March 2022 Basketball Wiretap

Hollinger & Duncan: Future Rankings 2021-22 - Part 2

Mar 31, 2022 7:07 PM

We get to the talented young teams with upside like Toronto, Charlotte, Atlanta, New Orleans, plus rebuilding teams like Detroit and Houston. Which team would we most want to be a fan of for the next 5 seasons, based on their talent, upside, coaching, organization, and market? How much do we value present vs future? How about good teams that may not have the upside vs wild cards that could blow up?

Also, we finally disagree when ruling teams out of the playoffs as we set our final fields.

Nate’s podcast Dunc’d On has become Dunc’d On Prime,  exclusively ad-free four days a week. Become a member!

With @JohnHollinger and @NateDuncanNBA.

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RealGM Staff Report

Tags: NBA

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BetMGM IL Bonus Code Let’s You Cash In $1000 Risk-Free Bet For Final Four

Apr 20, 2022 2:24 PM

The Final Four is here and BetMGM is also here for Illinois with a risk-free first bet up to $1,000 for new customers. While everyone else in your office pool will be sweating out their brackets, you can go into the Final Four knowing that if your first bet loses, you’ll get a reimbursement up to $1,000 in free-bet credits using the BetMGM Illinois bonus code REALGM. Simply put, this BetMGM bonus code is hard to beat.

 

The Land of Lincoln recently simplified remote Illinois sports betting, so it’s very simple for first-time BetMGM customers to take advantage of this offer.

If your first bet loses, the sportsbook will replenish your account with free-bet credits up to $1,000, when using the BetMGM Illinois bonus code REALGM. Unlike with other online sportsbooks, you get multiple free bets to play if the first wager loses - not just one.

Sign Up For BetMGM IL Bonus Code Is Easier Than Ever

To qualify for the signature, longtime introductory offer with BetMGM IL, click on the referral link on this page, spend just a few minutes adding in some routine personal information, make a minimum $10 deposit and add in the BetMGM Illinois bonus code REALGM.

 

You’re then ready to make your first bet from the BetMGM market of sports odds, and right now the March Madness betting odds favor the Duke Blue Devils to win March Madness, at +160. That means, if you bet $100 on Duke to win, at those odds, you’d win your $100 stake back, plus a $160 profit. You would then be able to withdraw that $260 right to your bank account.

But if the first bet loses? That’s when BetMGM would give you a second chance. And unlike with other sports betting apps, you get more than one chance to win on your free-bet reward.

Here’s how it works: If your bet doesn’t win, BetMGM will match it with free-bet credits up to $1,000. Your credits would come in five divisible tokens from your original bet amount, up to $1,000. That means, if you bet $1,000 on your initial wager and it lost, you’d get five tokens of $200 each, to bet any way you desire within seven days - and no punitive odds restrictions.

You could bet a couple of those tokens on anything with long shot underdog odds, which would result in a big profit if successful. And maybe the others on bets with safer odds. Unlike with other sportsbook promo codes, you have more variety with your free-bet reward. With the others, it’s an all-or-nothing proposition.

 

BetMGM Bonus Code: Wager $10, Win $200 In Free Bets

If the flagship BetMGM risk-free first bet up to $1,000 isn’t your cup of tea, first-time customers 21 or older can opt-in for another great offer that’s geared toward March Madness: Just bet $10 on a team to win a Final Four game (or, on the title game), and if that team hits just one 3-pointer, you win $200 in free bets courtesy of the BetMGM Illinois bonus code REALGM. 

A 3-pointer in today’s game is automatic, so this is a sure thing. Your free bets would come in four tokens of $50 each. You have seven days to play them, which means they can be on anything in the sports world with odds on the BetMGM menu - not just March Madness betting.

This is one of the most fun times of the year to bet on sports. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to experience how fun it can be, with the BetMGM Illinois bonus code REALGM.

 

Adrian Dater

Tags: NCAA, Gambling

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Caesars Sportsbook Promo Caps Tourney With $1100 First-Bet Insurance

Apr 20, 2022 2:26 PM

This year’s men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament has been a blast, with huge upsets and big comebacks, and is closing out with a set of Final Four matchups that is among the most memorable of all time. It’s even more fun if you have some action on these games, which makes it a perfect time for new customers to use the  Caesars Sportsbook promo code REALGMCZR to get up to $1,100 in first-bet insurance.

 

This is a standout offer among sports betting apps, as initial wager insurance of this nature usually caps out at $1,000. Caesars Sportsbook has built its stellar reputation in part by going the extra mile for new customers, and that shows up in the Caesars Sportsbook promo code REALGMCZR.

It helps when sportsbook promo codes are easy to use and have few moving parts. That is the case with Caesars Sportsbook promo code REALGMCZR, so let’s take a look at how first-time customers can go about using it as March Madness betting wraps up.

Minimal Time To Sign Up For Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code

This easy process begins with new customers 21 years or older clicking on the link that is posted in this story. That link will redirect you to the Caesars Sportsbook sign-up page.

