<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/suns-tyus-jones-royce-oneale-identify-issues-hurting-skid');   ga('set', 'title', 'Tyus Jones, Royce O’Neale identify issues hurting Suns amid skid');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Suns-Tyus-Jones-Royce-ONeale-identify-issues-hurting-Phoenix-amid-skid.jpg"></figure><h1>Tyus Jones, Royce O’Neale identify issues hurting Suns amid skid</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-10T22:42:28-08:00">December 10th, 10:42pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-10T22:42:28-08:00">December 10th, 10:42pm</time><address><a href="https://haydencilley.wixsite.com/hayden-cilley-s-port">Hayden Cilley</a>Hayden Cilley joined ClutchPoints in August 2024 as a Phoenix Suns and Mercury reporter, as well as an Associate Editor. Hayden graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University while covering events like the 2023 NCAA Men's Final Four, the 2024 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and the Arizona State men's swim and dive team. He recently covered the Phoenix Mercury for The Next Hoops and PHNX Sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Mini-Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Phoenix Suns are amid a three-game losing skid, and it hasn’t been encouraging for some to see. Regardless, point guard Tyus Jones and forward Royce O’Neale have a different outlook on their losing streak. Both players spoke after Tuesday’s practice and explained what <a href="https://x.com/PHNX_Suns/status/1866589691333554342" rel="noopener">they believe the underlying issue is</a>.</p><p>“We’re not playing a complete 48 minutes,” Jones said via Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. “I think we’re playing well enough to win, but we’re not playing a full 48. We have stretches throughout the game where we get careless. Too many turnovers and not getting the stops that we need.</p><p>“If we can kind of eliminate those stretches, then it’ll help the other parts of the game. We’re playing well, we’re generating good shots, we’re connected on defense. Now, it’s just about putting together longer stretches of good basketball.”</p><p>The Suns have put together solid stretches during the season, most notably at the beginning. For instance, they began the campaign with a 9-2 record. Although those 11 games were with Kevin Durant, it’s been a story with him out. He’s <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-kevin-durant-injury-return-target-date">missed the past three Suns games with an ankle injury</a>. While Durant has a target return date, it hasn’t prevented Phoenix from making mistakes throughout these games.</p><p>In every game, they had the lead in the second half. Unlike the first 11 games, they weren’t able to sustain the lead. The first game against the New Orleans Pelicans was the exception to the rule. Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram caught fire and scored 21 points in the third quarter. That catapulted the rest of the team to score. However, the last two games could have been key wins for the Suns.</p><h2><b>Tyus Jones and Royce O’Neale have benefited the Suns during this stretch</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Tyus-Jones-dribbling.jpg"><figcaption>© Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Luckily, both <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/suns-news-resilient-mindset-full-effect-four-game-skid">Jones and O’Neale have performed well and risen to the occasion for Phoenix</a>. Still, the loss doesn’t come as a result of one or two players. Although Bradley Beal and Devin Booker haven’t performed like their fellow teammates during this stretch, it’s unfair to place all the blame on them.</p><p>For instance, the point guard is averaging 15.7 points and 5.3 assists a night on 47.8 percent shooting from deep. O’Neale has been a monster, averaging 19.3 points per game over this stretch. Not to mention, he’s shooting an absurd 58.8 percent from the floor and 63.6 percent from three.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/suns-news-unheralded-bench-player-drops-career-high-loss-vs-heat">O’Neale even dropped a career-high 23 points</a> against the Miami Heat on Saturday. Regardless, those two have done what they can, but it isn’t enough. Jones echoed a calm sentiment despite the current Suns skid.</p><p>“This road trip was tough because we felt like we played overall pretty well,” Jones said. “We were competing, we were together. We just had stretches where we didn’t make shots, or we let the defensive pressure kind of get to us and turn the ball over too many times. There are things like that, but we just have to learn from it. Stay with it; it’s a long season. It’s just room to grow.”</p><p>Jones is right. Phoenix has only played 23 games so far, which is a little more than a quarter of the season. Still, after starting with a 9-2 record, the Suns have fallen pretty far. Without Durant, the team simply looks lost. With either Friday or Sunday set to be Durant’s return, the Suns have time before their next game. As O’Neale mentioned to AZCentral’s Duane Rankin, the team is <a href="https://x.com/DuaneRankin/status/1866581471231684747" rel="noopener">picking apart components from each game</a> as to why they lost.<br><br>“I think it’s different things throughout each game,” O’Neale said. “It’s different stretches of the game where maybe we had a bad stretch of how the other team went on the run or us having a couple of costing turnovers or simply us just missing shots. We’re doing all the right things, making the right plays. It’s just about sticking with them.”</p><p>When KD is on the floor, they’re <a href="https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/suns-record-with-durant-this-season" rel="noopener">11-2 on the season</a>. The shortcomings aren’t reflective of Durant, but they play a key component. Jones and O’Neale have done all they can to step up to the plate. However, getting back to the basics and playing a consistent 48 minutes, with or without Durant, will prove crucial in the thick of the Suns season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Tyus Jones, Royce O’Neale identify issues hurting Suns amid skid

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/suns-news-what-phoenix-truly-feels-royce-oneale-career-night');   ga('set', 'title', 'What the Suns truly feel about Royce O’Neale after career night');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Suns-news-What-Phoenix-truly-feels-about-Royce-ONeale-after-career-night.jpg"></figure><h1>What the Suns truly feel about Royce O’Neale after career night</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-02T18:53:17-07:00">November 2nd, 6:53pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-02T18:53:17-07:00">November 2nd, 6:53pm</time><address><a href="https://haydencilley.wixsite.com/hayden-cilley-s-port">Hayden Cilley</a>Hayden Cilley joined ClutchPoints in August 2024 as a Phoenix Suns and Mercury reporter, as well as an Associate Editor. Hayden graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University while covering events like the 2023 NCAA Men's Final Four, the 2024 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and the Arizona State men's swim and dive team. He recently covered the Phoenix Mercury for The Next Hoops and PHNX Sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Amidst the Phoenix Suns’ comeback win against the Los Angeles Clippers, forward Royce O’Neale had himself a career night. After <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/suns-news-royce-oneal-44-million-contract-free-agency">O’Neale signed a $44 million contract</a> in the offseason, he’s been worth every penny. Although consistent scoring was always a question, those uncertainties were put to rest on Thursday. He scored 21 points, seven rebounds, one assist, steal, and block. Not to mention, he shot 7-for-8 from the field and 5-for-6 from three. </p><p>While O’Neale is known as a hustle player, he can fill up the stat sheet, especially this season. Whether it’s rebounding, moving the ball, or draining shots, he can be someone who helps Phoenix win games. As the team traveled back to Phoenix, they had a light shootaround on Friday. O’Neale spoke to reporters about the moment he realized he was going to eclipse his career high.</p><p>“I know I had like 20 a bunch of times before. And then I had 19 and then when I got fouled, I said, ‘Okay, make the first free throw.’ And then that second one I was like, ‘Just don’t miss.’”</p><p>Luckily, O’Neale didn’t miss and secured his 21st point of the evening. He gained the attention of basketball fans, and specifically Suns fans. This performance highlights the Suns’ depth, especially last season. Former Phoenix head coach <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/suns-news-frank-vogel-royce-o-neale-trade-deadline">Frank Vogel said he wanted to implement O’Neale in small-ball lineups</a>.</p><h2><b>Suns’ teammates aren’t surprised at Royce O’Neale’s career night</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Royce-ONeale-career-night-sparked-the-Suns-comeback-win.jpg"><figcaption>© Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Even now, head coach Mike Budenholzer implemented a similar strategy so far. He’s put O’Neale in at the power forward and small forward spots. He’s been <a href="https://arizonasports.com/story/3562021/phoenix-suns-small-lineup-nba/" rel="noopener">playing the power forward sporadically</a> and has thrived. However, this wasn’t much of a surprise for his superstar teammate, Kevin Durant. He said via AZCentral’s Duane Rankin after Thursday’s game that O’Neale is <a href="https://x.com/DuaneRankin/status/1852232001438249309" rel="noopener">taking huge strides</a> in his career.</p><p>“I think Royce is at the point of his career now he’s taking that next step as a player,” Durant said. “You get the ultimate confidence and confidence in the organization, coaches, and teammates. Then the work that you put in, all season, throughout the season, starts to show up.</p><p>“He’s stepped it up a notch, he stepped up a level as an individual player and he’s adding that to the team as a collective. Get his career-high scoring, he’s blocking shots, he’s throwing one through five, he’s making plays, passing the ball. I’m super impressed with what he’s doing and I know he’s going to keep it up, just keep grinding.”</p><p>Pacing the sidelines was Budenholzer, who rode the hot hand the entire second half. O’Neale <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/onealro01.html" rel="noopener">played a season-high 29 minutes</a> in the comeback victory. With the standout performance, even Budenholzer was shocked that he never scored more than 20 points in a game.</p><p>“For that to be his career high last night, I agree, a little bit of a surprise,” Budenholzer said. “But…coaches trust him, teammates trust him. He makes winning plays, and I think that’s why we went out and got him last year.”</p><p>The Suns have a key piece of their roster for the next four seasons. His tenacity, grit, and shot-making could be decisive going forward. They’ll take on the Portland Trail Blazers and start a three-game homestand. Hopefully, Phoenix can have O’Neale’s magic translate over to their fourth-straight win.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

