We already basically know the Boston Celtics are our 2024 NBA Champions. (Excuse me while I choke down the vomit threatening to rise up the back of my throat.) NBA teams who go up 3-0 in a seven-game series are 151-0. Teams that go up 3-0 in the Finals are 12-0, and have completed the sweep seven out of 12 times. It would take something literally unprecedented in the history of the league for Boston to not emerge the victor. And we’re looking at about even money that the season ends tonight, which current betting lines agree with, as DraftKings lists the Dallas Mavericks as just one-point favorites in tonight’s Game 4.
The question remains as to how the Celtics will be crowned champions. Will they complete the sweep tonight, capping an incredibly efficient regular season and dominant postseason run, after which we’ll have to have a reckoning about their place among the better teams of all time? They were a star-studded superteam completely unselfish with the ball offensively and terrorizing at the point of attack on defense. I, for one, sure hope not. Or can Dallas fight back, winning a game or maybe even two? We can then return to thinking in the back of our minds, ‘Sure, Boston was a good team, but they had a super easy path laid out in front of them and we don’t know how they would have responded to a real challenge.’ That would be a nice, cozy place to go back to heading into the offseason.
On one final note, I don’t understand all the backlash towards Luka Doncic. Are there areas of his game he could improve upon? Sure. But the Mavericks fought through a tremendously talented Western Conference to reach the Finals with him as the centerpiece. The young man is getting pain-killing injections to go out there and play and his teammates largely haven’t stepped up against Boston like we saw in prior rounds. There’s really no shame in losing to a better team, and the fact that everyone wants to bury him for fouling out in Game 3 just seems a little misguided. Yeah, some of those fouls were really poor decisions on his part, but I also felt he got a rough whistle (perhaps because the refs are sick of him chirping at them), he’s playing hurt and soaking up a ton of usage, and Boston always seems to have some answer for what the Mavs throw at them. It’s understandable if Luka is getting a little frustrated during these games. It’ll be a good learning experience for him.
We’ll see what happens tonight and whether we’ll have a Game 5.
Game Details
Who: Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks When: 8:30 p.m. ET Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX Watch: ABC Follow:@LibertyBallers
As we all watch in disgust as the Celtics look set to win the NBA Finals, a sliver of offseason slop might provide a small boost to Sixers fans’ spirits.
ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst shared a nugget that could leave the door open to nine-time All-Star Paul George coming to Philly in free agency. As a guest on the Pat McAfee Show earlier this week, Windhorst said that George and the Clippers “have swapped numbers, and they’re not on the same page.”
As Windy notes in the clip above, the two sides could’ve reached an agreement at any time and failed to do so. Kawhi Leonard signed an extension with L.A. way back in January for three years and a shade below $150 million. Notably, that was not a max contract extension for Leonard. Perhaps the Clippers are hoping to get George to agree to a similar deal while the six-time All-NBA selection knows that there will be max offers waiting for him in free agency.
In any case, it does leave the door cracked open for the Sixers, the first team Windhorst mentions as a George suitor. Windy also spoke about the potential of a sign-and-trade between the Clippers and Sixers, which could lead to a few intriguing scenarios for Daryl Morey and company.
While all indications are that PG-13 is the Sixers’ Plan A, their Plan B might not involve free agents at all. If they fail to sign George, a trade is the next possible outcome, per Windhorst.
“If they don’t get [George], where’s the Sixers’ money going? What are they going to do with it? Not necessarily sign players, I think the actual big transactions this summer will be trades — teams taking on salary in trades. Philly, potentially, if they don’t get Paul George, [could] try to trade for guys into their cap space.”
The two biggest names potentially on the trade market are old friend Jimmy Butler and the Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram. If you’ll recall, Windhorst linked the Sixers to all three of George, Butler and Ingram literally the day after the team was eliminated by the Knicks in Game 6.
