Knicks Notes: Lillard, Rose, Free Agents, Vildoza
The Knicks should be at the front of the line if the Trail Blazers decide to trade Damian Lillard, contends Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post. Lillard is one of the most popular Portland players ever and has been a fixture in the city since he was drafted in 2012. But he will turn 31 in July and could bring a huge collection of assets in return if the Blazers opt to rebuild.
Lillard is owed more than $127MM over the next three seasons and has a $48.8MM player option for 2024/25. He would provide an instant solution to New York’s long-running point guard problem and would bring some star power to the franchise. He’s still as explosive as ever as a scorer, averaging 28.8 points per game this season and shooting 39.1% from three-point range.
The Knicks have the assets to make a deal work, including five first-round picks over the next three years, Vaccaro adds. They also have young talent to offer, such as rookies Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quickley, second-year guard RJ Barrett and third-year center Mitchell Robinson.
There’s more from New York:
- If Lillard isn’t available, the Knicks will pursue other options to upgrade their backcourt this summer, and Ian Begley of SNY.TV hears that Derrick Rose‘s performance after being acquired from the Pistons will affect their strategy. If they can re-sign Rose, the Knicks will be less likely to spend big on another veteran point guard and may turn to restricted free agents such as Devonte’ Graham, Lonzo Ball or Kendrick Nunn. New York talked to the Pelicans about a possible Ball trade before the March deadline, but there’s not a consensus on him among the front office, according to Begley.
- With their playoff run over, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau met with newly signed guard Luca Vildoza on Thursday and watched him in a workout, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Former Knicks guard and current Timberwolves assistant coach Pablo Prigioni believes his fellow Argentinian has a bright NBA future. “(Vildoza is) really, really good,’’ Prigioni said. “I really like him. Very talented, got a great shot and knows how to pass. I’m really excited to see Luca next season with the Knicks. Tom’s going to like him.’’
- Thibodeau held a long meeting with his players on Thursday and decided to delay the traditional player evaluation conferences for about two weeks, Berman adds in a separate story. A source said Berman wants his players to unwind from the stress that COVID-19 brought to the season.
James Harden Injures Hamstring, Won’t Return In Game 1
Nets star James Harden suffered a right hamstring injury early in tonight’s opener of the Eastern Conference semifinals and has been ruled out for the rest of the game, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
On the TNT telecast, Jared Greenberg reported that Harden has left Barclays Center to have an MRI on the hamstring, relays Ian Begley of SNY.TV (Twitter link).
Harden got hurt on his first drive to the basket, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. He passed the ball to Joe Harris in the corner, then grabbed at his right leg in pain. He slowly walked to the locker room as Brooklyn coach Steve Nash called timeout 43 seconds into the game.
Injuries have been an issue for the Nets’ Big Three, who played together just a handful of times in the regular season after Harden was acquired from the Rockets in mid-January. Harden played a career-low 44 games this season, missing more than a month of action in April and May with a strained right hamstring.
Nets Notes: Harden, Brown, Green, Kidd
James Harden played in 128 postseason games during his time with the Thunder and Rockets, but he sees this year’s Nets team as his best chance to win an NBA title, writes Adam Zagoria of Forbes.
Harden is a former MVP and a nine-time All-Star, but he has developed a reputation for coming up short in the playoffs. Many of his losses came against loaded teams like the Warriors and Lakers, but now he’s part of an immensely talented team in Brooklyn.
“Obviously, there’s only a handful of teams that have an opportunity,” Harden said. “And we’re one of those teams this year. So the excitement is there, but I think just the focus is the most important thing for myself. And just trying to rub that focus level and that engagement to detail into every one of my teammates.”
There’s more on the Nets:
- Bruce Brown is ready for the challenge of trying to slow down the Bucks, who were the NBA’s top scoring team during the regular season, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The defensive specialist will match up with Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton during the series and may be called on to help with Giannis Antetokounmpo.“It’s three-level scorers that can do a little bit of everything, get everybody involved. No team’s been better offensively this year, so really we’re just trying to be physical with them and try to limit their game,” Brown said. “We know what Giannis can do, we know what they can do, so try to be physical and try to limit their opportunities and make it tough.”
- Jeff Green has been ruled out for tonight’s Game 1 with a left plantar fascia strain, but the Nets are hoping he’ll be available later in the series, Lewis adds in a separate story. Coach Steve Nash said the team considers Green day-to-day. “Just gonna continue to monitor it and then over the course of the next two, three days, hopefully get a clearer picture,” Nash said. “He’s working out. … I shouldn’t comment on that because in case I get it wrong, but I definitely see him with our strength and conditioning team and performance team, doing his thing.”
