{"id":579809,"date":"2023-06-23T09:57:27","date_gmt":"2023-06-23T06:57:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/gradey-dick-lights-up-the-night-building-blocks-for-rockets-thunder-mavericks-video\/"},"modified":"2023-06-23T09:57:27","modified_gmt":"2023-06-23T06:57:27","slug":"gradey-dick-lights-up-the-night-building-blocks-for-rockets-thunder-mavericks-video","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gradey-dick-lights-up-the-night-building-blocks-for-rockets-thunder-mavericks-video\/","title":{"rendered":"#Gradey Dick lights up the night; building blocks for Rockets, Thunder, Mavericks [Video]"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a383dadd2e5e\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a383dadd2e5e\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gradey-dick-lights-up-the-night-building-blocks-for-rockets-thunder-mavericks-video\/#WINNER_San_Antonio_Spurs\" >WINNER: San Antonio Spurs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gradey-dick-lights-up-the-night-building-blocks-for-rockets-thunder-mavericks-video\/#WINNER_Victor_Wembanyamas_Strength_and_Conditioning_Program\" >WINNER: Victor Wembanyama\u2019s Strength and Conditioning Program<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gradey-dick-lights-up-the-night-building-blocks-for-rockets-thunder-mavericks-video\/#WINNER_Twins\" >WINNER: Twins!<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gradey-dick-lights-up-the-night-building-blocks-for-rockets-thunder-mavericks-video\/#WINNER_Troy_Weavers_Approach_to_Talent_Evaluation\" >WINNER: Troy Weaver\u2019s Approach to Talent Evaluation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gradey-dick-lights-up-the-night-building-blocks-for-rockets-thunder-mavericks-video\/#LOSER_Gradey_Dicks_Sartorial_Decision-Making\" >LOSER: Gradey Dick\u2019s Sartorial Decision-Making<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gradey-dick-lights-up-the-night-building-blocks-for-rockets-thunder-mavericks-video\/#WINNER_Gradey_Dicks_Confidence\" >WINNER: Gradey Dick\u2019s Confidence<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gradey-dick-lights-up-the-night-building-blocks-for-rockets-thunder-mavericks-video\/#WINNER_Bilal_Coulibaly\" >WINNER: Bilal Coulibaly<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gradey-dick-lights-up-the-night-building-blocks-for-rockets-thunder-mavericks-video\/#LOSER_Cam_Whitmore\" >LOSER: Cam Whitmore<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gradey-dick-lights-up-the-night-building-blocks-for-rockets-thunder-mavericks-video\/#WINNER_The_Rockets_Raw_Materials\" >WINNER: The Rockets\u2019 Raw Materials<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gradey-dick-lights-up-the-night-building-blocks-for-rockets-thunder-mavericks-video\/#WINNER_Oklahoma_City_Thunder\" >WINNER: Oklahoma City Thunder<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gradey-dick-lights-up-the-night-building-blocks-for-rockets-thunder-mavericks-video\/#WINNER_Dallas_Mavericks\" >WINNER: Dallas Mavericks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gradey-dick-lights-up-the-night-building-blocks-for-rockets-thunder-mavericks-video\/#WATCH_THIS_SPACE_Sacramento_Kings\" >WATCH THIS SPACE: Sacramento Kings<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gradey-dick-lights-up-the-night-building-blocks-for-rockets-thunder-mavericks-video\/#LOSER_Celtics_Fans_Who_Crammed_for_Draft_Night\" >LOSER: Celtics Fans Who Crammed for Draft Night<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gradey-dick-lights-up-the-night-building-blocks-for-rockets-thunder-mavericks-video\/#LOSER_Everyone_Who_Hoped_The_Damian_Lillard_Saga_Might_Reach_a_Conclusion\" >LOSER: Everyone Who Hoped The Damian Lillard Saga Might Reach a Conclusion<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gradey-dick-lights-up-the-night-building-blocks-for-rockets-thunder-mavericks-video\/#WINNER_Utah_Jazz\" >WINNER: Utah Jazz<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gradey-dick-lights-up-the-night-building-blocks-for-rockets-thunder-mavericks-video\/#LOSER_Those_Sick_of_Hearing_About_Heat_Culture\" >LOSER: Those Sick of Hearing About Heat Culture<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>Many learned scholars of NBA basketball have said that you can\u2019t judge a draft until at least five years down the line. But as I am not a learned scholar \u2014 I am, in fact, Just Some Guy \u2014 I say, respectfully, \u201cCram it, Socrates.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>What follows is a stab at a first draft of history \u2014 a thumbnail sketch of who had a good night at the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:1;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/nba\/draft\/\" data-ylk=\"slk:2023 NBA Draft;cpos:1;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">2023 NBA Draft<\/a>, and who might not have come away from it all that stoked. (There will be more winners than losers, because on draft night, hope springs eternal.)<\/p>\n<p>We begin, <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ropriately, at the top:<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WINNER_San_Antonio_Spurs\"><\/span><strong>WINNER: San Antonio Spurs<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A truly searing take, I know. San Antonio won this draft on lottery night, but it became official on Thursday in Brooklyn, when <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:2;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/2023-nba-draft-san-antonio-spurs-select-victor-wembanyama-with-no-1-overall-pick-001202211.