What the Suns truly feel about Royce O’Neale after career night

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/suns-news-royce-oneal-44-million-contract-free-agency');   ga('set', 'title', 'Suns’ Royce O’Neale on verge of $44 million contract');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Suns-news-Royce-ONeale-on-verge-of-x-million-contract.jpg"></figure><h1>Suns’ Royce O’Neale on verge of $44 million contract</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-06-29T11:02:35-07:00">June 29th, 11:02am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-06-29T11:02:35-07:00">June 29th, 11:02am</time><address><a>Brett Siegel</a>Brett Siegel joined ClutchPoints as a credentialed NBA insider and reporter in May 2023 after previously covering the NBA for Fastbreak on FanNation and NBA Analysis Network, as well as working with Louisville Basketball. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Breaking the news of various free agent signings, yearly NBA Draft news and other key stories around the league, Brett is always on the phone, getting the latest news and rumors around the NBA. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Royce O’Neale and the Phoenix Suns are set to agree to a <a href="https://x.com/wojespn/status/1807106767806947589" rel="noopener">four-year, $44 million contract</a> with the start of free agency just days away, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.</p><p>“O’Neale’s agents Mark Bartelstein and George Roussaskis of Priority Sports have been negotiating on the contract for months and now land a key part of Suns’ rotation a new long-term deal,” reported the NBA insider. “O’Neale arrived in a deadline trade with the Nets.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Royce O’Neale plans on signing a new 4-year, $44 million deal with the Suns, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wojespn</a>. <a href="https://t.co/XxZFBLfnD1">pic.twitter.com/XxZFBLfnD1</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints NBA (@ClutchPointsNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPointsNBA/status/1807107337507008545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>As a result of the NBA’s new early negotiation window for teams and their own free agents, O’Neale and the Suns were able to avoid the complications of free agency altogether with this new four-year deal. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/suns-news-royce-oneale-nets-grizzlies-multi-team-deal">O’Neale was traded to Phoenix</a> ahead of the trade deadline by the Brooklyn Nets in a three-team deal that sent a 2026 first-round pick swap to the Memphis Grizzlies and three second-round picks from the Suns to the Nets. Former Grizzlies first-round pick David Roddy also landed in Phoenix as a result of this trade.</p><p>O’Neale, 31, formed a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/suns-news-royce-o-neale-grade-expectations-phoenix-frank-vogel-kevin-durant">strong bond with superstar forward Kevin Durant</a> during their time with the Nets during the 2022-23 season. With the veteran forward on the trade block and the Suns in need of an experienced forward who could stretch the floor and provide toughness on defense, O’Neale was a match made in heaven for Phoenix.</p><h2><b>Royce O’Neale’s impact with Suns</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Royce-ONeale-and-Kevin-Durant.jpg"><figcaption>Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>In a total of 30 games with the Suns, eight of which he started, O’Neale averaged 8.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while shooting 37.6 percent from the floor. O’Neale’s 59 total threes in his two months with the Suns ranked third on the team behind only Grayson Allen (87) and Durant (65) from the moment of his arrival.</p><p>There is no denying that the Suns traded for O’Neale with the intention of re-signing him this offseason. Despite having one more year left on his contract at the time of the trade, Phoenix understood that the veteran was going to be an integral part of their rotation.</p><p>For years, O’Neale has been known for being one of the best “glue guys” in the NBA. Essentially, he holds his teams together with all the little things he can accomplish on the court. Aside from his shooting and rebounding abilities, O’Neale has always been known to be an above-average defender who can virtually guard any position. That is why he is such a valuable player for the Suns to have.</p><p>After locking O’Neale up on a new contract, the Suns’ payroll now exceeds $220 million, giving them the league’s highest tax bill for the 2024-25 season. Owner Mat Ishbia is not afraid to spend money if it puts his team in a better position to win a championship, and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-suns-set-re-sign-key-player-4-year-contract">keeping O’Neale</a> was an essential part of the organization’s championship equation.</p><p>Assuming they do not make any drastic moves in the offseason to trade Jusuf Nurkic, the Suns will head into the new season with the same starting group that won a total of 49 games during the regular season this past year. The major difference is that instead of having O’Neale for two months to finish the season, new head coach Mike Budenholzer will be able to turn to the veteran right away for production in the frontcourt.</p><p>The bottom line is that O’Neale impacts winning. The Suns went 18-12 with O’Neale on the court, and his +139 plus-minus was the highest on the team since his arrival on February 10. With the two sides sharing mutual interest in a new deal, they were able to come to terms on an agreement before his unrestricted free agency.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Suns’ Royce O’Neale on verge of $44 million contract