- With Jason Kidd being considered for head coaching jobs in Portland and possibly Boston, Howie Kussoy of The New York Post looks at what went wrong during his time in charge of the Nets and Bucks and how both franchises became successful after he left.
Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Simmons, Celtics, Lowry
Joel Embiid has been listed as questionable for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. The Sixers center will undergo further treatment and workouts before his status is determined for the Sunday afternoon game, Charania adds.
Embiid hasn’t played since suffering a small meniscus tear in his right knee on Monday. He is considered day to day, and his availability will depend on how the knee responds.
Embiid was limited to individual workouts during practices today and Friday, according to Ky Carlin of USA Today’s Sixers Wire. Embiid didn’t join his teammates for any live-ball activities at either session.
“The same,” coach Doc Rivers said when asked for an update on Embiid’s condition. “He did a little bit on the floor, no live, I can say that today. Just he did what he could do.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The uncertainty surrounding Embiid gives Ben Simmons a chance to cement his legacy with the Sixers, writes Marcus Hayes of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Simmons helped close out the Wizards with a triple-double in Game 5, but the Hawks should be a more difficult challenge. Hayes points out that Rivers and first-year president of basketball operations Daryl Morey inherited Simmons from the previous regime and may not hesitate to move on from him if they don’t believe he can help them win a title.
- Celtics assistant Scott Morrison will interview for the team’s head coaching vacancy, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The 43-year-old Morrison earned G League Coach of the Year honors in 2015 with the Maine Red Claws and has been part of Brad Stevens’ staff since 2017. Fellow Boston assistant Jerome Allen, who has also been confirmed for an interview with the Celtics, will interview for the Trail Blazers’ head coaching spot as well, tweets Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe.
- The Raptors will have plenty of competition for Kyle Lowry in free agency this summer, with the Lakers, Heat, Knicks and Sixers all expected to pursue him, writes Dave Feschuk of The Toronto Star. He notes that Lowry said, “Money talks, and years talk” in his postseason press conference, indicating the veteran point guard will be looking for a multiyear offer.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Eastern Conference
Throughout the season, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents this offseason. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. With the playoffs in full swing, we take a look at players from the Eastern Conference:
Elfrid Payton, Knicks, 27, PG (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $4.77MM deal in 2020
Payton’s postseason role was reduced to something rarely seen in any sport – the starting lineup cameo. He played a few ineffective minutes, then never returned to the court for two games until coach Tom Thibodeau completely gave up on him. Payton started regularly all season but his post-All-Star break woes drove Knicks fans nuts. They won’t have to worry about a repeat – Payton will be an unrestricted free agent. Payton has been a starter throughout his career but it’s hard to imagine him getting much more than the veteran’s minimum to fill out someone’s bench next season.
Evan Fournier, Celtics, 28, SF (Down) – Signed to a five-year, $85MM deal in 2016
Fournier was the biggest acquisition the Celtics made at the trade deadline and they leaned on him heavily against the Nets with Jaylen Brown sidelined. Fournier averaged 15.4 PPG on 43.3% shooting from 3-point range in 33.4 MPG. Solid numbers, but he’s not the type of player who can carry a team. Fournier is expected to seek a contract similar to the one he signed with the Magic five seasons ago but is he really a $17MM a year player? There’s a general sense that Fournier may have to settle for the mid-level exception or something slightly above that figure.
Duncan Robinson, Heat, 27, SF (Up) – Signed to a three-year, $3MM deal in 2018
Robinson pumped in 24 points in Game 1 against the Bucks, then petered out the rest of the series. That won’t hurt him in restricted free agency. The Heat have to make a lot of tough decisions this offseason – one of them will be how big an offer sheet they’d be willing to match to retain Robinson. First, they’ll have to extend a $4.7MM qualifying offer but that’s a formality. During last season’s playoff run to the Finals, Robinson averaged 11.7 PPG. He’s a career 42.3% 3-point shooter and he’ll be looking for a big payday after playing on a rookie contract.
