen Crabe 11th: Solomon Hill 12th: Miles Plumlee This roster obviously has a bright future and a lot for Hawks’ fans to look forward to, but what jumps out on the page to me is that Kent Bazemore, Allen Crabe, Solomon Hill, and Miles Plumlee will all be free agents next season. That is a combined 63 million dollars that the Hawks will not be paying in 2020. That means they will have two max slots open for free agency in 2020. 2020 Offseason: worst case scenarioHypothetically let’s say the Hawks have a solid 2019-20 season but miss the playoffs, and their draft pick lands in the back end of the lottery. Let’s say they get the 12th pick for now. Where they would be in territory to take a chance on a player like LaMelo Ball, or play it safe with a prospect like Josh Green. They would also own the Nets first round pick in the which would most likely land in the late 20s, where they could feel more comfortable with a flyer on LaMelo Ball. Let’s expect Jaylen Brown, Ben Simmons, Pascal Siakim, Jamaal Murray and Anthony Davis all resign with their respective teams. That leaves what some may call a relatively weak free agent class. Headlined by Draymond Green, Andre Drummond, and DeMar Derozan. Now they come into free agency and let’s pretend they offer Andre Drummond and DeMar Derozan max contracts. There projected lineup heading into the 2020-21 season would become... PG: Trae Young (22 years old) SG: DeMar Derozan (31 years old) SF: Cam Reddish (21 years old) PF: John Collins (23 years old) C: Andre Drummond (27 years old) 6th: DeAndre Hunter (21 years old) 7th: LaMelo Ball (19 years old) 8th: Kevin Huerter (22 years old) 9th: Bruno Fernando (22 years old) 10th: Omari Spellman (23 years old) 11th: Josh Green (20 years old) 2020 Offseason: best case scenarioYou may say, “This isn’t realistic at all, the Hawks wouldn’t get DeMar Derozan and Andre Drummond.” If anything I think this is a worst case scenario for Atlanta. They could easily have a similar season this year compared to last season, and land somewhere in the top 5 with their draft pick. Or they could also just get lucky in the lottery. And then in free agency, my previous list is not accounting for players who often sign two year deals with a player option after the first year similarly to what Kevin Durant has been doing, and LeBron James made very popular. A player like DeMarcus Cousins signed a one year deal last season, and there is always a possibility of players doing that again. Kawhi Leonard is rumored to do this same strategy and sign a two year deal with a player option after the first year with the Raptors, so he has the ability to defend his title. So let’s say he hypothetically decides to do that. The Hawks would have the ability to reap benefits. Best case scenario the Hawks could possibly trade up higher in the 2020 draft:
In return they could receive a top 5 pick or maybe even a top 3 pick. I could see them moving Huerter and Spellman, because they would most likely be in a win now mode, and lose their patience in developing their young players. So let’s say they now go after the top recruit in the 2019 high school class center James Weisman to fill their void of a missing big man. Weisman is projected to go into the top 3 of the 2020 NBA Draft. Then in free agency if they play their cap situation smart they could have nearly $85+ million in cap space. So lets say they sign Kawhi Leonard for a max deal of $34.8 million per year and Andre Drummond for the same. Then they would still nearly have $15 million in cap space. Where they could sign veterans who want to be part of something special with potential free agents Eric Gordon, Danillo Galinari, Jeff Teague, Goran Dragic, George Hill, Kyle Lowry or Jae Crowder. So forsake of being realistic well say their projected lineup heading into the 2020-21 season best case scenario could be: PG: Trae Young SG: Cam Reddish SF: Kawhi Leonard PF: John Collins C: Andre Drummond 6th: James Weisman 7th: DeAndre Hunter 8th: George Hill 9th: Danilo Galinari I really don’t know if any team in the NBA would be able to beat this Hawks team, and with their young age, they would have the chance to be one of the best NBA dynasties of all time. Their best case scenario is a bit unrealistic, but definitely still possible. And if they weren’t able to land a player of Kawhi’s caliber in 2020 free agency, they would still easily have the best young core in the NBA with the ability to compete for many years in the future. So while the rest of the NBA is spending like crazy this offseason, just remember the Atlanta Hawks are quietly building a superteam. BY: Zach Strombeck
Every basketball fan, and basically every person who has watched sports, knows about the infamous Ball family. It’s the trio of young basketball stars out of Chino Hills, California: Lonzo, LiAngelo, and Lamelo. Above all this is the debatably the biggest name of them all, Lavar Ball. Built off the success of his sons in basketball star, Lavar created Big Baller Brand. Through his ignorant persona he promoted this brand. The brand spread like wildfire with differing opinions from all sorts of people. From selling overpriced, low quality shoes to selling their own branded water.
