Former Lakers player says Bob Knight knew of Indiana team physician abuse allegations
Former Lakers player Butch Carter submitted sworn testimony in federal court Thursday as part of an existing class action lawsuit alleging that he was sexually abused by former University of Indiana team physician Bradford Bomba Sr. nearly 50 years ago.
Carter, 66, states that he reported Bomba's conduct to former coach Bob Knight and to school officials, but that no action was taken. Carter is the fifth former Indiana player to come forward with allegations that Bomba subjected them to 'medically unnecessary, invasive and sexually abusive rectal examinations.'
Attorneys for two of the players — Haris Mujezinovic and Charlie Miller — filed the Title IX lawsuit, and a judge compelled Bomba, 88, to sit for a deposition Dec. 4. Bomba, however, refused to answer as many as 45 questions about his alleged conduct and his conversations with Knight, citing his 5th Amendment protection against self-incrimination.
The lawsuit was amended this month to include Carter and names Indiana University trustees and longtime head athletic trainer Tim Garl as defendants. Knight, who led Indiana to three national championships in 29 seasons despite his infamously volatile coaching style, died in 2023 at age 83. Neither he nor Bomba are named as defendants.
Bomba was the team doctor for most of Knight's tenure, which ended when the coach was fired in 2000. The lawsuit alleges that athletes were required to see Bomba for their physicals and that the docter routinely performed prostate exams on them, which the suit says are unnecessary for college-age men.
Bomba reported to Garl, who is still employed at Indiana.
'Garl had actual knowledge of and facilitated and participated in Dr. Bomba, Sr.'s wrongful conduct by continuing to assign IU's student athletes to Dr. Bomba, Sr. for physical examinations with knowledge that, when he did so, Dr. Bomba, Sr. would sexually assault those students,' the lawsuit alleges.
Carter testified that Bomba performed a rectal examination on him in 1979 as part of a physical he was required to take after receiving an invitation to play for USA Basketball. Until then, another doctor had performed Carter's physicals.
'At no time before the Dr. Bomba Sr. experience did any other doctor perform a rectal examination on me, including in high school,' Carter said.
Carter said he reported the incident to Knight and team trainer Bob Young and repeatedly complained to Knight about Bomba whenever the physician was around the team.
The lawsuit states that Bomba's reputation for abuse was openly discussed by players within earshot of coaches and athletic trainers. It also alleges that university officials failed to stop Bomba, in effect allowing 'a policy of deliberate indifference.'
The four plaintiffs besides Carter all played at Indiana in the 1990s. Carter, a 6-foot-5 guard, played for the Hoosiers from 1976 to 1980 before becoming a second-round draft pick of the Lakers.
Carter played one season in Los Angeles before being traded to the Indiana Pacers and also played for the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers during his six-year career. He served as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks for several years before becoming head coach of the last-place Toronto Raptors in January 1998.
The Raptors turned around under Carter, and he led them to a 45-37 record and a playoff berth in 1999-2000. However, he was fired after the season during a front-office power struggle.
While coaching, Carter co-authored the book 'Born to Believe' with his brother Cris — an NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver with the Minnesota Vikings — in which he called Knight a bully and a 'self-serving coward,' and said Knight used a racial slur during an angry tirade against a Black player.
Still, Carter said he hoped Knight would shield players from Bomba.
