Nuggets Notes: Malone, Free Agents, Morris, Murray
Even though the Nuggets‘ magical postseason run came to an end Saturday, the team appears to have a bright future ahead, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. After overcoming 3-1 deficits in the first two rounds of the playoffs, Denver couldn’t do it again against the Lakers, but coach Michael Malone believes the experience in Orlando should benefit his players.
“I think we have something special brewing,” Malone said. “And I think most importantly, I think people around this country, around the world, who were watching the playoffs, this group of guys, you would be hard pressed to find a better story coming out of this bubble. A bunch of young kids faced elimination, looked it in the face and just kept on surviving and advancing.”
The Nuggets’ hopes for improvement will center around the development of rookie forward Michael Porter Jr., who averaged 11.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in the postseason. Porter should be a full-time rotation player next season, and fellow rookie Bol Bol may also have a larger role. In addition, Will Barton will return after missing the entire playoffs with a knee injury.
“I think all great teams and champions have to go through the pains of losing,” Malone said. “And nothing is handed to you in this business. And we’re making steps. We’re moving in the right direction with a great group of guys.”
There’s more on the Nuggets:
- Denver’s challenge for the offseason will be deciding how to handle free agents Jerami Grant, Mason Plumlee, Torrey Craig and Paul Millsap without exceeding the luxury tax threshold, notes Bobby Marks of ESPN. The Nuggets hold Bird rights or Early Bird rights on all four players and can go over the salary cap to keep them. However, the team already has $95MM in guaranteed money committed to five players. Marks states that Denver can spend $29MM without paying the tax — that figure drops to $20MM if Grant opts into a $9.3MM salary for next season.
- Reaching an extension with reserve point guard Monte Morris should be another priority, Marks adds in the same story. Morris has a $1.7MM non-guaranteed contract for 2020/21 that will become guaranteed whenever free agency begins. Marks believes a realistic extension offer would be in the neighborhood of $27MM over three years.
- Jamal Murray played Saturday’s game with a bone bruise on his right knee and another bruise on his right foot, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. The pain contributed to Murray’s off night with 19 points on 7-of-17 shooting. “I don’t like to tell everybody what I got. I just like to play through it,” he said. “I was in pain, but it’s cool. I was out there. I was struggling a little bit today.”
Sixers’ Ownership Wants Mike D’Antoni As Head Coach
Clippers assistant Tyronn Lue is scheduled to interview Tuesday for the Sixers‘ head coaching vacancy, but the ownership group is strongly in favor of hiring former Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
What effect that endorsement will have on the process is uncertain, along with the question of who will make the final decision, Pompey adds. The stated plan was for general manager Elton Brand to be in charge of interviewing and to make a recommendation to ownership, which would approve or reject it. However, sources tell Pompey that D’Antoni met directly with team owners during the first round of interviews, although the Sixers are denying their involvement. Sources say D’Antoni had a meeting with Brand as well, as did Billy Donovan, who was hired by the Bulls this week.
Pompey cites leaks from the organization indicating that Brand and star center Joel Embiid are now on board with hiring D’Antoni. Embiid is looking forward to facing the basket in D’Antoni’s offense, rather than posting up. The coach also reportedly plans to make Tobias Harris a power forward again. The front office is willing to make trades to build a roster that fits D’Antoni’s style of play, and he will have input into choosing players, according to Pompey.
Pompey questions whether Lue is watching the situation in Philadelphia closely and if it would be worth his time to go ahead with the interview. Lue was considered the top candidate for the job when Brett Brown was fired in late August. There was mutual interest, Pompey adds, and negotiations were expected to intensify once the Clippers’ playoff run ended.
Lue was excited about the chance to coach Embiid and fellow All-Star Ben Simmons and wasn’t bothered by the perception that both star players would have a significant role in picking the next coach. Pompey notes that Lue has been around huge stars throughout his NBA career, dating back to his playing days with the Lakers.
Sources tell Pompey that Lue’s interactions with the Sixers have been limited to a few discussions with Brand. He hasn’t met directly with the GM like other first-round candidates and hasn’t been contacted by ownership. Pompey hears that D’Antoni would have to “bomb his interview” to not be offered the job, so Lue’s hopes of becoming a head coach again may have to happen elsewhere.
