RealGM Basketball Wiretap

21 December 2024

• Dennis Smith Jr. Expected To End Up With Austin Spurs

  Dennis Smith Jr. expected to end up with the San Antonio Spurs' G League team, the Austin Spurs, when he entered the player pool this week. The Wisconsin Herd, who are the G League affiliate of the Milwaukee Bucks, unexpectedly claimed Smith.

  Smith is scheduled to make his debut with the Herd on Saturday at the G League Showcase.

  Smith appeared in 56 games last season with the Brooklyn Nets, averaging 8.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 25.7 minutes. Smith, however, shot less than 30 percent on 1.9 three-point attempts per game last season.

  Real Madrid also have interest in signing Smith.

• Nikola Jokic Ahead Of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo In First ESPN NBA MVP Straw Poll

  On the latest episode of The Hoop Collective, ESPN's crew of Brian Windhorst, Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon shared the results of ESPN's first 2024-25 NBA MVP straw poll. Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets was atop the poll, followed by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.

  Jokic has won three of the last four MVP awards. Antetokounmpo was a back-to-back MVP for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons.

  This season, Jokic has averaged a career-high 31.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, 9.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game. Jokic is also shooting a career-best 50% on three-pointers this season.

  Gilgeous-Alexander has led the Thunder to the top record in the Western Conference. He's averaging 30.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game.

  Antetokounmpo is fresh off leading the Bucks on the NBA Cup championship, which swayed some straw poll voters. For the season, Antetokounmpo is leading the NBA in scoring with a career-high 32.7 points per game. He's also averaging 11.5 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.6 blocks per game.

  NBA Straw Poll Points
  1. Nikola Jokic: 827
  2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 678
  3. Giannis Antetokounmpo: 643
  4. Jayson Tatum: 267
  5. Luka Doncic: 123
  6. Donovan Mitchell: 30
  7. Karl-Anthony Towns: 14
  8. Kevin Durant: 7
  9. Jalen Brunson: 5
  10. Stephen Curry: 2

• Damian Lillard Out Friday Versus Cavs With Calf Injury

  Damian Lillard will miss Friday night's matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers with a strained right calf, according to the Milwaukee Bucks.

  Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton are both listed as probable.

  Lillard recently agreed to a lifetime sneaker deal with Adidas.

• Damian Lillard, Adidas Agree To Lifetime Contract

  Damian Lillard and Adidas have agreed to a lifetime contract extension. Lillard's career salaries from his on-court and shoe contracts will exceed $600 million.

  Other players with lifetime shoe contracts include LeBron James and Kevin Durant with Nike, as well as Stephen Curry with Under Armour.

  Lillard first joined Adidas upon entering the NBA in 2012 out of Weber State.

• NBA Francises Collectively Worth $138 Billion, Average Of $4.6 Billion

  The Golden State Warriors have become the second most valuable franchise in sports at $9.14 billion, trailing only the Dallas Cowboys at $10.3 billion. The Warriors are joined in the top-3 by the New York Knicks at $8.3 billion and the Los Angeles Lakers at $8.07 billion.

  Collectively, the NBA's 30 teams are worth $138 billion, including real estate held by owners and team-related businesses, such as WNBA franchises. The average NBA franchise valuation is now $4.6 billion and has a value-to-revenue multiple of 11.9, which is above all other leagues.

  The NBA has a significant drop off from the Lakers at No. 3 as they are worth 42 percent more than the Brooklyn Nets at No. 4 with a valuation of $5.7 billion.

  The 30 NBA teams generated an estimated $11.6 billion last year, or $387 million per club. The concert business has been a major revenue driver for NBA teams who own and control their own arena. The Lakers and Boston Celtics are the only teams in the top-10 who do not control their arena.