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Victor Wembanyama became a Spur;cpos:2;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp yahoo-link\">Victor Wembanyama became a Spur<\/a>. When you draft a 7-foot-4 demigod whose status as a prospect has drawn favorable comparisons to the likes of LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, it seems fair to suggest you did all right.<\/p>\n<p>From his <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:3;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AhnFireDigital\/status\/1672035904033046528\" data-ylk=\"slk:emotional post-draft interview;cpos:3;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">emotional post-draft interview<\/a> to his first-blush impression of new boss Gregg Popovich \u2014 \u201cHe\u2019s not intimidating yet, but I\u2019m sure he\u2019s going to get intimidating when I see him in real life\u201d \u2014 <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:4;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/2023-nba-draft-from-victor-wembanyamas-tears-of-joy-to-family-bonds-real-and-formed-the-nights-best-moments-055442100.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:the vibes surrounding the French phenom;cpos:4;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp yahoo-link\">the vibes surrounding the French phenom<\/a> heading to San Antonio seem to be as immaculate as his fit in a lineage of Hall of Fame big men featuring fellow No. 1 picks David Robinson and Tim Duncan. And speaking of immaculate vibes \u2026<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WINNER_Victor_Wembanyamas_Strength_and_Conditioning_Program\"><\/span><strong>WINNER: Victor Wembanyama\u2019s Strength and Conditioning Program<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Belay those injury concerns, Nervous Nellies. I think the young fella\u2019s got a plan for putting some more meat on those bones. (It remains to be seen whether that meat is barbacoa or carne guisada.)<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WINNER_Twins\"><\/span><strong>WINNER: Twins!<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>First, the Rockets picked Amen Thompson fourth overall, followed im<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a>tely by the Pistons snagging twin brother and Overtime Elite teammate Ausar Thompson at No. 5, making them the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:5;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/2023-nba-draft-amen-ausar-thompson-become-first-brothers-selected-in-the-top-10-of-the-same-draft-015417522.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:first pair of brothers ever selected in the top 10 in a single NBA Draft;cpos:5;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp yahoo-link\">first pair of brothers ever selected in the top 10 in a single NBA Draft<\/a>. Then, UCF forward Taylor Hendricks came off the board to Utah at No. 9 \u2014 and was promptly joined for his post-pick interview by twin brother\/UCF redshirt freshman guard Tyler Hendricks. After that, the Portland Trail Blazers landed Iowa forward Kris Murray with the 23rd pick, just one year after <em>his<\/em> twin brother Keegan Murray went to the Kings at No. 4.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m not going to say that having a fertilized ovum split and develop into two babies that share genetic information is a fast track to the NBA. After this year\u2019s first round, though, I\u2019m not <em>not<\/em> saying that.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WINNER_Troy_Weavers_Approach_to_Talent_Evaluation\"><\/span><strong>WINNER: Troy Weaver\u2019s Approach to Talent Evaluation<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>We\u2019ll all find out together whether Detroit\u2019s draft picks \u2014 Ausar Thompson at No. 5 and Houston point guard Marcus Sasser at No. 25 \u2014 pan out in the league. What we found out on Thursday, though, is that the Pistons <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a> manager is capable of communicating a complex idea simply, and beautifully.<\/p>\n<p>Asked if he had any pause about drafting Thompson over other prospects given the relative lack of track record for the Overtime Elite program compared to, say, the G League Ignite, Weaver offered the following: \u201cYou can say that, but when you see something different, you see something elite, you know it. I think Halle Berry\u2019s pretty in church or in the grocery store. I think you can kind of figure it out when you see something pretty special.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On one hand: Yes. Perfect analogy, Troy. Thank you. On the other: I really hope Ausar\u2019s film study doesn\u2019t include regular breakdowns of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:6;pos:1;elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:YouTube;elmt:;\" href=\"https:\/\/shopping.yahoo.com\/rdlw?merchantId=89f68c82-f255-44fa-8db9-03fec996b93a&amp;siteId=us-sports&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=YouTube&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsInN0b3JlSWQiOiI4OWY2OGM4Mi1mMjU1LTQ0ZmEtOGRiOS0wM2ZlYzk5NmI5M2EiLCJsYW5kaW5nVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cueW91dHViZS5jb20vd2F0Y2g_dj1yTmxtUklkMkZWUSIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZjEyYWFlYjktNjllYS00NDdhLWI3YTktZjcwOTI1Yzk3YmI1In0&amp;signature=AQAAAUxc0TnkuNw8fLto7TCJcMqggEjyrmoUAbciGEYBsId8&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DrNlmRId2FVQ\" data-ylk='slk:Halle\u2019s game in \"Catwoman\";cpos:6;pos:1;elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:YouTube;elmt:;;itc:0' class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp rapid-with-clickid etailiffa-link\">Halle\u2019s game in &#8220;Catwoman&#8221;<\/a>. That feels like it would be counterproductive.