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USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
What the De'Aaron Fox deal means for Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle
The move will likely put the Spurs in a bind when Wemby, Castle, and Harper all come due, but the Spurs are deciding to worry about that 3 or 4 years from now. Fox just now entering his prime. De'Aaron Fox has reportedly signed a four-year, $229 million maximum contract extension with the San Antonio Spurs. So what comes next for this team? Fox is now under contract with the Spurs until 2029-30 and will collect an average annual value of more than $57 million per season. In a vacuum, the deal makes sense for San Antonio. Several of the players in their young core are still a few years away from requiring a similarly major pay day, so the franchise could afford to retain Fox. If the Spurs had not given this deal to Fox, they would have risked losing him as an unrestricted free agent next summer. Instead, they have shown they are committed to their next chapter of winning around Victor Wembanyama rather than rebuilding. But there is still a major question about whether Fox or someone else is the point guard of the future in San Antonio. They selected Dylan Harper with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and also have 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year winner Stephon Castle on their roster. If they continue on the right development path, they project as the likely backcourt of the future for the Spurs. Fox, however, is far more of a "win-now" caliber player than either of his younger teammates. They now have the next three seasons to decide the right combination of guards to complement Wembanyama, the obvious face of the franchise. From a salary perspective, they won't have much to worry about until then with no other major contracts interfering on the books. From a basketball perspective, though, it gets more interesting. For what it is worth, per PBPStats: The Spurs outscored opponents by 3.07 points per 100 possessions in the 740 minutes when Wembanyama played with Castle but not Fox last season. There was a less significant sample size to evaluate when Wembanyama played with Fox but not Castle in 2024-25. But notably, the Spurs were outscored by 12.99 points per 100 in the 237 minutes in which Fox and Castle shared the court. We don't know how the group will fare with Harper in the mix as well, but they will have plenty of time to experiment with that this season. Fortunately for the Spurs, neither Castle nor Harper is undersized, so it is entirely possible that it could work out that all three could play together. A promise was likely made last February and Spurs stuck with it despite we move on and hope for the best 3-4 years from nowFox is a great talent to have on board. Perhaps by the end of Fox's extension, it is incredibly obvious that the right mix for San Antonio involves involves Harper and Castle as their starting one and two. By then, maybe they will have to trade Fox and clear up that log jam. Because his salary is so large, it might feel difficult for the Spurs to move him at that price tag. But it may have value for value-matching purposes if, by then, San Antonio is looking to potentially add a star through the trade market. At the end of the day, it seems the front office believes that Fox puts the team in the best position to win now. The good news is that because Harper and Castle are still a rookie and sophomore, respectively, they have time until it will become too expensive to keep all three. Until then, the Spurs are simply building a team with as much talent as possible and letting it develop naturally. It would feel unfair to criticize them for that, especially with a superstar like Wembanyama in the mix.
USA Today
14-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Heat big Kel'el Ware had perfect response to criticism from coach Erik Spoelstra
Miami Heat big man Kel'el Ware was recently criticized by two-time NBA champion head coach Erik Spoelstra, which drew some deserved attention. Ware, who was the No. 15 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, had a standout rookie campaign down the stretch for the Heat. He averaged 9.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting moderately well for a big man. Perhaps most important, per PBPStats, is that Miami played better when Ware shared the court with center Bam Adebayo compared to when Adebayo played without him. This suggests Miami have found an ideal frontcourt pairing of the future, especially if Ware can continue to improve his jumper. According to Spoelstra, however, there was still plenty of room for improvement. Spoelstra noted that he still expects to see more "professionalism" and consistency from Ware to meet Miami's standards. The coach also mentioned the "approach" that Ware has for the game of basketball so he is as prepared as possible for the NBA and become a professional. Ware was 5-of-14 (35.7 percent) from the field during his first game of summer league basketball for the Heat, and in the next game, he had just 3 rebounds while shooting 4-of-10 (40.0 percent) in the game. During his next appearance in NBA 2K26 Summer League in Las Vegas, we saw one of the best showings yet from Ware. He had 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks in just the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. During an in-game interview, he said that playing with "effort" is something he had not done in his previous few games. But he planned on doing that for the next games he was going to play for Miami. After the game, the big man said that he took the comments from his coach as "motivation" and that he knows Spoelstra wants to see the best version of him. Ware said that fans can expect to see that type of energy from him all of the time moving forward. It seems like Spoelstra knew exactly what he was doing by calling Ware out so publicly.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Indiana Pacers X-factor that will determine 2025 NBA Finals vs. Thunder
