Knicks Rumors: Howard, Blatt, Leonard, Mudiay
Juwan Howard, the latest name to emerge in the Knicks’ coaching search, has a powerful connection in the team’s front office, notes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. GM Scott Perry is a former assistant at the University of Michigan, and his first year with the Wolverines was Howard’s last season there.
Howard will be the 10th candidate to talk to Perry and team president Steve Mills, who were in Europe this week to interview former Cavaliers coach David Blatt and to scout Luka Doncic, along with other prospects. Despite the long list of interviewees, Bondy hears that the Knicks’ next coach may be someone not yet mentioned by the media.
There’s more news from New York:
- Howard has a long list of former teammates with coaching experience who could potentially fill out his staff if he gets the Knicks job, notes Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype. The list includes Adrian Griffin, Nick Van Exel, David Vanterpool, James Posey, Darvin Ham, Jamaal Magloire, God Shammgod, Rafer Alston and John Lucas III.
- If the Spurs make Kawhi Leonard available in trade the summer, the Knicks should go all in, even if it costs them Kristaps Porzingis and this year’s first-rounder, contends Tommy Beer of Forbes. Leonard’s scoring ability, defensive prowess and record of big-game performances make him a player that a franchise can be built around, Beer argues. He adds that the Knicks are hoping to construct a contender by surrounding Porzingis with top-level free agents, but their recent record in free agency casts doubt on that plan. He cautions that New York should make the deal with the Spurs only if team doctors determine that Leonard’s quad injury won’t be a long-term issue and he agrees to a four-year extension.
- One-time Knicks coach Larry Brown remains optimistic about Emmanuel Mudiay‘s prospects in New York, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post. Brown tried to recruit Mudiay to SMU before he opted for China, and he believes the 22-year-old can excel by getting into top physical condition. “I don’t think Emmanuel has ever been in the greatest shape of his life,” Brown said. “That position you have to be an elite athlete and in unbelievable shape. I don’t know until he got to the NBA if he has ever been coached the way he needed to be coached.” Mudiay was placed in the league’s concussion protocol after hitting his head late in the season and was just cleared for basketball activities last week.
Weekly Mailbag: 4/23/18 – 4/29/18
We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com.
When will Carmelo Anthony learn he’s not a superstar? — Sam, via Twitter
Often the player is the last to know, and from the tone of Anthony’s exit interview yesterday, it’s clear the message hasn’t gotten through. His first clue should have been the Knicks’ strong desire to ship him out of town, followed by a summer with little trade interest until the Thunder swooped in at the last minute. Anthony’s scoring average dipped below 20 points per game for the first time in his career, and he was held out for long stretches in the playoff loss to Utah. The Thunder would love for the 33-year-old to use his early termination option on next season’s $28MM salary, but there’s little chance he would get an offer anywhere close to that in free agency. He and Oklahoma City management seem to have very different ideas of his role for next year, so don’t be surprised if buyout talks take place at some point.
What are the realistic landing spots for Kahwi Leonard should the Spurs actually lose their minds and decide to trade him? — Clinfton Lewis, via Twitter
The Spurs’ first choice is to hold onto Leonard, but if they do move him, it’s unlikely it will be to a Western Conference rival, as Mark Heisler of The Orange County Register noted recently. Looking eastward, the Celtics are always among the favorites for a big deal because of their collection of young talent and draft picks. The Sixers could offer a package centered around Dario Saric and Markelle Fultz. The Heat may be willing to part with Goran Dragic and have enough other assets to get a deal done. If Leonard goes on the market, San Antonio will have plenty of offers to choose from, even if they’re limited to just one conference.
With the passing of his wife, it really hit not only Gregg Popovich and his family, but the rest of the NBA family as well. Do you think Popovich will be coaching next season? That’s a tough situation to overcome. — Deven Parikh, via Twitter
This will be one of the underrated subplots of the summer. Popovich, who will serve as the Olympics coach in 2020, could decide to take a break from the NBA and focus his energies on USA Basketball. He appeared exasperated by the long-running drama with Leonard, and the tragic death of his wife surely took a supreme emotional toll. The Spurs could look much different next season with much of the veteran core gone, and it would be understandable if Popovich decides to step away as well.
