NBA News and Rumor Roundup 10/2/2024
A KAT in New York, honoring Dikembe Mutumbo, and Media Day shenanigans
Aaaaaand we’re back!
And boy are we getting close to the regular season. We have just 20 days till the official tip-off of the NBA’s calendar year, while the preseason games start…*checks notes* on Friday! Because of how close we are to some actual basketball, things are really heating up in the news cycle department.
Today we’re going to take a look at as much from teams’ Media Day, along with the absolute blindsiding trade that sent (or, due to complications, will presumably send) Karl-Anthony Towns to New York and Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota. Plus, we have to make time for the unfortunate passing of Hall of Famer and lifelong humanitarian Dikembe Mutombo, who lost the fight to brain cancer at the too-young age of 58.
Without further ado, let’s dive right into today’s roundup…
KAT, Out of The Bag
Coming into Media Week, we weren’t exactly expecting much on the trade front. After all, nobody was really asking out of anywhere and most teams seemed to have their rosters solidified outside of a few two-way contracts. And yet, without the presence of Adrian Wojnarowski, Shams Charania came from the top rope to drop this one on us:
Somehow, in the words of Rafael Nadal, what happened happened happened, and now we’re here.
Not only does this trade have massive implications for both teams from a championship standpoint, but it also has the side effect of breaking up two squads that looked like they would bring unparalleled chemistry into the 2024-25 season. On the Wolves’ end of things, the team is coming off of its most successful season in a couple of decades, making it all the way to the Conference Finals before being snuffed out by the Mavericks in 5 games.
The once-maligned Rudy Gobert helped turn the team into a defensive stalwart, Anthony Edwards continued his superstar ascent, and Karl-Anthony Towns, despite some playoff struggles, was one of the few offensive threats this team had to offer. And now, he’s gone.
Edwards made note of the fact that the Towns trade “really hurt” on Media Day, only underlining the chemistry the two had as a unit. The team was arguably concerned with his contract, which will see him get paid an average of $55 million per year over the next 4 seasons, but bringing in Julius Randle — who has a player option next year and could command big money as well — could complicate matters, too. Instead of doubling down on the championship-worthy roster (which added rookies Terrance Shannon Jr. and Rob Dillingham), the team has sent out Towns’ floor spacing and replaced it with a Julius Randle who the Knicks didn’t even need in the playoffs and the very good Donte DiVincenzo, who at least replaces some of Towns’ shooting. Still, it’s not a great-looking trade from the Wolves, who could see Randle walk for nothing next year.
For the Knicks, the trade is much nicer but still bittersweet. In bringing in KAT, the team is hoping to boost their three-point percentage, which was merely average last season. Additionally, having KAT on the floor will allow the team to spread the floor around whichever center happens to be playing — though Mitchell Robinson has been injured and Precious Achiuwa is the only next man up. What could cause complications, of course, is KAT’s defense, which, while improved, still needs a lot of work. He often gets beat in the pick and roll, doesn’t play physical enough to be a good post-up defender, and doesn’t necessarily fit the put-your-body-on-the-line mentality of this team. Yet, when you look at the roster, you can’t necessarily complain.
Losing both Randle and DiVincenzo hurts but for different reasons. For Randle, the power forward has been with the team through it all. Terrible seasons, tastes of redemption, and everything in between. Yet, he was injured in the playoffs — you know, the one where they did better than they had in years? — which made him somewhat expendable as a contract. DiVincenzo, on the other hand, hurts because we don’t get to see the Villanova Knicks (DiVincenzo, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson) in action, and because he was an absolute flamethrower last season. He shot above 40% from downtown, scored a career-high 15.5 points per game, and averaged over 22 points per contest against the Pacers in the Conference Semifinals last season.
Either way, neither fan base seems to be thrilled about the situation. The Knicks seem to come out of this as a better team overall (especially considering Randle’s injury issues), while Timberwolves fans seem to be concerned about both the spacing of Randle and Gobert along with KAT’s loyalty being eschewed by the franchise. Unfortunately, the NBA is, in fact, a business.
Dikembe & The Congo
This past Monday, the NBA was supposed to simply undergo its normal Media Day process, yet we were all stunned by the news that the great defensive menace, humanitarian, and overall quality person Dikembe Mutombo passed away from brain cancer at the young age of 58.
Born in Kinshasha in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mutombo came over to the States at the age of 21 to play college basketball at Georgetown. After going 4th overall in 1991 for the Nuggets, he did something few rookies in the modern era had done: Make the All-Star Game. Over the next 18 seasons — and till the age of 42! — Mutombo would play for the Nuggets, Hawks, 76ers, Nets, Knicks, and Rockets, resulting in 4 DPOY awards, 8 All-Star selections, many rebounding and blocking titles, and more. His #55 jersey was then retired by both the Hawks and the Nuggets, capping off an illustrious career. And yet, his greatest work was arguably off the court.
