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Last fall, North Carolina produced a new rapper that caught the attention of the hip-hop world in Morray. He quickly joined the likes of Roddy Ricch, Gunna, and more as acts who spoke about their life experience through melodically told stories. Morray quickly proved that he’s far from a one-hit-wonder with the release of his debut project, Street Sermons. Among the many highlights on it, one of them is “Trenches,” a track that just received the remix treatment thanks to help from Chicago rapper Polo G. On it, he joins the North Carolina act to reflect on his younger days and the struggles he endured and overcame in order to enjoy the success he has now..

Street Sermons, which was released back in April, comes attached with other impressive tracks that include “Nothing Now,” “Mistakes,” and “Quicksand.” Shortly after he released the project, Morray was selected to this year’s XXL Freshman list with Coi Leray, DDG, Lakeyah, Flo Milli, Pooh Shiesty, Blxst, 42 Dugg, and more. He will also join J. Cole and 21 Savage for The Off-Season tour later this year.

As for Polo G, the remix comes after he teamed up with Gunna for “Waves” and shared videos for “Bless His Soul” with Fredo Bang as well as “Toxic.”

Press play on the video above to hear Polo G’s remix of “Trenches.”

Street Sermons is out now via Pick Six Recordings/Interscope. Get it here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

In less than two months, fans will gear up to celebrate the five-year anniversary of Isaiah Rashad’s stellar debut album, The Sun’s Tirade. It’s an effort that was highly celebrated upon its release, and one that oftentimes receives a high ranking in discussions about hip-hop projects from the last half-decade. With that being said, some believed the anniversary would come without a new album from him as prior to today, Rashad had yet to drop a full-length follow-up to The Sun’s Tirade. Thankfully, that has changes tonight with the release of The House Is Burning.

The 16-track effort finally arrives for fans and one of its highlights is “Score” with SZA and 6lack. The well-constructed collaboration is led by mellow and drowned-out vocals from Rashad who opts for a bit of singing as opposed to rapping his way through the beat. SZA steps in for a rather small contribution to the song while 6lack delivers a strong verse of his own.

On the rest of The House Is Burning, listeners will hear guest appearances from Lil Uzi Vert, Jay Rock, Duke Deuce, Smino, Amindi, Jay Worthy, Doechii, Kal Banx, and YGTUT. The project is led by a group of singles that include, “Lay Wit Ya,” “Headshots (4r Da Locals),” and “From The Garden.”

Press play on Rashad, SZA, and 6lack’s “Score” in the video above.

The House Is Burning is out now via TDE/Warner. Get it here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The first round of the 2021 NBA Draft has come and gone, and while the first three picks went according to the script, from there the Draft was anything but predictable with some surprises (both risers and fallers) and a number of trades as teams moved up and down the board to find their preferred prospects.

The biggest of the Draft night trades saw Russell Westbrook sent off to L.A. for Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, and the No. 22 pick, but that was far from the last deal of the night (and wasn’t the last time the 22nd pick got traded). As the night rolled on we graded each pick live, going team by team, but here you can find each grade all together as we looked at who got great value, who filled a solid need, and who may have reached based on the players still available.

1. Detroit Pistons — Cade Cunningham, Grade: A

The Pistons took the best player in the draft at No. 1 overall, and that is how it is supposed to work. Some wavered on whether Cunningham was clearly superior to Jalen Green, Evan Mobley and/or Jalen Suggs, but he is a tremendous prospect. Cunningham faced a relatively difficult situation at Oklahoma State, playing with very little spacing and suboptimal supporting talent, and he displayed high-end scoring chops and answered a significant pre-college question with his shooting. He has size, feel and an off-the-charts skill level, and Cunningham projects as a franchise-changing piece for the Pistons.

