Hawks Notes: No. 6 Pick, Draft, Carter, Capela
After landing the No. 6 overall pick in last week’s draft lottery, Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk is prepared to take the top player on the team’s board at that spot, but will also consider the possibility of trading up, as he did a year ago, or down, as he did in 2018.
“We’ve proven that we’re not afraid to move one direction or the other in the draft, so we’ll see what options are out there on that front,” Schlenk said, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. “If we stay at six, we’re going to take the player we feel like is going to be the best player long-term. If we create competition with some of our other young guys because they play the same position, there’s nothing wrong with that. That’s healthy. You can never have too many good players. That’s not a problem.”
As Kirschner notes, the Hawks have been willing in the last couple years to let their lottery picks to see the court “early and often,” allowing them to play through their mistakes. With expectations increasing for 2020/21, that no longer figures to be the case — newcomers and incumbent players alike will have to show they’re deserving of minutes.
“I think it’ll be more of a situation where you have to earn (playing time) as opposed to be given, which is good,” Schlenk said of the potential No. 6 pick (Twitter link via Sarah Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution). “And the same for the guys that are on our roster.”
Here’s more on the Hawks:
- According to Kirschner, Schlenk feels confident that he has spoken to just about every prospect who is likely to be selected between No. 6 and No. 50 (Atlanta’s second-round pick) in the 2020 draft. In a typical year, that wouldn’t be the case, so that has been a silver lining of having to scout via Zoom.
- The Hawks and Vince Carter have had preliminary talks about him taking on a role with the team, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic. Nothing is imminent, Charania adds. Carter has spoken in the past about wanting to pursue a broadcasting role or to get involved in team ownership, but it’s not clear what sort of role he and the Hawks might have discussed.
- While the Hawks’ roster remains “unfinished,” the addition of Clint Capela gives the franchise a more promising nucleus heading into the 2020/21 season, according to Mark Bradley of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, who says it’s time for the club to start showing the fruits of its rebuilding labors.
And-Ones: Schedule, 2021 Draft, International Leagues
The NBA is evaluating what aspects of the summer restart are working and whether they could be incorporated into future seasons, writes Jabari Young of CNBC. In addition to potentially bringing back the play-in game(s), the league is mulling the possibility of implementing regular season “series,” according to Young.
As Young explains, the thinking is that one reason the competition has been so strong this summer – despite a four-month layoff between games – is because teams don’t have to travel at all. To reduce travel in future non-bubble regular seasons, the NBA is exploring the idea of whether it might make sense to have two teams play consecutive games in the same arena.
If implemented, the idea wouldn’t result in three- or four-game series like we see in Major League Baseball. However, it could mean two teams playing back-to-back games against one another, or a club playing all its games against teams from a single state in one trip, rather than returning multiple times throughout the year, says Young.
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- While there has been plenty of discussion over the last few months about how the coronavirus pandemic is upending the 2020 draft process for NBA teams, Fred Katz of The Athletic points out that it’s worth considering how the 2021 draft cycle may be impacted too, since it remains unclear what the upcoming college basketball season will look like.
- The East Asia Super League (EASL) has received an official stamp of approval from FIBA, according to a report from Adam Zagoria of Forbes and a press release from FIBA. The eight-team league, which will launch in 2021 and expand to 16 teams by 2023, will feature top clubs from leagues in China, Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines, emulating similar Champions League formats in Europe.
- The Chinese Basketball Association has implemented new rules for foreign players for the 2020/21 season, as Emiliano Carchia of Sportando relays. Teams can have as many as four “imports” on their rosters, but only two can be active for each games and only one can be on the court at a time.
Fred VanVleet Expected To Draw Interest From Pistons, Knicks, Suns
The Pistons, Knicks, and Suns are among the teams expected to emerge as suitors for Fred VanVleet once the Raptors guard reaches unrestricted free agency this offseason, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.
