With half of the 2022-23 campaign in the books, theScore's NBA editors answer some of the biggest questions around the league.
Which Western Conference team is most likely to finish with the No. 1 seed?It's hard to argue against the Denver Nuggets. They've got wins over the league-leading Boston Celtics, Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns, and Los Angeles Clippers, including a 31-point demolition last Thursday of Kawhi Leonard and Co. Nikola Jokic is playing at an MVP level once again, Jamal Murray looks more like his old self, and Aaron Gordon is having arguably his best NBA campaign. Three-and-D guards Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown have been nice additions alongside the Nuggets' core, while Bones Hyland has emerged as one of the league's top reserve scorers. Although defense remains an area of concern, the Nuggets' explosive offense can make up for their shortcomings on the opposite end. - Chicco Nacion
The Memphis Grizzlies learned some valuable lessons about playoff basketball during last season's run to the West semis, and there's plenty of reason to think Ja Morant and Co. can improve on that. It helps that they boast the league's second-best defensive rating (109.1) and the 11th-best offensive return (113.9) for the third-best net rating (4.8). Having a healthy Jaren Jackson Jr. in the lineup also doesn't hurt, nor does Morant's emergence as an improved facilitator. The one red flag is the team's perimeter shooting, an issue that can be easily corrected both at the trade deadline and with Desmond Bane's return to health. Memphis' starting five have played fewer than 50 minutes together all season, a number that should scare the rest of the NBA's upper echelon. - Michael J. Chandler
With the New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns both short star players for the foreseeable future, maybe a team that's set to get its best player back can go on a run and claim the top spot in a flawed West. Steph Curry, who's expected to return by the end of the week, will be rejoining a Golden State Warriors squad that's finally starting to click after a dreadful start to the campaign. Though they just inexcusably dropped two games against the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons, the 20-20 Warriors are getting improved play from Klay Thompson and a healthy Andrew Wiggins back in the fold. If Jordan Poole can finally snap out of his slump, such a high-powered team can certainly erase a six-and-a-half-game deficit for the conference's top spot. - Matthew Winick
Which player is most likely to get moved at the deadline? Issac Baldizon / National Basketball Association / GettyThe Washington Wizards are facing a difficult decision regarding Kyle Kuzma. Arguably their third-best player, Kuzma is averaging a career-high 21.4 points per game while chipping in 7.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists. Signing the 27-year-old to a long-term extension would make sense. However, the Wizards rank fifth in total cap space used with Kuzma's $13-million salary and a long-term extension for center Kristaps Porzingis looming. Washington could get a decent return for a versatile forward who's improved in all six of his seasons. A Kuzma trade would also help inch the Wizards closer to a potential top-four pick in June's draft. - Donald Higney
Entering the season, it made sense for the Pistons to take a flyer on veteran sharpshooter Bojan Bogdanovic and pair him alongside a growing core in hopes of taking a step up the standings. However, 2022-23 has become a lost campaign for Detroit with the team sitting in the league's basement and franchise star Cade Cunningham out for the season. The Pistons should now look to trade their 33-year-old impending free agent as he's hyper-valuable as a career 39.4% 3-point shooter who's recording a 41.6% clip this season. - Winick
With the Toronto Raptors' season on a downward spiral, the club should be open for business. Gary Trent will almost certainly decline his $18.6-million player option for 2023-24, and the Raptors would be foolish not to entertain offers for their starting two-guard. Trent is averaging 18.4 points and shooting 36.5% from downtown. The Duke product is once again among the league leaders in average deflections. His shot-creation, floor-spacing, and ability to defend multiple positions can certainly help a contending squad. - Nacion
Which championship contender is the most flawed? Justin Tafoya / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Dallas Mavericks have won nine of their last 10 due in large part to Luka Doncic's otherworldly run of individual displays. The delirium surrounding Doncic's wizardry has overshadowed a poorly constructed roster rife with issues at the defensive end and on the glass. The Mavs own the 22nd-best defensive rating (113.7) and are the league's worst rebounding side with a rock-bottom percentage (47.5%) and the fewest boards per contest (39). Christian Wood's recent consistency and Jaden Hardy's emergence as a reliable scorer also help paper over these cracks, but the Mavericks' overreliance on an unsustainable run by Doncic and their poor defensive play could ultimately prove too great to overcome. - Chandler
The cracks are starting to show for the Milwaukee Bucks. They've lost six of their last 10 contests, including a four-game losing streak to Eastern Conference rivals - the Cavaliers, Nets, Celtics, and Bulls. Milwaukee ranks 29th in offensive rating over that stretch and 27th in net rating, falling behind the Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, and Detroit Pistons. The Bucks also suffered a 41-point loss to the Memphis Grizzlies last month, the fourth-largest margin of victory this season. Even with Khris Middleton missing 32 games due to different lower-body injuries, a down year from a usually strong Milwaukee defense will prevent the team from winning another ring. - Higney