Remember, in the new CBA, teams are allowed to speak with their free agents the day after the NBA Finals — unlike last season when the whole “Daryl Morey is a liar” James Harden fiasco went down. So, we should get a decent idea where George and the Clippers stand once Boston finishes off Dallas (maybe the only reason to look forward to that series ending).
The NBA Draft is also less than two weeks away. As Windy notes, things could get spicy when the first round starts on Wednesday, June 26.
“We might actually see the biggest action around the draft. … That’s the beginning of trade season and who knows? You might see action with Paul George — whether it’s him getting traded somewhere or him just deciding to stay with the Clippers.”
Philadelphia 76ers’ guard Cam Payne, due to become a free agent on the evening of June 30, was arrested early Friday morning in Scottsdale, Arizona according to a report from TMZ. The charges included refusal to provide truthful identification and providing a false report to law enforcement.
According to the Scottsdale Police Department, authorities were called out to investigate a disturbance in Scottsdale at around 2:44 AM — and came into contact with Payne and another individual.
It’s unclear exactly what happened next — cops did not give any further specific details — although the SPD says Payne was arrested on the scene and booked on one charge of refusal to provide a truthful name and one count of false report to law enforcement.
We’re told the 29-year-old NBA player was released from custody a short time later.
That’s the only information available about the incident at this time, but we will keep you posted when (if) more details become available.
Payne joined the Sixers in early February via a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks. For Payne and the Bucks’ 2027 second-round pick, the 76ers traded Patrick Beverley to Milwaukee. In 31 games for Philadelphia this season, Payne averaged 9.3 points per game, shooting 41.3% from the field and 38.2% from three on 4.4 attempts per game.
Payne will become a free agent at the end of this month.
Before the 2024 NBA Draft, we’ll take an in-depth look at different prospects here at Liberty Ballers and try to figure out which players would be the best fit for the Sixers at Nos. 16 and 41. Next up in this series is Dayton’s DaRon Holmes II.
In his sophomore year, DaRon Holmes II built upon an excellent freshman season by becoming the focal point of Dayton’s offense. In his junior year, he dominated for the Flyers and was named the Atlantic 10’s Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and a Consensus All-American.
Standing over 6-foot-9 with shoes and boasting an impressive 7-1 wingspan, Holmes has ideal NBA size. He’s built solidly at over 236 pounds and his strength shows on the court. When you couple that with Holmes’ improving skill, you have an intriguing prospect.
The two biggest improvements in Holmes’ offensive game were his shooting and court vision. After attempting just 26 shots from deep in his first two seasons, Holmes hoisted up 83 threes in 2023-24 with impressive results (38.6%). His post-up game was once again strong, but he showed better feel as his usage rate went up and he saw constant double teams. He was outstanding in the pick-and-roll, both rolling to the rim and popping for threes.
Holmes also features a face-up game and ability as a straight line driver. He was able to line up opposing post players and either hit midrange jumpers or short fadeaways over them. He uses long strides, a nasty spin move and his strength to get downhill and finish at the rim. It’s this type of versatility that makes you see why NBA folks believe he can play the four.
Holmes was the anchor of Dayton’s defense, taking home the A-10’s Defensive Player of the year last season. He’s an outstanding rim protector, reads the pick-and-roll well and flashes a little switchability.
Weaknesses
It’s easy to see why Holmes is rising up draft boards. There really aren’t many holes in his game and there’s intriguing upside.
But his age will be a factor — he’ll turn 22 before next season begins. While there is belief he can succeed as a four at the next level, he’ll need to prove his shooting uptick wasn’t a fluke and improve his handle a bit.
Respectfully, it’s also worth noting that the A-10 isn’t exactly a powerhouse, but Holmes did play well against Nevada and Arizona in the NCAA Tournament.
Positional Fit
Holmes is definitely an NBA five. He has the size and proper skillset to succeed at that position. What’s more intriguing is envisioning him playing minutes at the four. A player like the Timberwolves’ Naz Reid is an interesting comp. Holmes is a different player from the NBA’s reigning Sixth Man of the Year, but both players provide legit combo big versatility.
