76ers trade Caleb Martin to Mavericks

Shams Charania: The Philadelphia 76ers are trading Caleb Martin to the Dallas Mavericks, sources tell ESPN.
Source: x.com
Derek Bodner @DerekBodnerNBA
Sixers injury report for tomorrow's game against the Mavs:
OUT: Paul George (left finger), Jared McCain (left knee).
QUESTIONABLE: Joel Embiid (left knee), Andre Drummond (left toe), Eric Gordon (left knee), Caleb Martin (right hip), KJ Martin (left foot). - 5:34 PM
Austin Krell @NBAKrell
New Sixers injury report for tomorrow's game vs the Dallas Mavericks:
Embiid (L knee) QUESTIONABLE
George (extensor tendon) OUT
Caleb Martin (hip) QUESTIONABLE
KJ Martin (foot) QUESTIONABLE
Drummond (toe) QUESTIONABLE
Eric Gordon (knee) QUESTIONABLE. - 5:33 PM
Adam Aaronson @SixersAdam
The Sixers have an injury report for tomorrow's game vs. Dallas:
Joel Embiid -- Left knee -- QUESTIONABLE
Paul George -- finger -- OUT
Caleb Martin -- hip -- QUESTIONABLE
Eric Gordon -- knee -- QUESTIONABLE
Andre Drummond -- toe -- QUESTIONABLE
KJ Martin -- foot -- QUESTIONABLE - 5:30 PM
Adam Aaronson @SixersAdam
You can now count Caleb Martin as one of the people who thought the Mavericks-Lakers trade was fake when initially reported.
'That's the business part of it… All of the guys included in the package have history with their respective teams.' - 1:04 PM
Adam Aaronson @SixersAdam
Caleb Martin (right hip sprain) says he's progressing well in recent days, but it's been frustrating that his recovery has taken longer than expected. - 12:57 PM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Sixers forward Caleb Martin is out tonight vs. the Boston Celtics. - 5:15 PM
Adam Aaronson @SixersAdam
A report from Keith Pompey of The Inquirer this morning indicates two Western Conference teams have at least kicked the tires on trading for Caleb Martin. Wrote a bit about each team as a potential suitor and reiterated why I would be holding onto Martin:
phillyvoice.com/sixers-news-an… - 12:33 PM
Noah Levick @NoahLevick
For Sixers-Celtics tomorrow:
Caleb Martin (right hip) and Andre Drummond (left toe) have been upgraded to questionable.
Joel Embiid, Paul George, KJ Martin still out. - 5:35 PM
Adam Aaronson @SixersAdam
All of the latest on the injury statuses of Joel Embiid, Paul George, Andre Drummond, Caleb Martin + KJ Martin ahead of Sixers-Celtics tomorrow evening.
Caleb and Drummond seem very close. KJ is getting closer. Still no real information on Embiid or PG.
phillyvoice.com/sixers-news-an… - 5:33 PM
Derek Bodner @DerekBodnerNBA
Sixers injury report for tomorrow's game against Boston:
OUT: Joel Embiid (left knee), Paul George (left finger), KJ Martin (left foot) and Jared McCain (left knee)
QUESTIONABLE: Andre Drummond (left toe), Caleb Martin (right hip).
Jeff Dowtin Jr and Pete Nance in the G-League. - 5:33 PM
Austin Krell @NBAKrell
Joel Embiid and Paul George are listed OUT for tomorrow's game vs the Celtics.
