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Detroit Pistons And Brooklyn Nets Join Damian Lillard Speculation

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Damian Lillard formally requested a trade on July 2, citing the Miami Heat as his preferred destination. However, with Lillard not holding a no-trade clause, the Blazers have been steadfast in seeking the best deal for the team. This has been a problem for the Heat, who haven’t been wowing the Blazers with their Tyler Herro-centric offers. Meanwhile, Lillard’s agent has reportedly been contacting prospective Lillard suitors and telling them to back off. Reportedly, Aaron Gordon has told teams that they would get an “unhappy” version of Lillard if he was sent to a team other than the Heat.

This has led to something of a stalemate. The Blazers are demanding “best offers” only from prospective trade partners will Gordon is trying to force a move to Miami. However, returning to Miami, the Blazers have essentially gone on record to say that either the Heat up their offer or find a third team to add to the trade if Herro is a dealbreaker asset. This has led to a very surprising name entering the trade saga – the Detroit Pistons.

Pistons Could Be Third Team in Lillard Trade

Detroit Pistons
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – APRIL 09: Hunter and Saint LaVine with Chicago Bulls mascot Benny the Bull after the game against the Detroit Pistons at United Center on April 09, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

Per Chris Hayes, the Pistons could be a team that Miami includes in a trade in order to acquire Lillard. The Pistons skew very young right now, with four of their five projected starters aged 22 or younger. What the Pistons really lack is some more experienced productive talent. Sure, Tyler Herro is only 23. However, he has four seasons of NBA experience and is coming off back-to-back 20+ ppg seasons. Herro would have been the Pistons’ second-highest scorer last year.

However, Herro doesn’t really make sense for the Pistons either, as he’d primarily compete for playing time with Cade Cunningham and Jalen Ivey. A team that makes more sense to include in a three-team trade would be the Brooklyn Nets. Herro would be an upgrade at point guard over Spencer Dinwiddie and the Nets have a buttload of draft capital. While the deal would obviously have a lot of moving parts, the headline acquisitions could be as follows:

  • Miami gets Damian Lillard from Portland
  • Brooklyn gets Tyler Herro from Miami
  • Portland gets draft capital from Brooklyn + player from Miami

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The post Detroit Pistons And Brooklyn Nets Join Damian Lillard Speculation appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Ben Simmons Confident About Bounce Back Next Season

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Ben Simmons crashed out of the 2022/23 NBA season on March 28. The Australian guard had struggled with nerve inflammation for most of the month, as well as dealing with a number of other injuries over the course of the season. The Nets, cautious about injuring Simmons further, opted to shut him down for the season as opposed to rushing him back for the playoffs.

The season, Simmons’ first with the Nets, saw him play in just 42 games. He averaged just 6.9 points per game and saw other dropoffs across the board. It was far from the start of his post-Sixers career that Simmons was likely hoping for. However, Simmons is remaining optimistic, and recent comments have outlined where his mentality is at regarding next season. Simmons is owed $78.2 million over the next two seasons, according to his current contract.

Simmons Eyes World Cup And Bounce Back NBA Season

Ben simmons playing for the Brooklyn Nets
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 25: Ben Simmons #10 of the Brooklyn Nets shoots during the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on January 25, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

“Ben has been cleared to progress to his next stage of his rehab and is progressing really well,” Simmons’ agent Bernie Lee told The New York Post‘s Brian Lewis Wednesday. “And we remain very excited about his ability to return to form next year.” That next step appeared to be open-court practice, as Simmons posted to his Instagram story from a gym in Miami. Furthermore, the news indicates that unlike the Nets had feared, Simmons will not have to undergo further surgery, be it for his knee or back.

Additionally, Simmons is looking to get back to the court before the start of the next NBA season. In particular, the guard is eyeing the chance to represent Australia at the FIBA World Cup. This year’s World Cup, the second to feature 32 teams, is set to be co-hosted by Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines. Starting on August 25, the training camp for the Australian National Team begins on August 1. Simmons made his national debut in 2013 but has withdrawn from all subsequent national team call-ups. Australia face Germany, Finland, and Japan in the group stage. How do you feel about the Ben Simmons situation? Let us know in the comments. Be sure to follow all the latest sports news here at HotNewHipHop.

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Harden Gets Ejected For Groin Punch

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“Flagrant foul” appears to be the NBA’s word of the week. Draymond Green received a “flagrant 2” for stomping on Domantas Sabonis earlier in the week. Then last night, Joel Embiid got a “flagrant 1” for kicking Nic Claxton while James Harden got a “flagrant 2” for sack-tapping Royce O’Neale. But what even is a “flagrant foul”?