Carter testified that at the beginning of his senior year he told Knight he did not want to visit Bomba again, and that Knight responded: 'You're going to take a physical.' Carter insisted on seeing another doctor, and Knight 'left it alone.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
How Pacers' counterintuitive strategy shut down Thunder's stars in NBA Finals
It's never too late to make a change in life — or at least in the most important moment of one's professional life. The Indiana Pacers are all about chaos. They've made this run to the 2025 NBA Finals by amplifying games to a blurring speed their opponents can't control. That includes a strategy that's rare in the NBA: A full-court press designed to wear out opposing ballhandlers. Advertisement But their Game 6 triumph over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday was, in one important way, a grand reveal that they are more than a one-note team. How did the Pacers solve the seemingly unsolvable problem of defending Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams? They pulled the chair on the entire Thunder offense. After several games of full-court pressure, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle took some heat off the Pacers' approach. Instead of pushing forward, Indiana's defenders dropped back and waited for the Thunder stars to come to them before bringing their pressure. As Caitlin Cooper of Basketball, She Wrote noted, the Pacers' pick-up points on Thunder ballhandlers were much more conservative than they have been all series. Average pick-up distance for the Pacers on defense in Games 1-5: 56.9 feet Average pick-up distance for the Pacers on defense in Game 6: 41.4 feet Big difference — Caitlin Cooper (@C2_Cooper) June 20, 2025 The Thunder weren't ready for it. As the Pacers' coverages evolved throughout the game, their primary objective was to keep Thunder ballhandlers from getting downhill. That required slowing things down on defense to provide a chance for more precision and balance. Indiana loosened the grip on its fastball, putting some more bend on its cutter that Gilgeous-Alexander couldn't figure out. The result was eight turnovers for the MVP. The Pacers' problem with full-court pressure coming into Thursday was that it invited Thunder players — particularly Isaiah Hartenstein — to set step-up ball screens in the backcourt. Indiana couldn't control the vast space underneath those picks, so the Thunder stars had tons of room to rub off their screeners and get wherever they wanted. Indiana's adjustment was to wait until those ballhandlers, particularly Gilgeous-Alexander, crossed the half-court line before springing their trap. On the first play of the game, the Pacers stacked off-ball defenders high into the gaps, steering the MVP into a tight pocket against the sideline. The way Andrew Nembhard suddenly flipped around to pick up Gilgeous-Alexander caught Hartenstein by surprise. Even that play was higher up the floor than Indiana operated for much of the rest of the game. Indiana's guards set their pick-up points in a more typical area closer to the 3-point line, which made most of their pick-and-roll coverages more effective. When Williams or other guards screened for Gilgeous-Alexander, Indiana was able to switch more comfortably because there wasn't an acre of space behind them. There was less pressure to contain the ball at the point of attack when switching, since the ballhandler would run into help quickly if they got past Indiana's primary defender. Advertisement This forced the Thunder into more isolation plays, making it easier for the other Pacers defenders to aggressively clog the paint. Gilgeous-Alexander lost steam as the game went on, with his possessions looking more listless. That helped Aaron Nesmith and T.J. McConnell pick up some steals by double-teaming Gilgeous-Alexander from behind. The prior two games, both Thunder wins, made it clear that while the Thunder stars weren't looking to take pull-up 3s off high screens, they gained momentum from driving into space without a body in front of them. Even when the Pacers' bigs crept above the screen level to double-team Gilgeous-Alexander, he still had space to dribble around those defenders and pick up speed. He is a master at staying in motion and then pushing into gaps to break through coverage. In Game 6, the Pacers forced the MVP to do everything over a squared-up defender and lots of help. Remember Pascal Siakam sitting in the gap on the first play of the game that resulted in a turnover? He was now able to essentially be a secondary dropper on Gilgeous-Alexander pick-and-rolls as part of Carlisle's bet to sacrifice some 3-point coverage to clog the star's driving lanes. If the Pacers kept pressing full court, Gilgeous-Alexander would have come off those high ball screens with more paths to speed past any gapped defenders. But pushing back the pick-up points made it easier for Siakam to plant in driving lanes behind Myles Turner when the center was guarding up to the screen level. The strategy against Williams followed the same spirit, though it differed slightly. For one, the Pacers started ducking under high screens for Williams, allowing Nesmith to catch up from below the action while the screener's defender pushed Williams' drives sideways. Advertisement But Carlisle finally accepted he'd need to put bigs on Williams if necessary. I wrote Thursday morning that the Pacers should start mixing in more pick-and-roll switches involving Siakam, Obi Toppin and Turner, even if it left them on an island guarding Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams in isolation. Siakam has been the Pacers' best help defender in this series, and having him guard either of the two Thunder stars takes him away from that role. Now, the Pacers have moved away from lineups with Siakam at center, giving them another big on the floor to take on the lane-clogging role if he needs to switch at the point of attack. In Game 6, Siakam was able to stay in front of Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander, then contest high to be an effective antidote. His length threw off Gilgeous-Alexander's tempo. Most defenders have to be within reaching distance of the Thunder guard to create leverage, but Siakam is long enough to sit a full dribble back. He can close his hips to shuffle backwards when Gilgeous-Alexander hits his trigger step into a drive and use his wingspan to contest any potential stepback jumper. That makes it easier for help defenders to sit deeper into the gaps and get Gilgeous-Alexander to pick up his dribble early. In contrast, there were many possessions in Games 1-5 where Nembhard and Nesmith stayed in front of the Thunder's drivers, but lacked the length to contest mid-paint stepbacks. The Pacers won't be able to catch the Thunder off guard two games in a row. But Oklahoma City's shooting, which has been mediocre in this series, will have to improve in a high-pressure situation to make the Pacers pay for dropping back into the gaps. The Thunder may need to rely even more on their defense, which failed to stop a hobbled Tyrese Haliburton from taking control of Game 6. Game plans can only do so much on the biggest stage in basketball. It's unlikely the Pacers will be able to avoid crunch time again, as the Thunder will have plenty of counters to the Pacers' new approach. But at least it got the Pacers to a Game 7, where a battle of wills will determine the next NBA champion. Zach Harper runs through everything you need to know heading into Sunday's Game 7.