Alex Len, Wizards, 27, C (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $1.7MM deal in 2020
Len has passed through a handful of organizations over the past four seasons. He’ll be on the move again as an unrestricted free agent. Len received 40 regular-season starts from the injury-depleted Wizards after getting waived by the Raptors. His playing time shrunk throughout the first-round series against Philadelphia – he played a grand total of three minutes in the last two games. Whether or not Thomas Bryant can effectively return from his knee injury next season, Washington needs to upgrade its frontcourt. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Ukranian-born Len explores European options.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Southeast Notes: Westbrook, Evans, Reddish, Huerter, Heat Arena
Russell Westbrook said he’s been embraced by the Wizards organization and the fans in the Washington, D.C. area, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes. “It’s been great,” he said. “The city, the team, the coaches; everybody has kind of welcomed me and my family with open arms. That’s all you can ask for.” Westbrook has two more seasons left on his contract. He’ll make $44.2MM next season and holds a $47MM option for the 2022/23 season.
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- Dr. Katherine Evans has been named VP of research & information systems for the Wizards as well as the G League’s Go-Go and WNBA’s Mystics, according to a team press release. Evans is the first woman to head the research or analytics department of an NBA franchise. Prior to joining the Wizards, Dr. Evans served as the director of strategic research for the Raptors.
- The Hawks could be adding another player to their rotation in the second round. Cam Reddish, who has been sidelined by right Achilles soreness, has progressed to full participation in practices the last two days, including live action, according to a team press release. Following upcoming five-on-five full-court scrimmages, he will be reviewed once again. Reddish has not played since February 21.
- The Hawks ought to lock up Kevin Huerter with a rookie scale extension this offseason, even if he remains on the second unit, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic opines. Huerter’s perimeter shooting and ability to guard multiple positions gives the Hawks plenty of lineup flexibility, Kirschner notes. A contract extension similar to the one Luke Kennard received from the Clippers (worth up to $64MM over four years) would make sense, considering Huerter is a better all-around player, Kirschner adds.
- The Heat will be playing in the same building but it has a new name. After a long run as AmericanAirlines Arena, the Heat’s home will be called FTX Arena, the team tweets.
Steve Clifford Will Not Return As Magic Coach
12:10pm: The team has confirmed the decision via a press release. The statement suggests Clifford may pursue other head coaching opportunities.
“We would like to thank Steve for his contributions to the Orlando Magic,” Weltman said. “We appreciate the many sacrifices he has made as our head coach and understand the timeline of our new path does not align with his goals as a head coach in our league.”
11:45am: The Magic and coach Steve Clifford have mutually agreed to part ways, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.
Clifford has met with management multiple times over recent weeks and the two sides ultimately agreed to move on. Clifford guided the Magic into the playoffs in his first two seasons with a core group that included Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier.
Those players were shipped away at the trade deadline as the organization went into full rebuild mode. A season-ending injury to point guard Markelle Fultz began the chain of events that convinced the front office to hit the reset button.
Clifford compiled a 96-131 regular-season record with the club. Management will obviously be seeking a head coach who can develop young talent and stay patient through the process.
Clifford, 59, coached Charlotte for five seasons before he was hired by the Magic. He had one year left on his contract.
Orlando joins Portland and Boston as teams seeking new head coaches. According to Marc Stein of the New York Times (Twitter link), the Magic are interested in Terry Stotts, who parted ways with the Trail Blazers on Friday.
The recent talks between Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman and Clifford centered on the veteran coach’s long-term future with the franchise.
Orlando’s management was pleased with Clifford and his coaching staff and discussed the possibility of a contract extension, Josh Robbins of The Athletic reports. But with the Magic in the early stages of a rebuild, Clifford wasn’t ready to commit to a longer deal.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Kerr: No Regrets On Wiseman Plan; Changes Coming
Warriors coach Steve Kerr has “no regrets” about the organization’s decision to force-feed lottery pick James Wiseman in the early stages of this season, he told Tim Kawakami of The Athletic in a wide-ranging interview.
After Klay Thompson suffered another season-ending injury prior to the draft, the Warriors brass decided that this season would be “about getting ready for next year in a lot of ways,” Kerr said. Getting Wiseman acclimated to the NBA game became a higher priority.
“No regrets at all. I think it made perfect sense to start him right away,” Kerr said of the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft. “And then I think we started him for the first 16, 17 games, and at that point, that’s when I decided to start (Kevon) Looney. And that decision felt right, too, because we’d given him a good month or so, month and a half, bigger sample size so we knew what we were dealing with.”
Wiseman’s season was cut short in early April by a knee injury. Stephen Curry‘s offensive efficiency numbers were much lower with Wiseman on the court but Kerr is confident they’ll coexist in the future. It’s likely Wiseman will come off the bench next season.
