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The Miami Heat got themselves some more firepower on Tuesday, acquiring guard Terry Rozier from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for guard Kyle Lowry and a 2027 first-round pick. Rozier, who turns 30 in March, is having a career year and will be expected to give the NBA’s 20th-ranked offense a boost. The pick going to the Hornets is lottery-protected in 2027 and unprotected in 2028, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Lowry, who turns 37 in March, is on a $29.7 million expiring contract and doesn’t have much of a future with a Charlotte team that is 10-31 this season. The Hornets will try to trade him before the deadline, rather than immediately working on a buyout, according to ESPN.

Let’s grade the trade.

Heat: A-
You can’t quibble with this trade in terms of value. Miami, a team that made the NBA Finals last season, turned a veteran on an expiring deal into a guy who’s averaging 23.2 points and 6.6 assists with a 57.4% true shooting percentage on a difficult shot diet. It cost the Heat a future first-rounder, but it’s not fully unprotected and, if they see themselves as a contender, this sort of thing is what future firsts are for. Rozier is in Year 2 of a four-year, $96.3 million contract; he’ll be 32 and making $26.6 million in 2025-26, the last year of his deal.

The upside here is straightforward: Miami needs offense, and Rozier can provide it. He doesn’t need to dominate the ball, but he can initiate offense and relieve Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro of playmaking responsibility. This season, Rozier is making 39.3% of his pull-up 3s and, according to Cleaning the Glass, making a career-high 50% of his midrange shots, including 51% on long 2s. He gives Miami another player who can hunt mismatches and get buckets when opposing teams are switching and the halfcourt offense is getting bogged down.

Ideally, Rozier will make a smooth transition into a less demanding offensive role. With numerous playmakers next to him, he should not have to take as many tough 2s as he’s been taking in Charlotte. Rozier’s usage rate this season is 26.8%, and according, to pbpstats.com, it was 28.4% in 873 minutes without LaMelo Ball on the court. Butler (24.3% usage rate), Adebayo (27%) and Herro (28%) will create more opportunities for Rozier to either catch and shoot — he’s only made 29.9% of his catch-and-shoot-3s this season, but his volume (2.9 attempts per game) is lower than it has been since he was a backup in Boston — or attack a tilted defense.

The Heat need Rozier to bring the best parts of the guy he’s been for the Hornets lately and the guy he was with the Celtics years ago. As long as he can get comfortable in their offense, he’ll be more efficient than ever. Erik Spoelstra will surely have him in motion off the ball, setting ghost screens and coming off dribble-handoffs. Given how well Duncan Robinson and former Miami wing Max Strus played off of Adebayo, the big man should be able to establish a two-man game with Rozier right away. The Heat will also demand that Rozier use his length (he’s 6-foot-1 with a 6-8 wingspan) on defense, navigate screens and generally be as much of a pest as possible.

Also worth noting: Miami will save $15.4 million in luxury-tax payments this season because of the swap, and it will create a $6.4 million trade exception, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

If you aren’t bullish on this move, it might be because you doubt that Rozier can or will do all that. He hasn’t played for an above-average defense since he left Boston, and, according to Cleaning The Glass, the Hornets have been worse on that end with him on the court every year but one. Lowry isn’t the defender that he was in his prime, but his smarts haven’t gone anywhere, he remains one of the league’s best charge-takers and he’s still sturdy when switched onto bigger players. Spoelstra will miss his screening and the way he pushes the pace, too.

There’s also the opportunity cost. Trading the pick doesn’t necessarily make it impossible for the Heat to acquire a star player in the near future, but it certainly makes it more difficult before this year’s deadline, particularly if their delightful rookie, Jaime Jaquez Jr., is assumed to be untouchable. (Miami now can only trade one unprotected first-rounder: Its 2030 pick.) Does this deal move the needle enough to justify missing out on something bigger? Miami’s offense hasn’t been awesome, but how much of that is simply a result of injuries? Herro and Rozier are fairly similar offensively, and Rozier’s presence might complicate Jaquez’s growth and Robinson’s playing time.

Mitigating all that, though, is Rozier’s contract. Since the Heat didn’t go out and get someone like the Chicago Bulls’ Zach LaVine, who is owed $49 million in 2026-27, this doesn’t feel desperate. As long as Rozier plays well, he should have trade value next offseason and beyond. He could even be included in an eventual trade for a star. If Miami determined that it was unlikely to use Lowry’s contract and this pick to trade for a star in the next 16 days, then a move like this is the next best thing.

