Pacers Notes: Carlisle, Simmons, Duarte, Turner
Rick Carlisle planned to coach a contender when he was hired by the Pacers in June, but he’s not having second thoughts now that the franchise is giving serious consideration to rebuilding, writes Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. Off to a disappointing start that has them 13th in the East, the Pacers have let it be known that they’re willing to move veterans Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner and Caris LeVert. It’s not what Carlisle was expecting, but he indicated that he’s committed to his job no matter what the front office decides to do.
“Listen, I’m am hour-to-hour, day-to-day guy,” he said. “I like this roster. These guys are wonderful people, damn good players. We’ve had some bad luck with a lot of different things. Now it’s injuries and some other stuff. It’s all about trying to get it a little better each day. One percent better, two percent better and if you look at our season and all the close games, a lot of it comes down to one or two percent. We just got to keep pushing in that direction to keep doing a little better.”
Agness was at practice on Tuesday as all three players were informed of an impending story from The Athletic about them being on the trade market. Meeting with players amid trade rumors is a policy that Kevin Pritchard adopted when he became president of basketball operations in 2018, and Carlisle said honesty is important.
“It’s just communication,” he explained. “Letting those guys know that we’re trying to win games. We want to make this thing work. Beyond that, it’s just basic communication and talking to your top players.”
There’s more from Indiana:
- The Pacers have called the Sixers several times about Ben Simmons, including once before signing Malcolm Brogdon to a two-year extension in October, Agness adds. In a discussion of Indiana’s situation, Athletic writers Seth Partnow, Sam Vecenie and Danny Leroux explore whether a deal can be made involving Simmons and the chances of Sabonis being shipped to a third team in such a trade.
- As a 24-year-old rookie Chris Duarte may attract some attention from contenders, Vecenie suggests in the same piece. Duarte is making $3.749MM on the first year of his rookie contract and will carry an affordable salary for several years.
- The Pacers may find Turner the most in demand of their available veterans, per Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. The 26-year-old center can block shots and make three-pointers and he doesn’t need to handle the ball a lot to be effective. With a $17.5MM salary for both this season and 2022/23, Turner could be a good fit for the Hornets, Pincus states, with Charlotte sending back Mason Plumlee and a prospect such as PJ Washington, James Bouknight, Kai Jones or JT Thor. Pincus sees the Lakers, Warriors, Mavericks and Spurs as other teams that might bid for Turner.
Luka Doncic: “I’ve Got To Do Better” With Conditioning
Criticism about Luka Doncic‘s weight has been frequent since he entered the NBA, and the Slovenian star acknowledged that he has to concentrate more on conditioning after the Mavericks‘ loss to the Nets Tuesday night, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
“People are going to talk about it, yes or no,” Doncic said. “I know I’ve got to do better.”
The extra pounds have barely impacted Doncic’s performance as he made the All-Star team the past two seasons and is a perennial MVP candidate. He put up 28 points, six rebounds and nine assists Tuesday and remains one of the league’s most dangerous offensive threats.
However, the talk about his weight is growing louder, and MacMahon notes that it was a topic of conversation on the TNT broadcast. Analyst Reggie Miller observed that Doncic was “plodding up and down the court” and said he “has got to trim down.”
Doncic weighed more than 260 pounds when he reported to training camp, a source tells MacMahon, well above his listed playing weight of 230. Camp started shortly after the end of the Summer Olympics, where Doncic strung together brilliant performances while leading Slovenia to the medal round.
“I had a long summer,” he said. “I had the Olympics, took three weeks off, and I relaxed a little bit. Maybe too much. I’ve just got to get back on track.”
Doncic’s conditioning efforts have been sidetracked by a sprained left knee and ankle that have caused him to miss four of Dallas’ last 10 games. He also appeared on Tuesday’s injury report with a sprained left thumb.
“(The ankle is) still painful, but I try to play and try to practice,” Doncic said. “But it’s still painful.”
New York Notes: Thibodeau, Walker, Harden, Irving
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau has already removed Kemba Walker from his rotation and more changes could be coming after Saturday’s embarrassing loss, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Thibodeau gave his players the day off Sunday to reflect on their recent downturn, and Popper suggests that the coach may also have needed time away to study his lineups and see how he can improve them.