2. Houston Rockets — Jalen Green, Grade: B

Jalen Green is certainly a worthwhile pick at No. 2 overall. Evan Mobley was the other potential option, but Green brings dynamism as a scorer and shot creator. He is also a high-end athlete that can get where he wants on the floor, using his burst responsibly and effectively, and Green impressed with his efficiency and effectiveness against professionals in the G League as an 18-year-old. He immediately gives Houston a player to build around as they continue a rebuild.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers — Evan Mobley, Grade: A

Evan Mobley is a talent that is line with some recent No. 1 overall picks. Grabbing him at No. 3 overall is a coup when viewed through that lens. The Cavs still have a lot of work to do with their roster, including a big decision with Jarrett Allen, but Mobley is a potentially fantastic two-way player. He’ll need to prove he can play center regularly to maximize his defensive upside, but Mobley brings an intriguing and varied offensive skill set, and should help Cleveland fix some of the defensive issues that have recently plagued the franchise.

4. Toronto Raptors — Scottie Barnes, Grade: C-

Barnes is an interesting pick. The consensus pointed to Jalen Suggs, who I also had ranked ahead of Barnes on my personal board. At the same time, it isn’t as if Suggs is considered an absolute superstar, and Barnes does have intrigue as a versatile defender. Offensively, he is already an established high-end passer, which is rare at his size. The big question mark is that Barnes is virtually a non-shooter at this point, and that could limit his ceiling, even with potentially fantastic defense. It’s a bit higher than I think he should go, but Barnes is a talented player.

5. Orlando Magic — Jalen Suggs, Grade: A

Suggs would’ve been my pick at No. 4 overall and the Magic benefit from his (small) drop. Orlando does have a few interesting pieces in the backcourt with Markelle Fultz, RJ Hampton and Cole Anthony, but Suggs is a better prospect than any member of that trio. Moreover, this is a “best player available” pick that also fits a need, as Orlando still doesn’t have a primary creator that they can feel good about at this stage. Suggs may not have a sky-high ceiling, but he projects to be a very good player for a long time.

6. Oklahoma City Thunder — Josh Giddey, Grade: B-

This was certainly a surprising pick but, after the top tier, an argument could be made that things flatten considerably. Giddey has questions, particularly with shooting and defense, but he is an exceptionally gifted passer. On top of that, Oklahoma City is (still) virtually a blank slate, and it is easy to see the upside that Giddey could possess as a 6’8 initiator if he can find a reliable offering as a shooter.

7. Golden State Warriors — Jonathan Kuminga, Grade: B

This is a tough evaluation. On raw talent, Kuminga is a very solid pick at No. 7 overall. In fact, it would be easy to argue that he has top-five upside (or higher) if things come together. On the flip side, Kuminga has a lot of work to do to reach that ceiling and Golden State is in win-now mode like no other team in the lottery. It’s hard to imagine him helping them during the 2021-22 season, but this is clearly a long-term bet.

8. Orlando Magic — Franz Wagner, Grade: A-

The Magic emerge with fantastic value at No. 5 and No. 8. Suggs brings a more dynamic element on the perimeter with two-way ability at the point of attack. Wagner is more of an on-brand choice for Orlando, as he makes his money defensively. There is a lot to like about Wagner’s offense, though, especially as a cutter, ball-mover and decision-maker. His offensive game will likely swing on his aggression and jump-shooting, but Wagner is one of the better team defenders in the draft and he is highly versatile.

9. Sacramento Kings — Davion Mitchell, Grade: D

I promise this isn’t an instance of bashing Davion Mitchell. He is a real prospect that was tremendous in leading Baylor to a national title, and Mitchell should have a long, fruitful career. With that said, I don’t understand this pick. Sacramento’s best player (De’Aaron Fox) and best prospect (Tyrese Haliburton) are both guards, and Mitchell would fall behind each of them. Haliburton does have some size, but it’s hard to see all three playing together with regularity, as Mitchell is point guard-sized and an unproven shooter outside of a breakout junior season. Mitchell can help them defensively, to be sure, but this is a lofty price to pay for the role Mitchell projects to have on this team.

10. Memphis Grizzlies (via New Orleans Pelicans) — Ziaire Williams, 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.