Hornets: A
It’s not that Charlotte “won” the trade. It just gets the slightly higher grade because its situation is simpler. The Hornets are halfway through a dark, forgettable season, and it’s time to get what they can for the players who aren’t a part of their future. They’re not done making future-focused moves, according to ESPN, and no one will be surprised if Miles Bridges and Gordon Hayward, both of whom are on expiring contracts, are elsewhere soon. It’s reasonable to wonder if the Hornets might move PJ Washington, who signed a team-friendly contract last offseason, too.

Charlotte was probably never going to get a valuable young player for Rozier, and it didn’t manage to get a fully unprotected first-round pick way into the future. It got a pretty good one, though, particularly if it doesn’t convey in 2027. Butler is 34, and if the Heat happen to miss the playoffs in 2026-27 and have a down season in 2027-28, the Hornets will look brilliant.

(An aside that you should skip if you don’t care about dorky NBA minutiae: Since Miami owes the Oklahoma City Thunder a lottery-protected first-round pick in 2025, if it misses the playoffs next season, the pick in this trade will automatically become an unprotected 2028 first, due to the Stepien rule.)

When Charlotte acquired Rozier in a sign-and-trade as Kemba Walker left town, it was not met with rave reviews. His four-year extension wasn’t exactly celebrated at the time, either. Rozier grew immensely as an offensive player in his four and a half years with the Hornets, though, and developed a reputation for hitting difficult shots in the clutch. In an alternate universe, the franchise might have been able to build on the promise it showed in Ball’s first two seasons. In this universe, after a coaching change, some misfires in the draft, an ownership change and a ton of injuries and ugliness, it became clear that Rozier would not be part of the next Charlotte team to make the playoffs, which means trading him for a first-round pick is a win.

It is within the realm of possibility that the Hornets still get more out of this deal. Lowry is a prime buyout candidate, but, due to the restrictions in the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, he can’t sign with the Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns or the Celtics. If one of those teams would like to acquire him, it would have to trade for him.

Even if Lowry is eventually bought out, though, this move makes sense for Charlotte, whose front office is projected to have more than $45 million of cap space this offseason. Now let’s see who follows Rozier out the door.

LeBron James (ankle) will miss Tuesday night’s inner-arena matchup for the Lakers against the Clippers. James’ absence will have a huge impact on the outlook of Lakers in the NBA DFS player pool with his 24.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 28.9% usage rate available for others. Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell had 34 points and eight assists playing alongside James on Sunday, but could he be in line for an even greater performance without the NBA’s all-time leading scorer on the floor?

Anthony Davis will likely be a popular selection among NBA DFS picks, and after two big men had incredible performances yesterday with Joel Embiid scoring 70 points and Karl-Anthony Towns totaling 62 points, a tempting NBA DFS strategy could be utilizing the 6-foot-10 center and hoping for another monster performance. Davis is averaging 25.6 points and 11.3 rebounds in 54 games with the Lakers without James, so should daily Fantasy basketball players roster him in NBA DFS lineups? Before making your NBA DFS picks, be sure to check out the NBA DFS advice, player rankings, stacks, and top daily Fantasy basketball picks from SportsLine’s Mike McClure.

McClure is a DFS professional with more than $2 million in career winnings. He’s also a predictive data engineer at SportsLine who uses a powerful prediction model that simulates every minute of every game 10,000 times, taking factors like matchups, statistical trends and injuries into account.

This allows him to find the best NBA DFS values and create optimal lineups that he shares only over at SportsLine. They’re a must-see for any NBA DFS player.

On Monday, McClure highlighted Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley as one of his top picks in his NBA DFS player pool on both sites. The result: Quickley had eight points, five rebounds, 10 assists and two steals, returning 32.25 points on DraftKings and 31 points on FanDuel. Anybody who included him in their lineups was well on the way to a profitable day.

McClure has turned his attention to NBA action on Tuesday and locked in his top daily Fantasy basketball picks. You can only see them by heading to SportsLine.

Top NBA DFS picks for Tuesday, January 23
For Tuesday, one of McClure’s top NBA DFS picks is Pelicans power forward Zion Williamson, who is listed at $7,400 on DraftKings and $7,700 on FanDuel. Williamson had 24 points on 64.7% shooting in a 123-109 loss to the Suns on Friday. The 23-year-old is averaging 22 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game while shooting 58.8% from the field this season.

Williamson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, has showcased why he was such a highly-touted prospect when healthy. He’s averaging 24.9 points and 6.7 rebounds throughout his NBA career, but health has always been his biggest issue, playing only 29 games last season. But daily Fantasy basketball players don’t have to worry about his season-long health, and with Williamson healthy on Tuesday, he’s a strong option for NBA DFS lineups against the Jazz, who are allowing 122.8 points over their last four contests.