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"LOSER_Gradey_Dicks_Sartorial_Decision-Making\"><\/span><strong>LOSER: Gradey Dick\u2019s Sartorial Decision-Making<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Oh, Gradey. Dear, sweet, sparkly Gradey.<\/p>\n<p>Well, just like fashion inspo source <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:7;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.si.edu\/object\/dorothys-ruby-slippers%3Anmah_670130\" data-ylk=\"slk:Dorothy;cpos:7;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">Dorothy<\/a>, Dick ain\u2019t in Kansas anymore. He\u2019s on his way to Toronto, selected by the Raptors with Thursday\u2019s 13th overall pick.<\/p>\n<p>Yahoo Sports NBA draft analyst Krysten Peek loved the fit (with the Raptors, I mean, not <em>this fit<\/em>) highlighting the 6-foot-8 swingman\u2019s ability to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:8;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/2023-nba-draft-live-grades-first-round-pick-by-pick-analysis-trade-updates-001311525.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:\u201cmake the right read in the lane.\u201d;cpos:8;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp yahoo-link\">\u201cmake the right read in the lane.\u201d<\/a> While that may be true on the court, he made a questionable read on Thursday \u2014 one that had him out here looking like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:9;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/seth_rosenthal\/status\/1671972988483190784\" data-ylk='slk:B.J. from \"The Righteous Gemstones.\";cpos:9;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0' class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">B.J. from &#8220;The Righteous Gemstones.&#8221;<\/a> Looking like a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:10;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/YourManDevine\/status\/1672004988586061825\" data-ylk=\"slk:mid-1980s Anthony Michael Hall character;cpos:10;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">mid-1980s Anthony Michael Hall character<\/a>. Looking like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:11;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/mdotbrown\/status\/1671978018770657290\" data-ylk=\"slk:\u201can \u2018SNL\u2019\u00a0sketch.\u201d;cpos:11;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">\u201can \u2018SNL\u2019<em>\u00a0<\/em>sketch.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Looking like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:12;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MikeBeauvais\/status\/1672007941841354753\" data-ylk=\"slk:\u201cRik Smits as a genie.\u201d;cpos:12;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">\u201cRik Smits as a genie.\u201d<\/a> Looking like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:13;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TylerIAm\/status\/1671977114239639562\" data-ylk=\"slk:\u201craw meat.\u201d;cpos:13;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">\u201craw meat.\u201d<\/a> Looking like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:14;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MooseyMania\/status\/1672054375920058368\" data-ylk=\"slk:Bobby \u201cThe Brain\u201d Heenan;cpos:14;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">Bobby \u201cThe Brain\u201d Heenan<\/a>. Looking like he\u2019s <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:15;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/mollyhannahm\/status\/1672056480567111685\" data-ylk=\"slk:\u201chosting the 76th Annual Hunger Games.\u201d;cpos:15;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">\u201chosting the 76th Annual Hunger Games.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n<p>You get the idea.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is a once-in-a-lifetime type thing,\u201d Dick <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:16;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/OmarJimenez\/status\/1672030791830831105\" data-ylk=\"slk:told CNN\u2019s Omar Jimenez;cpos:16;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">told CNN\u2019s Omar Jimenez<\/a>. \u201cMy mentality with it all was, \u2018I\u2019m going to wear this suit one time in my entire life.\u2019 So I might as well go out with it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>One can only hope that Dick promised everyone who loves him that wearing this would, indeed, be a \u201conce-in-a-lifetime\u201d thing.<\/p>\n<p>Now, all that said \u2026<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WINNER_Gradey_Dicks_Confidence\"><\/span><strong>WINNER: Gradey Dick\u2019s Confidence<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>\u2026 if you\u2019re a dude fully comfortable turning up for the biggest night of your life in a bright red figure-skating costume complete with a 1970s linebacker\u2019s shoulder pads, I\u2019ve got to imagine you\u2019re going to be comfortable stepping into huge shots in huge moments without even a hint of fear.