Josh Primo
The Spurs waived Josh Primo on Friday due to, according to Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, multiple alleged instances of Primo exposing himself to women.
The move was jarring for multiple reasons. Of course, the highly disturbing nature of the allegations. The Spurs had also just exercised Primo's $5,982,725 third-year option for next season. He looked like a long-term building block in San Antonio. Selected No. 12 at age 18 out of Alabama, Primo was the youngest player drafted last year.
Primo released a statement through ESPN:
"I know that you all are surprised by today's announcement. I've been seeking help to deal with previous trauma I suffered and will now take this time to focus on my mental health treatment more fully. I hope to be able to discuss these issues in the future so I can help others who have suffered in a similar way. I appreciate privacy at this time."
Attorney Tony Buzbee, who represents multiple women suing Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, told ESPN he's representing a woman who worked for the Spurs and says Primo exposed himself to her.
Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving tweeted a link to the Amazon page for the film "Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America," which is based on the book of the same name. Though I'm hesitant to frame a movie I haven't seen or book I haven't read as anti-Semitic, Jon Blistein of Rolling Stone provides enough examples from the book – which follow well-worn paths – to believe the anti-Semitic label is warranted. The gist: Blacks are the true descendants of ancient Jews, and modern Jews – using Satan, freemasonry, etc. – forced the groups to switch identities. The source material is a combination of twisted and sometimes outright falsified.
Irving also posted an Alex Jones video about the "new world order" tyrannically seeking a global, all-powerful government. Yesterday, Irving distanced himself from Jones' literally defamous Sandy Hook commentary, but defended posting the video about secret societies and occults, because, "It's true."
It's unsurprising these conspiracy theorists appealed to Irving. He's a pseudo-deep thinker desperate to prove he's smarter than everyone else. We know who he is at this point.
You should not follow his lead in understanding how the world operates. If you didn't know that by now, here's yet another example.
Irving said he found the film while researching the etymology of his name, Kyrie. He indicated he watched the film or read the book, but wasn't endorsing it, merely sharing it. Unfortunately, his terse press-conference-ending back-and-forth with ESPN's Nick Friedell didn't include the simple question Irving should answer: Why did he post it?
"Africa is in it, whether we want to dismiss it or not. So the claims of anti-Semitism, and who are the original chosen people of God, and we go into these religious conversations, and it’s a big no-no. I don’t live my way like that. I don’t live my life that way, excuse me. I grew up in a melting pot. And I say a melting pot of all races – white, black, red, yellow, Jewish, Christian, Muslim. And you see the way I live my life now.
"I’m in a unique position to have a level of influence on my community, and what I post does not mean that I support everything that’s being said or everything that’s being done or I’m campaigning for anything. All I do is post things from our people in my community, and those that it’s actually going to impact. Anybody else that has criticism, it obviously wasn’t meant for them.”
"We're in 2022. It's on Amazon, a public platform. Whether you want to go watch it is up to you. There's things being posted every day. I am no different than the next human being. So, don't treat me any different. You guys come in here and make up this powerful influence I have over top of the adultery of you, you cannot post that. Why not? Why not?
"I'm not going to stand down on anything that I believe in. I'm only going to get stronger, because I'm not alone. I have a whole army around me."
It matters most how Irving treats people. Irving said he lives his life by interacting with people of all backgrounds. Which, good.
It's also fair for Irving to say that posting something doesn't mean endorsing everything said by the original content creator. But Jones' Sandy Hook nonsense wasn't an aberration. It was an illustrative example of his scummy ways. Best I can tell, "Hebrews to Negroes" is not a well-researched look at history with a stray anti-Semitic remark or two. Anti-Semitism appears to be a root feature of the story being told in the film.
Irving said his post was intended for only people it'd impact and not people who'd criticize it. What narcissistic entitlement.
Irving going back and forth on whether he holds large influence is also off-putting.
Irving described himself as an "omnist," someone who believes in all religions. This is where omnism gets thorny. Jews believe they're Jews. Black Hebrew Israelites (whose ideology is reflected in the film) believe "so-called" Jews are not Jews.
To quote Sarah Marshall talking to Aldous Snow:
Let me tell you something about these tattoos, okay. That is Buddhist, that is Nordic, that is Hindu, that's just gibberish. They are completely conflicting ideologies, and that does not make you a citizen of the world, it makes you full of shit!
