Australian Coach “Not Recruiting” Ben Simmons
Australian national team coach Brian Goorjian would like to have Ben Simmons on his roster for the 2024 Olympics, but he told Olgun Uluc of ESPN that the Boomers will be fine whether the Nets guard plays or not.
“This is very important,” Goorjian said. “In my dealings with Ben, it’s always been: I’m not recruiting you. It’s important for the country (to know), we’re not going, ‘Please, Ben, please, we don’t have anything if you don’t play’. We’re not like that at all.”
Basketball Australia announced in late June that Simmons would miss this year’s World Cup so he could continue to rehabilitate his back in preparation for the upcoming NBA season. Recent reports indicate that Simmons is fully healthy and will be ready when Brooklyn’s training camp begins.
Uluc points out that Simmons hasn’t played for Australia since a FIBA Oceania Championship game in 2013. He wasn’t selected for the Boomers’ World Cup squad in 2014, which Goorjian believes led to resentment. Simmons committed to taking part in the 2016 Olympics, the 2019 World Cup and the 2020 Olympics, but he never actually joined the team.
Australia has become a perennial contender in international competitions and it’s not as easy to earn a roster spot as it used to be, even for a former star like Simmons, Uluc adds. His expected role as primary ball-handler now belongs to Josh Giddey, although Simmons is versatile enough to help the Boomers in other ways if he’s healthy and fully committed to playing.
That’s a decision Simmons will have to make by next summer, and Goorjian is adamant that the Australians will be competitive with or without him.
“You have a game plan, and it’s like plan B,” Goorjian said. “You’ve got this sitting in here, and you just go, ‘I’d love to pull this out of my pocket; bring this out for a World Cup or bring this out for an Olympics.’ In the same breath, what is phenomenal about Australian basketball right now is, if he doesn’t play, and if it doesn’t work, we’re still on the same path. We’re still going for that gold, and we have the ability, long term, to get that done.”
Sixers No Longer Trying To Trade James Harden
The Sixers have halted trade talks involving James Harden and plan to have him on the roster when training camp opens, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Sources tell Wojnarowski that Philadelphia had discussions with the Clippers, who are Harden’s preferred destination, but the teams weren’t able to make any progress toward a deal.
Harden and the Sixers’ front office agreed to work together to find a trade when he picked up his $35.6MM option for next season. However, team officials believe Harden gives them a chance to win a title and they don’t want to break up a potential championship roster, according to Wojnarowski’s sources.
Woj adds that Harden has remained insistent about a trade, so there could be an “uncomfortable situation” when training camp opens. There’s precedent for that, as Harden forced his way out of Houston and Brooklyn before arriving in Philadelphia. Even so, management isn’t willing to part with him unless the Sixers receive similar value in return.
Harden is a former MVP and a 10-time All-Star, and the Clippers don’t have anyone of that stature unless they give up Kawhi Leonard or Paul George, which they haven’t shown any willingness to do.
A more likely offer would include veterans such as Marcus Morris ($17.1MM), Nicolas Batum ($11.7MM) and Robert Covington ($11.7MM), whose expiring contracts could help match Harden’s salary, along with a young player or two and draft assets.
A report last month said L.A. has been reluctant to include guard Terance Mann in any offer for Harden.
Rockets Notes: Green, Stone, Sengun, Smith
Jalen Green made a positive impression during his time scrimmaging against Team USA in Las Vegas, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Green helped the Select Team pick up an early victory in the competitions, and Grant Hill, managing director of USA Basketball, liked what he saw from the Rockets‘ young guard.
“He played well,” Hill said. “He was one of the few guys that I had not seen in person. I obviously had seen him in highlights and on videos, even going back to high school. He’s dynamic. He’s explosive. He’s very confident.”
Green has experienced individual success during his first two NBA seasons, averaging 17.3 and 22.1 points per game, but the rebuilding Rockets have been among the NBA’s worst teams. Houston aggressively upgraded its roster this summer, and Hill sees a brighter future for Green and the organization.
