Georgetown Hires Patrick Ewing
1:40pm: Ewing will leave the Hornets staff and start his duties at Georgetown immediately, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.
1:28 pm: Former Georgetown star Patrick Ewing has agreed to become the university’s head basketball coach, according to Casual Hoya. (Twitter link).
Currently an assistant with the Hornets, Ewing has been in touch with Georgetown officials since John Thompson III was fired nearly two weeks ago. He had his first face-to-face interview for the post today.
Ewing was a dominant center for the Hoyas, who were one of college basketball’s best teams during the 1980s. He played for John Thompson Jr., who was a major advocate for Ewing to be hired as coach.
After a Hall of Fame career with the Knicks, Ewing turned to coaching in 2003, working for the Rockets and Magic before being coming to Charlotte four years ago. He has reportedly been considered for several NBA head coaching jobs, but will now turn his attention toward the college game.
De’Aaron Fox To Enter NBA Draft
Kentucky point guard De’Aaron Fox will sign with an agent and declare for the NBA draft, tweets Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.
The move was widely expected as Fox is projected to be a high lottery pick. He is ranked fifth on the prospect lists compiled by both Jonathan Givony at DraftExpress and by Chad Ford of ESPN.com. Ford cites Fox’s speed and play in the open court as assets, but cautions that he is prone to turnovers and doesn’t shoot well from distance.
A 6’4″ freshman, Fox helped the Wildcats compile a 32-6 record, averaging 16.7 points and 4.6 assists per game. He was named to both the all-conference and all-rookie teams in the SEC.
Kyle Lowry Practices; Return Date Still Uncertain
Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry, who has been sidelined since the All-Star break by a right wrist injury, participated in practice today, tweets Josh Lewenburg of TSN Sports.
Lowry only did some “light shooting” with his right hand, but it’s still a significant step for a player that Toronto will need in the postseason. An All-Star the past three years, Lowry was averaging 22.8 points and 6.9 assists per game at the time of the injury. He said the decision on when to return will be up to him. (Twitter link).
Coach Dwane Casey offered few clues as to how Lowry looked today, but Lewenburg says it’s clear that he is making progress (Twitter link). “I’m not going to get into specifics on when Kyle’s coming back, what did he do today, did he use the bathroom this morning,” Casey said (Twitter link).
Lowry told reporters that he has set a goal to be ready by playoff time (Twitter link). He still has pain in the wrist and would like to be fully healed before he plays again. Lowry, who underwent surgery February 28th, said he remains on schedule with doctors’ original projections of four to six weeks. He has ruled himself out of Tuesday’s game at Indiana. (Twitter link).
Asked if he has to get medical clearance, Lowry responded, “No no no. It’s me, Kyle Lowry, who’s going to clear me. That’s who’s going to clear me.” (Twitter link)
Lakers Shut Down Nick Young
Nick Young has become the latest Lakers veteran to be shut down for the season, according to Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News.
Young has been held out of 11 of the past 12 games even though he’s healthy, so the move isn’t a surprise. But the Lakers have decided to make it official, saying the 31-year-old shooting guard won’t play again outside of an emergency. A source said Young might be used in case of an unexpected injury, but the team doesn’t expect that to happen.
Young was one of the pleasant surprises of L.A’s preseason, winning a starting job after a summer filled with rumors that he might be traded or released. Young played 60 games, all starts, and averaged 13.2 points per night.
Patrick Ewing Has Georgetown Meeting Today
Hornets assistant Patrick Ewing will meet with Georgetown officials today to discuss their head coaching job, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.
Ewing has had several phone conversations with the school since John Thompson III was fired last month. Charlotte plays at Washington Tuesday night, making the visit more convenient for the former Hoyas star.
Ewing has been studying the intracacies of running a college programs, Wojnarowski reports, and has has started researching potential assistants. He has also been talking to college coaches who made the jump from the NBA. Sources who have spoken with Ewing believe he is ready for the recruiting challenge that the college game presents.
John Thompson Jr., who coached the center from 1982-85, is a strong supporter of Ewing and has expressed that sentiment to officials from the university. Georgetown was among the college basketball powers of the era while Ewing was there, winning the national championship in 1984 and losing in the 1985 finals.