Draft Projection
SB Nation mock draft: No. 16, Sixers
I can hear the collective groans at the idea of the Sixers selecting a center at 16, but Holmes feels like a unique player. If you look at the way Chris Finch — a close coaching friend of Nick Nurse — utilized Reid, there could be a similar path for Holmes with a team like the Sixers. With Joel Embiid on the floor, Holmes could space the floor in the corner or hang in the dunker spot where he can catch lobs and crash the offensive glass. When Embiid is off the floor, Holmes — who excelled as both a roller and popper last season — provides an intriguing pick-and-roll partner for Tyrese Maxey while also providing strong rim protection on the other end.
Before the 2024 NBA Draft, we’ll take an in-depth look at different prospects here at Liberty Ballers and try to figure out which players would be the best fit for the Sixers at Nos. 16 and 41. Next up in this series is North Carolina’s Harrison Ingram.
Ingram projects to be a glue guy and connector, someone who can offer a variety of offensive and defensive skill sets.
Harrison Ingram is a stellar playmaker for his size. He plays like a college veteran and knows how to play at his own pace. Before transferring to UNC, he played at Stanford where he was primarily used as a pick-and-roll ball handler. With North Carolina he became a playmaking hub for their offense, typically operating out of the post or elbows. Ingram dramatically refined his shooting at UNC, making 40 percent of threes. Ingram is an excellent rebounder and regularly displays good timing when crashing the boards. He projects to be a highly versatile defender — he’s quick enough to switch onto guards and uses his length and size well against wings and forwards. He plays with strong fundamentals and consistently shows effort on the defensive end.
Weaknesses
Ingram struggles to create space off the dribble, typically forcing him into heavily contested shots at the rim or in the midrange. He struggled to convert baskets around the rim, making only 52.4 percent of his shots, per Synergy. Before transferring to UNC, Ingram was a below average shooter, never averaging over 32 percent from three. He has decent form, but lacks a soft, natural touch.
Positional Fit
Ingram may be one of the most unique players to be had in the second round, as his combination of size and playmaking allow him to practically be slotted into any position. Comparing him to one specific player is difficult, but think of someone like Joe Johnson who is less of a scorer and more of a playmaker. Or someone like Grant Williams, who acts as a glue guy who takes tough defensive assignments.
Draft Projection
Second round
There’s plenty of red flags here to consider, but Ingram’s playmaking, defensive versatility and ability to play within his role will certainly find him a home in the NBA. Don’t be surprised if Ingram gets scooped up in the late first round, as there’s plenty to like if you believe in his shooting progression.
“I always believed that if we only have this one life, then let’s experiment with it.”
-David Bowie, told to TeleGraph, 1996
I think if you ask most fans, they’d still agree that Michael Jordan, possessing six championship rings, is The Greatest of All Time.
LeBron James has been squarely in the conversation ever since he won his fourth title with the Lakers in the bubble. And there are plenty of experts and fans who’d take The King over His Airness outright. But unless the NBA’s all-time season-scoring leader wins a fifth ring (which would tie the Akron native with names like Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson), I’m not sure that he’ll convince enough people that he’s THE best to ever lace ’em up. One more ring would win over another wave. Two more might just put the whole thing to bed.
Hearing MJ talk over the years, one of El GOAT’s biggest regrets has been the 1997 Bulls management blowing up a dynasty, preparing for the future beyond MJ’s career, saving a few bucks. Jordan wanted a seventh, perhaps somehow knowing he’d one day be competing with players better than any he’d actually gotten the chance to face on a court.
So what’s LeBron’s mindset heading into year 22? One more ring in L.A. and a local might ask “so was he better than Shaq, Kareem, Kobe or Magic?” When you have 17 banners this is just what’s expected. But in Philly, where there haven’t been any banners since 1983? Now we’re talking about some true legend shit.