“The thing is, if we’re not performing well, look, there may be more changes coming,” Thibodeau said. “That’s the thing . . . I like our group, I like the way they approach it. We all put our stuff together. We’ve got to focus together and we’ve got to work our way out of it together. That’s the way it is.”
The Knicks are starting a three-game road trip and Thibodeau told reporters that the changes may begin with Tuesday’s game in San Antonio, tweets Barbara Barker of Newsday. The most troubling concern, according to Popper, is that the team has lost the identity it had last season when it finished fourth in the East.
There’s more from New York City:
- Walker spoke to reporters today for the first time since the demotion (video link from SNY.tv). He admitted being surprised by the decision, but said he won’t become a negative influence in the locker room. “At the end of the day, there are some young guys here who look up to me,” Walker said. “Maybe I can be a role model. I love being around my teammates and I’m going to cheer them on until I can’t anymore.”
- The Knicks’ analytics department had an influential role in the signing of Walker, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. Berman considers it to be a curious decision because Walker’s numbers on pick-and-roll efficiency, isolation efficiency and pull-up shooting last season were his worst of the past five years.
- James Harden ranks second in the league in assists after taking over the Nets‘ playmaking duties, but his shooting woes continued in Saturday’s loss to the Bulls, per Peter Botte of the New York Post. Harden shot just 5-of-21 from the field and is at a career-worst 40.3% through the first 23 games of the season. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer recommends that Harden work on developing a mid-range game.
- New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has strengthened the city’s vaccine mandate, which makes it less likely that Kyrie Irving will play for the Nets this season, tweets Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.
Wizards Notes: Hachimura, Bryant, Dinwiddie, Caldwell-Pope
The slumping Wizards are due for lineup changes when Rui Hachimura and Thomas Bryant are ready to start playing again, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Washington was one of the NBA’s early-season surprises with a 10-3 start, but has gone just 4-7 since then and has fallen to the middle of the Eastern Conference pack.
In a recent radio interview, general manager Tommy Sheppard said Hachimura, who is away from the team on a personal absence and hasn’t played yet this season, could begin practicing after a three-game road trip ends Wednesday. Sheppard expects Bryant, who is recovering from a torn ACL, to be back at practice within two weeks.
Once they’re available, Robbins expects coach Wes Unseld Jr. to make adjustments to his rotation. Davis Bertans is likely to see his minutes reduced, along with rookie Corey Kispert. Kyle Kuzma, who has been playing power forward in Hachimura’s absence, will probably see more time at small forward, and Deni Avdija will have a smaller role.
There’s more from Washington:
- The Wizards are being cautious with Spencer Dinwiddie, who will be rested tonight in the second game of a back-to-back, Robbins tweets. The free agent addition is only 11 months removed from ACL reconstruction surgery on his right knee.
- Even though Washington lost to the Raptors on Sunday, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope delivered his best game since being acquired from the Lakers in an offseason trade, notes Andrew Gillis of NBC Sports Washington. Caldwell-Pope delivered 26 points on 8-of-9 shooting, even though he said he felt less than 100%. KCP is one of four Wizards who haven’t missed a game this season. “You just gotta try to gut it out,” Caldwell-Pope said. “You’ve got to try to find that energy from somewhere and try to finish the game. Just do your job and do what you can do out there. Just give it all you’ve got until you can’t give it no more. We talk about effort so much, it’s a big part of how we play the game.”
- The Wizards haven’t lost three straight games this season, and Unseld is eager to see how they respond after two straight blowouts, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. “Early in the season, we bounced back from these stretches,” he said. “This has kind of been the longest duration where things are kind of tenuous for us, so it’s certainly a test. We have no choice. We’ve gotta pull together, we’ve gotta dig ourselves out and we’ve gotta find a way.”
Damian Lillard Losing Patience In Portland, Wants Blazers To Trade For Ben Simmons
Damian Lillard is becoming frustrated with the Trail Blazers’ performance, and tensions appear to be increasing between the players and new coach Chauncey Billups, sources tell Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic.
Portland’s front office didn’t make the significant roster changes that Lillard requested during the offseason, and the team has fallen to 11-13 after a pair of lopsided losses. Charania and Amick say that Lillard would like to see the Blazers acquire Sixers All-Star Ben Simmons to help improve a defense that ranks last in the league.
Sources tell the authors that the front office, under recently fired general manager and president of basketball operations Neil Olshey, set a framework of a deal that would have sent CJ McCollum, a first-round pick, and either Nassir Little or Anfernee Simons to Philadelphia in exchange for Simmons. The Sixers reportedly countered by asking for McCollum along with multiple draft picks and future draft swaps, which Portland turned down.