Another part of McClure’s optimal NBA DFS strategy includes Lakers combo guard/forward Austin Reaves ($5,800 on DraftKings and $6,100 on FanDuel). He’s a prime example of a player that could see an increase in usage and production with James out. Reaves had 19 points against the Jazz with James out of the lineup, compared to averaging 15 ppg on the season. He also had 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists while taking 14 shots against the Timberwolves without James on the floor.

The third-year pro is averaging career-highs in scoring (15 ppg), rebounds (4.2 per game) and assists (5.1 per game). The 25-year-old, who went undrafted after playing his final two college basketball seasons at Oklahoma, seems to be coming into his own in the NBA. McClure loves Reaves’ value to add depth to NBA DFS lineups while leaving money to spend on some of the higher-priced options in Tuesday’s NBA DFS player pool. See McClure’s other NBA DFS picks right here.

How to set your NBA DFS lineups for Tuesday, January 23
McClure is also targeting a player who could go off for massive numbers on Tuesday because of a dream matchup. This pick could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.

WWE’s final pay-per-view stop on the Road to WrestleMania goes down on Saturday when the Elimination Chamber comes to Montreal. The card is loaded with big matches, which all have significant implications for April’s two-night WrestleMania event.

Two matches are set to take place in the iconic Elimination Chamber. Six women will battle with a shot at Bianca Belair and the Raw women’s championship on the line. On the men’s side, Austin Theory will defend his United States championship against five other men inside the chamber.

Plus, the epic main event is set to see Roman Reigns defend his undisputed universal championship against former teammate Sami Zayn in Zayn’s hometown. The saga that has become The Bloodline reached a boiling point at Royal Rumble when Reigns pushed Zayn to strike his former friend Kevin Owens with a chair while Owens was defenseless. Instead, Zayn struck Reigns and led to an incredible moment that seems to have the faction splitting at the seams.

Plus, a showdown between Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley is also set for the card. The pair have faced each other twice in singles matches, splitting the meetings, though Lashley has gotten the better of several brawls as well as eliminating Lesnar from January’s Royal Rumble match.

Let’s take a closer look at who our CBS Sports experts predict will come out on top at WWE Elimination Chamber, which begins Saturday at 8 p.m. ET from Bell Centre in Montreal and streams live on Peacock.

2023 WWE Elimination Chamber predictions
Undisputed WWE universal championship — Roman Reigns (c) vs. Sami Zayn

At any other point in the year, it feels as though there’d be a bit more unpredictability to how this match could play out. Zayn is as hot a babyface as WWE has had in a long time because of the masterfully crafted Bloodline storyline. The crowd in Montreal will be incredibly hot for Zayn and an upset championship win would be an all-time moment in WWE history. The reality, however, is that Reigns’ long run with the titles is not going to end this close to WrestleMania. The real question is if things play out in a way that alters the WrestleMania main event. Will something happen that inserts Zayn into that match, turning the match between Reigns and Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes into a triple threat? That’s still to be seen. Reigns vs. Zayn should have a great atmosphere and tell a good story, but it would be a legitimate shocker if Zayn left Montreal with the titles. Pick: Roman Reigns retains the titles — Brent Brookhouse (also Shakiel Mahjouri)

Elimination Chamber match for a shot at the Raw women’s championship at WrestleMania — Asuka vs. Liv Morgan vs. Nikki Cross vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Natalya vs. Carmella

The return of “Evil Asuka” has been a devilish treat. Her makeover at the Royal Rumble elicited a big fan response and she has been booked well since, picking up good wins and showing a return to her old dominance. Asuka is certainly the most credible competitor in this Chamber match and her new gimmick needs to be protected. All acts cool off so it’s imperative that WWE continues to present this unhinged version of Asuka as a threat. With WrestleMania on the horizon, Asuka is also the safest choice for a smooth build to a title match on the biggest show of the year. Pick: Asuka wins — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)

Elimination Chamber match for the United States championship — Austin Theory (c) vs. Seth Rollins vs. Montez Ford vs. Damian Priest vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Bronson Reed

There aren’t a ton of credible winners heading into the match. Johnny Gargano has largely been a comedy act since returning, Rollins recently lost the title and seems tied to a possible WrestleMania outing against Logan Paul, Priest is a secondary stable member, Reed does not have the momentum — nor have the fans shown any interest in him on Raw — to enter WrestleMania as a defending champion and Ford is one-half of a struggling tag team. If anyone were to dethrone Theory, it would likely be Ford. There is certainly desire in seeing what the athletic, fan-friendly superstar could do as a breakout singles star. Ultimately, WWE seems somewhat committed to Theory’s reign and a credible challenger is on the horizon. Theory told CBS Sports in August “he’s pretty confident” that he would face John Cena at WrestleMania. There aren’t many contestants in the Cena sweepstakes beyond Theory and Logan Paul. If we’re getting Theory vs. Cena, then the champion will certainly leave Elimination Chamber with his title in hand. Pick: Austin Theory retains the title — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)