The post Indiana Pacers X-factor that will determine 2025 NBA Finals vs. Thunder appeared first on ClutchPoints. Most view the Indiana Pacers as the heavy underdog heading into their 2025 NBA Finals clash against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and perhaps for good reason. The Thunder have scarcely struggled in this year's playoffs; they may have been pushed to the brink by the Denver Nuggets, but the Nuggets have perhaps the most difficult player to guard in the entire league in Nikola Jokic, and they play such an unorthodox, post-driven offense that only a Jokic-led team can excel with. Advertisement Facing perimeter-based stars has not been a problem for the Thunder at all; they made light work of both the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves (teams led by Ja Morant and Anthony Edwards) — both teams that rely on dribble penetration to create easy looks either at the basket or from beyond the arc. The Pacers are perhaps more versatile offensively, but even then, they rely so much on Tyrese Haliburton's ability to create off the pick-and-roll that there is a legitimate possibility that they play into the hands of OKC's elite defense. Nonetheless, the Pacers have relied on their entire roster it seems throughout this entire playoff run, and it's not like head coach Rick Carlisle to stop looking at his bench for someone who can turn the tide of the game in their favor. With that said, here are three players that could end up being game-changers for the Pacers as they face long odds in their quest to defeat OKC in this year's Finals. Bennedict Mathurin could be due for a huge series Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Bennedict Mathurin can score; if there's anything he does at a high level on the court, it's find a way to get the ball to go through the hoop. Nonetheless, Mathurin has largely taken a backseat through the first three rounds of this year's playoffs. The Pacers are smart to limit Mathurin's minutes; he has mostly functioned as an instigator and not much more for his team, and the numbers tell the story of just how much the team has struggled whenever he's on the court. Advertisement According to PBP Stats, the Pacers are nearly 17 points better whenever Mathurin is on the bench, and the eye test does not disprove this. Every time Mathurin is on the court, it seems like the team has so many breakdowns on defense all while going nowhere on offense. Is it Mathurin's fault that he's largely tasked to carry units filled with fellow bench players, which then leads to bad on-off numbers? Perhaps not. But it is not that hard to see why the Pacers opted to mothball Mathurin for the most part, especially during the Eastern Conference Finals. He was a -37 during the entirety of the series against the New York Knicks and was a -12 in eight minutes during their closeout win in Game 6. He doesn't provide the same tenacious defense that Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard do, while his ability to get to the foul line becomes less of an asset in the playoffs where the officials referee the game more tightly. With all of that said, it seems like giving Mathurin many minutes against the Thunder would be a recipe for disaster. His decision-making is not the best as well which could be a nightmare against OKC's turnover-forcing machine. However, it's the chaos that Mathurin would bring that could be of value to the Pacers. His foul-drawing ability could be something to use against the Thunder's army of long-limbed defenders; when the Pacers were stuck in the mud in Game 5 against the Knicks, Mathurin ended up being a positive presence, creating offense for his team by getting to the foul line nine times. Advertisement His free-throw drawing percentage is incredible and could be something the Pacers look towards using especially given how smothering OKC's defense is. Maybe Mathurin could help exaggerate some contact and generate easy points for Indiana as a result. Mathurin's trickiness could be something they use to put the likes of Caruso, Dort, and Wallace in some sort of foul trouble, freeing up Haliburton to do damage. Can the Pacers get some more Thomas Bryant magic? Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Thomas Bryant was rendered largely ineffective by the Knicks to start the ECF. In fact, he was a DNP in Games 3 and 4 of the series, with Carlisle and the Pacers opting to roll with Tony Bradley instead to combat the pressure on the glass that Mitchell Robinson was putting. Advertisement However, Bradley ended up suffering an injury, pressing Bryant into action once more. And he was brilliant in Game 6, hitting multiple threes and being an energy guy whom the Pacers relied on to give them a much-needed jolt off the bench. It's not quite clear if Bryant will get the same burn he did during the Knicks series. Perhaps he can be of some value to the Pacers whenever Isaiah Hartenstein is on the floor, with Bryant being the counter Indiana can rely on against someone who attacks the offensive glass relentlessly. The Thunder, however, can simply rely on a bit of a small-ball unit, with Caruso on the court instead of Hartenstein, putting Chet Holmgren at the five. This would make it impossible for Bryant to see the floor. But if Bryant can limit Hartenstein's effectiveness to the point where OKC is reluctant to throw him out there, then it at least removes one problem from the Pacers' mind — the rebounding game. Obi Toppin has to hit shots for Pacers' small-ball unit to thrive Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images During the Knicks series, the Pacers had to bench Myles Turner in favor of Obi Toppin whenever the Knicks went to pacier lineups. Toppin is faster and more agile, allowing him to be of more utility when switching against quicker guards. Advertisement Toppin, however, is a worse offensive player than Turner, athleticism gap notwithstanding. Turner's three-ball is much more consistent; Toppin is currently shooting 28.6 percent from three in this year's playoffs and went just 3-15 from deep against the Knicks. When the Pacers have to go small, Toppin will have to hit his shots for Indiana to be able to deploy their lineup that covers the most ground against a team that will beat them into submission. Related: 3 reasons Pacers will stun world by beating Thunder in 2025 NBA Finals Related: Why Paul Pierce trusts Tyrese Haliburton more than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Entering 2025 offseason, Rockets urged to ‘level up' the offense
In the recently completed 2024-25 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? Advertisement 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. 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 on the trade market, 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 young prospects from the first round of the previous two NBA draft cycles. Advertisement 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 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. Advertisement More: Podcast: Is 2025 the right time for Houston to make a superstar trade? This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Entering 2025 offseason, Rockets urged to 'level up' the offense
USA Today
01-06-2025
- 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?