VanVleet projects to be one of the top free agents on the market when the 2020/21 league year begins. The 26-year-old is coming off a career year in which he averaged 17.6 PPG, 6.6 APG, and 3.8 RPG on .413/.390/.848 shooting in 54 contests and is off to a hot start in the postseason, with 21.3 PPG, 7.8 APG, and 4.0 RPG on .527/.559/.800 shooting in four games against Brooklyn.
Only a handful of teams project to have cap room available this offseason, so the Raptors are in a good position to re-sign VanVleet. However, a team like the Pistons or Knicks could certainly make things interesting — and make signing VanVleet a more costly endeavor. Neither club has a long-term answer at the point and both will have cap space at their disposal this fall. VanVleet also played for current Pistons head coach Dwane Casey in Toronto.
As for Phoenix, the fit there is less obvious, considering the Suns already have Devin Booker and Ricky Rubio in their backcourt and may not have the cap flexibility to make a competitive bid for VanVleet if they hope to bring back contributors like Dario Saric, Aron Baynes, or Frank Kaminsky.
Still, VanVleet has plenty of experience playing alongside another point guard in Toronto, where he started this season alongside Kyle Lowry, and Suns GM James Jones showed last year in his pursuit of Rubio that he’s willing to make moves to carve out cap room if there’s a target he likes. Bobby Marks of ESPN recently suggested the idea of trading Rubio to a team like Atlanta to open up cap space for VanVleet.
The four-year, $85MM contract signed by Malcolm Brogdon in 2019 was recently cited as a potential point of comparison for VanVleet’s next deal.
Juwan Howard Intends To Rebuff NBA Head Coaching Interest
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported this morning (via Twitter) that Michigan coach Juwan Howard is viewed as a possible NBA head coaching candidate who is “gaining traction” within front offices. However, less than two hours later, Howard put out a statement indicating that he doesn’t plan on exploring NBA opportunities at this time.
“There was a report of my name as a potential candidate for NBA coaching opportunities,” Howard tweeted. “While I am flattered, and know it will more than likely happen again, I am NOT exploring, seeking, or listening.”
Howard, who previously served as an assistant coach on Erik Spoelstra‘s staff in Miami, generated plenty of interest on the head coaching market during the spring of 2019. He reportedly interviewed with the Lakers and Cavaliers, and received an offer from the Timberwolves to become the associate head coach on Ryan Saunders‘ staff.
However, he opted instead to return to his alma mater, reaching an agreement on a five-year deal to coach the Wolverines. Since he’s only one season into that five-year commitment, it makes sense that he’d be disinclined to begin pursuing NBA opportunities again. Michigan also did well on the recruiting trail this year, with Juwan’s son Jace Howard among the players joining the Wolverines for the 2020/21 season.
Kyle Lowry Has Ankle Sprain, No Timeline Provided For Return
After undergoing an MRI, Raptors guard Kyle Lowry has been diagnosed with a left ankle sprain, the team announced today in a press release. Lowry suffered the injury during the first quarter of Sunday’s blowout win over Brooklyn.
The Raptors didn’t provide any sort of timeline for Lowry’s recovery and return, stating in today’s announcement that his condition will be updated as appropriate.
Lowry’s return date will largely be dictated by the severity of the sprain. Mavericks star Luka Doncic was able to play in Game 4 of Dallas’ series on Sunday after spraining his ankle in Game 3 on Friday and had one of the best games of his career. However, Celtics forward Gordon Hayward has been ruled out for four weeks with a more severe sprain.
The Raptors’ second-round series against Boston is scheduled to get underway on Thursday evening, so it’s safe to assume we’ll get an update on Lowry’s potential availability for Game 1 within the next couple days.
Although the Raptors went 12-2 without Lowry in their lineup this season, the six-time All-Star has been a crucial part of the team’s success. Toronto’s chances of advancing to the Eastern Finals would dip if he’s forced to miss any time.
If Lowry does have to sit out, Norman Powell would be the top candidate to slide into the starting lineup, with rookie Terence Davis likely earning some extra playing time off the bench.
