Potential No. 1 Pick Nikola Topic Enters NBA Draft
Nikola Topic has decided to put his name into the NBA draft, agent Misko Raznatovic announced (via Twitter).
In a year without a clear No. 1 pick, the 18-year-old Serbian star could be in contention for the first selection. He’s ranked fifth in ESPN’s latest list of the top 100 prospects and would fill a need for a team looking for a skilled ball-handler. The 6’7″ Topic’s creativity and his ability to break down defenses aren’t in question, but there are concerns about his three-point shooting and intensity on defense, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN.
Topic was off to a strong start with Crvena Zvedza in Belgrade before suffering a knee injury that has kept him out of action since January 4. He was still named the ABA League’s Top Prospect and was voted onto the all-league team after averaging 17.9 points and 6.8 assists during the time he was able to play.
Topic received MVP honors while capturing a gold medal with Serbia at the 2023 FIBA U18 European Championship, according to Eurohoops.
Central Notes: Cavaliers, DeRozan, Dosunmu, Drummond, Rivers, Giannis
The boos that the Cavaliers heard as they left the court after Sunday’s loss to Charlotte weren’t directed at the players, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. There was an organizational decision to rest several rotation members rather than prioritize a win that would have earned the team the No. 2 seed and avoided a potential second-round matchup with the league-leading Celtics. The result was embarrassing, as Cleveland was outscored 18-2 to end the game and will face Orlando in the first round after falling to fourth place.
Vardon notes that the loss of Craig Porter Jr. to a sprained ankle in the first quarter left the Cavs short on ball-handlers. With Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Caris LeVert all sitting out, there was no one to run the offense as the lead slipped away.
“It was difficult (to watch), but we had our plan in place with what we were gonna do with our guys,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “(Our starters) were gonna play those three quarters, and then Craig not being out there made it a little difficult to organize and score in the fourth quarter, but we wanted to stick to our plan, and no matter what was going to happen, we were going to give our guys an opportunity to play.”
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Thirty-four-year-old DeMar DeRozan finished the season as the NBA’s leader in minutes, per Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. The Bulls swingman was on the court for 2,988 minutes, his highest total in a decade, as he became the first player over age 30 to league the league in that category since LeBron James did it six years ago. “And he doesn’t miss practice. He doesn’t miss shootaround,” Coby White said of DeRozan. “He’s early to everything. Those are the things I notice. He’s always on time. He’s always one of the first ones there. You know how some guys can be. And for him, it’s just his professionalism day in and day out never changes.”
- The Bulls have some injury concerns heading into Wednesday’s play-in game, notes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Ayo Dosunmu has a bruised quad and Andre Drummond is dealing with a sprained left ankle, and neither is certain to play against Atlanta. ‘‘Ayo is having issues with the running and the starting and the sprinting and the stopping,’’ coach Billy Donovan said. ‘‘There’s been some discomfort there for him. He has to get over that hurdle. I think there is hope he can clear those hurdles.’’
- Bucks coach Doc Rivers is looking forward to a playoff matchup against Indiana, which was 4-1 against Milwaukee this season, according to Jamal Collier of ESPN. They haven’t faced each other since January 3, which was before Rivers took over the team. “Indiana has had our number all year, so perfect opponent,” Rivers said. “They’ve played great against us. They have great confidence against us. We’ll have great focus because we’re going to have to.”
- Giannis Antetokounmpo may not be available for the start of that series, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). The Bucks star hasn’t played since Tuesday when he suffered a soleus strain in his left calf, and Rivers confirmed over the weekend that there are doubts about his status for the opener.
Ja’Kobe Walter Declares For NBA Draft
Baylor guard Ja’Kobe Walter has decided to enter the 2024 NBA draft, announcing his intentions in an interview with Shams Charania of The Athletic (video link).
“After praying and just talking to my family about it, I’ve just decided that I’m going to declare for the 2024 NBA draft,” Walter said. “My reasoning for that, all my life I’ve been working super hard and this has always been a goal of mine. … I’m pretty proud of how I did this past season, and I’m just confident, so after just talking, that’s what I decided to do.”
