Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Toronto Raptors will begin 2020-21 NBA season based in Tampa, Florida

The Toronto Raptors will start the 2020-21 NBA season using Tampa, Florida as their home base. This is because the coronavirus pandemic has made travel more complicated, especially in between different countries.

STATEMENT FROM RAPTORS PRESIDENT OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS MASAI UJIRI

“The Raptors worked diligently with public health officials at the local, provincial and federal level to secure a plan that would permit us to play our 2020-21 season on home soil and on our home court at Scotiabank Arena. These conversations were productive, and we found strong support for the protocols we put forward. Ultimately, the current public health situation facing Canadians, combined with the urgent need to determine where we will play means that we will begin our 2020-21 season in Tampa, Florida.

We want to thank all levels of government and their public health officials for their dedication to this process, and for looking after the health of Canadians. We commit to continuing our work together, planning for a safe return to play in Toronto. And as an organization, we remain committed to doing all we can to promote and demonstrate public health measures to help combat the spread of COVID-19 in Canada.

So we’ll be away from our home and our fans for now. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. I’m not sure that’s possible for us – we love Toronto and Canada, and we know we have the best fans in the NBA. For now, I’ll ask you to cheer for us from afar, and we’ll look forward to the day we are all together again.”

Clippers and Timberwolves trade draft rights to Daniel Oturu and Mathias Lessort

The LA Clippers have acquired the draft rights to center Daniel Oturu, the 33rd overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for the Detroit Pistons second-round draft pick in 2023 and the draft rights to Mathias Lessort.

Oturu led the Big Ten with 11.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocks to go along with 20.1 points in 33.9 minutes during his sophomore season at Minnesota. The 6-foot-10 center shot 56.3 percent from the field last season, which also led the Big Ten. The Woodbury, Minn., native was named to the 2019-20 Big Ten All-Defense team and 2019-20 All-Big Ten second team for the Gophers.

Lessort, a 6-9 forward from Fort-de-France, Martinique, France, was originally drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 50th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. He currently plays for AS Monaco in the LNB Pro A League (France). In seven professional seasons overseas, Lessort has averaged 7.5 points on 59.0% shooting and 4.9 rebounds. He competed for the French National Team during the 2019 FIBA World Cup where he totaled 23 points and 13 rebounds in six games.

Wizards select Deni Avdija at No. 9 in 2020 NBA Draft

The Washington Wizards selected Deni Avdija (pronounced Denny AHV-dee-uh) from Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel) with the ninth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Avdija, a 6-9, 225-pound forward, becomes the highest-drafted Israeli player in NBA history. He averaged 18.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.4 blocks and 2.1 steals to earn MVP honors at the 2019 FIBA U-20 European Championships and helped Israel win the gold medal in back-to-back FIBA U-20 European Championships in 2018 and 2019.

“We were absolutely thrilled to get the opportunity to select Deni at the ninth pick and add his versatility, toughness and effort on the defensive end to our roster,” said Wizards General Manager Tommy Sheppard. “While he is a young player who is still developing, he has great experience playing at a high level both professionally and in international competition.”

Avdija has played professionally the last three seasons with Maccabi Tel Aviv. He averaged 12.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 26.6 minutes in 2019-20 Israeli League play, shooting .555 overall from the field while ranking third in two-point percentage (.673) and 21st in three-point percentage (.375). Avdija was named MVP of Basketball Without Borders Europe in 2018 and the BWB Global Camp in 2019 and earned All-Event honors at the 2018-19 EuroLeague Next Generation Tournament while playing for Maccabi’s Under-18 team.

“I love Deni’s competitive spirit and feel for the game and I’m excited to help him continue to improve when we begin camp in a few weeks,” said Wizards Head Coach Scott Brooks. “His toughness and overall skill set will allow us to use him in multiple lineups and allow him to seamlessly blend in with our team.”

And from the Washington Post:

Now 19 and 6-foot-9 with a guard’s ballhandling skills, Avdija should be able to bolster the Wizards’ defensive presence on the perimeter and, at times, play alongside forward Rui Hachimura, the international pick the Wizards took at No. 9 last year.

Washington loved how many different boxes he ticked. Sheppard called Avdija a “blend player,” and Wizards Coach Scott Brooks highlighted his professional experience playing in pro leagues and for the Israeli national team.

“I love his toughness. I love his IQ. As a coach, you never have to worry about a player playing hard,” Brooks said. “That’s what [Avdija] does. He steps on the court and he competes. He’s going to make our practices better and our games better. … The thing that I like is most of his career you play against guys who are older than you. He’s played against men in the leagues that he’s played in.”