Recently the brand has took a turn for the worse. Co-founder of the sneaker and apparel
company, Alan Foster, is in hot water with the family over the missing of $1.5 million and concerns over his criminal history. This caused Lonzo Ball to sever ties with the company, that has used his name and persona to brand the company. Lonzo Ball told ESPN that, “Foster has used his access to my business and personal finances to enrich himself.” Lonzo confirmed this decision by posting a picture on his Instagram of him in a Nike jersey saying he is onto bigger and better things.
To add to the drama rumours have travelled that Lonzo’s ankle issues could be due to
wearing his own signature Big Baller Brand shoes. This may come as no surprise to many who have noted that the shoes are made at a low standard of quality. Lonzo’s manager added fuel to the flame with a video of him throwing away a pair of Big Baller Brand shoes down the garbage with the hashtag “#dumpurmerch”.
After all of this news about Lonzo and Big Baller Brand, Lonzo decided to get a cover up for his tattoo. The tattoo featured the trademark “BBB” logo, and was covered up to now be a pair of dice. Not only do the dice look terrible, but as the only color on his arm it stands out a lot. This might be the worst look for Big Baller Brand yet, and it leaves us wondering what could have caused Lonzo to go to this extent
By: Tony LiebertIf you were not aware the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks made a trade last week, centered around 23 year old Latvian superstar Kristaps Porzingis. FULL TRADE DETAILS: New York Knicks Receive: Dennis Smith Jr, DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews, two future first round picks. Dallas Mavericks Receive: Kristaps Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr, Trey Burke, Courtney Lee. Knicks side of the trade: In the public eye, the majority of sports media was confused by this trade for the New York Knicks. I thought otherwise. This was a trade that needed to be done for New York. The star 7-footer Porzingis was clearly upset with the front office and the direction of the franchise. The main argument to the trade being bad for the Knicks, is that "Why would a franchise that had struggled too much to find their star, why would they trade the closest thing they've had to that?" I am a huge Porzingis fan, but it was time for the Knicks to move on. You could clearly tell that their current core was not prepared to contend for a title and they needed more pieces. And for your main star for of your young core to not be on board with the franchise, is enough evidence for me to think it was time for Porzingis to move on. The Knicks received a great compensation for the Latvian star, Porzingis. Kristaps is coming off of a torn ACL, so he clearly did not have as much value on the trade market as he would if he were healthy. Kristaps also is a restricted free agent this summer, therefore if he was still on the team he would have most likely been receiving a pretty big contract from the Knicks so it was time to move on. Starting with Dennis Smith Jr, DSJ is an incredible explosive young point guard, who defiantly has the potential to develop into a fringe all-star level point guard and an above average starting PG in the NBA. It also ironic the Knicks ended up with DSJ after being criticized for taking Frank Ntilikina instead of Smith in the 2017 NBA draft. Smith Jr will most likely be the only player still in New York after this season from this trade. Even though the Knicks only get DeAndre Jordan for the rest of this season, they get an elite level rebounder with great shot blocking ability. While also being great at finishing around the rim. The Knicks could still flip Jordan at the deadline or re-sign him during free agency this summer. The last player the Knicks received was sharp shooting two guard Wesley Matthews, who is a great three point shooter, and can be a strong rotation player on a championship team. Similar to Jordan, Matthews has one year left on his contract and could be flipped for something else at the deadline, or sign a more team friendly contract in the offseason. Lastly the Knick received two future first round picks that most likely will be in the back end of the draft most likely in the late 20s. I think these picks are still valuable, and you can receive great rotation players or a diamond in the rough. You can also package these picks in another deal for something more valuable. The main reason this trade was so good for the Knicks, was because of the salary cap relief they received. The Knicks got rid of Courtney Lee who has this season and one more, where he will be making 12+ million dollars. They also traded away Tim Hardaway Jr who has three more seasons where he will be making 17-18 million