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/celtics-news-joe-mazzulla-breaks-silence-block-royce-oneale-shot-suns');   ga('set', 'title', 'Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla breaks silence on why he tried to block Royce O’Neale’s shot vs Suns');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/celtics-news-joe-mazzulla-explains-why-he-run-tried-to-block-royce-oneales-shot-vs-suns.jpg"></figure><h1>Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla breaks silence on why he tried to block Royce O’Neale’s shot vs Suns</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-03-14T20:19:21-07:00">March 14th, 8:19pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-03-14T20:19:21-07:00">March 14th, 8:19pm</time><address><a>Daniel Donabedian</a>Daniel Donabedian is a beat reporter for ClutchPoints covering the Boston Celtics. He's also covered Villanova men's basketball and Big East basketball, building a strong reputation in the northeast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Boston Celtics head coach <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-joe-mazzulla-fires-back-at-jayson-tatum-criticism-with-tyrese-maxey-callout" rel="noopener">Joe Mazzulla expects a lot</a> from his players, but he wouldn’t ask them to do anything he wouldn’t do himself. On Thursday night, during a primetime matchup between the Celtics and Phoenix Suns, forward Royce O’Neale went to shoot after a timeout late in the fourth quarter.</p><p>Mazzulla didn’t let him get the shot off cleanly though, as he actually went out on the court to contest.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Joe Mazzulla went on the court to play a bit of defense 😂<a href="https://t.co/a1FpMKD3EJ">pic.twitter.com/a1FpMKD3EJ</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1768453935608598804?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>O’Neale was desperate for any kind of make since he was a brutal 0-for-7 on the evening. But, Mazzulla was determined to not let him find his rhythm because <a href="https://twitter.com/JaredWeissNBA/status/1768455290637238583">that’s the mindset</a> he wants from his players, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic.</p><p>“I saw a guy going in to try and get a shot and he hadn’t made one and I didn’t want him to feel good about himself going to the bench,” he said. “If I’m gonna ask the guys to contest, staff’s gotta do the same.”</p><p>Mazzulla has been adamant about contesting after stoppages all season, and while it seemed to work on O’Neale, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-jayson-tatum-receives-legendary-kevin-durant-praise-ahead-suns-rematch" rel="noopener">Celtics were on fire</a> regardless. Boston shot 52.8% from the field and stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined for 63 points during the 127-112 win.</p><p>This was the Celtics’ second victory against the Suns in the last week, and they achieved them both without center Kristaps Porzingis. Although Phoenix’s three-headed monster of Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker was healthy and had 65 points altogether, the Suns still couldn’t stop Boston’s 3-point attack.</p><p>With the Celtics’ double-digit win and the Milwaukee Bucks’ 114-105 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, Boston has officially clinched a playoff berth for the 10th straight season.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Boston Celtics have punched their ticket to the NBA playoffs for the 10th straight season 👊</p><p>Will Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Joe Mazzulla get it done this year? 🤔 <a href="https://t.co/Z0lT5x7aeY">pic.twitter.com/Z0lT5x7aeY</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1768465729471275079?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>A title hasn’t been brought back to Beantown by the C’s in over 15 years, but the 2023-24 Green Team hopes to change that. At 52-14 overall, Boston will aim to close out the regular season strong and enter the playoffs with momentum and health.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla breaks silence on why he tried to block Royce O’Neale’s shot vs Suns

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/suns-news-royce-o-neale-grade-expectations-phoenix-frank-vogel-kevin-durant');   ga('set', 'title', 'Suns: Royce O’Neale’s true feelings on trade deadline move, expectations for seventh-year defensive-minded wing for Phoenix');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/royce-3.webp"></figure><h1>Suns: Royce O’Neale’s true feelings on trade deadline move, expectations for seventh-year defensive-minded wing for Phoenix</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-02-14T07:14:06-08:00">February 14th, 7:14am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-02-14T07:14:06-08:00">February 14th, 7:14am</time><address><a>Trevor Booth</a>Trevor Booth is a beat writer covering the Phoenix Suns, in addition to working as an associate editor. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in sports journalism from Arizona State University in 2021. Booth is passionate about his faith, video games, sports with friends and making the most of his time with his girlfriend when he's not working.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Royce O’Neale <a href="https://twitter.com/TrevorMBooth/status/1756074508681896326" rel="noopener">has a move</a> he calls his “special talent.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Royce on the ball fake. Says it’s his “little special talent.” <a href="https://t.co/DEuZcsI9ra">pic.twitter.com/DEuZcsI9ra</a></p><p>— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrevorMBooth/status/1757607344878600656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>O’Neale, who is in his seventh season in the NBA, has a ball-fake that he uses to juke closeout defenders, before side-stepping into his 3-point shot.</p><p>“It gets me a lot of open threes, (and) drives for my teammates,” O’Neale said.</p><p>O’Neale is someone who will shoot plenty of threes next to the Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.</p><p>O’Neale is also a 29-game playoff starter, which will help him be a big factor with the Suns.</p><p>What did O’Neale say about coming to Phoenix, which has top scorers Booker and Beal at guard, where he could be a factor as a defensive-minded player?</p><p>“I’m just glad I ain’t got to guard them no more,” O’Neale said. “Just seeing the way their game evolved over the years, and then now being able to learn from them, being cool with them throughout the time in the NBA.”</p><p>Here is a summary of his game, including a grade for the Suns’ trade. Phoenix dealt three second-round picks and forwards Keita Bates-Diop and Chimezie Metu, for O’Neale. The Suns also traded a pick swap to the Memphis Grizzlies along with Yuta Watanabe and Jordan Goodwin for David Roddy.</p><p>Tuesday, the Suns <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/suns-news-thad-young-buyout-woj-espn-phoenix" rel="noopener">signed</a> wing Thaddeus Young, a 6-foot-8 big, off the buyout market.</p><h2>Strengths</h2><p>O’Neale is someone who spent time with the Utah Jazz following an impressive 2017 summer league run. Utah finished with the best four-game season record, earning O’Neale a three-year contract.</p><p>O’Neale will not take for granted his NBA career. A former college player at Denver, he earned his way to the Baylor men’s basketball team and earned All-WAC third-team honors in his first year.</p><p>Much like former Suns guard Cameron Payne, O’Neale is someone who has an edge. O’Neale started his pro career overseas and later earned his spot with the Utah Jazz.</p><p>“It meant a lot,” O’Neale said of his confidence and approach. “It was one of the setting stones, bringing that overseas international game here, learning more team concepts, different rules and incorporating it into the game I have now.”</p><p>O’Neale has a bit of a rhythm jumper. Because he is so accustomed to creating space with the ball fake, his release can go through a circle rotation, which can each accelerate or force defenders to strip his shot.</p><p>O’Neale’s defense is a staple of his. He has a 6-foot-9 wingspan and is physical with opposing players.</p><p>The 6-foot-4 wing has both guard Clippers guard Paul George and forward Paul George — who he has held to five and 18 points at different points in his career — and has also played next to Kevin Durant in lineups, which should give the Suns some defensive continuity, according to Phoenix gm James Jones.</p><p>“He’s fearless,” Jones said. “That’s what this is about. We’re going into a Western Conference playoff race that is daunting. But it’s fun. And if you’re a competitor, you look forward to it. And lucky for us, we’ve been able to add a guy in Royce who looks forward to that challenge.”</p><p>O’Neale has had to approach the game in a consistent manner to stay in the league. Now that he is in the playoffs, he is looking to bring some of that chip from his early career to the Suns.</p><h2>Approach</h2><p>O’Neale is someone who is going to factor into the Suns’ rotation. However, it remains to be seen how often he will be used in varying combinations of small-ball rotations. O’Neale has familiarity with Durant, so it makes sense he would be paired with the 7-footer in a potential starting lineup with Booker, Beal and center Jusuf Nurkic.</p><p>The Suns’ defense is rated No. 15, or right in the middle, on defense. Phoenix is going to have some small-ball rotations since it is not possible to acquire another capable big on the buyout market it can afford. The Suns will hope Nurkic, who has been the team’s most stable and consistent player from a minute and health standpoint, can stay healthy.</p><p>O’Neale can be used at the three now that the Suns have Young, who can play the four or the five. Young is someone who can post up, so the Suns will be more athletic with one of those two or both on the floor.</p><p>Phoenix is looking to win its first-ever championship. O’Neale, who has guarded some of the best West players, will be relied on to be physical and play at his best.</p><h2>Expectations</h2><p>Here are O’Neale’s advanced stats from Bball Index.</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/player-card-player-11.png"></figure><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/player-card-player-12.png"></figure><p>O’Neale is a positive contributor, given he closed the Suns’ game against the Kings.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Suns: Royce O’Neale’s true feelings on trade deadline move, expectations for seventh-year defensive-minded wing for Phoenix