Injury Notes: Lowry, Westbrook, Magic, Porzingis, Rondo
A foot injury suffered by Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry was the only blemish on Toronto’s blowout win of Brooklyn on Sunday, as the team completed its sweep and advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
According to Andrew Lopez of ESPN, Lowry was scheduled to undergo an MRI on the arch of his left foot after turning his ankle early in the Raptors’ win on Sunday. Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca tweets that Lowry had that MRI last night and the team is expected to provide an update on his status at some point on Monday.
The Raptors’ second-round series against Boston is scheduled to get underway this Thursday, so if Lowry’s injury is considered a day-to-day issue, he’ll have some time to get ready for Game 1. The Raptors had no issue beating the Nets without Lowry on Sunday, but will need him back in the lineup to increase their chances of getting past Boston and returning to the Eastern Finals.
[UPDATE: Kyle Lowry Has Ankle Sprain, No Timeline Provided For Return]
Here are more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Rockets guard Russell Westbrook, who is on the shelf with a quad strain, stepped up his workouts on Sunday, but has been ruled out for Game 4 on Monday, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Westbrook did on-court work, including quick stops and starts, yesterday, per Feigen.
- Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Michael Carter-Williams (foot) will remain sidelined for the Magic in Game 4 against Milwaukee this afternoon, the team announced (via Twitter). Neither player has been active for a playoff game so far.
- Mavericks big man Kristaps Porzingis was set to undergo an MRI on his right knee on Sunday, per head coach Rick Carlisle. As Tim MaMahon of ESPN tweets, Porzingis’ status for Game 5 on Tuesday remains up in the air.
- Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo is ready to return from his thumb injury, but has been nagged by back spasms in recent days. After being scratched for Game 3, Rondo is listed as doubtful for Game 4 on Monday, per the NBA’s official injury report.
Sixers Considered Unlikely To Retain Brett Brown
Following a quick playoff exit, the Sixers are widely expected to part ways with head coach Brett Brown, according to multiple reports.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted that Brown, who has two years remaining on his contract, has no “internal momentum” to return for another season; Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports wrote that the anticipation within coaching circles is that the Sixers will part with Brown in the coming days; and Shams Charania of The Athletic cited multiple sources with knowledge of the situation in reporting that the 76ers are expected to make a coaching change.
Sources tell Haynes that Brown “never grabbed full command” of the locker room during his time as the Sixers’ head coach. As Haynes details, Al Horford expressed frustration earlier this season about not having a defined role communicated to him, and some people in the locker room have questioned Brown’s handling of rookie Matisse Thybulle, who has seen his minutes fluctuate drastically at times. Josh Richardson also expressed on Sunday that “more accountability” is necessary going forward, per Sacha Pisani of Sporting News.
“I don’t think there was much accountability this season and I think that was part of our problem,” Richardson said. “… (When) guys are not doing their job on or off the court, there’s got to be some kind of consequence — not consequence, but we’ve got to be able to talk to each other and listen. And not (just) listen to say something back, but actually hear (each other). It’s a hard lesson to learn for some people, but in order for us to make this playoff run that I think we all want, I know we all want, it’s got to start.”
Until the Sixers officially make a decision on Brown, it’s probably too early to identify frontrunners for the job. But Charania hears from sources that Sixers assistant Ime Udoka, Clippers assistant Tyronn Lue, former Kings coach Dave Joerger, and Villanova coach Jay Wright are among the names to watch.
Here’s more on the Sixers:
- There’s an expectation that the 76ers remain committed to the Joel Embiid/Ben Simmons duo and plan to let the next head coach figure out how to maximize the two stars, according to Shams Charania. Within his preview of Philadelphia’s offseason, Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link) explains why he thinks it makes sense for the team to keep both Embiid and Simmons.
- While Brown figures to be dismissed, he’s not the reason the Sixers have come up short in recent postseasons, according to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, who assigns more of the blame to the team’s front office. Charania suggests that no front office shake-up is imminent though, writing that GM Elton Brand has maintained a healthy relationship with team ownership.
