Shaun Livingston Joins Warriors’ Front Office
As Leandro Barbosa prepares to become part of the Warriors‘ coaching staff, one of his former Golden State teammates is set to join the team’s front office. Shaun Livingston has finalized a deal with the Warriors and is being hired as a director of players affairs and engagement, reports Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic.
Livingston, 35, announced his retirement from the NBA almost exactly a year ago after spending the final five seasons of his career with the Warriors. The longtime point guard, who was the fourth overall pick in the 2004 draft, also spent time with the Clippers and seven other clubs before arriving in Golden State and winning three titles with the Dubs.
Reports last year indicated that the Warriors would likely offer Livingston a role in the organization following his retirement. Thompson suggests that most people expected the Illinois native to try coaching, and members of Golden State’s front office even encouraged it.
However, Livingston revealed in a conversation with president of basketball operations Bob Myers that he preferred a front office role, according to Thompson, who says Myers was “elated” by that development and attempted to recruit the ex-Warriors back to the organization.
“I always knew that door was open,” Livingston said of rejoining his old team in a new role. “I just had to walk through it.”
While Livingston won’t be the near the top of the Warriors’ front office hierarchy to start, he won’t exactly be coming in at the ground level either, according to Thompson, who says the former guard will report directly to Myers and executive VP of basketball operations Kirk Lacob and figures to have “some assistant GM-type clout.” Thompson writes that the goal is to groom Livingston as a future general manager, either in Golden State or elsewhere.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Northwest Notes: Millsap, Whiteside, Anthony, Jazz, Thunder
Paul Millsap has perked up in the conference semifinals and he’s hoping the Nuggets re-sign him, he told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. Millsap will head into unrestricted free agency this offseason. After just one double-digit scoring outing in the seven-game series against Utah, he’s averaging 10.5 PPG and 5.2 RPG against the Clippers.
“My main goal coming here was to help this team and organization get over the hump and help some of these younger guys develop into superstars, which they are,” the Nuggets’ big man said. “I feel like I’ve helped through that, and we’ll see what this summer holds. … It’s going to be a tough decision and hopefully they want me back.”
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- The Trail Blazers should let backup center Hassan Whiteside and Carmelo Anthony depart in free agency, Jason Quick of The Athletic opines. Whiteside was merely a stopgap while Jusuf Nurkic recovered from a serious injury, and re-signing Anthony would take valuable minutes away from Zach Collins, in Quick’s view. Miami’s Jae Crowder would be an intriguing forward for the Blazers to pursue with their mid-level exception, Quick adds.
- The Jazz face a very difficult offseason as they look to go from good to great, Tony Jones of The Athletic writes. Their GM, Dennis Lindsey, acknowledges that finding ways to move up in the rugged West won’t be simple. “This league is not an easy league,” Lindsey said. “The world’s best coaches and players, everyone is reaching for the same prize. Our team wasn’t as good from a point differential as our previous two teams. We were better at closing games this season, and that offense can be a little more stable in the playoffs.”
- The Thunder have shown patience with their head coaches and that could help them in their search for a new one, according to Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman. P.J. Carlesimo, Scott Brooks and Billy Donovan are the only head coaches the franchise has employed since moving to Oklahoma City 12 years ago.
Celtics Notes: Hayward, Poirier, Walker
Gordon Hayward will miss Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals as he continues to recover from a right ankle sprain. The Celtics tweet that he’s out, though coach Brad Stevens said Hayward went through a “hard, small group workout” immediately after practice on Monday, Malika Andrews of ESPN tweets. Stevens went on to say that Hayward “looked good, but there’s a big difference between doing that and going into a game.”
We have more on the Celtics:
- Center Vincent Poirier has cleared quarantine and practiced with the team on Monday, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe tweets. Poirier left the Orlando campus for the birth of his first child. Poirier essentially gives the club another practice body, as he only appeared in one seeding game, along with a two-minute stint against Toronto in Game 1 of the Eastern semifinals.