<\/p>\n<p>This, perhaps, shouldn\u2019t come as a surprise; for someone forged in the fires of the TikTok content <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game<\/a>, as Dick appears to be, second-guessing is a luxury you simply can\u2019t afford.<\/p>\n<p>For a Raptors team that finished last season 28th in <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:17;pos:1;elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:National Basketball Association;elmt:;\" href=\"https:\/\/shopping.yahoo.com\/rdlw?merchantId=c109eac4-825f-483e-8edf-51532ca9e7cb&amp;siteId=us-sports&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=National+Basketball+Association&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsInN0b3JlSWQiOiJjMTA5ZWFjNC04MjVmLTQ4M2UtOGVkZi01MTUzMmNhOWU3Y2IiLCJsYW5kaW5nVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmJhLmNvbS9zdGF0cy90ZWFtcy90cmFkaXRpb25hbD9TZWFzb25UeXBlPVJlZ3VsYXIlMjBTZWFzb24mZGlyPUEmc29ydD1GRzNNIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJmMTJhYWViOS02OWVhLTQ0N2EtYjdhOS1mNzA5MjVjOTdiYjUifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAXzS0g8bkD6TwMldbqfSSaZzFGbxyJFvza7GXZfta3CF&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nba.com%2Fstats%2Fteams%2Ftraditional%3FSeasonType%3DRegular%2520Season%26dir%3DA%26sort%3DFG3M\" data-ylk=\"slk:3-point makes per game;cpos:17;pos:1;elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:National Basketball Association;elmt:;;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp rapid-with-clickid etailiffa-link\">3-point makes per game<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:18;pos:1;elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:National Basketball Association;elmt:;\" href=\"https:\/\/shopping.yahoo.com\/rdlw?merchantId=c109eac4-825f-483e-8edf-51532ca9e7cb&amp;siteId=us-sports&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=National+Basketball+Association&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsInN0b3JlSWQiOiJjMTA5ZWFjNC04MjVmLTQ4M2UtOGVkZi01MTUzMmNhOWU3Y2IiLCJsYW5kaW5nVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmJhLmNvbS9zdGF0cy90ZWFtcy90cmFkaXRpb25hbD9TZWFzb25UeXBlPVJlZ3VsYXIlMjBTZWFzb24mZGlyPUEmc29ydD1GRzNfUENUIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJmMTJhYWViOS02OWVhLTQ0N2EtYjdhOS1mNzA5MjVjOTdiYjUifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAZP863f_wqjwHsDQkkQ5kzDoz9nHQcRCkXgx7VUpGbqY&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nba.com%2Fstats%2Fteams%2Ftraditional%3FSeasonType%3DRegular%2520Season%26dir%3DA%26sort%3DFG3_PCT\" data-ylk=\"slk:team 3-point accuracy;cpos:18;pos:1;elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:National Basketball Association;elmt:;;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp rapid-with-clickid etailiffa-link\">team 3-point accuracy<\/a>, a little unshakable self-determination might not be the worst thing in the world. (Hell, his color scheme even matched Toronto\u2019s! Maybe it was written in the stars \u2026 or, at least, the reflective gleam from the spotlight hitting that coat.)<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WINNER_Bilal_Coulibaly\"><\/span><strong>WINNER: Bilal Coulibaly<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>At the start of the season, most draft prognosticators projected Wembanyama\u2019s teammate on Metropolitans 92 of France\u2019s LNB Pro A as a prospect for consideration in <em>next year<\/em>\u2019s draft. As the campaign wore on, though, he earned more minutes and began to blossom, showcasing the kind of length \u2014 6-6 with a 7-2 wingspan, the result of a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:19;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/meet-bilal-coulibaly-victor-wembanyamas-teammate-who-is-rising-up-nba-draft-boards-172154797.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:growth spurt of a foot over a couple of years;cpos:19;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp yahoo-link\">growth spurt of a foot over a couple of years<\/a> \u2014 athleticism and defensive activity that tends to leave evaluators salivating. (The phrase <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:20;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DraftExpress\/status\/1671946540858892288\" data-ylk=\"slk:\u201cBaby Giannis\u201d;cpos:20;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">\u201cBaby Giannis\u201d<\/a> has made an appearance.)<\/p>\n<p>That combination of physical traits, ramped-up production in the French playoffs and projectable upside at just 18 years old led Coulibaly from the 2024 discussion all the way up to 2023\u2019s <em>seventh overall pick<\/em>, which the Wizards gave the Indiana Pacers two future second-round picks to secure. The move made Big Vic \u2014 one of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:21;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/vicw_32\/status\/1665436911131820032\" data-ylk=\"slk:Coulibaly\u2019s biggest boosters;cpos:21;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">Coulibaly\u2019s biggest boosters<\/a> \u2014 awfully happy:<\/p>\n<p>Of course, a meteoric rise does not a sparkling future make; a player as young and as raw as Coulibaly has a long way to go to make the kind of impact that\u2019ll reward Washington for its bold swing and its faith in what he showed in limited action at the senior level in France. Given how far he\u2019s come and how fast he\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">travel<\/a>ed, though, it might not be wise to bet against him.