Month: July 2021

Zion Williamson is a superstar. While the New Orleans Pelicans scuffled to a 31-41 record in 2020-21, the biggest story for the franchise was Williamson’s performance, lifting the team’s offense with “Point Zion” and showcasing his sky-high ceiling. Still, the Pelicans do have considerable uncertainty, including a new head coach, and New Orleans has roster decisions to make from free agency to a mid-first round pick.

Williamson and Brandon Ingram are the team’s top players, and they moved to add Jonas Valanciunas prior to the draft to anchor from the center position. Beyond that, the Pelicans have tremendous uncertainty in the backcourt with Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart hitting free agency and young, unproven players behind them. New Orleans has a (very) wide range of outcomes, both for 2021-22 and beyond, but the Pelicans can also add to their talent base with another lottery pick to flank Williamson through a long-term lens.

Roster Needs: Guard clarity, defensive talent, shooting

Trey Murphy (No. 17 Overall), Grade: B

The Pelicans are clearly setting up for some win-now maneuvering after their pre-draft trade with the Grizzlies. Murphy aligns with that while also providing New Orleans with shooting and defense they need for the future. The former Virginia forward is limited in terms of upside, but the shooting is very real and the Pels want to surround Zion with spacing and players who don’t need the ball to operate successfully. Value-wise, it’s perfectly fine in this range, and that makes this a solid “B” move.

2021-22 Roster
Brandon Ingram
Jonas Valanciunas
Zion Williamson
Trey Murphy
Jaxson Hayes
Kira Lewis Jr.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Wesley Iwundu
Wenyen Gabriel (non-guaranteed)
Naji Marshall

2021 Free Agents
Lonzo Ball (RFA)
Josh Hart (RFA)
Willy Hernangomez (UFA)
James Johnson (UFA)
Didi Louzada (UFA)
James Nunnally (RFA)

Kentucky product Terrence Clarke likely would have been picked in the 2021 NBA Draft had he not been killed tragically in car accident in April.

The NBA, however, made sure to honor the late Clarke at the draft with a memorial video and a honorary selection midway through the first round. Clarke’s mother, brother, and sister we all in attendance, and NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced that the NBA had selected Clarke as an honorary draft pick with his family going up on stage to receive draft hats from the league. From there, the crowd chanted “Terrence” for a few moments.

“Before we continue, I’d like to take a moment to recognize Terrence Clarke,” commissioner Adam Silver said at the draft. “Terrence was an All-American star in the Boston area. He attended the University of Kentucky and, following his freshman year, declared for the draft and pursued his life-long dream of playing in the NBA.”

“Terrence was expected to be drafted tonight, but he tragically passed away in April following car crash,” Silver continued. “He was 19. His extraordinary talent, commitment and dedication to the game deserve to be recognized on this stage.”

“Please know he will forever be part of the NBA family,” Silver said.

His hometown Celtics also tweeted in memory of Clarke, as he had built some deep connections with players and coaches in Boston.

It was an emotional moment that will be, for many, one of the lasting moments of this Draft and a terrific gesture from the league to Clarke’s family.

Two years after his debut album Lady Lady, Masego finally returned at the end of 2020 with a new EP, Studying Abroad. The six-track effort found the singer and instrumentalist taking his sound to different corners of the world, including Africa and the Caribbean. His collaboration with Don Toliver, “Mystery Lady,” proved to be a standout effort, and months later he delivered a remix of the track on the deluxe for the 2020 release. Masego gives the project another push with a video for the remix.

The new video comes without a verse from Don Toliver, with Masego taking complete control of the vocal responsibilities. The singer is accompanied by a graceful dancer who doubles as his titular mystery lady for the video. The pair make the best out of each other’s company as they transverse Mexico City, enjoying the summer sun and the area’s peaceful environment.

Fans of Masego will soon be able to watch him perform songs from Studying Abroad: Extended Stay as well as other efforts from his impressive catalog. He’s set to bring his talents to HER’s Lights On Festival which will make stops in Concord, California and Brooklyn, New York this year.