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/suns-news-frank-vogel-royce-o-neale-trade-deadline');   ga('set', 'title', 'Suns’ Frank Vogel sounds off on Royce O’Neale, David Roddy plans after trade deadline deals');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/royce-2.webp"></figure><h1>Suns’ Frank Vogel sounds off on Royce O’Neale, David Roddy plans after trade deadline deals</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-02-10T20:14:59-08:00">February 10th, 8:14pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-02-10T20:14:59-08:00">February 10th, 8:14pm</time><address><a>Trevor Booth</a>Trevor Booth is a beat writer covering the Phoenix Suns, in addition to working as an associate editor. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in sports journalism from Arizona State University in 2021. Booth is passionate about his faith, video games, sports with friends and making the most of his time with his girlfriend when he's not working.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Phoenix Suns wings Royce O’Neale and David Roddy are available for the team’s road game Saturday night at Chase Center versus Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, per the team.</p><p>O’Neale is coming off the bench. He is someone who could start for the Suns, but coach Frank Vogel said Grayson Allen will be in the lineup with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, and center Jusuf Nurkic.</p><p>“You can hope for an ideal situation, you get a couple practices under your belt,” Vogel said. “Get to learn the system, all that.</p><p>“I want him to get his feet wet,” Vogel said of O’Neale. “I want to get him into the fold right away.”</p><p>O’Neale was traded to the Suns with just under two hours remaining before the NBA trade deadline Thursday for forward Keita Bates-Diop, guard Jordan Goodwin and three second-round picks. Phoenix also acquired Roddy, a former first-round pick, via trade with the Memphis Grizzlies.</p><p>The Suns <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/2-buyout-candidates-suns-must-purse-after-2024-nba-trade-deadline" rel="noopener">have</a> two open roster spots and must add one through the buyout market.</p><p>O’Neale is a former teammate of Durant with the Nets in 2022-23.</p><p>Vogel said the Suns could go small with Durant at the five.</p><p>“We’ve been looking at that on a gamely basis,” Vogel said.</p><p>The Suns are down to the Warriors, 84-82, after three quarters. O’Neale has three points, five rebounds, a steal and an assist.</p><p>O’Neale is someone who brings experience with 29 playoff starts and 44 total playoff games played. He is known as a playoff riser, something that Suns general manager James Jones said at his introductory press conference Friday.</p><p>“That was just something we couldn’t pass up,” Jones said.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Suns’ Frank Vogel sounds off on Royce O’Neale, David Roddy plans after trade deadline deals

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nets-news-royce-oneale-heartfelt-message-brooklyn-after-trade-suns');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nets: Royce O’Neale sends heartfelt message to Brooklyn after trade to Suns');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Nets_news__Royce_O_Neale_sends_heartfelt_message_to_Brooklyn_after_trade_to_Suns_copy.webp"></figure><h1>Nets: Royce O’Neale sends heartfelt message to Brooklyn after trade to Suns</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-02-09T09:03:46-08:00">February 9th, 9:03am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-02-09T09:04:19-08:00">February 9th, 9:04am</time><address><a>Alex House</a>Alex House is a sportswriter who is comfortable covering many different sports. He grew up in a New York sports-heavy region in Connecticut and earned his journalism degree at the University of Rhode Island. His in-depth knowledge of two of the most passionate and raucous fan bases in the country gives him a truly unique writing voice.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Brooklyn Nets were not ready to blow everything up at the NBA trade deadline, but they did make a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grading-nets-raptors-trade-spencer-dinwiddie-dennis-schroder" rel="noopener">couple of key moves</a> that figure to have an impact on the rest of the season and multiple teams. That included parting with Royce O’Neale, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/suns-news-royce-oneale-nets-grizzlies-multi-team-deal" rel="noopener">whom they sent</a> to the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.</p><p>Although the veteran 3-and-D wing only spent about a year-and-a-half with the organization, he formed a strong connection with the Brooklyn fan base. Despite diminishing production this season, his effort was always appreciated. O’Neale is returning the favor by sending love to the city in his <a href="https://twitter.com/BucketsONeale00/status/1755889600092880989" rel="noopener">official farewell message</a>.</p><p>“Thank you Brooklyn for the opportunity and embracing the kid…forever a special place in the journey,” he posted on Friday. </p><p>O’Neale was with the Utah Jazz for the first five years of his career before being traded to the Nets in June of 2022. He quickly fit in with the team and then adjusted when the front office shipped out both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving last season. Considering the 30-year-old is on an expiring contract, it made no sense for a 20-31 squad to keep him.</p><p>Brooklyn continues to re-supply their haul of assets by acquiring three second-round picks in the deal as it attempts to position itself for better days ahead. Royce O’Neale finds himself in a far more prosperous spot after joining the Suns. His lifetime 38.1 3-point shooting percentage gives Phoenix another reliable floor spacer and should make him a key bench piece the rest of the way.</p><p>Ideally, O’Neale will be embraced by the desert just as he was by the BK in his brief but memorable tenure with the Nets.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nets: Royce O’Neale sends heartfelt message to Brooklyn after trade to Suns

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/suns-news-royce-oneale-nets-grizzlies-multi-team-deal');   ga('set', 'title', 'Royce O’Neale traded to Suns in Nets, Grizzlies 3-team deal');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Phoenix_news_Royce_O_Neale_traded_to_Phoenix_in_Nets_Grizzlies_multi-team_deal_copy.webp"></figure><h1>Royce O’Neale traded to Suns in Nets, Grizzlies 3-team deal</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-02-08T10:42:56-08:00">February 8th, 10:42am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-02-08T10:56:23-08:00">February 8th, 10:56am</time><address><a>Brett Siegel</a>Brett Siegel joined ClutchPoints as a credentialed NBA insider and reporter in May 2023 after previously covering the NBA for Fastbreak on FanNation and NBA Analysis Network, as well as working with Louisville Basketball. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Breaking the news of various free agent signings, yearly NBA Draft news and other key stories around the league, Brett is always on the phone, getting the latest news and rumors around the NBA. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Phoenix Suns have acquired Royce O’Neale, a significant upgrade on the wing, in a <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1755657310330839313?s=20" rel="noopener">three-team trade</a> involving the Brooklyn Nets and Memphis Grizzlies, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Memphis Grizzlies second-year forward David Roddy is also heading to Phoenix in a deal where the Suns give up second-round picks and pick swaps.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">🚨 BREAKING: The Nets are finalizing a trade that would send Royce O'Neale to the Suns for salaries and three second-round picks, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShamsCharania</a>. <a href="https://t.co/cxw0qbl05X">pic.twitter.com/cxw0qbl05X</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1755656746373161040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>O’Neale, 30, is in the final year of his contract and was <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-nets-forward-suns-targeting-trade-deadline" rel="noopener">rumored</a> to be a hot name on the trade block in Brooklyn. The Cleveland Cavaliers were another team <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-cavs-linked-nets-veteran-due-donovan-mitchell" rel="noopener">rumored to have interest</a> in the versatile forward.</p><p>As part of this trade, the Suns will be <a href="https://x.com/Gambo987/status/1755660714759557560?s=20" rel="noopener">giving up</a> Chimezie Metu, Yuta Watanabe, Jordan Goodwin, and Keita Bates-Diop, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM in Phoenix. By trading all four players, who are on minimum contracts, the Suns have created two open roster spots.</p><p>The Suns, who have been searching for some added depth at the forward positions, now receive an experienced player who can aid them in their championship efforts. Superstar forward Kevin Durant is familiar with O’Neale, as the two shared the court with one another last season when they were both in Brooklyn.</p><p>In a total of 49 games this year, O’Neale has averaged 7.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while shooting 36.6 percent from three-point range.</p><p>This trade by the Nets comes shortly after they dealt veteran point guard <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/raptors-news-dennis-schroder-nets-spencer-dinwiddie-trade-deadline-deal" rel="noopener">Spencer Dinwiddie to the Toronto Raptors</a> for Dennis Schroder and Thaddeus Young. The main approach at the trade deadline for the Nets appears to be acquiring future assets to reload in the near future. In this deal with the Suns and Grizzlies, Brooklyn ends up getting three second-round picks from the Suns. Memphis gets a pick swap from Phoenix in this trade.</p><p>Roddy, who now heads to the Suns, has shown flashes of his full potential on the wing. Through 48 games this season, the 22-year-old forward has averaged 8.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game while shooting 40.2 percent from the floor. Still on a rookie contract, he will provide Phoenix with secondary depth on their bench.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Royce O’Neale traded to Suns in Nets, Grizzlies 3-team deal