dollars. Trey Burke is on a relatively salary friendly contract so he is not relavent. The Knicks also took on two expiring deals in Jordan and Matthews, which will be expiring this summer. This means this upcoming offseason the Knicks could potentially have 74.6 million dollars in cap space. This frees up to max deal spots for the Knicks in a loaded free agent class that currently contains, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler, Kemba Walker, and DeMarcus Cousins just to name a few. If the Knicks are able to sign even one of these stars while having a projected top five pick in the upcoming NBA draft, they have the "CHANCE" to roll out a starting lineup of, Kyrie Irving, Dennis Smith Jr, Kevin Knox, Kevin Durant, and Zion Williamson. This is obviously a big "CHANCE" but even having this possibility makes trading Porzingawd very worth it. Mavericks side of the trade: I also really like this trade for the Dallas Mavericks. You can clearly tell that the combo of Dennis Smith Jr, and Doncic was working but kind of holding back Luka. So the Maverick has to acquire a star to pair with Doncic. In my recent article where you can read by clicking on this link (Luka Article) I wrote about why I think Luka Doncic has the potential to be an NBA great. I also think Porzingis has that same potential and I think he has shown that in his young NBA career. Tim Hardaway Jr, Courtney Lee, and Trey Burke all are solid role players for a championship team. But I expect the Mavericks to get off of Hardaway Jr, and Lee's unfriendly contracts. Porzingis was clearly the center piece of this trade and the Mavericks are going all in to a Porzingis, Doncic future. What better situation could arguably the two best young European prospects be in. They have the ability to both be the leaders of their team, while being mentored by the greatest European basketball player of all time Dirk Nowitzki. I think this was the move the Mavericks had to make and they will show Mark Cuban to never make the same mistake he did with Nash and Nowitzki. And with more pieces I think the Mavericks will be able to compete for a title with this young core of Porzingis and Doncic. BY: Tony LiebertNot Giannis Antetokounmpo, not Anthony Davis, not Joel Embiid. Luka Dončić will be the future of the NBA. This is a photo of young Luka Doncic (in the green) celebrating with the future NBA player Goran Dragic and the Slovenian National team after a tournament victory. YOUTH CAREERAmatuer Career When Luka was 13 years old he signed a five-year contract with spanish Basketball club Real Madrid. Luka immediately standing out on the under-16 team. In 2013 he led Real Madrid to a Minicopa Endesa (end of the year national tournament between youth teams) win, while averaging 24.5 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, and 6 steals per game. In the 2014 season Dončić mainly played with Real Madrid's under-18 team and reserve team. Where he averaged 13.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists, helping them win Group B of the Liga EBA, (the amateur fourth-division of Spanish basketball). By the end of the season, he earned all-league honorable mention accolades from the basketball website Eurobasket.com. In 2015 Luka won the under-18 Ciutat de L'Hospitalet Tournament and was selected to the All-Tournament Team, despite being two years younger than the rest of the team. In May of 2015, he also won the under-18 Next Generation Tournament, for which he was selected MVP after defeating defending champions Crvena zvezda Belgrade in the final. So he basically was the LeBron James of Europe in Middle/High School. PROFESSIONAL EUROPEAN CAREERReal Madrid Career On April 30, 2015, Dončić made his professional debut for Real Madrid in the Liga ACB. At 16 years, 2 months, and 2 days of age, he became the youngest player to ever play for Real Madrid in the ACB and the third-youngest in league history, only behind Ricky Rubio and Ángel Rebolo. He started out really slow his first season, only appearing in five games. In the 2016 season, at age 16, he debuted in the EuroLeague, becoming one of the first players in that league to debut before the age of 17. Through 39 games in the ACB season, he averaged 4.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists. In 12 EuroLeague games, he recorded 3.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. In the 2017 season, Dončić began to get more playing time. On December 22 he was named MVP of the Round in the EuroLeague (player of the week), becoming the youngest player to ever do so, and he later in the same season he got the same award again. In the EuroLeague Playoffs on April 26 in a game against Darüşşafaka Luka played very well and shared MVP of the Round accolades with two other players. After leading Real Madrid to a EuroLeague Final Four berth. Dončić averaged 7.