Sun rays, comfort, hope and a prayer
Sure, it might be comfortable for LeBron and his fam to stay in sunny L.A. Sure, LeBron probably has the confidence to convince himself his team with Anthony Davis (a true top-10ish talent when healthy) can win the title in 2025. Meh.
Sure, there’s the pipedream that maybe the Lakers’ 2024, 2029 and 2031 first-round picks along with several of Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent or Rui Hachimura might land a Jimmy Butler, a Donovan Mitchell or a Brandon Ingram.
But in his heart of kingly hearts, the 20-time All-Star probably does sense his career mortality looming. He probably does understand the Lakers have few paths to land the very big fish they’d need to help him catch Magic let alone Mike.
Alas, the 13-time All-NBA First Teamer could soon become a free agent. But the absence of rumors he might depart, combined with the Lakers already embarrassing offseason, already has fans wondering if he’s not as motivated to win as he once was.
Maybe LeBron can tune them out until the end of the month. But the speculation will only explode assuming he re-signs and begins the twilight of his career mired in mediocrity.
The Philadelphia 76ers (with a true top-six per Bleacher Report’s latest ranking talent when healthy) with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey (a newcomer to the top 20ish players) have about $65M in cap space.
If LeBron extends with the Lakers he can earn $164.3M. If he opts out and signs with the Sixers he’s looking at $157.5M. Pocket pennies for a dude worth about $1.2B.
And unlike L.A., few here are asking about the Sixers (set to drop a full max on Maxey) what BR’s Eric Pincus asked Tuesday: “are the Lakers just … cheap?
Philadelphia could give King a max, trade up to five first-round picks, still come up with another ~$15Mish in space, plus an $8M exception, all while signing a few of his preferred vets on min deals. They still wouldn’t be as top-heavy or expensive as Boston’s roster is built, they could offer ring-chasing vets a significant playing-role since they’d need cheap depth.
Joel, Maxey, LeBron, KCP, Caruso, Lowry, Batum, Drummond, Bronny, and maybe even Oubre or Hield anyone?
Per Newsweek, DraftKings is already slotting the Sixers in for the seventh-best (+1200, an implied 7.7% chance) odds to win the 2025 championship. LAL is given just the 10th-best odds (+2000, 4.7%), almost half of Philly’s.
If in fact the Lakers and ESPN/Woj were using the Hurley story as a distraction from Redick, leading Woj to then actually want them to hire Hurley, leading them to losing Redick, it is one of the dumbest and greatest sports media stories of all time https://t.co/JjWvrrUjvy
Can you imagine how much higher the Sixers’ title odds would be if LeBron signed in Philly, not LA? Only Boston would have the edge, and with Kristaps Porzingis’ new injuries, I’m not sure it would be an edge at all.
Celtics announce Kristaps Porzingis torn medial retinaculum allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon in his left leg at 3:27 of the third quarter of Game 2. They say the injury is unrelated to Porzingis’s prior right calf injury.
Yahoo Sports’ Vincent Goodwill recently referred to the LakeShow as a “circus:”
“Some folks around the league feel J.J. Redick won’t want to be involved with this circus, and that he won’t want to be a second choice, but he wants to coach.”
ESPN’s Senior Writer Zach Lowe reminded us that the Lakers are a Play-In team almost every year.
Fans are reasonably trying to suss out how much LeBron cares about winning and the current coaching search.
Does King James just want his podcast buddy JJ Redick to coach? Did he secretly prefer UConn’s Dan Hurley or did Rob Pelinka go against James’ wishes again?
Was it all a leverage ploy by Hurley’s camp? Did the Lakers, known playfully as the league’s “mom and pop shop,” just get too cheap?