In 1997, Mutombo started the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation to help improve the living conditions of the Congolese people, earning him two separate J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Awards from the NBA. He participated in the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program, supported the Special Olympics, helped reduce polio rates in the Congo, built a school, constructed a hospital, and created a coffee company to support Congolese women who grew coffee in the region. There’s many more things he did during his time in and out of the NBA that cannot be expressed in words here.
Known for his signature finger wag (often coinciding with a bellowing “No no no!”) on the court, Mutombo brought joy to everyone off of it. The rest of the NBA will likely honor his legacy in many ways this season, especially for his work in the war-torn country of his birth.
Media Day Entertainment
As I mentioned earlier, Monday kicked off the majority of Media Day nonsense, which always brings some fun comments, narratives, and whatnot. While we can’t cover everything here (some will be covered in the following section), I’ll try to get to as many humorous/impactful ones as possible.
Chris Paul and Popovich, Enemies to Friends(?)
Kawhi Leonard, Microwave Man
If there’s one guy who can keep a straight face, it’s Kawhi “Funny Guy” Leonard. Without Paul George around, Kawhi has resorted to mimicking a Hot Pocket in the microwave.
Everything’s Good in Chicago…
I have never seen a more depressed Media Day photo than this, even including Jordan Poole’s sadness-laden Wizards photo from last year. Zach LaVine did note that he’s willing to help the team out in any way he can — though we’ll talk about him more in a little bit. As for Vucevic, he’s just, uh, there.
This is Getting AggravAyton
Juice cleanses are legit, as is going to bed early — but, man, Ayton needs to start playing like himself on the court again before we start talking in the third person.
P.S. Ayton’s personality is great, with one reporter saying that he brought the most energy at media day “by far.” Love the guy — would also love it if he’d return to being a star on the court.
What Have You Done With Reed Sheppard?
No, seriously, why is there a caterpillar on my Rookie of The Year’s nose?
Lonzo Ball Might Actually Be Back
In likely what is the most feel-good news to come out of Media Day, Lonzo Ball — who hasn’t played a game since the 2021-22 season due to knee injuries — is planning on returning for opening night for the Bulls. It will be interesting to see what the team does with him, as he’s on an expiring contract and is still in his theoretical prime at 27 years old. If he plays well at the start of the season, I’d speculate that trade talks for his services might be in order around the trade deadline.
What Are Those?!
Why is my favorite point guard wearing the Benjamin Franklin 1s? Don’t they say not to wear dress shoes on a basketball court?
Nobody Knows Karl
Speaking of the KAT trade, the Knicks generally refrained from commenting on it as the trade isn’t, well, official yet. Hence, Brunson has no idea who Karl is.
Update: The trade has been finalized as of last night but wasn’t when Brunson was asked this question.
Other News, Rumors, and Fun Facts
Speaking of Bulls guard Zach LaVine, the Bulls are reportedly all-in on trying to trade him, even as the season is about to begin. LaVine’s contract (average of $45 million per season over the next three years) is a bad one compared to his production, but the team may be able to find a buyer in a salary dump scenario.
According to reports, Rockets star big man Alperen Şengün could end up signing a big extension before the October 21st deadline, as the team is trying to lock him up for the long term. Şengün had a borderline All-Star season last year and won’t turn 23 till next July, making him a candidate for some massive money — his partner in crime’s — Jalen Green’s — extension, on the other hand, seems to be a less sure bet.
Per Bobby Marks on The Hoop Collective podcast, new Knick Mikal Bridges is going to wait until the 2025 offseason to sign an extension with the franchise, which is likely due to both inflating contract values and a desire to give the team some form of financial flexibility during the season. Plus, there’s a rule that states that he cannot extend his current deal for more than 2 seasons due to the fact that he was traded less than 6 months ago, further incentive to not sign a new contract.
In one of the more intriguing G League trades — which, being the G League, nobody really talks about much — just happened. The important part of this trade, which involved four total teams, was the Raptors 905 sending the rights for 2023 March Madness star Markquis Nowell to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets G League affiliate. The 905 got the rights to Kennedy Chandler in return, but the arrival of Nowell in Rio Grande Valley is intriguing due to both his height (5’7”) and penchant for racking up assists. Check out his highlights from the NCAA tournament in 2023 and you’ll see what I mean:
Per Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports, Adrian Wojnarowski’s former role as NBA insider may not be filled by Shams, but instead by NFL insider Adam Schefter. While he’s simply a candidate at this point, Schefter would likely get a massive pay raise and would also sacrifice the little personal life he has left in the process, while MLB insider Jeff Passan has been thrown around as a name to watch as well.
