Category: Basketball

Prior to the commencement of the season for the Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum assumed the responsibility of convening a meeting.

This gathering comprised the Celtics’ designated “six starters,” namely Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, and Derrick White.

Notably, the meeting excluded coaches and other teammates; only these six seasoned players assembled to discuss the approaching season.

“I wanted us to get in the room and talk about it,” Tatum told ESPN. “We all are human and have feelings, and I opened the floor and basically said, ‘There’s six of us. Only five can play at one time. One of us is not going to finish the game all the time.

“Whether it’s fair or not, me and JB are probably going to always start, and always finish the game. But we have to be held to a different standard and be able to be coached differently. Whether it’s KP and Al, one of you guys may not finish a game, and you have to be OK with that.”

See more

Jayson Tatum Called Preseason Meeting With Celtics ‘Six Starters’ https://t.co/LLa5Alzg2x

— RealGM (@RealGM) November 22, 2023

In a surprising offseason move, the Milwaukee Bucks orchestrated a blockbuster trade, acquiring Damian Lillard and bidding farewell to seasoned point guard Jrue Holiday, a key contributor to the Bucks’ 2021 championship triumph.

As Holiday prepares to face his former team for the first time, he reflected on the transaction.

“I think they got what they wanted, so I can’t be mad at that,” he said, via ClutchPoints. Despite the departure, he expresses contentment with his current situation, stating, “I’m in the best place that I can be to compete against them.”

See more

“I think they got what they wanted so I can’t be mad at that… I’m in the best place that I can be to compete against them.”

Jrue Holiday on facing the Bucks for the first time since being traded to the Celtics 👀

(via @NBCSCeltics)pic.twitter.com/lrU0zSf0sr

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 22, 2023

This season, the 33-year-old point guard has found a new home with the Boston Celtics, averaging 12.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in 34.6 minutes per game.

The long wait is finally over. The NBA season is off and running and already stories are emerging. Last season’s NBA Championship winners the Denver Nuggets have got off to the perfect start in defence of their crown, leading the way in the Western Conference with a record of 8-2. Meanwhile, perennial contenders such as the Lakers, Suns and Warriors have struggled in the early going, only registering records of 5-5, 4-6 and 6-5 after the first 11 games. Philadelphia and Boston are setting the pace in the Eastern conference with eight wins each while the Bucks, Pacers and Heat trail slightly behind with six. But the headlines have not been limited just to what’s happening on the court; there have been some massive moves in the 2023 offseason as some famous faces adjust to new places. 2023 has seen its fair share of dramatic trades that have drastically shifted the landscape of the NBA and with the new season in full flow, now seems as good a time as any to break down the moves that made the biggest waves this year. Here’s our look at the biggest moves in the NBA for 2023. 

Kevin Durant to Phoenix Suns

This blockbuster deal shook the NBA to its core back in February, ending a three-year saga that finally saw Durant move from the Nets over to the Desert. The agreement landed the Suns Durant along with T.J.Warren in return for a massive collection of first-round draft picks in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029 along with a pick swap for 2028. The deal put an end to Brooklyn’s failed experiment with Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden. All are bonafide superstars in their own right but they never looked settled in New York and only played 16 games together. The 35-year-old moved onto Phoenix where he is establishing a dangerous-looking partnership with Devin Booker. In the pair’s first eight regular season games together they registered an offensive rating of just under 122 points per 100 possessions. What they’ve been able to achieve in such a short time together has been very impressive, and now with a whole season to do some damage, they’re sure to have the Suns in the playoff picture. 

Damian Lillard to Milwaukee Bucks 

In acquiring Lillard, the Bucks have arguably made the best move in 2023. The 33-year-old is a perfect complement to Giannis Antetokounmpo as one of the best three-point shooters in NBA history. He is a playmaker with unrivaled range and while there will be question marks over his defensive capabilities, Brook Lopez can more than compensate for that. His ever-present threat will open up even more space for teammate Antetokounmpo and that almost certainly will have them in firm control of the Eastern conference for the foreseeable future. This partnership is only in its infancy but it wouldn’t take much imagination to picture the pair leading the Bucks all the way to the NBA Finals in 2024. Using this bet calculator you can see you’ll get 4/1 from betting on the Bucks to win the Championship this season.