“He’s had a couple of seasons to really understand what the NBA is, and that’s important,” Hill said. “I like the moves the Rockets made this offseason bringing in veteran guys, guys who have been around the league, guys who have had success — Fred (VanVleet) has been a champion — but can still play. You bring in coach (Ime) Udoka, who brings in a level of accountability and teaching. All of that, for a guy like Jalen, is a great chance for him to really grow. I think he’s ready and that team is ready to take a step this season.”
There’s more from Houston:
- NBA teams don’t have full control over whether their players take part in international competitions, but Rockets general manager Rafael Stone is happy to see so many of his players involved, Feigen adds. Australia’s Jock Landale and Canada’s Dillon Brooks will both participate in the FIBA World Cup. “If we were in a position to have more control, it would be a very player-by-player thing,” Stone said. “This summer, I’m really happy for our guys. They’re at points in their careers the additional reps are very valuable. … I can see where teams have concerns. In our case this summer, we’re comfortable, and we’re encouraging those guys not just to play but to play great and come back as better players.”
- Another Rockets player getting international experience is center Alperen Sengun, who is on Turkey’s roster for an Olympics pre-qualifying tournament that begins Saturday, per Cesare Milanti of Eurohoops. The Turkish team will face Bulgaria, Iceland and Ukraine.
- A survey conducted by Kelly Iko of The Athletic finds that fans are optimistic about the Rockets’ chances to improve and are expecting a breakout season from Jabari Smith Jr.
Robert Covington Approaching 2023/24 Season With “Vendetta”
Robert Covington feels like he has a lot to prove to the Clippers after being kept out of the rotation for nearly all of last season, writes Law Murray of The Athletic.
The 32-year-old forward appeared in just 48 games and averaged 16.2 minutes per night, the lowest total since his rookie season. He doesn’t understand why he spent so much time on the bench, adding that he hasn’t talked to head coach Tyronn Lue since the playoffs ended.
L.A. was Covington’s fifth team in four years when the Clippers acquired him shortly before the 2022 trade deadline. He became the primary backup at power forward and believed the fit was so good that he didn’t test free agency, opting for a two-year extension with L.A. instead.
Covington had a regular role at the beginning of last season while starting center Ivica Zubac was injured. But after entering health and safety protocols at the end of October, Covington didn’t see consistent playing time again. He was expecting to be traded before the February deadline, Murray adds, but he remained on the roster, although he was stuck behind Marcus Morris and Nicolas Batum. Even when Paul George and Kawhi Leonard were sidelined with late-season injuries, Lue didn’t insert Covington back into the rotation.
“I got a vendetta. It’s a bigger chip on my shoulder,” Covington said of his approach to the upcoming season. “Not playing that much last year really put me in a place — all right. I got to force them. So, come back, do what I got to do. They say this is the mentality of, you know, come back strong, get better. That way, it won’t be none of that. Won’t be no issues of, whatever the case. … It’s the way the year went. It wasn’t how I expected, but I said it’s come back, go to the drawing board, and get better.”
Covington addresses a few other topics in his interview with Murray. Here are some highlights:
On getting ready to enter another season with an expiring contract:
“It ain’t no difference. Only difference is that I didn’t play last year. I mean, that’s the only difference. I approach every chance, every opportunity like that —it’s no different. So my mentality don’t shift, I don’t get discouraged or anything. I got to do what I do. And I do what I do best. So I’m never going to stray away. Never going to stray away from anything of that nature. I am going to be who I am, and that’s just what it is.”
On whether there was anything to learn from spending so much time on the bench:
“I didn’t take nothing from last year. Last year didn’t go how I expected, so I didn’t take nothing from it. I just wash it away and start over, a new year. That’s just my mentality of it. … It’s nothing that could be talked about. I mean, I really haven’t had much feedback besides, you know, what I’ve been doing now. I haven’t talked about last year. I’ve put that behind me and focused on right now and moving forward. That’s what it’s all about. Can’t dwell on what happened last year, whatever the case may be. It happened. So I’m just gonna wash, move forward.”
