Sixers’ G League Affiliate Gets New Identity
The Sixers’ G League affiliate will have a new name next season, the team announced today in a press release.
The franchise will be called the Delaware Blue Coats in honor of the 1st Delaware Regiment soldiers who fought in the American Revolution. Formerly known as the Delaware 87ers, the team’s uniforms will be the same blue color as Philadelphia’s with red and white trimming. The logo will depict Founding Father Caesar Rodney, who made a famous horseback ride in 1776 to cast a tie-breaking vote for independence.
The Blue Coats will play in a new, state-of-the-art field house located on the Wilmington riverfront. It will open later this year and can hold 2,500 people.
“It really puts the team in a more proper light to Delaware as well as 76ers fans,” Chris Heck, the Sixers’ president of business operations, told Rob Tornoe of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
D’Angelo Russell Plans To Be Net ‘For Life’
D’Angelo Russell‘s first season in Brooklyn has been up and down, with injuries limiting him to just 40 games so far. However, Russell isn’t overly discouraged by those missed games, suggesting on Tuesday that he’ll be able to make up that time in the coming seasons, since he plans to be a Net “for life,” as Brian Lewis of The New York Post details.
“I plan on being here for life, so I think that time will happen. I feel like it’ll catch up. I won’t [lose that time from injury],” Russell said. “Eighty-two games sounds like a lot, but that went by quick. I missed a lot, but it went by fast. Imagine what two or three healthy seasons, which relationships can be built, what creative strategies you and the coaches can create, timing.”
While Russell’s comments on his potential long-term future with the Nets don’t guarantee anything, the front office should still be happy to hear them. Nets management, led by GM Sean Marks, rolled the dice on the former second overall pick in last June’s blockbuster trade with the Lakers, counting on him to become a cornerstone piece for the franchise.
While they won’t be able to lock him up “for life” quite yet, the Nets will have the opportunity to sign Russell to an extension for the first time this offseason. Because the third-year guard will enter the final year of his rookie contract in 2018/19, he’ll become extension-eligible as of July 1. Russell and the Nets will then have until the start of the ’18/19 regular season to work out a new four- or five-year contract.
Even if the two sides don’t strike a deal this year, Russell would be a restricted free agent in 2019, giving Brooklyn the opportunity to match any offer sheet he signs. So while it’s too early to say whether the 22-year-old will be a Net for the rest of his career, it’s probable safe to assume he’ll remain in Brooklyn for at least the next five or six years unless things go south.
Miles Bridges Declares For Draft, Hiring Agent
Michigan State forward Miles Bridges is entering the 2018 NBA draft pool, he announced today (via Twitter). Bridges indicated that he’ll hire Rich Paul and Klutch Sports for representation, so the sophomore will officially forgo his remaining two years of NCAA eligibility.
[RELATED: 2018 NBA Draft Early Entrants List]
Bridges, a 6’7″ forward, was viewed as a possible lottery pick a year ago, but opted to return to Michigan State for another season rather than declaring for the draft after his freshman year. In 2017/18, the second-year Spartan didn’t take a significant step forward, but had another solid season, putting up 17.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 2.7 APG with a .457/.364/.853 shooting line.
Bridges’ spot on big boards hasn’t changed much over the last year — ESPN’s Jonathan Givony has him at No. 11 for now, which was the exact same ranking Bridges had on Givony’s board when he announced his decision to return to the Spartans last April.
In his latest mock draft at ESPN.com, Givony wrote that Bridges’ lack of improvement as a ball-handler has limited his ascent up draft boards, but called the young forward “arguably the best athlete in this draft” and praised his ability to guard virtually any position on defense. Givony had Bridges coming off the board at No. 12.
The Knicks, who will have a lottery pick, are said to have interest in the MSU standout.
Durant, Whiteside Set To Return From Injuries On Thursday
Two injured stars are set to return from injuries on Thursday, according to reports. Kevin Durant is expected to get back on the court for the Warriors vs. Milwaukee, while Heat center Hassan Whiteside is on track to play against Chicago.
