And-Ones: Tanking, Maxey, Edwards, LaVine, Billups, More

Although John Hollinger of The Athletic consider the new NBA anti-tank lottery rules are a good thing, he points out that there are still a few situations in which certain teams will have no incentive to try to finish in the NBA’s bottom three. Most of these scenarios stem from rules that prevent teams from getting the No. 1 overall pick in multiple years or the top five in three consecutive years.

This year’s Networks are one example, as Houston has the option to trade its own first-round pick for Brooklyn. If the Nets find themselves out of contention for the playoffs and the playoffs, it may be in their best interest to finish in the bottom three of the NBA to drop their odds for first place from 8.1% to 5.4%. If Brooklyn wins the first overall pick in 2027, the team won’t be able to go No. 1 again in 2028, despite Rockets will control the ’27 selection.

Here are some more odds from around the world of basketball:

• To recap the highlights of Week 1 of the NBA, ESPN’s Bobby Marks identifies Sixers security guard Tyrese Maxey, Timberwolves security guard Anthony Edwardsand The necklaces security guard Zach Lavin as three players to keep an eye on from a contract perspective. With all three players off to strong starts this fall, Marks notes that Maxey and Edwards could be super-maxed next offseason by making this year’s NBA team, and wonders if LaVine could have some trade value this season if he stays hot despite the exorbitant $49 million cap hit.
• Despite the fact that Eric Ernest is one of the participants in the illegal gambling case Terry Rozier – pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud last Thursday, his lawyer insisted after the hearing that Earnest had not received any inside information from his ex Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups. Federal investigators say an unnamed conspirator matching Billups’ description told Earnest about Portland’s plan to refuel and rest some players, but attorney Peter Brill says he and Earnest have “fundamental disagreements” with the government about that claim. “Our position is that Chauncey Billups never provided inside information to Mr. Earnest that he was betting.” Brill said, trans ESPN’s Michael Rothstein.
• The NBA shared an interesting showdown this season’s starting lineups “by the numbers”, noting that among the 519 players who opened the season on standard or two-way contracts, 276 have G League experience, 106 went undrafted and 120 were born after LeBron James He made his debut on October 29, 2003.
• Two US senators have called on the NBA to reconsider its partnership with Rwanda and dictator Paul Kagame. ESPN’s Mark Fainaru-Wada details. The same two senators expressed similar concerns to the league two years agoat that time Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum followed the US government’s guidance “where it is appropriate to do business around the world.” However, Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Marcia Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said in their latest letter that U.S., U.K. and other European countries’ policies toward Rwanda have since “changed markedly” and suggested the NBA should follow suit.