Central Notes: Wade, Jackson, Cavaliers
Previously reported to be working out in hopes of, at best, returning for the postseason, a comeback before the end of the regular season now appears to be on the table for Dwyane Wade. Vincent Goodwill of CSN Chicago recently wrote about how the Bulls are optimistic about the veteran’s progress.
“It’s a day by day thing with Dwyane now,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. “He’s feeling better but obviously there’s a lot of work to do as far as getting his strength back.”
Fresh off of a four-game win streak, the Bulls now have a tenuous grasp on the Eastern Conference’s seven seed. With a distinct shot at competing in an unpredictable conference, the club would welcome the opportunity to get their offseason addition back into a routine prior to any official postseason action.
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- After a disappointing season in which he never quite replicated the impact he had on his team the previous year, Reggie Jackson has been bumped from the Pistons lineup. Per Aaron McMann of MLive, head coach Stan Van Gundy thinks that the decision to sit the guard should have come sooner. “I think [sitting him] probably should have happened earlier, and I don’t think we were real fair with him in that,” he said.
- The Pistons are aware that they face an uphill battle to sneak into the postseason but head coach Stan Van Gundy is eager to compete anyway. “Right now, you continue to fight,” Van Gundy told MLive’s Aaron McMann. “We know the deal. We’ve got a couple of teams — we pretty much have to go undefeated, and we need a couple of teams to lose three more games. It’s not easy, but nothing’s impossible in this league.“
- The reigning champion Cavaliers have hit some bumps in the road since the All-Star break. Tom Withers of the Denver Post wrote about how frustration on the court may be starting to seep into the locker room.
Southwest Notes: Leonard, Gentile, Pelicans
It may not be up to him but Kawhi Leonard has told the Spurs coaching staff that he would prefer to play out the final six contests of the regular season, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News writes.
Unfortunately for Leonard, the club’s final six games come in a span of nine days, including one set of four games in five nights. Considering historically cautious Spurs bench boss Gregg Popovich, it’s unlikely that Leonard’s wish will be granted.
In 69 games for the Spurs this season, Leonard has averaged 25.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Though his season average is 33.8 minutes per game, that usage increased to 36.0 in March.
Suffice it to say, though Leonard is approaching a career high in games played for a season, it’s unlikely he closes out all six. As McDonald writes, he only needs four to set a new career mark with 73 in a campaign.
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Veteran big man David Lee signed on with the Spurs after falling out of favor in Dallas and Golden State. The 33-year-old’s energy has added a new element to the traditionally subdued roster. “I know the team, especially when Tim Duncan was here, was a lot more quiet. Then Dewayne Dedmon and I both came in, and we are quite outgoing,” Lee told Tom Osborn of the San Antonio Express-News. “I don’t know if that is right or wrong, but that’s just being ourselves.“
- Italian swingman Alessandro Gentile, a 2014 second-round pick of the Timberwolves whose rights are currently held by the Rockets, has signed on to play in Israel, E. Carchia of Sportando relays.
- With possible newcomer Joe Dumars waiting in the wings, Pelicans general manager Dell Demps and head coach Alvin Gentry will be evaluated this summer, writes John Reid of the Times-Picayune. The pair have struggled to build a framework for success around Anthony Davis.
And-Ones: Awards, Nocioni, Williams-Goss
The NBA’s awards will be unveiled a little differently this year than we’ve grown accustomed to in the past. Per an Associated Press report (via NBA.com), the league’s first televised award show will be held on June 26, in between draft day and the start of free agency. In the past, winners of awards like MVP, Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and others have been announced throughout the postseason. This time around, they’ll be revealed on TNT after the Finals.
In addition to being announced in a new way, this year’s set of awards will also be voted on a little differently. Broadcasters employed by teams are no longer involved in the process, as Pacers play-by-play man Mark Boyle and Bulls announcer Chuck Swirsky confirmed (Twitter links). According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com, the voting pool has been reduced from about 125 voters per award to 100 broadcasters and writers, most of whom cover the game nationally.