Chris Haynes of ESPN has the details on Durant, who has been sidelined for the last two weeks with a right rib injury. As Haynes writes, head coach Steve Kerr said his star forward will “probably” be activated for the game against the Bucks, while Durant offered a more emphatic update. “You can tell them I’m playing Thursday,” the reigning NBA Finals MVP told ESPN.
With all four of their All-Stars battling various ailments, the Warriors have been slumping — Tuesday’s loss to Indiana represented the club’s sixth loss in nine games. However, reinforcements appear to be on the way. Draymond Green, who missed Tuesday’s game with flu-like symptoms, seems close to returning, and Klay Thompson said on Tuesday that he should be back “soon” too, adding that he’ll probably just miss “one or two more games” (Twitter link via Janie McCauley of The Associated Press).
Meanwhile, in Miami, Whiteside has been on the shelf for nearly three weeks, last playing for the Heat on March 8. According to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel, Whiteside was pushing to return on Tuesday from his hip flexor injury, but Thursday now looks like the target date. The veteran center will participate in Wednesday’s practice, and if he looks good, he’s expected to be activated the next day.
The Heat have held their own up front during Whiteside’s absence, with Bam Adebayo handling starting duties and Kelly Olynyk playing well off the bench. However, Adebayo is currently dealing with an injury of his own – his sprained ankle forced Jordan Mickey into the starting lineup on Tuesday – so Whiteside’s return will come at a good time.
Draft Updates: Hudson, Alkins, Porter, Palmer
University of Florida shooting guard Jalen Hudson plans to declare for the draft without hiring an agent, Jeff Goodman of ESPN tweets. A Virginia Tech transfer, the 6’6” Hudson averaged 15.5 PPG in his junior year while making 40.4% of his 3-point tries. He’s currently ranked No. 39 on ESPN’s Jonathan Givony’s Top 100 prospects list.
In other news regarding the draft:
- Arizona guard Rawle Alkins confirmed he’s headed for the draft and intends to hire an agent, which will officially end his college career, he declared on his Twitter feed. Sports Illustrated reported early this month that Alkins intended to declare for the draft. The 6’5” Alkins, who averaged 13.1 PPG, 4.8 RPG and 2.5 APG in his sophomore year, is ranked No. 59 by Givony.
- Missouri forward Michael Porter Jr. is close to signing with agent Mark Bartelstein and Priority Sports, league sources told international expert David Pick (Twitter link). Porter, whose lone college season was wrecked by a back injury, declared for the draft on Sunday. The 6’10” Porter is currently rated No. 7 by Givony.
- The Nebraska duo of guard James Palmer Jr. and forward Isaac Copeland Jr. have declared for the draft without hiring an agent, according to a school press release. The 6’6” Palmer averaged 17.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG and 3.0 APG as a junior. The 6’9” Copeland averaged 12.9 PPG, 6.1 RPG and 1.0 BPG in his junior campaign. They are not on Givony’s Top 100 list.
Mavs Notes: Nowitzki, Kleber, Noel, Mejri
All signs point toward Mavericks big man Dirk Nowitzki returning next season, Marc Stein of the New York Times reports in his latest newsletter. Nowitzki has been pleased how his body has held up this season, as he has appeared in all but one of the team’s 73 games. “I feel great,” he told Stein. “I’ve only missed one game this season. I signed a two-year contract because I wanted to play two more years. And here we are.” The Mavericks hold a team option on his modest $5MM salary for next season and would unquestionably welcome back the future Hall of Famer. He’s averaging 12.2 PPG and 5.6 RPG in 24.8 MPG.
In other Mavs news:
- Maxi Kleber‘s future with the team is uncertain, according to Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. The Mavs have too many similar players on the roster and won’t keep them all, Sefko notes. The 6’11” power forward has not played in five of the last 14 games and 10 or fewer minutes in seven others. Kleber’s $1.38MM salary for next season is not guaranteed.