Edge & Beth Phoenix vs. Finn Balor & Rhea Ripley

The deciding factor in this match is that Ripley won the Royal Rumble and is heading to WrestleMania to challenge Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown women’s championship. Ripley has not wrestled since winning the Rumble and having her immediately lose momentum by dropping a match to Edge and Phoenix, a couple of established legends who are bulletproof at this point, would make no sense. Sometimes, it really is that easy to determine how a match will play out. Pick: Balor and Ripley win — Brookhouse (also Mahjouri)

Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley

In all honesty, the most realistic option here may be to have the pair go to a no contest due to a wild brawl, allowing the rubber match to carry over to WrestleMania. There’s likely no bigger Mania match for either man available so blowing off the feud on the big stage may be the best option. Were I forced to pick either man to get the win, I’d have to side with Lesnar. Lashley has gotten over on Lesnar at basically every turn, including directly after Lesnar defeated him at Crown Jewel. At some point, a star like Lesnar gets the “get-right moment.” Pick: No contest or Brock Lesnar wins — Brookhouse

The outcome of this match depends on WWE’s WrestleMania plans. Candidly, the once fantasy feud has run its course but here we are. The hosses are split 1-1 in their series and a no-contest is in play should creative opt to conclude the trilogy at WrestleMania. If someone is getting the win at Elimination Chamber, I’m siding with Lashley. The Hurt Business never really got the run they deserved and there may be interest in reforming the faction. Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander were seen chatting backstage on Raw, MVP’s collaboration with Omos flopped and Lashley is in need of help. Having Hurt Business interfere in the match gives Lashley the upper hand, gives the group a big reintroduction and allows WWE wiggle room to stretch the feud to WrestleMania. Pick: Bobby Lashley wins — Mahjouri

The Elimination Chamber is set to descend on Montreal on Saturday night. The pay-per-view event is the final major card on WWE’s road to WrestleMania and features a loaded event that could change the promotion’s landscape heading into the biggest show of the year.

In the main event, Sami Zayn looks to take down undisputed WWE universal champion Roman Reigns. The story of Zayn both being a member of, and leaving, Reigns’ Bloodline is one of the most critically praised WWE angles in years. Now, Zayn will look to complete the story by taking the championship in front of his hometown crowd.

In addition, two matches will take place in the iconic Elimination Chamber. On the women’s side, six women will battle for an opportunity to face Raw women’s champion Bianca Belair at WrestleMania. Meanwhile, Austin Theory will defend his United States championship against five other men inside the Chamber.

Plus, a showdown between Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley is also set for the card. The pair have faced each other twice in singles matches, splitting the meetings, though Lashley has gotten the better of several brawls as well as eliminating Lesnar from January’s Royal Rumble match.

Here’s how you can catch all the action on Saturday night.

Watch 2023 WWE Elimination Chamber
Date: Saturday, Feb. 18
Location: Bell Centre — Montreal
Start time: 8 p.m. ET (kickoff show starts at 7 p.m.)
Watch live: Peacock

2023 WWE Elimination Chamber match card
Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Sami Zayn
United States Championship: Austin Theory (c) vs. Seth Rollins vs. Montez Ford vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Bronson Reed vs. Damian Priest (Elimination Chamber match)
Liv Morgan vs. Asuka vs. Nikki Cross vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Natalya vs. Carmella (Elimination Chamber match)
Bobby Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar
Edge & Beth Phoenix vs. Finn Balor & Rhea Ripley

WWE is making the trip to Puerto Rico for WWE Backlash and the company is linking up with a famous friend. Backlash will air live from Puerto Rico on May 6 with Bad Bunny serving as its host.

WWE announced on Wednesday that Backlash will air live from the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Bunny, a two-time Grammy winner, will host the event.

“In 2005 when I was a kid, I wasn’t able to attend New Year’s Revolution at el Coliseo,” Bunny said in a press release. “Finally, 18 years later WWE returns to the island with a massive event and this time I won’t miss it.”

Bunny, 28, impressed many people with his in-ring efforts. He teamed with Damian Priest to defeat The Miz and John Morrison at WrestleMania 37 and competed in the 2022 men’s Royal Rumble match. Bunny is also a former 24/7 champion who has linked up with many famous pro wrestlers. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Ric Flair and Booker T have all made music video cameos, with the latter starring in Bunny’s song “Booker T.”