The youngest player to ever play for Maccabi’s Senior Team (debuting at 16 years, 320 days), Avdija played with several former NBA players during his tenure, including Amar’e Stoudemire, Omri Casspi, Quincy Acy and Tarik Black. His father, Zufer, won bronze at the 1982 FIBA Basketball World Championship with Yugoslavia and was a pro in Serbia and Israel in the 1980’s and 1990’s while his mother, Sharon Artzi, is a former championship runner.

Background and bio info on Pistons rookie Killian Hayes

The 2020 NBA Draft was Wednesday night, and with the 7th overall pick, the Detroit Pistons selected Killian Hayes. Here’s the Detroit Free Press:

Even though he was raised in France, Killian Hayes had the most Detroit Pistons connections of any player the organization could’ve targeted in Wednesday’s 2020 NBA draft.

Hayes, 19, began training with former Pistons point guard Will Bynum last summer, thanks to a connection with former Pistons guard and president Joe Dumars. And Hayes is good friends with Sekou Doumbouya, his fellow Frenchman.

On Wednesday night, it became official. The Pistons selected Hayes seventh overall, giving them one of the best point guard prospects in the draft to kick off their retooling.

Hayes, 6-foot-5 with a 6-8 wingspan, established himself as one of the draft’s more versatile players, bringing both size, playmaking and scoring upside to Detroit.

And the Detroit News:

Weaver stuck to the draft board and set the Pistons up at a needed position. With Derrick Rose as the only experienced point guard on the roster, Hayes doesn’t have to step into the starting lineup immediately and can learn the ropes.

“We stayed true to the board, absolutely. It pretty much went the way we thought we would go,” Weaver said. “We were fortunate enough that our guy was at No. 7 and we were excited about that.”

Hayes has extensive international experience and is known for his pick-and-roll ability and with his 6-8 wingspan, he can become a solid defender for the Pistons on the perimeter.

The only stars on the current Pistons roster played better basketball in the past: point guard Derrick Rose and power forward Blake Griffin. Most other spots in the rotation are up for grabs.

Knicks select Obi Toppin with No. 8 pick in 2020 NBA Draft

The 2020 NBA Draft was Wednesday night, and with their lottery-pick selection, the New York Knicks took Obi Toppin. The New York Post:

Dayton’s 6-foot-9 scoring forward fell to No. 8 on Wednesday night, and Knicks president Leon Rose pounced on the National College Player of the Year, whom he nearly traded up to get…

Toppin’s lone weakness is his fire on the defensive end, and the Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau is a defensive coach.

“I learned a lot about Coach through this pandemic,’’ Toppin said of Thibodeau. “I understand he’s a defensive coach, and that’s one of my biggest things I need to work on. He’s going to make sure that I lock in and make sure that I become great one day. I feel like if I get that defensive scheme down, I’m going to be a really good player one day, a really great player one day.’’ …

The 22-year-old Toppin is a Creative Artists Agency client, and Rose had hoped all along he would fall. Rose used to run CAA, and Toppin has been working out with Rose’s first client, Rick Brunson, in South Jersey. Toppin has been compared to Shawn Marion and Amar’e Stoudemire, for his explosiveness.

And the New York Times:

When Toppin first walked through the doors at Mt. Zion, he stood 6-foot-5, weighed about 185 pounds and had trouble getting the attention of the best A.A.U. teams in his area. Today he is 6-foot-9, weighs 220 pounds and is the holder of the 2020 John R. Wooden Award for college player of the year after he led the Flyers to a 29-2 record last season.

He shoots from long range and midrange, and slashes to the rim, and he is known to electrify audiences with his innovative and acrobatic dunks.

“I don’t rank his dunks,” said Anthony Grant, the head coach at Dayton, “but he will definitely excite a crowd with his explosiveness, variety and showmanship. He’s fun to watch; must-see TV.”

The Knicks are rebuilding, and hope that Toppin will emerge alongside shooting guard R.J. Barrett and forward/center Mitchell Robinson as a key young building block.

Three-team NBA trade sends Landry Shamet and Bruce Brown to Nets, Luke Kennard to Clippers, Saddiq Bey to Pistons

The Brooklyn Nets have acquired guard Landry Shamet and the draft rights to forward Reggie Perry, the 57th overall pick in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft, from the Los Angeles Clippers and guard Bruce Brown from the Detroit Pistons in a three-team trade.

The Nets traded the draft rights to Saddiq Bey, the 19th overall pick in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft, guard Dzanan Musa, the draft rights to guard Jaylen Hands and Toronto’s 2021 second round draft pick to Detroit, and the draft rights to guard/forward Jay Scrubb, the 55th overall pick in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft, to the Clippers.