On his early impressions of offseason additions Kenyon Martin Jr., Jordan Miller and Kobe Brown, along with other workout partners such as Bones Hyland and Brandon Boston Jr.:
“Those guys are going to be special. I like Jordan’s tenacity, his pressure on defense, I like his cutting off ball. I like the plays and reads he made. The other guys came up here and played really well. You know, BB is starting to get better. Bones is getting better. KJ is athletic as hell. He’s gotten so much better. It is great to sit up here and see them dudes sit up here and prosper.”
Bob Myers Reportedly Nearing Deal With ESPN
Former Warriors general manager Bob Myers appears headed to television rather than another NBA front office. Sources tell Ryan Glasspiegel of The New York Post that Myers is close to a deal to become an analyst for ESPN’s “NBA Countdown.”
Myers announced in May that he was leaving Golden State at the end of his contract after spending 12 seasons with the organization. He put together a roster that won four NBA titles and has been able to sustain a high level of success for most of the past decade. Myers, who also was named the team’s president of basketball operations in 2016, is a two-time Executive of the Year winner.
There has been speculation that other teams would pursue Myers, even though he stated that he wanted a break from the league when he announced he was stepping down from the Warriors. He reportedly turned down offers from Golden State that would have made him one of the NBA’s highest-paid executives.
Glasspiegel notes that Myers has a previous connection to ESPN through a “Lead By Example” podcast that he hosted last season. ESPN distributed the show on its multimedia platforms.
ESPN has made several changes to its coverage team since the NBA playoffs wrapped up in June, Glasspiegel adds. It was reported this week that Malika Andrews will replace Mike Greenberg as “Countdown” host for the NBA Finals, and longtime analyst Jalen Rose was released as part of the network’s layoffs earlier this summer.
Also, ESPN decided to shake up its top announcing team, replacing Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson with Doris Burke and former Sixers coach Doc Rivers.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Won’t Play In World Cup
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo announced on Twitter that he will miss the FIBA World Cup because he’s still recovering from minor knee surgery.
Antetokounmpo had a clean-up procedure in late June to remove loose cartilage in his left knee. Since that operation, it has been uncertain whether he would be able to represent Greece in the tournament, and team doctors were reportedly working with Milwaukee’s medical staff to reach a final decision.
“Everyone knows my passion and love for my National Team has and never will change,” Antetokounmpo wrote in his tweet. “Since the conclusion of my NBA season I have been pushing my body to the limits to be the player I need to be to help our team achieve the goals we set. But after months of work and multiple meetings with medical staff it is clear that i am not ready to compete in the level that I need to be to participate in the World Cup.”
Antetokounmpo’s decision is a huge setback for a Greek team that can earn an automatic bid to the Olympics by finishing as one of the top two European teams in the World Cup. Greece could still reach the 2024 Paris games through other qualifying tournaments, but Antetokounmpo’s availability for those competitions will depend on his NBA commitments.
The absence of Antetokounmpo will also affect Team USA, notes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. America and Greece will be in the same pool for the first round of the tournament in the Philippines, and while the U.S. is a heavy favorite to advance regardless, facing Greece without Antetokounmpo makes that task much easier.
Antetokounmpo indicated that the status of his knee left him little choice about trying to play. The Bucks will open training camp in about seven weeks, and the start of the regular season is a little more than two months away.
“This was not a choice but my only option in ensuring I get back to the level of basketball I have worked so hard to achieve so far in my career,” he added. “I am extremely disappointed in this outcome but this was a decision made with the medical staff. I’m going to continue to push myself to be ready for the next time my name is called. My personal, and our ultimate team goal is to qualify for the 2024 Olympics games and it will be an honor to represent my National Team next year.”
World Cup Notes: Hart, Giannis, Giddey, Dellavedova
Several members of Team USA have new contracts to celebrate this summer as they prepare for the FIBA World Cup, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Josh Hart became the latest player with a new deal, signing a four-year, $81MM extension with the Knicks electronically Thursday morning while the Americans prepared for a pair of exhibition games in Spain.