- Kemba Walker‘s production nosedived in the last two games against the Raptors but Stevens insists that his point guard’s knee “feels great,” the team tweets. Walker played 96 minutes in Games 6 and 7 and scored a combined 19 points on 7-for-27 shooting.
- The Athletic’s beat reporters for the Celtics and Heat take a hard look at what most expect will be a hotly-contested series.
And-Ones: G League, Motiejunas, Ad Revenue, Australia
The NBA and G League are interested in pursuing top international players prior to their draft year, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. The G League is offering top domestic prospects as much as $500K to train in the G League for a season, rather than being a one-and-done in college or heading overseas. Several top prospects for next year’s draft, including Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga, have accepted those offers.
We have more from around the basketball world:
- Former NBA forward Donatas Motiejunas will play in China for a fourth season, Lithuanian journalist Donatas Urbonas tweets. He’s expected to sign with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers. Motiejunas appeared in three games with the Spurs during the 2018/19 season after spending the bulk of his NBA career with the Rockets.
- The NBA has approved an additional sponsorship asset on practice jerseys for use during team practices and shootarounds, Charania tweets. It’s another revenue source for a league that has been hit hard by the pandemic.
- Australia’s NBL season won’t begin until early next year, according to a league press release. The season will be delayed, according to NBL Owner and Executive Chairman Larry Kestelman, “with the hope of giving clubs the best opportunity to play in front of as many fans as possible.” The Australian League intends to play a full season.
Rockets Notes: Chandler, Green, Harden, Coach
Rockets center Tyson Chandler is undecided about whether he’ll continue his playing career or retire, according to Marc J. Spears of the Undefeated, who tweets that “opportunity and the state of the world” will be major factors in the 37-year-old’s decision.
Chandler originally thought he’d retire a year ago, but decided that he still had the desire to keep playing. He had an extremely limited role for the Rockets in 2019/20, appeared in just 26 contests and logging a career-low 8.4 minutes per game. His role became increasingly non-existent as the team pivoted to micro-ball — January 18 was the last time he logged more than one second of game action.
Here’s more from out of Houston:
- Unlike Chandler, Jeff Green isn’t considering the possibility of retiring after this season. While the 34-year-old will be a free agent this offseason, he’s intent on continuing his career, tweets Spears.
- Everything should be on the table for the Rockets and general manager Daryl Morey this offseason as they consider potential roster changes, according to Chris Herring of FiveThirtyEight. That includes considering the possibility of a James Harden trade, Herring notes.
- Although the Rockets’ list of potential head coaching candidates starts with Tyronn Lue, there are plenty of candidates worth considering, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Feigen provides a long list of potential targets to replace Mike D’Antoni on Houston’s bench, including Jacque Vaughn, Jeff Van Gundy, David Fizdale, and many others.
Poll: Who Will Win Clippers/Nuggets Game 7?
After the Clippers‘ Game 4 win over the Nuggets last Wednesday, an all-L.A. showdown in the Western Conference Finals appeared to be an inevitability. The Nuggets had mustered just 85 points in their Game 4 loss, Michael Porter Jr. was publicly griping about the team’s offensive approach, and the odds of Denver once again overcoming a 3-1 deficit were remote.
The Nuggets haven’t rolled over though, erasing 16- and 19-point Clippers leads in Games 5 and 6 respectively to push the series to 3-3 and set up a Game 7 on Tuesday. As was the case in the first round against Utah, Denver has been at its best when facing elimination, with all the pressure on the opponent to close things out.
If the Clippers can’t close things out, it would be another devastating collapse for a franchise that’s 0-7 all-time in series-clinching games to advance to the Western Finals, per Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Led by All-Star forwards Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the club has been considered one of the NBA’s top title contenders all season long and entered the series as overwhelming favorites.
L.A. continues to be heavily favored in Game 7 (BetOnline.ag lists the Clippers at -7.5), but the Nuggets have done an excellent job holding the Clips’ supporting cast in check this series. Besides Leonard and George, no Clipper is averaging over 11.5 points per game. Lou Williams (.368/.130/.769 shooting) has struggled badly with his shot, while Sixth Man of the Year winner Montrezl Harrell has posted a dismal -11.3 net rating in his minutes.
