Celtics Notes: Kornet, Porzingis, Tatum, Brown
Luke Kornet was an unexpected star as the Celtics staved off elimination by beating the Knicks in Wednesday’s Game 5, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. With Kristaps Porzingis struggling through another ineffective game, coach Joe Mazzulla decided to have Kornet start the second half in his place. Kornet delivered one of the best performances of his career, blocking five shots in the third quarter while scoring four points and grabbing five rebounds.
“He was great,” coach Joe Mazzulla said in a separate Boston Globe story. “He did a great job protecting the rim, he did a great job defending without fouling, did a great job on both ends of the floor. I just thought his presence was good, especially with the rebounding. … He made some big-time plays for us.”
Kornet finished the night with a near triple-double, posting 10 points, nine rebounds and seven blocks in 26 minutes. With Porzingis slowed by lingering virus symptoms, Kornet may have a more significant role for the rest of the series, which moves back to New York on Friday.
“He was unbelievable,” Derrick White said of Kornet. “He came in and just seemed to be always in the right position. Seven blocks is crazy, he was unbelievable tonight and really stepped up when he needed him. He’s a had a great season, and he was big time for us tonight. … Yeah, I was barking with him. It’s just fun to see him do that.”
There’s more from Boston:
- Mazzulla confirmed that health issues resulted in Porzingis sitting out the entire second half, per Souichi Terada of MassLive. Porzingis is still feeling the effects of a virus he contracted in late February and recently explained that he has physical crashes that rob him of energy and stamina. “He couldn’t breathe,” Mazzulla said. “So he was available if absolutely necessary. So that was just a decision between me and him. He was having difficulties breathing, but he wanted to be out there. And if we absolutely needed him, we would have been able to go to him and rely on him.”
- Jayson Tatum posted an Instagram message on Wednesday, reaching out to fans for the first time since undergoing surgery to fix an Achilles tear on Tuesday. Tatum, who suffered the injury during Monday’s Game 4, displayed a picture of himself in his hospital bed with the statement, “Thankful for all the love and support.”
- Stephania Bell of ESPN examines Tatum’s projected recovery timeline and compares it to other stars who’ve been through the same procedure.
- Jaylen Brown, who contributed 26 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in the Game 5 victory, talked about the need to adopt a greater leadership role in Tatum’s absence, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “Just be who I am and I think that’s it,” Brown said. “Just be myself, come out, be aggressive and get it done in multiple ways. We’re a team. We’ve always been a team. … The goal is to just lead and be myself.”
Hawks Interested In Masai Ujiri To Run Front Office
Raptors executive Masai Ujiri has emerged as a target for the Hawks as they search for a new president of basketball operations, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack article (subscription required).
Sources tell Stein that it’s unclear if Atlanta has a legitimate chance to lure Ujiri, who has been with Toronto for the past 12 years. Ujiri’s contract status hasn’t been made public, but Stein hears that he’s believed to be entering the final season of his current deal.
After starting his career as a scout, Ujiri worked his way up to assistant general manager with the Raptors in 2008 before leaving to become the GM in Denver in 2010. He was named Executive of the Year with the Nuggets in 2013, then returned to Toronto as executive vice president.
Ujiri bolstered his reputation as one of the NBA’s top executives when he built the Raptors team that captured the franchise’s first-ever NBA title in 2019. The final piece of the puzzle was a bold move to trade for San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard, who was entering the final year of his contract and only spent one season with the team.
Ujiri, who has since been promoted to president and vice chairman, is still recognized as a master team builder, even though Toronto has fallen on hard times in recent years, missing the playoffs in four of the past five seasons. Stein notes that after finishing 30-52 this year, Ujiri promised at an April press conference to bring another championship to Toronto.
The Hawks shook up their front office after being eliminated in the play-in tournament, firing general manager Landry Fields on April 21. Assistant GM Onsi Saleh was promoted to interim GM and is currently handling the day-to-day operations, but the new hire is expected to run the organization.
A Stein Line report last week indicated that owner Tony Ressler was exploring the idea of having a player agent take over the job, with Trae Young‘s agent, Austin Brown of CAA, among the top candidates. League sources confirm to Stein that Octagon’s Alex Saratsis, who represents Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, has also moved into the picture, as previously reported by Grant Afseth.
Warriors Notes: Game 5, Butler, Curry, Three-Point Shooting
The Warriors are teetering on the brink of elimination heading into tonight’s Game 5 at Minnesota, but they haven’t lost confidence that they can rally and take the series, writes Ann Killion of The San Francisco Chronicle. Golden State won the opener, but the tone of the series shifted when Stephen Curry suffered a Grade 1 left hamstring strain after playing just 13 minutes. The Warriors haven’t looked the same without their star guard to stretch Minnesota’s defense, dropping three straight games, including two in a row at Chase Center.