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
NBA free agency 2025: Myles Turner tops long list of starting-caliber center talent
If you need a center, you might be in luck; while there isn't a max-worthy target out there, several starting-caliber big men hit the market this year, and many of them are gettable for rivals due to their own teams' tight salary-cap situations. Even beyond that, the market for the tax and room-exception big men looks frothy, making this arguably the most interesting position of the summer in terms of player movement. Advertisement As always, I've included all free agents and potential free agents due to player options, team options and non-guaranteed contracts, except for the most unlikely cases. For instance, surely Oklahoma City's Jaylin Williams, Philadelphia's Adem Bona and Golden State's Trayce Jackson-Davis need not sweat about their non-guaranteed minimum deals. Here's how BORD$ (more on the methodology here) sees the centers: Nobody 1. Myles Turner, Pacers, $31,329,931 Turner might be the most contentious free-agent negotiation of the summer. Between his unrestricted status, the lack of competing cap-space teams, the Pacers' accomplishments this season, Indiana's potential tax and apron issues if it pays him big money and the fact his deal cannot be extended before he hits free agency … all the ingredients seem to be there for a prolonged staredown that ends with hurt feelings. Turner's BORD$ value is $31 million; while there is no chance of him getting this much in a market with no viable alternate suitors, it does indicate a figure for the Pacers to at least approach if they want him to sign for multiple years. Is three years for $75 million to $80 million fair? Even at $25 million a pop, Turner's next deal would take the Pacers sailing past the first apron and represent a first-ever foray into the tax for Indiana. That's for 2025-26; extending Bennedict Mathurin could push the Pacers to the second apron in 2026-27. Some tough decisions will need to be made at some point about other spots on the roster, but if you're not willing to pay the luxury tax for the franchise's best team in a quarter century, sell it to someone who will. Finally, note that Turner is eligible for a no-trade clause, although I doubt he has the juice to get one. 2. Naz Reid, Timberwolves, $26,211,784 (PO) Reid has a player option for $15 million and is due for a raise, but the execution of this one could be tricky. The Wolves are basically in a 'pick two' situation with Reid, Juloius Randle and Nickeil Alexander-Walker all potentially being free agents this summer. If Reid stays, one wonders if the Wolves could do an opt-in-and-extend deal that tacks on four years and $94 million with a fourth-year player option in return for locking in next year at a below-market $15 million (a total package of $109 million over five years). Such a deal would pay Reid through his age-30 season and help solve a short-term cap crunch in Minnesota; it's probably the one scenario where the Wolves could quasi-realistically keep all three players. More realistic, perhaps: Reid signs and is traded to another team, because maintaining him in this salary structure is going to be complicated. Advertisement The Nets are the only team with significant cap space and wouldn't seem to be a fit for Reid, but he should have suitors around the league. I also think he's the most fungible of the three, even though he's beloved in the Twin Cities. I'll ballpark his next deal at three years and $65 million if the two sides can figure out the right sign-and-trade. If nobody can hit that number, he might be better off taking the opt-in-and-extend strategy. 3. Brook Lopez, Bucks, $21,501,456 Lopez deserves more than the nontaxpayer MLE, but getting somebody to pay it to him could prove problematic. The Nets don't need him, so he's depending on either Milwaukee's participation in a sign-and-trade or a strong offer from the Bucks to keep him. (Milwaukee has full Bird rights on Lopez, but his deal cannot be extended.) If he finds an unfriendly market relative to the BORD$ value above, one thing Lopez could do is a two-year MLE deal for $29 million with a second-year player option that allows him to re-enter free agency a year from now. One thing that seems certain is that he won't lack for suitors at this price (keep an eye on Houston after the Rockets got to the 1-yard line with him two summers ago), which is why I suspect he'll be bid up above the MLE and end up either in a sign-and-trade or back with the Bucks. Lopez is also eligible for a no-trade clause from the Bucks, which makes no sense from Milwaukee's perspective but would be objectively hilarious. 4. Al Horford, Celtics, $18,930,304 One of the many ripple effects of the Jayson Tatum injury is that Horford might be more gettable in free agency than previously presumed. With Horford at age 39 and the Celtics likely both facing a 'gap' year and needing to trim salary, it might make sense for him to hunt for a different contender on a one-year deal. Advertisement Because of his size, shooting and switchability, he can fit virtually everywhere, and suitors should be plentiful; additionally, one suspects this is a situation where the Benjamins will matter less than the team situation and championship equity. 