Latest news with #BleacherReport
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Could the Lakers end up trading Luka Doncic?
The Los Angeles Lakers and their fans seemingly gained a new lease on life, especially when it came to contending for the NBA championship, when the organization landed generational superstar Luka Doncic in that stunning trade four months ago. While it hasn't paid dividends just yet, that trade was presumably made for the immediate future beginning next season rather than the 2024-25 campaign. But is it possible the Lakers will get buyer's remorse at some point? While Doncic has the potential to become one of the five to 10 greatest basketball players of all time, he hasn't exactly been in great shape, and many have criticized him for allegedly not taking good care of his body. Advertisement Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report listed Doncic as the team's most untouchable player in terms of trade talks in a recent article. But he did imply that there is a scenario in which L.A. may end up wanting to move on from the Slovenian wonder. Via Bleacher Report: "In Dončić, the Los Angeles Lakers have a bridge to their post-LeBron James era," Hughes wrote. "He'll be the superstar cornerstone upon which the franchise's next decade is built. "The only way that'll change is if [Nico] Harrison's justification for moving Dončić this past February—poor conditioning and shoddy defense—reaches a point where Los Angeles winds up with the same concerns. "Of course, if you view the trade from Dallas to L.A. as a wake-up call for Dončić, it's pretty hard to imagine his bad habits continuing." So far this offseason, it looks as if Doncic is already changing those bad habits. He looked noticeably slimmer at a recent Real Madrid game, and at least one report has indicated that he has at least changed his mindset as far as his fitness and conditioning. He has a player option for the 2026-27 season that he can decline in order to become a free agent next summer. But he did indicate in a recent interview that he would like to remain with the Purple and Gold long term. This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Could the Lakers end up trading Luka Doncic?
USA Today
21 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Could the Lakers end up trading Luka Doncic?
Could the Lakers end up trading Luka Doncic? The Los Angeles Lakers and their fans seemingly gained a new lease on life, especially when it came to contending for the NBA championship, when the organization landed generational superstar Luka Doncic in that stunning trade four months ago. While it hasn't paid dividends just yet, that trade was presumably made for the immediate future beginning next season rather than the 2024-25 campaign. But is it possible the Lakers will get buyer's remorse at some point? While Doncic has the potential to become one of the five to 10 greatest basketball players of all time, he hasn't exactly been in great shape, and many have criticized him for allegedly not taking good care of his body. Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report listed Doncic as the team's most untouchable player in terms of trade talks in a recent article. But he did imply that there is a scenario in which L.A. may end up wanting to move on from the Slovenian wonder. Via Bleacher Report: "In Dončić, the Los Angeles Lakers have a bridge to their post-LeBron James era," Hughes wrote. "He'll be the superstar cornerstone upon which the franchise's next decade is built. "The only way that'll change is if [Nico] Harrison's justification for moving Dončić this past February—poor conditioning and shoddy defense—reaches a point where Los Angeles winds up with the same concerns. "Of course, if you view the trade from Dallas to L.A. as a wake-up call for Dončić, it's pretty hard to imagine his bad habits continuing." So far this offseason, it looks as if Doncic is already changing those bad habits. He looked noticeably slimmer at a recent Real Madrid game, and at least one report has indicated that he has at least changed his mindset as far as his fitness and conditioning. He has a player option for the 2026-27 season that he can decline in order to become a free agent next summer. But he did indicate in a recent interview that he would like to remain with the Purple and Gold long term.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Dallas Mavericks' Potential Free Agency Additions