The Nuggets may be on their way to the West's top seed, but there are still many questions for this squad to answer in the playoffs. For one, the Jokic-led Nuggets are just 9-19 in postseason games past the first round, having lost eight of their last nine. On top of that, Denver hasn't quite been as dominant as its 26-13 record shows. The team is tied with the New York Knicks for seventh in point differential and sits in the same spot for net rating. That's in large part due to a shaky defense that ranks 23rd league-wide in defensive rating - the Nuggets allow opposing teams to make 68.5% of shots from less than 5 feet away from the rim, second worst in the NBA. - Winick
Who's this season's most improved player? Zach Beeker / National Basketball Association / GettyShai Gilgeous-Alexander is doing it all for the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Canadian ranks third in the Association in free-throw attempts (370), fourth in scoring (30.9 points per game), and 12th in steals (1.6). Gilgeous-Alexander has dropped 30 points or more in 24 games, trailing only Doncic. His court vision, efficiency in isolation, and elite clutch play have kept the Thunder more competitive than many pundits expected. Gilgeous-Alexander has shown growth as a defender as well, posting 3.3 deflections and 3.0 contested triples per game. He has also registered two blocks or more on 10 occasions. The fifth-year guard is pretty much a lock to earn his first All-Star nod next month and is equally deserving of this season's Most Improved Player award. - Nacion
The potential was always there. Whether with the Arizona Wildcats, Chicago Bulls, or Cleveland Cavaliers, Finnish forward Lauri Markkanen has shown flashes of what could be. But it wasn't until Markkanen joined the Utah Jazz in September as part of the Donovan Mitchell swap that the potential got a chance to come to fruition. The contrast between his first five seasons in the league and the 2022-23 campaign has been stark.
PPG
RPG
FG%
3FG%
Career
16.5
7.0
45.4
37.2
2022-23
24.5
8.4
52.9
42.0
More than just a result of his statistical contributions, Markkanen has become the No. 1 option after years of assuming a supporting role. "It's something that I have to get adjusted to," Markkanen said in December about the change in roles. "But going forward, I feel like I have the room and the mentality to be more aggressive." So far, so good. Next up: a maiden All-Star bow. - Chandler
Another guard who's stuffing the stat sheet for their team, Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers has taken a leap in his third NBA campaign. In his first full season with the franchise, Haliburton is averaging 20.3 points per game, is second in the league in assists with 10.3, and is one of 11 players to average at least 1.7 steals along with defensive mainstays OG Anunoby and Dejounte Murray. The 22-year-old has the Pacers playing faster; they rank seventh league-wide in pace, fifth in 3-pointers made, and fourth in assists en route to a surprising 23-18 start. An All-Star appearance for Haliburton isn't out of the question. - Higney
Which team should pivot to tank mode? Melissa Majchrzak / National Basketball Association / GettyWith the Jazz's shocking 10-3 start well in the rearview mirror, the now-20-23 squad should be looking to offload some veteran pieces and go along with the rebuild we all initially expected. Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, and Kelly Olynyk could all be role players on contenders, and their departures would allow rookies like Walker Kessler and Ochai Agbaji to take on bigger roles. Plus, Utah would be better positioned in the draft lottery. That was the original goal when the Jazz dealt Mitchell and Rudy Gobert this summer anyway. - Winick
With 11 losses in their last 15 games, the Raptors aren't contenders as currently constructed. President of basketball operations Masai Ujiri has been vocal about competing for championships and doesn't have any interest in sneaking into the postseason via the play-in tournament. It would take quite a package to move either Pascal Siakam or OG Anunoby. However, Trent and Fred VanVleet could hit the market next summer if they opt out of their contracts, and losing either for nothing may come back to haunt the Raptors. Dealing a few of their key rotational players probably won't sink them all the way to the bottom, but each place dropped is huge with two potential franchise-changing prospects available in this year's draft. - Nacion
The present iteration of the Washington Wizards will continue to languish in NBA purgatory for perpetuity. As mentioned above, Kuzma could be an attractive piece for suitors with playoff ambitions. So too could Bradley Beal, especially for a team like Dallas, which sorely requires a second star. The no-trade clause included in Beal's fresh five-year, $251-million max contract was an unnecessary addition and a stipulation that could complicate things. That said, the Wizards are six games back in the loss column of a bottom-three record and have the best odds at Victor Wembanyama. Blowing this team up is a no-brainer. - Chandler
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theScore Staff
https://www.thescore.com/nba/news/2514093
By: theScore Staff
Title: NBA Roundtable: Breaking down the biggest storylines at the halfway point
Sourced From: www.thescore.com/nba/news/2514093
Published Date: 01-09-2023
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the salaries of NBA players?