5. Clint Capela, Hawks, $15,155,239 This is a rather optimistic reading of the 31-year-old Capela's market after he lost his starting job in Atlanta to Onyeka Okongwu last season. The Hawks have full Bird rights on Capela and could even extend him before free agency begins, but Atlanta has other offseason priorities and lacks infinite salary space. If the Hawks draft a center with one of their two first-round picks (13th and 22nd), it seems unlikely Capela would be back. Capela is stretched as a starter but would be one of the best backup centers in the league; one wonders how he'd look in LA reunited with his old pick-and-roll partner James Harden. Note that Atlanta's Bird rights on Capela, in concert with his high salary last season, make sign-and-trades a distinct possibility. 6. Luke Kornet, Celtics, $13,834,865 The Green Kornet rises! Boston's 7-foot-2 insurance center was pressed into service for 73 games last season and turned out to be quite good, impacting games with his size as a rim runner and shot blocker. Kornet shot 67.5 percent and drew fouls at a high rate, proved to be a good passer on the roll who averaged nearly four assists for every turnover and posted a 4.8 percent block rate. Those are borderline starter numbers, and while Kornet's limited track record and age (he turns 30 in July) will work against him, he's earned a significant raise from his minimum deal. He's also a fairly essential player for Boston to keep if it either loses Horford or trades Kristaps Porziņģis. 7. Paul Reed, Pistons, $10,110,334 No, I did not hack the BORD$ formula. I swear! B-ball Paul and Kornet were pretty clearly the two best third-string centers in the league, but Kornet got a lot more run because of Boston's injuries. Reed is an acquired taste at just 6-9 with an iffy perimeter game and a proclivity for adventurous ballhandling. He also fouls on every play (8.2 personals per 100 possessions last season). But over time, his strengths outweigh his weaknesses. Reed runs the floor, zips around as a screener and is disruptive on defense (4.3 steals per 100 from a center is amazing). Somehow, some way, he always ends up with more assists than turnovers as well. Advertisement Reed isn't needed in Detroit, where the Pistons already have Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, but his mobility and ability to play some power forward would make him a fit with an up-tempo team. At age 25, his next few years should be his best. 8. Kevon Looney, Warriors, $9,505,471 This number probably surprises people, especially because Looney is just 6-9, doesn't exude athleticism and has made two 3s over the last four seasons. Nonetheless, Looney has low-key value as a backup center because he's a monstrous rebounder (21.8 percent rebound rate last season, 10th in the league among players who played at least 500 minutes) who still makes an impact on defense when he doesn't have to switch. Skeptics will point to his physical issues and question his fit outside the Warriors' unique system. However, Looney has missed only 14 games over the past four seasons, and he's only 29. At the very least, he should be a useful backup for the room exception. Golden State, alas, may not be the right fit for him anymore, as the Warriors have other priorities with sub-apron money and a developing alternative in Quinten Post (below). 9. Day'Ron Sharpe, Nets, $9,116,630 (R) The Nets have oodles of cap room and likely will use at least some of it to keep Sharpe on a team-friendly deal following the end of his rookie contract. The Nets have matching rights as long as they make a $5.98 million qualifying offer and shouldn't face serious threats of an offer sheet given their ability to match. Sharpe has a cap hold for $11.97 million, which is high enough that the Nets likely would sign him to a deal early in the free-agent process to get his new number on the books instead of the $11.97 million number. However, watch for Brooklyn to front-load the deal and add the maximum allowable 15 percent in incentives, specifically ones that are 'unlikely' as far as the cap rules are concerned, but are achievable for Sharpe. The front-loading helps the Nets manage their cap in future seasons when the rest of the roster is likely to be more expensive, while the incentives are to let him agree to a lower guaranteed salary that would operate as his cap number hit season. Imagine, for instance, a four-year, $40 million deal where $6 million of it is incentives; front-loading it would mean the first year would come in just under $11.5 million, but $1.5 million of it would be 'unlikely' incentives that drag the cap number down below $10 million for 2025-26. The contract would then contain 8 percent declines to a final season of $8.6 million, of which $1.3 million would be incentives. Advertisement 10. Moritz Wagner, Magic, $5,6637,898 (TO) Wagner tore his ACL at midseason last year, and the Magic are facing a luxury-tax crunch, both of which make it seem unlikely that the Magic pick up his $11 million team option. The way out of this would be for the Magic to re-sign Wagner to a one-year minimum deal, or a 'one-plus-one' with a second-year player option. That arrangement would allow him to re-sign in Orlando with Bird rights next summer after he's fully rehabbed the knee. Orlando can do this with a bit less flight risk than normal, since Wagner's younger brother (and roommate), Franz, is one of the team's stars. 