The Dallas Mavericks are set to enter a crucial offseason with the top overall selection in the NBA Draft, but the most important additions will come during the free agency period. Presumably, the Mavericks will select Duke forward Cooper Flagg with the first selection in the draft, leaving just one major hole at the guard position heading into next season. Advertisement Dallas could look to fill this void in a multitude of ways throughout the offseason, but the team will have certain restrictions due to the new NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement. Currently, the Mavericks have a total of $193.6 million tied to 12 players and some dead cap space. This means the team will have a maximum of roughly $13 million to spend in free agency without moving on from players currently on the roster, according to Bleacher Report. However, the organization will also look to keep spending low to avoid additional penalties from the league for violating the second apron. Simply put, the Mavericks have very little cap space to fill an incredibly important need on the roster. Advertisement Below are three players in the upcoming free agency class who stand out as the most realistic based on the spending restrictions the Mavericks will have. Tyus Jones Dallas is desperate for a playmaking guard who can immediately step into the role as one of the team's main ball handlers, which is exactly the type of role that Jones can fill if signed in free agency. Jones is coming off a solid season with the Phoenix Suns, in which he averaged 10.2 points and 5.3 assists per game while shooting 41.4% from behind the three-point line despite playing just 26.8 minutes per game. Jones's ability to distribute the ball to other shooters while also knocking down an open shot would be paramount for a team that needs additional spacing and playmaking. Advertisement In addition to the fit on the court, Jones has shown a past willingness to sign a cheaper contract on a team that he believes could compete at a high level. This willingness was highlighted by his contract with the Phoenix Suns last season, which was worth just over $3 million for one year. If Jones is willing to sign a similar contract this offseason, then the Mavericks should be fully committed to bringing him to Dallas. Dennis Schröder Schröder has many of the playmaking skills needed to step into one of the main playmaking roles for Dallas next season, averaging 13.1 points and 5.4 assists per game with the Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets, and Golden State Warriors last season. Advertisement Although Schröder struggles to shoot the three, making just 34.2% of his attempts last season, he makes up for this on the defensive side of the ball. Schröder has consistently proven to be one of the better on-ball defenders in the NBA, which is an attribute that Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison has preached for the past year. The difficult part about potentially acquiring Schröder comes with the finances, as he could request more than the Mavericks are willing to pay on his new contract. Schröder is coming off a two-year contract worth just over $25 million and could be searching for a similar contract in free agency this offseason. Advertisement If Schröder does not receive a similar contract, the Mavericks should be prepared to offer him a slightly lower average per year with the potential to make more in the future with a strong season. D'Angelo Russell Another option for the Mavericks next season is Russell, who spent the 2024-25 season with the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets, averaging 12.6 points and 5.1 assists per game. Russell is the best ball handler of this group and has spent time working as a team's main playmaking option in the past, giving him ample experience to help lead the Mavericks through the first portion of the season without Irving. Advertisement Although Russell struggled to shoot during the 2024-25 season, making just 31.4% of his attempts, he has a history of shooting the ball well, with a career average of 36.5% from behind the three-point line. This spacing on the offensive end of the floor should be enough to make up for the issues defensively, as Russell often struggles on the defensive end due to a combination of mental lapses and effort. Russell is also coming off a large contract worth $36 million over two years, but he is very likely to take a pay cut this offseason after some of his struggles over the past two years.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 NBA Draft: Would the Nets be the perfect fit for Dylan Harper?