 

The sign-up page requests some minimal personal information, such as name, address, and email address that are needed to start a new Caesars Sportsbook account. Be sure to include the Caesars Sportsbook promo code REALGMCZR in the promo code box, as that will activate the $1,100 in first-bet insurance.

Once those quick steps are complete, you are only a deposit of at least $20 away from creating your new Caesars Sportsbook account and being ready to use the first-bet insurance.

Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code Helps Upside And Downside

The strength of the first-bet insurance of $1,100 is that it can be used to help maximize upside and reduce downside.

 

If you want to use the first bet to maximize upside, play for an upset. If that upset pans out, you will receive the initial stake and winnings from that bet in your Caesars Sportsbook account.

If that initial wager ends up as a loss, the first-bet insurance is here to help, as Caesars Sportsbook will place a single bet credit in your account for the amount of your first bet, up to $1,100. This credit will be posted within two days of the settlement of the wagered event and helps cover the initial wager downside.

This credit must be used within 14 days of receipt, but that should be easy considering the huge amount of sports to wager on in April. It also has only a one-time playthrough, so any winnings you receive from wagering with the bet credit will be available in your Caesars Sportsbook account.

 

Caesars Sportsbook Has Even More To Offer

Many betting sites lose some momentum after their new customer offer. That is not the case with Caesars Sportsbook, as new customers will be part of the award-winning Caesars Rewards program and get access to one of best apps in the industry.

Add that to the first bet insurance offered by Caesars Sportsbook promo code REALGMCZR and the Final Four is a perfect time to sign up.

 

KC Joyner

Tags: NCAA, Gambling

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Jaden Ivey Declares For 2022 NBA Draft

Mar 31, 2022 8:32 PM

Jaden Ivey has announced he will leave Purdue to declare for the 2022 NBA Draft.

"This has been a lifelong dream of mine and I am beyond excited for this journey," Ivey posted on social media.

Ivey is projected to go fourth to the Detroit Pistons in ESPN's latest mock draft.

Ivey played his best against ranked opponents, averaging 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists in nine games.

ESPN

Tags: Jaden Ivey, Purdue Boilermakers, NCAA, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General, NBA Draft Declarations

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Johnny Davis Declares For 2022 NBA Draft

Mar 31, 2022 8:32 PM

Johnny Davis will leave Wisconsin to declare for the 2022 NBA draft.

ESPN currently projects Davis as the No. 9 prospect in the draft class. Davis was named Big Ten player of the year and a consensus first-team All-American after averaging 19.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 34 minutes per game in his sophomore season.

"This season was an unbelievable ride," Davis said. "People didn't expect us to have the season we had, but the players in our locker room and our coaching staff always knew we had the potential to be a special team.

"With so many great teams and players in our league, it was obviously a huge honor to win Big Ten player of the year, but winning the Big Ten regular season title and playing in the NCAA tournament was so much sweeter. I would like to think NBA teams saw a player who is tough, who competes on both ends of the court every single possession and who will do whatever it takes to help my team win. Every time I step on the floor, I want to be the best player."

Malika Andrews, Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Tags: Johnny Davis, Wisconsin Badgers, NCAA, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General, NBA Draft Declarations

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James Harden Reassured Kevin Durant Multiple Times He'd Sign Extension With Nets

Mar 31, 2022 3:34 PM

James Harden and Kevin Durant went on a trip to Greece together this past summer as their friendship blossomed again following the trade that brought back together nearly 10 years after they were split up by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Sources tell Logan Murdock of The Ringer that Harden reassured Durant twice that he'd sign an extension to remain with the Nets long-term.

Durant signed his extension in August, but Harden declared before the season started that he planned to wait for free agency.

After Durant suffered a knee injury in January, communication with Harden broke down. Harden began searching for a new team while the losses mounted as he played without Durant and without Kyrie Irving for home games.

“It wasn’t like it was a disconnect between us as individuals. I felt like we liked each other,” Durant told The Ringer. “But I was focusing on rehab and he was focusing on the team. Naturally, I wasn’t around the group, but I can’t control how everybody feels about their situation. I can do my best and provide what I provide every day. If it helps someone, cool, if it doesn’t, that’s cool too, but I can’t stress myself out wondering how somebody else feels about the situation.”

Logan Murdock/The Ringer

Tags: Kevin Durant, James Harden, Philadelphia Sixers, Brooklyn Nets, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor

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Kevin Durant: Golden State Media Separated Me From Warriors

Mar 31, 2022 3:21 PM

In an interview with Logan Murdock of The Ringer, Kevin Durant reflected on how the Golden State Warriors were presented as "KD and the Warriors."

“I was expecting—and maybe that’s my fault—I was expecting the beat writers, whoever was on the beat there, whoever covered the team, to integrate me into the Warriors’ way of doing things,” he says. “Because I never tried to step outside of that and make that situation bigger and make it all about me. I just felt like I wanted to be a part of the group. There were plenty of times where obviously when it comes to media, I was separated from the group.”

Durant signed a series of short-term contract with the Warriors and by the third season, it began to appear as though he was planning on leaving. Durant moved from the East Bay to San Francisco before the final season and he was more isolated.