Andre Drummond and Caleb Martin are questionable. - 5:31 PM
Adam Aaronson @SixersAdam
The Sixers have an injury report for tomorrow's game vs. Boston:
Joel Embiid -- left knee management -- OUT
Paul George -- left finger -- OUT
Andre Drummond -- left toe recovery -- QUESTIONABLE
Caleb Martin -- right hip sprain -- QUESTIONABLE
KJ Martin -- left foot -- OUT - 5:30 PM
Sources say Milwaukee has eyed both Philadelphia's Caleb Martin and Charlotte's Cody Martin, who each make less than Connaughton's $9.4 million salary. -via marcstein.substack.com / February 4, 2025
Keith Pompey: All the Sixers' injured players - aside from Jared McCain, who is out for the season - participated in today's practice. That includes Joel Embiid, Paul George, Andre Drummond, Caleb Martin, KJ Martin and Eric Gordon. -via x.com / February 3, 2025
Caleb Martin is recognized as the modern-day Boston Strangler. The 29-year-old, who tormented the Celtics as a member of the Heat, including during the 2023 Eastern Conference finals, poured in 23 points on Christmas on 8-of-11 shooting — including seven three-pointers. He would prefer to stay put, according to a league source. Another source said the feeling is mutual. The team is aware of the impact he could have during a playoff run. -via The Philadelphia Inquirer / February 2, 2025
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: 76ers trade Caleb Martin to Mavericks

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The Nets could use a center to develop, along with a point guard. 2022 draft: SF MarJon Beauchamp (2W, FA) 2023 draft: n/a 2024 draft: SF Pacôme Dadiet, PG Tyler Kolek, PF Anton Watson (2W, FA), SG Kevin McCullar Jr. (2W, FA), C Ariel Hukporti (FA) Undrafted since 2022: N/A Analysis: New York's top-heavy roster was no place for a rookie. The five 2024 picks combined for 15 minutes in the playoffs, with Watson (a Celtics draft pick) and McCullar ineligible while on two-way contracts. Dadiet won't be 20 until next month. Kolek is going to need to shoot better (sub 30 percent from 3). Hukporti had a four-block game against the Nets in November and recovered from a knee injury. 2025 draft picks: 50th Draft need: New York only has a late second-round pick, and the one position the Knicks didn't draft last year was power forward, so that might be a spot to go with, despite Watson's addition to the roster. 2022 draft: N/A 2023 draft: PG Jalen Hood-Schifino (2W, FA) 2024 draft: PG Jared McCain, C Adem Bona Undrafted since 2022: SG Ricky Council IV, SF Justin Edwards (FA) Analysis: Philadelphia had a rotten season, but the Sixers found talent. McCain played in 23 games, but only Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle (26) and No. 2 pick Alexandre Sarr (10) had more 20-point games as rookies than McCain, who had eight. Bona had 17 multi-block games, ranking seventh among rookies. Edwards shot 36.3 percent from 3 and was promoted from a two-way contract in February. Council's offense deserted him in his second season. Advertisement 2025 draft picks: third, 35th Draft need: The Sixers needed a power forward all season. Cooper Flagg would have been a perfect fit here. Maybe Ace Bailey would be a great fit if he were actually 6-foot-10. Philadelphia may be best served trading down and targeting wing size, but Bailey could be the best option there if the Sixers believe that he will defend and rebound. 2022 draft: SF Ochai Agbaji 2023 draft: SG Gradey Dick 2024 draft: SG Ja'Kobe Walter, C Jonathan Mogbo, PG Jamal Shead, C Ulrich Chomche (2W) Undrafted since 2022: C Colin Castleton, SF Jamison Battle Analysis: Dick got to be a starter at shooting guard, but he wasn't efficient (41 percent field goals), and he's likely headed to the bench with Toronto adding Brandon Ingram to a roster that already has Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley. Agbaji is more efficient, athletic, longer and stronger than Dick, but he is less likely to be a shot creator. Mogbo had two double-digit assist games in April, including a triple-double, though he is short for a big and not a reliable scorer. Walter can shoot, but he struggled to score efficiently as well (40.5 percent field goals) and might be in a rough spot with the logjam on the wing. Shead played more total minutes than Walter or Mogbo, but he struggled to put the ball in the basket, too, shooting 40.5 percent from the field. Only Dick and Barrett made more 3s than Battle, who was the most accurate shooter on the roster while making 40.5 percent from downtown after starting the season on a two-way contract. Castleton showed a little bit of everything down the stretch, especially on the offensive glass. 2025 draft picks: ninth, 39th Draft need: Mogbo might be a better fit as a power forward, Chomche is a multi-year project, and Jakob Poeltl has a player option in 2026. Plus, there's a glut of perimeter talent already. Toronto should be drafting a big, likely a center, with its lottery pick. 2022 draft: SG Dalen Terry, PF EJ Liddell (2W, FA) 2023 draft: PF Julian Phillips 2024 draft: PF Matas Buzelis Undrafted since 2022: PG Jahmir Young (2W), PF Emanuel Miller (2W, FA) Advertisement Analysis: Buzelis took the starting power forward job from Patrick Williams in February and showed that he can be an active defender while shooting the ball well. The next step for him is improving his ability to get more opportunities to weaponize his blend of size and athleticism for easier shots while getting stronger and better on the glass. Terry has good size for a guard but remains a player who rarely impacts games despite his skill level. Phillips gets wing minutes but, like Terry, is not much of a scorer. 