- Tim Bontemps of ESPN passes along some of Brown’s post-game comments from Sunday, while Brian Windhorst of ESPN does the same for Embiid. As Bontemps details, Brown told reporters that he feels as if he never got a chance to show his full potential as a coach due to the injuries that plagued the Sixers over the years.
- According to Chris Haynes, the 76ers were prepared to offer Jimmy Butler a maximum-salary contract in the summer of 2019 if he agreed not to take any recruiting visits. However, Butler – who was “lukewarm” on the idea of re-signing with Philadelphia – didn’t agree to that condition. Haynes adds that Brown didn’t love how “outspoken” Butler was with his coaching tactics.
Nets Rumors: Popovich, KD, Kyrie, Vaughn, TLC
Now that the Nets‘ season is over, the team’s long-anticipated search for a permanent new head coach can get underway. And as we learned earlier this month, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is expected to be atop Brooklyn’s wish list.
Popovich has given no indication that he wants to continue his career anywhere besides San Antonio, but the Nets will explore the possibility of luring the Spurs legend to Brooklyn, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
As Charania details, the Nets have a number of connections to Popovich and the Spurs, with general manager Sean Marks, assistant GM Andy Birdsong, and assistant coach Tiago Splitter among those who previously worked with or played for Popovich. Additionally, sources tell The Athletic that Popovich has long been a favorite of Kevin Durant, dating back to Oklahoma City’s 2015 head coaching search.
According to Charania, the Nets’ interest in Popovich is widely considered a pipe dream, but the team will still exhaust the possibility. They’d need to be granted permission to speak to him and would almost certainly need to send the Spurs some sort of compensation if talks became serious.
Here’s more on the Nets:
- While Jacque Vaughn continues to receive consideration for the Nets’ permanent head coaching position, Durant and Kyrie Irving are interested in a “higher profile head coach,” according to ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan, who cites Popovich and Tyronn Lue as possibilities in that vein.
- Vaughn expressed confidence following the end of the Nets’ season that he’s the right person for the club’s permanent head coaching role, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “What I am confident in is my skill set as a coach, my ability to communicate and have relationship with guys, my ability to adjust on the fly, adjust with individuals,” Vaughn said. “Those things I’m very comfortable with, comfortable at this stage of my career of having a voice and choice with my players.”
- Veteran swingman Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, who emerged as one of the Nets’ more reliable contributors during the summer restart, told a French outlet that he enjoys playing in Brooklyn and wants to remain with the team, as NetsDaily relays. The former first-round pick has a non-guaranteed $1.82MM salary for 2020/21, which looks like a pretty solid value based on TLC’s play this summer.
- In an Insider-only ESPN.com article, Bobby Marks previews the Nets’ offseason, exploring Joe Harris‘ potential cost in free agency, what it would take to trade for a third star, and much more.
Pacific Notes: LeBron, Fox, Warriors, Williams
Lakers superstar LeBron James is beginning to find his groove in the playoffs, with Game 3 serving as proof of such, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com writes.
James played noticeably aggressively in the team’s first-round series against Portland on Saturday, recording 38 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in 34 minutes of work. It’s the type of play the Lakers need to defeat a fearless Blazers team, especially with a star backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum tiring out the likes of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Danny Green each game.
“I just think my offensive pace tonight,” James said postgame. “At times I was fast, slow, medium-paced. It was like a stick shift. Sometimes I was in gear 1, sometimes I was in gear 6. Being able to read and react, depending on whether I had the cruise on or was in a residential area or the highway or I was on the straightaway. Being able to have a car that can go in different speeds and zones, depending on what the traffic is, is very key.”
James was joined in the win by fellow All-Star Anthony Davis, who finished with 29 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists. The two stars each shot 11-of-18 from the field and took a combined 31 attempts from the free throw line, demonstrating their aggressive mindset and play.
“I told Bron at half, I have to take some of the pressure off of him,” Davis said. “I missed a ton of free throws [five of nine first-half attempts]. I didn’t want him to have to carry the team the whole time, where he didn’t have to try to come down and score every time.