Wojnarowski adds that Ewing has also received endorsements from the NBA coaches he has worked under, Jeff and Stan Van Gundy and Steve Clifford. They have all given positive reports to Georgetown and the Korn Ferry search group about Ewing’s coaching abilities.
An NBA assistant since 2003, Ewing was close to being hired as the Kings’ head coach last spring, according to Wojnarowski. The last-second availability of Dave Joerger, who was fired in Memphis, made Sacramento’s front office change its mind.
Sam Dekker Breaks Hand, Out 3 To 4 Weeks
The Rockets will open the playoffs without Sam Dekker, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. The second-year forward suffered a broken left hand Sunday night in a fourth-quarter collision with Jared Dudley of the Suns.
Dekker will see a specialist today in Houston, but the initial prognosis has him out for three to four weeks (Twitter link). That would cover at least one playoff series.
“It was a loose ball,” Dekker explained. “It [his left hand] got pinned up. I knew right away. Things happen. It’s basketball. I’ll be back. I hope I can get back and help the team in the playoffs.”
Dekker made his second start of the season Sunday for the short-handed Rockets, who were playing without James Harden, Trevor Ariza and Ryan Anderson. He has been a solid contributor all year, averaging 6.5 points and 3.7 rebounds in about 18 minutes per game.
Dekker’s injury will give the Rockets a chance to take a closer look at Troy Williams over the final five games of the regular season. The former Grizzlies small forward signed with Houston last month and saw him first game action Sunday, hitting 6 of 9 from 3-point range and scoring 21 points.
“He played, I mean he really played,” said coach Mike D’Antoni. “He is rangy and long. I don’t know if he can shoot like that, if anybody can shoot like that. He made the most of it, that’s for sure. We’ll see, sometimes it’s a Texas gusher where oil comes out and all of a sudden, mud comes out. We’ll go slowly. Don’t want to get too excited.”
Magic Cut C.J Wilcox, Sign Patricio Garino
9:35am: The Magic have confirmed the signings of Garino and Georges-Hunt (Twitter link).
8:46am: The Magic will waive C.J. Wilcox and sign Argentinian swingman Patricio Garino, tweets Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. Garino will receive a contract for the rest of the season and a non-guaranteed deal for 2017/18.
Garino played for Orlando in last year’s Summer League, but signed with the Spurs in July. He was waived before the start of the season and joined San Antonio’s D-League affiliate in Austin, where he averaged 11.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in 49 games.
Garino played four seasons at George Washington, but wasn’t selected in the 2016 draft. He is a member of the Argentinian national team and played in last year’s Olympics.
Wilcox is in his first year with Orlando after spending two seasons with the Clippers. The 26-year-old shooting guard was acquired in an offseason trade, but has seen limited minutes in 22 games and spent most of the season in the D-League.
The Magic are also expected to sign Marcus Georges-Hunt today, who will also get a chance to make the team next season (Twitter link).
Northwest Notes: Rubio, Gibson, Westbrook
The decision to not move point guard Ricky Rubio at the trade deadline has proved to be a smart one, Michael Rand of the Star Tribune writes. Since February the Timberwolves veteran has demonstrated an elite ability to contribute across the board.
In March, the guard historically criticized for his inability to shoot the ball, has shot .472 from the field while averaging 17.8 points and 10.4 assists per game. What’s more, his true shooting percentage for the playoff hopeful Timberwolves is an elite .602.
As early as last summer it appeared as though Rubio would be on his way out the door. When the Timberwolves drafted Kris Dunn last June, it seemed inevitable. Lately, however, Rubio’s confidence has forced other teams to honor his jump shot.
- Though he’s logged time with both the Kings and Timberwolves this season, Omri Casspi says the clubs are considerably far apart in terms of their respective rebuilds, Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune writes. “The Timberwolves are well ahead in their rebuilding. They’re putting the right pieces in the right places. I think this team, whether I’m here or not next year, should win 50-plus games. Sacramento, now is starting to rebuild. It will take time,” Casspi said.
- Consider the Trail Blazers an ideal hypothetical trade destination for Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, says Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders. The veteran has been the subject of rumors for the majority of the season.