2025 draft picks: 12th, 45th Draft need: There is no developmental center on the roster, and the Bulls should have their pick of candidates in the first round. 2022 draft: SF Luke Travers (2W, FA) 2023 draft: SG Emoni Bates (2W, FA) 2024 draft: SG Jaylon Tyson Undrafted since 2022: PG Craig Porter Jr., PF Nae'Qwan Tomlin (2W) Analysis: The Cavaliers were the best team in the Eastern Conference, and there was little need to play their developmental players. Porter was buried behind two All-Stars and Ty Jerome. Tyson had only five 20-minute games. 2025 draft picks: 49th, 58th Draft need: Cleveland doesn't have a first-round pick, but it has Donovan Mitchell. A developmental center makes sense with at least one of the second-rounders. 2022 draft: SG Jaden Ivey, C Jalen Duren 2023 draft: SF Ausar Thompson, PG Marcus Sasser 2024 draft: SF Ron Holland II, PF Bobi Klintman Undrafted since 2022: SF Ron Harper Jr. (2W), PG Daniss Jenkins (2W, FA), C Tolu Smith (2W) Analysis: The Pistons won a playoff game for the first time since 2008, and their developmental core had varying roles in contributing. Duren was one of 11 players to average at least 10 points, 10 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game last season, and only Victor Wembanyama was younger. Thompson eventually became Detroit's starting small forward and top defender. What's tricky is that Thompson only began starting regularly after Ivey's season-ending leg injury, and the Pistons were a losing team with Ivey starting. Both Thompson and Holland have a long way to go as shooters, as both were under 24 percent from 3. Sasser can shoot it, though he's a small guard and not a natural passer. Klintman is a good passer who only played 42 minutes. Advertisement 2025 draft picks: 37th Draft need: The Pistons have first-round picks at every position except power forward, but they also don't have a first-round pick after trading it in 2020 for Isaiah Stewart. Klintman is a worthwhile project, so a pass-first point guard could be under consideration in the second round. 2022 draft: SF Bennedict Mathurin, SG Andrew Nembhard 2023 draft: PF Jarace Walker, SG Ben Sheppard 2024 draft: SG Johnny Furphy, C Enrique Freeman (2W, FA) Undrafted since 2022: SG Quenton Jackson (2W, FA), PG RayJ Dennis (2W) Analysis: The Pacers struck gold with getting Nembhard in the second round, and he's now under contract through 2028. Indiana has an interesting decision ahead on Mathurin, the best free-throw generator on the team. Sheppard has established an early-career trend of shooting better in the playoffs than in the regular season. Walker has shown that he is versatile enough to play small forward and shoots over 40 percent from 3, but he has to be a better rebounder. Furphy is a 6-9 guard whom the Pacers kept out of the G League. 2025 draft picks: 54th Draft need: Myles Turner is a free agent, and Indiana spent the entire season trying to account for Achilles tendon injuries to backups James Wiseman (since traded) and Isaiah Jackson. Thomas Bryant and Tony Bradley were decent stopgaps, but a pick on a developmental center makes sense. 2022 draft: PG Ryan Rollins (FA) 2023 draft: SF Andre Jackson Jr., PF Chris Livingston 2024 draft: C Tyler Smith Undrafted since 2022: SG AJ Green, SG Stanley Umude (2W, FA), PG Jamaree Bouyea (2W), C Pete Nance (2W) Analysis: The Bucks were the oldest team in the East for the third straight season. Green is one of the best 3-point shooters in the league, so he's a developmental win for Milwaukee. Jackson went from starting 43 games before the All-Star break to playing 96 total minutes after. Rollins had the opposite trajectory, earning a promotion from a two-way contract in March while starting 19 games overall. Smith barely played despite Bobby Portis' suspension and an injury to Jericho Sims. Livingston has only played 196 minutes in two seasons. Advertisement 2025 draft picks: 47th Draft need: Milwaukee traded its first-round pick for Jrue Holiday, who won a championship with the Bucks in 2021. Holiday was traded for Damian Lillard, who is recovering from surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon. A true center could be a target in the second round. 2022 draft: SG Dyson Daniels 2023 draft: PG Kobe Bufkin, PF Mouhamed Gueye 2024 draft: SF Zaccharie Risacher Undrafted since 2022: SF Daeqwon Plowden (2W), PF Dominick Barlow (FA), PF Jacob Toppin (2W, FA) Analysis: Risacher, the top pick of the 2024 draft, wasn't like most No. 1 picks. He's a wing who wasn't asked to cook, and at least he ate after the All-Star break by shooting 49.8 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from 3. Daniels had a remarkable season after being freed from New Orleans, winning the Most Improved Player award while finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Gueye was Atlanta's choice to start at power forward following another season-ending injury to Jalen Johnson, and he was active defensively in limited minutes. Bufkin has only played 27 games in two years. Barlow was promoted from a two-way contract in March. 