  2024 NBA Valuation Rankings
  1. Warriors: $9.14 billion
  2. Knicks: $8.3 billion
  3. Lakers: $8.07 billion
  4. Nets: $5.7 billion
  5. Clippers: $5.66 billion
  6. Celtics: $5.66 billion
  7. Bulls: $5.56 billion
  8. Heat: $5 billion
  9. Rockets: $4.77 billion
  10. Raptors: $4.66 billion
  11. Sixers: $4.57 billion
  12. Mavericks: $4.46 billion
  13. Suns: $4.32 billion
  14. Kings: $4.11 billion
  15. Hawks: $4.07 billion
  16. Nuggets: $4.06 billion
  17. Wizards: $3.98 billion
  18. Cavaliers: $3.95 billion
  19. Bucks: $3.91 billion
  20. Spurs: $3.79 billion
  21. Pacers: $3.74 billion
  22. Jazz: $3.67 billion
  23. Blazers: $3.6 billion
  24. Thunder: $3.55 billion
  25. Magic: $3.46 billion
  26. Pistons: $3.45 billion
  27. Hornets: $3.39 billion
  28. Timberwolves: $3.29 billion
  29. Pelicans: $3.09 billion
  30. Grizzlies: $3.06 billion

• Final Hubie Brown Broadcast Scheduled For Feb. 9

  Hubie Brown is scheduled to call his final NBA game on February 9.

  The Sixers will play at the Bucks in a game that will precede the Super Bowl.

  Brown will work the game alongside Mike Breen on ABC.

  Brown has spent 35 years as a national television and radio analyst.

• Bucks Defeat Thunder 97-81 To Win NBA Cup Title

  The Milwaukee Bucks beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 97-81 to win the NBA Cup championship on Tuesday night.

  Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was named the NBA Cup MVP, finished with 26 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists. Damian Lillard added 23 points in the win.

  "It's great, it's great for our team... we know we're leaving Vegas as a better team. I'm so proud of this group," said Antetokounmpo after the game.

  After a 2-8 start, the Bucks have now won 13 out of their last 16 games.

  The Thunder, who scored at least 99 points every game this season, shot 34% from the field and were outscored 51-15 from three.

  "Obviously a tough night offensively all the way around for us. We didn't score nearly enough points, especially in the second half, to give ourselves a chance to win. But we can learn from it, move forward here," said Thunder coach Mark Daigneault.

  Bucks players received $514,971 each for the win, with Thunder players taking home $205,988 each.

• Giannis Antetokounmpo On Damian Lillard: Our Chemistry Is The Best It's Ever Been

  Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and the Milwaukee Bucks have turned around their season after a tumultuous and disappointing 23-24 campaign that included a midseason coaching change. Antetokounmpo and Lillard have improved their chemistry on the court. The tandem is averaging 58.4 combined points per game with Lillard assisting Antetokounmpo 52 times this season. They are in the top 10 among passer-scorer combinations in the NBA.

  "At the end of the day it takes time," Antetokounmpo said Saturday about his relationship with Lillard. "I feel like a lot of people had such high expectations from us from Day 1 to be the best duo to ever play this game, but it takes time.

  "Now, it's our second year playing together, we are more comfortable playing with one another. We know one another's spots better.

  "Our chemistry is the best it's ever been."

• Khris Middleton, Damian Lillard Probable For NBA Cup Final

  Khris Middleton and Damian Lillard missed the Milwaukee Bucks practice on Monday heading into Tuesday's NBA Cup Final against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

  Both players are listed as probable.

  Middleton was out with an illness, with Lillard out with discomfort in his right calf.

  Lillard said he felt the discomfort on Saturday in the semifinals against the Hawks.

  "Just a little irritation. So I've just been doing treatment and doing all the stuff to try to get ahead of it and just get ready for tomorrow," said Lillard.

• Bucks-Thunder To Meet in NBA Cup Final

  The Milwaukee Bucks and Oklahoma City Thunder will meet in the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup Final. The final game of the tournament will be played on Tuesday, December 17 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

  Milwaukee defeated the Atlanta Hawks by a score of 110-102. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for the Bucks with 32 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists and four blocks. Damian Lillard had 25 points, six rebounds and seven assists, while Brook Lopez added 16 points.

  The Thunder advanced to the final by beating the Houston Rockets 111-96. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led a balanced Oklahoma City attack with 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists and five steals. Isaiah Hartenstein went for 21 points, while Jalen Williams and Lu Dort added 20 points and 19 points, respectively.