You can watch the video for the remix of “Mystery Lady” above.

Studying Abroad: Extended Stay is out now via EQT Recordings/Capitol Records. Get it here.

While a handful of trades were announced in the lead-up to the 2021 NBA Draft, things were pretty quiet while the first 15 picks came and went. And then, the Oklahoma City Thunder found themselves on the clock with the No. 16 selection, and in classic Sam Presti fashion, the team opted to do some wheeling and dealing.

Adrian Wojnarowski announced that the Thunder would send the pick to the Houston Rockets, and in exchange, Houston would send them a pair of future first-round selections.

Further reporting indicated the picks would not come from the Rockets, but instead, would be a pair of selections that the Rockets have in their war chest of assets from other teams.

From there, the Rockets were on the board and opted to take a swing by selecting Alperen Sengun, a 19-year-old center from Turkey.

The Rockets are going to be a busy team this evening — the team also picks 23rd and 24th as of this writing — and opted to pair Sengun with No. 2 pick Jalen Green. Sengun is a fascinating selection, as the teenage big man was the Turkish League MVP this past year as a teenager and is viewed as one of the most interesting offensive big men prospects in the 2021 Draft.

The 2020-21 Washington Wizards finished strong, at least in the regular season. Washington closed with a 17-6 run, overcoming a maddening start and reaching the playoffs. Things didn’t go particularly well against the Philadelphia 76ers in the opening round, but Washington at least left the campaign with less of a sour taste, and they did it despite injuries to key pieces like Deni Avdija and Thomas Bryant.

Because Washington made the postseason, they don’t have a lottery pick, but they land in the middle of the first round with the chance to add talent. The Wizards did select a pair of combo forwards in the last two drafts but, aside from that, Washington can go in most directions in the Draft, even after the blockbuster Russell Westbrook trade that landed them Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, and the No. 22 pick in Thursday’s Draft.

Roster Needs: Perimeter depth, a long-term starting center, organizational clarity

Corey Kispert (No. 15 Overall), Grade: B

This is totally reasonable, even if unsexy. Kispert is a knockdown shooter and he has enough size and athleticism to eventually hold up at a reasonable level defensively. There isn’t a ton of upside, but Washington was void of shooting for much of last season aside from Bradley Beal and Davis Bertans. Kispert should fix that as a prospect capable of playing rotation minutes quickly.

2021-22 Roster
Bradley Beal
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Kyle Kuzma
Montrezl Harrell
Davis Bertans
Thomas Bryant
Rui Hachimura
Deni Avdija
Corey Kispert
Chandler Hutchison
Daniel Gafford (non-guaranteed)
Anthony Gill (non-guaranteed)
Caleb Homesley (non-guaranteed)

2021 Free Agents
Isaac Bonga (RFA)
Robin Lopez (UFA)
Garrison Mathews (RFA)
Alex Len (UFA)
Raul Neto (UFA)
Ish Smith (UFA)
Cassius Winston (RFA)

The 2020-21 Indiana Pacers came within a Play-in victory of reaching the NBA Playoffs, but it was also something of a lost season for the franchise. After five straight postseason appearances and five straight first round exits, Indiana went in another direction on the bench in hiring Nate Bjorkgren, but that experiment was short-lived and major health issues (especially with TJ Warren) held the team back considerably during a maddening campaign. The future is relatively bright, however, as Rick Carlisle arrives to right the ship and the entire core remains under contract.

Beyond the obvious health ramifications, the Pacers have a strong nucleus, though they remain a team with several quality pieces but no transcendent stars. Indiana’s roster lends itself to “best player available player” with a lottery pick, particularly with a relative lack of depth beyond their fully entrenched starters.

Roster Needs: Another wing, health for TJ Warren

Chris Duarte (No. 13 Overall), Grade: B-

In a vacuum, I’m open to Duarte late in the lottery. He’s not for everyone, largely because he’s already 24 years old, but the Oregon standout came to basketball late and he could have some more development coming. The Pacers are perpetually trying to compete, and Duarte can help them do that. I did knock them down by a half-grade because Moses Moody is the superior prospect, and they could’ve taken him.