11. Jaxson Hayes, Lakers, $5,287,448 Hayes is a deeply frustrating player, an athletic 7-footer who is only 25 and shot 72 percent from the field last season but whose limited basketball IQ and inability to stretch the floor often render him ineffective. His rim-running threat — 120 dunks in 56 games! — should theoretically make him a strong fit next to Luka Dončić, yet Hayes fell out of favor as the season wore on and he DNP'd the Lakers' final three halves in the playoffs. The Lakers likely will try to do better here, and Hayes will likely try to find a place where he's more appreciated, but I'm not sure we should rule out a reunion. Between L.A.'s early Bird rights on Hayes and the limited money on the market for supplemental centers like him, these two may find that continuing their uncomfortable marriage remains better than the alternative. 12. Nick Richards, Suns, $4,632,039 (NG) Richards has a non-guaranteed deal for $5 million that becomes fully guaranteed on June 29. Given the small difference between that price and his BORD$ value, and the Suns' limited alternatives to pay anyone else to fill the position, it seems highly unlikely he would be waived. However, because it's Phoenix, I can't rule it out. 13. Steven Adams, Houston 'Minimum,' haha. Good one, Hollinger. Adams agreed to a three-year, $39 million extension with Houston before I could get around to publishing this. He has played only 794 total minutes over the past two seasons, which is why BORD$ views him as a minimum guy. It has a pretty strong built-in regression to the mean component for low-minute players, not realizing Adams' unusually low number was due to injury and not ineffectiveness. BORD$ also doesn't use playoff data. However, Adams' effectiveness in the first round against Golden State, particularly at the defensive end, showed how he has greater real-life value, especially because he seems to be past the knee issues that cost him the better part of two seasons. Advertisement Adams' offensive limitations are real, but he is strong. He led the league in offensive rebound rate among players with at least 750 minutes while drawing innumerable fouls from weaker mortals unsuccessfully attempting to uproot him; he's also a canny screener who either wipes out opposing guards at the point of attack or takes out his man with a 'Gortat' screen at the rim. Turning 32 this July and owning an injury history, there's a danger of overreach, but Houston had full Bird rights on Adams, and this center market could be frothy. Note that Houston front-loaded Adams' deal to start at $14.2 million and then decline in the out years, which had the added impact of making him trade-ineligible until December because it was a raise greater than 5 percent. 14. Larry Nance Jr., Hawks Nance gets hurt every year, playing only 24 games last season and never playing more than 67 in any of his 10 pro seasons, but he remains effective when he's on the court. Nance shot 44.7 percent from 3 last season; while he's unlikely to repeat that performance, his 35.3 percent career mark is indicative of some stretch capability. He's also a smart passer and a crafty screener. His 32-year-old legs still uncorked 16 dunks in 463 minutes. Nance's biggest downside comes defensively, where he's a 6-8 guy masquerading as a center. While experience, mobility and leaping make up for some of it, he doesn't protect the rim or rebound like a true center, and on a good team, he would probably split time between the two frontcourt slots. Atlanta will have full Bird rights on Nance but has other priorities in free agency, including signing another center to go ahead of him on the depth chart. While the Hawks value him in the locker room, Nance wants to play and thus might not be back. 15. Isaiah Jackson, Pacers (R) Jackson was supposed to be Indiana's backup center before tearing his Achilles two weeks into the season. The 6-10 string bean is theoretically a restricted free agent if the Pacers make a $6.4 million qualifying offer, but I can't see why they would bother. Jackson's market post-injury is likely to be limited, and there is an obvious accommodation here where the Pacers could sign him to a cheap 'one-plus-one' deal with a player option for 2026-27. With a strong year, he could re-enter the market, and the Pacers would have Bird rights to re-sign him, but in the meantime, his deal wouldn't screw up their tax/apron situation. Advertisement 16. Ben Simmons, Clippers I wasn't sure at what position to list Simmons, but center is probably the closest description to his role for most teams. He's capable of playing point guard and can be particularly threatening in transition with his ability to push the ball and pass, but his desperate avoidance of the free-throw line limits his impact as a finisher and shoehorns him into a position as a short-rolling big in the half court. Simmons still adds value for the right team at the back end of the rotation because he's switchable and can handle the ball. 17. Mason Plumlee, Suns Plumlee is 35, but his blocks and rebounding rates have largely held steady over the last several years; he is just dunking less, although dunk stats with him are always tricky because of his compulsion to turn so many of them into two-handed overhead layups. (Here's a stat we need from camera data: My hypothesis is that no player in NBA history has scored a higher percentage of his points with his back to the rim while he was shooting than Plumlee.) The Suns don't have Bird rights on Plumlee, but it doesn't matter because he's a minimum guy; if Phoenix is weary of him, he'll hang on somewhere else as a third center. 