Tyronn Lue Will Not Be Fined For Critical Comments
Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue will not be fined for his postgame comments that were critical of the officiating in the team’s Game 1 loss to the Warriors, tweets ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
LeBron James appeared to draw a charge on Warriors forward Kevin Durant with the team leading 104-102 and 36.4 seconds left in the fourth quarter. However, officials Ken Mauer, Tony Brothers, and Ed Malloy convened and chose to review the video of the play, which is permitted with two minutes or less left in the game.
It was determined that James was outside the restricted area, but the charge was reversed into a blocking foul on the Cavaliers forward. Durant made two free throws to tie the game at 104-104, eventually leading to overtime. The Warriors dominated in overtime, winning the game 124-114 to take a 1-0 series lead.
“For our team to come out and play their hearts out and compete the way we did, man, I mean, it’s bad. It’s never been done before where you know he’s outside the restricted, and then you go there and overturn the call and say it’s a block,” Lue said (via Cleveland.com). “It’s never been done, ever, in the history of the game. And then (Thursday) in the Finals on the biggest stage, when our team played well, played our (butt) off, man, it ain’t right. It ain’t right.”
The NBA is often strict with employees who make critical comments of the league, including the officiating in games. However, Lue not being fined may signal the league sees validity in his comments.
2018 NBA Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Golden State Warriors
With lucrative new contracts for Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala hitting the books in 2017/18, the Warriors’ team salary started getting awfully expensive, even with Kevin Durant accepting a team-friendly rate on his own new deal. Durant likely won’t take a discount again, so Golden State’s salary and tax bills will only get pricier going forward, but as long as the team keeps winning titles, ownership will likely be happy to sign off.
Here’s where things currently stand for the Warriors financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2018:
Guaranteed Salary
- Stephen Curry ($37,457,154)
- Klay Thompson ($18,988,725)
- Draymond Green ($17,469,565)
- Andre Iguodala ($16,000,000)
- Shaun Livingston ($8,307,692)
- Quinn Cook ($1,544,951)
- Damian Jones ($1,544,951)
- Jordan Bell ($1,378,242)
- Jason Thompson ($945,126) — Waived via stretch provision
- Total: $103,636,406
Player Options
- Kevin Durant ($26,250,000)
- Total: $26,250,000
Team Options
- None
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- None
Restricted Free Agents
- Patrick McCaw ($1,699,698 qualifying offer / $1,699,698 cap hold): Early Bird rights
- Total: $1,699,698
Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds
- Nick Young ($6,230,400): Non-Bird rights
- Zaza Pachulia ($4,520,880): Early Bird rights
- Kevon Looney ($2,227,081): Bird rights1
- No. 28 overall pick ($1,630,249)
- Matt Barnes ($1,499,698): Non-Bird rights
- JaVale McGee ($1,499,698): Early Bird rights
- David West ($1,499,698): Early Bird rights
- Total: $19,107,704
Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000
Projected Cap Room: None
- Durant intends to opt out of his contract and sign a new deal with the Warriors. Even before taking that new deal into account, Golden State projects to be over the cap, with $103MM+ in guaranteed salaries.
Footnotes:
- Looney’s Bird rights are limited because the Warriors declined the fourth-year option on his rookie scale contract. Any contract offer from Golden State can’t have a starting salary that exceeds his cap hold.
Note: Rookie scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.
Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Gersson Rosas Withdraws From Consideration For Pistons GM Job
Rockets executive Gersson Rosas has withdrawn from consideration for the Pistons‘ general manager/senior basketball leadership position, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.
Rossas has spent more than a decade with the Rockets and is currently the executive vice president of basketball operations for the team. A close associate of general manager Daryl Morey, Rosas had a brief stint as Mavericks general manager in 2013 but returned to Houston shortly thereafter.
This is the latest development today in the Pistons’ search for a GM as the team parted ways with the incumbent, Jeff Bower. Bower was former head coach Stan Van Gundy‘s right-hand man and viewed as a possible long-term solution.
Ed Stefanski was hired last week as a senior advisor in charge of overhauling the team’s basketball operations.
As Brian Lewis of the New York Post noted, Nets assistant GM Trajan Langdon remains a top contender for the Pistons’ vacancy.
Five Key Offseason Questions: New York Knicks
The Knicks’ 29-53 record in 2017/18 was technically the team’s worst mark of the last three years, but the season as a whole didn’t feel like the worst of those three. Because the Knicks entered the ’17/18 campaign with reduced expectations, finishing 24 games below .500 wasn’t a massive disappointment — it was expected.
Of course, these wouldn’t be the modern-day Knicks if there wasn’t at least some drama and heartbreak. Joakim Noah, exiled from the team after an altercation with head coach Jeff Hornacek, was responsible for much of the drama, while Kristaps Porzingis‘ ACL tear provided the heartbreak.
