Suns Notes: Paul, Johnson, Booker, NBA Finals
The NBA’s over-38 rule will give the Suns an advantage over the Knicks if they get into a bidding war for Chris Paul, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Berman cites a report from ESPN’s Bobby Marks that says Phoenix will be able to offer the 36-year-old a four-year contract if he opts out this summer, while other teams are limited to three years because of the age provision.
Marks expects the Suns to make a three-year, $100MM offer to the veteran point guard, who has them headed to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993. If the Knicks try to match it, Phoenix would be able to add a fourth season.
Paul is a former CAA client of Knicks president Leon Rose, who has been wanting to acquire him since taking over the team in March of 2020. Paul preferred to be closer to his son in Los Angeles, according to Berman, so the Thunder sent him to Phoenix in a sign-and-trade.
There’s more on the Suns:
- Paul’s right hand is feeling better after a few days of rest, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. After Phoenix closed out the Clippers in the Western Conference finals, Paul revealed that he had been playing with partially torn ligaments in the hand. The Suns haven’t played since Wednesday while waiting to see if they will face the Bucks or the Hawks next. “Each day that we’ve had off has been really good, and we all get a chance to rest up a little bit before we get it going again,” Paul said.
- Cameron Johnson wasn’t available for Game 6 against L.A. because of a non-COVID illness, but he should be ready for the start of the NBA Finals, tweets Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “He’s fine. He was ready to go and we found out that same day,” coach Monty Williams said. “It wasn’t anything earth shattering about the whole deal. He was just sick.”
- Paul and Devin Booker are the betting favorites to be named Finals MVP, according to Alex Kennedy of BasketballNews.com (Twitter link).
Central Notes: Sexton, Cavaliers, Antetokounmpo, Brogdon
The Heat are the best trading partner if the Cavaliers are looking to move guard Collin Sexton, contends Nekias Duncan of BasketballNews.com. Sexton is only 22 and is coming off his best season, averaging 24.3 points per game, but he will be eligible for a rookie-scale extension this summer. Cleveland is focused on re-signing restricted free agent center Jarrett Allen and may not want to hand out a second large contract.
Duncan likes the fit for Sexton in Miami because the Heat need another scorer who can attack the rim. Sexton’s limitations as a play-maker wouldn’t matter as much with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo handling the ball, Duncan adds, while coach Eric Spoelstra could find ways to overcome Sexton’s defensive issues.
Duncan suggests it would be easy to include Kevin Love in the potential trade and get his contract off Cleveland’s books. Miami could match salary by picking up its options on Goran Dragic and Andre Iguodala and possibly including Tyler Herro and KZ Okpala in the deal.
Duncan mentions the Raptors, Celtics and Lakers as other possible destinations for Sexton.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- The Cavaliers have gotten calls from teams interested in their No. 3 pick, but nothing has moved beyond “cursory conversations,” according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. The Magic, who own the fifth and eighth selections, and the Warriors, who have No. 7 and 14, could be teams to watch if talks get more serious.
- Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was able to do on-court work today for the first time since hyperextending his left knee Tuesday night, tweets Malika Andrews of ESPN. Coach Mike Budenholzer confirmed the workout in a pre-game session with reporters, adds Eric Nehm of The Athletic (via Twitter), but said he wasn’t able to watch it.
- A source tells J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star that the Pacers haven’t had any trade talks with the Sixers involving the 13th pick (Twitter link). A report Friday said Philadelphia declined an offer of Malcolm Brogdon and the pick for Ben Simmons. The Pacers tend to avoid large contracts like Simmons has, Michael adds, noting that owner Herb Simon vetoed a trade for Mike Conley two years ago. Indiana is open to moving the pick, according to Michael, but he says there have been no talks with the Sixers, who are hoping to land Damian Lillard from the Trail Blazers.
Trae Young To Play In Game 6
The Hawks will have Trae Young available for tonight’s Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals, tweets Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The star guard missed the last two games with a bone bruise in his right foot.
Young has been outstanding in the series when he has been on the court, averaging 32.7 points and 6.0 assists while shooting 47.9% from the field. He suffered the injury in Game 3 when he accidentally stepped on an official’s foot.
Atlanta’s season will be on the line after dropping a 123-112 decision Thursday night in Milwaukee. The Bucks will be still without Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has been ruled out with a hyperextended left knee.
Bogdan Bogdanovic, who has been plagued by soreness in his right knee throughout the series, will also be available, Spencer adds (via Twitter).
Draft Notes: McBride, McNeil, Liddell, Ramey, Wheeler
West Virginia guard Miles McBride has decided to remain in the draft, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN. McBride told Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins on Friday, sources tell Greg Carey of Metro News.
“This was definitely a difficult decision,” McBride said. “Huggs has done so much for me. I love West Virginia, the fans and the entire city of Morgantown. Leaving will be hard, but it’s always been my dream to play in the league. Leaving now gives me the best chance to do that.”
The 20-year-old was a second-team All-Big 12 selection as a sophomore, averaging 15.9 points, 4.8 assists and 3.9 rebounds in 29 games. He is ranked 33rd in ESPN’s list of the top 100 prospects and had a strong showing at last week’s combine in Chicago.
