BNT NBA

The NBA announced Monday it stripped the Philadelphia 76ers of their second-round picks in 2023 and 2024.

The league determined the Sixers violated tampering rules while pursuing P.J. Tucker and Danuel House Jr. in free agency. The Sixers began negotiating with both players before the window to do so opened.

"The Philadelphia 76ers fully cooperated with the NBA’s investigation and acknowledge the league’s ruling," the Sixers said in a statement. "We’re moving forward, focused on the season ahead."

Meanwhile, the league confirmed the Sixers didn't run afoul of any rules when they re-signed James Harden to a two-year, $68.6 million deal.

Harden accepted less money in the short term—he declined a $47.4 million player option—and ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported in July that some around the NBA were wondering whether the two parties already had a "handshake agreement in place on a future contract."

Every NBA offseason, the running joke is always the number of deals that get reported moments after the free-agent negotiating window opens. Finding concrete evidence of tampering isn't easy, but it's something league officials have clearly identified as a priority.

The Sixers have become 4th team in the past 24 months to be hit with the loss of a second round pick as a result of tampering, joining the Bucks, Heat and Bulls, as the league has started to become more aggressive in penalizing these early contacts between teams and free agents.

— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) October 31, 2022

The NBA and NBPA are expected to revisit the rules that punish teams discovered to have had discussions with player agents on pending free agents ahead of free agency's official start, sources said. The practice is rampant, but hard to police and largely impossible to eliminate.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 31, 2022

Losing two second-rounders isn't a massive blow for Philadelphia. Draft picks, especially those outside of the first round, have limited value to a team with championship aspirations.

The penalty isn't so punitive that it incentivizes the Sixers to avoid tampering again to land their free-agent targets, either.

The current collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and National Basketball Players Association expires after the 2023-24 season, and either side can opt out by Dec. 15. With a new CBA in the offing as early as summer, this could be a topic of discussion at the negotiating table.

Nike released a statement condemning hate speech Monday in the aftermath of Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving promoting an antisemitic film on his social media accounts last week.

"At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech, and we condemn any form of antisemitism," the company, which endorses Irving, said in a statement to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.

Irving posted links and screenshots of the movie Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America to his social media accounts last Thursday. The movie is rife with antisemitic tropes and includes the false assertation that many powerful Jewish people "worship Satan or Lucifer."

I started watching the movie Kyrie tweeted out to prepare for today's episode of @debatable. And if you were wondering exactly how insanely anti-Semitic it is, just know that they show this quote from "Adolph Hitler," as such: pic.twitter.com/1Z8bzKzFen

— Pablo Torre 🕳️ (@PabloTorre) October 31, 2022

Irving's posting of the antisemitic film came in the immediate fallout of the controversy surrounding rapper Kanye West, who lost billion-dollar business deals with Gap and Adidas after making derogatory remarks about Jewish people.

Nike has not said whether it plans to sever its relationship with Irving, who has been with the brand since his rookie season. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported in May that Nike was unlikely to extend its relationship with Irving after his contract expires with the brand next year.

“Can you please stop calling it a promotion? What am I promoting?… Don’t dehumanize me up here.”

Kyrie Irving and Nick Friedell have an exchange during the Nets postgame press conference.

(via @_Talkin_NBA)https://t.co/7oUmmSL05U

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 30, 2022

In a tense back-and-forth with a reporter Saturday night, Irving defended his right to make the post and denied allegations of antisemitism.

“I’m not going to stand down on anything I believe in,” Irving said. “I’m only going to get stronger because I’m not alone. I have a whole army around me. ... Did I do anything illegal? Did I hurt anybody? Did I harm anybody? Am I going out and saying that I hate one specific group of people?”

The NBA and Nets organization, including governor Joe Tsai, released statements condemning antisemitism in wake of the controversy. (The NBA statement did not mention Irving by name.)

This is bigger than basketball

— Joe Tsai (@joetsai1999) October 29, 2022

Irving also doubled down on his post of an Alex Jones conspiracy about secret societies in America, saying what Jones claimed was "true." Neither Jones nor Irving has offered any plausible evidence of the existence of this so-called "New World Order."