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-bucks-suns-among-royce-oneale-suitors-ahead-of-trade-deadline');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Bucks, Suns among Royce O’Neale suitors ahead of trade deadline');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Bucks-Suns-among-Royce-ONeale-suitors-ahead-of-trade-deadline_50.webp"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Bucks, Suns among Royce O’Neale suitors ahead of trade deadline</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-01-30T14:37:19-08:00">January 30th, 2:37pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-01-30T14:37:19-08:00">January 30th, 2:37pm</time><address><a>Mike Cruz</a>Mike Cruz is an editorial writer at ClutchPoints, primarily covering the NBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>trade Royce O’Neale is reportedly on the trade block for the Brooklyn Nets and a number of contenders are reportedly interested in acquiring the veteran forward ahead of the 2024 NBA trade deadline. According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/bucks-dream-scenario-2024-nba-trade-deadline">the Milwaukee Bucks</a> and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/suns-news-devin-booker-bradley-beal-kevin-durant-heat-finals-odds-championship">Phoenix Suns are among</a> the two teams looking to trade for the 3-and-D wing.</p><p>“It looks likely that Royce O’Neale’s time with the Brooklyn Nets is coming to an end,” Siegel <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sources-dejounte-murray-bruce-brown-warriors-trade-deadline-rumors-intel">reported</a>. “The Cleveland Cavaliers, Phoenix Suns, Minnesota Timberwolves, Milwaukee Bucks, and Sacramento Kings are among those interested in the veteran forward.”</p><p>Royce O’Neale is in the final year of his current deal and is earning <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/royce-oneale-24240/#:~:text=Current%20Contract,dead%20cap%20value%20of%20%249%2C500%2C000.">$9.5 million</a> this season, which makes him an attainable trade target for capped teams like the Bucks and Suns. Both Milwaukee and Phoenix don’t have much draft capital either, but they could get away with trading a second-rounder or two to acquire O’Neale, who is on an expiring deal.</p><p>O’Neale has established himself as one of the better floor-spacing defenders in the league. The vet would be a terrific target for any playoff contender in need of wing depth.</p><p>O’Neale spent most of his career on a Utah Jazz team that peaked as the No. 1 seed in the West back in the 2020-21 NBA season. The 6-foot-4 forward played a huge role on those Jazz squads as their primary point-of-attack defender. In the 2022 offseason, the Jazz traded him to the Nets during the summer firesale that also saw them trade Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell.</p><p>O’Neale has started in six of 45 appearances for the Nets this season. On the year, he is averaging <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/onealro01.html">7.1 points</a>, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.9 assists, while shooting 38.6 percent from the field and 36.2 percent from the field.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Bucks, Suns among Royce O’Neale suitors ahead of trade deadline

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);   ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-deandre-hunter-joins-royce-oneale-cavs-trade-targets');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: De’Andre Hunter joins Royce O’Neale as Cavs trade targets');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.cavsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/NBA_rumors__De_Andre_Hunter_joins_Royce_O_Neale_as_Cavs_trade_targets.webp"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: De’Andre Hunter joins Royce O’Neale as Cavs trade targets</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-01-16T17:33:26-08:00">January 16th, 5:33pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-01-16T17:34:04-08:00">January 16th, 5:34pm</time><address><a>Alex House</a>Alex House is a sportswriter who is comfortable covering many different sports. He grew up in a New York sports-heavy region in Connecticut and earned his journalism degree at the University of Rhode Island. His in-depth knowledge of two of the most passionate and raucous fan bases in the country gives him a truly unique writing voice.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cavs News</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Remember when the Cleveland Cavaliers were headed toward a massive decline that would possibly force them to consider becoming sellers at the NBA trade deadline? Neither do they. The Cavs have <a href="https://cavsnation.com/cavs-news-darius-garland-return-injury" rel="noopener">overcome injuries</a> to core players and are just two games out of third place in the Eastern Conference standings. Now, they are looking like surefire buyers ahead of Feb. 8.</p><p>Specifically, Cleveland is seeking a perimeter threat who could also disrupt high-level scorers on opposing teams- best known as a 3-and-D guy. <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/more-from-the-nba-trade-season-grapevine?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=140742436&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;r=39f60&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">Two potential targets are emerging</a>, both of whom can instantly improve the team’s 35.2 percent 3-point shooting (ranked 26th in league).</p><p>Brooklyn Nets forward Royce O’Neale has <a href="https://cavsnation.com/cavs-what-royce-oneale-can-bring-to-cleveland" rel="noopener">already been linked to the Cavs</a> and should continue to be a popular name in the rumor mill, considering that his contract expires at the end of the season and the Nets are currently 16-23. He can be effective off the bench and is reliable from 3-point land (38.2 percent lifetime). But president of basketball operations Koby Altman could have his eyes on a younger wing who offers more upside.</p><p>“Atlanta’s De’Andre Hunter is said to be another name to watch in Cleveland’s ongoing search for a 3-and-D upgrade — although absorbing Hunter’s contract (which has three seasons and $70 million left on it after this season) makes him a challenging payroll fit (and, frankly, difficult for the Hawks to trade anywhere),” NBA correspondent Marc Stein reported.</p><h2><b>Hawks’ De’Andre Hunter could be a solution for Cavs’ biggest issue</b></h2><p>Time is running out for the Atlanta Hawks to figure things out. They nearly blew a double-digit lead against the lowly San Antonio Spurs and are tied with the Nets for 10th place in the East. Hunter’s hefty contract makes him a natural candidate to be dealt ahead of the trade deadline. But is Cleveland willing to take on his salary?</p><p>Hunter is quietly making strides on offense this season, scoring 14.9 points per game while shooting a career-high 40.4 percent from distance. He can be a nice compliment to a Cleveland team that is expected to get back All-Star guard Darius Garland and two-way center Evan Mobley <a href="https://cavsnation.com/cavs-news-how-jarrett-allen-is-making-cleveland-dynamic-without-darius-garland-evan-mobley" rel="noopener">in the near future</a>.</p><p>While defense is an undeniable strength for the Cavs, they can run into trouble on the offensive end. Acquiring a 3-point sniper who can help ignite the squad during a dry shooting spell could be a vital difference-maker come the playoffs.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: De’Andre Hunter joins Royce O’Neale as Cavs trade targets