As we wait to see how the changes to the award process affect this year’s results, let’s round up a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world…
- Real Madrid forward Andres Nocioni announced on Monday that he intends to retire at the end of this season (Twitter link; English link via Sportando). It has been several years since Nocioni last appeared in the NBA, but the 37-year-old appeared in 514 total regular season games for the Bulls, Kings, and Sixers over the course of eight seasons. In those games, he averaged a respectable 10.5 PPG and 4.5 RPG.
- David Yapkowitz of Basketball Insiders identifies several notable Eastern Conference players who may benefit from a change of scenery, including a pair of Knicks.
- Before he transfered to Gonzaga two years ago, Nigel Williams-Goss thought “long and hard” about heading to the NBA, notes Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com. Following the Zags’ loss in Monday’s championship game, the junior guard could opt to go pro or to return to school for his senior year.
- Which college basketball coaches are the top candidates to make the leap to an NBA head coaching job? Sean Deveney of The Sporting News breaks down some of the possibilities.
Aaron Gordon Meets With Frank Vogel
A day after a photo showing an list of apparent offseason trade and free agent targets for the Magic went viral, Aaron Gordon met with head coach Frank Vogel to talk things over, per Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. Although the leaked dry-erase board primarily features names of players on other teams, Gordon was referenced in an item that reads “[Dario] Saric (for AG?),” creating speculation that the Magic would be open to moving him in a trade for Saric.
“Typically, with rumors and stuff like that, we don’t really address them,” Vogel said. “But this is a unique situation, and I talked to him a little bit this morning, and everybody’s good. We’re ready to move on.”
Magic general manager Rob Hennigan downplayed the significance of the leaked board when he was asked about it, suggesting that it’s simply a list of potential options for the Magic, and that it doesn’t necessarily reflect their summer plans. Hennigan also mentioned that the list includes names “which other teams have inquired about,” an apparent reference to the Gordon item.
Nonetheless, it makes sense for Vogel to meet with Gordon to ensure that the young power forward isn’t unhappy. For his part, Gordon said he doesn’t intend to dwell on the revelation, as Robbins details.
“It wasn’t for me to see, so for me to see something like that, it brings something that’s out of my control into my reality,” Gordon said. “But that’s neither here nor there. My plan and my focus is to play basketball and to enjoy the game of basketball. Anything other than that is out of my control. I love this organization and I’m going to continue to work hard and play.”
It’s an unusual situation for Gordon and the Magic, and one that might be rendered moot in the near future anyway. Hennigan is said to be on the hot seat in Orlando, so if the team makes changes to its front office in the coming weeks, it could be a chance for a new front office team to start over with Gordon.
Meanwhile, the player whose name was listed next to Gordon’s is also doing his best to downplay the item’s significance. As Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes, Saric suggested today that he must be doing something right to show up on another team’s board, though he pointed out that the Magic could have had him already if they really wanted him — Orlando and Philadelphia participated in a draft-night trade in 2014 that saw the Magic acquire Elfrid Payton for the rights to Saric and other pieces.
Nets Signed, Waived Cliff Alexander, Prince Ibeh
Before signing Archie Goodwin to a rest-of-season contract to fill their 15th roster spot, the Nets made a series of moves designed to honor commitments made to a pair of players this season. As Ben Nadeau of Basketball Insiders tweets, the club signed and waived Cliff Alexander, then did the same thing with Prince Ibeh.
[RELATED: Nets re-sign Archie Goodwin]
According to Bobby Marks of The Vertical, a former Nets executive, the team made commitments to both Alexander and Ibeh at some point this season to sign them to 10-day contracts (Twitter links). However, injuries on the Nets’ roster forced the team to change its plans. Although Brooklyn wasn’t able to carry Alexander or Ibeh on its roster this season, the club wanted to honor its commitments.
As Marks observes (via Twitter), the Warriors made a similar move earlier this season with Jose Calderon. Golden State had reached an agreement to sign Calderon, but when Kevin Durant went down with a knee injury, the team opted to sign Matt Barnes instead. Before finalizing their deal with Barnes, the Warriors signed and waived Calderon, ensuring that he’d receive the rest-of-season salary he was promised. Alexander and Ibeh will receive full 10-day salaries from the Nets.