Jones, a far-right conspiracy theorist best known for being the founder of InfoWars, is one of the internet's most dangerous purveyors of misinformation. He was recently ordered to pay nearly $1 billion to the family members of the Sandy Hook school shooting after claiming the children were actors hired by the government.

While Irving said he did not stand with Jones' assertations about the Sandy Hook shootings, he did not back down in standing with the reviled radio host's other conspiracies.

Rather than understand the impact of his words, Irving has shirked responsibility and claimed he was not "promoting" anything despite exposing a little-known, antisemitic film to his more than 20 million followers on social media.

There was an increase in antisemitic violence following West's rhetoric, and Jewish people are consistently the most targeted religious group for hate crimes in the United States.

It's become clear Irving either does not recognize the power his words can have or simply does not care about the potential impact.

The Golden State Warriors are picking up the $12.1 million fourth-year option on center James Wiseman, the $6.0 million third-year option on Jonathan Kuminga and the $3.9 million third-year option on Moses Moody, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic and ESPN's Kendra Andrews.

All three moves were expected for the trio of first-round selections.

Because the Warriors have a championship-winning core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole, the impact of their young trio has been perhaps somewhat muted early in their respective careers.

Wiseman, 21, showed flashes in his rookie season, averaging 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds in 39 games. A torn meniscus and a series of setbacks in his recovery cost him all of last season, though he's returned to the rotation this year and is averaging 8.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game.

Kuminga, 20, served as a solid depth piece during his rookie season, averaging 9.3 points in 70 games, even making 12 starts. He played just 8.6 minutes per game once the postseason hit, as the Warriors relied on their veteran players, and he's had a tough start to the 2022-23 season (2.7 PPG, 33.3 percent shooting from the field).

But rangy wings aren't easy to come by, and like Wiseman, Kuminga has shown the type of potential that makes him a worthwhile developmental project for the contending Dubs.

Moody, 20, has struggled to find a footing during his first two seasons, averaging 4.6 points per game across 59 overall contests. Like Kuminga, he played a bit role during last year's postseason run. He's shown flashes of being a solid shooter from the perimeter (36.3 percent from deep in his career), however.

Golden State's young trio offers the Dubs something of a win-win proposition: Either they develop into excellent players who eventually take up the mantle for Curry, Thompson and Green once the veterans depart or retire, or they could eventually be used as viable trade pieces for a more seasoned contributor.

All three would see more playing time elsewhere. But for the time being, they are a part of Golden States' plans, and exercising their respective options was a no-brainer.

Even Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner believes the Los Angeles Lakers should take a "very hard look" at potentially trading for him amidst a 1-5 start.

"If I'm the Lakers, I take a very hard look at this with the position that you're in," he told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on his The Woj Pod when asked if the Lakers should trade two future first-round picks for him. "I know what I can provide for a team. My leadership, my shot-blocking, my three-point ability and just my ability to make plays out there on the floor. And I take a very long look at it. But as far as pulling the trigger, you know... I get paid to shoot, not making these calls, so I couldn't answer that."

Should the Lakers give up the two picks? Full audio of Pacers center Myles Turner on The Woj Pod: https://t.co/yP00bwvnMZ pic.twitter.com/GZvSg9BLyp

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 31, 2022

Given Russell Westbrook's struggles since joining the Lakers and his poor fit next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis, he was the subject of relentless trade rumors throughout the entire summer.

One of the most persistent rumors was a trade to the Pacers, alongside the Lakers' first-round picks in 2027 and 2029, for Turner and Buddy Hield.

While the future draft capital would be steep, both Turner and Hield would be more natural fits for the Lakers than Westbrook. Turner's shot-blocking would allow the Lakers to play AD at the 4, saving him some wear-and-tear during the regular season, while his ability to shoot from the perimeter wouldn't completely kill the team's spacing.

Turner is averaging 16 points, eight rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game in two contests this season, shooting 38.1 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from three.