<\/p>\n<p>On the other end of the spectrum \u2026<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"LOSER_Cam_Whitmore\"><\/span><strong>LOSER: Cam Whitmore<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:22;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/2023-nba-mock-draft-2-victor-wembanyama-scoot-henderson-atop-loaded-draft-class-after-las-vegas-showcase-160336864.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Back in October;cpos:22;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp yahoo-link\">Back in October<\/a>, our Krysten Peek had Whitmore mocked at the seventh pick. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:23;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/2023-nba-mock-draft-8-san-antonio-spurs-land-the-no-1-pick-with-victor-wembanyamas-future-team-revealed-012751198.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:After the lottery;cpos:23;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp yahoo-link\">After the lottery<\/a>, she had the Villanova freshman sitting eighth. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:24;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/2023-nba-mock-draft-9-latest-projections-after-ncaa-withdrawal-deadline-and-first-round-risers-201711142.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Just 2\u00bd weeks ago;cpos:24;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp yahoo-link\">Just 2\u00bd weeks ago<\/a>, he was up to No. 5, lined up for a Pistons team with a clear need for size, athleticism and juice on the wing \u2014 all traits Whitmore seemed to have in strong supply.<\/p>\n<p>It seems like one highly touted prospect experiences a bracing plummet every year, though, and Whitmore had the ignominious honor of being this year\u2019s slider. The notion that he might fall <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:25;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/2023-nba-draft-intel-will-the-hornets-take-brandon-miller-or-scoot-henderson-at-no-2-160420408.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:started to gain steam;cpos:25;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp yahoo-link\">started to gain steam<\/a> throughout draft week, with Peek reporting <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:26;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/2023-nba-mock-draft-10-lottery-movement-latest-intel-on-no-2-predictions-and-analysis-on-all-58-picks-172337760.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:\u201crumblings\u201d earlier Thursday;cpos:26;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp yahoo-link\">\u201crumblings\u201d earlier Thursday<\/a> \u201cthat Whitmore is slipping on draft boards due to his medical evaluation that took place at the NBA Draft Combine.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m not sure anyone expected that slippage to drop him all the way out of the lottery and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:27;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/2023-nba-draft-villanovas-cam-whitmore-falls-out-of-lottery-to-rockets-at-no-20-022553967.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:all the way down to No. 20;cpos:27;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp yahoo-link\">all the way down to No. 20<\/a>, though \u2014 a precipitous fall for an elite prospect who <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:28;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/theathletic.com\/2852311\/2021\/10\/07\/villanovas-5-star-recruit-cam-whitmore-has-always-had-that-it-factor-and-now-everyone-can-see-it\/\" data-ylk=\"slk:suffered a broken leg in high school;cpos:28;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">suffered a broken leg in high school<\/a> and missed time early in his lone college season after <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:29;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/villanova.com\/news\/2022\/10\/7\/mens-basketball-whtmore-to-undergo-surgery-on-right-thumb-next-week\" data-ylk=\"slk:thumb surgery;cpos:29;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">thumb surgery<\/a>, but who insisted Thursday night that there was nothing of particular concern in his medical records.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"caas-figure\">\n<div class=\"caas-figure-with-pb\" style=\"max-height: 828px\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"caas-img-container caas-img-loader\" style=\"padding-bottom:67%;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"caas-img caas-lazy has-preview\" alt=\"Cam Whitmore poses with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected with the 20th overall pick by the Houston Rockets during the 2023 NBA Draft on June 22, 2023 in New York City. (Sarah Stier\/Getty Images)\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/7Ujvb7XB4J57EsRu9A5xyQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/aol_yahoo_sports_800\/c9678ede1f546e4ab2a1ca82e780fdeb\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Cam Whitmore poses with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected with the 20th overall pick by the Houston Rockets during the 2023 NBA Draft on June 22, 2023 in New York City. (Sarah Stier\/Getty Images)\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/7Ujvb7XB4J57EsRu9A5xyQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/aol_yahoo_sports_800\/c9678ede1f546e4ab2a1ca82e780fdeb\" class=\"caas-img\"><\/noscript><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"caption-collapse\">Cam Whitmore poses with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected with the 20th overall pick by the Houston Rockets during the 2023 NBA Draft on June 22, 2023 in New York City. (Sarah Stier\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\u201cNo, I promise you there\u2019s not,\u201d he told reporters. \u201cI have no idea. I don\u2019t know what happened. But I feel fine. It\u2019s my body. If they think it\u2019s something different, they have their own opinions. But at the end of the day, it\u2019s my body.