Assuming Porzingis can make a full recovery from that ACL tear, the injury may actually benefit the Knicks in the long term, since Porzingis’ long recovery will force the club to exercise patience in its rebuilding process. With David Fizdale assuming the reins from Hornacek, there’s some reason for optimism in New York, but the team will have several important decisions on its plate this offseason.
Here are five key questions facing the franchise this summer:
1. What’s going on at the center position?
For much of the season, we wrote about a logjam at the center spot on the Knicks’ depth chart. After a promising rookie season, Willy Hernangomez was out of the rotation, and the same was true of the highly-paid Noah, as Enes Kanter and Kyle O’Quinn played the majority of the minutes at the five.
Now, Hernangomez is a Hornet, Noah’s future with the franchise is uncertain, and Kanter and O’Quinn both have player option decisions to make for 2018/19, raising questions about who exactly will be manning the middle for the Knicks next season.
Let’s start with the player options. O’Quinn’s decision looks simple — he’ll opt out. At that point, it will be up to the Knicks how aggressively they want to try to keep him. O’Quinn figures to get a multiyear deal, and he’ll be in line for a raise over last year’s $4MM salary.
Kanter, meanwhile, has a slightly trickier decision on his option. Exercising it seems like the right move, since he won’t match his $18.6MM option salary on the open market. However, he could exceed that figure in terms of total salary on a multiyear contract, which is why he’s been talking about opting out. If Kanter were to pick up his option, it would reduce the number of decisions for the Knicks to make, but this situation remains very much up in the air.
On the Noah front, there has been talk about waiving him after September 1, when the team could keep his $18.53MM cap hit for 2018/19 on its books, stretching his 2019/20 cap charge ($19.3MM) across three seasons. By the start of September, the Knicks’ center situation will be clearer, so perhaps it will make sense to jettison Noah if the team has a couple other solid options at the position. But with a new head coach in place and no rush to clear cap room, it might be worth keeping Noah around to see if he can bounce back at all after a lost season.
2. Is the Knicks’ long-term point guard currently on the roster?
Having previously had a glut of talent at the center position, the Knicks now find themselves with several options at point guard. However, as was the case at the five, the point guard situation could become unsettled quickly. Emmanuel Mudiay and Trey Burke will both be eligible for free agency in 2019, and the Knicks seem increasingly convinced that Frank Ntilikina might be more effective off the ball.
Ntilikina’s role will be the most pressing question for the Knicks to address, since no player on the roster is under team control for longer than the 19-year-old — no matter where he plays, he’s a future building block.
There’s no question about which position former lottery picks Mudiay or Burke should be playing, but it remains to be seen whether they can be reliable long-term contributors for the Knicks. Although Burke looked great in 36 games for New York last season, his previous 267 NBA games were much more of a mixed bag. As for Mudiay, he has also been inconsistent since entering the league in 2015, but he’s still just 22 years old, and a full training camp with the Knicks could give him a better chance to unlock his potential next season.
Andre Iguodala Considered Doubtful For Game 2
Warriors forward Andre Iguodala is doubtful to play in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, coach Steve Kerr informed the media, including ESPN’s Marc Spears (Twitter link).
Iguodala hasn’t played since banging knees with the Rockets’ James Harden in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. In his absence, Kevon Looney has seen his role expand and Shaun Livingston has also gotten more playing time.
The Warriors have labeled Iguodala’s injury as a left lateral leg contusion/bone bruise.
Pistons Part Ways With GM Jeff Bower
The Pistons have decided to cut ties with GM Jeff Bower, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.
Bower was hired to be Stan Van Gundy’s right-hand man when he took charge four summers ago. Owner Tom Gores fired Van Gundy last month and is currently conducting a search for a coach and front-office executive.
Ed Stefanski was hired last week as a senior advisor in charge of overhauling the team’s basketball operations. Van Gundy served as both head coach and president of basketball operations but Gores now wants separation between the two jobs.
Bower had continued his duties after Van Gundy’s departure but his contract was expiring at the end of June and Gores had to make a decision whether to retain him or move on.
Searches to fill the coaching and front office vacancies are ongoing.
On the coaching front, the team has lined up or already interviewed TNT analyst Kenny Smith, Heat assistant Juwan Howard, Spurs assistant Ime Udoka, Michigan coach John Beilein and former Raptors head coach Dwane Casey.
Nets assistant Trajan Langdon , TNT analyst Brent Barry, Hawks executive Malik Rose, Grizzlies assistant Tayshaun Prince and ESPN analyst Chauncey Billups are among the candidates for the front-office job.
Hornets Notes: Porter, Walker, Kaminsky, Howard
Michael Porter Jr. could be a risk worth taking for the Hornets if he lasts to the 11th pick, writes Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Porter was among the top recruits in college basketball last year, but a back injury sidelined him for almost the entire season. He underwent surgery to remove a piece of bone that was placing pressure on a nerve and has declared himself to be healthy.
Porter has drawn comparisons to Kevin Durant, standing 6’10” with the skills of a small forward. If enough teams are scared off by his medical history, Porter could present new GM Mitch Kupchak with his first major draft decision since coming to Charlotte.