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3 assists that season. He was named EuroLeague Rising Star by a unanimous vote and also claimed the ACB Best Young Player Award. Slovenian National Team Career Between the 2017 and 2018 season for Real Madrid, Dončić led the Slovenian national team to their first EuroBasket title ever while averaging 14.1 points, 8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists while being only 17 years old. While his teammate, Miami Heat point guard Goran Dragić took home MVP honors. Dragić after the tournament was quoted to have some strong words about Dončić, "He's a born winner. No, I'm not kidding, he already has a lot of trophies, and medals. I'm happy for him. Mark my words, he's going to be one of the best in the whole world." In 2018, Luka received a starting spot for Real Madrid after the team's star player Sergio Llull suffered a torn ACL. In October, Dončić was named EuroLeague MVP of the Round after erupting for 27 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. He was named MVP of the Round again two days later. At the end of October, he earned EuroLeague MVP of the month honors, becoming the youngest player to ever win the award. Following a 24-point outburst in 22 minutes versus Movistar Estudiantes on December 31, he was selected as Player of the Round in the ACB. He was later named ACB Player of the Month for December, becoming the youngest recipient ever. On May 9, he recorded the first triple-double in the ACB since the 2006–07 season and the seventh in league history. On May 20, he guided Real Madrid to a EuroLeague finals victory, then he was later named EuroLeague Final Four MVP. Dončić later won the EuroLeague MVP award, becoming the youngest winner ever, after averaging 16 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in the 2017 season. He also repeated as the EuroLeague Rising Star, becoming the third back-to-back winner of the award. Dončić also earned the ACB Best Young Player and MVP accolades, after helping his team defeat Kirolbet Baskonia in the league finals. On June 29, 2018, he parted ways with Real Madrid... So he was basically the most accomplished European athlete of all time before he turned 18. NBA CAREERNBA Draft Luka Dončić came into the 2018 NBA draft as arguably the most hyped European prospect of all time. Then three teams passed on Dončić. DeAndre Ayton, and Marvin Bagley III were first and second overall while, Luka was drafted third overall and then shortly traded to the Dallas Mavericks for a future pick and Trae Young. Rookie Season Dončić did not compete in the NBA Summer League, after a long season with Real Madrid. When the NBA season began you could tell that the Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, and especially the Atlanta Hawks all regret passing on Luka. So far this season Dončić has averaged 19.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists a game, while only playing 32 minutes a game. Compared to LeBron James and Michael Jordan's rookie years. LeBron (19 years old) - 20.9 points, 5.5 assists, and 5.5 rebounds in 39.5 minutes per game Michael (21 years old) -28.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists in 38.3 minutes per game Recently on the 21st of January Luka became the second youngest player ever to record a triple double, only behind Markelle Fultz. Luka's best game of the season was when he scored 34 points against the New Orleans Pelicans, on only 16 shot attempts. Luka has obviously been terrific this season with triple doubles, 30 point games, and buzzer beaters. Dončić is well on his way to becoming this seasons Rookie of the Year, and one of the best young players in the league. Why Luka is Different You can obviously tell that Luka is arguably the most decorated 19 year old athlete of all time, maybe only behind Pele. That is the main reason that I think Luka has the "CHANCE" to be the greatest basketball player of all time. He has already accomplished more than LeBron James, or Michael Jordan did before the age of 19. While they were playing in high school and the NCAA, Luka was playing with grown men in the second best basketball league in the world. Dončić has the perfect modern NBA game. He can create his shot at an elite level, while being able to draw fouls at a great pace. Luka also has the ability to rebound and pass the ball at an elite level similar to LeBron James. Luka also has the best mentor possible, Dirk Nowitzki who was in a similar situation to Luka. The only thing holding Luka back from being the greatest ever is that he is european. I don't think that the U.S. sports media would ever let a european be considered the "GOAT" If Luka stays on his current pace, he has the CHANCE to be the greatest ever.