11. Charlotte Hornets — James Bouknight, 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.

12. San Antonio Spurs: Josh Primo, 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 was still on the board, making things uglier), but Primo does have upside.

13. Indiana Pacers — Chris Duarte, 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.

14. Golden State Warriors — Moses Moody, Grade: A

This is a heist of the highest order. I truly believe that. The Warriors clearly went for the future at No. 7 with Kuminga and, at No. 14, they get a player in Moody that I evaluated in the same tier. Moody’s ultimate ceiling may not be quite as high at the 100th percentile outcome, but he is a safer bet to contribute early and often. He was knocked for an uneven showing in the NCAA Tournament at Arkansas, but he’ll slide in beautifully to a smaller role with the Warriors.

15. Washington Wizards: Corey Kispert, 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.

16. Houston Rockets (via OKC Thunder) — Alperen Sengun, Grade: B+

Sengun is a wildly interesting prospect. Statistical translations absolutely love him, to the point where he was as high as No. 1 (!) on respected boards that prioritize analytics. That’s how good he was at a young age overseas. On the flip side, he is a very limited athlete and defender, prompting all kinds of question marks about his impact on the modern game. The Rockets are betting on the stats telling the story and, if nothing else, he could have a role as a creative, scoring big man that drives second units and brings value with a mid-first round investment. Houston traded two future firsts to get 16 from OKC to select Sengun, illustrating their belief in him.

17. New Orleans Pelicans (via Memphis Grizzlies) — Trey Murphy, 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.

18. Oklahoma City Thunder — Tre Mann (No. 18 Overall), Grade: B-

This may be a little high for Mann compared to pre-draft expectations. The Thunder don’t have to care about that, though, as they have an impossible number of current and future picks to unload. With Mann, OKC is getting a potential lead creator with an impressive level of craft in the pick-and-roll. He isn’t an elite athlete, but he has more than enough size to offset that at point guard, and Mann should be able to run an offense effectively, even if he doesn’t become a fully entrenched starter.

19. Charlotte Hornets (via New York Knicks) — Kai Jones, Grade: B+

Charlotte was rumored to be interested in Jones at No. 11. Instead, he slips to No. 19 and they pounce in a trade to get him, sending the Knicks a future first to jump back into the first round. Honestly, this makes a lot of sense for a team that doesn’t have a center of the future. Jones is definitely a project at this stage, but his tools are genuinely outstanding. His feel and polish aren’t quite there, but as a bet in the back half of the first round, this is a very good value.

20. Atlanta Hawks — Jalen Johnson, Grade: B+

This is simply a bet on talent. Johnson was a consensus top-10 high school prospect and, despite a weird (and short) journey at Duke, he still brings considerable ability to the table. He has a 7’0 wingspan with defensive potential, sees the floor as a high-level passer and doesn’t need to be thrust into duty quickly in Atlanta. No player selected at No. 20 was going to be a huge part of the Hawks’ rotation as a rookie, and this is a quality value through that lens.

21. L.A. Clippers (via New York Knicks) — Keon Johnson, Grade: B

The Clippers are in a win-now mindset and Keon Johnson might not be ready to help them this season. However, Johnson is a very nice value at this stage of the draft. He is a nuclear athlete and should be a high-end defender as he uses that athleticism and burst to his advantage. The questions come offensively, particularly with his shooting, but Los Angeles can take it slow with him. He is the kind of talent that isn’t always available at this stage of the draft, and that makes this a positive selection, particularly only costing a second rounder to move up four spots to nab him.

22. Indiana Pacers (via Wizards, via Lakers): Isaiah Jackson, Grade: C+

In general, bigs with Jackson’s skill set are relatively replaceable. Still, this is the point of the draft where it starts to be defensible to take Jackson, and he is an intriguing athlete that could be a starting-caliber center in the future. The Pacers have something of a log-jam in the frontcourt with Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner and 2019 first-round pick Goga Bitadze, but they might pivot away from Bitadze and/or execute a trade in the near future. Jackson wouldn’t have been my pick, but it’s generally fine. Trading away Aaron Holiday and No. 31 overall isn’t nothing to get to 22, as Indiana clearly has high hopes for Jackson.