The NBA average salary for 2021-2022 is $7.3 million. This figure is calculated using the maximum salary limit of $134million that was set for this year. Individual player salaries may vary depending on their achievements and experience.
Kevin Durant and LeBron Jones are both superstars who can make up to $40m a year. However, rookies could only make $898,310. Other veteran players could be eligible for exception salaries that range from $4.76million to $9.258million, depending on how many years they have been playing. In addition, players can earn bonuses and other incentives through their teams depending on their team's performance.
Which NBA star is the best scorer right now?
This is a subjective question because each player plays in a unique way that makes them different and helps them succeed. Kevin Durant (LeBron James), Stephen Curry, James Harden, and Stephen Curry are the top choices for most dominant scorers in the NBA.
Kevin Durant's not just a great shooting player, but he is also an offensive force! This player is no joke, with 2 NBA Championships and 2 Finals MVPs to his credit and a regular-season MVP title.
What is a trade exemption in NBA?
In the NBA, there is a trade exception that allows players to be traded away. This exception allows teams and players to be acquired whose salaries are greater than the ones they trade away. This exception can be used multiple times by a team and does not affect their salary cap. Trade exceptions provide a way for teams not to have to trim their rosters or make changes to their roster composition. This helps to keep the teams in competition and avoid unfair advantage situations due to financial circumstances.
It helps to keep the league financially sound and allows teams to move around without worrying about whether they can afford to do so. Trade exceptions are an integral part roster construction in NBA. They can be used to help teams fight for championships.
Statistics
- As of 2014, 45 percent of its viewers were black, while 40 percent were white, making it the only top North American sport that does not have a white majority audience.[102]As of 2017Democrats than Republicans.[103]Outside (en.wikipedia.org)
- Williams would 'likely' accept a deal worth $14-15M/year; Celtics are 'unlikely' to offer such a deal (HoopsHype) (bleacherreport.com)
- Meanwhile, the opening night rosters include a record-setting 234 players with some G League experience, according to the NBA ( Twitter link ). (hoopsrumors.com)
- An estimated 800 million viewers watched the [105]2017–18 season. (en.wikipedia.org)
- Williams would 'likely' accept a deal worth $14-15M/year; Celtics are 'unlikely' to offer such a deal (HoopsHype) (bleacherreport.com)
External Links
twitter.com
- Tweet / Twitter
- Sam Amico on Twitter: "Timberwolves Waive PJ Dozier, CJ Elleby and AJ Lawson - Hoops Wire https://t.co/xKu1ZTuQZN" / Twitter
sports.yahoo.com
- Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos
- The lowest ever recorded viewership for Game 1 of the NBA Finals is seen in ratings history
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How To
Is it possible to get paid by the NBA for injuries sustained by players?
Guaranteed contracts allow NBA players to keep their money even if they are injured or unable to play. Some have even made millions of dollars without ever playing a single game. Although they might lose out on bonuses and their contract could be cancelled after expiration, they will still receive the full amount. Non-guaranteed contract players won't typically be paid until they are able to play again in the NBA. The NBA can provide some assistance with disability payments or a lump sum settlement for those who qualify, but there is no guarantee of pay during an injury absence. The league and teams may also assist individuals in need on an individual basis.
Through the Injury Disability Plan, assistance can also be provided by teams. It depends on the individual's and team's situation. In some cases, players may be able to negotiate a buyout with their teams to receive some money during their injury absence. Players need to understand that there are no guarantees when receiving payment when injured, but the team and the league can provide some assistance. Each case is different, and each should be treated as such. The NBA has established a set of rules that govern injuries and payments to players for absences due to injury. This will help players understand the rules and make informed financial decisions. If you have any questions, it is important to speak with a professional.