“Win one game, take it from there,” Draymond Green said after Monday’s loss. “That’s our mindset. You win one and everything changes.”
Coach Steve Kerr has been juggling his rotations throughout the playoffs amid inconsistent performances from his role players. Killion notes that Brandin Podziemski has been struggling with his shot, going 3-of-14 from the field in Game 4 while missing all four of his three-point attempts, while Buddy Hield committed four turnovers and made just two three-pointers.
“We have belief, we have faith,” Kevon Looney said. “We’ll take it possession by possession, quarter by quarter. We’ve got to put together a full game, not just 40 good minutes of basketball.”
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Jimmy Butler was under the weather in Game 4, when he took only nine shots and finished at a game-worst minus-30, Killion adds. In a session with the media before tonight’s contest, Kerr said Butler has recovered from his illness and is now feeling good, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN (Twitter link).
- The team announced Tuesday that Curry wouldn’t be available for Game 5, but Kerr told reporters tonight that there’s still hope for Sunday’s Game 6 if Golden State can extend the series, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). “It’s a possibility he could play,” Kerr said. Curry will be reevaluated on Saturday to determine how much progress he has made.
- With Curry on the sidelines and several of his shooters mired in slumps, Kerr admits that the Warriors haven’t been able to use the three-pointer as a weapon as much as they would like to, Slater writes in a full story. “The series changed with Steph’s injury,” Kerr said. “So everybody’s shots are going to be more difficult. Steph’s a guy who breaks the defense down for us and creates that offensive flow. I think the result is that shots are more difficult for every single guy.”
Draft Notes: Sorber, Bryant, Powell, Philon, More
In an interview with college basketball reporter Andy Katz (Twitter video link), Georgetown big man Thomas Sorber said he has made up his mind to keep his name in the NBA draft.
Sorber maintained his eligibility when he declared for the draft in late March. He’ll have to miss much of the pre-draft process because he’s still recovering after undergoing foot surgery in February. That led to speculation that Sorber might opt for another year of college basketball, but he tells Katz that he’s “all in” when it comes to the draft.
Sorber also provided an update on his medical status, saying that doctors expect him to be ready to resume playing in late July or early August.
Sorber is ranked 23rd on ESPN’s big board and seems likely to be selected somewhere in the latter part of the first round. He wasn’t considered a sure-fire first-round pick when he arrived at Georgetown, but he boosted his status with a strong freshman season, averaging 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.0 blocks in 24 games before the injury.
“I think I showed a lot of toughness, like at an early part of my Georgetown career,” Sorber said. “I showed a lot of fight. I was able to show how I was able to read the game. That’s what a lot of teams said. And my ability to play out on defense, my ability to block shots, read screens, tighter drop or switch. They just like my quick thinking, honestly.”
We have updates on several other draft prospects:
- Arizona guard Carter Bryant has also decided to stay in the draft, telling ESPN’s Jeff Borzello (Twitter link), “I’m completely in.” Bryant saw limited playing time with the Wildcats during his freshman season, but his defensive prowess and outside shooting have him projected as a potential lottery pick in several mock drafts. He’s listed as the 18th-best prospect by ESPN.
- Borzello also reports that North Carolina guard Drake Powell, who posted outstanding numbers in his athletic tests at the combine, will remain in the draft (Twitter link). “All-in on the draft. Door’s closed,” said Powell, who’s 32nd in ESPN’s rankings. “(Coach) Hubert Davis has been very supportive during this process. I’ve known him for a long time … and he’s just happy for me.”
- Alabama guard Labaron Philon will also keep his name in the draft, Borzello states in a full story. Philon, who’s 43rd on ESPN’s list, said he’s “all-in on the draft” and has already informed coach Nate Oats.
- Former Washington State guard Cedric Coward, who plans to transfer to Duke if he remains in college, and Florida big man Alex Condon will both gauge their feedback at the combine before making final decisions, according to Borzello.
- Yaxel Lendeborg, who’s transferring from UAB to Michigan, is “pretty even” about staying in the draft or not, Borzello adds. Lendeborg hopes to be a top-20 pick and said his decision will become easier if he doesn’t feel like he’s in that range.
- Houston’s Milos Uzan told reporters at the combine that he’s “all-in on the draft,” but Borzello states that coach Kelvin Sampson is giving all his players the option to return if they don’t like their projected draft status.