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Non-health-related matters might\u2019ve played a role, too: During ESPN\u2019s draft broadcast, insider Adrian Wojnarowski said that several NBA \u201cteams and front offices describe a combination of some poor workouts, some not great interviews with teams over the last month, as part of the reason Cam Whitmore has dropped.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Whatever the reason for the slide, Whitmore landed with a Rockets team that reportedly considered him at No. 4 \u2014 and how you got to the dance ultimately matters a hell of a lot less than what you do once you get on the floor.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt the end of the day, it doesn\u2019t really faze me,\u201d Whitmore said. \u201cI know I\u2019m different than everybody else, but it\u2019s just another chapter in my life, another step in the journey. Time to get to work.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WINNER_The_Rockets_Raw_Materials\"><\/span><strong>WINNER: The Rockets\u2019 Raw Materials<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Adding Whitmore and Amen Thompson to a roster that already features Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen \u015eeng\u00fcn, Tari Eason, Usman Garuba and Kevin Porter Jr., among other recent draftees, gives Houston one of the most athletic and exciting young groups in the entire league.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think Houston got a lot of players that have great potential, and I think [we] have a scary future,\u201d Thompson said Thursday.<\/p>\n<p>The onus is on new head coach Ime Udoka to institute the kind of system and structure that can alchemize all that athleticism into consistent professional basketball \u2014 something that predecessor Stephen Silas wasn\u2019t able to do, and something that\u2019s a must if the Rockets are to have any hope of steering out of a skid that\u2019s seen them roll up <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:30;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/stathead.com\/tiny\/qkRoL\" data-ylk=\"slk:the NBA\u2019s worst record over the apast three seasons;cpos:30;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">the NBA\u2019s worst record over the apast three seasons<\/a>. (A <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:31;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/clutchpoints.com\/nba-rumors-rockets-signing-fred-vanvleet-james-harden-stays-sixers-faces-hangup\" data-ylk=\"slk:veteran point guard;cpos:31;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">veteran point guard<\/a> sure would help.)<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WINNER_Oklahoma_City_Thunder\"><\/span><strong>WINNER: Oklahoma City Thunder<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Oklahoma City rented out <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:32;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/YossiGozlan\/status\/1672048722992312322\" data-ylk=\"slk:some of its 2023-24 cap space;cpos:32;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">some of its 2023-24 cap space<\/a> to take the final <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:33;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spotrac.com\/nba\/oklahoma-city-thunder\/davis-bertans-8094\/\" data-ylk=\"slk:two years and $33 million;cpos:33;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">two years and $33 million<\/a> of Davis Bertans\u2019 contract off the Mavericks\u2019 hands in exchange for <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:34;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/nba-draft-2023-dallas-mavericks-trade-out-of-no-10-into-multiple-first-round-picks-025903703.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:moving up two spots to No. 10;cpos:34;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp yahoo-link\">moving up two spots to No. 10<\/a> in the first round and landing Kentucky\u2019s Cason Wallace \u2014 yet another athletic, hard-charging, long-limbed, super-competitive perimeter player to add to a Thunder rotation now overflowing with them.<\/p>\n<p>Wallace joins Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Josh Giddey and Luguentz Dort in what\u2019s become one of the NBA\u2019s most ferocious and versatile perimeter corps \u2014 a group where everyone is capable of handling the ball, initiating the offense, facilitating for teammates, attacking the basket, shooting with confidence and defending multiple positions like their hair\u2019s on fire. And oh, yeah, Oklahoma City\u2019s going to add 2022 No. 2 pick Chet Holmgren to that mix, too, while still having a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:35;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/YossiGozlan\/status\/1672051732749352960\" data-ylk=\"slk:bunch of cap space;cpos:35;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">bunch of cap space<\/a> and a bajillion future draft picks in its coffers. Sam Presti and Co. have something brewing in Bricktown; Thursday\u2019s wheeling and dealing added another potent and enticing ingredient into the mix.