While the moves were not announced by the Nets and will go unnoticed by many fans, there’s little downside from the team’s perspective. Making good on those commitments will help strengthen the Nets’ relationships with agents and players, and won’t cost the team any extra money — Brooklyn remains under the salary floor for 2016/17, so the club will have to pay the difference at season’s end anyway. The deals for Alexander and Ibeh simply moved the Nets a little closer to the floor, slightly reducing their year-end bill.
Alexander and Ibeh both spent time this season with the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s D-League affiliate.
Steph Curry Talks 73 Wins, Resting, “Down” Year
A year after breaking the NBA’s regular season wins record with 73 victories, the Warriors are on track to finish with no more than 68 this season, and Stephen Curry is glad that the team hasn’t spent the year making a run at 74.
As he explains in an interview with Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report, Curry isn’t second-guessing Golden State’s decision to go all out in 2015/16 for 73 wins, but he has a different perspective now on the effect that regular-season stress had on the team’s ability to stay fresh for the postseason. In the long run, Curry says, it’s “not worth it” to chase that sort of record.
The two-time Most Valuable Player also weighed in on a few other topics of note, so let’s round up some of his more interesting comments. Be sure to check out Ding’s piece for more from Curry.
On being asked to rest for a game when he’s healthy:
“It’s an uncomfortable conversation, because as a player, you never think about just taking a day off. But when you actually are in the position that we are in, you understand how important it is. It’s not just playing a game. Waking up after a long stretch of games or a road trip or whatever, waking up and not having to mentally prepare for that 7:30 tipoff is invaluable. Physically, it’s nice to get fresh or stay off your legs. But the mental preparation it takes for us to get ready for a game, it’s taxing. You undervalue that whole 24 hours, just how important that is.”
On the NBA-wide discussion about the resting issue:
“For Adam (Silver), he’s running the league and obviously he might think it’s an issue. I don’t think it is. We’ve done it one time this year. Last year we did it one time. We’re talking about one out of 82 games. I don’t think it’s something to worry about. … Obviously you hate to miss Saturday ABC prime-time games, but hey, that’s just how the schedule fell (at San Antonio). So hopefully we can smarten up about how to schedule it so we don’t have to be put in that position.”
On the idea that he’s having a “down” year after back-to-back MVP seasons:
“I think it’s comical that people were saying I’m having a down year. To go black and white and say I’m not having as good a season as I was having last year based on just five points a game or shooting percentage or whatnot… there are other things that you try to do other than just the eye test to try and help your team win. This year has taught me that, for sure. The accolades and the attention and all that stuff, the hype is cool. But it’s really how you feel about your own game.”
On how prepared he and the Warriors are for the playoffs:
“This year I feel like we’ll have a lot in the tank going forward to achieving goals we want to down the stretch and in the playoffs. Last year was a little different. We had to sprint to the finish line and try to, by any means necessary, catch that 73. And then three days later, refocus to the playoff mindset. I like where we are now.”
Hennigan: Leaked Board “Not Indicative” Of Magic’s Plans
The agent for newly-signed Magic swingman Patricio Garino created a stir this week when he tweeted out a photo of his client signing a contract with Orlando. The seemingly innocuous photo, which has since been deleted, went viral because of what showed up in the background behind Garino: A dry-erase board that listed apparent free agent and trade targets for the Magic.
Asked by Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel for a comment on the board, Magic general manager Rob Hennigan said the lists are “not indicative of plans” and are “simply listing options, including some which other teams have inquired about.”
The lists of players includes three visible headings: “Hybrid Trade,” “Hybrid Free Agency,” and “Spread Bigs Trade.” The first two columns list players capable of playing multiple positions, while the latter column focuses on big men who can shoot from outside. A fourth column appears to list “spread bigs” available in free agency, though it’s partially cut off.
