The Paul George bomb distracted many people from another nuggets of intel that got here out over the past handful of days main as much as the 2024 NBA Draft and subsequent free company interval.
Let’s get to a roundup and attempt to keep up on the newest earlier than the following newsbreak shakes all the things up once more in a single hour.
Paul George
First, we had been stunned to listen to the Sixers’ curiosity in Clippers star Paul George had waned in current days, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. Then by Friday morning we acquired some key intel serving to us make sense of that replace from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst: PG could also be leaning in direction of an choose in and commerce situation.
It might make sense then that if acquiring the Palmdale, Cali native would price the Sixers a max contract AND treasured draft picks, they may begin placing different choices in entrance of what was as soon as described as their “Plan A.”
However I don’t suppose it’s a mortal lock that PG will choose in but, and the Sixers maybe projecting diminished curiosity might even lower a little bit of PG’s leverage.
Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports activities added Friday:
“On the Sixers’ finish, league sources keep that they’re nonetheless curious about George, although it might be honest to say he’s not their solely possibility or goal in free-agency. Philadelphia is spending the pre-draft and free company interval speaking with groups about totally different situations, together with some which have been reported or speculated about beforehand.”
So one may moderately deduce that the puzzling tweet from Shams was a little bit of gamesmanship on Philly’s half in response to some discreet indication PG isn’t all in on a max from Daryl Morey and Co.
However don’t shut that door simply but. The truth that Fischer didn’t speak about Orlando’s potential pursuit of PG may additional decease George’s leverage too.
A key tidbit in right here… I wouldn’t low cost the Sixers’ curiosity in Paul George till his standing is finalized with Los Angeles or elsewhere. George has been atop Philadelphia’s want listing for a while — ought to the Sixers get the possibility to speak with George on June 30. https://t.co/XbVCYOaVaC
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) June 21, 2024
Brandon Ingram
Neubeck continued:
“Brandon Ingram, for instance, remains to be a participant the Sixers have curiosity in, per league sources. On the listing of desired targets, he nonetheless in all probability falls beneath George as a result of it might price draft capital to accumulate, to not point out the clunkier ability set match with Embiid and Maxey, however the broader level is that it isn’t George-or-bust in Philadelphia.”
Ingram wouldn’t be fairly as pricy as PG when it comes to cap area, however since he’s not a free agent, and would require parting with doubtlessly important draft capital to accumulate, all earlier than doubtlessly extending the soon-to-be 27-year-old.
We’ve coated that The Athletic’s Kelly Iko reported the next:
“…New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram was talked about as a participant seen in a decrease tier than Mitchell and in current days, rumors have swirled concerning the Pelicans dangling Ingram in commerce talks and in a single iteration, a hypothetical Ingram-for-Alperen Şengün swap was talked about, however the Rockets haven’t any curiosity, workforce sources mentioned. League sources mentioned New Orleans additionally contacted the Philadelphia 76ers regarding a potential Ingram commerce.”
So perhaps that dialog went comparatively properly, contributing to the thought the Sixers’ curiosity in PG has waned. BI is considerably youthful than 34-year-old PG, and may permit the 76ers so as to add one other key free agent (price additional cash than a participant they might goal had been they to land George through cap area).
We realized that BI is perhaps a major fallback plan someday in the past, and we’ve heard little to dispel that notion since. The newest on PG ought to solely improve this situation’s chance.
OG Anunoby
Ian Begley of SNY just lately advised Jon Macri of Knicks Movie College he’d be very stunned if the Knicks don’t re-sign the previous Raptors wing.
“Except OG Anunoby had been to go a special manner and, y’know, change brokers, depart CAA, I imply I simply cannot see this ending up in any manner that isn’t OG coming again to New York.”
–– Ian Begley
Full Knicks Movie College: OG, I-Hart, Brunson, Thibs, trades: https://t.co/y97IgXZKBQ pic.twitter.com/b0J0xO4gMl
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) June 19, 2024
Days previous to that, Hoops Hype’s Michael Scotto reported:
“The leaguewide expectation is that OG Anunoby will return to the Knicks. The query is, for a way a lot? From executives I’ve talked to across the league, Anunoby’s flooring seems to be $35 million, and his ceiling is a max contract. Philadelphia might be in search of a 3-and-D small ahead and has the max cap area to make the provide in the event that they imagine they’ll miss out on their prime goal, Paul George. Two normal managers advised me they’d pay Anunoby $35 million yearly and {that a} max could be robust due to his harm historical past.”