BY: Tony Liebert
Nikola Jokic is the most underrated player in the NBA. If you didn’t know, Jokic is a 7’0” center on the Denver Nuggets, from Sombor, Serbia. This season for the Nuggets, Jokic has averaged 17.4 points, 10 rebounds, and 7.6 assists, while shooting 47.8% from the floor.
Jokic has went so under the radar, due to playing for an average team for the majority of his career. The Nuggets are rarely on national T.V. and when they are they start at 10 o’clock or later most of the time, so Jokic has very rarely been in the spotlight. This season is different, the Denver Nuggets are playing terrific, they are 19-9 on the season and the number one seed in the Western Conference. Much of their success has came from Nikola’s never before seen play-style. So far this season he is averaging the second most assists per game by a center of all time only behind the great Wilt Chamberlain. Jokic is the only center in NBA history to have averaged at least 7 assist and 1 made three pointer per game. Jokic has many facets of his game that make him so unique. I believe that Jokic is one of the best pure big men in the NBA
Play-Style
Nikola Jokic has a play-style that has never been seen before in the NBA. Jokic plays in a slow motion, free flowing style, and just lets the game come to him. Jokic has combination of great post footwork, three point shooting, and passing that has not been seen in the NBA. If you watch Jokic you will never see him force any play, and will play how the game presents itself.
Passing
Great passing vision is something that you rarely see in a big man of Jokic’s stature. For a 7’0” big man to have the passing ability of Jokic is unbelievably useful. His great vision helps the Nuggets play through their best player much easier. When most teams play through a big man they are not able to pass the ball as well as Jokic, therefore the ball movement mostly stops when it reaches the post. When you have a post player like Jokic he is able to set anyone up on his team with his unreal vision. Jokic has made some of the nastiest passes I’ve ever seen.
Post Game
Jokic’s post game may be the best in the NBA. His smooth and silky post moves are near the level of NBA greats Hakeem Olajuwon and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. You may think that statement is preposterous, putting Nikola Jokic in the same discussion with the two greatest post players in NBA history? Yes, Jokic’s post moves are on the same level of these NBA greats. His terrific footwork elevates him to the elite level. His ability to fake defenders out with pump fakes, and his use of angles on the court are next level.
Ball Handling
The Serbian’s ball handling skills are much greater than you normally see from a player his size. His ability to get a rebound and take the ball coast to coast and lead the fast break is not something that is often done by players his size. Jokic also has the ability to catch the ball on the perimeter to and take his defender to the rim with his smooth moves. Jokic’s ball handling is a part of his game that is not often talked about, but it is a large reason for his tremendous success.
Three Point Shooting
Three point shooting by a big man in today’s NBA is very common, but Jokic excels at it. The big man has an incredibly high release point in his jump shot which makes it nearly unblockable. In his career Jokic has shot 35.4% from three in his career. This is in comparison to his fellow three point shooting bigs Karl Anthony-Towns who has shot 38.9% and Kristaps Porzingis who has shot 36.1%. This is not the main part of Jokic’s game but with being successful shooting threes it gives Jokic the ability to have the defense respect his three point shot, and allows him to play off of the perimeter.
Without Jokic I do not see the Denver Nuggets having anywhere near the success they have had this season. Jokic has played great so far in his NBA career, but I think the 23 year old big man has not even tapped into his potential yet. I believe the only big man in the NBA that is better than Nikola Jokic is Anthony Davis. Jokic is the nastiest big man of all time, and the most underrated player in the NBA.