Interesting info from @ShamsCharania on the Lakers pursuit of Dan Hurley:
– JJ was their first option from the beginning (weeks ago) – Lakers only recently found out (last week potentially) that Dan Hurley was having contract negotiations with UConn – Lakers jumped the gun and… pic.twitter.com/muOzl5TkNP
Why are we hearing “GM LeBron” — one of the most notoriously involved player/GMs ever — isn’t really involved now? Is his focus divided between hoops Cali business interests?
Hmmm….
Just speculation here but this is the first time this offseason I’ve thought LeBron leaving is on the table. Vibes are in the dirt right now.
The markets, media and fans all smell that LA circus popcorn popping, so why doesn’t James? Is he stubborn? Does he feel loyalty?
Kyrie Irving’s Finals run with the Mavs cannot be sitting well
Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
If it’s loyalty, he shouldn’t let that sway him. How much resentment might James harbor against his current franchise’s front office for not topping the Dallas Mavericks offer for Irving when they reportedly had the opportunity?
By 2023, James called his former running mate “the most gifted player” in NBA history.
It’s been reported that the Lakers could have bested Dallas’ offer back in 2023. Per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
“LeBron wanted the Lakers to trade for Kyrie Irving when he was on the trade block, a couple of different times in ’22 and ’23….The Lakers actually could’ve created the cap space to beat the Mavericks offer last year, but they elected not to.”
As Sam Quinn put it for CBS Sports: “[Dallas’ offer] was an offer the Lakers could have topped, and the Nets demanded that they do so.”
Marc Stein, via Substack, laid out what Brooklyn asked for and L.A. wasn’t willing to offer: “They didn’t just want the two firsts and Russ [Westbrook]. They wanted [Austin] Reaves. They wanted [Max] Christie. They wanted Rui [Hachimura]….”
I know Irving carried more than a bit of baggage, but talent-wise, if you’re not prepared to cash in (two distant future picks, Rui and Reaves, while netting a dumping grounds for Westbrook’s hilariously bad contract) to capitalize on LeBron f—-g James’ prime, you’re doing something wrong.
LeBron sat down with @RealMikeWilbon to share his thoughts on the Lakers not being able to trade for his former teammate Kyrie Irving:
“I can’t sit here and say I’m not disappointed on not being able to land such a talent.” pic.twitter.com/2smRTk3Y0c
James told coaching candidate JJ Redick on their co-hosted Mind the Game pod:
“There was nothing on the basketball floor that Kyrie couldn’t do…. I am so f—ing mad at the same time that I am not his running mate anymore.”
This reminds me… Tom Brady is considered the GOAT of the NFL, right?
NFL star Aaron Rodgers, after a rare down year in 2019, had to watch his Packers’ franchise draft his replacement over some premier offensive weapons in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Rodgers was furious and responded by bouncing back and winning back-to back NFL MVP’s in 2020 and 2021.
In the 2020 NFC Championship game, the eventual Super Bowl MVP Brady, threw three interceptions in seven plays, uncharacteristically imploding.
But Joel Embiid’s favorite team at the time, the Packers, simply couldn’t capitalize.
Stud receivers the Pack could have selected like Tee Higgins and Michael Pittman fell to other teams, as Rodgers’ future backup stood uselessly on the sidelines in the Conference Finals. GB lost by five points in an agonizingly winnable home game. Brady went on to win his eighth ring in a route the very next game.
The Bulls underestimated how much MJ had left in the tank. The Pack underestimated how much Rodgers had left in the tank. And the Lakers underestimated both LeBron and Kyrie. All left bullets that would have helped in the clip. All paid the price.
So LeBron shouldn’t feel any undying loyalty or obligation here to the Lakers. They’ve made their bed. He certainly doesn’t have to lie in it.
If we’re just evaluating where LeBron would have a better chance of winning a ring, it’s Philly.
The Sixers have Maxey and the Lakers don’t. The Sixers have Nurse and the Lakers don’t. The Sixers have Morey and the Lakers have Pelinka.