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WINNER_Dallas_Mavericks\"><\/span><strong>WINNER: Dallas Mavericks<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The flip side of that deal wasn\u2019t a bad bit of business, either.<\/p>\n<p>By excising Bertans\u2019 contract, the Mavericks put themselves in position to get under the luxury tax line, opening up the possibility of using the $12.2 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception this summer to target another veteran helper for the rotation. By shipping him into OKC\u2019s cap space without taking any salary back, Dallas also created a $17 million traded player exception \u2026 which it promptly used in a subsequent deal with the Kings to import veteran center Richaun Holmes, who\u2019d fallen out of the rotation in Sacramento but remains a quality big man who should play up in a pick-and-roll-heavy offense captained by elite playmakers like Luka Don\u010di\u0107 and (potentially) Kyrie Irving.<\/p>\n<p>The Mavs did that while still getting the prospect they\u2019d long been connected to at No. 12 \u2014 Duke center Dereck Lively II, who\u2019ll partner with Holmes in a revamped center rotation aimed at rim-running, board-crashing and shot-blocking \u2014 while also adding high-rising Marquette forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper, the kind of big defensive wing they sorely missed after trading away Dorian Finney-Smith in the Irving deal, with Thursday\u2019s 24th pick.<\/p>\n<p>Shedding long-term money, adding three potential rotation players plus a pathway to a fourth, <em>and<\/em><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:36;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/YossiGozlan\/status\/1672073876426350592\" data-ylk=\"slk:retaining the flexibility to potentially bring back Irving;cpos:36;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">retaining the flexibility to potentially bring back Irving<\/a>? Pretty decent work for Dallas\u2019 front office.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WATCH_THIS_SPACE_Sacramento_Kings\"><\/span><strong>WATCH THIS SPACE: Sacramento Kings<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Sacramento wound up landing veteran Xavier wing Colby Jones and Furman\u2019s Jalen Slawson in the second round, but what we should keep an eye on is how general manager Monte McNair\u2019s wheeling and dealing sets the table for whatever comes next.<\/p>\n<p>Dealing Holmes and the 24th pick to Dallas puts the Kings in position to open up <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:37;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/YossiGozlan\/status\/1672097208139911169\" data-ylk=\"slk:more than $30 million in salary cap space;cpos:37;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">more than $30 million in salary cap space<\/a> this summer. Do they search for a high-priced player on the trade market to add to their existing talent? Do they go big-game hunting for a forward to put next to Domantas Sabonis in free agency? Do they stand pat and keep their focus in-house, looking to bring back free agent Harrison Barnes or perhaps <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:38;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/kings-beat.beehiiv.com\/p\/domantas-sabonis-extension-next-richaun-holmes-trade\" data-ylk=\"slk:renegotiate-and-extend Sabonis\u2019 contract;cpos:38;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">renegotiate-and-extend Sabonis\u2019 contract<\/a>? They should have options, and now they\u2019ve got the financial flexibility to pursue them; coming off the franchise\u2019s best season and first playoff appearance in 17 years, it ought to be fascinating to see which path forward McNair and Co. choose.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"LOSER_Celtics_Fans_Who_Crammed_for_Draft_Night\"><\/span><strong>LOSER: Celtics Fans Who Crammed for Draft Night<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>After the stunning late-night three-team trade <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:39;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/marcus-smart-kristaps-porzingis-and-the-boston-celtics-trading-their-soul-for-an-nba-title-shot-185848172.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:that sent longtime linchpin and spiritual standard-bearer Marcus Smart to Memphis for Kristaps Porzingis;cpos:39;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp yahoo-link\">that sent longtime linchpin and spiritual standard-bearer Marcus Smart to Memphis for Kristaps Porzingis<\/a>, the Celtics suddenly had the 25th overall selection, surely sending Boston fans scouring the internet for every bit of information they could find on mid-to-late first-round prospects. And then Brad Stevens went and got his Belichick on.<\/p>\n<p>The 25th pick went to Detroit, for No. 31 and multiple future second-round picks. Then 31 went to Charlotte, for Nos. 34 and 39. Then 34 went to <em>Sacramento<\/em>, for 38 and a future second, and 35 went to Chicago, and on, and on.