2021-22 Roster
Malcolm Brogdon
Domantas Sabonis
Myles Turner
Caris LeVert
TJ Warren
Jeremy Lamb
Chris Duarte
Justin Holiday
Aaron Holiday
Goga Bitadze
Oshae Brissett (non-guaranteed)
Kelan Martin (non-guaranteed)

2021 Free Agents
Amida Brimah (RFA)
TJ McConnell (UFA)
Doug McDermott (UFA)
JaKarr Sampson (UFA)
Cassius Stanley (RFA)
Edmond Sumner (Team Option)

After making the NBA Playoffs in 22 consecutive seasons and winning five championships along the way, the San Antonio Spurs missed the postseason in both 2019-20 and 2020-21. The Spurs weren’t a terrible team during either campaign, but gone are the days in which San Antonio could (figuratively) roll out of bed to 50 wins and a healthy stature in the Western Conference pecking order. Still, there are talented players on the roster, a legendary head coach in place and a lottery pick on the way to bolster the team’s roster talent.

San Antonio has a big decision to make with DeMar DeRozan hitting free agency, as the veteran wing has been the team’s lead shot creator since arriving in the deal for Kawhi Leonard. Beyond that and other free agent decisions like Patty Mills and Rudy Gay, the Spurs have something of a blank canvas for their draft pick, allowing the team to pursue the best available prospect with limited hindrance.

Roster Needs: Lead shot creator, a starting-caliber wing, general depth

Josh Primo (No. 12 Overall), Grade: C-

The Spurs stay the Spurs in that no one ever knows what they’re doing. Primo was seen as a second round guy in some circles just a few weeks ago. There’s been some helium for him recently, but it was still a stunner when he went in the lottery. The thinking would be that Primo is clearly quite talented and, if he returned in a larger role at Alabama, it’s possible he could’ve been a consensus lottery pick in 2022. Make no mistake, I firmly believe this is far too high (and Moses Moody is still on the board, making things uglier), but Primo does have upside.

2021-22 Roster
Dejounte Murray
Derrick White
Jakob Poeltl
Lonnie Walker IV
Devin Vassell
Josh Primo
Luka Samanic
Keldon Johnson
Drew Eubanks (non-guaranteed)
Tre Jones

2021 Free Agents
Keita Bates-Diop (RFA)
DeMar DeRozan (UFA)
Rudy Gay (UFA)
DaQuan Jeffries (Team Option)
Trey Lyles (UFA)
Patty Mills (UFA)
Quinndary Weatherspoon (RFA)

Even with injuries to Gordon Hayward and 2020-21 NBA Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball, the Charlotte Hornets were in the playoff mix until the very end. While the Hornets ultimately fell short in the Play-In, it was a successful season overall, particularly through the lens of what Hayward, Ball, Terry Rozier and Miles Bridges were able to showcase. Still, there is significant competition in the Southeast Division, particularly from the Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat, and the Hornets have work to do.

It is reasonable to project Ball as a star of the future, and Hayward looked the part of a max-level player when healthy. The Hornets have another lottery pick to work with in 2021, but they didn’t jump into the top four and there are potential roster holes. P.J. Washington has admirably played center, but he may not be a full-time option at the position and Charlotte’s depth is hitting free agency. In the backcourt, Devonte Graham is up for a new deal, and the Hornets may be a wing short right now, but the future remains bright.

Roster Needs: Center, third guard, wing depth

James Bouknight (No. 11 Overall), Grade: B+

Admittedly, I’m not as high on Bouknight as some, but it is (much) easier to endorse him at No. 11 overall. Charlotte does have a lot of firepower allotted to the backcourt, but Bouknight is a bucket getter of the highest order. Long-term, the thought seems to be that he would fit with LaMelo Ball’s distribution and creativity. The swing for Bouknight could be whether his three-pointer goes in the basket but, considering his stroke, that seems like a reasonable bet and he should return value here. With Devonte’ Graham and Malik Monk both restricted free agents, Charlotte gets a touch of scoring insurance in the backcourt.