Oh, and the Sixers are in the East. https://t.co/dqliUxdmUa
Yes, Anthony Davis makes an elite star-running mate. His 2020 title run was sensational. But like Embiid, he’s no exemplar of health. If both bigs are risky bets, at least Embiid is better when both are healthy.
If LeBron wants to compete for a ring, AND get a max deal, AND get to play with Bronny, then he should come to the Sixers!!!!! pic.twitter.com/8NNJ3dGbl1
Austin Reaves is good. But he’s certainly no Maxey.
The Sixers could in theory (since they’re not as cheap as L.A.) sign LeBron, then target two role players Bron won a chip with in KCP (an FA) and Bulls’ Alex Caruso (via trade). There would still likely be dollars and picks leftover to retain names like Kyle Lowry, Nico Batum, and even go shopping for cheap help like Andre Drummond or Kevon Looney, or a 2025 version of Oubre, looking to resurrect a career.
That may not be a super team, but it might be.
LeBron averaged over 26 points per 36 eleven times in his career. But during three of his four title-winning campaigns, the King averaged 26 pts/36 or less. Playing alongside Joel and Maxey might approximate some of that Big Three dynamic he enjoyed in Miami and Cleveland. He’d have to keep carrying the show in L.A.
Redick or whoever L.A. hires as coach might be good. But in his first season he certainly won’t be 2019 champ Nick Nurse. This Conference is no cakewalk. But Indiana making the East Finals reminds us how open it is. The West? I don’t know.
In some ways, it feels like LeBron is already #OneOfUs.
It isn’t difficult to sniff out where The King would have his most realistic chance to catch Kobe, if not Jordan.
If I’m LeBron James, I go back East.
It makes more sense.
The West & the Lakers ain’t it when the youth is taking over with OKC, Minnesota, Denver, Dallas, Houston on the rise & Golden State is still gonna be there.
— Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) June 10, 2024
Oh right, and all he’d have to do is say the word and Daryl Morey would probably draft his son Bronny James.
Can you even imagine a better storyline than this one:
James won his fifth championship, on his fourth team, delivering a title to every team he’s ever played for, in his 22nd NBA season, while sharing the floor with his soon-to-be-20-year-old son, Bronny James.
#GOAT shit.
If I had LeBron’s confidence, this type of hypothetical might even have me wondering if I could show up in Philly, F-k around and threepeat, topping Jordan’s six rings.
If LeBron wants another ring (as much as MJ would have) then he’d set sail for the Sixers. Rolling the dice on AD’s body holding up isn’t much — if any — safer than betting on Embiid’s.
If James is comfy going out on his own terms, not having to move, padding regular season all-time point stats, scrapping and clawing for the Play-In, then I suspect he’s better off staying put.
But if his own team wasn’t even willing to bet on his remaining window by mortgaging the future for Irving, wouldn’t it make some sense to find a significantly better team that truly believes in him?
Go rewatch “The Last Dance” and tell me MJ would have been content with four rings and some glorious sunshine during his final All-NBA worthy seasons.
One day, far away, someone new will come along and win five rings, and pundits will wonder if this heir apparent is better than James was. And Bron might just regret once opting for the comfy confines of Cali instead of using his remaining prowess to pursue glory alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and his son. Guess we’ll see how badly he wants to be the GOAT in a couple of weeks.
There’s a host of possible outcomes for the Sixers in free agency this summer. They have the flexibility to create $60+ million in cap space to go spending and star hunting, plus a bunch of players on expiring contracts ready to hit free agency.
This includes Kelly Oubre Jr., fresh off a strong year where he more than proved his value. Now, he seems to be getting ready to make the most of his chance to land a big raise by acquiring new representation: he’s officially joined CAA Basketball.
Oubre’s agent was Torrel Harris for a few years, but Oubre parted ways with him before joining the Sixers and representing himself for a while.