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-nets-dorian-finney-smith-royce-oneale-trade-asking-price-comes-into-focus');   ga('set', 'title', 'RUMOR: Nets’ Dorian Finney-Smith, Royce O’Neale trade asking price comes into focus');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Dorian-Finney-Smith-Royce-ONeale-Nets-Sean-Marks-2023-NBA-Draft.jpg"></figure><h1>RUMOR: Nets’ Dorian Finney-Smith, Royce O’Neale trade asking price comes into focus</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2023-06-22T10:25:49-07:00">June 22nd, 10:25am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2023-06-22T10:26:19-07:00">June 22nd, 10:26am</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. Graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University. Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum. Keeping you up to date on everything Nets. Follow on Twitter below.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The 2023 NBA draft could be one of the most active trade nights in recent memory. With two first-round picks (Nos. 21, 22) and several valued veterans, league sources expect the Brooklyn Nets to be at the center of the action.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-nets-2023-nba-draft-trade-plans-get-extremely-active-update" rel="noopener">The Nets are said</a> to be “extremely active” in trade conversations with their back-to-back picks. Brooklyn is also fielding offers for Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale, hoping to move up the board.</p><p>The following Nets intel <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/2023-nba-draft-how-the-memphis-boston-washington-deal-shifted-the-trade-market-145359265.html">was reported</a> Thursday by Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer:</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

RUMOR: Nets’ Dorian Finney-Smith, Royce O’Neale trade asking price comes into focus

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nets-2022-23-player-grades-royce-oneale');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nets 2022-23 player grades: Royce O’Neale');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Nets-Royce-ONeale-Jacque-Vaughn-Kevin-Durant.jpg"></figure><h1>Nets 2022-23 player grades: Royce O’Neale</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2023-05-31T14:48:22-07:00">May 31st, 2:48pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2023-05-31T14:48:22-07:00">May 31st, 2:48pm</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. Graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University. Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum. Keeping you up to date on everything Nets. Follow on Twitter below.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Many questioned the timing of Royce O’Neale’s trade to the Brooklyn Nets last summer. News of the deal broke just minutes after Kevin Durant’s bombshell trade request. Through a season that saw Kyrie Irving suspended and later traded alongside Durant, Ben Simmons sidelined, and a slew of new faces enter the fold, O’Neale was one of Brooklyn’s most dependable players.</p><p>The veteran wing turned in the best season of his career after the Nets parted with a first-round pick for his services, appearing in 76 games and leading the team in minutes. O’Neale <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/onealro01.html" rel="noopener">averaged 8.8 points</a> and 3.7 assists while shooting 38.9 percent from three on 5.5 attempts per game, all career highs. He flashed improved ball-handling ability from his Utah days with Durant and Irving sidelined for extended periods, recording 23 games with five or more assists.</p><p>Most importantly, he was one of Brooklyn’s top clutch performers, shooting 10-of-20 from the field and 8-of-16 from three in crunch time (final five minutes of games within five points). That sample size includes three game-winners with the Nets trailing in the final 30 seconds.</p><figure class="op-interactive"></figure><p>Head coach Jacque Vaughn spoke about his <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-how-royce-oneale-has-become-brooklyn-closer-per-jacque-vaughn" rel="noopener">trust in O’Neale as a closer</a> towards the end of the season:</p><p>“He’s a guy that is comfortable at the end of the games,” Vaughn said. “You watched him in the Utah days, he was a guy that inbounded at the end of the game or was in at the end of the game. So he does that for us. The majority of the time if there’s an inbound play at the end of the game, Royce will be delivering.</p><p>“There’s an extreme amount of trust and comfort that I have in him as a coach that I think the players have grown. The confidence that he exudes that he’s going to make the right decision, call a timeout, he’s gonna shoot the basketball when it becomes available. So give him a lot of credit for garnering the confidence of his teammates and the coaching staff.”</p><p>Defensively, O’Neale struggled at the point of attack against quicker guards in Brooklyn’s switch-heavy scheme. However, he was highly effective while guarding bigger wings and centers in the post, a skill the Nets were missing for most of the 2021-22 season.</p><p>While he was a consistent source of regular-season production, O’Neale’s disappearing act in Brooklyn’s first-round sweep against Philadelphia put a damper on his 2022-23 campaign. The Baylor product averaged just 5.0 points per game on 4-of-22 (18.2 percent) shooting from three. To his credit, O’Neale did an admirable job battling with Joel Embiid down low despite giving up over 50 pounds. However, his ice-cold shooting was a significant blow to a Nets offense in desperate need of production.</p><p>After the acquisitions of Mikal Bridges, Dorian Finney-Smith and Cam Johnson, the Nets have a logjam on the wing that is expected to bring about changes this summer. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-brooklyn-royce-oneale-trade-talks-nba-offseason" rel="noopener">Brooklyn nearly dealt O’Neale</a> to Cleveland for a first-round pick at the deadline, according to Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor. They were also offered two first-round picks for Finney-Smith.</p><p>It would be surprising if general manager Sean Marks didn’t revisit that interest. Finney-Smith is on a team-friendly deal at $28 million over the next two seasons before a $15 player option in 2025-26. O’Neale is on a $9.5 million expiring contract next season.</p><p>Overall, O’Neale turned in an efficient season as one of Brooklyn’s top role players. That should allow the Nets to recoup similar value to what they traded last summer should they look to flip him this offseason.</p><p><b>Royce O’Neale’s 2022-23 Grade: B-</b></p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nets 2022-23 player grades: Royce O’Neale