Lakers Notes: LeBron, Davis, Kobe, Vogel
After a disappointing first season in Los Angeles, LeBron James is taking the Lakers to the NBA Finals. James was brilliant in Saturday’s close-out win against the Nuggets, posting 38 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists for his 27th postseason triple double. He ended any hopes of another Denver miracle with 16 points in the final quarter, including nine straight in the closing minutes to put the game out of reach.
As teammates and opponents marveled at how James is able to keep his game at such a high level at age 35, he talked to reporters, including Bill Oram of The Athletic, about the criticism he took last year and how it inspired him.
“I heard all the conversations and everything that was said about why did I decide to come to L.A. — the reason I came to L.A., it was not about basketball,” he said. “All those conversations, just naysayers and things of that nature. I understood that, with the season I had last year and my injury, it just gave them more sticks and more wood to throw in the fire to continue to say the things that they would say about me. But it never stopped my journey and never stopped my mindset and never stopped by goal.”
There’s more Lakers news this morning:
- The offseason trade that brought Anthony Davis from New Orleans enabled L.A. to quickly transform from missing the playoffs to being the best team in the West. Davis, who also stood out Saturday with a 27-5-3 line, turned out to be the perfect complement to LeBron. “This is the reason why I wanted to be a teammate of his and why I brought him here,” James said (Twitter link from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype). “I wanted him to see things that he hadn’t seen before in this league. To be able to come through for him meant a lot for me personally.”
- A season like no other for the Lakers included the tragic death of franchise legend Kobe Bryant in a January helicopter crash. James took time Saturday to remember Bryant, writes Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. “He sent me a text right away and said, ‘Welcome, brother. Welcome to the family.’ That was a special moment because at the time, Laker faithful wasn’t (fully in on me). A lot of people were saying, ‘Well, we might not want LeBron at this point in his career,’ and, ‘Is he right? Is he going to get us back (to the Finals)?’ So to hear from him and get his stamp of approval, it meant a lot. I don’t ever question myself, but when it’s coming from Kobe, it definitely meant a lot.”
- Frank Vogel only became the Lakers’ coach after they missed on their first two targets, but he turned out to be an ideal leader for the team, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Vogel said the mystique surrounding the franchise made him want the job. “For me it was just, they were the cool team out West,” he said. “I didn’t really leave the East Coast, I didn’t travel much as a kid or anything like that. So, it was like a foreign country thinking about California. And they just had palm trees and sunshine, just had a flair to them that was celebrity like, you know? And the way their team played represented that. It was a show on the basketball court, it wasn’t just a sporting event.”
Knicks Notes: Thibodeau, Draft, Point Guards, Robinson
Five coaching vacancies have been created since Tom Thibodeau agreed to terms with the Knicks on July 25, but he has no reason to regret his decision, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Thibodeau might have been a candidate to join the Nets, Sixers, Pacers, Rockets or Thunder, but a source tells Berman the coach is happy to be reunited with team president Leon Rose, his former agent with CAA.
“He took the job because he trusted Leon,’’ the source said.
Trust means Thibodeau will have input on important decisions such as the upcoming draft, where the Knicks own picks No. 8, 27 and 38. Thibodeau served as both coach and team president in Minnesota and is used to being involved in personnel moves.
“I think, as a head coach, the only thing you want is a voice,’’ Thibodeau told reporters Friday on a Zoom call. “I think a lot was made of a president’s title, but also, I had a GM and assistant GMs that did a lot of the day-to-day stuff that a normal general manager would do.”
There’s more from New York:
- Finding a point guard will be the priority heading into the draft, but the Knicks are also taking a long look at Auburn’s Isaac Okoro, Berman adds in the same story. Okoro’s defensive skills could be a perfect fit for Thibodeau’s system.
- Frank Ntilikina and Dennis Smith Jr. are both attending the Knicks’ mini-camp to show the new coaching staff what they can do, according to Steve Popper of Newsday. Neither of the former lottery picks has been able to seize control of the starting point guard job. “We’re three days in, so I’m getting to know both guys,” Thibodeau said Friday. “I like what they’ve done so far. They got to continue to work. There’s oftentimes ups and downs for young players. There’s a learning curve they have to go through. Some experiences will be better than others.”
