NBA Rumors: Wizards' Landry Shamet, Daniel Gafford suffer injuries ahead of training camp
The Washington Wizards are finally embarking on a proper rebuild, which means D.C. is front of line for the title of worst team in the NBA. On purpose. The Wizards have a solid collection of young talent — Jordan Poole, Deni Avdija, Bilal Coulibaly, Corey Kispert — with a desire to add another top pick or two to the mix.
Expectations are extremely low for the 2023-24 season, at least from a win-loss perspective. Rebuilding teams operate on different terms; success will be measured in player development and team habits, not on the scoreboard.
Still, part of developing a young team is establishing consistency and winning habits from day one. It's hard to get everyone on the same page when injuries strike, and the Wizards are dealing with a couple of maladies as training camp gets underway.
Landry Shamet, who arrived in Washington as part of the Beal trade, broke his big toe and is expected to miss 2-to-4 weeks.
Starting center Daniel Gafford is also hurt. He hurt his elbow in a recent pickup run and will miss 2-to-4 weeks as well.
Both players will factor heavily into Washington's plans for next season. Shamet is a veteran with a ton of competitive experience. He understands the nuances of NBA role player life and he's a tremendous movement shooter. Gafford is the starting center and the anchor of Washington's new-look defense.
Washington could have both players back by opening night — an Oct. 25 road matchup with the Indiana Pacers — but it will be hard for head coach Wes Unseld Jr. to get the full picture in camp with two rotation pieces out.
NBA Rumors: Bucks sign Cam Payne to one-year minimum contract
The Milwaukee Bucks didn't stop with Damian Lillard. The point guard depth chart received another boost on Sunday when the team signed Cam Payne to a one-year contract.
The Phoenix Suns traded Cam Payne to the San Antonio Spurs earlier in the summer to save cash. San Antonio waived him so he could sign with a contender. The Bucks can match any team for top-end talent, but depth is a concern. Expect Payne to receive valuable minutes with the second unit. He is primarily Lillard's backup, but it wouldn't be surprising to see the two diminutive scorers share the court on occasion.
Payne was a legitimately important rotation cog for the Suns over the last few years. He appeared in 48 games last season (15 starts), averaging 10.3 points and 4.5 assists on .415/.368/.766 splits in 20.2 minutes. He's a dynamic 3-point shooter with twitchy handles and the ability to roast defenses with mid-range pull-ups. Payne doesn't qualify is a great playmaker for others, but he can set up the offense and lead the charge for second unit groups. He is, importantly, the kind of guard who profiles well next to Giannis Antetokounmpo. One has to imagine the Bucks will stagger their two superstars, which means Payne should get plenty of burn next to the two-time MVP.
The Bucks' offseason qualifies as an unequivocal success. Payne was one of the few legitimate rotation pieces left on the market and he goes to a Milwaukee team with a clear need for his skill set. This feels like a win-win partnership, with Payne angling for his first NBA title.
NBA Rumors: Blazers wanted 4-to-5 first-round picks for Jrue Holiday at first
The Portland Trail Blazers' stubborn negotiating tactics made the Damian Lillard trade saga drag out for the entire summer. It even resulted in Lillard going to Milwaukee, rather than his preferred destination of Miami. To the surprise of nobody, Portland deployed a similarly high bar in Jrue Holiday trade talks.
According to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe, Joe Cronin and the Portland front office initially wanted 4-to-5 first-round picks in exchange for Holiday. The Boston Celtics ended up getting the two-way stud in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams III, and two first-round picks.
Cronin essentially received his initial demands. The Celtics couldn't give up four or five picks, but Williams and Brogdon both have trade value of their own. The team is expected to reroute Brogdon to a contender eventually, which could net the Blazers another first-round pick. Williams is there to stay, but he's worth a pick or two if Portland changes its mind.
Boston coughed up two very talented rotation pieces and an unprotected 2029 first-round pick, which is a definite risk. Holiday is 33 years old with a natural decline on the horizon. By 2029, who knows how well the Celtics' current competitive core will hang together. Boston is built for another deep run, but the roster got older and more injury prone this summer. Brad Stevens and company are taking necessary risks, but risks nonetheless.
The Blazers blew Miami's offer out of the water, which is the real takeaway here. For all the noise about Cronin ghosting the Heat and refusing to honor his franchise player's request, there's simply no way the Blazers were getting comparable value out of Pat Riley and the Miami front office.