18. Quinten Post, Warriors (TO) Post is 7-feet tall, has some physical toughness and shot 40.8 percent from 3 as a rookie, so I'd say he's a keeper despite his athletic limitations. Golden State has a $1.96 million option on him for the coming season, but the likely move is to decline it and sign him to a lengthier, cap-friendly deal as a non-Bird free agent. Depending on their apron situation, the Warriors could even spice things up by starting Post's next deal for 20 percent above his minimum — an estimated $2.45 million — on a multi-year deal. 19. Thomas Bryant, Pacers Bryant is a good shooter for a big and plays extremely hard, but his effort doesn't make up for his limitations at the defensive end. The Pacers have done a good job spotting him into sections of games where physicality is required and mobility is optional, but his best fit is as a third center. As with Jackson above, it seems like a one-plus-one accommodation on a minimum deal with a player option could work here, especially because the Pacers don't have Bird rights on Bryant. 20. Dwight Powell, Mavericks (PO) Powell has a player option for $4 million that he is reportedly picking up after largely disappearing from the Mavs' frontcourt rotation in 2024-25. His contract is a strong candidate to appear in a trade, however, and there's a chance Dallas needs to attach it to an asset to get below the second apron. If waived by an acquiring team, Powell likely still has a market as a minimum guy. 21. Dom Barlow, Hawks (TO) Barlow is only 22 and has shown flashes, but the 6-9 big man is caught between power forward and center right now. If he can display more skill from the perimeter (he made 25.9 percent from 3 a year ago), there's real hope for him as a stretch option who can toggle between the four and the five positions. Advertisement Barlow has a $2.2 million team option for the coming season, leaving two potential routes open for the Hawks. The first is declining it to sign him to a longer minimum deal as a non-Bird free agent; the second one, if the roster gets too crowded, would be to decline the option and sign him to a two-way deal with a pinkie promise to roster him after the trade deadline. Either way, Atlanta would have restricted free-agent rights, so he wouldn't be a flight risk. 22. Neemias Queta, Celtics (NG) Queta has a half-guaranteed deal for $2.3 million for this year that becomes fully guaranteed on opening night. With the Celtics looking to cut payroll and possibly losing at least one of Al Horford or Luke Kornet, there likely is more interest in keeping him around as a cheap third center. 23. Moussa Diabate, Hornets (NG) Diabate has a non-guaranteed deal that pays $250,000 on opening night, but he probably doesn't need to sweat his roster spot after his energetic play on the glass was one of Charlotte's few bright spots in 2024-25. 24. Drew Eubanks, Clippers (NG) Eubanks has a non-guaranteed deal for $4.75 million that the Clippers would likely waive unless it is needed in a trade, but they have all year to decide. With his guarantee not hitting until January, the Clippers could even roster him heading into the season to keep as a trade chip. More likely, he gets let go late in the summer if he's not in their plans. If and when he is waived, he should have a market for teams looking for a physical third center. 25. Mo Bamba, last with Pelicans Despite palpable league-wide disinterest when he was a free agent at the end of last season, I think Bamba is a better alternative than the other centers left on this list. He's a 7-foot lottery pick with high rates of rebounds and blocked shots, and on a good day, his 3-point threat (35.6 percent) stretches the floor. That description makes him seem like a Rolls-Royce of a free agent, but unfortunately, this one has a golf cart's motor inside. Nonetheless, as a third center, you could do plenty worse. 26. Charles Bassey, Spurs I don't see a fit for Bassey in San Antonio, but he's a classic big lug from central casting who rebounds, blocks shots and fouls a lot. He can also make a 15-footer, so he's roster-viable as a third center. Advertisement 27. Luka Garza, Timberwolves (TO) The Wolves have a $2.4 million team option on Garza that they will likely decline while they sort out their cap situation and apron issues, but he might eventually be back. Garza has major defensive limitations, but he can bully switches and make open 3s, giving him enough offensive juice to be serviceable as a third center. If he ever becomes consistent from the perimeter (31.4 percent career), his power/skill combo would make for a pretty devastating offensive player. 28. Jericho Sims, Bucks A limited rim runner who is a danger to himself and others if handling the ball in any non-dunk situation, Sims can run and jump but does little else, making him of little value for more than emergency center minutes. 29. Bismack Biyombo, Spurs Biyombo is only 6-8, can't shoot and has hands of stone, yet he keeps getting called off his couch to fill in when teams have a shortage at center. That's a testament to his non-stop motor and positive locker room vibes, and he'll probably be summoned on a 10-day again this year once injuries start hitting. 