Victor Wembanyama looks like a generational prospect and it’s no surprise that teams are making plans around the just the chance of landing the 18-year-old center.
“Victor distorts basketball reality,” one GM told Adrian Wojnarowski and Jonathan Givony of ESPN. “The tank/trade market will really shift after that showing. It feels like last night will start a race to the bottom like we’ve never seen.”
Several teams are already on a clear path of tanking this season. The Jazz spent the offseason trading established veterans for draft picks. The Spurs haven’t utilized all of their resources with many speculating that Wembanyama has their eye. The Rockets are again in cash-saving mode and could be a contender for the pick. The Thunder again look as if they will not be a playoff team with Chet Holmgren sitting out the season.
“He’s a 7-foot-4 Durant who blocks shots — and he’s not even close to what he’s going to be. He will be the most hyped player since LeBron,” another GM explained.
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- Donte DiVincenzo joined the Warriors during the offseason after the Kings traded for him last season and opted to allow him to become an unrestricted free agent rather than holding onto him. DiVincenzo said he has mixed feelings when it comes to Sacramento deciding not to present him with a qualifying offer. “I can pick where I want to go, but then you have the other side, like, ‘Damn, they didn’t want me? Do they still want me? Are they trying to do something with a cap hold or whatever?’” DiVincenzo told Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “I didn’t understand all that stuff. But my mind was just open, spinning, hectic for a couple days.”
- DiVincenzo told Slater (via the same piece) that he thought he was going to Boston at last year’s NBA trade deadline, adding that he was blindsided by the Kings trading for him.
- The Wizards announced that Corey Kispert will miss 4-to-6 weeks with the left ankle injury he suffered during Sunday’s preseason game. Washington’s wing rotation is crowded and it remains to be seen what kind of role Kispert will have once he’s healthy enough to return to the court.
- Coach J.B. Bickerstaff is confident that Evan Mobley will be back in action by opening night. “We’ll always be safe with our guys, but right now there isn’t a concern that he would miss the start of the season,” Bickerstaff said. Mobley is recovering from a right ankle sprain.
- There have been rumblings about the Cavaliers trading for Jae Crowder and Cedi Osman‘s name has been in the rumor mill. Osman hears that chatter and is remaining professional. “I’ve been hearing those things,” Osman told Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “But I’m just focused on my basketball because you cannot control that. That’s why whenever I stepped on a court I was just working on my game and trying to get better. It’s been six years since coming over, six years in Cleveland. I’m happy here and this is my home.”