Chris Paul to Golden State Warriors 

Initially not much was made of Chris Paul’s arrival in San Francisco with many NBA fans suspecting the veteran would play either a smaller role, or perhaps none at all. What has transpired couldn’t be further from that prediction. CP3 has galvanized the Warriors with players and staff all crediting the 12-time All Star with bringing the feel-good factor and harmony back after such a turbulent and unsettled 2022/23 campaign. His value off the court is just as important as what he does on it as his tutoring of Jonathan Kuminga has seen the 21-year-old post some of his best numbers to date. In terms of what’s happening on the court though, Paul has slotted in right beside Steph Curry as a tandem point guard of sorts giving the 35-year-old plenty of opportunity for wide open three’s. CP3 is very much playing the role of facilitating Curry to do his thing when on the court and steadying the ship when he’s off it; he’s doing both expertly. Even though the Warriors are lower down the Western conference than they’d like to be, the 2022 NBA Champions are still in good shape to make the playoffs and Curry could still have one of his best seasons working with Paul. For that alone, Paul deserves a mention on this list. 

Victor Wembanyama to San Antonio Spurs 

Okay we’re cheating with this one a bit but such is the limitless promise of the 19-year-old Frenchman. It would be amiss to not mention the number one draft pick and his incredible performances in the early stages of the NBA season. At 7ft 4in tall, he is an imposing presence but has the agility of a man half his size. In his first NBA victory over the Rockets he scored 21 points, recorded 12 rebounds and scored the tying shot in the fourth to set up the eventual win. Only a few days later he followed it up with a game-high tally of 38 points in the Spurs’ win over the Suns. There are still some clear pitfalls in his game but he has still got a long way to go in his development and is already recording some impressive stats so early in his NBA career. The Spurs have got a real star on their hands. 

Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero thinks the group’s last two wins are examples of how versatile they can be (defeated the Indiana Pacers on Sunday and Toronto Raptors last night).

(via Orlando Magic):

“I think what makes us unique is we’re a very versatile team on both ends, so we can play different styles I feel like. With Indiana, they’re more up and down, offense is flashy, score a lot of points. And we was able to run with them and then also get stops. With this team, more grind it out, make it less threes, less offense, more defense, and grind it out. So I think defense is the thing that is going to travel game-to-game. As long as our defense is there, we’re going to be able to play however we want to play because we know that on the defensive end we can make it very difficult on other teams. So, I think that’s just what we focused on.”

Bryce James, the youngest son of basketball icon LeBron James, is making a return to Sierra Canyon, as reported by Tarek Fattal of SBLive Sports.

After commencing the 2023 fall semester at Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks, Bryce has officially unenrolled, turning in school and basketball equipment, and is set to resume playing for Sierra Canyon.

The transfer, though seemingly intricate, comes with a twist—Bryce will be eligible to compete immediately at Sierra Canyon, thanks to the CIF Southern Section’s A-B-A rule.

Despite transfer rules rendering him ineligible for half the season when he moved to Notre Dame, Bryce’s return to Sierra Canyon, his original eligibility status, ensures he can resume playing immediately.

In his previous stint at Sierra Canyon, Bryce split time between JV and varsity, averaging 3.8 points per game in 12 varsity appearances as a sophomore.

This offseason marked a parting of ways between the Memphis Grizzlies and Dillon Brooks, as the 27-year-old small forward moved to the Houston Rockets through a sign-and-trade deal after the Grizzlies opted not to renew his contract

As the Rockets prepare to face his former team, Brooks remarked that the Grizzlies seemed to have lost their swagger in his absence.

Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle quoted Brooks, who observed, “You can see now they have no swagger. We have swagger. We have an identity we’re building. Each and every game, we show it more and more. That’s what I want for my guys. That’s what I want for each and every guy on the floor: to play their best basketball.”