With all the reporting the Knicks — who parted with each former 2019 No. 3 total choose RJ Barrett, and former 2020 No. 25 total choose, Immanuel Quickley for the oft-injured former Hoosier, Anunoby — are anticipated to maintain him, it seems like probably the most Daryl Morey might do right here is play spoiler, forcing New York to in the end pay full worth. However you simply by no means know, proper?
Neubeck reminded followers that the Sixers did display curiosity in OG final winter and added Friday: “If Anunoby is in play and never simply making an attempt to generate leverage, league sources count on the Sixers to be within the combine.”
Jimmy Butler
On Thursday’s “Get Up” on ESPN, Alan Hahn boldly declared “Jimmy Butler’s days in Miami are over.”
And one very credible Howard Beck, now with The Ringer, chimed in definitively as properly:
Per Neubeck:
“One transfer I’m skeptical of relative to the sphere — a commerce for Jimmy Butler, for the Sixers or anybody else. Possibly the NBA intelligentsa is correct and I find yourself mistaken on this, however from what I can inform, Butler doesn’t have actual curiosity in leaving Miami and easily needs to receives a commission. The problem is that Pat Riley will be as cussed as he’s, leaving either side form of caught.)”
So if you happen to imagine Beck is correct, and the Sixers can’t persuade PG or OG to take their $212M, perhaps they’d empty out the warchest for the previous Sixer, Butler.
However haggling with Riley in all probability wouldn’t really feel excellent. If the Sixers can’t entice somebody like PG to affix them, Riley is perhaps considerably extra assured within the attract of South Seaside.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
ESPN’s Senior Author Zach Lowe just lately speculated-connected the Sixers to Nuggets’ two-way guard, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, a Klutch Sports activities shopper like Tyrese Maxey.
Jake Fischer for Yahoo added:
“Subsequently, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope would appear, at current, to be the veteran in line to learn from the Magic’s cap area. Caldwell-Pope can also be believed to have a possible dwelling in Chicago, ought to the Bulls in the end lose out on Williams, along with Philadelphia viewing the veteran wing as a backup possibility.”
It sounds just like the Sixers are a legit risk to snag Kentavious Caldwell-Pope from Denver, which might be fairly one thing.
— Ryan Blackburn (@NBABlackburn) June 20, 2024
Again in late Could, Fischer reported:
“The Sixers, sources mentioned, took notice of Indiana’s two-year splurge for Bruce Brown that then turned the most important wage headed again to Toronto in trade for Siakam. Veteran wings like Klay Thompson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope would fall on the Sixers’ listing of targets for related one-plus-one contracts, sources mentioned. Putting out on a big-time wing would additionally depart the door open for Philadelphia to contemplate taking again a participant resembling Zach LaVine, sources mentioned, within the occasion Chicago or one other workforce is prepared to connect draft capital to maneuver off wage.”
And if PG is much less of a practical possibility, perhaps that dials up the possibilities they take a look at KCP.
Zach LaVine
The worth for Bulls’ former two-time All-Star Zach LaVine, who shares a coach in Drew Hanlen with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, might have come down significantly just lately. However insiders nonetheless don’t suppose he’s a practical candidate to play in Philly subsequent season.
NBC Sports activities’ Okay.C. Johnson mentioned Chicago contacted the Sixers to speak enterprise right here:
“League sources reiterated that the Bulls stay energetic on a number of commerce fronts centered on Zach LaVine, together with with the Utah Jazz and Philadelphia 76ers. Does this take-a-step-back transfer make DeMar DeRozan think about unrestricted free company extra strongly?”
However PHLY Sports activities’ doesn’t appear to be shopping for this concept simply but:
Spoke to a league supply who mentioned Sixers place on Zach LaVine has not modified for the reason that commerce deadline. Philly just isn’t curious about pursuing
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) June 21, 2024
Neubeck would report: “I’ll reiterate right here that the Sixers will not be curious about pursuing Zach LaVine, per sources conversant in their pondering, regardless of stories connecting them to the Bulls’ star guard.”
Fischer’s reporting vibes equally:
“LaVine stays merely a backup possibility for the Sixers, sources mentioned, however not a participant whom Philadelphia actually covets with the workforce’s ocean of cap area. If there’s any suitor for LaVine that appears almost definitely at this juncture, it might be the Kings.”
So if you happen to’re monitoring the Ingram and Caldwell-Pope markets, it appears their odds of changing into Sixers have every elevated, even when they wouldn’t in the end each land right here.
Names like George, LaVine and OG don’t appear almost as lifelike. As for Jimmy Butler, I can not think about Riley would take pleasure in sending him to play with Embiid and Maxey and would attempt to transfer heaven and earth earlier than he let that occur. However you by no means know.