- Tahaad Pettiford is one of the top players taking part in the combine scrimmages, and Borzello views him as a player on the rise. The Auburn point guard, who’s ranked 38th by ESPN, said he would like to receive a first-round guarantee before making a final decision.
Cooper Flagg Comments On Fit With Mavericks
Cooper Flagg, who’s almost certainly headed to the Mavericks after the surprising results of Monday’s lottery, commented on the process for the first time today at the draft combine in Chicago, according to Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal (subscription required).
“I’m grateful to get this opportunity, or any opportunity to hear my name called on draft night,” Flagg said. “I’m just really excited for this whole experience. Not everybody gets to go through this, so I just feel really blessed. As far as Dallas goes, they’ve got a lot of really good pieces.”
Flagg was the consensus No. 1 pick in this year’s draft even before he arrived at Duke. He solidified that status with an outstanding freshman season, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field and 38.5% from beyond the arc. He led the Blue Devils to a 35-4 record and a spot in the Final Four.
With Utah, Washington and Charlotte holding the best odds coming into the lottery, Flagg could have easily ended up in a rebuilding situation. Instead, he joins a Dallas team with a strong veteran core in Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington.
Flagg is excited to be teaming up with another Duke alum, Dereck Lively, who was drafted by the Mavericks two years ago.
“To be able to learn from D-Live — that’s pretty cool,” Flagg said. “So I think it would be a really cool opportunity.”
Flagg was in the audience as the envelopes were opened Monday night, attending the event with Duke teammate Kon Knueppel, another likely lottery pick. Flagg didn’t directly address the results, which came down to Dallas, San Antonio, Philadelphia and Charlotte as the four finalists, but he indicated some surprise at the outcome.
“It was a crazy draft lottery,” he said. “It was a cool experience to be there and go through that experience.”
Flagg isn’t expected to do much at the combine outside of the mandatory measurements and testing. Afseth reports that he measured 6 feet, 7.75 inches without shoes with a wingspan of 7 feet and a standing reach of 8 feet, 10.5 inches. He weighs 221 pounds and recorded a 40-inch vertical leap.
It’s unlikely that Flagg will work out for any teams other than Dallas, so his schedule will be relatively light until the first round of the draft on June 25. He says his approach to his rookie season would have been the same no matter which team won the right to draft him.
“Wherever it is, I’m just gonna try and be me to the best of my ability,” Flagg said. “Try to do whatever the team needs — play both sides of the ball and just play really hard in every single possession.”
Celtics Notes: DPE, Cost-Saving Moves, Tatum’s Recovery, Game 5, Porzingis
The Celtics are unlikely to pursue a disabled player exception in the wake of Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles tear, writes Brian Robb of MassLive. The DPE provides an avenue to help teams replace players who suffer serious injuries, but it carries restrictions that will limit its usefulness for Boston.
Robb points out that teams aren’t permitted to use the exception until a physician designated by the NBA determines that the player is “substantially more likely than not” to be sidelined through June 15 of the qualifying season. Tatum’s injury occurred Monday during Game 4 against the Knicks and he underwent surgery on Tuesday, so it’s far too early to put a firm timetable on his recovery process.
Also, the DPE is limited to the amount of the mid-level exception, which is currently $14.1MM. Considering Tatum’s $54.1MM salary for next season, the Celtics couldn’t come close to replacing him with a similar player. Robb notes that the team is already facing a record tax payment for 2025/26, so the extra financial penalties associated with adding salary would make it prohibitive.
Robb believes Boston will definitely make moves this summer to drop below the $208MM second apron and may try to get beneath the projected $188MM tax line. He states that the front office might have to explore moving Jaylen Brown if the return is right, and he lists Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Sam Hauser as other trade candidates.
There’s more from Boston:
- Tatum’s father expects the recovery time to be about eight to nine months, Marc J. Spears of Andscape said on ESPN’s NBA Today (Twitter video link). A nine-month absence would bring him back around the All-Star break, giving him plenty of time to ramp up for the playoffs. Spears adds that Tatum and his father cried on the phone together after the injury, but his father inspired him by pointing out that Kobe Bryant went through the same experience. Spears also reveals that Tatum’s surgeon performed similar procedures on Kevin Durant and Tiger Woods.
- A league source tells Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe that Tatum and the Celtics made the decision to have surgery right away after doctors confirmed the severity of the injury Tuesday morning. Himmelsbach’s source adds that the medical outcomes with Achilles tears tend to be more favorable when they’re addressed quickly, and that complications are often associated with this type of operation, so Celtics officials were relieved when Tatum’s procedure went smoothly.
