A couple of weeks ago, we published a list of the players who have won the most playoff games without ever conquering a championship. Most of the guys in said list have long been retired and therefore destined to remain ringless. The ones in the ranking below still have a shot (even if a long one in many cases) at getting that elusive title.
Stephen Curry: Every team that Chris Paul has been on gets better. That’s the most consistent thing on him and who he is and what he brings to the team. Everybody’s going to talk about the age. It’s on us to put that all together and figure out how all the pieces work. You hate losing Jordan Poole. I know it’s not all the way official yet. So I don’t want to talk too much before it is. But that’s the tough part of the business, seeing a young guy come into his own (and then get traded).
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Gina Mizell: Speaking at a Fanatics camp for underserved Philly kids, Tobias Harris said he understood why his father stuck up for him in recent media comments but added his father does not speak for him. “I was OK with that role (as the fourth option). I never complained about it.”
Source: Twitter @ginamizell
Grant Williams expressed his desire to return to the Celtics when free agency begins on Friday, leaving it in the hands of Boston president Brad Stevens and Williams’ agent Erik Kabe. Williams attended a Fanatics fan event at Gillette Stadium alongside Jayson Tatum and members of the Patriots and Revolution on Tuesday afternoon.
Source: Bobby Manning @ CLNSMedia.com
San Antonio was known to be waiting with a short-term contract for Reid and the hope of pairing him with Victor Wembanyama in the frontcourt, sources said. Now the Spurs will have to turn to other targets, perhaps someone like Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas, as New Orleans and San Antonio recently did business on offloading Devonte’ Graham’s contract, and the Pelicans, sources said, have since made Valanciunas available in search of more mobile, rim-protecting big men. New Orleans made one call... Читать дальше...
Clutch Points: “This was the meeting that a lot of the league was watching to see if Damian Lillard requested a trade, and he absolutely did not. In fact, from what I understand, the tender of the meeting was that he doesn’t want to put pressure on the Blazers, that he wants to see what they do in free agency, and that he’s going to give them time to do that. So this is an interesting strategic move. He said at the end of the season ‘give me veterans’. The Draft came and went, but no veterans. Читать дальше...
According to two sources, the Heat has been giving thought to potentially using the waive-and-stretch provision on Lowry if Miami is unable to trade him, though a firm decision on that has not been made. That waive-and-stretch mechanism would allocate his remaining cap hit equally over three seasons.
Source: Miami Herald
While staying with the Raptors still sounds like it’s on the table for both parties, Houston is prepared to offer VanVleet a very competitive deal, while all those whispers about a James Harden return have noticeably decreased in recent weeks. The Rockets, sources said, are considering short-term, high-salary contracts in order to land top-target free agents with their $61 million in cap space. It would take a maximum contract to ultimately lure VanVleet from Toronto, sources said, which would top out at two-years, $80 million. Читать дальше...
And yet on draft night the Blazers kept their pick at No. 3 and used it to nab Henderson—an outstanding talent who might eventually be a superstar and the new face of the franchise. Emphasis on eventually. A ball-dominant guard, Henderson is also perhaps not the easiest fit next to the ball-dominant Lillard. But the Blazers either didn’t find a trade that appealed to them, or didn’t try very hard—it’s not entirely clear. (They did briefly discuss a swap of Henderson for Paul George, according to a rival executive. Читать дальше...
Sources with knowledge of the Phoenix/Dallas trade discussions said a resumption of the Ayton talks could not be ruled out. Trading for Ayton would be a pricey gamble for Dallas, given the years and millions left on the inconsistent big man’s deal, but it’s a gamble that the Mavericks would ultimately be willing to take given their need for a center and the relatively low cost to acquire the player chosen two picks ahead of Luka Dončić at No. 1 overall in 2018.
Source: Marc Stein @ marcstein.substack.com... Читать дальше...
Evan Sidery: The Hawks have many veteran players available in trade discussions, per @wojespn: “Virtually everybody among their veterans, except for Trae Young, have really been part of {trade talks} for the Hawks.” Two players who fit this criteria are Clint Capela and De’Andre Hunter.… pic.twitter.com/xQ03Urkc9b
Source: Twitter @esidery
The Lakers, league sources say, are a lock to match any offer on Reaves — even if someone signs Reaves to the maximum allowable offer sheet worth nearly $100 million over four years.
Source: Marc Stein @ marcstein.substack.com
[The Blazers] felt like picking [Scoot Henderson] was better than any other trades that could have been had… They’re trying to sell to Dame that they’re not in a rebuild.” @ChrisBHaynes on Damian Lillard’s meeting with the Blazers
Source: Twitter @ClutchPointsApp
According to a league source, the Kings have had discussions with Barnes on a potential extension in the last few weeks, but those conversations went quiet. He might be the best option for continuity’s sake, as long as McNair can add depth in free agency or through trade.
Source: James Ham @ Kings Beat
Reported on Monday morning’s episode of Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said that not just do the Mavs have interest in Nuggets free-agent wing Bruce Brown, but they might have passed up the chance to sign him last summer. “Our old buddy [Marc Stein] linked him to the Mavericks. I’ve heard similar things,” MacMahon said. “I actually heard that the Mavericks maybe could have had him last summer but thought that JaVale McGee was the bigger prize.”
Source: Sports... Читать дальше...
The participants of the recently concluded 2023 NBA Draft were not spared from the burning GOAT debate between Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James and His Airness Michael Jordan. Top three draft selectees Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller, and Scoot Henderson all had the same answer — and MJ isn’t going to like it one bit. The incoming rookies were all faced with the same question on the red carpet as they were asked to take their pick between LeBron and Jordan. For starters, Wemby, Miller... Читать дальше...
Yoko Miyaji: Rui Hachimura decided not to play for Japan National Team this summer at FIBA World Cup, JBA has just announced. In a press release, Hachimura says it was a tough decision, but he wants to focus on preparation for the upcoming season and NBA career.
Source: Twitter
So, what would it take to convince Lillard that Portland is still the place to be for the rest of his NBA days? Here’s one solution that is known to be a dream scenario from Lillard’s vantage point: Re-sign forward Jerami Grant and add four-time All-Star/four-time champion Draymond Green in free agency.
Source: Sam Amick @ The Athletic
As contract talks picked up again post-draft, sources familiar with the process told The Athletic, the Timberwolves and Reid were still millions apart. Then a call came from the top of the organization. “Get it done,” owner Glen Taylor instructed his front office.
Source: Jon Krawczynski @ The Athletic
“He [Damian Lillard] wants to play on a team that has a chance,” Chris Haynes says. “He doesn’t want to be on a team that is stacked, he doesn’t want to be on a team where it’s just 3 All-Stars or 3 superstars.”
Source: Bleacher Report
Memphis Grizzlies PR: The @memgrizz today announced the team exercised its 2023-24 contract option on Xavier Tillman Sr. pic.twitter.com/COwROMWbYU
Source: Twitter @GrizzliesPR
Atlanta Hawks: We have requested waivers on two-way guard Donovan Williams.
The relationship between Damian Lillard and the franchise, according to sources, remains on solid ground but the team’s inability to flip the No. 3 pick in Thursday’s NBA draft into a veteran star didn’t sit well with the franchise point guard.
Source: Aaron Fentress @ Oregonian