The Clippers have had a knack this season for flipping the switch and coming up big when they need to after disappointing showings. But in a Game 7, there’s little room for error. If Nikola Jokic and/or Jamal Murray have big games, L.A. will need Leonard and George to match the Nuggets star(s) — and the Clippers would probably love to see at least one or two role players step up as well.
What do you think? Will the Clippers ultimately advance to the Western Finals as we all expected after Game 4? Or can the Nuggets pull off the major upset, coming back from a 3-1 hole for a second consecutive series?
Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section to weigh in with your thoughts!
Which team will win Game 7?
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Denver Nuggets 59% (1,131)
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Los Angeles Clippers 41% (802)
Total votes: 1,933
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
Draft Rumors: Warriors, P. Williams, Oturu, More
Assuming Anthony Edwards is selected first overall in the 2020 NBA draft, LaMelo Ball and James Wiseman would be among the top prospects available for the Warriors at No. 2. However, sources from multiple front offices believe that Golden State would prefer to draft a wing, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.
In O’Connor’s first 2020 mock draft, he has the Warriors selecting Maccabi Tel Aviv wing Deni Avdija at No. 2. However, O’Connor acknowledges that Edwards would be a prime option if he’s available, and notes that trading down is very much in play for the club.
Here’s more on the draft:
- Florida State forward Patrick Williams has been generating “heavy interest” from teams in the mid-to-late lottery, front office sources tell O’Connor. Williams is ranked 12th overall on ESPN’s big board, though O’Connor has him at No. 8 in his mock draft.
- Other prospects that O’Connor has heard positive buzz about include Maryland big man Jalen Smith (20th on ESPN; 13th in O’Connor’s mock) and Stanford guard Tyrell Terry (42nd on ESPN; 24th in O’Connor’s mock).
- University of Minnesota big man Daniel Oturu has interviewed – or will interview – with the Timberwolves, Spurs, Wizards, and Cavaliers, among other teams, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News.
- According to Keith Smith of RealGM (Twitter links), some fringe prospects for the 2020 draft are beginning to sign overseas, since international leagues are getting underway before the NBA’s 2020/21 season will. Smith points to Providence’s Alpha Diallo as one example, suggesting that Diallo probably could’ve earned a Summer League spot and potentially a training camp invite, but has signed with a Greek team instead.
Leandro Barbosa Announces Retirement, Joins Warriors’ Coaching Staff
Longtime NBA guard Leandro Barbosa has announced his retirement as a basketball player, indicating in an Instagram post that he’ll be rejoining the Warriors as a “player mentor” coach. The team has issued a press release confirming the hiring of Barbosa.
“I guess I am ready for a new beginning, a new road,” Barbosa wrote. “Nevertheless I will continue with the good old orange ball. The transition will be quick, as it always has been to me. It is a great joy to announce my return to the Golden State Warriors as a Player Mentor Coach. I have no doubts I will feel right at home, after all, it was always like that as a player and it has been that way ever since.”
Barbosa only spent two of his 14 NBA seasons in Golden State, but he was an important scorer off the bench for the Warriors from 2014-16, winning his first and only NBA championship with the team in 2015.
The Brazilian Blur spent the first seven years of his NBA career in Phoenix, winning the Sixth Man of the Year award in 2007 when he averaged 18.1 PPG and 4.0 APG on .476/.434/.845 shooting for the Suns. Barbosa also had stints with the Raptors, Pacers, and Suns, as well as two reunions with the Suns later in his career.
For his career, Barbosa averaged 10.6 PPG and 2.1 APG on .459/.387/.821 shooting in 850 regular season NBA games, appearing in another 119 postseason contests. The 37-year-old hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2016/17 season, having spent the last few years in his home country playing in the Brazilian League.
Lonzo Ball Changes Agents Again, Signs With Klutch
As he prepares to enter his fourth season as an NBA player, Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball will be represented by a fourth different agent since entering the league. Ball has signed with Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, he tells Malika Andrews of ESPN.