Comparing the situation to a past relationship, Brooks humorously remarked, “It’s like the girlfriend that you used to have. You don’t know how good she is until she’s gone.”

Despite the departure, Brooks wonders if the Grizzlies miss the positive dynamics they shared before the separation.

In his debut season with the Rockets, Brooks is making an impact, averaging 13.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 31.8 minutes per game.

Meanwhile, the Rockets hold a 6-6 record, showcasing the swagger Brooks believes they’ve developed, while the struggling Grizzlies sit with just three wins in 13 games.

In a standout performance for the Golden State Warriors, Chris Paul, the seasoned newcomer, showcased his skills with 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 12 assists during a victorious matchup against the Rockets.

The 38-year-old point guard expressed the joy of playing alongside elite shooters like Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, likening the experience to NFL quarterbacks Manning and Brady connecting with their top receivers.

“For me, if you think about Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, them type quarterbacks who got these elite receivers, for me it’s so fun bringing the ball up the court knowing you got Klay, you got Steph,” Paul said, via ClutchPoints.

See more

“For me, if you think about Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, them type quarterbacks who got these elite receivers, for me it’s so fun bringing the ball up the court knowing you got Klay, you got Steph.”

Chris Paul on playing with the Splash Brothers 💦pic.twitter.com/aINATqvMTW

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 21, 2023

Paul’s stellar contribution in the game highlighted his adaptability, especially considering his adjusted role, coming off the bench for the first time in his illustrious career.

Despite the shift, Paul is making significant contributions, averaging 9.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 7.7 assists in 28.8 minutes per game this season.

The NBA veteran drew a parallel between his role on the court and the iconic quarterbacks in football, emphasizing the thrill of bringing the ball up the court with the knowledge that sharpshooters like Thompson and Curry await.

Washington Wizards veteran point guard Tyus Jones had high praise for rookie Bilal Coulibaly following Monday’s 142-129 home loss vs. the Milwaukee Bucks (12 points/3 rebounds/1 assist/2 steals/5-7 FG/2-2 3-PT/+4 +/-).

(via Washington Wizards):

Reporter: “You’ve been in the league for a while now and seen a lot of talented young players and talented veterans. What have you seen from Bilal so far, especially defensively? It feels pretty special that a young kid his age is picking up guys like Dame [Lillard] 94 feet from the hoop and things like that.”

Jones: “He has all the tools, he has all the tools. He knows that. It comes easy to him, like he’s just naturally gifted. And then when you mix in the fact that he’s a worker, the fact that he’s in the gym working, trying to improve, he’s asking questions, he wants to learn on both ends of the floor… That’s when you get something special. So you can see he’s not scared, he’s confident. When you see that from a young guy, that’s special because he’s one of, if not the youngest player in the league. And when you’re thrown out there as a rookie and you’re asked to cover some of the best players in the league that could be eye opening for a lot of guys, but he doesn’t hesitate. He doesn’t hesitate at all, and that’s huge.”

Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey recently described their 12-game losing streak as a tough stretch to go through.

(via Pistons Talk):

“Every single person in the locker room wants to win. We all want to win for each other, for the team, for the coaches, for the organization, for the city, for the fans. We all want to prosper and win. So, it’s tough.”

Before filing the lawsuit against the Toronto Raptors, James Dolan stepped down from his roles on the league’s Board of Governors’ influential advisory/finance and media committees, as per a memo obtained by ESPN.

“Given all that has occurred lately, I have come to the conclusion that the NBA neither needs nor wants my opinion,” Dolan wrote in a July memo to Silver that he copied to the other 29 league owners.

Dolan let Adam Silver and his colleagues know that he would no longer be attending Board of Governor meetings, and now Knicks general counsel Jamaal Lesane is representing the franchise in those meetings.

“My hope is that the Knicks will be treated equally and fairly as all other NBA teams,” Dolan said in the memo. “… As you know, I am very busy with all my duties at MSG family of companies. I need to apply my time where I can be most productive.”

See more

James Dolan Steps Down From Board Positions Amid Lawsuit Against Raptors https://t.co/Jr0rZBq2zl

— RealGM (@RealGM) November 21, 2023