30. DeAndre Jordan, Nuggets Jordan turns 37 in July and is sort of supposed to be there as the wise, veteran locker room guy, but Denver's other backup center options have been so atrociously bad (ciao, Dario!) that Jordan keeps landing back in the lineup. Jordan has lost a step, but he's big and knows how to play; keep him near the basket in drop coverage, and he'll limit the worst carnage at the rim and get every rebound (30.3 percent defensive rebound rate). Offensively, he can still get up for dunks (58 in 691 minutes) but doesn't move like he used to and has a very limited role on that end, which is why his best role is third center/veteran sage. 31. Tony Bradley, Pacers (TO) Bradley has been pressed into service at times during these playoffs after seeing only 146 minutes of NBA action in the previous three regular seasons. His numbers in the G League were good enough to suggest he's a viable break-glass center option, but Indiana's jam at this spot (See Turner, Jackson and Bryant above) makes it unlikely that would happen with the Pacers. I'd expect the Pacers to decline his $2.94 million team option for next season regardless of their plans for him. Bringing him back on a one-year minimum would save them nearly a million dollars on their cap sheet while costing Bradley nothing. Advertisement 32. Taj Gibson, Hornets Gibson is only 6-9, 40 years old and can't space the floor. But he keeps grinding and competing and thus is still somewhat useful as an end-of-roster big. His intangibles made enough impact in a rebuilding situation in Charlotte that the Hornets might want him back for round two. 33. Tristan Thompson, Cavaliers The 34-year-old Thompson still has enough energy to be a defender and rebounder as an extra big at the end of the bench, but his offensive impact is shockingly minimal (41.0 percent true shooting while only taking paint shots is, uh, not great; he also shot 7 of 30 from the line). The Cavs might eventually bring him back as the veteran end-of-bench guy, but they have other, more important decisions to work through first. 34. Duop Reath, Trail Blazers (NG) Reath has a non-guaranteed deal for $2.2 million for the coming season; given that the Blazers currently employ 63 other centers, his future likely hinges on what other deals happen in Portland this summer. Reath has little athletic pop, doesn't rebound and is a minus defender overall. But he can stretch the floor, sort of shoot (34.8 percent career from 3) and can put it on the floor a bit. Although 29 years old, he's also two-way eligible, which raises the possibility of Portland waiving him and then bringing him back on a two-way. He also might see his deal guaranteed if the Blazers need his contract to even out salaries in a trade, as his trigger date on the guarantee isn't until August. 35. Dario Šarić, Nuggets (PO) Šarić has a $5.4 million player option that would be irrational to decline; he quickly proved unplayable in Denver, and one presumes the Nuggets will spend their summer trying to unload his unwanted contract somewhere else. At some point, this contract will land in a place where a team feels comfortable waiving him. 36. Jock Landale, Rockets (NG) Landale has an $8 million non-guaranteed contract for this season with a June 29 guarantee date, but nobody will be surprised if player and team agree to extend that deadline while the Rockets hunt for a trade. Landale would get an $8 million golden parachute if Houston needs to use his money as a salary match in a blockbuster deal; otherwise, he's likely to be waived at some point this summer and will either head overseas or try to claw his way back into the league 10 days at a time. 37. Alex Len, Lakers Len played 10 games for the Lakers at the end of last season when they couldn't find anyone better, but now that it's summer, I'm pretty sure they can find somebody better. At 32, Len's next stop might be in Europe. Advertisement 38. Richaun Holmes, Wizards (NG) A more extreme version of Landale, Holmes signed an extension with the Wizards a year ago that is listed at $13.3 million on the cap sheet but only has a $250,000 guarantee and no trigger date. Forget 'center' — his new position is 'trade exception.' Washington can use his salary to match contracts in a trade that brings back up to $20.8 million, and if the Wizards can't find one, they can waive Holmes and get on with their lives. Holmes is 31 and hasn't been a useful player in at least three years, so if his contract isn't guaranteed as part of a trade from the Wizards, this is probably the end of the line. 39. Tristan Vukčević, Wizards (R-2w) Vukčević has three passports (Swedish, Greek and Serbian) and two years of experience, playing 35 games for Washington after he was selected in the second round in 2023. He had his moments as an offensive player, shooting 37.3 percent on 3s and 58.6 percent on 2s while averaging an impressive 30.6 points per 100 possessions. He doesn't rebound much for a big, and his defensive mobility is a major question, but he's a 7-footer who blocks his share of shots and flashes some physicality, and he cut his foul rate considerably in 2024-25. The 22-year-old is coming off a two-way deal and is eligible for another, so the Wizards' likely endgame would be to offer him one with the understanding that he'd be promoted after the trade deadline. 