23. Houston Rockets — Usman Garuba, Grade: B

I really like Garuba. It’s also fascinating to put him on a team with Sengun. At any rate, Garuba is a tremendous defensive player, to the point where he might be the second-best defender in the class behind Evan Mobley. That’s how good he is. On the offensive end, it’s more of an adventure, with Garuba having a long way to go to find his footing. At this stage of the draft, the Rockets can take a shot and hope he figures it out.

24. Houston Rockets — Josh Christopher, Grade: C+

The Rockets like their bucket-getters. Jalen Green is on board, Kevin Porter Jr. is in the same mold, and that is Josh Christopher’s calling card. Christopher needs to figure out the rest of his game, including his three-point shooting, but the natural scoring ability is tantalizing. This wouldn’t have been my pick, but the talent level is real.

25. New York Knicks (via L.A. Clippers) — Quentin Grimes, Grade: C

Grimes is a perfectly solid prospect. He doesn’t take much off the table and should be credited for remaking his game at Houston after a weird stint at Kansas. He is a very solid role player in the making but, if New York wanted that archetype, I would’ve preferred Jared Butler. It’s clear, though, that the Knicks weren’t aiming for ceiling here, and that’s okay.

26. Denver Nuggets — Bones Hyland, Grade: B-

Hyland should be a lot of fun with Nikola Jokic. For starters, he’s a heck of a shooter, with the ability to score at every level and fire with deep range. That is his calling card, but he’s really creative and should be an entertaining scorer overall. Hyland absolutely needs to get bigger, and that will be his challenge defensively and when attacking the rim. If he can do that, he’ll have a long career and this pick will be strong.

27. Brooklyn Nets — Cam Thomas, Grade: C+

This is a fascinating choice. Thomas is a perfectly fine value at No. 27 overall. He may even be under-drafted, depending on who you ask. The landing spot makes it interesting, though, in that the primary value of Thomas is in his scoring. In fact, that’s really his only established trait right now when you factor in his tough shot-making and easy range. The Nets don’t really “need” that aspect given their firepower, so it’s essentially a best player available bet on talent.

28. Philadelphia 76ers — Jaden Springer, Grade: A-

Admittedly, I am higher on Springer than the consensus. Through that lens, this is a fantastic pick for Philadelphia. He does overlap a bit with Tyrese Maxey, who the Sixers nabbed in another value selection last year, but Springer’s defense should fit right in with Philadelphia and he’s an underrated shot creator. It was an odd season at Tennessee, but Springer falling this far is a bit strange, and the Sixers found themselves a strong prospect without having to trade up to do it.
29. Brooklyn Nets (via Phoenix Suns) — Day’Ron Sharpe, Grade: B-

The Nets were rumored to be interested in Sharpe throughout the process, and this isn’t a surprise. He plays very, very hard and is an exceptional rebounder that doesn’t need the ball. That will fit in well with Brooklyn, but there are questions about his touch and lack of overall length and burst. Value-wise, this is totally fine, and it could perhaps signal (even further than already assumed) that the Nets could move on from De’Andre Jordan in favor of Nic Claxton, small-ball options and Sharpe as a developmental piece.

30. Memphis Grizzlies (via Utah Jazz) — Santi Aldama, Grade: C

This one came from well off the radar, but Aldama is not an unreasonable pick at No. 30 overall. He played at a small school (Loyola) but dominated the competition and he has NBA skills. That is particularly true of his shooting as a 6’11 combo big, and if he can weaponize that floor spacing, there is an NBA future here. He needs to get stronger, and that could trigger some more athletic burst, but the skill level is real.