To complete the deal, the Pistons traded forward Luke Kennard, center Justin Patton, Portland’s 2023 second round draft pick and Detroit’s second round draft picks in 2024, 2025 and 2026 to the Clippers. And the Clippers dealt guard Rodney McGruder and cash considerations to the Pistons.

Shamet (6’4”, 190) has appeared in 132 games (57 starts) across two seasons with Philadelphia (2018-19) and the Clippers (2019-20), recording averages of 9.2 points on 42.0 percent shooting from the field and 40.2 percent from 3-point range, 1.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 24.7 minutes per game. In the 2019-20 season, the Kansas City, Mo., native saw action in 53 games (30 starts), averaging 9.3 points on 40.4 percent shooting from the field and 37.5 percent from 3-point range, 1.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 27.4 minutes per contest. As a rookie, Shamet split the season between the Sixers and Clippers, registering averages of 9.1 points on 43.1 percent shooting from the field and 42.2 percent from distance, 1.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 22.8 minutes per game in 79 games (27 starts) en route to NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors. Shamet was originally selected with the 26th overall pick in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft by Philadelphia after spending three years (2015-18) at Wichita State, where he earned All-Missouri Valley Conference First Team honors in 2017, All-American Athletic Conference First Team honors in 2018 and honorable mention All-America honors from the Associated Press in 2018.

Brown (6’4”, 202) has seen action in 132 games (99 starts) in the past two seasons with the Pistons, registering averages of 6.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 23.4 minutes per game. As a rookie in the 2018-19 season, Brown registered averages of 4.3 points on 39.8 percent shooting from the field and 25.8 percent from 3-point range, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 19.6 minutes per game across 74 games (56 starts). In the 2019-20 campaign, Brown appeared in 58 games (43 starts) and improved his statistics across the board, averaging 8.9 points on 44.3 percent shooting from the field and 34.4 percent from 3-point range, 4.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.1 steals in 28.2 minutes per contest. The 24-year-old Boston native was originally selected with the 42nd overall pick in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft by Detroit after spending two years (2016-18) at the University of Miami.

Perry (6’10”, 250) played two collegiate seasons (2018-20) at Mississippi State, recording averages of 13.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 27.3 minutes per contest in 65 games (49 starts). As a sophomore last season, Perry appeared in 31 games (all starts) and averaged 17.4 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 31.1 minutes per game en route to earning consensus All-SEC First Team honors from coaches and media and being named the SEC’s Co-Player of the Year by the Associated Press. The Thomasville, Ga., native also earned All-SEC Freshman Team honors for his play during the 2018-19 season, when he averaged 9.7 points and 7.2 rebounds in 23.9 minutes per game in 34 contests (18 starts). In addition to his time with the Bulldogs, Perry competed on USA Basketball’s team in the 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup, where he won a gold medal, was named Most Valuable Player and was selected to the All-Tournament Team.

Musa appeared in 49 games in two seasons with the Nets, posting averages of 4.3 points and 1.9 rebounds in 10.7 minutes per game. In 40 games during the 2019-20 campaign, Musa recorded averages of 4.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 12.2 minutes per contest. A native of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Musa was originally selected with the 29th overall pick in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft by Brooklyn.

Bey, 6-8, 215, was taken with the 19th selection of the 2020 NBA Draft after playing for Villanova for two seasons. Bey finished his sophomore campaign with averages of 16.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 33.9 minutes through 31 games. He shot .477 from the floor and .451 from distance a season ago, marking the fourth-highest 3-point shooting percentage in the nation. Bey finished with a .418 clip from 3-point range for his collegiate career. He was named a 2019-20 Honorable Mention AP All-American and unanimous All-Big East First Team selection. He was a Top-15 finalist for the 2019-20 John Wooden Award and was the winner of the 2019-20 Julius Erving Award, recognizing the nation’s top small forward. The Charlotte, N.C. native was also selected to the 2018-19 Big East All-Freshman team.

Hands, 6-3, 180, played for the Long Island Nets in the NBA G League in 2019-20. He averaged 11.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.0 steals in 22.6 minutes in 41 games. Hands was drafted 56th overall in the 2019 NBA Draft by the L.A. Clippers and played two seasons at UCLA from 2017-19.

McGruder, 6-4, 205, played for the L.A. Clippers in 2019-20 after spending three years with the Miami Heat. McGruder holds career averages of 5.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 218 NBA games (116 starts). The Kansas State product has played in nine NBA Playoff games in two playoff appearances, one with each of his former teams.