“It was actually pretty cool, I was just laying down on the training table, getting some treatment, on FaceTime with (his wife Shannon) and signing the contract,” Hart said. “It meant a lot. I wasn’t highly touted coming out of high school, wasn’t highly regarded in the draft, went through free agency the first time and I was restricted, it was a terrible experience for me, so to be able to do this, it’s a dream come true – just being able to have something that can take care of my parents, my family, my kids.”
Other U.S. players also had productive offseasons. Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton and Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards both signed five-year, maximum-salary extensions. Cameron Johnson got $100MM over five seasons to stay with the Nets, and Austin Reaves re-signed with the Lakers for approximately $54MM over four years.
“Yeah, that’s my kids’ kids’ money, for sure,” Edwards said. “It don’t matter (which player’s contract we’re talking about), that’s a lot of money.”
There’s more on the World Cup:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo traveled to the United States for more testing on his knee before deciding whether to play for Greece, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. The Bucks‘ medical staff will reportedly work with doctors from the Greek team to determine the best course of action for Antetokounmpo.
- Wenyen Gabriel is the most recognizable player for South Sudan, which is preparing for its first-ever World Cup appearance, Askounis adds in a separate story. Other team members with NBA ties include Marial Shayok, Mangok Mathiang and Carlik Jones.
- Thunder guard Josh Giddey is ready to become the new on-court leader for Australia, per Olgun Uluc of ESPN. Coach Brian Goorjian plans entrust his offense to the 20-year-old, who is seen as the future of the Australian basketball. “Giddey sets the standard of, eventually you’re gonna be the guy for this program, and he’s an unselfish player, so that sets the standard straight out of the gates,” teammate Jock Landale said. “He’s already embodied the Boomers mentality, and our culture, just through how he plays. It’s gonna come naturally to him, and he’ll fit in really nicely.”
- Veteran guard Matthew Dellavedova isn’t part of Australia’s 13-man roster for exhibition games prior to the start of the tournament, according to Eurohoops.
Pacific Notes: Reaves, Fox, Dunleavy, Warriors
In an interview with Sam Yip of HoopsHype, Lakers guard Austin Reaves admits being relieved to not have to worry about his NBA future after signing a long-term contract this summer.
Reaves started on a two-way deal with L.A. after going undrafted in 2021. That gave him a path to cash in after two productive seasons, which he did by landing a four-year, $53.8MM deal.
“That’s kind of how it’s always been my whole life,” Reaves said. “I’ve really bet on myself and really always just knew I needed an opportunity. Just put my foot down and the rest will take care of itself. I’ll figure out something to do and to at least be on the team and help the team so that was really it and hell yeah, it’s a big relief.”
Reaves also discusses the Lakers’ productive offseason, which included the additions of Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince and Jaxson Hayes. He believes the team is positioned to make another run at a title after reaching the conference finals last season.
“I feel really, really good about what we did,” Reaves said. “You bring back the core that went to the Western Conference Finals and those pieces fit really well with what we kinda need because we lacked that last year. Overall, everybody’s competitive, and we kinda got that taste last year of running it back and trying to win a championship.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Kings guard De’Aaron Fox is coming off his best NBA season, and teammate Davion Mitchell believes he’s ready to become an MVP candidate, per Tristi Rodriguez of NBC Sports Bay Area. Mitchell touted Fox’s credentials during a recent appearance on the “Deuce and Mo” podcast. “He’s talking more. He’s being a leader,” Mitchell said. “We already know what he can do on the floor, he’s playing defense more, he’s guarding the best players, he’s doing that type of stuff. And when you got a player like that at that level, playing a lot of minutes, a young player, I think we’re going to be tough to beat. He’s shooting the ball really well, little things like that that he’s added to his game that makes him a top player in our league.”
