And-Ones: Wright, 2K League, EuroCamp, Fines
After leading his Wildcats to their second NCAA title in the last three years, Villanova head coach Jay Wright figures to draw interest from NBA teams this spring. Three NBA clubs currently have interim head coaches in place and will be in the market for full-time solutions in the offseason, and a handful of other franchises could make changes on the sideline too.
Still, it may be difficult to pry Wright away from Villanova, as Jeff Eisenberg of Yahoo Sports writes. The school’s athletic director Mark Jackson acknowledged that NBA interest in Wright will be “inevitable,” but he has “no sense” that the head coach wants to go anywhere, he tells Eisenberg. Assistant coach Ashley Howard agrees with that sentiment.
“I think he loves it here at Villanova,” Howard said of Wright. “He’s shown that. He’s had opportunities to go in the past, and he’s shown that he’s committed to staying here at Villanova and continuing to make this program great.”
Wright is currently making $2.6MM per year, Eisenberg notes, but a raise figures to be on the way after the latest championship if he remains at Villanova. Since the Suns are one team that may have interest in hiring Wright, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 did some digging and was told that Wright is expected to have his salary increased to at least $4MM, making it harder for him to walk away from the Wildcats (Twitter link).
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The draft for the NBA’s new 2K eLeague took place this week, and the league is putting its weight behind the new esports venture — as Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee writes, Shaquille O’Neal will run the Kings‘ 2K squad (Kings Guard Gaming), while commissioner Adam Silver is looking to make his mark on North American esports, per Ohm Youngmisuk and Jacob Wolf at ESPN.com. We won’t be covering the league on a regular basis, but for more details on the NBA’s foray into professional gaming, check out Alex Kennedy’s FAQ at HoopsHype.
- As Adidas withdraws its support from the annual EuroCamp for international prospects, the NBA is looking to salvage the event, reports Jonathan Givony of ESPN.com. The Eurocamp will take place from June 2-5 in Treviso, Italy and will be rebranded as the NBA Elite International Camp, according to Givony. In a separate story, Givony also takes a closer look at the new Next Generation program, an event organized by the NCAA, NBA, and USA Basketball for prospects during the Final Four.
- Nets forward Quincy Acy and Pistons center Andre Drummond were fined $25K and $15K by the NBA earlier this week, according to the league. The two players engaged in a shoving match during Sunday’s game in Brooklyn, resulting in ejections for both.
- Grand Rapids Drive center Landry Nnoko, who was in camp with the Pistons in the fall, was named the NBA G League’s Defensive Player of the Year for 2017/18. Peter J. Wallner of MLive.com has the details.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 4/5/18
Here are Thursday’s G League assignments and recalls from across the NBA:
- With the South Bay Lakers set to face the Austin Spurs in the NBAGL’s single-elimination Western Conference Finals, the Lakers assigned Travis Wear to the G League to play in the game, according to the club (Twitter link). Wear has been a key contributor for South Bay this season, averaging 16.7 PPG and 8.3 RPG in 33 contests.
- The Spurs‘ affiliate also received reinforcements for Thursday night’s Western Conference Final, as the team assigned Derrick White to Austin, per a press release. White has put up 20.1 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 3.5 APG in 24 G League games this season.
- The G League’s Eastern Conference Final isn’t happening until Friday, but the Hawks have gotten a head-start by assigning Tyler Cavanaugh and Jeremy Evans to the Erie BayHawks for that contest, tweets Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Erie will face Toronto’s affiliate, the Raptors 905, for the right to play in this year’s Finals.
Patrick McCaw To Be Re-Evaluated In Four Weeks
The Warriors issued an update on injured guard Patrick McCaw today, announcing in a press release that McCaw didn’t suffer any neurological damage after falling to the floor during Saturday’s game against Sacramento. However, the second-year guard has been diagnosed with a a lumbosacral bone bruise and will remain sidelined for the rest of the regular season and the start of the playoffs.
According to the Warriors, McCaw will be re-evaluated in four weeks. Even if he’s able to return at that point, McCaw would miss the entire first round of the postseason, as well as the start of the second round.