Oubre’s entering free agency at just the right time after the quality season he turned in. With his on-ball scoring and driving ability, off-ball cutting, some improved passing, athleticism, and defensive ability against guards and forwards (which lapsed at times but was rock solid at others, especially later in the season), he showed he can be a genuinely good player after he went unsigned for so long in free agency just one year ago. He had plenty of games where he was one of the Sixers’ best three or four players on the floor. Getting that kind of production from a player on a minimum deal was incredible value.
There’s no doubt the Sixers should look into bringing Oubre back if they can. But as one of the better wings on the free agent market this summer, he may well have played his way out of the Sixers’ budget and will look to cash in elsewhere.
Because the Sixers didn’t win a playoff series this year, Paul Reed’s future is now up in the air.
The offer sheet that Reed signed with the Utah Jazz last offseason stipulated that his $7.7 million salary for the 2024-25 season would only become guaranteed if his team advanced to the second round of the playoffs. Instead, the New York Knicks and Joel Embiid’s case of Bell’s palsy helped ensure Reed’s contract would remain non-guaranteed through Jan. 10.
The Sixers could waive Reed this offseason and be left without a dead cap hit, which they’d likely consider if they land a third max-contract player. Cutting him would be their path to still having meaningful cap space, along with the $8.0 million room mid-level exception once they were capped out. But they don’t have a nearby deadline by which they have to make a decision. They can see how the offseason plays out and proceed accordingly.
Since Reed’s full contract is non-guaranteed, he’d count as $0 in outgoing salary in trades unless the Sixers guaranteed some or all of his deal. But as long as they stay under the salary cap after a trade, they don’t need to worry about salary-matching rules. If anything, they could leave him non-guaranteed to sweeten a trade offer, allowing his next team to decide whether to keep him as depth, re-route him or waive him for cap relief.
The Sixers could also manipulate their offseason order of operations to take advantage of Reed’s contract in a creative way. If they keep him on their books and guarantee his full salary, they could flip him to acquire a much higher-paid player even if they’re over the cap at the time.
Under the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, trades involving two teams below either apron have looser salary-matching rules than they once did. Teams that send between $7.25 million and $29 million in salary can take that amount of salary back plus $7.5 million. In other words, a team could trade a $7.5 million contract for a $15 million contract, or a $29 million contract for a $36.5 million contract.
With Reed set to earn $7.7 million next season, the Sixers could flip him for a player earning as much as $15.2 million as long as they stay below the first apron after the trade. They would then be hard-capped at the first apron for the remainder of the league year. Depending on how the rest of their offseason shakes out, that could be their best chance to round out their roster and add more depth.
For instance, let’s say they sign Paul George for his full max salary of $49.4 million. They could have as much as $16.7 million in cap space if they waive Reed and Ricky Council IV, trade the No. 16 overall pick, turn down their team option on Jeff Dowtin Jr. and renounce the rights to all of their free agents. They’ll likely wind up having less than that because they keep Reed, don’t trade the pick or re-sign some of their own players.
The Sixers could still have as much as $10.2 million in cap space along with the $8.0 million room MLE with a George max deal, Reed and Joel Embiid’s contracts and Tyrese Maxey’s cap hold on their books. Once they spent that cap space, they could flip Reed for a higher-paid player to upgrade that spot without having the cap space to fill it otherwise. They’d effectively be turning $7.7 million of cap space into $15.2 million, except they could only spend that on trades.
The Sixers would still be slightly out of range salary-wise on Lu Dort ($16.5 million), Deni Avdjia ($15.6 million) and P.J. Washington ($15.5 million) on the off-chance that any of them became available this offseason. However, they could squeeze Dorian Finney-Smith ($14.9 million), Luke Kennard ($14.8 million team option) or Naz Reid ($14.0 million) in with the salary-matching buffer on Reed’s contract. Larry Nance Jr. ($11.2 million), Gabe Vincent ($11.0 million) and Maxi Kleber ($11.0 million) could be slightly less expensive options.