- Veteran forward Taj Gibson returned to the lineup for the Thunder but head coach Billy Donovan thought he lacked a certain something, Erik Horne of the Oklahoman writes. The big man didn’t play with “the same kind of pop”, Donovan told Horne, so his second-half minutes were reduced.
- Carelessness with the ball could be hurting Russell Westbrook‘s MVP chances, Berry Tramel of the Oklahoman writes. The Thunder guard has been turning the ball over more often of late, forcing the issue on passes.
Pacific Notes: Booker, Watson, Russell
An impressive sophomore season has Devin Booker conjuring up images of another gifted scorer: James Harden. Head coach Earl Watson recently spoke about how he envisions Booker facilitating the Suns’ offense similar to how Harden does in Houston.
“He reminds me of a young James Harden because he plays at his own speed,” Watson told Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle of the Suns guard. “He plays not fast, but it’s quick, not blazing, but [he is] somebody that dunks on you. He can shoot. He can handle. He can pass. He can post. And he has a very old game for his age. It’s exactly how James was.”
In 74 games for the Suns this season, Watson has averaged 21.9 points per game but it’s his ability to control the ball down the stretch that reminds Watson of Harden.
“I think James opens the door for him to [be a full-time point guard for the Suns],” Watson said. “You definitely see the ball in his hands down the stretch.”
- Second-year Suns coach Earl Watson is still learning the ins and outs of the job, specifically how decisions can sometimes come down from management that he doesn’t exactly agree with, Doug Haller of the Arizona Republic writes. “I was like, ‘I want to play this way. I want to win. I want to get in the playoffs.’ I never thought about players sitting or the other side of the game,” Watson said of the front office’s decision to rest certain veterans. “That was like a right hook I didn’t see coming. But I got back up. And I think our young guys have responded well.“
- Of all the things that D’Angelo Russell has improved upon in his second season, one of note is his ability to make in-game adjustments. “He’s done a good job, whether he’s making bad plays with that or missing shots, with still helping our team,” Lakers head coach Luke Walton told Mark Medina of the Orange County Register. “That is a huge step forward. It’s important you can bounce back within the game.”
- The Clippers are well aware of the fact that the pressure is on them to win in the playoffs, Bill Oram of the Orange County Register writes. “Until we do anything, that’s what it is,” Chris Paul said. “We haven’t won. It depends on what day of the week it is and who did we just beat? It’s always changing but until we do something it’s going to be the same thing.“
Southwest Notes: Harden, Curry, Simmons
The Rockets would be wise to rest star James Harden over the course of the final games of the season but his campaign for the MVP trophy may limit the chances of that happening, writes Sam Amick of USA Today.
Amick writes that, in the six games since Harden tweaked his left wrist, his production has dropped. On paper the Rockets guard is fine, averaging over 28 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds per game but a closer look at the same span reveals that his shooting percentage has dropped from .446 to .390 and his plus-minus rating has petered off from +5.9 down to -0.2.
Considering that this is, for better or worse, the time when NBA clubs around the league tend to rest their core players in an effort to spell them for the postseason, the fact that Harden isn’t just logging big minutes but logging big minutes while possibly physically compromised could come back to haunt them. Alas, should the Rockets choose to rest Harden, the race for the coveted annual trophy may tilt in Thunder guard Russell Westbrook‘s favor.
“[Rest] for what?,” the Rockets guard asked Amick when questioned directly about taking the time off to recuperate. “It’s messing with my rhythm a little bit, not just tonight but the last week or so. But I’ll be alright. It’s a little [frustrating]. I’ll be alright. I’m strong enough.”
- Veteran Mavs guard Devin Harris was fined $25K for “aggresively pursuing a game official” last week, the league reports via a press release relayed by ESPN’s Justin Verrier.
- A left shoulder issue has limited Seth Curry over the course of the past several weeks, writes Eddie Sefko of the Dallas News. “Rest and a couple rehab exercises hopefully will get it right,” the Mavs guard said. “I rested it for a day last week and it helped. I may just have to take a little time to get it right. It’s frustrating that it keeps happening. We got to figure it out.”
- His minutes have decreased but Spurs guard Jonathon Simmons isn’t in Gregg Popovich‘s dog house. The head coach told Tom Osborn of My San Antonio that the 27-year-old hasn’t done anything wrong.