- New general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. is more comfortable with the Warriors‘ roster after the team targeted veteran players in several offseason transactions, according to Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. “I really like the balance,” he said on the “Dubs Talk” podcast. “I think it’s got a good combination of veteran experience, a middle tier of guys that are good, they’re tough, they’re hungry, and we got some good young players. And I don’t think we have too many young players.”
- The Warriors have announced several moves involving the coaching staff and front office (Twitter link). The team confirmed that Chuck Hayes will be its new director of basketball operations and revealed that Kris Weems has been promoted to assistant coach.
Latvian Basketball Denies Kristaps Porzingis Injury Rumor
A tweet from the Latvian Basketball Association refutes a rumor circulating Wednesday that Kristaps Porzingis may miss the FIBA World Cup because of injury concerns.
The original report came from Rupert Fabig of BIG Deutschland, who said sources told him that Porzingis was experiencing “something with his foot” and that he and the Celtics were working with Latvian officials on a final decision. Porzingis didn’t participate in Latvia’s first two exhibition games.
Latvia has denied Fabig’s report, stating that Porzingis continues to train in anticipation of playing in the international tournament.
“There has been information that questions the participation of Kristaps Porzingis in the FIBA World Cup,” the tweet reads. “LBS denies this information. Both the players’ individual preparation plans and the team’s overall training process are ongoing. The line-up for the match against the Dominican Republic will be announced on August 12.”
Porzingis has been affected by injuries frequently throughout his career, starting with an ACL tear that caused him to miss all of 2018/19. He played 65 games for the Wizards last year, the most since his second NBA season.
The Celtics are counting on continued good health from Porzingis after parting with Marcus Smart to acquire him in a three-team trade and giving him a two-year, $60MM extension.
Community Shootaround: Team USA’s World Cup Chances
There’s plenty of talent on Team USA as it prepares for the FIBA World Cup, but no one would mistake it for an Olympic team.
The glamour of the Olympics attracts the best players in the world, but for Americans the World Cup is geared more toward those who want to break into international competition. There are few All-Stars on this year’s roster, and many of the players are in the early stages of their careers.
The starting lineup for Monday’s first exhibition game featured Mikal Bridges, Brandon Ingram, Anthony Edwards, Jalen Brunson and Jaren Jackson Jr. Team USA started slowly — leading Puerto Rico by just seven points at halftime — but eventually pulled away for a 43-point win.
Without a dominant scorer, the U.S. displayed the kind of balanced attack it will likely need to make a serious run in the tournament. Edwards and Cameron Johnson led the way with 15 points apiece as Team USA had seven players in double figures.
“I think the guys have really picked up what we’re trying to install at both ends, and we’re slowly but surely getting used to the FIBA rules and interpretations — coaches included,” head coach Steve Kerr said after the win, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “It’s all part of the process of getting accustomed to what we’re going to be facing.”
Tyrese Haliburton, who had 12 assists against Puerto Rico, is part of a deep bench that will make it challenging for Kerr to allocate minutes. The U.S. also has Austin Reaves and Josh Hart in the backcourt, Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero and Cameron Johnson as forwards and Bobby Portis and Walker Kessler in the middle.
Kerr may rely on a small-ball approach, Bontemps adds in a separate story, noting that Team USA never had two big men on the court at the same time against Puerto Rico or in its scrimmages against the Select Team. Banchero even saw time at center after Jackson got into foul trouble, and Kerr indicated that he’ll continue to be used in that role.
There are much tougher tests ahead for the Americans, starting with Luka Doncic and Slovenia on Saturday. There are also exhibition contests against medal contenders Spain, Greece and Germany before the tournament begins August 26.
The U.S. is always viewed as a favorite in any international setting, but it’s coming off an embarrassing seventh-place finish in the World Cup four years ago. Team USA will be facing more experienced opponents that are led by bigger stars and are more accustomed to playing together.
We want to get your opinion. Is the U.S. squad good enough to bring home the gold medal or will this be another disappointment in a non-Olympic year? Please leave your comments in the space below.