- Mitchell Robinson isn’t participating in the mini-camp, but he impressed Thibodeau during individual workouts last week, Popper writes in a separate story. Robinson pulled out of the team sessions at the last minute due to “personal reasons” that the Knicks say aren’t related to COVID-19. “He’s an incredible athlete, Thibodeau said. “But we don’t want to put a ceiling on him. We want to continue to work on all aspects of his game and develop. He spent some time here earlier in the summer and we’re hopeful that we can get him back in and get to work with him so he can build on those skills, but obviously he’s a very important part of this team.”
Lakers Notes: Howard, Davis, LeBron, Rondo
After several years of bouncing around the league, Dwight Howard is one win away from getting back to the NBA Finals for the first time in 11 years. He told Dave McMenamin of ESPN that the Lakers realize it won’t be easy to get rid of the Nuggets, who overcame a pair of 3-1 deficits on their way to the Western Conference Finals.
“They’re going to give us their best shot. They’re not going to let up,” Howard said. “They’re a really good team, very well coached. We understand that. We’re one step closer to our dream, so we’re not going to take our foot off the gas. I think we’re going to bring more intensity than we brought before. We have a well-experienced group of guys on our team, even coaches. We understand how important this series is and this game is and that we should treat it like a Game 7 with our intensity and our effort and just play as hard as we can.”
It has been an incredible journey for Howard, who is on his fifth team in the past five years and had to go through a training camp tryout just to earn a roster spot. He is averaging 7.1 points and 5.2 rebounds in 11 playoff games and moved into the starting lineup for Thursday’s Game 4.
There’s more on the Lakers:
- Anthony Davis has “minor soreness” after suffering an ankle sprain, but has been cleared to play tonight, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
- Cavaliers forward Kevin Love, a former teammate of LeBron James, believes the Lakers’ star is motivating himself through a perceived slight in the MVP balloting, according to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. “LeBron always lifts his play in the playoffs, and I think those 16 first-place votes that he got (for MVP), he just used that,” Love said. ““He’s like, ‘I probably wouldn’t have won it. But I deserve more first place votes,’ which I believe is true.”
- Rajon Rondo‘s playoff experience has been indispensable as the Lakers navigate the postseason, James tells Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. “He’s played at the highest level, and he’s someone that we can trust,” James said. “… When you can have guys that have been in the moments and can understand and also be able to make adjustments on the fly, and know that you can count on them down the stretch, it just makes the team and you individually feel so much more confident in the outcome. Ever since he got back from injury and we saw this playoff run, he’s been exceptional.”
Rockets Notes: House, Westbrook, Paul, Gordon
Danuel House‘s future in Houston should be considered “up in the air” in the wake of his dismissal from the Disney World campus, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic. House reportedly apologized to the team before leaving Orlando for having an unauthorized guest in his room, but Iko believes he has lost the trust of his teammates. Former coach Mike D’Antoni was a strong supporter of House, but he’s no longer around to advocate for the young forward.
Working in House’s favor are a team-friendly contract that pays him roughly $3.7MM next season and nearly $3.9MM in 2021/22, along with the marked improvement he showed after the hiatus ended. House played a larger role in the offense during the Orlando restart, increasing his scoring average from 10.2 to 13.8 PPG without sacrificing efficiency.
Iko cites rumors around the league that House might have been in line for a much larger contract once his current deal expires. He talks to an Eastern Conference scout who said his team was watching House closely before he re-signed with the Rockets, but Iko wonders if the Disney World incident will steer teams away from committing big money to House.
There’s more from Houston:
- Although this season didn’t turn out the way they hoped, the Rockets don’t regret picking up Russell Westbrook in exchange for Chris Paul and a package of draft picks, Iko adds in the same piece. Houston was concerned that Paul wouldn’t hold up physically as he got older, and management jumped at the chance to acquire a former MVP. Iko notes that the team may eventually wish it had some of those picks back, put the focus is on being a title contender for the next three years.
- Houston won’t try to trade either House or Eric Gordon this offseason, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Feigen writes that general manager Daryl Morey doesn’t operate based on emotion, and the franchise still views House as a good value at a position where the roster is thin. Gordon had a disappointing season after agreeing to a four-year extension, but Feigen says the Rockets would be selling low if they try to move him now.