Flagrant fouls are the highest form of in-game penalty in basketball. A “flagrant 1” is defined as “unnecessary contact committed by a player against an opponent.” Meanwhile, a “flagrant 2” is “unnecessary and excessive contact committed by a player against an opponent.” Additionally, both calls carry a standard two-free-throw penalty. However, getting two flagrant 1s or one flagrant 2 in a game also carries an immediate ejection.

Harden Allegedly Goes Below The Belt

Game 3 of the 76ers-Nets series was weird. The Sixers were 2-0 on the series and looking to put the penultimate nail in Brooklyn’s coffin. But less than four minutes into the game, Joel Embiid was called for a flagrant 1 after kicking Nic Claxton. Claxton had just postered Embiid with a heavy alley-oop dunk and Embiid kicked him as Claxton stepped over the MVP front-runner. Furthermore, at the time of the foul, the Nets led 6-4. However, the Sixers found themselves up 11 at the half. The game then swung back and forth until the end of the third, with the Nets up four. The Sixers get Harden the ball off an offensive rebound, hoping he can sink a three.

Royce O’Neale closes in on Harden before Harden begins to drive closer to the three line. Harden appears to make light contact with O’Neale’s groin and O’Neale goes down like he’s been shot. Harden was called for a flagrant 2 and tossed from the game. But we’re not done as Claxton, from the Embiid thing earlier, would also be ejected before game’s end. After dunking on Embiid again in the fourth, Claxton was tossed for flexing on Embiid and being called for a second technical foul. Previously, he had picked up his first tech for stepping over Embiid in the first. Eventually, the Sixers pulled off a 102-97 win, taking a 3-0 series lead into Saturday’s Game 4.

Twitter Reacts

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Kevin Durant Traded To The Suns: Full Details

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Kevin Durant is one of the best players in the entire NBA. Back in 2019, he joined forces with Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn. Overall, this turned out to be a suspect decision as the Nets never had any real sustained success. They were never able to get past the second round of the playoffs, and there was always some sort of drama. Subsequently, Kyrie Irving was traded to the Dallas Mavericks over the weekend. This just added fuel to the fire and made everything infinitely worse. It felt like there was truly no hope for the Nets and it led to conversations between KD and the team’s front office.

However, over the last few days, the Nets had been adamant about not trading Kevin Durant. After all, why would they? With KD, they still had a chance at making it to the postseason and doing some damage. Furthermore, he is under contract and the team is well within its rights to keep him. Well, with the trade deadline going down today, the Nets decided to change course in epic fashion. Yes, that’s right, they moved Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns.

Kevin Durant To Phoenix

The Suns are under new ownership, and according to Adrian Wojnarowski, Matt Ishbia was pushing heavily for this move. Additionally, the Suns were willing to give up a whole bunch of assets. These assets include Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crwoder, four first-round picks, and a 2028 pick swap. Needless to say, the Nets are getting a massive haul for their superstar. Moreover, the Suns will also get TJ Warren which helps sweeten the deal a bit. Either way, this is a huge move for both sides, and this definitely makes the Suns the new favorites to win the Western Conference and even the NBA title.

There have been some massive moves in the NBA over the last 24 hours. For instance, Russell Westbrook was traded to the Utah Jazz. We will have more coverage on that soon, so stay tuned to HNHH for all of the latest news from around the NBA. Lastly, let us know what you think of this blockbuster trade, in the comments down below.

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Nets Trading Kyrie Irving To Mavericks: Report

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The Brooklyn Nets are trading Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The news comes after Irving requested a trade, late last week. In exchange for the eight-time NBA All-Star, the Mavericks will receive Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick as well as second-round picks in 2027 and 2029.

The Nets reportedly plan to use the assets they’ll acquire to further improve their immediate roster. The deadline for trades is on Thursday.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 31: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets looks on during a break in the action during the fourth quarter of the game against the Indiana Pacers at Barclays Center on October 31, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

Spencer Dinwiddie reacted to news of the trade on Twitter, Sunday, admitting that he learned he was on the move from Shams Charania. “When @ShamsCharania says it’s time to go you pack your bags,” Dinwiddie tweeted.
“Plus Elijah said he wanted to go back home.” Dinwiddie previously played with the Nets for five seasons before an ACL injury in the 2020-21 season.

Irving leaves the Nets after spending a tumultuous four seasons with the organization. During the stretch, Irving missed dozens of games for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19. He also faced a suspension for promoting a movie that contained antisemitic themes. Additionally, he’s in the final season of his deal, meaning the Mavs’ will have to work out a new contract with him in the offseason. Irving addressed his decision to request a trade on Twitter, on Friday.

“To my Peers: JUST BE YOURSelf and GROW!,” he wrote at the time. “Keep people around who CELEBRATE YOU unconditionally and appreciates all of the hard work that gets put in. Distance yourself from the folks who manipulate, hate, and hurt.”