- Nerlens Noel is enjoying every chance he gets to play as he heads into unrestricted free agency, as he told Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “I’m just playing basketball and having fun,” he said. “If that means showcase, then that’s fine, but I think I’m going out there just doing what I love to do.” Noel, who posted his second double-double of the season against the Hornets Saturday, signed his $4.2MM qualifying offer last summer after a disappointing foray into restricted free agency.
- Salah Mejri is a better bet to return than Noel, Sefko opines in a live chat segment. Mejri would likely be a cheaper alternative and plays with a little more of an edge, Sefko adds. But it’s quite possible that both big men will not return. Mejri will be an unrestricted free agent unless the club extends a $1.84MM qualifying offer.
Southeast Rumors: Hezonja, Schroder, Walker, Beal
Swingman Mario Hezonja hasn’t been helping his cause lately as he approaches free agency, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel notes. The Magic declined to pick up his option for the 2018/19 season last summer, which ensured Hezonja would be an unrestricted free agent in July. He is shooting 38.2% from the field and 22.4% from long range this month, in part because he’s impatient and attempts too many low-percentage shots, Robbins continues. The No. 5 pick in the 2015 draft admits he’s not sure what to expect this summer. “It’s almost impossible to know what’s going to happen,” Hezonja told Robbins. “It’s a weird situation that is great for me.”
In other developments from the Southeast Division:
- Hawks guard Dennis Schroder’s legal issues have grown, as his misdemeanor case stemming from an incident last September could be prosecuted as a felony, Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. According to court records, the case has been transferred to the DeKalb County District Attorney’s office under a recommendation of prosecuting it as felony aggravated battery. The DA says the case remains under investigation and no decision has been made on charges, Cunningham tweets. The incident involved a scuffle at a shopping center parking lot.
- Kemba Walker will enter unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2019 and playing for a winner will be a prime consideration, as he revealed to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. The Hornets point guard says he’s tired of missing the playoffs so often after winning a national championship in 2011 with Connecticut. “I’ve always felt like I’m a winning player. Like I deserved it to be in the playoffs – to be battling,” Walker said. “That’s what it will be all about in the future.”
- The Wizards have slumped this month and they’re destined for an early playoff exit if they don’t pick up their play, guard Bradley Beal warned Chase Hughes of NBC Sports and other media members. Beal feels like the team isn’t trying hard enough as the regular season winds down. “It’s just the same thing over and over,” he said. “Until we do it individually and together collectively, we’re going to get our [butts] kicked in the playoffs. This isn’t even remotely acceptable, how we are playing right now.”
Central Notes: Jackson, Booker, Griffin, Blakeney
The return of Reggie Jackson has Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy feeling optimistic about the team’s future, as Ansar Khan of MLive.com details. Detroit is 3-1 since Jackson returned from a severe ankle sprain that cost him nearly three months of action. The addition of a starting point guard to go along with the big man duo of Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond makes the Pistons a dangerous team going forward, in Van Gundy’s mind.
“He was healthy his first full year here and we won 44 games and we didn’t have nearly the talent around him then that we do now,” Van Gundy told Khan and other media members. “And then last year he had to come back in the middle of the season [due to tendinitis in his knee] and then this year he started off and we were 19-14. We know, it’s been demonstrated. If we can keep him healthy, we got a chance to be really good.”
In other news from around the Central Division:
- The Pacers will have to address the power forward spot even if Thaddeus Young opts in this summer, Scott Agness of Vigilant Sports opines in a mailbag column. Trevor Booker, whom the team recently signed as a free agent, could be an option, Agness adds. Booker is averaging 5.2 PPG and 5.0 RPG in 17.4 MPG over 10 games since joining Indiana.
- Griffin sees similarities between joining the Pistons and getting drafted by the Clippers, as he explained to Rod Beard of the Detroit News. “For me, it was a cool challenge,” Griffin said of his Clippers experience. “I want to go there and be a part of something. Luckily, I was able to do that. I look at [Detroit] the same way. This is a franchise that has a history of winning a championship and they have an identity as a franchise. This is a place where I want to help get this franchise back to where it was and where it deserves to be.”