2021-22 Roster
Gordon Hayward
Terry Rozier
LaMelo Ball
Mason Plumlee
James Bouknight
Miles Bridges
PJ Washington
Cody Martin (non-guaranteed)
Caleb Martin (non-guaranteed)
Jalen McDaniels (non-guaranteed)
Vernon Carey Jr.
Nick Richards

2021 Free Agents
Bismack Biyombo (UFA)
Nate Darling (RFA)
Devonte’ Graham (RFA)
Malik Monk (RFA)
Grant Riller (RFA)
Brad Wanamaker (RFA)
Cody Zeller (UFA)

When accounting for injuries that kept both Jaren Jackson Jr. and Justise Winslow sidelined for the majority of the season, the 2020-21 campaign was fairly kind to the Memphis Grizzlies. They were defeated in tidy fashion by the top-seeded Utah Jazz in the first round of the playoffs, but Memphis turned in an encouraging 38-34 season behind Ja Morant, with plenty of hope for the future.

Memphis has drafted quite well in the recent past, unearthing gems in Desmond Bane, Xavier Tillman, Brandon Clarke and Dillon Brooks. The Grizzlies are clearly building the ship around that but, beyond the clear need for more perimeter shooting and creation around Morant, this is a roster that doesn’t have screaming issues and that opens things up for the team’s brain trust to focus on value. They made a big move in trading Jonas Valanciunas to New Orleans to move up to the 10th pick from 17, taking on Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams’ salaries in the process, seeming to indicate they had their eyes on someone in particular.

Roster Needs: Shooting (and health for Jaren Jackson Jr.), another big wing

Ziaire Williams (No. 10 Overall), Grade: C+

Williams is a fascinating prospect. He endured a brutal season in myriad ways and, if you simply scouted Williams from his time at Stanford, this pick would seem quite aggressive. At the same time, he has the length and shooting potential to return value here. If anything, I’m probably higher on Williams than some, but the knock on this pick would be that players like Moses Moody were still available.

2021-22 Roster
Steven Adams
Eric Bledsoe (expected to be bought out or traded)
Dillon Brooks
Kyle Anderson
Ja Morant
Jaren Jackson Jr.
Ziaire Williams
De’Anthony Melton
Tyus Jones
Grayson Allen
Brandon Clarke
John Konchar
Desmond Bane
Jontay Porter (non-guaranteed)
Xavier Tillman

Free Agents
Tim Frazier (UFA)
Killian Tillie (RFA)
Justise Winslow (Team Option)

For the past few weeks, Ariana Grande’s focus has been on her sixth album Positions, with her performing “Safety Net,” “Off The Table” and other highlights from the projects. Now, the singer is taking things back to her fourth album for a different kind of release. Grande’s new perfume, titled “God Is A Woman,” after the standout track from her 2018 album, Sweetener, is available on the beauty retailer Ulta’s online store before it hits store shelves August 1. The fragrance comes in a lavender-colored bottle that’s sized at 1.7 ounces for $55 and 3.4 ounces for $65.

The fragrance is cruelty-free and 100% vegan, and it’s Grande’s first perfume with clean, 91% naturally derived ingredients. According to Billboard, a press release for the fragrance describes it as “a soft opening of juicy pear and ambrette evolves into a wonderfully sensuous floral heart of Turkish rose petals, paired with divine orris.” It adds, “Finally, the drydown unfolds into a warming blend of Madagascar vanilla and a creamy, woody twist of cedarwood. The signature lies in the natural ambrette, that while on top, still leaves its mark throughout wear with its skin-sensual musk, leaving an alluring trail.”

The Ariana Grande Fragrance Brand plans to donate $5 for every purchase of the perfume towards clean-up initiatives. The charitable campaign, which begins on July 29 and ends on August 11, promises to donate at least $75,000 to the cause.

You can purchase the God Is A Woman fragrance through Ulta’s website here.