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nets-brooklyn-royce-oneale-trade-talks-nba-offseason');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Nets could revisit Royce O’Neale trade talks after nearly dealing him to Cavs at deadline');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Why-Nets-could-revisit-Royce-O_Neale-trade-talks-after-nearly-dealing-him-to-Cavs-at-deadline.jpg"></figure><h1>Why Nets could revisit Royce O’Neale trade talks after nearly dealing him to Cavs at deadline</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2023-05-19T10:54:55-07:00">May 19th, 10:54am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2023-05-19T11:00:26-07:00">May 19th, 11:00am</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. Graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University. Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum. Keeping you up to date on everything Nets. Follow on Twitter below.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Brooklyn Nets have several veterans who could be packing their bags this summer. Royce O’Neale, Dorian Finney-Smith and Spencer Dinwiddie should all have trade value to contenders, and depending on the direction Brooklyn takes, could be on the move.</p><p>O’Neale increased his trade value the most out of those three during the 2022-23 campaign. After the Nets acquired him from the Utah Jazz last summer for a late first-round pick, the 29-year-old turned in the best season of his career, averaging 8.8 points and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 38.9 percent from three, all career highs. O’Neale <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/clutch-traditional?PerMode=Totals&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;dir=A&amp;sort=TEAM_ABBREVIATION" rel="noopener">was also</a> one of Brooklyn’s top clutch performers, shooting 10-of-20 from the field and 8-of-16 from three in crunch time (final five minutes of games within five points) on the season.</p><figure class="op-interactive"></figure><p>Following the trades of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn <a href="https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2023/05/what-is-the-cavs-greatest-offseason-need-and-how-can-they-fill-it-hey-chris.html" rel="noopener">nearly sold high</a> on O’Neale in a deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to Cleveland.com:</p><p>“Small forward. That’s the weak point since LeBron James left in the summer of 2018. It’s the spot Cleveland has worked tirelessly to fill, making innumerable trade calls. They came close in February and were far down the road on a deal for Brooklyn’s Royce O’Neale before it opted not to trade him,” Chris Fedor wrote.</p><p>With O’Neale on a $9.5 million expiring salary next season, he should have value to playoff teams looking to improve. Given Mikal Bridges and Dorian Finney-Smith are already on long-term deals at similar positions, and Cam Johnson is expected to return alongside them on a new contract, Brooklyn should revisit interest in O’Neale this summer.</p><p>The Cavaliers remain a logical landing spot. Cleveland boasts a star guard duo of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland and a twin towers frontcourt of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, but not much between them. Those wing deficiencies were on full display in their four playoff losses to the New York Knicks. Caris LeVert and Isaac Okoro shot a combined 13-0f-40 (32.5 percent) from three while Cleveland struggled to defend and rebound.</p><p>The Memphis Grizzlies are another team to watch after announcing Dillon Brooks will not be back next season. With pressure to improve after a disappointing first-round exit, Memphis should be examining avenues to replace Brooks’ defense while adding some shooting. The Warriors are sitting on several promising young prospects who are not ready to contribute, as well as their future draft picks. After struggling to find shooting from complementary pieces in their series against the Lakers, they could have interest in an experienced three-and-D wing.</p><p>Overall, the Nets have a surplus of veteran wings, a premium position in today’s NBA. General manager Sean Marks should be looking to cash in on that. If he was close to dealing O’Neale to Cleveland at the deadline, it should not be a surprise if he pulls the trigger on a deal with the Cavs or another playoff team this offseason.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Nets could revisit Royce O’Neale trade talks after nearly dealing him to Cavs at deadline

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);   ga('set', 'page', '/cavs-what-royce-oneale-can-bring-to-cleveland');   ga('set', 'title', 'What Royce O’Neale can bring to the Cavs');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.cavsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/what-can-royce-oneale-bring-to-the-cavs.jpg"></figure><h1>What Royce O’Neale can bring to the Cavs</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2023-05-18T12:24:08-07:00">May 18th, 12:24pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2023-05-18T20:15:33-07:00">May 18th, 8:15pm</time><address><a href="https://muckrack.com/alex-sabri">Alex Sabri</a>Alex Sabri started as an Associate Editor for Cavs Nation and ClutchPoints in November 2022. He has just over 2.25 years of collegiate and professional sports and local journalism experience. Though he covers various sports and general assignments for ClutchPoints, he specializes in covering the Cleveland Cavaliers, the NBA and WNBA, the NFL and college football and basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Whether it be through <a href="https://cavsnation.com/cavs-early-2023-nba-free-agency-targets" rel="noopener">free agency</a> or <a href="https://cavsnation.com/cavs-early-trade-targets-2023-nba-offseason" rel="noopener">the trade market</a>, the Cleveland Cavaliers still have plenty of time to look over any potential options before the start of the 2023-24 regular season.</p><p>The <a href="https://cavsnation.com/nba-rumors-cavs-interested-in-royce-oneale-after-kevin-durant-trade" rel="noopener">Cavaliers had an interest</a> in Brooklyn Nets forward Royce O’Neale before the NBA trade deadline, potentially putting O’Neale on his third roster and on another team in search of an extended run in the NBA Playoffs. <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35620592/phoenix-suns-acquiring-kevin-durant-blockbuster-deal-brooklyn-nets" rel="noopener">The Nets traded</a> forward Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns in early February, sending a package that included forwards Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Jae Crowder, along with four unprotected future first-round picks, in exchange for the All-NBA forward, according to ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski.</p><p>“Sources tell cleveland.com the Cavs have interest in swingman Royce O’Neale as they continue to scour the trade market for a potential wing upgrade before the 3 p.m. deadline,” Cleveland.com Cavs reporter Chris Fedor wrote in early February. “Preferably one who can shoot, either to start or strengthen one of the league’s least productive benches.”</p><p>Fedor noted Cleveland <a href="https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2023/05/what-is-the-cavs-greatest-offseason-need-and-how-can-they-fill-it-hey-chris.html" rel="noopener">was far down the road</a> on a deal for O’Neale with the Nets before they opted not to trade him in a Tuesday edition of “Hey, Chris!”</p><p>Will the Cavs have a shot at the potential trade target during the NBA offseason? Would he be worth the potential asking price from the Nets? And how would he fit with Cleveland’s roster if he found himself in a Cavaliers jersey?</p><h2>The Basics</h2><p>As always, Cavs Nation, it helps to review the basics.</p><p>Royce O’Neale is a 6-foot-6-inch forward with <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/onealro01.html" rel="noopener">six seasons</a> of listed NBA experience. He has played for the Nets and the Utah Jazz since he <a href="https://nba.nbcsports.com/2017/07/19/utah-jazz-sign-forward-royce-oneale-first-season-reportedly-guaranteed/" rel="noopener">first signed</a> with Utah in 2017. The former Baylor wing played for Spanish club Gran Canaria the season before, where he averaged 8.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists, according to the Associated Press.</p><p>O’Neale has played with now-Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell in the past, sharing five seasons with the 6-foot-1-inch guard out of Louisville and the several playoff appearances that came with them. They most recently battled in a playoff series together against the Dallas Mavericks in 2022, pushing Mavs guard Luka Dončić and now-New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson to six games before falling in a 98-96 loss at Vivint Smart Home Arena.</p><p>Royce O’Neale averaged 6.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game during five seasons with the Jazz before he was <a href="https://www.nba.com/nets/news/2022/06/30/brooklyn-nets-acquire-royce-oneale" rel="noopener">traded to the Nets</a> in exchange for a 2023 first-round draft pick.</p><p>“We are excited to welcome Royce and his family to Brooklyn,” Nets General Manager Sean Marks said in a 2022 release. “He is a versatile wing defender and floor spacer whose tenacious style of play fits the fabric of the team we are building.”</p><p>Royce O’Neale finished the 2022-23 regular season with averages of 8.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 76 games and 53 starts. His production tapered off during Brooklyn’s playoff series with the Philadelphia 76ers. He ended the 4-game sweep by the Sixers with averages of five points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 29.5 minutes played per game.</p><p>O’Neale will be on a <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/royce-oneale-24240/" rel="noopener">partially-guaranteed deal</a> with the Nets worth $9.5 million in the 2023-24 season. $2.5 million of the deal is guaranteed. It will become fully guaranteed on July 10, according to Spotrac.</p><h2>Potential Fit</h2><p>At first glance, Royce O’Neale could stabilize a more volatile position on Cleveland’s roster.</p><p>The <a href="https://cavsnation.com/cavs-news-the-laundry-list-of-candidates-who-could-start-at-small-forward-for-cleveland" rel="noopener">Cavs had a laundry list</a> of potential candidates who could take up the starting role before the start of the 2022-23 season. Forwards Cedi Osman, Dylan Windler, Lamar Stevens, Dean Wade, Isaac Okoro and guard Caris LeVert were all in the mix for the starting spot.</p><p>The Cavaliers used <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CLE/2023_start.html" rel="noopener">22 starting lineups</a> throughout the regular season. Cleveland’s most-used lineup during the regular season paired Okoro with Cleveland’s big four. That lineup gained a record of 20-9. The same lineup with Stevens in place of Okoro went 7-3.</p><p>He may not be a sharpshooter, but O’Neale has been reliable from the 3-point line during his time in Utah and Brooklyn. He shot 38.9% from beyond the arc last season, which would put him just ahead of Mitchell and slightly behind LeVert if he shot at the same percentage on Cleveland.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-how-royce-oneale-has-become-brooklyn-closer-per-jacque-vaughn" rel="noopener">Royce O’Neale’s confidence under pressure</a> earned him praise from Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn in late March.</p><p>“He’s a guy that is comfortable at the end of the games,” Vaughn said before a 124-107 win over the Atlanta Hawks. “You watched him in the Utah days, he was a guy that inbounded at the end of the game or was in at the end of the game. So he does that for us. The majority of the time if there’s an inbound play at the end of the game, Royce will be delivering.”</p><p>O’Neale can bring much-needed playoff experience to a younger Cavaliers roster. His time in the playoffs stretches back to 2018, when he and the Jazz first took on and defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.</p><p>But will O’Neale be a good investment for the Cavs?</p><h2>Should the Cavs go for Royce O’Neale?</h2><p>Whether or not he will be a worthwhile option for the Cavs will be determined by the price the Nets will ask for the 29-year-old forward.</p><p>If the Cavaliers can’t find another affordable wing in free agency or the trade market, pulling the trigger on a trade for O’Neale would make more sense. It would reunite Mitchell with his old teammate and push off the uncertainty of its starting small forward spot for at least a short while.</p><p>But for now, when it still has the time to pursue other options, it might be best to hold off on a hasty trade.</p><p>Cleveland <a href="https://kingjamesgospel.com/2023/04/27/cleveland-cavaliers-draft-picks-2023-2024-2025-full-list/" rel="noopener">will have the</a> No. 49 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, along with a few second-rounders in 2025, according to FanSided. The contracts of Osman, Wade and guard Ricky Rubio all nearly match the non-guaranteed portion of Royce O’Neale’s salary. Osman’s <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/cedi-osman-17859/" rel="noopener">deal is currently non-guaranteed</a> for the 2023-24 season, but will become fully guaranteed on June 29th, according to Spotrac.</p><p>Under the NBA’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement, <a href="https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2018/03/how-non-guaranteed-salaries-will-affect-trades-in-new-cba.html" rel="noopener">only the guaranteed portion</a> of a player’s contract counts for outgoing salary purposes in a trade, according to a 2018 article from HoopsRumors.</p><p>“This detail is crucial for determining how much salary a team can acquire in a trade — unless a team is under the cap, the amount of salary it sends out in a trade dictates how much salary it can take back,” the article read. “The amount of salary an over-the-cap team can acquire in a trade ranges from 125% to 175% of its outgoing salary, depending on how much salary the team is sending out and whether or not the team is a taxpayer.”</p><p>Keep in mind; the Cavs will have to consider whether O’Neale will want to re-sign with Cleveland and, if so, for how much.</p><p>Royce O’Neale earned an average of $9 million during his <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2872136-royce-oneale-jazz-agree-to-4-year-36m-contract-extension" rel="noopener">4-year contract</a> with the Jazz. If he asks for the same average, it would make him the 4th-highest paid player on Cleveland’s roster during the team’s 2023-24 campaign, putting him ahead of Okoro, Osman and forward Evan Mobley.</p><p>Even if they don’t go after O’Neale, Cleveland will still have a <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/free-agents/small-forward/" rel="noopener">fair amount of players</a> at the small forward to pursue in free agency. Forward Kelly Oubre Jr., who had a cap hit of $12.6 million last season, is listed as an unrestricted free agent in 2023. Forwards like Indiana’s Torrey Craig, Milwaukee’s Joe Ingles, the Nets’ Yuta Watanabe and Phoenix’s T.J. Warren are all listed as unrestricted free agents by Spotrac.</p><p>Either way, Cavs Nation, Cleveland has the time to scour the market for other alternatives before rushing into a potential short-term fix.</p><p>For now, all we can do is wait.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