Unfortunately for those of us hoping to see him go full Michael Jordan and be bald, Jimmy Butler appears to have put his media day “shenanigans” behind him, showing up with a normal cut this year. Last year, the emo look was in style, and the year before saw him become Dreddy Jimmy — this year, it’s back to business for the Heat forward:
After spending his entire career with the Warriors, we now have our first look at Klay Thompson in a Dallas Mavericks jersey — and it just feels wrong:
Like Darvin Ham before him, it appears JJ Redick will make Anthony Davis shoot as many threes as possible this season. According to AD himself, Redick has “been on me all summer about shooting 3s.” It’s worth noting that Davis hasn’t shot about 30% from downtown since the 2019-20 season, so a lack of improvement in that department could make for some rough offensive sets as the season drags on.
In easily the most high-off-life (and possibly other things) moment of Media Day, Scoot Henderson was asked what he looks back on from his rookie season, only to say, “The good food that I had.” Hilarious stuff:
According to the reigning Rookie of The Year himself, Victor Wembanyama has put on 25 pounds during the offseason, which could help him keep from being injured with his lanky frame. There’s an inevitable Charles Barkley San Antonio joke in here somewhere…
Oh, and, coincidentally, Joel Embiid lost 25 pounds, as if he traded with Victor. Lots of offseason weight shifts it seems. He also says that he’s willing to sacrifice All-Star or All-NBA teams to be healthy in the playoffs this year, something that has plagued him for many seasons to this point.
In a moment of “Can he say that?” Raptors Jakob Poetl talked about the team’s ambition this season — or the lack thereof:
Boy, does Zion look big this year — and for once, I don’t mean in like a, “Oh, he’s overweight” way. He just looks massive, with the beard only adding to the effect. After a couple of injury-plagued seasons, Zion and crew (now with extra Dejounte Murray!) will look to make a dark horse, Mavs-esque run in the playoffs:
According to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel, Jalen Suggs is confident that he and the Magic will put pen to paper on a rookie-scale extension by the October 21st deadline. Suggs has truly become a great point-of-attack defender and key do-it-all guy on this young Magic roster, so locking him up would be in the team’s best interest — and he’s not quite a star, so his price likely won’t be bank-breaking for the team, either.
On this day in NBA history (in 1995!) the Chicago Bulls traded for a headcase with a penchant for rebounding and defense — of course, we’re talking about Dennis Rodman. Rodman was sent from San Antonio to Chicago for center Will Perdue, who never scored more than 10 points per game or 10 rebounds afterward. We know how this story ends; the Bulls win in 1996, 1997, and 1998, creating one of the greatest dynasties in all of sports.
My Favorite Reads This Week
The good thing about having so many great NBA Substackers is that they get to cover a lot of the ground that I don’t when it comes to big events like Media Day. With that in mind, most of the following involves the day’s shenanigans.
- just put together a list of the “Notable Quotables” from the Spurs’ Media Day, including the aforementioned quotes between Pop and CP3. You can read that right here.
- wrote up a similar list but chose to rank his favorite quotes to come out of Media Day across the league. I, for one, welcome Myles “The Motion” Turner into the NBA Media Day ring. Go read his quote and more here.
Though I don’t understand how he manages to scout every single prospect on the list — he does! —
’ newly updated big board with 200 prospects on it is very much worth the read. Next year’s draft is shaping up to be a really good one — you can read more about it right here.If you’re looking for a rundown of the late Dikembe Mutombo’s historicity on the court, you can’t find a much better one than what
has put together. You can find that right here.- , one of the best scouts in the game who isn’t on an NBA team’s full-time payroll, just gave everybody a look into his day-to-day life as an international scout. There’s travel stories, anecdotes, and more — you can read about that right here.
What I didn’t mention in this week’s piece was the shocking dismissal of NBA writer, podcaster, and do-it-all media personality Zach Lowe from ESPN. Reports trickled out saying that ESPN didn’t want to pay him the money he was set to be paid, which resulted in a lot of NBA Twitter fervor due to Lowe being let go instead of a non-writing hot-take artist like, say, Kendrick Perkins. You can read more about that in one of
’ latest pieces, which you can find here.Adding to the above,
wrote a story on the matter as well. Go read it here.I talked about former MVP Derrick Rose’s retirement this past Sunday, but if you’re looking to hear a case for whether or not he should be in the Hall of Fame, I suggest you check out
’s musings on the matter. You can find that article right here.
That’s it for this week’s roundup! Stay tuned this weekend for — for the first time in a while — some game-related NBA content, as the preseason officially kicks off on Friday. Till then, enjoy the above pieces from my Substack peers!