Celtics trade Vincent Poirier to Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder has acquired center Vincent Poirier and cash considerations in a trade with the Boston Celtics. In return, the Celtics receive a protected 2021 second-round draft pick.

Poirier (7-0, 235) appeared in 22 games during his rookie season with Boston, registering averages of 1.9 points and 2.0 rebounds in 5.9 minutes per contest, shooting 47.2 percent from the floor and 85.7 percent from the free throw line. The French native also saw action in four games on assignment with the Maine Red Claws of the NBA G League, averaging 16.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and a team-leading 3.00 blocks in 26.5 minutes per game, shooting 62.2 percent from the field and 90.0 percent from the charity stripe.

Poirier’s salary for the 2020-21 NBA season is reportedly around $2.6 million.

Celtics extend qualifying offers to Tacko Fall and Tremont Waters

The Boston Celtics have extended qualifying offers to center Tacko Fall and guard Tremont Waters.

Signed as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Central Florida, Fall averaged 3.3 points (78.6% FG) and 2.1 rebounds in seven games with the Celtics last season. The 24-year old also averaged a double-double (12.9 ppg, 11.1 rpg) in 29 games played with the Maine Red Claws of the NBA G League, and was named to the 2019-20 NBA G League All-Defensive team.

Waters, 22, played in seven games with the Celtics as a rookie in 2019-20, recording 3.6 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 10.8 minutes. The Louisiana State University product thrived in his 36 games played with the Red Claws this past season, producing 18.0 points (42.9% FG, 35.4% 3-PT), 3.2 rebounds, and 7.3 assists en route to being named the NBA G League Rookie of the Year and a First Team All-NBA G League selection.

Orlando Magic extended qualifying offer to forward Gary Clark

The Orlando Magic have extended a qualifying offer to forward Gary Clark, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today.

By extending a qualifying offer to Clark, he now becomes a restricted free agent.

Clark (6’6”, 225, 11/16/94) played in 42 games (five starts) last season with both Houston and Orlando, averaging 3.7 ppg. and 2.6 rpg. in 13.5 minpg. He signed his first 10-day contract with the Magic on Jan. 14, then his second 10-day contract on Jan. 29, before signing for the remainder of the regular season on Feb. 8. In 24 regular season games (five starts) with the Magic, Clark averaged 3.6 ppg. and 2.9 rpg. in 14.8 minpg. He scored in double figures five times (three times with Orlando), including a career-high 15 points on Aug. 9 @ Boston. Clark also played and started in all five playoff outings, averaging 7.4 ppg., 5.6 rpg., 1.4 apg. and 1.00 stlpg. in 28.7 minpg. He scored a career playoff-high 15 points in Game #1 on Aug. 18 @ Milwaukee.

Undrafted by an NBA franchise, Clark has appeared in 93 career NBA regular season games (seven starts) with Houston and Orlando, averaging 3.3 ppg. and 2.4 rpg. in 13.0 minpg. He has played in seven career playoff outings (five starts), averaging 5.3 ppg., 4.1 rpg. and 1.0 apg. in 21.1 minpg. Clark has also appeared and started in 11 career NBA G League games with Rio Grande Valley, averaging 14.9 ppg., 6.5 rpg., 2.6 apg., 1.55 stlpg. and 1.00 blkpg. in 32.6 minpg.

Clark appeared in 139 career games (137 starts) during four seasons at the University of Cincinnati (2014-18), averaging 10.5 ppg., 8.1 rpg., 2.0 apg., 1.29 blkpg. and 1.17 stlpg. in 28.8 minpg., while shooting .525 (542-1,033) from the floor and .383 (54-141) from three-point range. As a senior (2017-18), he averaged 12.9 ppg., 8.7 rpg., 2.1 apg., 1.42 stlpg. and 1.22 blkpg. in 28.5 minpg. Clark was named the 2017-18 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year and was a two-time American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year (2016-17, 2017-18).

Lakers trade Danny Green to Thunder for Dennis Schroder

The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired guard Dennis Schröder from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Danny Green and the draft rights to Jaden McDaniels.

Schröder averaged 18.9 points, 4.0 assists and 3.6 rebounds in 65 games (two starts) for Oklahoma City last season. Additionally, he led the league in points scored off the bench and finished second in NBA Sixth Man Award voting, while shooting career highs in field goal percentage (.469) and three-point percentage (.385). Schröder owns career averages of 14.1 points, 4.6 assists and 2.8 rebounds in seven seasons with Atlanta and Oklahoma City.

Drafted 17th overall by the Hawks in the 2013 NBA Draft, Schröder has appeared in 46 postseason games (six starts) throughout his career, averaging 13.1 points, 4.0 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 23.4 minutes per game.