And Hield would give them a much-needed shooter to help with the aforementioned spacing, allowing James to more comfortably play his role as the primary playmaker on offense.

It would also put an end to the Westbrook circus, and the corresponding media storm. The latest turn has been the veteran point guard and former MVP coming off the bench in the past two games, an experiment that seemed to work in the team's 121-110 win over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday, ending a five-game losing streak.

"To be a player of his caliber and asked to come off the bench, that's truly a guy doing whatever the team asks to get a win," Davis told reporters regarding Westbrook. "Sacrifice his starting position for the betterment of the team. He's flourished in that role. That's all we can ask for. I told him, 'Just keep what you're doing, man. Everything you're doing is unbelievable.' In the last two games, he just kind of been doing his thing. Proud of him."

For many Lakers fans, those two games aren't going to erase the tumultuous nature of Westbrook's entire tenure in Los Angeles. It may buy the Lakers time to take a longer look at whether it's a sustainable situation in the long term, however.

LeBron James' decision to publicly state his desire to play in the NBA alongside his son, Bronny James, has reportedly "complicated" the 18-year-old guard's college recruitment.

Sources on college coaching staffs told Dana O'Neil of The Athletic that the James family has been "as low-maintenance as a megastar can be," but the potential desire to fast-track Bronny's path to the NBA to play with his four-time MVP father is an issue.

"That just complicated everything," an unnamed college coach told O'Neil about LeBron's comments.

Bronny has garnered plenty of hype—247Sports' composite rankings list him as 4-star prospect and the No. 45 overall player in the 2023 class—but coaches don't necessarily see him as a lock to emerge as a one-and-done college player.

Instead, those recruiting James' eldest son—15-year-old Bryce is also starting to garner attention as he arrives to high school—see a player who "might not be NBA-ready after two or even three years," per O'Neil.

The question is whether the James family is willing to wait for a more natural, long-term college career or if they'll push for heavy involvement during his freshman season with a focus on Bronny entering the 2024 NBA draft when first eligible.

LeBron's latest contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers includes a player option for the 2024-25 season, meaning he could opt out and hit free agency with an eye toward signing with whichever team drafts his son in 2024.

Along with the timeline, the other issue raised by college coaches is the amount of attention Bronny will bring to the program, for better or worse.

"And this is LeBron's kid," one coach told O'Neil. "If you play him 30 minutes and then you don't win, what are you doing? But if you play him eight minutes and you do win, are people going to think you're an assh--e for not playing LeBron's kid?"

Another added: "Whether he scores four points or 40, it's going to be talked about the next morning on First Take. Not if your team won, but how Bronny played."

Put it all together and a picture emerges about potentially why no favorites have emerged in the race to land the top-50 prospect. It's a complex situation to handle despite the 6'3" combo guard's ability to provide a major boost, both on and off the court.

Bronny has long-term NBA upside, but his game would need to evolve significantly over the next 24 months for him to prove himself ready for the professional ranks in 2024-25.

Los Angeles Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook said he didn't allow outside negativity to impact him during a sluggish start to the 2022-23 NBA season.

"One thing that I never will let happen is people outside of my family and people who support me take my joy," Westbrook told reporters after Sunday's 121-110 win over the Denver Nuggets. "I always have fun and embrace this game and the gift I've been given to be able to go out and compete."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SUap35nG9k

L.A. shifted the nine-time All-Star to the bench for the past two games while seeking a spark amid an 0-5 start to the campaign.

While the sample size is small, the early returns suggest Westbrook running the second unit could provide a more balanced Lakers offense.

After scoring 18 points in a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, marking his first appearance off the bench since his 2008-09 rookie year, he tallied 18 points, eight rebounds and eight assists while shooting 50 percent from the field (6 of 12) against the Nuggets.

LeBron James paced the Lakers with 26 points, while Anthony Davis chipped in 23 points and 15 rebounds en route to the team's first win of the campaign.

"I love seeing my teammates flourish; honestly, I get joy by seeing others do great. My whole career what's lifted me up is to see others do well," Westbrook said. "Tonight was that night when guys were making shots and competing, and that's all you can ask for."

