New Nets coach Steve Nash reached out to former teammate Dirk Nowitzki but the Hall of Fame-bound big man has no desire to be an assistant coach at the moment, Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News reports. Nowitzki is content to spend time with his family in Dallas. “First of all, I don’t know if I could do it (coach) anywhere but here,” he said. “That’s of course first. Second, I just think the timing is not right. I love being with the family. I’m so over basketball at this point that it wasn’t even a thought for me.”
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- It’s generally assumed that Celtics center Enes Kanter, who played sparingly during the postseason, will exercise his $5MM player option for next season. That’s not necessarily the case, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic. It’s more likely that Kanter will test the market and seek a backup role elsewhere, Weiss says. Even if he opts in, the Celtics may use his salary for a draft-night trade, Weiss adds.
- Former Suns GM Ryan McDonough doesn’t think Nets stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were trying to undermine Nash when they talked about “collaborative coaching” on Durant’s podcast earlier this month, Ian Begley of SNY.tv relays. Speaking on The Putback, McDonough felt the star Nets duo was speaking more of the team’s leadership. “It wasn’t a critical comment toward Steve Nash like, ‘Hey, he’s not ready for this.’ It was more, ‘We have a lot of player leadership on the roster,’” he said.
- The Knicks might shop all their picks on draft night. Get the details here.
Celtics and Knicks like Draft Night Trade
I’d say there will be 20 deals on that night
If other teams offer young stars, Knicks are going to offer everything and everyone including RJ and Mitch
Teams don’t offer young stars. Memphis and Dallas aren’t out looking for takers on Ja or Luka.. or Giannis.
Unless you’re counting Oladipo and Jrue as “young stars.”
Knicks should keep trying in the draft. Trade their 8th pick plus Dennis Smith, Ntilikina and/or Portis to GSW for the 2nd pick?
These are available young stars according to rumors
Simmons
Booker
Beal
Towns
Embiid
Lol
None of those guys are available unless you are offering superstars in return.
Mitch, RJ, a flier on DSJ, 2 of their own firsts and all the Mavs picks would probably get them in on Embiid and would be one of the better offers the Wizards get for Beal… but that’s admittedly a lot.
Explain how the 8th pick plus garbage gets you the 2nd pick? Looking forward to this
I think Steve Nash is in for a lot of headaches
Of course he is. The fact that the Nets are tied with Boston for the 2nd best odds to win the east next year shows how dim-witted most bettors are. They will only make the playoffs because of the weakness of their conference where it only takes 30-35 wins to make it to the postseason. But it’s practically a given that Brooklyn will lose in the first round to either Milwaukee, Miami, Toronto, or Boston in 2021.
I wouldn’t be so sure. While I agree Brooklyn’s Vegas odds are silly, Durant and Irving can simply take turns and win 40+ games. Both those guys can win regular season NBA games on their own. And if they learn to play off one another? Very tough cover.
Unless Durant isn’t his former self, they’re going to be a decent team.
Irving and Durant are a terrible combination just based on personality, but they deserve each other.
This season has shown once again, that superstar talent wins games.
Lebron chose the LAKERS ……… then Lebron, I mean, Pelinka gets AD.
Then you round-up your starting five with 3 serviceable, minimum-salary type vets, you’re still going to win a championship.
You get Jim Boylen as the LAKERS coach, you’re still going to win a championship.
That being said, NETS, will contend, as long as they stay healthy.
They have 2 top-tier superstars and a few other good pieces e.g. Levert, Dinwiddie, Allen, Prince …….. they’re 8-9 deep.
EAST semis will be their floor.
KD and Kyrie are not top tier superstars. KD was a top 2 player but coming off a severe achilles injury he’s more likely to be a top 25 type of player. Kyrie has all the flash in the world and will hit a big shot every now and then, but he’s an egomaniacal ball stopper who is horrible on defense. Kyrie is top 30ish. They won’t get past the Milwaukee, Boston, Miami or Toronto with those two divas at the helm.
This team will have challenges due to the foreseeable demands by Irving and Durant. When they struggle it’ll be telling. The team D will be lacking
Brooklyn had good players before KD and Irving they will be even better with them
Say what? KD will still be great. As long as he doesn’t break down again like Demarcus Cousins he’s going to be elite.
Boylen would find a way to screw that up, trust me….
“It was more, ‘We have a lot of player leadership on the roster”
KD and Irving haven’t even started to play in Brooklyn, what are we talking about?
When I think of Kyrie I definitely think of a person who is amicable and willing to listen to superiors.
Kyrie finally came up with a term for what he does to his teams…Collaborative Coaching. I nominate it as the theme for the Nets 2020-21 season. Print the t-shirts!
I always wanted Kyrie Irving to step up defensively and play more like Chris Paul against the Warriors the 2017 NBA Finals but he was a defensive liability and did not bring much else but scoring. That said I think they’ll make the Conference Finals at least next season.
I think people are overrating the Nets in year one. We can look at this past years Clippers as an example of bringing two stars into playoff team
You know KD and Kyrie are all in on Nash. Or he wouldn’t be there. There’s nothing going on there. Now once they start playing. That’s a different story. I have have high regards for Nash. So I believe they will be fine. As far as team goes. Nets are talented. IMO the two stars want a third. So I expect a trade at some point. Nets window is for 3-4 yrs. It starts next yr. So they want to be all in. They could be a top three team. But with right trade they could be better. It’s good for the East and NBA to have a contending team in NY, Bklyn style. Was Nets fan in ABA , Dr J days. Not a hater but never been on the KD or Kyrie Wagon.