“For people to look at me and say I was malcontent or isolated or didn’t look happy, I’m like, ‘Yo, do you all see Klay every day? Did you all see how he walked in there?’ But that was just him and nobody ever bat an eye at him,” Durant told The Ringer. “I loved it and I picked up on some of those things and how they approach the team-building and team bond. I’m like, ‘Oh, this is more my style.’ I was just adopting what the team was already doing.

“We all had our separate lives. We all had families,” he adds. “The Bay is huge. Draymond [Green] lived an hour and a half away from me, so does Steph, so does Shaun [Livingston]. When are we getting together? We’re around each other every day on the road. I think it’s healthy when you have that level of separation, when you get at home and like, ‘All right, you all go do your thing and I’m going to do mine.’”

Durant feels the coverage of him was unfair.

“I just think I deserved a little bit more respect than that. I came out here and gave back money, sacrificed my name, and went out here and sacrificed my body every night to be the best that I can be. I just asked for a little bit more respect to wait until after the season than to badger me every day, all year with questions like that,” Durant says, referring to his free agency. “I thought it was unfair to me and the whole group to even think about anything that was going to happen after the year. It was unprofessional, in my opinion.”

Logan Murdock/The Ringer

Tags: Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets, NBA

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Kevin Durant: I No Longer Worry About Expectations

Mar 31, 2022 3:19 PM

Kevin Durant's move to the Brooklyn Nets has given him a new perspective.

“Before, I used to worry about expectations, but now, I’m solidified and confident in what I bring,” Durant told Logan Murdock of The Ringer. “I just try to focus on me the most as I can, the best I can.”

Durant is 33 and in his 15th NBA season, which has perhaps made him grow wiser and not necessarily solely driven by chasing titles and earning individual achievements. 

“Us winning a title, that would be amazing. That would be incredible. But that’s not the only reason why I play basketball,” Durant said. “I want to develop every day and I truly like this activity, you know what I’m saying? I like getting up knowing that I’m going to go play, and that’s really it for me. The championship and scoring 30 and the level that I expect to be at, that’s because I work to get there, but I just simply like the activity.”

Logan Murdock/The Ringer

Tags: Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets, NBA

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RealGM Radio: Adam Mares And Derek Bodner On Jokic-Embiid (Mar 2022)

Mar 31, 2022 3:04 PM

Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux), Adam Mares of DNVR and Locked on Nuggets (@Adam_Mares) and Derek Bodner of The Daily Six newsletter (@DerekBodnerNBA) talk about the dominant seasons for Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid.

They discuss what makes each of those centers great, how they have developed over the years, playoff expectations, the evolution of the NBA and much more.

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed

RealGM Staff Report

Tags: Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, RealGM Radio

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NBA Raises Projected Salary Cap For 22-23 To $122M

Mar 31, 2022 2:52 PM

The NBA has informed teams of slightly higher projections for the 22-23 salary cap and luxury tax at $122 million and $149 million respectively.

The most recent previous update in February had a salary cap of $147 million and luxury tax of $147 million. Those estimates were each $2 million higher than previous estimates.

The NBA has a salary cap of $112.414 million this season. 

Shams Charania/The Athletic

Tags: NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA CBA

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Adrian Wojnarowski Signs Multi-Year Extension With ESPN

ESPN

Nuggets Keeping Options On Open On Potential Jamal Murray Return

Mike Singer/Denver Post

Shaheen Holloway Leaves Saint Peter's For Seton Hall

Jeff Borzello/ESPN

Robert Pera's Status As NBA's 3rd Richest Owner Could Help Grizzlies Pay Luxury Tax In Future

Brian Windhorst/ESPN

Cavs To Convert RJ Nembhard, Sign Moses Brown To Two-Way

Shams Charania/The Athletic

Jonas Jerebko Barred From Swedish National Team After Signing With CSKA Moscow

Emiliano Carchia/Sportando

Julius Randle Denies He Wants Trade From Knicks

Ian Begley/SNY

Celtics, 76ers Decline To Say Whether All Players Meet Current Vaccine Rules In Toronto

Tim Bontemps/ESPN

Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code Grants $1100 First-Bet Insurance For Final Four

Mark Strotman

DraftKings Promo Code Offer Delivers 40-1 Odds For Final Four

KC Joyner

Notre Dame's Blake Wesley Enters 2022 NBA Draft

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Evan Mobley Out At Least Three Games With Ankle Injury

RealGM Staff Report

Kendall Brown Declares For 2022 NBA Draft

Shams Charania/The Atheltic

David Roddy Declares For NBA Draft, Leaves Open Possibility Of Staying At Colorado State

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Sources Believe Julius Randle's Behavior Indicates He'd Like Trade From Knicks

Marc Berman/New York Post

Mitchell, Gobert After Collapse To Clippers: It's The Same Way As Last Year

Sarah Todd/Deseret News

Mavericks Sign Brandon Knight To Hardship 10-Day

RealGM Staff Report

Robert Williams Expected Back In 4-6 Weeks

Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

Michael Porter Jr. Suffers Setback In Back Injury Rehab

Mike Singer/Denver Post

Lakers Expected To Rule Out Kendrick Nunn For Season

Chris Haynes/Yahoo! Sports