In some respects, the Jazz did the Sixers a favor in the way they structured Reed’s contract. If he had a team or player option instead of a non-guaranteed salary, he’d have his contractual fate determined by late June either way. Instead, the Sixers can keep him on their books heading into July and pivot as needed from there.
If the Sixers land a third max-contract star, it wouldn’t be surprising if they just waive Reed outright. If they snag someone on a slightly smaller deal—Brandon Ingram, Donovan Mitchell or Mikal Bridges, for instance—they might have enough cap space to round out their roster even with Reed’s contract still on their books. From there, they could evaluate their options at backup center without him and explore the trade market for him as well.
There’s no guarantee that the Sixers will waive Reed right as the offseason begins, though. In fact, it would behoove them to maintain their optionality with his contract for as long as possible, unless they needed his $7.7 million of cap space to sign a free agent.
Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM.
Before the 2024 NBA Draft, we’ll take an in-depth look at different prospects here at Liberty Ballers and try to figure out which players would be the best fit for the Sixers at Nos. 16 and 41. Next up in this series isKansas’ Kevin McCullar.
Kansas’ Kevin McCullar played four seasons with Texas Tech, later transferring to Kansas and playing two seasons with the Jayhawks. McCullar excelled last season, putting up career highs in minutes, three-point percentage, assists and points. Now he’ll have a chance to pop at the next level.
Kevin McCullar spent his five years in college well, dramatically improving as a perimeter scorer with a recent shooting resurgence. McCullar’s three-point percentage doesn’t jump off the page at a lackluster 33.3 percent, but he did take a career-high 4.5 attempts per game and refined his form for the better. His free throw shooting (typically a good indicator of where a prospects shooting is) also crept up into the 80s. McCullar has great offensive IQ, timing his cuts well and finding the defensive weak spots with ease. He thrived as a playmaker with Kansas, rarely turning the ball over and facilitating pick-and-rolls and dribble handoffs. He’s a capable scorer from most areas on the floor, and finished well within the three-point arc. Defensively, he brings intensity, effort and focus as a defender and rebounder. He defends well off-ball and offers some size as a helper at the rim.
Weaknesses
McCullar is one of the older prospects in this draft, which means he’ll likely have a high floor compared to most prospects in his range while also having a limited ceiling. Most causes for concern revolve around his shooting and how real his resurgence was/is. Prior to this year, McCullar failed to shoot above 30 percent in three of his four seasons, averaging a rough 29.8 percent from three in his first four collegiate seasons. Outside of shooting concerns, McCullar doesn’t project to be a dynamic ball hander who can lead an offense. Look for him to play a role similar to Joe Ingles, Nic Batum, Kyle Anderson — someone who can complement the offense and move the ball well, while not being the prime playmaker.
Positional Fit
McCullar’s defensive versatility, length and playmaking ability should allow him to play multiple positions at the next level — most notably at either forward spot. McCullar’s game has shades of Bruce Brown — a defensive-minded forward, that’s capable of slashing to the rim and getting teammates involved with his playmaking ability.
Draft Projection
Late first round, early second
McCullar is one of the more seasoned prospects in this draft, with his floor likely being drafted in the second round as contending teams look for players who can contribute fast. Although, some drafts do have him going in the late first round, where contenders will be looking for players who can provide skills day one.
If ever there was a chance for Dallas to make this a series, tonight is it. The Mavericks are back home and Boston big man Kristaps Porzingis has been ruled out due to dislocation of of the left posterior tibialis, something we’ve definitely all heard of before. Luka Doncic hasn’t been at 100 percent himself, but it’s been the supporting cast letting the Mavericks down thus far, including co-star Kyrie Irving. Can home cooking change things or will Jayson Tatum and company pull off the road upset as 3.5-point underdogs and put a stranglehold on these NBA Finals? Watch to find out and follow along in the comments.
Game Details
Who: Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks When: 8:30 p.m. ET Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX Watch: ABC Follow:@LibertyBallers
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