Bad Bunny took WWE by storm in 2021. Look back at his greatest moments over the last four months in WWE! @sanbenito pic.twitter.com/CtSbgB9odI

— WWE (@WWE) April 16, 2021
WWE last hosted a major Puerto Rican show in 2005 with New Year’s Revolution. The company is making a visible effort to reach fans overseas with significant shows. WWE held Elimination Chamber in Montreal, Canada earlier this year and has major shows set for London, England (Money in the Bank) and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (King and Queen of the Ring) later this year.

In advance of the 2024 Olympics, USA Basketball will announce a list of 35-40 players who could make Team USA’s 12-man roster, according to The Athletic’s Joe Vardon. Veteran stars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant have all pledged to participate, and reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid, who became a United States citizen in 2022, committed to Team USA in October.

The “master list” is expected to include those headliners, plus some players from the 2023 FIBA World Cup team (i.e. Mikal Bridges, Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton), and other stars and players with national team experience. USA Basketball will reach out to the players this month, but has not yet formally offered anyone a spot, according to The Athletic, citing Bridges and numerous league sources.

By making the list public, USA Basketball will be deviating from its most recent approach. Leading up to the World Cup, it did not announce a player pool or hold any tryouts; it simply announced the roster in one shot last July. That way, nobody got cut from the team. With immense player interest this time, though, merely being included in the player pool will be a badge of honor.

From The Athletic:

Previously, USA managing director Grant Hill and coach Steve Kerr had suggested “player pools” would be discontinued; that, in the modern era, it was more effective for the American national team to send invites privately, rather than ask a larger group of players to try out. For instance, USA Basketball pieced together the World Cup roster without a pool, and it was widely expected the same process would be followed for the Olympics. Women’s basketball, however, will continue using the player-pool system for 2024.

But the interest in the 2024 Games is perhaps unprecedented, with young, upcoming stars like Bridges, Tyrese Haliburton and Anthony Edwards, as well as aging superstars with gold medals like LeBron James and Kevin Durant, all hoping to play for Team USA. Steph Curry, who has two World Cup golds but has never played in the Olympics, has said he wants to play. Jayson Tatum and Devin Booker, members of the Tokyo Games gold-medalist team, want to play. So does Joel Embiid, the reigning NBA MVP who has American and French passports and said he would play for the USA this summer.

Creating a pool, or master list, or larger group of “finalists” allows the USA staff to keep a larger number of talented, perhaps deserving players engaged rather than discouraged, after the public declarations of interest from the biggest American stars. It allows a more natural selection process, which is majorly tied to how the NBA playoffs unfold, and who is healthy or otherwise not worn out when their season is over.

How would you describe your offensive game right now?

I would just say well-rounded. I feel like there’s a lot of things that I can do on the court. There are still a bunch of areas I want to get better — I want to get better at getting to the free throw line, get better at playing out of ISO situations — but pick-and-rolls, DHOs, transition, playing off of off-ball screens, those are all areas that I’ve put in time and effort to become comfortable playing in.

A few months ago, your former assistant coach Darko Rajakovic said that, the first time he talked to you, he asked, “What do you want to be, coming into the league as a rookie?” and you said you wanted to be 3-and-D guy. He said he replied, “That’s not going to work, that’s not going to be enough. The game is changing, so you can’t be one-dimensional — you’re a great shooter, what are you going to do if they chase you off the line?” First, is that how you remember it?

Most definitely. Coming into the league, teams were calling and interviewing and stuff like that, asking, like, “What role do you see yourself playing?” I was thinking of guys like Danny Green, Joe Harris, you know, guys that had long, successful NBA careers, made good money. I mean, Danny’s been a starter on a couple championship teams. So I was like, shit, if I can reach that, then that means I’m going to have a long career. And when you’re young, you’re just trying to find a niche and figure out a way to stick. So that was kind of my mindset coming in.

So, when Darko tells you that’s not going to be enough, how do you take it?

I was like, “Well, first, I gotta get on the floor.” Because I feel like, in the NBA, you need minutes to survive. If you’re not playing, you’re going to get cut or pushed out of the rotation one way or another. So I was like, shit, whatever Coach needs of me early on, that’s the role I’m going to play, and I’m glad that I have a coach that feels like I can be more than a spot-up shooter and movement shooter, and through offseason work and other stuff, we can work on things to expand my game.

Joe was one of the guys you watched in your film session with Mike Schmitz before the draft. Really good at attacking close-outs, makes good decisions, smart, tough, not just a shooter …

Exactly. Exactly.