Hawks To Interview Nate Tibbetts, Jarron Collins
The Hawks have interviews set today with a pair of Western Conference assistants, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Nate Tibbetts of the Trail Blazers and Jarron Collins of the Warriors will both interview for Atlanta’s head coaching spot, which was opened when the organization parted ways with Mike Budenholzer this week.
The Hawks’ interest in Tibbetts has been known since Friday when Portland granted permission for an interview, but Collins’ candidacy is new, notes Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Darvin Ham, who has been an assistant to Budenholzer for the past five seasons, will interview tomorrow.
Other identified candidates are David Fizdale, who interviewed Saturday, as well as Stephen Silas, James Borrego and Ime Udoka.
Collins, who played 10 NBA seasons, spent two years as a scout with the Clippers before joining Golden State as a player development coach in 2014/15. He was promoted to an assistant the following year.
Chauncey Billups: Pistons Rumors In ‘Bad Taste’
Former Pistons star and current ABC analyst Chauncey Billups doesn’t want to be associated with rumors involving Detroit’s front office while the current management team remains in place, writes Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press.
The first report came in March from Marc Stein of The New York Times, who tweeted that Billups might be brought in to run the organization along with former agent Arn Tellem. Billups denied the rumor at the time, and owner Tom Gores responded with the word “False.”
Billups repeated his stance Saturday at an autograph session in the Detroit area.
“I think that was in bad taste,” he said. “Everybody knows that I have the desire to run a team at some point, but I would never discuss or talk about a job that’s not open. That’s not my character. That’s not how I am, so I was a little angry about the report that came out. The timing of it was bad. It was false.”
Rumors of a shakeup are gaining steam again after this week’s meeting between Gores and coach/executive Stan Van Gundy. No results have been leaked from that session, but there is speculation that Van Gundy may be asked to relinquish his coaching or front office role.
Billups remains a natural choice to run the Pistons given his track record as a player there and his expressed desire to be an NBA executive. He turned down a similar offer from the Cavaliers last summer.
“It’s easy to link Chauncey Billups with Detroit,” he said. “I’m always going to be a lifetime Piston and people know my desire, but it’s also not fair to a guy like Stan who is the president and the coach and he’s current. It’s not fair for him to hear things like that and I don’t want to be the bull’s-eye on that because all that stuff is false.”
Texas Notes: Mbah a Moute, Tucker, Mavericks, Spurs
After missing the Rockets‘ first playoff series with a dislocated right shoulder, Luc Mbah a Moute hopes to be ready today when his team opens the Western Conference semifinals against the Jazz, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN. On Saturday, Mbah a Moute went through his first full practice since the injury and believes he will be able to play.
“I’m ready in my mind,” said Mbah a Moute, who also suffered a dislocated shoulder in December. “I’ve done this already, so I’m not used to it, but I pretty much know what to expect.”
Officially listed as questionable, Mbah a Moute has been an impact player since coming to Houston in free agency last summer. He averaged 7.5 points and 3.0 rebounds per game and has the best defensive numbers among the Rockets’ rotation players.
There’s more news today out of Texas:
- P.J. Tucker, Houston’s other key free agent addition, has a lot of similarities with former Rocket Mario Elie, notes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. A member of the city’s two championship teams of the 1990s, Elie was known for his toughness and versatility, two qualities that define Tucker. “I just love his demeanor,” Elie said. “He’s like me. He’s angry on the court and that’s how he should be. He has no friends out there. He just competes. And what I like about him, is he guards multiple positions. That what he does that I really like, just like I did.”
- The Mavericks could be indirect beneficiaries of LeBron James‘ free agency, suggests Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. No matter where James ends up, a team will likely have to unload a significant salary, which Dallas is in position to absorb. The Mavericks could wind up with Clint Capela from the Rockets, Robert Covington from the Sixers or Julius Randle from the Lakers, or if James stays in Cleveland, Dallas could pursue Pelicans free agent DeMarcus Cousins.
- The focus in San Antonio will be on Kawhi Leonard this summer, but the Spurs have plenty of free agent concerns, states Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. If Danny Green opts out, Deveney expects him to get offers of $12MM to $14MM per year for three to four seasons, which may be higher than the Spurs are willing to go. It’s also doubtful that they would commit to an expensive long-term deal for Rudy Gay if he opts out.