- Despite the grief over losing Tatum, the Celtics still have a chance to salvage their second-round series with three straight wins over the Knicks, starting with tonight’s Game 5, Himmelsbach adds. He points out that the team went 8-2 without Tatum this season, but was only 2-2 against playoff teams. “We feel for [Tatum], of course,” Porzingis said. “But we have to move forward. He doesn’t want us to be sad and not playing our best basketball. So we’re going to go out there and leave it all out there and live with the results.”
- Porzingis, who is dealing with side effects from a lingering virus, was able to play 24 minutes on Monday, the most since Game 3 of the opening-round series with Orlando, Himmelsbach notes. “Tonight was the first time I felt decent, honestly, just everything,” Porzingis said. “My energy, I was more, like, uplifted, and maybe didn’t have my best game, anyway, but my energy was good and I felt like I could go a bit more up and down, so that was a positive.”
Hoops Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript: 5/13/2025
Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill held a live chat today exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Topics included how much the Mavericks improved by landing Cooper Flagg, the Rockets' options on the trade market, the Spurs' plans with the No. 2 pick, suspicions about the lottery results and more! Use the link below to read the transcript.
Rockets Don’t Plan To Pursue Kevin Durant, Devin Booker
If the Rockets make a major trade this summer, it probably won’t be with the Suns, sources tell Kelly Iko and Sam Amick of The Athletic.
Houston has frequently been mentioned as a potential landing spot for Kevin Durant, who’s expected to be one of the top names on this year’s trade market. Iko and Amick hear that Durant would be very interested in joining the Rockets, but team sources tell them “significant reservations” remain because of Durant’s age.
Durant will turn 37 in September, which puts him far of out range with the timeline Houston has established by building up a young core over the last four drafts. Durant is still productive — averaging 26.6 PPG in 62 games this season with .527/.430/.839 shooting numbers — and he could provide the closer that the team lacked in its first-round loss to Golden State. However, the Rockets are wary of giving up significant assets to add someone who may be nearing the end of his career.
Rockets sources tell the authors that previous trade talks between the teams regarding Durant were initiated by the Suns, including discussions held prior to this year’s deadline.
The Rockets have also changed their minds about pursuing Suns guard Devin Booker, according to Iko and Amick. The front office hasn’t lost faith in 23-year-old guard Jalen Green despite his playoff struggles, and he’s seen as a preferable alternative because he’s five years younger than Booker and makes about $66MM less over the next three seasons.
Houston once had “serious interest” in acquiring Booker, but that faded over the past year as he wasn’t able to help a talented but dysfunctional Phoenix team reach the play-in tournament. Booker experienced a subpar shooting season, connecting at just 46.1% from the field and 33.2% from three-point range, well below his figures from recent years.
Suns owner Mat Ishbia has declared that won’t consider parting with Booker, so Houston’s apparent lack of interest may not be that significant.
Rockets sources also tell Iko and Amick that the team won’t pursue Zion Williamson if the Pelicans‘ new front office makes him available. Williamson, who was limited to 30 games this season with a variety of ailments and has played just 214 total games in six years, is viewed as too risky by Houston’s management.
According to Iko and Amick, the player who would spark the most interest from the Rockets is Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, even though he would carry the largest price tag. Antetokounmpo is an MVP finalist this year and at age 30, he’s still considered young enough to fit the timeline.
The authors note that there are a few concerns about Antetokounmpo, who wouldn’t solve the team’s issues with outside shooting that were exploited in the playoffs. He prefers serving as a primary play-maker on offense, and his presence in the paint would create challenges alongside Alperen Sengun, assuming Sengun isn’t moved as part of a potential deal.
A report earlier today indicates that Antetokounmpo plans to reevaluate his future in Milwaukee, so we may find out soon how serious the Rockets’ interest is.
Michael Jordan Will Be Special Contributor To NBC’s NBA Coverage
NBC Sports has added another Hall of Famer to its basketball lineup, announcing in a press release that Michael Jordan will serve as a special contributor when the NBA returns to the network this fall.
“I am so excited to see the NBA back on NBC,” Jordan said. “The NBA on NBC was a meaningful part of my career, and I’m excited about being a special contributor to the project. I’m looking forward to seeing you all when the NBA on NBC launches this October.”
No further details are provided about what Jordan’s job will entail, but his presence is sure to attract attention as NBC resumes covering the NBA. The league reached an 11-year agreement with NBC as part of its latest media rights deal.