The second overall pick in the 2017 draft, Ball was initially represented by family friend Harrison Gaines. After deciding to part ways with Gaines in April 2019, the former UCLA star joined CAA, then signed with Roc Nation in June 2020. Roc Nation announced on June 15 that Lonzo and brothers LaMelo Ball and LiAngelo Ball had joined the agency, so Lonzo’s stint at Roc Nation apparently lasted less than three months.
Ball’s latest change in representation comes ahead of a crucial offseason, as he’ll become eligible for a rookie scale extension for the first time once the 2020/21 league year begins. If Ball and the Pelicans don’t reach an agreement before next season starts, he’ll become a restricted free agent during the 2021 offseason.
Paul often opts to take top clients to free agency rather than agreeing to early extensions, so the Pelicans probably shouldn’t expect to sign Ball to a team-friendly contract in the coming months. The 22-year-old also sounds motivated to boost his stock during the 2020/21 season, suggesting to Andrews that he hopes to follow in the footsteps of teammate Brandon Ingram.
“For myself, I think Most Improved Player is definitely something I can get next year,” Ball told ESPN.
NBA’s Bottom Eight Teams Gearing Up For Group Workouts
Monday, September 14 marks the first day of the three-week offseason workout window for the NBA’s bottom eight teams. The first phase of these de facto training camps will last for one week, through next Monday. During that time, activities will continue to be limited to individual workouts, as participants begin being tested daily for the coronavirus.
After one week, once participating players have returned multiple negative COVID-19 tests – or have been quarantined if they test positive – the second phase of the camps will take place in bubble-type environments. Group workouts, including practices and intra-squad scrimmages, will be permitted during the next two weeks as coronavirus testing continues.
The eight teams not invited to Orlando – the Warriors, Timberwolves, Cavaliers, Hawks, Knicks, Pistons, Bulls, and Hornets – won’t congregate at a single site like the top 22 teams did at Walt Disney World. Their “bubbles” will be created in their respective markets.
[RELATED: Eight Teams Left Out Of Restart To Conduct Workouts At Home Sites]
For instance, as K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago writes, the Bulls will stay at a downtown hotel and will be transported back and forth between there and the Advocate Center. The Hawks, meanwhile, are working to secure their players a hotel that has not yet opened to help avoid any outside contact, per Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The other clubs will make similar arrangements.
These workouts – both the individual sessions this week and the group activities beginning next week – are entirely voluntary. However, since these players have been unable to take part in organized basketball activities with teammates since March and are likely itching to get back on the court, there’s an expectation that attendance will be robust for most clubs.
Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports, for example, that the Hawks anticipate all their core players – including Clint Capela – will take part in the camp. Jeff Teague is one of the only players not expected to participate, per Spencer, who notes that the veteran point guard is ticketed for free agency.
The Pistons are in a similar situation — James L. Edwards III of The Athletic reports that free-agent-to-be Langston Galloway isn’t expected to be in attendance, but most of the rest of the team’s players will participate.
There are some cases where players who could reach free agency in the coming months will take part in workouts. For instance, Marc Berman of The New York Post says that Bobby Portis and Taj Gibson will likely be in attendance for the Knicks. Portis has a pricey team option for 2020/21, while only $1MM of Gibson’s $9.45MM salary is guaranteed, so both vets could be let go by the team this fall.
Berman does caution that some veteran Knicks players intend to participate in individual workouts but won’t join the rest of the club in the “bubble.”
Teams that want to fill gaps on their roster and make sure they have enough players to hold intra-squad scrimmages will be able to invite players who suited up for their G League affiliates this past season. For example, Lindell Wigginton and Canyon Barry of the Iowa Wolves will join Minnesota for the team’s mini-camp at Mayo Clinic Square, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News.
With these offseason camps set to end on October 6 and the NBA Finals likely to wrap up shortly thereafter, the next time clubs meet for organized activities will presumably be for training camps at the start of the 2020/21 season.