- Two-way player Antonio Blakeney believes he established himself as an NBA player before the Bulls guard fractured his wrist, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. He averaged 7.9 PPG in 16.5 MPG in 19 appearances with Chicago. “I definitely think I showed a little bit of what I can do,” Blakeney said. “I have a lot more to show. I didn’t get to play many games this year.”
Latest On Knicks’ Head Coaching Situation
The feeling around the NBA is that Jeff Hornacek won’t return as the Knicks’ head coach for the 2018/19 season, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. According to Berman, people around the league view Doc Rivers and Mark Jackson as a pair of potential top targets for the Knicks if they seek out a new coach.
Hornacek’s spot on the hot seat is nothing new — since the Knicks fell out of playoff contention earlier this season, rumors have swirled about the possibility of a head coaching change in New York. Rivers and Jackson have even been mentioned as possible candidates before, including by Mitch Lawrence of The Sporting News and Marc Stein of The New York Times.
Still, Hornacek’s hold on his job appears more precarious than ever over the last week, according to Berman, who points to a handful of recent incidents to illustrate that Knicks veterans probably don’t expect to be playing for the current head coach much longer. As Berman observes, Hornacek handing Tim Hardaway Jr. the clipboard during one timeout and Trey Burke waving off Hornacek’s attempts to call another timeout were both unusual moments that took place during Monday’s loss to the Hornets.
Additionally, Kyle O’Quinn screamed profanities at his head coach during Friday’s game in New York, and a confrontation between Hornacek and veteran center Joakim Noah earlier this season ultimately led to Noah’s dismissal from the team. According to Berman, big man Kristaps Porzingis also “cursed out” Hornacek during a practice late last season, not long before Porzingis skipped his exit meeting.
The Knicks are expected to wait until after the regular season to make any announcements regarding their coaching situation, but at this point, Hornacek’s days in the position appear numbered.
Draft Updates: Milton, McCoy, Roach, Ball, More
SMU guard Shake Milton has decided to test the 2018 NBA draft waters, a source tells Patrick Engel of Pony Stampede. A junior, Milton would have the opportunity to return to school for his senior year if he enters the draft without hiring an agent.
Milton, who is currently ranked 34th on Jonathan Givony’s big board at ESPN.com, is coming off a strong season at SMU, averaging 18.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 4.4 APG with a shooting line of .449/.434/.847. In Givony’s most recent mock draft, he has Milton coming off the board at No. 36 to the Mavericks.
Here are more of the latest draft updates from around the basketball world:
- UNLV center Brandon McCoy, who averaged 16.9 PPG and 10.3 RPG as a freshman and ranks 58th on ESPN’s big board, announced he’ll forgo his remaining years of NCAA eligibility to enter the draft, according to the school. “This is probably one of the toughest decisions I have ever made,” McCoy said in a statement. “I will always be a Rebel, but when weighing all the factors, with the support of my family I have decided it is in my best interest to forgo my collegiate eligibility and pursue my lifelong dream of playing in the NBA.”
- The 65th-ranked prospect on ESPN’s top 100, Texas junior guard Kerwin Roach II will test the draft waters without hiring an agent, the school announced in a press release. “We want to see where I may stand in this year’s draft, but we’re also keeping all options open,” Roach said. “We want to get the most accurate feedback directly from the NBA, so we can make the best decision for my future.”
- Marshall junior guard Jon Elmore and Eastern Michigan junior forward Elijah Minnie are each expected to declare for the 2018 draft without hiring an agent, reports Jeff Goodman of ESPN (Twitter links).
- Washington State’s basketball program announced on Monday that junior forward Robert Franks is declaring for the NBA draft without hiring an agent. An earlier report from Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports suggested that Franks would hire an agent rather than simply testing the waters, but that hasn’t happened yet.
- Lonzo Ball‘s younger brother LiAngelo Ball has declared for the 2018 NBA draft after spending the last few months playing for Lithuanian team Vytautas Prienu, agent Harrison Gaines tells Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports. The former UCLA swingman isn’t expected to be drafted.