It’s not clear if that offer is still on the table or if any major deal will be made before Olshey’s permanent replacement is hired, according to Charania and Amick.
Olshey never lost confidence in the roster that he built, which is why he didn’t overhaul it after Lillard’s offseason request. He also ignored Lillard’s desire to consider Jason Kidd as head coach after firing Terry Stotts, making a controversial move with Billups instead. Lillard wanted an experienced coach instead of a first-timer like Billups and was willing to accept Mike D’Antoni as well, according to the authors.
Although Billups has vowed to improve the team’s defense from the time he was hired, Portland’s performance on that end of the court hasn’t changed. Billups has also alienated players by publicly criticizing their effort after losses, with the latest instance coming Saturday.
“Competitive fire and pride, that’s something you either have or don’t have,” Billups said after his team gave up 145 points to the Celtics. “That’s something you can’t turn off and turn on. … I’ve never seen a team that needs its bench to inspire our starters. (That’s) crazy to me. It’s supposed to be the other way around.”
Lillard’s decline in production is also contributing to his frustration. He’s dealing with an abdominal injury that will keep him out of action at least through the end of the week. His scoring average has fallen from 28.8 PPG last season to 21.5 PPG so far this year. He’s getting fewer shots in Billups’ offense and is connecting at a career-worst 39.7% from the field and 30.2% on three-pointers. He’s also being used in pick-and-rolls less frequently than under Stotts and is seeing fewer free throw attempts.
Lillard still hasn’t asked for a trade and plans to give the organization time to find a new leader before deciding on his next move, Charania and Amick add. However, his desire for a roster upgrade hasn’t changed.
There are two important dates to watch in determining Lillard’s future with Portland, the authors note. The trade deadline is February 10, roughly two months away, so if Lillard wants to leave the Blazers this season, he will have to request a deal by then. The other is July 6, when Lillard will become eligible for a super-max extension that would be worth $106.6MM over two seasons and would push his contract through the 2026/27 season. Lillard’s ultimate decisions will likely be determined by what the team does with its roster by then.
Northwest Notes: Gordon, Hampton, Porter, Jazz, Daigneault
The Nuggets‘ need to upgrade their perimeter defense prompted them to pull the trigger on a trade for Aaron Gordon at last season’s deadline, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post in a look back at the deal that sent Gary Harris, R.J. Hampton and a future first-round pick to Orlando in exchange for Gordon and Gary Clark. Gordon sparked Denver to a 19-6 finish and is happy to be in a stable environment after six and a half seasons with the Magic.
“When I was there, it was something new every year,” Gordon said. “New coaching staff, new GM, new players. It was just so much fluctuation all the time. We didn’t know whether we wanted to tank or whether we were trying to win. It was like having your foot on the gas and the brake at the same time. Burnout.”
Coach Michael Malone called the trade “a necessary move,” but it wasn’t easy for the organization to part with Harris, who grew into a locker room leader during his time in Denver, and Hampton, whom the Nuggets viewed as a potential steal in the 2020 draft. Singer notes that Denver’s subsequent backcourt injuries would have given Hampton a chance to shine if he were still on the roster.
“It definitely was a blessing in disguise,” Hampton said. “I feel like my talent and my work ethic, God blessed me with an opportunity to come to this situation in Orlando and play right away. I’m grateful for that. At the same time, I’m grateful for Denver. They took a chance on me.”
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Owner Stan Kroenke may have been behind the Nuggets‘ decision to give a five-year maximum extension to Michael Porter Jr. despite his injury history, according to Marc Stein of Substack. Both attended the University of Missouri and Kroenke has been an advocate for Porter ever since he joined the organization, Stein adds.
- The Jazz are experimenting with a small-ball lineup that became necessary when backup center Hassan Whiteside was ejected from a game last week, per Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune. Although the early results haven’t been positive, the team may want to keep developing it in light of the matchup problems that the Clippers created for Rudy Gobert in last year’s playoffs.
- Thunder coach Mark Daigneault watched film of his team’s historic 73-point loss with the rest of his staff, but he didn’t show it to the players, writes Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman. “The lessons that you want the team to take from that game are self-explanatory,” Daigneault said. “I didn’t see a need to double down on that. The feeling that you would try to generate with the film already exists. Letting it breathe I think is almost more powerful than to dwell on the actual visuals of it.”