Sunday's game represented a look at L.A.'s path to success: James and Davis being healthy and leading the first unit with Westbrook coming off the bench to handle a more ball-dominant role when the team's two cornerstones are getting a breather.

Lakers head coach Darvin Ham said the 2016-17 NBA MVP has been "nothing short of amazing" over the past two games while adapting to the new reserve role:

Ham said one of his main goals w/ the Lakers was to get Russ the respect he deserves

"I told him...'Believe in me, bro. I'm gonna put you in a position to succeed...But you have to put the group first. It cant be about Me or I or Mine. Its gotta be Us, Ours, We."
(Q: @kylegoon) pic.twitter.com/djarwtUrna

— michael corvo (@michaelcorvo_) October 31, 2022

Moving Westbrook to the bench doesn't solve all of Los Angeles' problems. The team's roster still lacks outside shooters, which is a key reason it ranks last in offensive efficiency, and depth will be a problem whenever James or Davis miss time.

Yet, Sunday's win over a Nuggets squad looking to emerge as a championship contender was a much-needed step in the right direction for the Lakers.

They'll look to start building a winning streak Wednesday when they host Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans.

Many believed that star point guard Russell Westbrook isn't a good fit for the Los Angeles Lakers, but it appears the team has figured out a role for him that can lead to success following its first win of the season on Sunday.

In his second game coming off the bench this season, Westbrook put forth his best effort and finished with 18 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in 31 minutes of action as the Lakers defeated the Denver Nuggets 121-110 at crypto.com Arena.

Los Angeles star forward LeBron James led the way with a game-high 26 points alongside eight assists and six rebounds, while Anthony Davis posted 23 points and 15 boards.

Westbrook's energy was a stark contrast to his first four appearances this year, in which he shot 30.9 percent from the field. On Sunday, he was aggressive but efficient, going 6-of-12 from the field and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. He also finished with a plus-minus of plus-18, the highest on the team.

NBA Twitter was excited to see Westbrook playing with the joy we've grown accustomed to seeing from him:

Man im happy for Russ…..best I’ve seen him play in quite awhile….good to see him smile

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) October 31, 2022

https://twitter.com/BenStinar/status/1586920933570355200

I’m loving Russ in this new role. It’s only 2 gms, but he’s embraced it and looks good 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) October 31, 2022

Lakers Big 3 came up BIG for the W vs. Denver 🙌

LeBron James: 26 PTS, 6 REB, 8 AST
Anthony Davis: 23 PTS, 15 REB
Russell Westbrook: 18 PTS, 8 REB, 8 AST pic.twitter.com/0wvXbiYzUd

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 31, 2022

https://twitter.com/hmfaigen/status/1586927983369064455

Lakers 93, Nuggets 85. And the energy in this building is thanks so much to Russell Westbrook, who has infused his lineups with a ton of confidence.

— Kyle Goon (@kylegoon) October 31, 2022

Russell Westbrook has the home crowd bouncing. Just kicked out to Austin Reaves who drove in for the and-one. Russ and Reaves flexed at each other, getting the whole building to stand up. Now they're chanting, "LET'S GO LAKERS". https://t.co/WE03GvbOtT

— Kyle Goon (@kylegoon) October 31, 2022

It's almost like when you put Russell Westbrook in comfortable position .. he succeeds .. basketball is about fit

— Ben Stinar (@BenStinar) October 31, 2022

Best game of the season for Russell Westbrook by leaps and bounds. He’s been a game changer tonight

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) October 31, 2022

Where the haters at? Russell Westbrook still is ELITE. pic.twitter.com/JPEuNYHgoP

— Beastbrook (@Beastbr00k0) October 31, 2022

Russell Westbrook playing great in the Lakers first win 🥹

— TF (@ThunderFocus) October 31, 2022

Russell Westbrook has been the best player on the floor tonight

Both teams

— 🏆LakersGuru🏆 (@GuruLakers) October 31, 2022

Westbrook's brief tenure in Los Angeles has been somewhat polarizing because of the team's struggles, but Sunday was an indication that he can be an effective member of the rotation. While he had been the subject of trade speculation, there appears to be a winning formula if the Lakers choose to hold onto him for the year.

