The Detroit Pistons will have the top pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, with the Rockets, Cavs, Raptors and Magic rounding out the top five. Most scots believe this draft is loaded, particularly with the top five prospects.
Cade Cunningham – He’s the consensus top pick, though the Pistons will certainly do their homework on all the top prospects. Cunningham is a 6’8″ point guard who many believe can do it all. He can create his own shot or make plays passing, and is the type of wing player most GMs crave in the modern NBA.
Evan Mobley – Mobley is a modern-day big man who can handle the ball like a guard and shoot from the perimeter while also protecting the rim. As a seven-footer he’s certainly an intriguing prospect.
Jalen Green – He’s a 6’5″ wing player who is probably the most dynamic scorer in the draft. He would be an ideal for for a team like the Cavs but frankly fit the prototype of the NBA wing player who can dominate the game with his athleticism.
Jalen Suggs – A 6’4″ guard who can play the point or off the ball, Suggs is an elite athlete who has a complete game. He’s probably the best known prospect given his time at Gonzaga.
Jonathan Kuminga – Like Green, Kuminga is another G League player who will likely go in the top 5. He has prototypical size at 6’8″ but is more of a raw talent at this point. He’s very athletic with speed, strength and the ability to play above the rim.
It will be interesting to see how things play out as opinions vary on the order that these five should go after Cunningham likely gets picked by the Pistons.
Strange scene in Detroit last night during the Pistons/Cavs game. Charlie Villanueva set a hard screen on Ryan Hollins (throwing his shoulder into him a little bit). Hollins didn’t avoid the contact and threw a shoulder of his own trying to go through Villanueva’s pick.
Watch as Villanueva reacts to the news that he was ejected.
One thing that’s interesting to note here is the favoritism that the Cavs announcers showed Hollins. I guess that should be expected, but at every point during the incident, the guy doing the color commentary, Austin Carr (I’m assuming — let me know if I’m wrong), blamed Villanueva exclusively as if Hollins was completely innocent during the incident.
Villanueva definitely gave his screen a little extra (he reportedly said after the game that Hollins had hit him with an intentional elbow earlier in the game) but Hollins threw his shoulder into Charlie V as he set the pick. Then Hollins wrapped up Villanueva which led to Villanueva raising his arms up into Hollins’ face. Had Hollins let go there, the two probably would have had a stare down or a pushing match and neither would have been ejected.
The most perplexing thing about this situation is Villanueva’s reaction to getting ejected. At the 1:29 mark he learns that he’s been tossed, and it takes him a full seven seconds of stroking his chin before he decides to go after Hollins.
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Phoenix Suns Steve Nash stands next to head coach Alvin Gentry in the second half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York City on January 17, 2011. The Suns defeated the Knicks 129-121. UPI/John Angelillo
GMs around the league were worried that there wouldn’t be much action leading up to Thursday’s trade deadline, but once the Carmelo Anthony trade went down, there has been a flurry of activity highlighted by the Nets’ acquisition of Deron Williams.
Here are five more trades that should happen, but probably won’t. They generally include one older player on a bad team that isn’t going anywhere.
Click on each trade’s headline to see it in the ESPN Trade Machine.
1. Steve Nash to Atlanta for Jamal Crawford and two first round picks Free Steve Nash! The Hawks aren’t the ideal destination for Nash, but the Hawks really need a floor leader and the team has the defensive frontcourt (Josh Smith, Al Horford) to make up for Nash’s weakness on that end of the court. Smith and Horford would work well in Nash’s patented screen-and-roll and he would take the pressure off of Joe Johnson to create as the shot clock is winding down. The Suns aren’t going to get much out of this deal other than cap relief (Crawford’s deal is expiring) and a couple of first round picks, but Nash is 37 years old and deserves to play in the postseason. The Suns aren’t going anywhere anyway.
2. Rip Hamilton to Chicago for Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer Rip can still play. He’s averaging 13.3 points per game and his shooting 40%+ from 3PT even though his minutes are sporadic. He works hard on defense and has kept himself in great shape throughout his career, so he should be able to contribute for the remainder of his contract. His spot up jumper would be a nice fit alongside Derrick Rose in the Chicago backcourt. The Pistons would be rid of the headache of keeping Rip on the roster without playing him and would get a couple of youngish wings in Korver and Brewer that could actually contribute.
This year, I’m going to preview the NBA season by starting with the lowest of the low and working my way up to my Finals picks. If a franchise is a legitimate championship contender, I’ll focus on what stars have to line up for a title run. If a team is a playoff also-ran, I’ll identify the weaknesses that have to be shored up via trade, free agency or draft over the next couple of seasons to make it a contender. If a team is likely to miss the playoffs, I’ll take a look at the salary cap, and provide a blueprint for how the team should proceed in the near future to get back in the postseason.
#25: New Jersey Nets The Nets only won 12 games last season, but there are reasons to be optimistic about this team. Brook Lopez is developing into an All-Star caliber center and Terrence Williams played well in the last two months of his rookie season. Devin Harris is still a dangerous guard, and he’ll be reunited with his former coach, Avery Johnson. Throw in a good power forward (Troy Murphy) to mentor the #3 overall pick (Derrick Favors) and there are some pieces in place in New Jersey. Of course, Nets fans want to see the franchise swing a deal for Carmelo Anthony, but that plan looks to be on hold (or dead?) for now. He’d be a great fit at small forward, though after missing out on LeBron, the Nets did fork out $35 million at the position by signing Travis Outlaw this summer. That contract could come back to bite them, but for now the team has plenty of financial flexibility and a projected payroll of only $38 million heading into next season. The Nets would rather trade and extend Melo this season because they know the risk inherent anytime a player hits free agency.
The Nets only won 12 games last season, but there are reasons to be optimistic about this team. Brook Lopez is developing into an All-Star caliber center and Terrence Williams played well in the last two months of his rookie season. Devin Harris is still a dangerous guard, and he’ll be reunited with his former coach, Avery Johnson. Throw in a good power forward (Troy Murphy) to mentor the #3 overall pick (Derrick Favors) and there are some pieces in place in New Jersey. Of course, Nets fans want to see the franchise swing a deal for Carmelo Anthony, but that plan looks to be on hold (or dead?) for now. He’d be a great fit at small forward, though after missing out on LeBron, the Nets did fork out $35 million at the position by signing Travis Outlaw this summer. That contract could come back to bite them, but for now the team has plenty of financial flexibility and a projected payroll of only $38 million heading into next season. The Nets would rather trade and extend Melo this season because they know the risk inherent anytime a player hits free agency.
