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Houston locked up the futures of two rising stars in Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green before the rookie-scale extension deadline elapsed, heading into the new campaign with cautious optimism they can improve upon last season’s encouraging strides taken under Ime Udoka should everyone be fortunate with injuries. Elsewhere, Jalen Suggs and Trey Murphy also inked deals elsewhere. Continue reading “Getting paid: Sengun and Suggs among lucrative rookie-scale contract extensions”
Team USA sealed Olympic gold in Paris last month but only just, with a series of scares along the way from Nikola Jokic’s Serbia and eventual silver medallists France as well as South Sudan in a pre-tournament friendly prior. The world’s depth has become increasingly clear in recent seasons and players departing the NBA bubble for leagues worldwide isn’t as surprising as it once was. Continue reading “Depth in Paris shows Evan Fournier’s Olympiacos choice not one to be sniffed at”
It’s remarkable in isolation the Washington Wizards received more for small forward Deni Avdija than either newly-crowned NBA champion Kristaps Porzingis or longtime star shooting guard Bradley Beal, but the trade market is so unpredictable that quality players on good contracts are worth their weight in gold – something emphasised by their return haul from this latest trade. Continue reading “Deni Avdija is Portland-bound, as the volatile trade market focuses on future”
After a career night against New Orleans, Deni Avdija feels he’s still getting better and there’s room for further growth – music to the ears of Washington Wizards staff and fans alike. The fourth-year small forward has shown glimpses of potential but not taken a significant leap like other draft class agemates have, as the ball club have needed to exercise patience with the 23-year-old. Continue reading “Forgotten fourth-year forward Deni Avdija must keep accelerating in Washington”
Once you strip away the off-court controversy he has needlessly courted over recent seasons, as well as the persistent questions over his health, Zion Williamson spoke intently in press this week as he knows there’s ample room for personal growth. How long this latest storyline lasts, only time will tell – but you can’t help but feel the clock is ticking for the 2019’s #1 draft pick. Continue reading “The duality of Zion Williamson continues to frustrate, but can’t last for much longer”
Bradley Beal is having to exercise patience, easier said than done. Phoenix made a big offseason splash to acquire the three-time All-Star guard, who has only managed to suit up for three games with his new ball club this season and will be unavailable a little while longer as he recovers from a lower back strain – just one of the physical issues that he’s been dealing with since training camp. Continue reading “Bradley Beal injury update: Suns guard sidelined until December with back strain”
As is often the case come playoff time, there are many storylines and prospective scenarios that can play out a variety of ways over the postseason – with subsequent front office decisions often riding on the success or failure of a franchise or specific players in certain areas. This year is no different. Continue reading “As playoffs near, multiple dominos waiting to fall in NBA’s head coaching carousel”
It’s NBA trade season, so speculation is predictably in full flow as teams – whether championship contenders, pretenders or rebuilding teams – are all involved between now and the Feb. 9 deadline. Will any team satisfy Toronto’s big expectations in an OG Anunoby trade? What about Bojan Bogdanovic in Detroit, or the silence coming from the Suns about wantaway wing Jae Crowder? Read about all of that and more, with some free agent chatter to finish. Continue reading “NBA news round-up: Anunoby, Bogdanovic, Crowder and more as trade season hots up”
Luka Doncic continued his excellent start to the campaign with a 42-point triple-double helping Dallas eventually overwhelm Portland with a 117-112 victory on Saturday night. With one of the highest usage rates in NBA history, and considering the conundrum which his Mavericks team still haven’t yet solved surrounding the supporting cast, Jason Kidd’s public concerns make sense for a 23-year-old they don’t want to burnout before it matters most in the postseason. Continue reading “Given historical trends, Jason Kidd’s concerns about the Luka Doncic usage rate are natural”
Bradley Beal became the 10th player in league history to receive a no-trade clause as part of his five-year, $251m max contract extension with the Wizards. Ten days later, another All-Star – Portland’s franchise star Damian Lillard – inked a two-year, $121m max vet deal to remain with the Trail Blazers, now under contract until the 2026-27 season. Will these decisions age well?
Continue reading “Masterful or misguided? Beal and Lillard’s latest contract extensions predictably raise questions”
Three-time All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal acknowledged, when quizzed, that he’s leaning towards re-signing with the Wizards this summer. Turning 29 in June and eligible for a five-year, $246m extension if he declines next year’s player option, will the franchise star live to regret his indecisiveness or be truly satisfied with how things have unfolded in recent seasons?
Continue reading “Regret or satisfied? Bradley Beal hints at re-signing with Wizards this coming offseason”
This coming offseason, Washington Wizards’ star shooting guard Bradley Beal is set to become an unrestricted free agent – which inevitably will see multiple franchises circling as they try convincing him to leave a market he’s remained in since he was drafted ten years ago. As far as he’s concerned, every option remains available to him as far as his next career step goes… Continue reading “Wizards’ Bradley Beal keeping all of his options open ahead of free agency”
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