If you didn’t know Jimmy Butler was recently traded from the Minnesota Timberwolves to Philadelphia 76ers. Butler had requested a trade from the T-Wolves in September before the season started and the Timberwolves decided to make a move last Saturday. I think this move brings great opportunity to both teams. Full Trade Details: Minnesota Timberwolves Receive- F, Dario Saric, F, Robert Covington, G, Jerryd Bayless, Future 2020 2nd Pick Philadelphia 76ers- G, Jimmy Butler, C, Justin Patton Timberwolves Side of the Trade I really like this trade for the Timberwolves. You could clearly see that the Jimmy Butler experiment was not working out, and the Timberwolves had to move on. I’m assuming this was a hard pill to swallow for the front office being that the wolves gave up a large part of their future for just a one year rental of Butler, which is quite frustrating as being a fan of the team. Although it is a frustrating time to be a Timberwolves fan, I am glad we received something in return of Butler, and I am quite happy with the players we received. First Dario Saric is a very talented 6’10 stretch 4 big that is still only 24 year old and has yet to enter his prime. Saric has average 13.5 points and 6.5 rebounds on a crowded 76ers team. I believe that Saric steps into the Timberwolves as a great role player. Saric is the big man that the Timberwolves have been looking for to pair with Towns ever since Kevin Love has left to Cleveland. Saric can space the floor well and is as athletic enough to be an above average defender. I think that Saric is the perfect modern big in the NBA and a great third of fourth best player on a contending team. I also really like 6’9” forward Robert Covington. Covington is 27 year old so he is just beginning to enter the prime of his career. Covington averaged 12.6 points 5.4 rebounds and 2 assists a game last season while shooting 39% from three. Covington was also voted first team All-NBA defense last season ahead of so called “defensive specialist” former Timberwolf Jimmy Butler, which was well deserved. Covington is also the perfect modern NBA role player. He fits the 3 and D mold that so many teams look for, including the Timberwolves for years. I think that Covington is a great staring caliber NBA player. Jerryd Bayless is a solid veteran guard that will add depth and leadership in the locker room. I don’t expect Bayless to be apart of the Timberwolves long-term future. Covington and Saric are both players that Timberwolves teams have needed for so long. They get a stretch big that is athletic and a perfect 3 and D player. Saric and Covington are great role players on a contending team. The only piece the Timberwolves are missing is obviously the 2nd or 3rd star that they lost in Butler. This trade was a move that shows that the Timberwolves don’t want to go into full rebuild mode and they just had a little bump in the road (trying to remain optimistic). This move makes me excited to watch the Timberwolves for the first time all year. Thanks for absolutely nothing Jimmy Butler. Overall Grade: A- 76ers Side of the Trade If I was a 76ers fan I would not be as happy. This is a move that I don’t love for the Sixers but it is a move that they had to make. All of the tanking for five plus years has produced this team, they no longer have the draft capital that they once did. This is the the team that they 76ers have for the future. I would be upset because this is not enough to compete with the Warriors for a championship. They do not have the three point shooters surrounding Ben Simmons for him to be performing at his best level. Joel Embiid and Jimmy Butler are both not very good three point shooters as well, and I just don’t think you can win in the modern NBA with your three best players being average three point shooters at best. The 76ers just did what the Timberwolves did to acquire Jimmy Butler. They traded the little draft capital and young players they had left for a star player to build around their two young stars. I would be a little worried as a 76ers fan because Jimmy Butler clearly just showed that his is stubborn and does not have time to help develop young players. And he only cares about himself. I think this move might completely ruin Markelle Fultz’ Sixers career. I think that Butler will show no patience helping develop Fultz and I can see a situation that Fultz gets lost in the rotation and ends up sitting on the bench during their playoff run. Justin Patton is an injury prone former first round pick. He is fairly talented, but I am glad the Timberwolves let him go. He is entering his second year looking like he his not going to play his first NBA game this season. I guess this is a perfect "Trust the Process" player for the Sixers. I hope Patton can find his way on the court. This trade as a whole was not my favorite move for the Sixers but one they had to make, they weren’t going to get any better with their current core and there wasn’t a great chance they were going to be getting any big name free agents. They decided they liked their nucleus for the future, and decided to go into “win now mode.” Which needed to be done. Overall I think this makes the Sixers a better team but they still will not win the Eastern Conference this season with their current roster. Overall Grade: B+ Now that they I think the “Trust the Process” era is officially over let's look back at they moves the Sixers have made and what they could have done differently. The “Trust the Process” era
I feel bad for Sixers fans but not Jimmy Butler. This is the best it’s gonna get for all that tanking, this is all your gonna get. |
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May 2020
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