With McCaw and Stephen Curry expected to be out of action to open the playoffs, the Warriors will lean more heavily on Shaun Livingston, Klay Thompson, and Nick Young in their backcourt. Two-way player Quinn Cook is also expected to sign a standard NBA contract in the coming days in order to ensure that he’s eligible for the postseason.
McCaw’s contract with the Warriors is set to expire this summer, so while Golden State is the team most invested in his health at the moment, potential offseason suitors will also be keeping a close eye on the 22-year-old’s recovery. McCaw will be eligible for restricted free agency, giving the Dubs the opportunity to match any offers he receives.
Poll: How Far Will Celtics Advance In Playoffs?
When Gordon Hayward went down with a season-ending ankle injury during the Celtics‘ first game of the 2017/18 season, the club’s fan base initially shifted its focus to next year, when Hayward would be fully recovered and youngsters like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown would have another year of experience under their belts.
However, Hayward’s absence didn’t slow down the Celtics — the team was the No. 1 seed in the East for much of the season. Boston eventually ceded that top spot to the Raptors, but maintained a stranglehold on the No. 2 spot. And while the C’s may not have been a legit title contender without Hayward, there was a sense that the Kyrie Irving-led squad had a chance to make it out of the East.
Much of that hope was extinguished today when the Celtics announced that Irving would undergo another procedure on his knee that will sideline him for the postseason and keep him on the shelf for four or five months. The C’s will now head into the playoffs without either of their star veteran acquisitions from the 2017 offseason.
While the Celtics’ chances of making a deep playoff run look significantly diminished, it’s worth noting that the club hasn’t exactly fallen off a cliff without its star point guard in the lineup. Irving played his last game on March 11 vs. Indiana. Since then, the C’s have posted a respectable 7-4 record, with wins over the Thunder, Blazers, Jazz, and Raptors. Of their four losses, three were on the road against playoff teams (New Orleans, Milwaukee, and Toronto) and the fourth was a double-overtime nail-biter vs. the Wizards.
In other words, even without Irving and Hayward on the floor, the Celtics are a well-coached and dangerous team that will be a tough out in the playoffs.
Still, as ESPN’s Kevin Pelton writes, the club’s postseason run figures to be shorter than it would be for the average No. 2 seed. Pelton suggests that the Celtics should remain favorites in the first round against Miami, Milwaukee, or Washington, but may head into round two as underdogs.
What do you think? Can the Celtics still win a round or two – or even three – in the playoffs? Or will the injury bug ultimately result in an early exit for the East’s No. 2 seed? Vote in our poll and jump into the comment section below to weigh in!
How far will the Celtics go in the postseason?
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Second round 51% (499)
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First round 29% (284)
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Eastern Finals 12% (117)
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NBA Finals 8% (73)
Total votes: 973
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
Jontay Porter Testing 2018 NBA Draft Waters
Missouri big man Jontay Porter announced today that he has decided to enter his name in the 2018 draft pool, though he won’t yet forgo his NCAA eligibility (Twitter link).
“While I am not making any final decisions at this point, I am not hiring an agent, and will be diligent in complying with all NCAA rules to ensure that I maintain my eligibility to compete at the NCAA level for Mizzou in the future,” Porter wrote. “I am going to declare for the NBA draft. This will allow me to evaluate my status with NBA teams so that I can make a fully educated decision on my future.”
In his freshman year, Porter averaged 9.9 PPG and 6.8 RPG for the Tigers, flashing an ability to protect the rim on the defensive end (1.7 BPG) and to shoot from outside on offense (.364 3PT%). Porter is currently the 35th-ranked prospect on Jonathan Givony’s big board at ESPN.com.
Porter is the second Missouri underclassman to declare for the 2018 draft — and the second Porter brother to do so. His older brother – Michael Porter Jr. – has entered the draft and will forgo his remaining NCAA eligibility. Despite missing most of the season with a back injury, the elder Porter is viewed as a probable top-10 pick.
Pistons Notes: Griffin, Ellenson, Jackson, Smith
The Pistons’ faint playoff hopes were officially snuffed out on Wednesday night, when Detroit’s loss to Philadelphia eliminated the club from postseason contention. While the Pistons don’t have a ton to play for in the season’s final four games, injured star Blake Griffin continues to push for a return from his ankle injury and Stan Van Gundy hasn’t ruled out that possibility, as Keith Langlois of Pistons.com details. Still, Detroit’s head coach doesn’t sound desperate to get Griffin back on the court.