There’s more from Charlotte:
- The Hornets might be willing to ship Kemba Walker to Cleveland in a deal involving the No. 8 pick, but LeBron James‘ uncertain status makes the trade problematic, Bonnell notes in the same story. Dealing Walker, who has one year left on his contract, for a draft choice would help ease Charlotte’s cap situation, but the Cavaliers won’t know until July if James is leaving. The eighth pick becomes extremely valuable if Cleveland is facing a rebuilding project.
- Frank Kaminsky hasn’t done enough in three seasons to convince the Hornets he’s worthy of a long-term investment, Bonnell adds. The ninth pick in the 2015 draft has averaged 10.0 points per game since joining the team, and there are concerns about his rebounding and passing. Bonnell believes Charlotte wouldn’t hesitate to draft another power forward.
- Dwight Howard could be a buyout candidate if he’s still on the roster in February, Bonnell writes in a mailbag column. The veteran center will make more than $23.8MM in the final year of his contract.
- In the same piece, Bonnell puts the odds at 50-50 for free agents Michael Carter-Williams and Treveon Graham to return to the Hornets next season. An abundance of guaranteed contracts for wing players will limit Graham’s opportunity, while Carter-Williams is coming off an injury-plagued season in which he shot a career-low 33% from the field.
John Beilein Interviews For Pistons Job
Michigan coach John Beilein is the latest big name to interview for the head coaching vacancy with the Pistons, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowksi. Beilein, who led the Wolverines to the NCAA title game this season, met with Detroit officials on Thursday.
Beilein joins an expanding lists of candidates that includes former Raptors head coach Dwane Casey, Spurs assistants Becky Hammon and Ime Udoka, Heat assistant Juwan Howard and TNT broadcaster Kenny Smith, all of whom have either interviewed for the position or are reportedly under consideration.
The Pistons, who have been without a coach since firing Stan Van Gundy more than three weeks ago, are also working to fill vacancies in their front office.
Beilein has compiled a 248-143 record in 11 years at Michigan, including two trips to the Final Four. He also coached at Canisius, Richmond and West Virginia and has compiled 541 career victories.
Kevin Love Won’t Be Suspended
The NBA won’t suspend Kevin Love for leaving the bench area during an altercation at the end of Game 1 of the NBA Finals, tweets Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports.
A source tells Mannix that NBA officials determined that Love stepped onto the court to protest a foul call against Tristan Thompson and returned to the bench when physical confrontations began (Twitter link).
The incident was precipitated when Thompson took exception to a jumper by Shaun Livingston to beat the shot clock in the final seconds of Thursday’s overtime. Thompson tried to block the shot and elbowed Livingston in the chest. That led to an altercation that resulted in Thompson pushing the ball in Draymond Green‘s face after being ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul. Green was restrained by teammates before he could retaliate.
League officials are still reviewing Thompson’s actions and will announce later today if he will be suspended for Game 2, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Twitter link).
Mavericks Notes: Cousins, Free Agency, Pierre Jackson
The Mavericks’ interest in DeMarcus Cousins could affect their draft strategy, writes Peter Dawson of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Cousins seemed like a lock to re-sign with the Pelicans before a ruptured Achilles in January sidelined him for the rest of the season. With his condition still uncertain, New Orleans may be reluctant to offer a full max contract, which could lead Cousins to look elsewhere.
Dallas may have as much as $35MM in cap room this summer, and owner Mark Cuban has said he plans to be aggressive on the free agent market. When Cousins was still in Sacramento, the Mavs called the Kings several times trying to work out a deal, and league sources say their interest remains strong.
If Dallas plans to make a play for Cousins or another big man, that will change the approach to the No. 5 pick, where Texas center Mohamed Bamba may be available. A report from Sean Deveney of The Sporting News indicated the Celtics are interested in Bamba and would like to deal for the Mavericks’ selection.
There’s more news today out of Dallas:
- The Mavericks need to find a “new-age” center who can shoot from the outside and still be a dominant rebounder, notes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. Sefko examines several free agent possibilities, including Cousins, Enes Kanter, Jusuf Nurkic, DeAndre Jordan and Clint Capela. He states that the Rockets are likely to match any offer that Capela receives, but their position could change if they need to create cap room to sign LeBron James.
- Power forward is another position of need that could be solved through free agency, Sefko writes in a separate story. Julius Randle, a restricted free agent with the Lakers and a Dallas-area native, is an obvious choice, with Thaddeus Young, Montrezl Harrell, Derrick Favors and Ed Davis as other possibilities.
- Pierre Jackson, who played eight games for the Mavericks in 2016/17, talked to Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype about his experiences with Maccabi Tel Aviv this season and his desire to return to the NBA. “That’s my ultimate goal – to play at the highest level in basketball, play against the guys I grew up watching, and be able to stay at home [in the United States] to play in front of my family,” Jackson said. “Getting back to the NBA will be my goal until I can’t walk anymore.”