… but at no point has he done the stuff you’re doing now with the ball in your hands. To get here, did you have to change the way you saw yourself?

To a degree. When I first came into the league — I mean, in college, if you look back at my tape, my film and stuff, my coach had me be a strictly off-the-ball player. So I hadn’t run a pick-and-roll since I was in high school. My senior year, I started doing a little bit more of that. So I had just kind of assumed that that was kind of going to be my niche or my role, and I kind of played that role my first year and then we went to summer league before my second year and they were like, “We’re going to put the ball in your hands.” And they did that and the rest is history. I went on to average 25 or so, 30 at summer league, and scoring in a variety of ways, and it translated to the regular season and I’ve just been able to continue to build off of that.

You’ve said previously that summer league changed your career. Did something click in one of those four games? Did that role sort of give you permission to work on different aspects of your game?

Oh, yeah. They basically, like — they’re the ones that made me become who I am. They were like, “Yeah, we’re going to put you on-ball.” When they first told me I was playing summer league, I was pissed. I was like, “Why am I playing summer league? I started 20 games last year, I started games in the playoffs. … I don’t need to play summer league, I’ve already established myself as an NBA player.” And they were like, “Nah, it’s bigger than that.” And they put me on the ball and they were like, “All right, you’re going to be running pick-and-rolls, you’re going to be doing this, you’re going to be doing that.” So immediately once the summer hit, I took my little two weeks off or whatever but then I started working on the stuff that I was going to be doing in summer league. And it clicked.

The idea of a player coming in as a 3-and-D guy and evolving into a star is not new. Kawhi did that, Paul George did it. DeMar DeRozan as a rookie basically stood in the corner on offense—

Yeah, I think it’s like that for — I wouldn’t say more guys than not, but there’s very few guys that come into the league in situations where the teams are just really bad and they’re like, “OK, we’re just going to put the ball in your hands and see what you can do.” Even if you look back at a guy like Jaylen Brown, he wasn’t nearly the player he is now, he’s obviously improved a ton, but that’s kind of how it goes. You gotta earn your stripes, show you’re capable of one thing, OK, then the coach can give you a little more leash. If you work on something, add it to your game and just kind of keep stacking like that.

HE’S HEATING UP 🔥🔥🔥 @DBane0625 pic.twitter.com/IZRbWqxuA3

— Bally Sports: Grizzlies (@GrizzOnBally) December 16, 2023
The thing that I think is different, though, is, when you came in, people weren’t saying you have crazy upside. You didn’t have the super long arms of Kawhi, you didn’t have the athleticism of, say, someone like Jaylen.

And that’s their fault. That’s the quote-unquote experts’ fault. They didn’t watch me close enough or see what Memphis saw. ‘Cause all along this was kind of the plan that they had for me. Like not necessarily to be a No. 2 option next to Ja Morant, but to be a guy that can average 15 points a game, 16 points a game in this league. And I don’t think many other teams were thinking that. Some teams were questioning if I could even make it.

You take some of the hardest shots in the NBA, especially this year: on the move, off the dribble, stepbacks late in the shot clock. What has gone into being able to take these shots comfortably?

My trainers do a great job of putting me in a box. Some trainers will be like, “All right, we’re going to work on every single move,” and, you know, it just doesn’t really translate because you don’t have really anything to kind of fall back on. Whereas my trainers will put me in a box, like, showing me, OK, I’m playing one-on-one, I got two guys shifted at the elbows, so I can’t go too far east and west, and I’ve gotta be able to get a layup off, I gotta be able to get a 3 off, I gotta be able to get a midrange off, whatever the case may be. So everything that I do in my workouts is purposeful and precise. It’s not like I’m just coming in there and doing cone drills or working on certain stepbacks. Like, we’ll do that stuff here and there, but it’s more so like game-like reps and putting me in situations so then when those situations come I can be successful.

So what did that look like last summer? You gave a pretty detailed explanation of how you approached the summer of 2022, so how did you build on that?

It was all pretty much pick-and-roll. Everything was kind of self-creation, just knowing that Ja was out creator. We relied on him so much, through the playoffs and through the regular season, to create. And he’s obviously one hell of a player, but in order to win a championship I just think that we need multiple guys to be able to create. So it was kind of like, yeah, I’m doing this ’cause Ja is out, but I’m also doing this to be able to do this on my own and myself as well. So it was all pick-and-roll and reads. Like, I’m making reads, basically: The big’s up, try to turn the corner. The big’s dropped, shoot a 3. You know, we’re making passing reads. Like you said, it was kind of a similar plan to what I had did before, but we just kind of built on that. And that was the recipe. Six days a week, once I was cleared to get on the court, which really wasn’t until, like, August. So I really only had like two months this year, a month and a half, to work on my game. But when it’s precise and it’s detailed, that’s all you need.