The first season of the Doc Rivers era went according to plan for the Philadelphia 76ers, at least for a while. The Sixers earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs and, even with an injury to Joel Embiid, Philadelphia breezed through the first round and took a 2-1 lead against the Atlanta Hawks in round two. From there, things crumbled, with the Sixers blowing multiple leads in the series and ultimately losing a Game 7 at home to begin their offseason earlier than expected.

That loss doesn’t mean that the Sixers are now in a terribly perilous position, but it perhaps changes the calculus. Most attention will be paid to the status of Ben Simmons, who virtually disappeared offensively against Atlanta, especially in big moments. That isn’t the only question for a team that had glaring holes on its bench and with floor spacing, but Philadelphia certainly won’t rest on its laurels with a (very) active decision-maker in place with Daryl Morey.

Roster Needs: Lead perimeter creator, shooting, overall depth

Jaden Springer (No. 28 Overall), Grade: A-

Admittedly, I am higher on Springer than the consensus. Through that lens, this is a fantastic pick for Philadelphia. He does overlap a bit with Tyrese Maxey, who the Sixers nabbed in another value selection last year, but Springer’s defense should fit right in with Philadelphia and he’s an underrated shot creator. It was an odd season at Tennessee, but Springer falling this far is a bit strange, and the Sixers found themselves a strong prospect without having to trade up to do it.

2021-22 Roster
Tobias Harris
Ben Simmons
Joel Embiid
George Hill (non-guaranteed)
Seth Curry
Matisse Thybulle
Anthony Tolliver (non-guaranteed)
Tyrese Maxey
Shake Milton
Jaden Springer
Isaiah Joe
Paul Reed (non-guarantee)

2021 Free Agents
Gary Clark (RFA)
Danny Green (UFA)
Dwight Howard (UFA)
Furkan Korkmaz (UFA)
Mike Scott (UFA)
Rayjon Tucker (RFA)

The New York Knicks, to some extent, kicked the can down the 2021 NBA Draft.

New York came in with two first round picks — Nos. 19 and 21 — and didn’t use either. No. 19 was sent to the Charlotte Hornets so the Hornets could nab Texas big man Kai Jones. For their trouble, the Knicks picked up a heavily protected future first-round pick. They then traded down to No. 25 with the Houston Rockets, picking up a 2024 second round pick via the Detroit Pistons. And with the pick, they nabbed guard Quentin Grimes from the University of Houston.

There’s a lot to unpack here. The Knicks’ roster isn’t complete by any means, so it might be fair to question them not taking whomever was the highest-ranked prospect on their board with either pick (unless of course, that prospect *was* Grimes). They need more creation on the perimeter, so why not take a stab at someone earlier in the first round right now to maybe solve that need? But at the same time, they’ve added a future pick from the Hornets to add to their own picks and the 2023 first-round pick they still have coming from the Dallas Mavericks via the Kristaps Porzingis trade.

It may not be right now or even this offseason, but adding all of these picks could give the Knicks some assets to play with when seeking out a trade. It’s not really clear who a target for them might be yet, or even how valuable these picks are. But with these trades, New York seems to be picking the possibility of something bigger via trade vs. taking multiple players now.

The Brooklyn Nets came within a few inches of a berth in the Eastern Conference Finals. For most teams, that would be seen as an overwhelming success but, for a club with three legitimate superstars and off-the-charts expectations, it was a step short for Brooklyn. Granted, the Nets did finish their series against the Milwaukee Bucks with one healthy star (Kevin Durant), one limited star (James Harden) and one injured star (Kyrie Irving), but projections certainly won’t be any less demanding for Brooklyn in 2021-22.

Simply put, Brooklyn’s ceiling is higher than any team in the NBA as the offseason approaches. Health can be fickle, but the Nets deployed one of the best offenses of all-time in 2020-21, and they are devastating when operating at full strength with three stars and one of the NBA’s best shooters in Joe Harris. Brooklyn must add/maintain depth in the offseason, but they do have their own first-round pick and, after dealing Landry Shamet for Jevon Carter and No. 29, own the Sun spick as well to add to the overwhelming appeal veterans will see in looking to make a run at a championship.