“The way I look at it, he’s 20 years old, unbelievably talented,” Kerr said. “I’ve said all these things many times, but it’s worth repeating. Twenty years old and talented and a great kid. Just be patient and he’s going to develop.”
There were several other notable statements made by Kerr during the interview. Here’s some of the highlights:
- Staff changes will be made. “A staff is no different from a roster where you get a little stale and you need some new blood, you need some new energy, you need to maybe move some things around, move some pieces around, change roles. There’s a lot that we’re discussing.”
- Roster changes will also be made and Kerr is seeking more veterans, regardless of positions. “You want size and shooting in the same package. You want (a player like) Andre Iguodala, you want somebody who can guard multiple positions and when you get into a playoff game you want somebody who can guard LeBron (James) or Kawhi (Leonard), those guys. But somebody who can also make plays offensively.”
- Despite some serious back issues in prior seasons, Kerr is feeling much better physically and still has a zest for coaching. “It’s really a lot of fun for me. I have no plans on stepping down any time soon.”
Central Notes: Lopez, Plumlee, Bjorkgren, Sabonis, Turner
Bucks center Brook Lopez will be facing his former team in the conference semifinals and Nets coach Steve Nash believes he could be a key player in the series, according to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. “He could be one of the wild cards,” Nash said. Lopez, who is signed through the 2022/23 season, averaged 15.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG and 1.3 BPG during the first-round sweep of the Heat.
We have more from the Central Division:
- The Pistons raised a lot of eyebrows when they signed Nuggets reserve center Mason Plumlee to a three-year, $24MM+ contract last fall but Plumlee justified it with a productive season, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes. Plumlee averaged 10.4 PPG, a career-high 9.3 RPG and 3.6 APG while serving as a post facilitator and setting solid screens. He’ll remain a rotation fixture in his second season with the franchise, Langlois adds.
- The Pacers’ offseason appears to be on hold until the front office decides what to do with head coach Nate Bjorkgren, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files writes. It’s the biggest decision that team president Kevin Pritchard will make to date and he’s pondering all his options.
- If the Pacers decide to break up their frontcourt duo of All-Star Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner, it’s generally assumed the front office will move Turner. Indianapolis Star columnist Gregg Doyel (subscription required) explores a variety of metrics and concludes that it’s not a clear-cut decision.
Lillard Favors Kidd For Blazers’ Job, Also Likes Billups
Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard has already gone on the record regarding Terry Stotts’ potential replacement, and he favors two other former All-Star point guards.
Lillard told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports that he’d like to see Lakers assistant Jason Kidd get the job. Portland parted ways with Stotts, its nine-year head coach, on Friday night after the Blazers’ latest early playoff exit.
“Jason Kidd is the guy I want,” Lillard said.
Haynes reported shortly after the news broke of Stotts’ departure that Lillard would have significant input in the hiring process. Stotts has been his only head coach since he entered the league.
According to Haynes, Lillard and Kidd “have a great relationship” and Lillard has great respect for Kidd’s basketball acumen and knowledge, believing he could get the team to the next level.
In a story written by The Athletic’s Jason Quick and Shams Charania, Lillard added another name to the mix — Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups.
“I like J. Kidd and Chauncey,” Lillard said.
The Athletic story added that Dame prefers Kidd, mainly due to his head coaching experience, but that Portland’s front office is intrigued by Billups. It’s believed that the job will go to one or the other.
Kidd’s record as a head coach — one season with the Nets and three-plus seasons with the Bucks — is 183-190. He was fired by Milwaukee midway through the 2017/18 campaign. He’s been one of the Lakers’ top assistants under Frank Vogel the last two seasons.
Billups, the 2004 Finals MVP, joined Ty Lue’s staff after a stint with ESPN.
Billups, ABC broadcaster and former Rockets/Knicks head coach Jeff Van Gundy, former head coach and current Nets assistant Mike D’Antoni, and University of Michigan head coach and former Heat assistant Juwan Howard were named as potential candidates by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Blazers didn’t want to make a hasty decision on Stotts’ status but the 63-year-old coach and his agent wanted a quick resolution so that they could explore other opportunities, according to The Athletic. Stotts is believed to be a candidate for the Pacers job if they move on from Nate Bjorkgren.
Lillard heaped praise on Stotts and wished things had turned out differently.
“I feel down about it, because I’m not much a fan of change,” Lillard said. “And every memory of mine in this uniform includes him.”
However, there were increasing concerns about Stotts’ ability to connect with his players and make in-game adjustments.