Nets Notes: Millsap, Durant, Mills, Claxton
Free agent addition Paul Millsap turned in his best game since joining the Nets in Saturday’s loss to the Bulls, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. The veteran power forward is only averaging 11.3 minutes of playing time in 18 games, but he got an expanded opportunity with James Johnson sidelined by a shoulder injury and delivered 13 points, seven rebounds and three steals.
“He was great. He did a little bit of everything,” coach Steve Nash said. “He scored the ball. He was able to initiate some offense. He got some rebounds, offensive rebounds. Got some steals. Just did a bit of everything. His intensity was great and I thought his impact on the game was really good.”
There’s more from Brooklyn:
- Kevin Durant played 38 minutes in back-to-back games Friday and Saturday, and Nash hasn’t given any thought to cutting his playing time, Botte adds. Durant has only missed one game this season and welcomes the heavy workload. “Kevin’s mentality is a huge reason why he’s one of the best players of all-time,” Nash said. “He loves the game. He comes in every day and has a laser focus on his routine, he finds the most happiness when he’s on the basketball court. The success he has is really the mentality as much as it is the gifts. The joy that the game gives him makes him sacrifice every day. So to tell him, ‘Hey, we’re going to limit your minutes on a back-to-back’ is not going to get over very well.”
- Patty Mills wasn’t expecting to be a starter when he signed with the Nets over the summer, but that has changed because of Kyrie Irving‘s absence and an injury to Joe Harris, Botte notes in a separate story. Mills made his ninth straight start Saturday and may be in that role for a while. “Patty has been great, and we’re asking for a lot from him now with guys being injured,” Durant said. “But he’s taken on that challenge, and we’re going to need a lot more from him going forward.”
- Nash was excited to welcome back center Nicolas Claxton, who returned Friday after missing 17 games with a non-COVID illness, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “He’s an athletic, active big that can guard multiple positions, protect the rim, roll on offense and just be disruptive with his energy, length and athleticism,” Nash said. “That’s a unique profile for our team. If we can get him back to where he’s confident and comfortable physically, mentally and emotionally and adapting to our play, there’s no reason he can’t regain that.”
Trail Blazers Notes: Billups, Lillard, GM Search, McCollum
The Trail Blazers have been going through tough times both on and off the court, but coach Chauncey Billups insists the investigation into – and subsequent firing of – general manager and president of basketball operations Neil Olshey hasn’t been a distraction, writes Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. Speaking to reporters before Saturday’s game, Billups said he and the players have been focusing on their own jobs rather than what’s happening with management.
“I kind of just stick to the task at hand,” he said. “I’ve got a locker room in there of guys that I had to try to lead, do the best job that I can and keep them focused on the task as well. … I don’t think the situation with Neil was a distraction at all. Not even a little bit. Obviously, I’ve got my finger on it. Never hear guys talking about it. Discussing it. I don’t think it was a distraction. No.”
Since Billups was hired in June, Portland has replaced franchise president and CEO Chris McGowan and is now in the market for a new GM. Billups admitted the upheaval can be challenging, even though the move with Olshey was expected.
“Naturally, with the investigation going on, people were kind of anticipating what might happen,” he said. “But it finally came down. It’s tough because I just felt like this organization is going through so much change.”
There’s more from Portland:
- Billups has interviewed for front office positions in the past, but he has no interest in taking on GM duties as well as coaching, tweets Sean Highkin of Bleacher Report. “I’m just trying to figure this one job out,” he said. “I’ve got enough on my plate. I’m going to stick to this one job.”
- Participating in a Reddit AMA session Friday, Damian Lillard said he never had any issues with Olshey, relays Chris Cwik of Yahoo Sports. “I have a lot of thoughts, but ya know, in short, I always had a really good relationship with Neil,” Lillard said in response to a question. “He drafted me and gave me the opportunity to have the career that I’ve had. Ya know, it’s been a great run, and it’s just an all-around unfortunate situation in the business that we work in.”
- In a separate piece, Fentress examines five potential general manager candidates. In addition to interim GM Joe Cronin, Fentress looks at the qualifications and fit for Grizzlies executive Tayshaun Prince, Bulls GM Mark Eversley, Knicks GM Scott Perry and former Celtics executive Danny Ainge.