Los Angeles will look to keep the momentum going when they return to action on Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Bojan Bogdanović and the Detroit Pistons have agreed to a two-year, $39.1 million contract extension that ties him to the franchise through the 2024-25 campaign, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Bogdanović is making $19.5 million this season, the final year of a four-year, $73 million deal he signed with the Utah Jazz in June 2019.

The Pistons acquired Bogdanović in a trade with the Jazz in September, sending Kelly Olynyk, Saben Lee and cash considerations to Utah in exchange for the veteran.

Bogdanović has appeared in each of Detroit's first six games, starting alongside Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart. He's averaging 23.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 51.7 percent from the floor and 51.1 percent from deep.

The 33-year-old's new contract comes as little surprise after NBA insider Marc Stein reported in September that he was seeking a multiyear extension. In addition, Pistons head coach Dwane Casey has referred to him as a "godsend," so it's clear the franchise values him as both a player and leader.

Cunningham, one of the team's rising stars, also told reporters earlier this week:

“He’s very knowledgeable about the game and he shares his knowledge. He doesn’t hold it to himself. He makes sure all of us are on the same page. He talks to us a lot. It’s fun to play with a guy like that who has such a high IQ and cares about winning so much.”

Bogdanović began his NBA career with the Brooklyn Nets in 2014-15, and he spent two-and-a-half seasons with the franchise before joining the Washington Wizards for the second half of the 2016-17 campaign.

From there, the Croatian spent two seasons with the Indiana Pacers, where he emerged as a key contributor, averaging 16.1 points in 161 games. His best seasons came with the Jazz when he averaged 18.4 points in 204 games (2019-2022).

Bogdanović will now be a key player for the Pistons for the foreseeable future, and he'll try to extend his hot start to the 2022-23 campaign in Sunday's game against the Golden State Warriors.

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson is expected to return to the lineup Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers after missing the last two games with a hip injury, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Williamson experienced a hard fall to the court in New Orleans' 122-121 overtime defeat to the Utah Jazz on Oct. 23. Jordan Clarkson blocked his dunk attempt, and he wound up landing on his back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JSzNL4yHY0

The Pelicans announced he suffered a posterior hip contusion, which was serious enough to knock him out of their next two games.

After missing the entire 2021-22 season, the 22-year-old didn't take long to remind fans why he's such a heavily hyped talent. He posted 25 points, nine rebounds, three assists and four steals in a 130-108 victory over the Brooklyn Nets to open the campaign.

Williamson is critical to New Orleans' hopes of not just returning to the playoffs but also improving upon its first-round exit from last season. His long-term importance to the franchise also requires carefully managing his workload in the short term given how much time he has missed because of injuries.

Missing Williamson for a game or two every once in a while shouldn't be a big blow for the Pelicans as long as those absences don't begin to add up.

Paul Pierce has a plan to fix the NBA's two biggest disasters: Trade Anthony Davis for Kevin Durant.

The Hall of Famer tweeted his blockbuster idea Sunday afternoon:

What’s going on with the Brooklyn Nets . I think it’s time to start the AD for KD rumors right now 🤷🏾‍♂️

— Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) October 30, 2022

Of course, this is one of those trades that only happens in 2K Franchise Mode and has no actual shot of happening. Neither Davis nor Durant is the problem with their respective teams; the issues are glaring for both organizations and lie elsewhere on the roster.

The Lakers have a $47 million Russell Westbrook albatross and one of the weakest supporting casts in the NBA behind Davis and LeBron James. The Nets employ a constant distraction in Kyrie Irving, have gotten nothing from Ben Simmons, and they have a roster seemingly incapable or unwilling to put forth any defensive effort.

A KD-for-AD trade does little more than shuffle the deck chairs on both rosters.

That said, it is fun to speculate about. The NBA's two gravest disappointments come together in a fit of desperation to jettison a pair of superstars? Sign us up for the social media mess that would ensue.