The 6’5″ Walter was one of the top recruits in the nation heading into college. He made an immediate impact with the Bears as a freshman, starting all 35 games he played and averaging 14.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 37.6% from the field and 34.1% from three-point range. He was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year and earned third-team all-conference honors.
Walter is viewed as a potential lottery pick heading into the early stages of the draft process. ESPN has him listed at No. 12 on its list of the top 100 prospects, stating that his explosive scoring combined with his defensive prowess could make him a valuable pickup.
“The biggest thing I want (NBA teams) to know is that I’m a competitor offensively and defensively,” Walter told Charania. “I’m going to give everything I’ve got. Unselfish player, if I’ve got to just rebound and crash the glass and dive on the floor to win, then I’m going to do that to win, but I think there’s a lot more to my game, especially my shooting. I think I’m the best shooter in the draft, and these past few weeks I’ve been working on my shooting more. Just a very elite shooter who can space the floor, and my handle is getting better so I’m going to be able to create my own shots off the dribble and get to my mid-range.”
Knicks Notes: Thibodeau, Robinson, Achiuwa, Brunson
The Knicks had a chance to create a more favorable first-round matchup for themselves by losing on Sunday, but coach Tom Thibodeau didn’t consider it, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Coming down the stretch of a tight game with Chicago, the team’s choices were clear: a loss would mean the three seed and opening the playoffs against the inexperienced Pacers, while a win would put the team in second place and set up a matchup with either the Sixers, who closed the season with eight straight wins, or the Heat, who went from the play-in tournament to the NBA Finals last season.
Thibodeau opted to play for the victory, and he didn’t understand why anyone would second-guess his strategy.
“Really? I mean the object is to win,” he said in response to a question at post-game meeting with reporters. “Put everything you have into winning. That’s the bottom line. … I think everything does matter. That’s just me personally. And so when we talk about, from the start of the season, we want to be our best at the end. And that’s something we strive for. Every day.”
New York, Milwaukee and Cleveland all entered Sunday afternoon with a chance to claim the No. 2 seed. Only the Knicks won, and they had to fight off a feisty Bulls team in overtime as Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart all logged more than 40 minutes. DiVincenzo endorsed his coach’s fearless attitude.
“We don’t care what they’re doing,” he said of the other Eastern teams. “We’re focused on our locker room. Whatever they decide to do, that’s their team, their organization’s decision. Our decision was to play. Everybody played and we won the game.”
There’s more from New York:
- Thibodeau wasn’t able to provide an explanation for why center Mitchell Robinson was ruled out for the second half on Sunday, Bondy states in a separate story. Robinson, who returned in late March after missing 50 games following ankle surgery, played just seven minutes, with Thibodeau saying, “They just told me he was unavailable.” Thibodeau speculated that the decision might have been “precautionary,” as Robinson played 25 minutes on Friday, his highest total since the operation.
- With Robinson unavailable and Isaiah Hartenstein reaching his minutes limit, the Knicks got valuable minutes from Precious Achiuwa, Bondy adds. The backup big man played nearly all of overtime and made a game-saving defensive stop on Chicago’s final possession. “[Achiuwa in OT] was huge, it was huge,” Thibodeau said. “(Nikola) Vucevic is a load to deal with. And when teams go small, what Precious gives you is the ability to switch. So I think that’s important for us as well.”
- Brunson reached 40 points for the 11th time this season, moving him into a tie for second with Patrick Ewing in the franchise record book, Bondy notes in another piece. Thibodeau said Brunson’s work ethic is similar to Ewing’s, telling reporters, “As soon as we signed Jalen, he was immediately in the gym. You could come in any day in the summer, and he’s in at the same time. Full speed, great concentration, there’s no fake-a-gram or Instagram or whatever they call it.”
Warriors Notes: Dunleavy, Trade Deadline, Green, Curry, Kuminga
Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. didn’t shy away from the challenge of taking over a dynasty in decline, writes Ann Killion of The San Francisco Chronicle. When former GM Bob Myers opted to leave the organization last summer, Dunleavy inherited the job of running a team with aging veterans and a record tax bill. The results in his first year have been mixed, as Golden State — two years off its last championship — needed a late surge just to secure a play-in spot.