40. Ariel Hukporti, Knicks (NGTO) The 58th player picked in the 2024 draft, Hukporti signed a roster contract with the Knicks last season because his rookie-minimum cap number saved New York about $1 million against the second apron. However, the deal included an option for this season for $1.96 million that is also non-guaranteed. I would look for New York to decline it and bring him back on a two-way, given that Hukporti only played 217 NBA minutes last year and they were replete with turnovers and fouls. The 23-year-old German can ply his trade in the G League while he develops, and his deal could always be convertible to a standard NBA contract if the Knicks once again need his minimum-salary slot for cap shenanigans. Advertisement 41. Isaac Jones, Kings (TO) The Kings signed Jones late last season to a deal that includes a $1.96 million team option for the coming season. With the Kings under new management and the roster generally in flux, one suspects Sacramento will decline the option and try to bring Jones back on a two-way. The undrafted, 6-8 Jones had enough juice to uncork 27 dunks in 308 minutes but otherwise didn't show enough refinement as an offensive player or enough impact as a defender to warrant rostering. 42. N'Faly Dante, Rockets (R–2w) The 6-11 Malian played in just four games for the Rockets in his first season out of Oregon but got in nearly a full schedule in the G League and was one of its best players in the league. He's a pretty traditional big by NBA standards and has to improve his decisions as a roller, but Dante's combo of size, finishing and rim protection could make him a rotation-level backup. One presumes he'll be back as a two-way restricted free agent and has a great shot to grab a roster spot as the year goes on. 43. Branden Carlson, Thunder (R-2w) Thanks to all the Thunder's blowout wins, the 7-foot stretch big got into 37 games in his rookie season, nearly all in garbage time. However, he played a role in an important early-season win over Cleveland, and he checked two boxes as both a volume 3-point shooter and an effective shot blocker (8.6 percent block rate). Finding his way onto the varsity roster in OKC will be a challenge, but Carlson had a very strong rookie season and figures to be back on another two-way at worst. 44. Jesse Edwards, Timberwolves (R-2w) A bouncy 7-foot rim runner, the Dutch-born Edwards has to cut down on his offensive mistakes and handle physicality a bit better before he can be a roster-caliber player. However, his rookie year was strong enough to make him one of the best two-way bigs available. 45. Colin Castleton, Raptors (NG) Castleton has a roster contract, for the moment, as Toronto signed him on the last day of the season to a non-guaranteed deal worth $2.19 million. There is no chance that contract will survive past October; Castleton will either be aggregated for use in an offseason trade or cut before the season. However, the 25-year-old has a good shot of reappearing as a two-way in the wake of a strong 2024-25 G League season. (Top photo of Myles Turner: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Aaron Nesmith puts Chet Holmgren on poster with insane putback
The post Aaron Nesmith puts Chet Holmgren on poster with insane putback appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Indiana Pacers will be facing elimination following their 120-109 Game 5 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals. One thing the Pacers have going for them is Game 6 will be on their home court. And in the midst of the Pacers trying to spark a late rally in Game 5, Aaron Nesmith had one of the highlights of the night with an insane poster dunk on Thunder big man Chet Holmgren. Advertisement Aaron Nesmith's poster dunk on Chet Holmgren came late in the fourth quarter as the Pacers trailed the Thunder by double digits. The dunk cut the Thunder lead to 120-105 with about two and a half minutes remaining. But the Pacers would only score two more points the rest of the way and would fall despite the Thunder not scoring any points from that point on. If the Pacers want to keep their season alive and extend the NBA Finals to deciding Game 7, they'll need strong production from players like Nesmith. He gave the Pacers a solid performance in Game 5 finishing with 14 points, six rebounds and one steal while shooting 5-of-9 from the field and 4-of-5 from the three-point line in a little over 24 minutes. His poster dunk on Holmgren was the only non three-point shot he hit. During the Pacers playoff run so far, Nesmith had been averaging a playoff career-high 13.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists with splits of 47.9 percent shooting from the field, 49.1 percent shooting from the three-point line and 87.9 percent shooting from the free-throw line. Now in his third season with the Pacers, Nesmith has developed into one of the Pacers' most dependable role players on both ends of the court. This season, he shot a career-high 43.1 percent from the three-point line. The No. 14 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Nesmith was acquired by the Pacers in a trade with the Boston Celtics ahead of the 2022-23 season. Related: Pacers' Pascal Siakam gives Tyrese Haliburton '100%' support after woeful Game 5 Related: Pacers' Myles Turner drops unfazed 'best time of year' take despite rough Game 5 loss