2025 draft picks: 13th, 22nd Draft need: The Hawks don't really have a developmental center, so they could target more frontcourt size, as Clint Capela and Larry Nance Jr. are free agents. Bufkin's injury-marred start to his career may lead the Hawks to also consider adding a point guard option with one of their two first-round picks. 2022 draft: C Mark Williams, SF Wendell Moore Jr. (2W, FA), C Moussa Diabaté 2023 draft: SG Brandon Miller, PG Nick Smith Jr. 2024 draft: PF Tidjane Salaün, PG KJ Simpson (2W) Undrafted since 2022: SG Damion Baugh (2W) Analysis: It was not a great season for Miller, who averaged 21.0 points but shot only 40.3 percent from the field before wrist surgery in January ended his season after only 27 games. At least Miller wasn't traded like Williams was, though, only to be welcomed back following a rare rescission. Williams is quite productive, but he has only played 106 games in three seasons and is one of the worst rim protectors among starting centers. Smith is point-guard-sized but is far more inclined to shoot first, second and again. Salaün won't be 20 until August, but he has a long way to go offensively after making only 33 percent from the field. Diabaté was the only Hornet to play in at least 70 games despite beginning the season on a two-way contract. Advertisement 2025 draft picks: fourth, 33rd, 34th Draft need: It's remarkable how many bad shot takers are on this team. The Hornets are best served using their lottery pick on a player, most likely a wing, who can score efficiently without needing to soak up touches. 2022 draft: PF Nikola Jović 2023 draft: PF Jaime Jaquez Jr. 2024 draft: C Kel'el Ware, SG Pelle Larsson Undrafted since 2022: PF Keshad Johnson (FA), PG Isaiah Stevens (2W, FA) Analysis: The Heat tend to select players who wind up contributing as rookies; the key now is having them continue to trend in the right direction. Ware was an All-Rookie second-team selection after averaging nearly a double-double after the All-Star break while allowing Bam Adebayo to move to power forward. Jaquez was a 2024 All-Rookie first-team selection, but his minutes and production dropped in his second season, and he has yet to figure out the 3-point line. Jović has only played in 107 games in three seasons, but he has shown that he can pass and shoot at 6-10. Larsson needs to improve his shooting, but he got a chance to fill some wing minutes. Johnson was promoted from a two-way contract in December. 2025 draft picks: 20th Draft need: Miami's annual success in the Play-In Tournament canceled its lottery pick. The Heat have needed a point guard upgrade for years, and they should have plenty of options to choose from. 2022 draft: PF Paolo Banchero, PF Caleb Houstan (FA) 2023 draft: PG Anthony Black, SF Jett Howard 2024 draft: SF Tristan da Silva Undrafted since 2022: N/A Analysis: Orlando was the youngest team in the East to make the playoffs, and that was despite Banchero missing 36 games. The Magic actually had a better record without Banchero (20-16) than with him (21-25), and Banchero could stand to be more efficient. But the 2022 No. 1 pick is a force and has averaged 28.0 points in his 12 career playoff games. Black got more consistent playing time in Year 2, but he still isn't a comfortable scorer yet. Howard's primary skill coming out of Michigan was supposed to be shooting, and he has yet to break 30 percent from 3. Due to the injuries to Banchero and Franz Wagner, da Silva played a lot, but those minutes dried up with both healthy and da Silva lacking reliable ways to score outside of the 3-point line. Houstan was a 40 percent 3-point shooter, but he's an underwhelming athlete and struggled when given minutes in the playoffs. Advertisement 2025 draft picks: 25th, 46th, 57th Draft need: The Magic still have a first-round pick after sending one away to acquire much-needed shooting via Desmond Bane. Orlando should still target players who can shoot, as well as use one of its second-round picks on a developmental big. 2022 draft: n/a 2023 draft: SF Bilal Coulibaly, SG Colby Jones, C Tristan Vukčević (2W, FA) 2024 draft: C Alexandre Sarr, PG Bub Carrington, SG AJ Johnson, SG Kyshawn George Undrafted since 2022: SF Jaylen Martin (2W) Analysis: Washington was the youngest team in the NBA, and it took a buzzer-beater from Carrington in the season finale to keep the Wizards from finishing with the worst record in the league. Sarr was an All-Rookie first-team selection while blocking 1.5 shots per game, but his percentages need to improve from everywhere. Carrington made 40.1 percent from the field, and that was the best mark of Washington's four first-round rookies this season; Sarr shot 39.4, George shot 37.2 and Johnson shot 38.1 after arriving from Milwaukee as part of the Kyle Kuzma-Khris Middleton trade. Even though Carrington wasn't much of a scorer, he did a solid job as a playmaker while sharing lead guard duties with Jordan Poole. George has enough skill and length to retain intrigue while his shooting improves. Coulibaly wasn't much better at 42.1 percent, though he improved his playmaking on both sides of the ball. Jones was quite productive after coming from Sacramento, but he struggles to shoot the ball. 2025 draft picks: sixth, 18th, 40th Draft need: Sarr might be a better fit at power forward given his struggles with physicality on both ends of the floor, so I wonder if Washington would draft another big in the top 10 who can complement him. Plenty of young perimeter players litter the rotation, although there's still a lack of shooting efficiency across the board in Washington. 