“A legendary addition to our team! We’re thrilled to welcome Michael Jordan as a special contributor to the NBA on NBC and Peacock,” the network declared in a Twitter post that includes a brief video of Jordan from his playing days.
Jordan, who won six NBA titles with the Bulls during the 1990s, is recognized as one of the greatest players in NBA history. He’s a five-time MVP, a six-time Finals MVP, a 14-time All-Star, a 10-time scoring champion and a nine-time member of the All-Defensive first team.
Jordan was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009 and won two gold medals with the U.S. Olympic team. His popularity played a large role in the growth of basketball as a worldwide sport.
After retirement, Jordan became the first former player to own an NBA team, buying a controlling interest in the Charlotte franchise in 2010 before selling his majority stake in 2023. He’s also a successful businessman with the Jordan Brand, a division of Nike, and has been active in philanthropy, serving as Make-A-Wish’s Chief Wish Ambassador since 2008.
Jordan is the latest high-profile addition to the NBC lineup, which also includes former players Carmelo Anthony, Reggie Miller and Jamal Crawford.
“Michael’s legacy both on and off the court speaks for itself,” said NBC Sports President Rick Cordella. “We’re incredibly proud to have him join our coverage.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo Will Reportedly Consider Leaving Bucks
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has become open-minded about considering opportunities outside of Milwaukee for the first time in his career, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN.
Teams have routinely called to check on Antetokounmpo’s potential availability in recent years, and that process is expected to intensify as they gather in Chicago this week for the draft combine, Charania adds.
Antetokounmpo’s representatives, Giorgios Panou and Alex Saratsis, will meet with Bucks officials at some point to discuss the team’s future and determine whether Milwaukee is still the best fit for their client, according to Charania’s sources. The Bucks are reportedly resistant toward the idea of trading Antetokounmpo, who is still under contract through the 2026/27 season and holds a $62.8MM player option for the following year, and are unlikely to pursue a deal unless he requests it.
Speculation about a possible Antetokounmpo trade has been rampant since the Bucks were eliminated by the Pacers last month, marking the third straight year they have been ousted in the first round. Antetokounmpo has been open about his desire to add another championship to the one he captured in 2021, and there are doubts regarding whether he still has any hope of achieving that in Milwaukee.
The situation became more dire with the torn left Achilles that Damian Lillard suffered in Game 4 of the Indiana series. Lillard underwent surgery last week and faces a lengthy rehab process that could force him to miss all of next season. That would leave the Bucks without a second star to team with Antetokounmpo and little chance to acquire one as Lillard remains on the books for $54.1MM next season with a $58.5MM player option for 2026/27.
Charania notes that Antetokounmpo, a finalist for MVP honors, just completed one of the best seasons of his career, averaging 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists in 67 games while shooting 60.1% from the field. He raised those numbers in the playoffs, posting 33 points, 15.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists per night in the five-game loss.
Antetokounmpo has established himself as one of the greatest players in Bucks history since being selected with the 15th pick in the 2013 draft. He’s a two-time MVP and a nine-time All-Star, and he delivered the team’s first NBA title in 50 years.
According to Charania, Milwaukee’s .663 winning percentage since 2018/19 is the best in the league. However, the Bucks only have one playoff series victory since their 2021 championship season.
If Antetokounmpo goes on the market, teams that can offer young talent and a stockpile of draft assets are considered to be the most likely destinations. The Rockets, Spurs, Thunder and Nets have already been mentioned prominently in trade speculation, but Milwaukee’s front office would likely hear offers from all 29 rival teams.
Charania notes that the Bucks have an opportunity to remake their roster this summer, with Kyle Kuzma, A.J. Green, Andre Jackson, Chris Livingston and Tyler Smith joining Antetokounmpo and Lillard as the only players currently under contract. Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton and Kevin Porter Jr. hold player options for next season, and they could decide to join Brook Lopez, Taurean Prince and Gary Trent Jr. as free agents.
However, the Bucks are already facing cap concerns as Antetokounmpo, Lillard and Kuzma will earn roughly $130MM of the $164MM they already have committed for 2025/26. General manager Jon Horst has limited draft assets to offer in any trade, with the franchise not controlling any of its first-round picks until 2031.
Charania notes that the Bucks were able to escape the second apron with the Kuzma trade in February, but they still have limited breathing room heading into the summer. They’re currently about $23MM below the luxury tax and $41MM away from a return to the second apron for next season.
Charania points out that even a modest offseason that includes re-signing Lopez, using the $14.1MM non-taxpayer midlevel exception and filling out the roster with minimum-salary signees would put Milwaukee into tax territory for the sixth straight year.