“I don’t know if that’s going to come or not,” Van Gundy said. “We’ve only got six days left. Four games in six days. Whether we see him again, I have no idea. But it’s certainly no better than 50-50.”
With Griffin still on the shelf for now, expect to see plenty of Henry Ellenson down the stretch for the Pistons, writes Langlois.
Here’s more out of Detroit:
- How different might the Pistons’ season have looked if Reggie Jackson had been able to stay healthy? As Ansar Khan of MLive.com notes, Detroit had a 25-16 record in games Jackson played, which is a stat Van Gundy could point to when he meets with owner Tom Gores after the regular season ends.
- Although the Pistons are officially out of the playoffs, there are still some important developments to watch down the stretch, says Rod Beard of The Detroit News. As Beard observes, Ellenson, Luke Kennard, and Stanley Johnson should get a significant chunk of minutes in the club’s final four games — and the Pistons could get to .500 without compromising their lottery position by winning their remaining games.
- Ish Smith has seen action with 10 different teams in eight NBA seasons, but he has finally found a home with the Pistons, Beard writes in another piece for The Detroit News. Smith has one more year left on his contract with Detroit after this season.
- With the 2017/18 season now in the books for the Grand Rapids Drive, expect two-way players Kay Felder and Reggie Hearn to be with the Pistons the rest of the way, tweets Beard.
Pelicans Sign Jordan Crawford
3:07pm: The Pelicans have officially signed Crawford, the team announced this afternoon in a press release.
2:32pm: The Pelicans are expected to sign Jordan Crawford to a contract, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). New Orleans has an open spot on its 15-man roster, so no corresponding roster move will be necessary to finalize Crawford’s new deal.
Crawford, 29, opened the season with the Pelicans, but was on a non-guaranteed contract and was waived after just two games when the club signed Jameer Nelson. The former first-round pick has been effective during his limited time in New Orleans over the last two years, averaging 13.6 PPG and 3.1 APG with a .483/.410/.769 shooting line in 21 games since the start of the 2016/17 season.
The Pelicans had been on the lookout for backcourt help, with Ian Clark expected to miss the next five-to-10 days with an ankle injury, as head coach Alvin Gentry announced earlier today (Twitter link via Scott Kushner of The Advocate).
Larry Drew II had been the 15th man on New Orleans’ roster, but his 10-day deal with the team expired overnight. Rajon Rondo had said earlier this afternoon that he expected a new point guard to be brought in to fill that newly-opened roster spot (Twitter link via Kushner).
Bulls Notes: Kilpatrick, Valentine, Dunn, Blakeney
Sean Kilpatrick has shown the Bulls he can score in bunches and he hopes that will be enough to secure a roster spot next season, writes K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Kilpatrick is averaging 13 points per night in five games since signing with Chicago last week, including a 19-point fourth quarter in Tuesday’s win over the Hornets. His deal pays $6.2MM over three years, but nothing is guaranteed beyond this season.
“He fits well with what we try to do as far as creating long closeouts and getting into the paint,” coach Fred Hoiberg said. “He’s not afraid of any moment. He’s hitting big shots. He competes at the other end as well. He’s getting to the rim. He’s getting to the free-throw line. We’re spacing the floor and he’s driving and attacking.”
There’s more news from Chicago:
- Second-year guard Denzel Valentine underwent successful arthroscopic knee surgery Wednesday and expects to recover quickly, tweets Vincent Goodwill of NBC Sports Chicago. Valentine, who averaged 10.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 77 games, is focused on regaining the starting spot he lost when Zach LaVine was activated, telling reporters that he has earned a bigger role and should “definitely” be a starter heading into next season. ‘‘I think I can be a consistent player at this level,” he said, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “Be somebody they can rely on, somebody who defends, makes shots, makes plays for others, plays the game the right way and is a competitor. So I definitely think I’m a starter in this league.’’
- Kris Dunn is also focused on next year after a toe injury ended his season in mid-March, relays Sam Smith of NBA.com. Dunn played 52 games in his first season with the Bulls, averaging 13.4 points and 6.0 assists, and believes he can become one of the league’s best at his position. “I’m trying to be an elite point guard,” he said. “I have the intangibles for it. I’ve got the work ethic. It’s all about putting it together and doing it the right way. I want to be an elite point guard, but a guard who wins games. That’s the big thing for me, try to make everyone better.”