<\/p>\n<p>Boston <em>did<\/em> come away with a pick \u2014 Arkansas forward Jordan Walsh at No. 38, a long-limbed, high-motor wing who seems amped to get to work:<\/p>\n<p>But coming off the shock of the Smart trade, and the whiplash of all those tradebacks, I wouldn\u2019t blame Celtics fans for exiting draft night with their heads spinning a little bit.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"LOSER_Everyone_Who_Hoped_The_Damian_Lillard_Saga_Might_Reach_a_Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>LOSER: Everyone Who Hoped The Damian Lillard Saga Might Reach a Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>After all the <em>sturm und drang<\/em> and Zion Williamson rumors, the Trail Blazers didn\u2019t find that win-now superstar trade by the time they went on the clock. So they just did the next right thing, drafting electric G League Ignite point guard Scoot Henderson with the No. 3 pick before adding forwards Kris Murray and Rayan Rupert later in the evening.<\/p>\n<p>Which, naturally, led to the other shoe getting a centimeter or so closer to dropping:<\/p>\n<p>And so, the NBA\u2019s longest ongoing game of chicken continues apace. Tune in again next week for a fresh round of staredowns!<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WINNER_Utah_Jazz\"><\/span><strong>WINNER: Utah Jazz<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The Jazz couldn\u2019t package their three first-round picks to move up, as they\u2019d <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:40;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/YourManDevine\/status\/1671903686178623489\" data-ylk=\"slk:reportedly been interested in doing;cpos:40;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">reportedly been interested in doing<\/a> \u2026 so they just took three players who might be able to help immediately. UCF forward Hendricks could be a perfect floor-spacing and defending 4 to fit between stellar second-year center Walker Kessler and All-Star big wing Lauri Markkanen, and in Baylor\u2019s Keyonte George and Ohio State\u2019s Brice Sensabaugh, Utah adds a pair of bucket-getters on the perimeter whose ability to create and knock down shots should fit nicely into head coach Will Hardy\u2019s free-flowing offense.<\/p>\n<p>Damn near everybody expected Utah to tank last season, only to see the Jazz contend for a playoff berth for much of the campaign on the strength of a surprisingly potent offense. Thursday\u2019s additions only fortify that, while also adding length and athleticism to a team that could be back in the postseason mix much sooner than many anticipated.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"LOSER_Those_Sick_of_Hearing_About_Heat_Culture\"><\/span><strong>LOSER: Those Sick of Hearing About Heat Culture<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Bad <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a>, rap dudes: The Heat got UCLA\u2019s Jaime Jaquez Jr. with the 18th pick, and his <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:41;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BradyHawk305\/status\/1672068984173211648\" data-ylk=\"slk:favorite player;cpos:41;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0\" class=\"link rapid-noclick-resp\">favorite player<\/a> is Jimmy Butler, and you\u2019d better believe that his interview hit hard on the topics of competitiveness, attention to detail, impacting winning and \u2014 of course \u2014 the C-word.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCoach [Mick] Cronin [at UCLA], he set a standard. He set a standard that we tried to achieve my entire four years there, and I don\u2019t think it\u2019s going to be any different when I get to the Miami Heat,\u201d Jaquez told reporters Thursday. \u201cThey have a culture, and when you\u2019re a part of a program or an organization with that high level of culture and winning, it\u2019s your job to sustain that and obtain it. That\u2019s what I\u2019m looking forward to doing, is continuing that legacy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And in the process, ideally, holding off the next dozen undrafted pitbulls that Pat Riley and Co. find to earn his minutes. Welcome to Miami, Jaime. Full-pads practice on Monday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more News articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aol.com\/sports\/2023-nba-draft-winners-losers-065727223.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many learned scholars of NBA basketball have said that you can\u2019t judge a draft until at least five years down the line. But as I am not a learned scholar \u2014 I am, in fact, Just Some Guy \u2014 I say, respectfully, \u201cCram it, Socrates.\u201d What follows is a stab at a first draft of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":579810,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/1PlYc_uTSWRrVre3tzQ5tg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD04MDA-\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2023-06\/4fa8f6f0-1160-11ee-a9ef-d9e835539d17","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-579809","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/579809","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=579809"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/579809\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/579810"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=579809"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=579809"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=579809"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}