2025 NBA Draft: Would the Nets be the perfect fit for Dylan Harper? The Brooklyn Nets have some important decisions to make before the 2025 NBA Draft comes around in June and they will have to do something with their five draft picks. Brooklyn will have four picks in the first round, including the eighth overall pick, but it's fair to wonder if a certain Rutgers player would be perfect for the Nets if the team were to select him. Brian Lewis of the New York Post recently said on X to user "Aces" that Rutgers guard Dylan Harper would be the first player taken in most drafts outside of the upcoming 2025 edition. Lewis went on to say that Harper would be "perfect" for the Nets, according to the scouts that he has talked to thus far. In the upcoming Draft, Harper seems to be the consensus second player taken after Duke forward Cooper Flagg and it makes sense given how much hype precedes Flagg. In his latest mock draft for Bleacher Report, Jonathan Wasserman projected Harper to be taken by the San Antonio Spurs with the second overall pick and one would be hard-pressed to find a mock draft that doesn't have Harper off the board by the time the third overall pick comes around. As this relates to the Nets, it's important to note that there are reports suggesting that Brooklyn could attempt to move up in the Draft. However, Lewis himself reiterated that multiple people believe that it's unlikely that the Nets would be able to get the No. 2 pick. Harper, 19, is coming off a freshman season at Rutgers in which he put himself firmly in the top-3 of the Draft after averaging 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 48.4% from the field and 33.3% from three-point land. Harper put forth that kind of production while playing alongside forward Ace Bailey, who is widely projected to be taken in the top-4 of June's Draft. While it's considered unlikely that the Nets would be able to get in position to take Harper in the Draft, if Brooklyn were able to get Harper somehow, it's easy to see why he would be perfect for a Nets team that is still looking for its point guard of the future. "The positional size, strength and length are obvious selling points and advantage creators for a ball-handler that can change directions and gears as well as Harper," Wasserman wrote.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Entering 2025 offseason, Rockets urged to ‘level up' the offense
Entering 2025 offseason, Rockets urged to 'level up' the offense Bleacher Report's Dan Favale says Houston can improve its offense via a moderate upgrade, but it's unclear where the rotation minutes would come from. In the recently completed 2024-25 regular season, the Houston Rockets (52-30) had the fourth-best record in the NBA and second-best in the Western Conference. That represented quite a climb from a 41-41 season and the West's No. 11 spot a year earlier, but it still wasn't in the top rung of contenders. So, what held them back? Their defense was consistently rated in the league's top five, but the offense was middle of the pack. When isolated to halfcourt situations, it was often worse than that. During their series-ending loss in Game 7 of a first-round playoff slugfest versus the Golden State Warriors, the Rockets were stuck on 74 points with barely more than two minutes left to play. With that in mind, when it comes to areas needing improvement in the 2025 offseason, it seems pretty clear which side of the ball could use a boost. Bleacher Report's Dan Favale writes: The Rockets are so close. Their defense is hellfire, they have plenty of depth, and unlike other contenders, there's tons of room for internal growth. Whether that internal growth will be enough to level up the offense is a separate matter. Houston ranked 22nd through both the regular season and playoffs in first-chance points scored per possession, according to PBP Stats. The rotation doesn't seem to have a shotmaker and facilitator of the future — unless the Rockets believe Reed Sheppard is that dude and are prepared to unleash him next year. Failing that, they need to work the trade market as soon as free agency begins. Though they have pathways to opening the full mid-level exception ($14.1 million), it should not come at the expense of letting Fred VanVleet (team option) sign elsewhere. The free-agency market is too barren. Star pursuits will dominate headlines. Houston should absolutely be open to one. But improvement can also come in the form of a middle-rung creator and deadeye shooter. It just has to be someone good enough to crack the playoff rotation. The notion of Houston pursuing a star via trade, such as Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, has been well chronicled. The more interesting notion is a 'middle-rung creator and deadeye shooter,' and what that might look like from a rotation perspective. The Rockets had eight consistent rotation players in the 2025 playoffs between VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, and Steven Adams. They would also like to find more minutes in 2025-26 for Sheppard and Cam Whitmore, two talented first-round prospects from the previous two NBA draft cycles. If the Rockets are to trade for a superstar, the question of rotation minutes likely resolves itself, since the Rockets would presumably be sending out as much or more than what they are take in, from a minutes perspective. But to sign or bring in a more moderate upgrade raises questions. Are there any players from the aforementioned eight-man rotation that Houston would trade or reduce minutes for? Would the Rockets further stall the development of Sheppard and/or Whitmore? Might they look to trade one or both of those prospects for future equity, in such as scenario? After all, if a young player doesn't play, he's unlikely to develop and his market value is likely to gradually depreciate. Or, should general manager Rafael Stone simply stay the course and bet on Houston's halfcourt offense to improve organically through the continued development of young players such as Green, Sengun, Thompson, Smith, Eason, Sheppard, and Whitmore? There is certainly a case to look externally for upgrades, but the moderate path through free agency will bring its own set of questions. More: Podcast: Is 2025 the right time for Houston to make a superstar trade?