2022 draft: SG Christian Braun, PF Peyton Watson 2023 draft: SF Julian Strawther, SG Jalen Pickett, SF Hunter Tyson 2024 draft: C DaRon Holmes II Undrafted since 2022: SG Trey Alexander (2W, FA), SF Spencer Jones (2W, FA), C PJ Hall (2W, FA) Advertisement Analysis: It's never a good sign when you fire the brain trust with only a few games left before the playoffs, in large part due to the uninspiring progress and usage of the developmental core. But it's not all bad. Braun led all players in fast-break points this past season, his first as a starter. Watson has led the Nuggets in blocked shots in back-to-back seasons despite being only 6-7. Holmes had terrible luck, rupturing his Achilles tendon in the first summer-league game. Strawther is a decent shooter, but his season was sidetracked by a knee sprain, and he hasn't shown that he can be a reliable defender. Pickett found himself some minutes in the spring despite the presence of Jamal Murray and Russell Westbrook, but that arrangement was canceled by the time the playoffs started. Tyson hasn't been inspiring as a tall wing shooter. 2025 draft picks: None Draft need: The Nuggets are the only team without a draft pick entering Wednesday, though that could always change on draft night, especially in the second round. A defensive-minded, point-of-attack defender should be under consideration to complement their relatively barren developmental core. 2022 draft: SF Josh Minott (FA) 2023 draft: PF Leonard Miller, PF Jaylen Clark 2024 draft: PG Rob Dillingham, SF Terrence Shannon Jr., PG Tristen Newton (2W, FA) Undrafted since 2022: C Jesse Edwards (2W, FA) Analysis: Minnesota had one of the tightest rotations in the league, with its top-eight players each playing at least 1,600 minutes in at least 62 games. Clark, who missed his rookie season while recovering from an Achilles injury suffered at UCLA, finished ninth in total minutes with 522 in a season that saw him promoted from a two-way contract in February. The Timberwolves traded somebody's son for the rights to get Dillingham with a lottery pick, but he rarely saw extended run and played only 16 minutes in the playoffs. Shannon proved to be more ready as a rookie, scoring double figures in all five of his 20-minute games and then crashing the middle of the Western Conference finals with bursts of scoring. Minott had only one 20-minute game all season, while Miller played only 32 minutes all season. 2025 draft picks: 17th, 31st Draft need: The Timberwolves received a first-round pick in the Julius Randle/Karl-Anthony Towns trade. The only developmental center is Edwards, a 25-year-old who played only five minutes in the NBA all season. Minnesota could use another on-ball wing in case Nickeil Alexander-Walker leaves as a free agent. Advertisement 2022 draft: PF Chet Holmgren, PF Ousmane Dieng, SF Jalen Williams, C Jaylin Williams (FA) 2023 draft: PG Cason Wallace 2024 draft: PG Nikola Topić, SF Dillon Jones, PG Ajay Mitchell (FA) Undrafted since 2022: PG Adam Flagler (2W, FA), SF Alex Ducas (2W, FA), C Branden Carlson (2W, FA) Analysis: Being a 68-win team with three of the top six or seven players on rookie contracts is about as rare as it gets. Jalen Williams might be the draft pick of the century: a non-top-10 lottery pick who became an All-NBA and All-Defense selection before getting paid. Holmgren hasn't even played that many games yet (114) and still has a ceiling left to explore offensively, but he's a special defender already. Wallace isn't asked to do much offensively, but he plays smart and wreaks havoc on defense. Dieng was selected one pick before Jalen Williams, but he hasn't been able to find consistent minutes yet. Jaylin Williams can't jump, but he makes the right play and is a career 39 percent 3-point shooter. Jones isn't much of a scorer, but he can rebound, pass and defend. Mitchell was promoted from a two-way contract in February. Topić was redshirted while recovering from ACL surgery; he's the Josh Giddey replacement. 2025 draft picks: 15th, 24th, 44th Draft need: Jaylin Williams and Carlson are both free agents, while the Thunder have a team option on Isaiah Hartenstein in 2026, so a center makes sense in the first round. Oklahoma City likes to draft players it can stash via injury or international, so that may be how the Thunder use a pick. Adding shooting is also a place they should consider. 