What Royce O'Neale can bring to the Cavs

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);   ga('set', 'page', '/cavs-news-royce-oneale-trade-nearly-completed');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cavs nearly completed Royce O’Neale trade prior to deadline');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.cavsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/NBA-rumors-Cavs-interested-in-key-Nets-role-player-after-Kevin-Durant-trade.jpg"></figure><h1>Cavs nearly completed Royce O’Neale trade prior to deadline</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2023-05-17T05:12:04-07:00">May 17th, 5:12am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2023-05-17T05:12:04-07:00">May 17th, 5:12am</time><address><a>Quenton Albertie</a>Quenton Albertie is an author and sportswriter with a focus on the NBA. A native of Fort Hood, TX, Albertie currently lives in Atlanta, GA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cavs News</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It’s no secret that the <a href="https://cavsnation.com/cavs-rumors-cleveland-eyeing-naz-reid-others-in-search-of-big-man-help" rel="noopener">Cleveland Cavaliers</a> weakest link in their starting lineup is at small forward.</p><p>Caris LeVert was as inconsistent as his roles last season. Cedi Osman was as inconsistent as ever. Isaac Okoro remaining limited offensively. Dylan Windler continues to battle injuries. Dean Wade was underwhelming as the heir apparent to a declining Kevin Love.</p><p>Yes, the Cavs trading 2023 Most Improved Player of the Year award winner Lauri Markkanen to the Utah Jazz allowed them to acquire star guard Donovan Mitchell. A deal that kept Cleveland in the mix during the early absence of backcourt mate Darius Garland, acquiring Mitchell also allowed the Cavs to replace an awkward fit in Collin Sexton.</p><p>All in all, it was a win for a Cleveland franchise prioritizing chemistry, as they also demonstrated when they agreed to a contract buyout with Kevin Love amid concerns about how the veteran would react to a lack of playing time.</p><p>Nonetheless, none of this has changed the fact that the Cavs need a steady and reliable small forward. So, with the offseason starting early in Cleveland following a first-round loss to the New York Knicks in the 2023 NBA Playoffs, it’s certainly worth noting who the Cavs might have an eye on.</p><p>As it stands now, one such player could be Brooklyn Nets wing <a href="https://cavsnation.com/nba-rumors-cavs-interested-in-royce-oneale-after-kevin-durant-trade" rel="noopener">Royce O’Neale</a>.</p><p>Rumored to have interest in O’Neale prior to the trade deadline, the recent confirmation provided by cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor is particularly intriguing, as he notes that the Cavs “<a href="https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2023/05/what-is-the-cavs-greatest-offseason-need-and-how-can-they-fill-it-hey-chris.html" rel="noopener">were far down the road</a>” on a trade for O’Neale before the Nets decided to keep him.</p><p>Although there’s no guarantee that Cleveland is still interested in O’Neale now, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Cavs finally managed to pry the 3-and-D stud away from Brooklyn.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
10.9	5.7	2.3	0.5	0.9

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
10.9	5.7	2.3	0.5	0.9

Royce O'Neale news

Royce
O'Neale news