“It’s a different challenge, as opposed to taking a team at the bottom and building,” Dunleavy said. “This job is, ‘Hey, we want to keep it going.’ That’s a challenge, but it’s one that I’m comfortable with and that I’m up for. But, yeah, it’s a lot of work.”
Dunleavy made a big move in his first days on the job, Killion adds, getting rid of Jordan Poole‘s contract by trading him to Washington for long-time Warriors rival Chris Paul. Dunleavy also landed two rotation pieces on draft night by selecting Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis.
Up next is a challenging offseason that will include a crucial decision involving Klay Thompson, who’s headed for free agency after 13 years with the team.
“It’s just evaluating and seeing where we end up,” Dunleavy said. “Then, when it’s all said and done, we’ll see what decisions we need to make. But on the whole I think we have a good idea of what this team is and what we need moving forward.”
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Dunleavy explained his decision to stand pat at the trade deadline, telling Killion that Draymond Green‘s suspension factored into it. Green had recently been reinstated by the league, and Dunleavy was reluctant to pursue a major deal without seeing the full team together. “You certainly see how much we need him on the court,” Dunleavy said. “We’re not the same team without him. We’re really committed to this roster and felt like we just needed more time to jell. I don’t know of any trade that could have made us better.”
- Dunleavy is determined to keep Stephen Curry with the Warriors for the rest of his career, Killion adds. The 36-year-old guard is under contract through the 2025/26 season. “I would say there’s nothing taxing about Steph — I’ll take that guy any day of the week, at any point in his career,” Dunleavy said. “We have to figure out how we build around him, because he’s going to be here — he’s going to be here forever. We have to take that all into account. But there’s a lot worse guys you could see the tail end of their career with.”
- Jonathan Kuminga sat out Friday’s game and is listed as questionable for Sunday with a right pelvic contusion he suffered in Thursday’s contest, per Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. “He fell and kind of bruised his tailbone and is in a lot of pain,” coach Steve Kerr said. Curry, Thompson, Green and Paul are also questionable, while Gary Payton II is out, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Nurse, Pritchard, Robinson
The Sixers avoided a potential disaster Friday night on their way to a seventh straight win, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Joel Embiid, playing for the fifth time since returning from meniscus surgery, was limping and grabbing his knee after making a shot late in the second quarter. He walked to the locker room to have it examined and was able to return for the start of the second half.
“They assessed him at halftime and there was no swelling, no damage, none of that kind of stuff,” coach Nick Nurse told reporters after the game (video link). “… They said he should be OK to try it, and he wanted to try the second half and it was OK. We’ll have to again, just like we do everybody in every game, assess it again tomorrow morning and see what happens.”
Nurse said the knee responded “good” overnight and Embiid was able to participate in a light practice Saturday in preparation for the season finale against Brooklyn, tweets Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. He’s listed as questionable on the team’s injury report.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Sixers face several playoff scenarios heading into Sunday, but Nurse said that won’t have any effect on his coaching strategy, per Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Nurse is more concerned with establishing a rhythm heading into the postseason than trying to create a favorable matchup.
- With the Celtics resting their starters Friday, Payton Pritchard responded with the best night of his career, notes Brian Robb of MassLive. Pritchard posted 31 points and 11 assists, making him the first Celtic since Larry Bird to reach those numbers in 31 minutes or fewer. This is the first season that playing time hasn’t been an issue for Pritchard, and he’s seizing the opportunity. “For any player, you get spot minutes, it’s tough,” he said. “You don’t know when it’s gonna come. When you do get minutes, like what is your role out there? What are you being put out there for? I think in the past, a lot of the time it wasn’t necessarily for me to be like a point guard or even like a playmaker. It was really to try to come in and hit some threes and bring energy defensively, rebounding, stuff like that. I think my role has definitely grown a little bit this year. With that, I’ve grown and been better at playmaking. But just making the game easier for myself, but also my teammates.”
- Knicks center Mitchell Robinson was able to play the entire fourth quarter Friday, which is a significant milestone in his return from ankle surgery, observes Steve Popper of Newsday. “Mitch makes plays that no one else can just in terms of impacting shots, pick-and-roll coverage,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “So I thought he was terrific. Mitch can cover a lot of ground and I thought that was huge for us.”