2022 draft: SG Shaedon Sharpe, SG Bryce McGowens (2W, FA), PF Jabari Walker (FA) 2023 draft: PG Scoot Henderson, PF Kris Murray, SG Rayan Rupert (FA), SG Sidy Cissoko (2W), PF Toumani Camara 2024 draft: C Donovan Clingan Undrafted since 2022: SF Justin Minaya (2W, FA) Analysis: Portland was the youngest team in the West this season, but the Trail Blazers were respectable defensively despite the inexperience. A big part of the credit goes to Camara, who was a throw-in from Phoenix in the Deandre Ayton-Jusuf Nurkić trade and turned into an All-Defense selection in his second season. Clingan is an eclipse in the paint defensively as well, tying Sarr with the most multi-block games by a rookie this season with 31. The big question is, what does Portland have offensively with top-10 picks Henderson and Sharpe? Henderson hasn't figured out how to score consistently, while Sharpe still has bouts with inefficiency. The Trail Blazers are in a tough spot given that their three lottery picks are blocked by Anfernee Simons, Jerami Grant and Ayton. Murray has been surpassed by Camara and has struggled with his percentages from everywhere. Walker is an undersized big who produces when he plays. Rupert has potential as a 3-and-D wing, but he's another player on this roster who struggles to put the ball in the basket. 2025 draft picks: 11th Advertisement Draft need: Portland gets to add another lottery pick to this group. A wing who can shoot and otherwise make sound decisions on the ball may be the best complement to an overflowing developmental core. There's no way Arizona's Carter Bryant slips past their pick if he hasn't been selected already. 2022 draft: C Walker Kessler 2023 draft: PF Taylor Hendricks, PG Keyonte George, PF Brice Sensabaugh 2024 draft: SF Cody Williams, PG Isaiah Collier, C Kyle Filipowski Undrafted since 2022: SG Johnny Juzang, C Oscar Tshiebwe (2w, FA), PG Elijah Harkless (2W) Analysis: Only the Wizards and Trail Blazers were younger than the Jazz, but those teams have won a draft lottery in the 2020s. Utah lost more games than any team in the league; that's what happens when seven of the 10 players to reach 1,000 minutes are within their first three seasons in the NBA. George and Collier played the most minutes of anyone on the team, and that explained how the Jazz were the worst turnover differential team ever. Collier led all rookies with 6.3 assists per game and took the starting role from George, but Collier struggles to score. George fell below 40 percent from the field, and both Collier and George averaged under 1.0 steals per game. The lottery picks had forgettable seasons, as Hendricks suffered a terrifying leg injury in October while Williams shot 32.3 percent from the field. Kessler's name resides in trade talks, but that says more about how much he is coveted around the league; he is an expert rim protector and led the league in offensive rebounds per game. Sensabaugh improved to a 42.2 percent mark from 3. Filipowski had a solid season for a second-round big man, shooting 50.2 percent from the field and 35 percent from 3 while rebounding well. Juzang also has developed into a reliable shooter and is now under contract through 2028. 2025 draft picks: fifth, 21st, 43rd, 53rd Draft need: The Jazz are picking fifth, and that's their highest selection since 2014 when they got Dante Exum. Utah is in a similar spot to when it took Exum, needing a player who can help the Jazz win the turnover battle much more often than their current guards do. Whether it's a guard or a wing, Utah needs more plus defenders on the perimeter. 2022 draft: PF Gui Santos (FA) 2023 draft: SG Brandin Podziemski, C Trayce Jackson-Davis 2024 draft: C Quinten Post (FA) Undrafted since 2022: PG Taran Armstrong (2W, FA) Analysis: The Warriors got a decent season from Podziemski, who wound up starting all 22 games he played in after the All-Star break and proved to be quite effective with Jimmy Butler. Only 22 rookies played in the playoffs, and Post played the most at 146 minutes. Quite an accomplishment for a player selected 52nd and on a two-way contract until February, though that was something of an indictment on a draft class that wasn't exactly impactful. Things went the other way for Jackson-Davis, who went from starting 37 games before the All-Star break to playing 60 total minutes after the break. Santos was a decent fit when given rotation minutes. Advertisement 2025 draft picks: 41st Draft need: Golden State traded its first-round pick to Miami for Butler and used a second-round pick on a center in the last two drafts. The developmental core could use another small forward, especially with Jonathan Kuminga reaching restricted free agency. 2022 draft: PF Patrick Baldwin Jr. (2W) 2023 draft: PF Kobe Brown, SG Seth Lundy (2W), SF Jordan Miller 2024 draft: SG Cam Christie Undrafted since 2022: SF Trentyn Flowers (2W, FA) Analysis: The Clippers don't play rookies and have been the league's oldest team three of the last five seasons. In a related item, the Clippers have had 14 consecutive winning seasons, the league's longest active streak. It's not like the Clippers have had top-20 picks either, and their young core hasn't made the most of already sparse opportunities. Miller got promoted from a two-way contract after the All-Star break, but he didn't shoot or defend well enough to hold down a rotation spot in December. Brown plays hard, but he broke 20 minutes in only one game all season and has attempted only nine free throws in two seasons despite his ability to handle the ball at 250 pounds. Christie played only 59 minutes and missed 11 of his 13 3s. 2025 draft picks: 30th, 51st Draft need: The Clippers experimented with Brown as a point guard toward the end of the season while also suggesting that he could focus more of his time at center than power forward. Whatever gets Brown on the floor should be of interest to LA, but the Clippers also need to be for real and add a true point guard and a true center to their developmental corps. They have enough wings, especially with Flowers being a multi-year project already. 