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Former NBA MVP James Harden will reunite with former Houston Rockets teammate Montrezl Harrell with the Philadelphia 76ers. Harden’s pay cut allowed Philly to sign the former Sixth Man of the Year winner.
After Jalen Brunson signed a deal with the New York Knicks, the Dallas Mavericks could be in the market for a veteran point guard. Jason Kidd is looking to have someone bring stability to the team when All-Star Luka Doncic sits.
Talen Horton-Tucker is about to see more on-ball opportunities after he was traded from the LA Lakers to the Utah Jazz. His ball handling and ability to get to the rim could help him flourish in Salt Lake City.
Former NBA MVP James Harden played a significant role in bringing Montrezl Harrell to the Philadelphia 76ers
James Harden took a big pay cut to express his willingness to help the Philadelphia 76ers win next year’s championship. The sacrifice has paid off in a big way with the acquisition of P.J. Tucker and now with the addition of Montrezl Harell.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported it on Twitter:
“James Harden played a part in bringing Harrell to Philadelphia too. Both with his contract creating roster flexibility and recruiting him to take on the role of backup center with the Sixers. They have history together with the Rockets.”
The 76ers suddenly have one of the deepest and most versatile rosters. Coach Doc Rivers now has a plethora of options at his disposal.
Harrell could come in as the backup to Joel Embiid. The former Charlotte Hornets big man won the Sixth Man of the Year award in 2019-20.
Daryl Morey is certainly making Philly look like the Houston Rockets 2.0.
Dallas Mavericks are possibly looking for a veteran playmaker
Coach Jason Kidd needs someone to orchestrate plays and be a leader when All-NBA Luka Doncic rests. The Dallas Mavericks lost a playmaker when Jalen Brunson left for the New York Knicks.
NBA Insider Marc Stein reported on Substack potential names that the Mavericks are looking to add to the roster. Eric Bledsoe, Facundo Campazzo, Elfrid Payton and Dennis Smith Jr. are the four names that Stein linked to Dallas.
The Mavericks also sent a contingent to EuroBasket to check on Dennis Schroder playing for Germany against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Last season, Schroder played well for the Boston Celtics before he was traded to the Houston Rockets.
Houston emphasized the growth and development of its young backcourt led by Jalen Green, which left Schroder with very few minutes on the floor. The German international sent feelers via tweet to LeBron James about his possible interest in joining the LA Lakers.
Dallas, however, could sway him to play a reserved role behind Doncic.
Utah Jazz will expand Talen Horton-Tucker’s role next season
The Utah Jazz allowed Patrick Beverley to leave without playing a game. They got Stanley Johnson and Talen Horton-Tucker in the deal. Utah is looking to make better use of Horton-Tucker than the LA Lakers did.
Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune reported on Horton-Tucker’s possible role with the Jazz next season:
“As much as Horton-Tucker did not align with the Lakers’ needs and timeline, the Jazz’s present situation makes him a player worth gambling upon.
“Utah is clearly embracing a rebuild, and thus is in a better position to deal with Horton-Tucker’s ups and downs. The Jazz also can afford to hand him more on-ball opportunities, which is where he has flourished most to this point.”
With LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook running the show, the Lakers wanted THT to be a 3-and-D guy. After Alex Caruso left before the start of last season, LA had no choice but to let Horton-Tucker play that role.
It never materialized as the young player doesn’t have Caruso’s knack for playing defense. He may yet find the perfect place to develop with the rebuilding Utah Jazz.
Kevin Love’s expiring contract gives the Cleveland Cavaliers salary cap flexibility when Darius Garland’s extension starts
The blockbuster trade that sent All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz to the Cleveland Cavaliers is expected to make a huge impact. One such effect of the Mitchell trade is the downsizing of Cleveland’s salary cap.
Fortunately for them, they will have Kevin Love’s expiring contract after next season to give them some leeway. Darius Garland’s extension will take effect next summer, which should be fine as Love’s contract is already off the books.
Next season, Love will earn $28.9 million and then become an unrestricted free agent. If he chooses to re-sign with the Cavs, it will be under a significantly smaller deal as Garland’s extension gets a big chunk of the salary cap.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, following Garland’s rookie extension, will have one of the best backcourts in the NBA in the foreseeable future. Donovan Mitchell is still locked in until after the 2025-26 season.
Potential top NBA draft prospects will face off in Las Vegas next month
Basketball fans will get a glimpse of the projected top picks of the 2023 NBA draft when Victor Wembanyana and Scoot Henderson face off. Wembanyana’s Metropolitans 92 will take on the G-League Ignite featuring Scoot Henderson on October 4 and 6, according to a report by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
The matchup will take place in Las Vegas in what is expected to be a top draw in Sin City. Wembanyana is the 18-year-old French phenom who plays with almost unbelievable skills for a player his size. He is 7’4 with a jaw-dropping 8-foot wingspan.
Wembanyana moves with astounding mobility that has often left opponents in disbelief. Almost every NBA scout has already tagged him as next year’s top pick.
Facing the French superstar across the court will be Scoot Henderson. The 6’3 Henderson is not the unicorn that Wembanyana is, but he is oozing with talent. His combination of speed, aggressiveness and spectacular athleticism has been fantasized by NBA scouts and executives since last year.
A sellout crowd is expected to witness two of the best talents the NBA will see in the future put on a show in Las Vegas.
Guess the Lakers players!