BANEGOOOO! @DBane0625 pic.twitter.com/qbOEuc1YXc

— Bally Sports: Grizzlies (@GrizzOnBally) December 16, 2023
Do you feel like you’ve had to be extra intentional about what you’re working on because, say, if you want to to be a good finisher and you don’t have the long arms or the Ja Morant speed or whatever, you need be crafty?

Yeah, one of my college coaches, Ryan Miller, a big believer in me — Mike Miller’s brother, so he was with him along the way for 16 years of his career, so he’s seen it — so basically anything that he was saying, I was treating like gold. And he was telling me, yeah, “You’re not gifted like some of these other guys, so you’re going to have to do way more. You’re going to have to spend more time in the gym. You’re going to have to have a higher motor, you’re going to have to know the game better.” And all that stuff is true. I have to put in more time, like you said, ’cause it’s not like I can run to the basket and out-physical somebody with my leaping ability or my reach or my size. It’s all got to be skill and touch. And you see my game: I shoot the ball at a high clip, I’m a smart decision-maker. So like I said, I have to have a well-rounded game in order to be able to survive, not only to be the guy that I am.

Being from Indiana, it makes sense that you were a Reggie Miller fan. But you were five, six years old when he was near the end of his career. How did he influence your game?

Huge fan. I mean, huge fan. Being from Indiana, he gave Pacers basketball life. When I was young, they were good. They had runs with Jamaal Tinsley, Jermaine O’Neal. They had good teams. And then, as I got older, they kind of had that wave where Paul George was there. So I was blessed to be able to see a bunch of good players in Pacers uniforms, and my family, we were just sports people. Like, my grandma and grandpa were retired, so during the day, they’re doing stuff around the house or chilling or whatever and then after news comes on, we’re watching the games, whether it’s football, basketball. So I just kind of grew up with a love for the game. And Reggie was the best player in Indiana, so that shooting stuff kind of stuck with me.

All-Star weekend is in your home state this year. Given your story — playing on the B team in AAU, extremely late commit to TCU, No. 30 pick, everything we’ve talked about in terms of development — what would it mean if you were selected to the All-Star team?

It would be like the cherry on top. I mean, obviously, making it to the NBA was a lifelong dream of mine and something that was a far-fetched dream and something, like, in the back of your mind, you don’t even know if you really believe it. And it comes true, and not only comes true, but I have some success in this league and I have a chance of really, seriously being in an All-Star Game, and the first time that I’m under real consideration is back home, in my home state, where my family and friends are, where I grew up. It would just kind of be a perfect storm.

Kawhi Leonard signed a three-year contract extension with the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. It will pay him the max (approximately $52 million) in 2024-25, then a flat $50 million per season in 2025-26 and 2026-27, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Given that Leonard was eligible for a four-year extension worth up to an estimated $223 million, this represents something of a sacrifice for one of the best players on the planet.

Hours after the Clippers announced the deal, following their 126-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors, Leonard said he signed it with the expectation that his co-stars would stick around. Paul George is eligible for an extension right now, and James Harden will be a free agent at the end of the season.

“With the conversation that I have with them about it, I think for the most part everybody is coming back,” Leonard told reporters. “So, with me signing the extension, I think it gives us a chance to sign both of those players.”

George and Clippers president Lawrence Frank both confirmed that they’re in talks.

“We’re working through it,” George told reporters.

“We talk with Paul daily, talk with his representative, Aaron Mintz,” Frank told reporters. “We want Paul to be a Clipper and we’re hopeful.”

The Clippers have won 21 of their last 27 games and are fourth in the Western Conference, two games behind the first-place Minnesota Timberwolves. Leonard has missed only four games this season, George only two, and, after a bumpy first week or so, Harden has given them exactly what they hoped when they acquired him in November. Until the Leonard deal, though, they were only really all-in on this season. It’s going to be extremely expensive to keep their stars aligned with new contracts, but this signals how far they’re willing to go.

That’s not to say that George is definitely on the verge of signing an identical extension, nor that Harden’s next deal will run through 2026-27 — all of that must be negotiated. Leonard is the Clippers’ best player, though, and George said he’s “extremely happy for Kawhi” and wants to stay a Clipper.

“Absolutely,” George told reporters. “You secure and lock in Kawhi, it definitely leaves the door open for myself,” George said. “Very, very optimistic that something will get done on my behalf as well.”