Lakers Notes: Play-In Picture, Vincent, Timer’s Error, Vanderbilt, LeBron
There are countless ways the Western Conference standings could end up, but the Lakers‘ mission is clear heading into Sunday’s game, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. Regardless of what else happens, L.A. can secure the No. 8 seed with a victory at New Orleans. That would avoid a potential meeting with the Warriors in the 9-10 matchup with both teams’ seasons on the line.
“Every game matters,” LeBron James said. “Every seed matters.”
The Lakers know that from experience after rising from the seventh seed to reach the Western Conference Finals last season. Woike notes that the worst-case scenario they face on Sunday would be losing to the Pelicans while Golden State and Sacramento both win, which would drop L.A. to No. 10. The Lakers could finish ninth with a loss if either the Warriors or Kings also lose.
Sunday’s game will be challenging because New Orleans, which has won four straight, is also highly motivated. A victory would ensure the sixth seed for the Pelicans, who are just one game ahead of Phoenix.
“They got a lot of weapons on both sides of the floor. And we have to be able to play the right way,” Anthony Davis said after a narrow win Friday at Memphis. “We can’t play how we played tonight, the turnovers and letting them get offensive rebounds and sloppy play. They’ll take advantage of it.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- Gabe Vincent delivered his best game since returning from knee surgery to help L.A. avoid a costly loss to the Grizzlies, Woike adds. Playing for just the 10th time this season, Vincent logged 19 minutes off the bench and was a plus-27. “Gabe’s a winner. It’s that simple,” James said. “And as he continues to get his legs up underneath him, hopefully he has enough time, hopefully we continue to give him enough time to get his legs up underneath him. But he’s a winner. That’s why we brought him on.”
- The NBA confirmed that a timer’s error added an extra 1:06 to Friday’s game, per Jonah Dylan of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Play was stopped for a shot clock violation with 1:14 left in the third quarter, but the game clock was reset to 2:20 without anyone catching the mistake. “The error was not noticed in real time by the teams, the referees, the game clock operator or the stats crew,” NBA spokesman Tim Frank said. “While unfortunate, the error was not identified in time to resolve the situation in-game.”
- There’s no clarity on Jarred Vanderbilt‘s status as the regular season winds down, according to Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. The power forward hasn’t played since February 1 because of a sprain in his right foot, and coach Darvin Ham offered only a brief update on his condition. “He had a good workout [Friday],” Ham said, “so we’ll see.”
- Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report examines how the Lakers would be affected if James decides to turn down his $51.4MM player option this summer.
Raptors Re-Sign Malik Williams For End Of Season
After his 10-day contract expired on Friday, Malik Williams has signed with the Raptors for the rest of the season, tweets Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca. The new deal only covers Sunday’s game and doesn’t extend to 2024/25, Murphy adds.
Williams appeared in six games and made two starts for Toronto during his first 10 days with the team. He averaged 2.2 points and 5.7 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per night while shooting 22% from the field. His best game was Wednesday against Brooklyn when he scored seven points and collected 14 boards in 24 minutes of action.
The 25-year-old center is playing in the NBA for the first time after going undrafted out of Louisville in 2022. He played one season in Poland before joining Miami’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, for the start of this season. He averaged 10.1 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 42 Showcase Cup and NBAGL regular season games with Sioux Falls.
Williams’ future with the organization is uncertain after the Raptors close the season tomorrow at Miami. The new contract suggests he made a positive impression on the front office, so he could be part of Toronto’s Summer League team in Las Vegas.
Nets Notes: Clowney, Claxton, Finney-Smith, Thomas
The late-season emergence of Noah Clowney has the Nets believing he might develop into an effective power forward alongside Nic Claxton, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Clowney and Claxton have been seeing time on the court together lately in a Twin Towers look that Lewis notes is rare in Brooklyn since Sean Marks took over as general manager in 2016.
“I think the league is kind of [changing] — it’s not all about small-ball anymore,” Claxton said. “You see a lot of teams that have two bigs on the court. They have more size on the court. And that’s an area that we’ve really lacked in the past, so maybe that can fix our problems.”