- Katie Heindl of Basketball News believes Houston should “double down” on its investment in Westbrook rather than trying to unload his contract. She notes that most teams will be conservative this offseason because of the loss in revenue and adds that a new coach can change the way Westbrook and James Harden are used to maximize opportunities for both of them.
Heat Notes: Adebayo, Riley, Heat Culture
The Heat aren’t saying how much Bam Adebayo‘s aching left wrist and forearm are affecting him, but he turned in a sub-par performance Friday night as the Celtics stayed alive in the Eastern Conference Finals, writes Manny Navarro of The Athletic. Afterward, the All-Star center told reporters he accepts responsibility for Miami’s failure to close out the series.
“I’ll put that game on me,” he said. “It’s not my teammates’ fault. It’s not my coaches’ fault. It’s me. I missed too many shots I should have made. … I wasn’t being the defensive anchor I should’ve been. I don’t think I was communicating fast enough. I feel like I was a step behind today. I wasn’t a difference-maker today. I didn’t get us into fast enough triggers. That’s on me.”
Adebayo posted 13 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, but allowed 1.65 points per possession as the screen defender on direct pick-and-roll plays, which is well above his average. Adebayo’s teammates stuck up for him afterward, and Navarro notes that poor 3-point shooting had a lot to do with the loss.
“That’s not on Bam. He should not say that,” responded Goran Dragic. “We know it’s not like that. It’s not on nobody. It’s on us together as a team. We should do a better job as a team. Everybody looked terrible in the third quarter. We didn’t defend. We didn’t do our job.”
There’s more Heat news to pass along:
- Kentucky’s John Calipari, who coached Adebayo in college, tells Marc Stein of The New York Times that the 23-year-old has been able to create his own position in the NBA. “He’s a point-center. Tell me the last one,” Calipari said. “And I mean truly a point-center. Not a big guy who can pass. He can bounce it and get by you. He can make bang-bang plays like a point guard. He can do Eurosteps. And he’s still going to rebound and block shots.”
- As the Heat near the one-year anniversary of the start of training camp, Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel looks back at comments from team president Pat Riley to see how they panned out. Of particular interest are his predictions for Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn and his excitement over acquiring Jimmy Butler. “The fact that Jimmy Butler wanted to come and play in Miami, that was enough for me,” Riley said last September. “We’re going to find out how he meshes with our team. We’ll see what his impact on winning is. That’s what I’m encouraged about. I embrace all the qualities he has.”
- Nick Friedell of ESPN asked several players to explain the “Heat culture” philosophy that defines the organization. “You had to go through something in life that put a chip on your shoulder,” said veteran forward Udonis Haslem. “And that’s built grit inside you that you’re willing to go through extreme circumstances to get where you’re trying to go.”
Hawks Notes: Young, Draft, Capela
Since his freshman year in college, Trae Young has been known for his impressive scoring stats and outrageous shooting range, but he tells Mark Medina of USA Today that he won’t be happy until his team starts winning. Young has averaged 23.6 PPG during his first two NBA seasons, but the Hawks have finished last in the Southeast Division both years with a combined record of 49-100.
“I hate the narrative of just being a scorer and a stats person,” Young said. “Stats don’t mean anything. I don’t want that narrative to be I’m all about stats because I’m not. For me, stats is the last thing I’m bringing up. I’m all about winning.”
With a strong collection of young talent in place, Atlanta may be ready to take a step forward next season. The Hawks added center Clint Capela – who was sidelined by injury after being acquired from the Rockets at the trade deadline – and could have as much as $50MM to spend in free agency. As one of the eight teams not invited to Orlando, Atlanta may go 10 months or more without playing in an actual game, but Young doesn’t expect the layoff to be a factor.
“It won’t affect me at all,” he said. “I know my body and how hard I can push it and where maybe I can slow down. I know when we’re going to be playing. I know it’s going to be a couple of months from now. So I won’t overload my body now. I’ll be smart and continue to get better and focus on that.”
There’s more on the Hawks:
- Atlanta owns the sixth pick in the November 18 draft, and general manager Travis Schlenk is open to another draft-night deal, Medina adds in the same story. Schlenk has been involved in significant trades during the past two drafts, bringing in Young and De’Andre Hunter.