“The main reason was the feedback I got from the NBA’s undergraduate advisory committee. Being drafted in the late first to early second round is what I’ve heard the most,” McBride said. “I had a great week at the NBA combine and at my pro day, meeting with NBA teams and hearing from them directly how interested they are in me.”
There’s more on the draft:
- West Virginia will keep Sean McNeil, who is expected to withdraw from the draft and return to school for his senior season, tweets Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports. The shooting specialist averaged 12.2 PPG this year and connected at 38.8% from three-point range.
- Ohio State power forward E.J. Liddell has decided to forgo the draft and return for another season with the Buckeyes, Givony writes in a separate story. Liddell had a breakout season as a sophomore, posting 16.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. “This was a pretty difficult decision,” he said. “No one in my family has ever been this close to getting to a professional league. After many conversations with my parents and coaches, I understood that returning was the best thing for me. Anyone can get signed to play in the NBA. I absolutely could have gotten a contract. But it’s not about getting in the NBA, it’s about staying in for the long term.”
- Texas guard Courtney Ramey and Kentucky guard Sahvir Wheeler are also pulling out of the draft, according to Jeff Goodman of Stadium (Twitter links).
Darvin Ham Interviews For Wizards’ Coaching Vacancy
The Wizards have interviewed Bucks assistant Darvin Ham as they look for their next head coach, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic. Katz adds that there is “some support” within the organization for hiring Ham.
Ham was among the candidates who interviewed for the Celtics’ job last month before they chose Ime Udoka, Katz notes (via Twitter). He also interviewed last year for an opening at Texas Tech, where he went to school, and for head coaching vacancies with the Clippers, Bulls and Pacers.
The 47-year-old has been an assistant in Milwaukee since Mike Budenholzer was hired in 2018, and he spent five seasons with Budenholzer in Atlanta as well. He started his NBA coaching career with the Lakers in 2011.
Prior to that, Ham spent eight years in the league as a player and was with the Wizards during the 1997/98 season.
Other names that have been mentioned in Washington’s coaching search include Celtics assistant Scott Morrison, Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley, Sixers assistant Sam Cassell, Heat assistant Chris Quinn, Bulls assistant Chris Fleming, Suns assistant Willie Green and Nuggets associate head coach Wes Unseld Jr.
Keep track of all the developments on the NBA coaching front with our Head Coaching Search Tracker.
Southwest Notes: Martin, Lillard, Lee, Vinson
Rookie Rockets small forward Kenyon Martin Jr., a second-generation NBA player, showed promise during his first NBA season, per Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle.
Martin noted that living his childhood while his father Kenyon Martin Sr. enjoyed a successful 15-year NBA career helped prep him for the ups and downs of the Rockets’ fortunes during Jr.’s first season.
“My first game back from the G League, I honestly got kind of nervous or whatever but I just thought to myself, ‘It’s still basketball,’ so I just go out and play and not really think about that,” Martin said. Across 45 games for the Rockets, the 6’6″ rookie averaged 9.3 PPG and 5.4 RPG, while shooting a solid .509/.365/.714.
There’s more out of the Southwest Division:
- If Trail Blazers All-Star Damian Lillard truly wants to be dealt from the team where he has spent his entire NBA career, the Pelicans should do all they can to acquire him in a trade, says Scott Kushner of NOLA.com. Given that New Orleans has 2020 All-Star Brandon Ingram and a litany of draft picks to trade, the club can at least get in the mix with a competitive offer, Kushner adds. Pairing Lillard with rising Pelicans All-Star Zion Williamson could benefit both players in their quest to win the West.
- 36-year-old Bucks assistant coach Charles Lee has served under two largely successful tenures with head coach Mike Budenholzer with the Hawks and Milwaukee since 2014. Will Guillory of The Athletic explores Lee’s potential fit guiding the similarly youthful roster of the Pelicans to the next level, should he become the club’s next head coach.
- Current Pelicans assistant coach Fred Vinson, a former international player (who had a 13-game NBA cameo) known particularly for his skills as a shooting coach, has been on New Orleans’ bench since 2010. Will Guillory of The Athletic wonders if the 50-year-old is ready to take the next step with the team.
Central Notes: Young, Cavaliers Pick, Lee, Cunningham
The expiring contract of Bulls forward Thaddeus Young could be the club’s best non-All Star trade chip, posits Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Only $6MM of Young’s $14.2MM contract is guaranteed for the 2021/22 season. The Bulls front office has until August 1 to fully ratify the deal, which would make sense to do, as the veteran Young has proven to be a valuable role player in Chicago, and even the full $14.2MM deal is reasonable enough to make him desirable for a win-now franchise.
The 33-year-old Young has thrived with the Bulls as a multifaceted two-way reserve capable of playing both forward positions and, occasionally, small-ball center. He seemed to take significant steps during the 2020/21 season as a ball-handler and play-maker, averaging a career-best 4.3 assists.