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets are also 1-5. Michael Pina of The Ringer gets into all that ails Brooklyn.
Bojan Bogdanovic
The Pistons signed Bojan Bogdanovic to a two-year, $39 million contract extension. Just $2 million of Bogdanovic's $19 million salary in the second season is guaranteed, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN.
Young and probably not yet good, Detroit surprised by trading for the 33-year-old Bogdanovic last month. But the cost was so cheap (Kelly Olynyk and no picks to the Jazz), the deal made sense as an asset play.
The extension should probably be judged with similar criteria.
Bogdanovic has been awesome in a small sample so far. He's scoring 23 points per game on an NBA-best 72% true shooting (55% on 2-pointers, 51% on 3-pointers, 94% on 3-pointers). That's unsustainable. But it's still a positive indicator on Bogdanovic as he ages into his mid-30s.
The extension reduces Detroit's projected 2023 cap space from about $66 million to $47 million. But that's still a lot of spending power.
And in 2024, Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren will still be on their relatively-cheap rookie-scale contracts and Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart will have relatively low cap holds. The Pistons project to have about $38 million in 2024 cap space – $56 million if Bogdanovic is waived and stretched.
Because Detroit traded for Bogdanovic within the last six months, his extension was already subject to extend-and-trade restrictions. Those same restrictions allow the Pistons to re-trade Bogdanovic immediately.
For perspective, his largest-allowable extension was two years, $42,081,375.
Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook has played well coming off the Lakers' bench the last two games (18-8-3 then 18-8-8). Importantly, Los Angeles was even in his 33 minutes in a loss to the Timberwolves then +18 in his 32 minutes in a win over the Lakers.
Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register wrote about the improved outlook around Westbrook. Jovan Buha of The Athletic noted reasons for caution.
But Westbrook said he'd do whatever it took to help the Lakers and, despite widespread doubt about his sincerity, is delivering. For the moment, Westbrook's contributions should be celebrated.
Myles Turner
On his podcast, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN asked Pacers center Myles Turner whether the Lakers should trade both their 2027 and 2029 first-rounders – as Indiana demands – for Turner and Buddy Hield. It was strange to hear Turner himself answer the question so straightforwardly: "If I’m the Lakers, I take a very hard look at this." Turner discussed the high value of picks and the risk of him being on an expiring contract before noting it's not his job to make the call.
R.J. Hampton
R.J. Hampton has played solid this year. But the Magic aren't letting that small sample override the previous two years of lackluster play, declining the guard's $4,220,057 fourth-year option for next season, according to Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel.
This is fairly surprising. Hampton entered the NBA fairly raw (more raw than many public draft analysts thought). He's still just 21.
But the Magic didn't draft Hampton, getting the 2020 No. 24 pick from the Nuggets during his rookie year in the Aaron Gordon trade. Not having the optics of getting a draft pick wrong makes it easier for Orlando to cut bait.
The Magic increase their projected 2023 cap space from $34 million to $37 million. That could be a significant difference, as that's in the range of max salaries
Leandro Bolmaro, Udoka Azubuike
The Jazz are declining rookie-scale team options on Leandro Bolmaro (No. 23 pick in 2020) and Udoka Azubuike (No. 27 pick in 2020), according to Tony Jones of The Athletic.
That's Bolmaro's third-year option, as he waited a year to join the Timberwolves then got sent to Utah in the Rudy Gobert trade. Bolmaro hasn't made a dent in the NBA, though he's been there a only year and change.
Azubuike is a hulking center whose playing style has become devalued.
The Jazz increase their projected 2023 cap space from $19 million to $26 million.
High scoring
Per Basketball-Reference, NBA teams are scoring 113 points per 100 possessions – which would be the highest season in NBA history. And scoring efficiency tends to increase throughout a season!
Kevin Pelton of ESPN examined the trend and found offensive rebounding and transition (including the new transition take foul rules) explain much of the scoring rise.
Udonis Haslem
Udonis Haslem didn't play in his 18th season until May. But he has already ensured a 20th season played, getting into a couple games for the Heat. Dirk Nowitzki (21 seasons with the Mavericks) and Kobe Bryant (20 seasons with the Lakers) are the only other players in NBA history to play 20 seasons with the same franchise. Two lottery picks and the undrafted Haslem. Haslem discussed the accomplishment, one especially desired by his late father, with Ira Winderman of the South Florida SunSentinel.
-Dan Feldman