Here’s the latest from the Eastern Conference, with the start of free agency four days away:
- Carmelo Anthony is more upset about losing Tim Hardaway Jr. via trade than the Knicks‘ decision to draft Kristaps Porzingis, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports. Frank Isola of the New York Daily News had reported that Anthony was ired over team president Phil Jackson‘s selection of Porzingis with the No. 4 pick in the draft, though Isola also noted Anthony wasn’t pleased with the Hardaway Jr. trade. Via his Instagram account, Anthony said he was “far from upset”, and that Porzingis is “a steal.” However, a source told Berman that Anthony wonders how long it will take Porzingis to make an impact.
- Pistons president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy said that two unrestricted free agent small forwards top his wish list, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com tweets. Van Gundy didn’t elaborate but it’s expected that the Pistons will pursue DeMarre Carroll of the Hawks and San Antonio’s Danny Green. If the Pistons don’t get one of those two targets, they will pursue two restricted free agents at that position, Langlois’ tweet adds.
- The picks that the Sixers are getting from the Knicks in the Guillermo Hernangomez trade are New York’s 2020 and 2021 second-rounders, reports Derek Bodner, writing for Philadelphia magazine.