- Prince is expected to receive support from Billups, his long-time teammate with the Pistons, according to Marc Stein of Substack. It’s also believed that Billups will have more influence in the organization now that Olshey is gone, Stein adds.
- CJ McCollum will undergo further evaluation today after suffering bruised ribs, tweets Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Initial X-rays on McCollum were negative.
L.A. Notes: Westbrook, Howard, THT, Mann, Batum
Before squaring off against Paul George in Friday’s Lakers-Clippers matchup, Russell Westbrook spoke to the media about the way their partnership with the Thunder ended, writes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. They developed a friendship in Oklahoma City that still exists, and Westbrook was one of the reasons that George decided to re-sign with the Thunder in 2018.
According to ESPN and The Athletic, Westbrook approached free agent Kawhi Leonard the following summer about possibly teaming up in L.A., with Leonard signing and Westbrook being traded. Leonard reportedly took that idea and presented to George, which resulted in them both joining the Clippers.
When asked about the situation Thursday, Westbrook challenged the media to reveal the source of the report, then cast doubt on its veracity.
“That’s a lesson for all y’all,” he said. “Just always remember, just because somebody writes something … you don’t know where they got it from. That’s the truth. That’s the problem. That’s how rumors and things get started.”
There’s more from Los Angeles:
- The Lakers used their 12th starting lineup in 24 games Friday, with Dwight Howard and Talen Horton-Tucker replacing DeAndre Jordan and Avery Bradley, notes Jovan Buha of The Athletic. It’s a clear upgrade based on performance, Buha adds, but the group was minus-7 in its 11 minutes on the court. “Dwight changed the game for us in Sacramento,” Anthony Davis said. “He was really good for us, and Coach wanted to go back to that. And I think he played well tonight as well. Protecting the paint, rebounding, setting screens, doing everything he’s supposed to do.”
- Clippers swingman Terance Mann tells Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated that the two-year, $22MM extension he received in training camp was meaningful because of how hard it was to get NBA scouts to notice him. Mann took part in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament and the G League Elite Camp, then received a last-minute invitation to the draft combine.
- Clippers coach Tyronn Lue is optimistic about Nicolas Batum, who has missed the past seven games while in health and safety protocols, tweets Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register. “I don’t know (when he’ll return),” Lue said. “… but it was good seeing him back in the building, I can tell you that. It’s getting close and we definitely need him.”
Southwest Notes: Forbes, McDermott, Doncic, Valanciunas
Bryn Forbes has been providing instant offense throughout his career, so he’s comfortable handling that role with the Spurs, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. The latest example came Thursday night when Forbes delivered 16 points in the fourth quarter of a victory at Portland. Forbes didn’t play in the first half, but got an opportunity when Devin Vassell was sidelined by pain in his right quadriceps.
“I’ve been pretty good at doing that my whole career, just getting hot,” Forbes said. “I can make shots. I’m 42 (percent from 3-point range) for my career, so pretty good chance the ball is going in.”
After winning a title with the Bucks last season, Forbes returned to San Antonio, where he played the first four years of his NBA career. His playing time is down this year, but his shooting percentages have remained high — 48.1% from the field and 41.8% from three-point range.
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Spurs forward Doug McDermott was back on the court Thursday after missing the previous four games with a sore right knee, McDonald adds. The knee has been a persistent issue that has sidelined him for seven games overall. “It’s a very minor injury, but it was just kind of nagging for a while,” McDermott said. “It’s nothing serious at all. I just wanted to be careful with it.”
- Mavericks star Luka Doncic underwent an MRI on his left ankle today, tweets Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News. Doncic, who is being held out of tonight’s game, has been dealing with discomfort since suffering a sprain November 15. “He’s been sore. It’s just been a busy stretch of games,” coach Jason Kidd said.
- Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas has been improving his three-point shot in recent years, but he’s never had a night like Monday when he went 7-for-7 from beyond the arc in the first half, notes Andrew Lopez of ESPN. Some of his teammates started calling him “Dirk Valanciunas” in honor of former Mavericks sharpshooter Dirk Nowitzki. “Everybody wants to be (Dirk). He’s one of the greatest big guys in the game,” said Valanciunas. “But I still gotta work a lot to be like him. I’m just taking what’s out there. If I have an open shot, I’ll take it. If I’m making it, I’ll keep taking it. It’s as simple as that.”