Wilson Chandler, Justise Winslow, and Tobias Harris are among the many names on the “Hybrid Trade” list, with Danilo Gallinari, Paul Millsap, and Otto Porter among the names on the “Hybrid Free Agency” list. The “Spread Bigs Trade” column features names like Nikola Mirotic, Chandler Parsons, and many others.
One of the more interesting items under the “Hybrid Trade” column on the Magic’s board is a mention of Dario Saric with “For AG?” noted in parentheses. “AG” likely refers to Magic power forward Aaron Gordon, so it’s possible Hennigan’s claim that the board includes notes on players other teams have inquired about was meant to explain this item. However, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweets that the Sixers have never discussed sending Saric to the Magic or any other team.
Ultimately, the leak doesn’t seem overly consequential — the NBA’s other 29 teams likely have similar lists of potential offseason targets. Still, it’s not a great look for a front office that is already under fire. If Hennigan – who is said to be on the hot seat – is replaced after the season, the club could head into the summer with a new management group and a new big board in place.
UNC’s Tony Bradley To Test Draft Waters
In the wake of Monday night’s win over Gonzaga, UNC big man Tony Bradley told Aaron Beard of The Associated Press (Twitter link) that he’ll test the NBA draft waters for 2017. Bradley can retain his NCAA eligibility while gauging his draft stock, but didn’t rule out the possibility of hiring an agent, Beard adds.
In his freshman year at North Carolina, Bradley played just 14.6 minutes per contest, but was productive when he was on the court, averaging 7.1 PPG and 5.1 RPG with a .573 FG%. Bradley ranks just 52nd on Jonathan Givony’s top 100 list at DraftExpress.com, but Chad Ford is more bullish on the 19-year-old, placing him 25th on ESPN’s big board.
Bradley, who chipped in five points and seven rebounds in UNC’s championship win on Monday, is viewed as “one of the most underrated players in the draft” by a number of scouts, according to Ford. ESPN’s draft guru adds that Bradley’s length, rebounding, and advanced numbers all point to promising upside as the 6’10” center continues to develop.
The full list of early entrants for this year’s draft can be found right here. NCAA underclassmen who enter their names in the draft pool without hiring an agent have until May 24 to withdraw.
Malik Monk Declares For 2017 NBA Draft
A day after his Kentucky teammate De’Aaron Fox declared for the 2017 NBA draft, Malik Monk has entered his name as well, the school announced in a press release. Monk, who wrote a piece for The Players’ Tribune saying goodbye to Kentucky, will sign with an agent, forgoing his remaining years of NCAA eligibility.
“Malik is a special talent,” Kentucky head coach John Calipari said of his departing guard. “With Malik you’re talking about a superior athlete with skills and an ability to score that make him truly unique. What I love about Malik is that, as the season went on, he learned how to help our team win by doing more than just score. He became an efficient player who I believe will make an immediate impact at the next level.”
A virtual lock to be a lottery pick in June, Monk currently ranks sixth on Jonathan Givony’s big board at DraftExpress.com, and seventh on Chad Ford’s ESPN list. In his newest mock draft, published earlier this morning, Ford has Monk coming off the board at No. 4 to the Magic, noting that the 19-year-old’s three-point shooting would be especially attractive to Orlando.
In his first and only college season, Monk averaged an impressive 19.8 PPG, with a shooting line of .450/.397/.822.
Nets Re-Sign Archie Goodwin
APRIL 4, 7:57am: The Nets have officially re-signed Goodwin, the team announced today in a press release.
APRIL 3, 10:34am: Archie Goodwin is finalizing a deal to remain with the Nets, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical. The contract will run through the rest of this season, with several guarantee dates for 2017/18.
Goodwin’s second 10-day contract with Brooklyn will expire today. He has played seven games for the Nets, averaging 6.6 points and 1.9 assists in about 12 minutes per night.
“[Goodwin] has an enthusiasm for the game, and we need his speed and athleticism,” Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson said recently.
The 22-year-old combo guard spent his first three NBA seasons in Phoenix and was a surprise cut in the preseason. He signed briefly with New Orleans in November, but played just three games before being waived. Goodwin spent most of this season with Greensboro in the D-League.