Roster Needs: Health, Depth

Cam Thomas (No. 27 Overall), Grade: C+

This is a fascinating choice. Thomas is a perfectly fine value at No. 27 overall. He may even be under-drafted, depending on who you ask. The landing spot makes it interesting, though, in that the primary value of Thomas is in his scoring. In fact, that’s really his only established trait right now when you factor in his tough shot-making and easy range. The Nets don’t really “need” that aspect given their firepower, so it’s essentially a best player available bet on talent.

Day’Ron Sharpe (No. 29 Overall), Grade: B-

The Nets were rumored to be interested in Sharpe throughout the process, and this isn’t a surprise. He plays very, very hard and is an exceptional rebounder that doesn’t need the ball. That will fit in well with Brooklyn, but there are questions about his touch and lack of overall length and burst. Value-wise, this is totally fine, and it could perhaps signal (even further than already assumed) that the Nets could move on from De’Andre Jordan in favor of Nic Claxton, small-ball options and Sharpe as a developmental piece.

2021-22 Roster
James Harden
Kevin Durant
Kyrie Irving
Joe Harris
DeAndre Jordan
Nic Claxton
Cam Thomas
Day’Ron Sharpe
Jevon Carter
Alize Johnson (non-guaranteed)

2021 Free Agents
Bruce Brown (RFA)
Chris Chiozza (RFA)
Spencer Dinwiddie (UFA)
Jeff Green (UFA)
Blake Griffin (UFA)
Mike James (RFA)
Tyler Johnson (UFA)
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (UFA)
Reggie Perry (RFA)

Before Jamal Murray went down with an unfortunate injury, many believed the Denver Nuggets were a legitimate contender to win the 2021 NBA title. Murray’s absence, along with other injury issues, left a crater on the perimeter for Denver and that, combined with uneven defense, pushed the Nuggets out of the playoffs in disappointing fashion against the Phoenix Suns. Still, the Nuggets flashed considerable upside, with Nikola Jokic breaking out as the NBA MVP, Michael Porter Jr. taking the next step and a mid-season deal for Aaron Gordon as a two-way role player.

The Nuggets will have to deal with the absence of Murray again in 2021-22, and that shrouds the team’s offseason in a bit of mystery. Will Barton added to that by declining a player option, and Denver must address its perimeter rotation in the coming days and weeks. The Nuggets have done a quality job in the draft, though, and they have another pick to add to the coffers.

Roster Needs: Perimeter help, overall depth

Bones Hyland (No. 26 Overall), Grade: B-

Hyland should be a lot of fun with Nikola Jokic. For starters, he’s a heck of a shooter, with the ability to score at every level and fire with deep range. That is his calling card, but he’s really creative and should be an entertaining scorer overall. Hyland absolutely needs to get bigger, and that will be his challenge defensively and when attacking the rim. If he can do that, he’ll have a long career and this pick will be strong.

2021-22 Roster
Nikola Jokic
Jamal Murray
Aaron Gordon
Monte Morris
Michael Porter Jr.
Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland
Facu Campazzo
Zeke Nnaji
Bol Bol
PJ Dozier (non-guaranteed)
Vlatko Cancar (non-guaranteed)

2021 Free Agents
Will Barton (UFA)
JaMychal Green (Player Option)
Shaquille Harrison (RFA)
Markus Howard (RFA)
JaVale McGee (UFA)
Paul Millsap (UFA)
Austin Rivers (UFA)

The Washington Wizards’ busy Thursday night continued into the back half of the NBA Draft’s first round.

Per The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Washington is trading the No. 22 overall pick, Isaiah Jackson, to the Pacers for Aaron Holiday and the No. 31 overall pick (which Indiana traded up to earlier in the night, sending Milwaukee the 54th and 60th picks on Thursday as well as two future second-round picks. The No. 22 was already acquired by the Wizards early in the evening in the reported Russell Westbrook trade.

