The playoff picture is clearing up as the offseason arrived for seven teams earlier than they expected. Here are this week’s stories that played out against the backdrop of the postseason.
Transactions
- Larry Bird is stepping down as president of the Pacers.
- The Pelicans‘ Dante Cunningham declined his player option.
- The Hawks‘ Paul Millsap discussed his intention to opt out.
- Trail Blazers GM Neil Olshey confirmed that Festus Ezeli won’t return next season.
- Stephon Marbury left his Chinese Basketball Association team in Beijing.
- Andrea Bargnani parted ways with his Spanish team.
Injuries
- Lingering health problems from his 2015 back surgeries forced Warriors coach Steve Kerr to miss the final two games of the series with the Trail Blazers, and he remains out indefinitely.
- Golden State’s Kevin Durant was held out of Game 3 with a calf injury.
- Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic was able to bounce back from a fracture in his leg and play in Games 3 and 4.
- Jazz center Rudy Gobert overcame a knee injury and returned to the series with the Clippers in Game 4.
- Clippers guard Austin Rivers returned for Game 5 on a minutes restriction.
News
- Duke point guard Frank Jackson declared for the NBA draft, but hasn’t hired an agent.
- The Bulls’ Rajon Rondo and the Rockets‘ Patrick Beverley were each fined $25K for their actions in playoff games.
- Joel Berry, Theo Pinson and Tony Bradley of North Carolina elected to test the draft waters.
- French point guard Frank Ntilikina declared for the draft.
- Bam Adebayo of Kentucky and Jaylen Johnson of Louisville hired agents and will stay in the draft.
- Kristaps Porzingis says he wants to stay with the Knicks.
- Pat Riley wants one more title with the Heat before retirement.
- The Pelicans trimmed their list of possible D-League affiliates to six cities.
- The D-League announced its all-league teams.
- The NBA confirmed 182 early entrants for this year’s draft.
- Shabazz Muhammad hired a new agent.
- Rockets owner Leslie Alexander was fined $100K for confronting an official during a playoff game.
- The Nuggets announced surgery for rookie guardd Jamal Murray.
- The Knicks will send assistant Joshua Longstaff to Latvia to monitor Porzingis as he plays for the national team.
- Russell Westbrook expressed a desire to remain in Oklahoma City.
- The Raptors‘ affiliate won the D-League championship.
Rumors
- A teammate says Paul George has talked openly about joining the Lakers.
- Draft-and-stash prospect Zhou Qi hopes to join the Rockets next season.
- Kevin McHale is among the candidates to be the next president of the Magic.
- Orlando plans to offer the president’s post to Cavaliers GM David Griffin.