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- Given that they have the third pick in what is considered to be a top-heavy draft, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com wonders if the Cavaliers should consider trading down for a lower lottery selection and a future asset. In some order, the top four picks in the draft are expected to be Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham, USC center/power forward Evan Mobley, G League Ignite guard Jalen Green, and Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs. The Cavaliers are also expected to assess the next batch of lottery prospects, including Florida State guard Scottie Barnes, G League Ignite forward Jonathan Kuminga, Duke forward Jalen Johnson, Adelaide 36ers guard Josh Giddey, Tennessee guard Keon Johnson and Gonzaga forward Corey Kispert. If Cleveland prefers one of these players, who should be available beyond the top four, it might make sense to trade down.
- Athletic Pistons rookie point guard Saben Lee enjoyed an impressive first NBA season, despite being drafted 31 spots behind fellow rookie Pistons point guard Killian Hayes, writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Langlois projects that Lee’s aforementioned athleticism, his 6’9″ wingspan, and his strength will serve him well as a defense-first guard on the team next season.
- The Pistons will have their first No. 1 pick in quite a while, and standout Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham has widely been viewed as the top prospect in the upcoming draft. Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press details why the club could ultimately pass on selecting Cunningham, explaining why the ceilings of Jalen Green and Evan Mobley are enough to at least get them into the conversation of a top selection. Cunningham’s ball-handling, shooting, defense and positional fluidity make him perhaps the safest bet for a rebuilding team. Mobley’s unique offensive game and impressive size as a center and Green’s fit with the Pistons specifically make both players interesting possibilities.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Officially Out For Game 6
Bucks All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo will officially miss Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Hawks tonight with a left knee hyperextension, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
Antetokounmpo first suffered the injury in the second half of Game 4, an eventual 110-88 Atlanta victory.
The Bucks initially listed Antetokounmpo as doubtful to suit up for tonight’s game, though there appears to be growing optimism that, should the series require a Game 7 (Milwaukee currently leads 3-2), the All-NBA First Teamer could become available.
The status of Hawks star point guard Trae Young, sidelined with a right foot bone bruise suffered in Game 3 of the series, is still up in the air.
Without Antetokounmpo for a second of Game 5 on Wednesday, the Bucks held off the Hawks sans Young, winning 123-112.
Milwaukee is on the cusp of its first NBA Finals appearance in 47 years, and a victory in either of the next two games will clinch a matchup against the Suns, who defeated the Clippers in six games on the other side of the playoff bracket.
NBA Suspends Patrick Beverley One Game
Clippers guard Patrick Beverley has been suspended by the NBA for one game without pay, the league has announced in a statement (via Twitter).
Beverley shoved All-Star Suns guard Chris Paul in the back during a pause in play with 5:49 left, with the game already out of hand in a blowout 130-103 Game 6 Phoenix victory on Thursday, June 30. At the time, Beverley was given a technical foul and ejected from action.
The press release goes on to note that Beverley will be suspended for the first game of the upcoming 2021/22 season in which he would otherwise be able to take the floor (so if he’s injured, the suspension will apply once he’s healthy). The NBA called Beverley’s behavior an “unsportsmanlike act.”
As we mentioned earlier today, some level of suspension for Beverley had been anticipated.
Beverley, 32, has one year and $14.3MM left on his current deal with L.A. During an injury-plagued 2020/21 season, Beverley appeared in just 37 contests (starting 34) with the club, averaging 7.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG, and 2.1 APG across 22.5 MPG. These were his lowest numbers in each of these categories since his 2012/13 rookie NBA season.
Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets that Beverley will lose $98,765 as a result of this one-game suspension.
And-Ones: Australian Olympic Team, James, Missia-Dio, Spurs
Numerous current NBA players were named to the Australian national team’s final 12-man roster for the Olympics, ESPN’s Olgun Uluc tweets. The team is headlined by Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova, Joe Ingles, Aron Baynes, Matisse Thybulle, Dante Exum and Josh Green.
Projected lottery pick Josh Giddey is not on the 12-man roster but has been named as one of three replacement players, Jonathan Givony of ESPN tweets. Giddey will travel to Las Vegas for Australia’s exhibition games, Givony adds. He’s currently rated No. 9 overall on ESPN’s Best Available list.
We have more from around the basketball world:
- LeBron James passed on the Olympics this year and it’s unlikely he’ll play for Team USA again, managing director Jerry Colangelo said on ESPN’s Keyshawn, JWill and Zubin radio show (video link). “LeBron made choices these last couple of Olympics not to participate because he’s got a lot of things going on in his life,” Colangelo said. “So he put in his time, he made a contribution that is appreciated, but I think his time is over.” James’ last Olympic appearance came during the 2012 London Games.
- Belgian forward Nathan Missia-Dio became the ninth player to sign with Overtime Elite, according to a league press release. The new development league will begin play in September. Missia-Dio, a 6’6” forward, played two seasons for Espoirs Limoges in France’s Elite U21 League. He is ranked 13th by Eurospects.com among international prospects born in 2004.
- The Spurs are seeking a new naming-rights sponsor for their arena, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News tweets. Longtime sponsor AT&T won’t renew its current deal, which expires in the fall of 2022. AT&T has also sold off its 7.23% share of the team. Front Office Sports first reported the news.