2022 draft: C Christian Koloko (2W, FA) 2023 draft: N/A 2024 draft: SF Dalton Knecht, SG Bronny James Undrafted since 2022: C Trey Jemison III (2W) Advertisement Analysis: It was a loud year for the Los Angeles rookies, who also were the only standard contracts drafted in the last three years to end the season on the team. Knecht was awkwardly traded in February for Mark Williams, then not traded. While Knecht was one of the best rookie shooters, he was nowhere to be found in JJ Redick's rotation by the time the playoffs rolled around. James scored 62 points on 67 shots in his rookie season, though he showed improvement in the G League as the season transpired. 2025 draft picks: 55th Draft need: The Lakers are done sending first-round picks to New Orleans for the Anthony Davis trade after this draft. And fortunately for them, they were able to send only ONE first-round pick to Dallas for Luka Dončić! Neither Koloko nor Jemison earned a promotion from a two-way contract for a team that had unserious postseason size, so the second-round pick should be a developmental big. 2022 draft: SG TyTy Washington Jr. (2W, FA) 2023 draft: n/a 2024 draft: SF Ryan Dunn, C Oso Ighodaro Undrafted since 2022: PG Collin Gillespie (2W, FA), PF Jalen Bridges (2W, FA) Analysis: The Suns had the most expensive roster in the league, featuring three of the 10 highest-paid players, and they still couldn't make the Play-In Tournament. They have their fourth different head coach while moving chairs in the front office. As you would imagine, this is not a shining example of a healthy developmental program. Dunn made a surprising 82 3s as a rookie, considering that he attempted only 51 3s in two years at Virginia, but his defensive playmaking didn't translate as well, and he still has a long way to go offensively. Ighodaro isn't a flashy big by any means, but he has a chance to be the backup next season. Gillespie has some T.J. McConnell vibes if you squint, but the Suns never promoted him, and it looks like Gillespie's breakout might need to be with another franchise. 2025 draft picks: 29th, 52nd Draft need: Phoenix still needs a point guard, especially one who is disruptive at the point of attack. 2022 draft: PF Keegan Murray, SF Jake LaRavia (FA) 2023 draft: N/A 2024 draft: PG Devin Carter Undrafted since 2022: SG Keon Ellis (FA), PF Isaac Jones (FA), SF Isaiah Crawford (2W, FA) Analysis: Murray has shown flashes of being a dynamic scorer, but the Kings have made him a 3-and-D wing who is last in the pecking order offensively. Credit to Murray for being able to participate in that role, but it is a waste of his talent. Maybe it saves Sacramento some money when extension talks commence. Speaking of blunted development, Carter needed shoulder surgery after he was drafted and didn't debut until January. It seems like he is looked at more like a 3-and-D guard instead of the point guard of the present or future. The Kings only had to give up Colby Jones and Alex Len to acquire LaRavia, though LaRavia wasn't able to finish the season due to a thumb injury. Perhaps the best developmental stories for the Kings have been when they find an undrafted contributor. Ellis has turned into a defender who averages 1.5 steals and a shooter who makes 43.3 percent from 3. Jones was promoted from a two-way contract in March due to his strong play in the G League. Advertisement 2025 draft picks: 42nd Draft need: Sacramento doesn't have a lottery pick due to the 2022 Kevin Huerter trade with Atlanta, whom they in turn traded to Chicago as part of the De'Aaron Fox-Zach LaVine trade. Perhaps Sacramento can target a legitimate wing defender in the second round. 2022 draft: SG Max Christie, SG Jaden Hardy 2023 draft: C Dereck Lively II, PF Olivier-Maxence Prosper 2024 draft: N/A Undrafted since 2022: N/A Analysis: Lively has missed 73 games in two seasons with the Mavericks, and he doesn't have Dončić setting him up for offensive success anymore, so he is headed for an interesting Year 3. Christie has a 2027 player option, and though he didn't start as often in Dallas as he did in Los Angeles, he wound up filling a 3-and-D role for 30 minutes per game in Dallas. Prosper was drafted in the first round after a great combine, but he hasn't shown enough skill yet. Hardy has no problem getting up shots, but he had more turnovers than assists this season. 2025 draft picks: first Draft need: Anthony Davis went from being the No. 1 pick in New Orleans, to leaving the Pelicans when they got the No. 1 pick, to arriving in Dallas in time for the Mavericks to get the No. 1 pick. Cooper Flagg is going to reorder the frontcourt depth in Dallas while playing both forward spots. 