Other teams interested in acquiring Kyrie Irving included the Los Angeles Lakers, which would’ve resulted in a reunion between Irving and LeBron James. However, the Mavericks were able to put the Nets in a better position to win now with their deal. Check out Spencer Dinwiddie’s reaction to the trade news on Twitter below.

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Kevin Durant Reacts To Viral Youth Basketball Clip

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Kevin Durant is one of the best players to ever step on an NBA court. Having said that, he knows what it takes to be a high-level player. Furthermore, he understands what good sportsmanship looks like. After all, he has played in hundreds of NBA games.

Interestingly enough, everyone has a different view of what sportsmanship should be. However, one should probably stick to the opinions of those who have actually played the game at a high level. At the end of the day, they are the ones who have the best perspectives.

Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets reacts against the New Orleans Pelicans during a game at the Smoothie King Center on January 06, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

We bring up the topic of sportsmanship because of a video that is currently going viral on Twitter. Below, you can find some third-grade players doing some unique celebrations after every basket. Overall, it feels as though they are already participating in hoop mixtape culture, which has rubbed some people the wrong way.

Kevin Durant Speaks

Kevin Durant was paying attention to the discourse on social media, and he decided to weigh in. As you will see, he doesn’t seem to think any of this is a problem. In fact, he believes the kids are just doing what they’ve been seeing on TV all their lives.

“As a kid, I remember, we did what we saw the pros do…good shit lil homies,” Durant wrote. Needless to say, these kids have earned the KD stamp of approval.

While they may not be getting praise from anyone, some props from an actual NBA superstar are all that matter. Hopefully, KD’s words find their way back to these kids.

Let us know what you think of the clip above, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the sports world.

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Kevin Durant To Undergo MRI After Knee Injury

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Brooklyn Nets star forward Kevin Durant will undergo an MRI on Monday morning after suffering a knee injury on Sunday night. Durant hit the floor during the third quarter of the Nets’ game against the Miami Heat.

As Jimmy Butler went to the rim, he collided with Ben Simmons and fell awkwardly onto Durant’s knee. The Nets star writhed in pain on the floor for a few moments but remained in the game.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 03: Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets reacts late in the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at Barclays Center on January 03, 2022 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Brooklyn Nets 118-104. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

After going up and down the floor, the team took Durant out of the game. The Nets called timeout and Durant went straight back to the locker room. He didn’t return for the rest of the game.

“I was right there. Those plays are scary,” Nets guard Kyrie Irving said after the game. “Because when someone’s not looking [at] what’s going on, anything can happen in those moments, so I’m grateful that all that time he’s put in the weight room, putting his body in a great position, his body was able to save him from something worse.”

“He’s in good spirits as we all are,” Irving further said of Durant. “The strength of our team is us picking each other up. Just being ready for whatever’s thrown at us. … I think one of the greatest qualities of our team is our bench and the way we support each other, despite who’s in the lineup. And now it’s time to go out and exemplify that until we find out the timeline with K and when he could be available again. So we just got to be mature about it.”

Durant didn’t speak with reporters after the game. The Nets are currently 27-13 after winning 18 of their last 20 games.

Check out the play that resulted in Kevin Durant’s injury below.

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Kyrie Irving Makes Another Huge Donation

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If you are a Kyrie Irving fan, then you know that he has made a ton of charitable donations over the years. He is constantly doing great things for other people, and it is always beautiful to see. Although he may get wrapped up in controversy, you cannot deny he cares about other people.

According to Ace Showbiz, Kyrie has made a plethora of donations in the last year alone. For instance, he sent $65,000 to Shanquella Robinson’s family. Additionally, he gave $60,000 to a black Muslim school in New York, while also sending $22,000 to a student who didn’t have enough tuition funding.

Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets stands on the court during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on December 26, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. Brooklyn defeated Cleveland 125-117. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)

Kyrie Irving Strikes Again

Recently, according to The Neighborhood Talk, Kyrie donated another $22,000. This time, it was to Raymond Johnson Jr. Johnson’s family lost their home on New Year’s Eve, which is truly tragic. While everyone is okay, they need money to be able to survive right now. The goal of the GoFundMe was $10K, however, Irving doubled what they needed.

“On the night of Christmas eve, I received notice that my parents home was on fire due to a propane accident. This is the home we grew up in for 26 years, the house my parents have put their entire living towards along with raising their children,” the GoFundMe reads.

This is a truly amazing thing for Kyrie to do. Of course, it is something he has done before, although you have to respect how committed he is to making these kinds of donations. Overall, it was a great move, and we hope that the Johnsons are able to recover from this tragedy.

Let us know what you think of Irving’s generosity, in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from the sports world.

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