This feels like a win for the Wizards. Holiday is a capable backup guard and probably will be used to fill some of the minutes made available in Westbrook’s wake. And in getting No. 31, they can still add another player to their rookie class that already includes Gonzaga’s Corey Kispert. After moving off of Westbrook, this is good initial work and retooling around Bradley Beal.

For the Pacers, however, this is a bit confusing in the moment. This team already has Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis starting in the frontcourt and former first round pick Goga Bitadze coming off the bench. Jackson is a 6’10” power forward who just adds another frontcourt body to feed. For a team that already had a lot of size, it feels odd to give up a draft pick and a serviceable point guard to add another big. While there’s yet to be significant buzz about them trading one of their current bigs — with Turner seeming like the most likely to be moved — one has to think that’s on the horizon after this selection.

By any description, the 2020-21 season was a rousing success for the New York Knicks. Virtually no one picked the Knicks to even approach the Play-in, much less the playoffs, and New York zoomed to home-court advantage in the first round. Things ended disappointingly against the Atlanta Hawks but, even with that (relative) playoff dud, the Knicks emerged with plenty to praise.

With that said, New York enters a wildly intriguing offseason, with only a handful of high-end contributors under contract for the 2021-22 season. As such, things could vary wildly, particularly when accounting for the fact that Julius Randle had a career season in 2020-21 that may not fully repeat itself. The Knicks have a bundle of cap space to address needs, but they also started this draft with two first round picks. After dealing No. 19 to Charlotte for a protected future first, they moved back from 21 to 25 for a second rounder with the Clippers.

Roster Needs: Point guard, another starting wing, shot creation, shooting, depth

Quentin Grimes (No. 25 Overall), Grade: C

Grimes is a perfectly solid prospect. He doesn’t take much off the table and should be credited for remaking his game at Houston after a weird stint at Kansas. He is a very solid role player in the making but, if New York wanted that archetype, I would’ve preferred Jared Butler. It’s clear, though, that the Knicks weren’t aiming for ceiling here, and that’s okay.

2021-22 Roster
Julius Randle (non-guaranteed)
RJ Barrett
Kevin Knox
Obi Toppin
Quentin Grimes
Luca Vildoza (non-guaranteed)
Immanuel Quickley
Norvel Pelle (non-guaranteed)

2021 Free Agents
Reggie Bullock (UFA)
Alec Burks (UFA)
Taj Gibson (UFA)
Jared Harper (RFA)
Nerlens Noel (UFA)
Frank Ntilikina (RFA)
Elfrid Payton (UFA)
Theo Pinson (RFA)
Mitchell Robinson (Team Option)
Derrick Rose (UFA)

According to NBC Miami and Rolling Stone, a 23-year-old woman who was last seen at this year’s recent Rolling Loud festival in Miami has been reported missing. Ashley Espinosa Sanchez was last spotted with her friend Nicholas Prevost on July 24 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. She stands at 5’2″ and 130 points with brown hair and brown eyes and when she was last seen, she was wearing a floral black and red romper and white Vans

Sanchez and Prevost made their way to the festival from Tallahassee and upon entering the festival, Prevost told NBC, Sanchez gave him her phone and walked away. Shortly after, she got lost in the festival’s large crowd, which caused Sanchez to wait until the end of the night to find her. Unfortunately, the two never reconnected and Prevost filed a missing persons report the following day. He also checked several hospitals, but he was unable to find her. Miami Police told NBC that they are working on a missing person case in order to locate Sanchez.

On Thursday, a Miami news outlet reported that Sanchez was seen Monday on surveillance camera at the Lost and Found at Hard Rock Stadium. “Video shows she was in the company of an unknown black male, 5′10″-6′0″, thin build, wearing long dark pants, black T-shirt, red shirt tied around waist, dark sneakers, and a light-colored hat,” Miami Gardens police said in a press release. They added, “Video shows Ms. Espinoza-Sanchez and the black male appear to part ways on foot in opposite directions. She was last seen walking towards parking lot #18. It is possible Ms. Espinoza-Sanchez is still in the area.”