- Capela was thrilled to finally be able to practice with his new team as the Hawks gathered for camp this week, writes Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is now fully recovered from a heel injury that he suffered in January while still with the Rockets. The Hawks diagnosed it as a right calcaneus contusion/plantar fasciitis, and although Capela believed he was ready to go in June, league rules prevented him from doing anything beyond individual workouts. “It honestly felt a little bit weird at the beginning, being on drills with everybody, cheering, everybody just being with everybody and being involved,” Capela said. “It honestly felt really great. It felt good going through drills, being vocal. I couldn’t wait. It’s been a very, very long time. So I’m really enjoying it right now.”
- In case you missed it, Skal Labissiere, who was also kept out of action by an injury after being acquired by Atlanta in February, hopes to return to the team next season.
NBA Sets Format For Draft Combine
The NBA announced plans today for a revamped draft combine that will run from September 28 until early to mid-November. Designed to aid with player evaluation before the November 18 draft, some of the combine will take place in team markets and other parts will be virtual.
“NBA Draft Combine is an essential part of the pre-draft evaluation process,” said Byron Spruell, President of NBA League Operations. “While the circumstances surrounding this combine are unique, we’re excited to creatively deliver a valuable experience for our teams, who have remained flexible through the process, and for prospective draftees who are just beginning their NBA journeys.”
The combine will enable players to conduct both team and league-wide interviews, all through videoconferencing, from September 28 to October 16.
Players will also participate in a traditional on-court program that will include strength and agility testing, anthropometric measurements, shooting drills, and the making of a “pro day” video. That will take place in October at the NBA team facility closest to the player’s location. Medical testing and exams will be provided in the same market by doctors affiliated with the league.
The NBA will utilize HomeCourt, a mobile basketball app that uses “advanced machine learning and computer vision” to deliver analytics and record the shooting evaluation part of the combine. It will allow the players to create videos that can be up to 45 minutes long. The league will also expand its use of “Combine HQ,” an interactive platform that offers teams a “one-stop shop” for scouting information gathered during the combine.
Nuggets Notes: Murray, Malone, Jokic, Grant
The ultra-resilient Nuggets may have changed the course of the Western Conference Finals with a Game 3 victory as Jamal Murray continued to add to his playoff reputation, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Denver’s point guard had 28 points, eight rebounds and 12 assists and hit a pair of late 3-pointers to seal the win, and coach Michael Malone said Murray has reached a new level this season.
“Now I know every night what I’m getting from Jamal,” Malone said. “Last year, we knew what we were getting from Nikola (Jokic), but what kind of game would Jamal have. That’s no longer the case. We have two superstars in Nikola and Jamal.”
Murray is thriving in the Disney World environment, averaging 26.6 points, 6.5 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game since the postseason began. He told Sam Amick of The Athletic that he has a desire to “change the narrative” surrounding him and his team.
“The most important part (is) the energy I bring,” Murray said. “When I’m talking to my teammates, being the vocal leader, going up and down, pushing everyone, they tend to follow. It was fun to see them have a lot of fun today like they did. We came up with the win. Hopefully we can keep that play up.”
There’s more on the Nuggets:
- Dejan Milojevic, Jokic’s former coach in Serbia, always believed the big man would succeed in the NBA, according to Jackie MacMullan of ESPN. “There are many great players in the NBA league — superstars — but not many are making their teammates better,” Milojevic said. “That’s all that Nikola ever wanted. He enjoys passing more than scoring. That’s what separates him — the creativity.”
- Jerami Grant, an unrestricted free agent this fall, has been making a difference for the Nuggets in the playoffs, observes Sean Keeler of The Denver Post. At 6’8″ with a 7’3″ wingspan, Grant has the versatility to guard several different types of opponents. He is affecting LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the conference finals, just like he bothered Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in the previous series. “Jerami, he’s been great for us, and we ask a lot from him,” teammate Monte Morris said. “He starts guarding LeBron. We know how (tough) LeBron is. He’s exerting so much energy on defense, you know, it was good to see him get going on offense. It gave us a great boost and it was much needed.”
- Can the Nuggets stop the Lakers from winning the NBA title? Cast your vote in our poll.