- Bulls’ two-way player Antonio Blakeney has been named Rookie of the Year in the G League, tweets Adam Johnson of Two Ways and 10 Days. The former LSU guard averaged 32.0 points and 6.7 rebounds in 32 games with Windy City. He has appeared in 19 games with Chicago, averaging 7.9 points per night.
New York Notes: Kanter, Lee, Russell, Allen
Despite starting the season with four centers, that could become a position of need for the Knicks this summer, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Enes Kanter has signed with Mark Bartelstein, one of the NBA’s most powerful agents, as he ponders whether to opt out of an $18.6MM salary for next season, adds Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News.
Backup center Kyle O’Quinn has a $4.3MM opt out that he is expected to exercise, as he recently expressed a desire to join a playoff contender. Joakim Noah is on an extended leave of absence from the team, and Willy Hernangomez has already been traded to the Hornets. Berman expects the Knicks to use the stretch provision on Noah once September 1 arrives to open up future cap space.
There’s more today out of New York:
- Trade rumors have surrounded veteran Courtney Lee, but he hopes to remain with the Knicks, relays Chris Iseman of NorthJersey.com. Lee doesn’t fit in with the youth movement in New York and may not have a future spot in a crowded backcourt. “All I can control is what I can control,” Lee said. “And that’s showing up here and being a professional and continuing to do the things I’ve been doing, encouraging and helping the young guys. And then when Coach calls my name, going out there and playing hard.”
- Lee also came to the defense of embattled coach Jeff Hornacek, Iseman adds, blaming injuries for a disappointing season. The Knicks were 11-10 when Tim Hardaway Jr. suffered a stress injury to his left leg in late November, and Kristaps Porzingis tore his ACL shortly after Hardaway returned. “For what, injuries?” Lee responded when asked about Hornacek. “For Tim having a stress fracture? For KP going down? How do you blame coach for that?”
- D’Angelo Russell understands the need to improve after mixed results in his first season with the Nets, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Russell averaged 15.4 points and 5.1 assists, but missed 32 games after knee surgery and did little to calm fears about his defense. “Yeah, it could be better. I think it’s just learning. I’m feeling it out,” said Russell, who will be eligible for an extension this summer. “Everything I’m doing is new, playing with new coaches, new teammates. Everything is new. So I think it’s a feeling-it-out type deal with me, so it could always be better.”
- Rookie center Jarrett Allen has been a pleasant surprise for the Nets, but coach Kenny Atkinson wants him to improve as a rebounder, Lewis notes in a separate story. Allen averages 5.3 boards per night, which ranks 46th among centers.
Kyrie Irving To Miss Playoffs; Another Operation Set For Saturday
12:33pm: Irving will have two screws in his patella removed on Saturday, tweets Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. The team expects a complete recovery to take four to five months, which should have him ready for training camp. Doctors found a bacterial infection in the knee during the last operation and the screws are being taken out to help clear that up, adds Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter link).
APRIL 5, 11:57am: Kyrie Irving won’t be able to help the Celtics in the postseason, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Sources say Irving’s left knee surgery will keep him sidelined throughout the playoffs.
Irving and the team are considering further treatment for the injured knee, Wojnarowski adds.
Irving had a surgical procedure on March 24 to remove a remove a tension wire that was inserted after he fractured his patella in the 2015 NBA Finals. Doctors described the procedure as “minimally invasive,” and Irving was given a timeline of three to six weeks to return. However, ESPN’s Chris Forsberg notes that the Celtics have consistently said that Irving’s long-term health takes priority over trying to get him back for this year’s playoffs (Twitter link).
The injury, combined with the loss of Marcus Smart and Daniel Theis, leaves Boston with a very inexperienced lineup heading into the postseason. Terry Rozier will be the starting point guard, and huge contributions will be needed from rookie Jayson Tatum and second-year player Jaylen Brown. Smart, who had surgery on his right thumb, hopes to return at some point in the playoffs.
Boston is locked into the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference and will face the Heat, Wizards or Bucks when the postseason begins next weekend.