2 years agoBrooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons remains one of the league's greatest enigmas as we look forward to the 2022-23 season. He sat out the entirety of the 2021-22 season, a year that saw him traded from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Nets and concluded with him undergoing microdiscectomy surgery in May. According to his teammate Seth Curry, it's going to be a "challenge" for Simmons to get "his rhythm back" on the court. Curry also added, "I have seen him in the facility a couple of times...doing a lot of shooting, working, working on his body and being in the gym, so, from everything I have seen, hopefully, he will be out there ready to go come training camp." It remains to be seen whether Simmons will return to the court this fall and also what type of roster the Nets will have around him. Make sure to stay tuned for further updates on the 26-year-old.--Andrew Ericksen - RotoBallerSource: NY Post

2 years agoAccording to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the contract talks between the Cleveland Cavaliers and guard Collin Sexton could extend into training camp and potentially even the regular season. News broke a few days back that Sexton was offered a contract by the team that he and his camp weren't happy with. The offer was reportedly somewhere in the neighborhood of three years and $40 million. The Cavaliers seem to have the upper hand in negotiations right now as the market doesn't appear to be significant for Sexton at this point. We'll see if the two sides can work something out sooner rather than later.--Andrew Ericksen - RotoBallerSource: Shams Charania

2 years agoFree-agent power forward Blake Griffin is receiving interest from the Miami Heat, according to NBA reporter Sean Deveney. The 33-year-old spent the 2021-22 season with the Brooklyn Nets and averaged just 6.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while logging 17.1 minutes per contest. It's hard to imagine Griffin has much left in the tank, as his numbers have been plummeting across the board since his last All-Star season with the Detroit Pistons in 2018-19. If he were to join the Heat, he'd likely be in and out of the rotation throughout the year.--Andrew Ericksen - RotoBallerSource: Sports Illustrated

2 years agoThe Atlanta Hawks have requested waivers for point guard Sharife Cooper. The move comes just a matter of days after Cooper signed his two-way qualifying offer with the team. The 21-year-old appeared in just 13 games for the Hawks last year. The Hawks bulked up their backcourt this offseason by acquiring Dejounte Murray from the San Antonio Spurs and signing free agent point guard Aaron Holiday. Cooper was a standout during his lone season at Auburn, averaging 20.2 points and 8.1 assists per game before being selected in the second round of the 2021 NBA draft. We'll see if any teams put in a claim for him.--Andrew Ericksen - RotoBallerSource: Atlanta Hawks

2 years agoBoston Celtics guard Marcus Smart could be the key component to a trade that would send Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets to Boston. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski stated that the two teams have been discussing a Durant trade lately that would be based around Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and draft picks. However, the Nets have been asking for the Celtics to also include Smart and the Celtics appear to be unwilling to do so. The Celtics' willingness to deal Brown makes them one of the frontrunners to land Durant at this point, but the two sides still appear to be a ways away from landing a deal.--Andrew Ericksen - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic

2 years agoThe Los Angeles Lakers have been expressing interest in Indiana Pacers guard Buddy Hield since the offseason began. Now, we have a report from Marc Stein that suggests the type of package the Lakers would be offering to the Pacers in exchange for Hield. Stein states that Talen Horton-Tucker would be included in the deal along with some draft capital. There's also a chance that the Lakers would be asking the Pacers to buy out Russell Westbrook in such a deal, though the likelihood of that happening seems extremely low.--Andrew Ericksen - RotoBallerSource: Marc Stein

2 years agoLos Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook may be on the move after all. The superstar has consistently been included in reports linking him to Brooklyn in a swap for Kyrie Irving. However, the Jazz, Knicks, and Pacers are now rumored to be possible suitors. Although newly appointed head coach Darvin Ham has remained vocal regarding Westbrook's value to the organization moving ahead, it appears he could be suiting up elsewhere in 2022-23. Nevertheless, despite the 33-year-old regressing in nearly all statistical categories last season, he has an excellent shot of turning things around if he gets the keys to the offense for a new team. He's getting older. Yet, Westbrook may have more than a few years of productive play left in the tank.--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Mike McDaniel

2 years agoPower forward Shareef O'Neal is set to ink a six-figure deal with the G League Ignite. The son of NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, the former UCLA Bruin and LSU Tiger is coming off a collegiate career filled with injuries, health issues, and underwhelming play. However, after averaging 4.7 points and 3.7 rebounds throughout six Summer League appearances with the Lakers, he did enough to earn a spot on the top developmental club's roster. While the 22-year-old isn't expected to contribute at the professional level anytime soon, he is worthy of a dynasty stash for those with room to spare.--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Shams Charania

2 years agoIndiana Pacers center Myles Turner is reportedly on the Lakers' radar. Indy has been looking to move him for a while. However, with L.A. unwilling to send an unprotected first-round pick in exchange for Turner's services, it appears as if a potential deal is off the table. The 26-year-old has proven to be an imposing figure since entering the league in 2015, averaging 12.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks throughout his career. He hasn't been the healthiest, most recently missing 40 games last season because of a stress fracture in his foot. Yet, if Turner can stay on the court, he's more than capable of being included in the same conversation as other dominant big men around the NBA.--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Mark Stein

2 years agoBrooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant is on the Celtics' radar, with the C's reportedly offering a package for the superstar that included Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Yet, Brooklyn balked at the proposal and countered by requesting reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart be added in White's place. While there appeared to be a chance Durant would stay in New York for the 2022-23 campaign, things could be heading in another direction. Nonetheless, it's unknown exactly how much Boston is willing to give up for the 33-year-old. However, no matter he ends up, he'll probably remain in the MVP conversation, at least for a few more seasons.--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Shams Charania