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A cautionary tale: In August of 2021, with Kevin Durant signed to a four-year extension, Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks said he was “very confident” that Harden and Kyrie Irving would be “signed, sealed, delivered” in short order. The Nets’ stars had wanted to team up, just like the Clippers’ stars, but neither Harden nor Irving ended up signing those extensions and, a year and a half later, all three of them had been traded.

This is unlikely to play out the same way. (Had Irving simply gotten vaccinated and made himself eligible to play in all of the Nets’ games that season, this story would have played out differently.) Since Harden isn’t eligible for an extension, though, the Clippers can’t quite shore up their (near) future until the end of this season.

That said, keeping Leonard for less than the max is a nice first step.

Starting this June, the NBA Draft will be spread over two nights, with the first round on a Wednesday (June 26, presumably) and the second round the next evening, pending the National Basketball Players Association’s approval, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. (Officially, the 2024 NBA Draft is currently scheduled for June 27, four days after a potential Game 7 of the NBA Finals.)

NBA commissioner Adam Silver more than hinted that this change was coming in an interview with SiriusXM NBA in December.

“We’re working on it,” Silver said then. “And it’s something that we have to continue to work through with our network, ESPN and ABC, which broadcasts the draft, and then of course with the players association. But I would say, having formerly been the deputy commissioner, in the role that Mark Tatum’s in now, it’s not about Mark Tatum needing sleep but to me it seems unfair to the second-round players that we’re still on the air at 12:30 or whatever in the morning Eastern Time, drafting second-round players.”

“I’m hoping to get there for this June…and move the 2nd round [of the Draft] to its own night”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver confirms the league would like to make the Draft a two-night event.@siriusxm | @siriusxmsports | @NBA | @TermineRadio | @JumpShot8 pic.twitter.com/6Xr6C2eJUJ

— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) December 6, 2023
Silver referenced Nikola Jokic and Draymond Green getting drafted in the second round — the former was selected while the television broadcast was airing a Taco Bell commercial — and said that, with the “large, global pool” of talent and great interest in the draft, “both rounds deserve prime time.”

He also noted that teams would have an opportunity to “reset” in between the two days and have more time to deliberate before making their second-round picks. Under the current format, teams have only two minutes in between second-round picks, as opposed to a five-minute window in the first round.

Things just keep getting worse for the Memphis Grizzlies. After the shocking announcement that Ja Morant would miss the remainder of the season due to a tear in his right shoulder that would require surgery, Memphis will now also be without Marcus Smart for an extended period of time. The team announced that Smart is expected to be sidelined for six weeks with a finger injury, further depleting the Grizzlies’ depth this season.

Smart sustained the injury in a blowout win against the Dallas Mavericks on Jan. 9. It happened during the third quarter, where after making a 3-pointer Smart noticed that his ring finger looked like it was dislocated. He went back to the locker room and was later ruled out for the remainder of the game.

Marcus Smart went back to the Grizzlies locker room with an apparent finger injury after making this three.

Hope he’s alright 🙏pic.twitter.com/n3ZBq2MmZu

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 10, 2024
It’s another significant blow to a Memphis team that for a few games looked like it could go on a run when Morant came back from his 25-game suspension. In the nine games that Morant played with the Grizzlies, they went 6-3 and were showing signs of life after starting the season 6-19. But now with his injury, and now Smart, it seems like this season will be completely derailed before it really ever started.

Losing Smart for almost two months is going to take a toll on an already shaky Grizzlies team. Smart stepped in this season after being traded to Memphis during the summer and immediately made an impact. He’s averaging a career-high 14.5 points, while also adding on 4.3 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 2.1 steals. He really took on a significant role when Morant was out for the first 25 games, and despite the Grizzlies struggling to string together wins without Morant, Smart did his best to hold teammates accountable for their effort and lead with his scoring, passing and tough defense. Without him, the defense will surely falter from ranking ninth in the league. When Smart’s on the floor, the Grizzlies allow nearly three fewer points than when he sits, and not having him to defend quicker, craftier guards out on the perimeter will mean that Jaren Jackson Jr. will be tasked with more work when opponents get into the paint.

We’ll have to see how the Grizzlies perform now that they’re without both Morant and Smart, because while they initially responded well when Morant went out for the season, winning back-to-back games, things will get tougher now that Smart is also sidelined. That means more offensive responsibility for Desmond Bane, who has already shown on multiple occasions that he’s more than capable of being the No. 1 option on offense. But Bane alone won’t be enough, Jackson Jr. will need to step up a bit more, and so will the likes of Luke Kennard, Santi Aldama and Ziaire Williams.