“He was in attack mode. We need him like that all the time. When he’s attacking, it’s our job to make shots.”
Here are some other notes out of the Pacific Division:
- Kings guard De’Aaron Fox showed flashes of a potential superstar during his third season in the league, Kyle Ramos of NBA.com writes. Fox, 22, averaged a career-high 21.1 points, 6.8 assists and 1.5 steals per contest this year, also shooting a career-best 48% from the floor in 51 games. His averages increased to an impressive 25.3 points and 7.3 assists during the Orlando games.
- Anthony Slater of The Athletic examines the Warriors’ options in the 2020 NBA draft, with the team being awarded the No. 2 overall pick last week. The current front-runner to be drafted by Golden State appears to be 7’1″ center James Wiseman, though no decisions have been finalized yet — and that’s if the team decides to even keep the pick. “I know there’s a lot of narrative around us trading our pick and what we’re going to do with it, but we don’t really know anything,” general manager Bob Myers said. “At this point, we found out half an hour ago we had the No. 2 pick, so that’s the first step as far as getting some clarity.”
- Suns coach Monty Williams spoke with Greg Moore of The Arizona Republic on a number of topics, including how he guided his team to an 8-0 record in Orlando and how he handled the social justice movement. “We did have organic, spontaneous conversations even before we went to Orlando — maybe three Zoom chats, where we had really good conversations that weren’t just about basketball,” Williams said of his team. “Then when we got to Orlando, we just dialed in to what we say every day, ‘Family on three.’”
Heat Notes: Adebayo, Herro, Dragic, Hill
Heat center Bam Adebayo has made a noticeable impact during the team’s first-round series against the Pacers, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald details.
Adebayo, 23, has averaged 15.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and five assists in three games, shooting 53% from the floor in 33.7 minutes of work. The Heat have won each of the three contests, and it’s largely due to Adebayo’s production and energy on both ends of the floor.
“His biggest moments came down the stretch on both ends [in Game 3], those rebounds were big time,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We needed those extra relief opportunities, because they jammed us up a couple of times and forced us into a couple of turnovers. Those relief points and those free throws were key.”
Adebayo grabbed multiple key offensive rebounds on Saturday, finishing the contest with 22 points and 11 boards. His improvement since being drafted 14th by the team in 2017 is well-documented. The Heat will desperately need his production if the team advances to the second round, with either Milwaukee or Orlando waiting as an opponent.
“I feel like the player that I am, it’s hard to [game plan] me out,” Adebayo said. “That’s because I do a lot of things so well. I’m not trying to pat myself on the back. But just because I screen well, I get guys open. It doesn’t always have to be about scoring with me. In Game 2, I had seven points but everybody said I had the biggest impact on the game. It’s little stuff like that. … When my shot isn’t falling, when my offense is not going, I always bank on my defense and my effort.”
There’s more out of Miami today:
- Tyler Herro has no plans of backing down from the Pacers’ isolation attacks throughout the rest of the series, as relayed by Anthony Chiang (Twitter link). “It’s no secret who they’re going at. They’re going at me and Duncan,” Herro said. “There’s no secret about it. I think everybody sees it. But that’s something that I’m not going to run from it.” Herro finished with 20 points in Game 3 but was targeted frequently on defense, allowing multiple baskets throughout the fourth quarter. Herro has been working with Miami’s development coaches on studying film and improving his defense this season, a process that will likely continue in the coming years.
- Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel explores how the Heat nearly shipped Goran Dragic to Dallas in the trade that brought Jimmy Butler to Miami last year. Dragic has been essential for the Heat in the first round, averaging 22.7 points, 5.7 assists and 34 minutes as the team’s starting point guard.
- The Heat are in the midst of another player transformation, this time working to incorporate Solomon Hill into the team’s hard-working culture, Winderman examines in a separate story for the Miami Herald. Hill, who was acquired along with Jae Crowder and Andre Iguodala from Memphis in February, has yet to see concrete minutes for Miami in his seventh NBA campaign. He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.