At 19, Clowney is the league’s fourth-youngest player and he needed time to develop his game in the G League after being selected with the 21st pick in last year’s draft. He has appeared in just 22 NBA games and has only been used alongside Claxton in eight of those, but there are signs that they can work together. They combined for 12 blocked shots Wednesday against Toronto, and they’ve been the team’s best two-man combination at +22.8 heading into Friday night.
“If we can figure out how to be real efficient offensively — because we know we can defensively — but if we can figure out how to do it offensively,” Clowney said, “then I think we can be real dangerous together.”
There’s more from Brooklyn:
- If the Nets view Clowney as a rotation player for next season, that could influence their offseason plans, Lewis adds. Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith have split time at power forward for most of the season, but both are undersized for the position and Clowney could make one of them expendable. Sources tell Lewis that the Nets turned down offers for Finney-Smith at the last two trade deadlines. He’ll turn 31 next month and is signed for $14.9MM next season with a $15.4MM player option for 2025/26.
- Claxton, who’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer, tells Michael Scotto of HoopsHype that the chance to negotiate a new contract comes at a perfect time. “I feel great. I’m in a great situation,” he said. “These past couple of years have been really good. I somewhat gambled on myself with a shorter contract, and it’s all paying off.” Scotto views Claxton, who’s in the final season of a two-year, $17.25MM deal, as the top center on the free agent market. Claxton adds that “being a playoff team and winning games” will factor into his decision.
- Cam Thomas believes his improved performance is a result of getting regular playing time (video link from Erik Slater of Clutch Points). Thomas more than doubled his scoring average in his third NBA season, bringing it to 22.5 PPG in 65 games. “You can’t really develop anywhere if you don’t play,” he said. “… So this year, I really took the reps I got and made the most of them. … First two years, I’m in and out of the lineup, I don’t know when I’m gonna play again. … This year, I’m playing.”
Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, Mamukelashvili, Branham, Graham
Victor Wembanyama‘s remarkable rookie season is officially over, tweets Andrew Lopez of ESPN. Wembanyama is listed as out for right ankle injury management on the Spurs‘ report for Sunday’s finale with Detroit.
After being the most anticipated draft pick in 20 years, the French big man made a powerful impact during his first NBA season, averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and a league-leading 3.6 blocks in 71 games. Lopez notes that he’s the first rookie to reach those numbers since blocks became an official statistic 50 years ago.
Coach Gregg Popovich indicated before Friday’s game that Wembanyama could be held out on Sunday, according to Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News, and that was before he played 37 minutes in a win over Denver. The Spurs have been careful with their prized rookie recently, resting him on the second night of a back-to-back last week.
“I know this has been in the air,” Wembanyama told reporters Friday night. “I mean, I felt it’s been in the air for some weeks, but I’m always going to fight to play.”
There’s more from San Antonio:
- Sandro Mamukelashvili is making a strong case for a new contract, McDonald notes in the same piece. The backup big man wasn’t used much early in the season, but he has taken advantage of opportunities presented by injuries and is averaging 10.4 points and 10.1 rebounds over the past seven games, including a season-high 21 points on Friday. Mamukelashvili signed a one-year, minimum-salary deal after becoming a free agent last summer and is eligible for restricted free agency this offseason. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but I love being here,” he said. “I love being around the guys, connecting with them, learning, growing. I’m looking forward to the future and if it’s here, I’ll be very happy.”
- Malaki Branham missed Friday’s game with concussion symptoms and won’t play Sunday either, McDonald adds. The second-year guard was struck in the head during Wednesday’s game at Oklahoma City.
- Teammates were thrilled for Devonte’ Graham after his game-winning shot in the final second to beat the Nuggets, McDonald writes in a separate story. It has been a difficult season for the 29-year-old guard, who only appeared in 12 games before the All-Star break, but Popovich has been impressed by how he has remained sharp and has served as a leader for his younger teammates. “He busted his ass all year long,” Popovich said. “He was always ready. I’m sure he didn’t like (not playing), but he was always there for his team.”