2022 draft: PF Jabari Smith Jr., SF Tari Eason, PF David Roddy (2W) 2023 draft: SF Amen Thompson, SF Cam Whitmore 2024 draft: SG Reed Sheppard Undrafted since 2022: SG Nate Williams, C N'Faly Dante (2W, FA) Analysis: The player who broke through the most among Houston's young core in the Rockets' return to the playoffs was Thompson, a first-team All-Defense selection who took Smith's starting role. Smith is still a 6-10 shooter, but he's been too low on the totem pole to get better on the ball, and he doesn't make the plays defensively that Thompson does. Eason has missed 85 games in the last two seasons, but he's a defensive playmaker who is slowly improving his shooting. Whitmore has talent, but his shooting and defense aren't good enough to stay in Ime Udoka's rotation yet. Sheppard had a wretched rookie season, scoring only 229 points on 239 shots and only getting five 20-minute games. Williams was promoted from a two-way contract in March. Advertisement 2025 draft picks: 10th, 59th Draft need: The Rockets have plenty of wings, and they have quality bigs who don't start. If they keep this Suns lottery pick, then they need to target a big guard who can shoot, especially one who can shoot pull-up 3s. 2022 draft: SF Vince Williams Jr. 2023 draft: PF GG Jackson II 2024 draft: C Zach Edey, SF Jaylen Wells, SG Cam Spencer (2W, FA) Undrafted since 2022: PG Scotty Pippen Jr., PG Yuki Kawamura (2W, FA), PG Zyon Pullin (2W) Analysis: The Grizzlies had another year of solid rookie play. Both Edey and Wells were All-Rookie first-team selections, while Wells was a finalist for Rookie of the Year. Unfortunately for the Grizzlies, Wells suffered numerous injuries in the last week of the season that canceled his postseason, while Edey's troublesome ankle will delay his start to next season. Jackson suffered an offseason foot injury that ruined his chances of building on an All-Rookie campaign, and he didn't get any run in the playoffs. Pippen was promoted from a two-way contract in October and continued Memphis' trend of finding serviceable backup point guards; Memphis was 12-9 when Pippen started in the regular season, and Pippen started each game in the playoffs with Wells and later Ja Morant injured. Williams missed all but three games before February and struggled with his shot upon returning. 2025 draft picks: 16th, 48th, 56th Draft need: The Grizzlies traded a first-round pick to get off Marcus Smart's contract but got a first-round pick back for trading Desmond Bane. I guess it evens out. As good as Wells was as Memphis' primary perimeter defender, the Grizzlies could use more size and length on the wing. 2022 draft: C Karlo Matković 2023 draft: SG Jordan Hawkins 2024 draft: C Yves Missi, SG Antonio Reeves Undrafted since 2022: SF Jamal Cain (2W, FA), SG Lester Quiñones (2W), SF Keion Brooks Jr. (2W, FA) Advertisement Analysis: For a Pelicans team that only has a 148-180 record under head coach Willie Green, the developmental corps is relatively thin. Hawkins is the only lottery pick, and he's a shooter who struggles mightily to score (37.6 percent field goals in 123 career games). Missi led the Pelicans in minutes, was the only player who appeared in more than 70 games and earned an All-Rookie selection while registering 26 double-digit rebound games and 26 multi-block games. Reeves plays the same position as Hawkins, while Matković plays the same position as Missi. 2025 draft picks: seventh, 23rd Draft need: New Orleans acquired Indiana's first-round pick during the NBA Finals, so the Pelicans get multiple cracks at adding talent under new lead personnel executive Joe Dumars. Zion Williamson is chronically unavailable, while Kelly Olynyk is 34 and entering a contract year, so a power forward who has an appetite for rim protection makes sense in the lottery. The Pelicans also could use another developmental point guard given the injury status of Dejounte Murray and the age/contract status of CJ McCollum. 2022 draft: PF Jeremy Sochan, SF Malaki Branham, SG Blake Wesley 2023 draft: C Victor Wembanyama 2024 draft: PG Stephon Castle, PF Harrison Ingram (2W, FA) Undrafted since 2022: SG Julian Champagnie, PF Riley Minix (2W, FA) Analysis: Wembanyama was last seen playing basketball at the 2025 NBA All-Star Game. The only other All-Stars from the last three drafts are Paolo Banchero and Jalen Williams. Unfortunately, Wembanyama's season ended due to deep vein thrombosis, but he still led the entire league in blocks despite appearing in only 46 games. While Wembanyama's awards were canceled due to his condition, Castle's emergence without Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox helped secure back-to-back Rookie of the Year recipients in San Antonio. Sochan is the other lottery pick, and while he embraced converting easy baskets, he hasn't really come along as a shooter while ceding his starting role to Harrison Barnes. Champagnie has developed into a very good shooter; that hasn't been the case as much with 2022 first-round pick Wesley (29.3 percent 3s). Branham shot 40.5 percent from 3, but he hasn't been able to get on the floor. 2025 draft picks: second, 14th, 38th Draft need: Positionally, San Antonio already has a stacked developmental corps. The Spurs could easily draft Dylan Harper at No. 2 and have him take free agent Chris Paul's roster spot and draft a center at No. 14 to take Bismack Biyombo's roster spot. Then they could add more wing size in the second round. Or they could just donate their draft to Phoenix for Kevin Durant. (Top photo of Bronny James and Brandin Podziemski: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)