Celtics Notes: Brown, Horford, Theis, Hayward
Jaylen Brown missed the second half of Saturday’s close-out game against the Bucks because of a Grade 1 right hamstring strain, but he’s optimistic he’ll be ready for the start of the next series, according to Chris Forsberg of ESPN. Brown will have an MRI today to learn the full extent of the damage.
“Massage, rest, ice, all of the above,” he said in describing his treatment plan. “I hate taking pills. Like, I probably haven’t taken a pill in over 10 years. But they’ve got me taking anti-inflammatories and stuff like that. So just whatever it takes. Because I wouldn’t miss this next series for the world.”
Coach Brad Stevens said Brown probably could have returned to the game if needed, but he decided to be cautious, especially as the Celtics pulled away in the second half. Brown ran some test sprints and rode an exercise bike at courtside before taking a seat on the bench for the fourth quarter.
There’s more this morning from Boston:
- With the two stars they added last summer both sidelined by injuries, the Celtics have turned to their top free agent addition from 2016, notes Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports. Al Horford helped finish off Milwaukee with 26 points, eight rebounds and three assists in Game 7 and seems to have won over a Boston fan base that was skeptical after he was given a $113MM contract over four years. “He’s such a pro with how he approaches his job,” said president of basketball operations Danny Ainge. “And he knew what Boston was about. He knew the history. We get so much out of Al. He’s been such a stabilizing force for our team.”
- Rookie center Daniel Theis reached a milestone in his recovery this weekend when he was cleared to walk without crutches for the first time since surgery, tweets A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston. Theis, who had his left knee lateral meniscus repaired in mid-March, probably won’t be cleared to start playing again until July, according to Stevens.
- Gordon Hayward continues to do rehab in Indiana as he works his way back from a fractured ankle, Blakely tweets. Hayward was at Saturday’s game, but doesn’t expect to travel with the team in the next round.
Cavaliers Notes: LeBron, Hill, Hood
LeBron James may be facing a unique “win or leave home” scenario in tomorrow’s Game 7 with the Pacers, writes Tom Withers of The Associated Press. No matter when the Cavaliers’ season ends, speculation will immediately begin about James’ destination in free agency. Considering the heavy load he has carried for his team in the regular season and playoffs at age 33, James may be looking for a situation where he has more help.
After Friday’s loss in Indiana, James said he hasn’t given any consideration to free agency or the potential magnitude of Sunday’s contest.
“The thought that if we don’t play well that it will be my last game of the year will probably hit my mind,” James responded when asked about the possible end to a second era in Cleveland. “But I haven’t thought about that.” (Twitter link).
There’s more today out of Cleveland:
- Count Marc Stein of the New York Times among the voices who expect James to leave the Cavaliers. In his weekly newsletter, Stein speculates that Philadelphia is the most likely destination for James, stating the Sixers have “growing behind-the-scenes confidence” that they can land this summer’s top free agent. He adds that the path to the NBA Finals remains easier in the East, which is why he expects James to pass on offers from the Lakers and Rockets.
- Coach Tyronn Lue is “optimistic” that George Hill will be ready for Game 7, but his status may not be determined until game time, relays Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Hill was able to participate in practice today and did extra shooting work afterward. “Moved around good today, played 5-on-5 with some of the guys and felt decent so just have to see how his back reacts after that,” Lue said. “Moved around pretty good, so we will see.” Hill has missed the past three games with back spasms.
- Rodney Hood will draw on experience as he prepares for the second Game 7 of his career. In a video posted on the Cavaliers’ website, Hood reflects on going through the same thing with the Jazz last season when they topped the Clippers in a series-deciding game. “Last year’s Game 7 was on the road, so you know the type of atmosphere,” said Hood, who was acquired from Utah at the trade deadline. “It’s kind of different, but at the same time it’s win or go home. We don’t want our season to end, so we’ve got to come out ready to play. Play confident and I think we’ll be all right.”
Wizards Notes: Durant, Wall, Gortat, Morris
The Wizards are still suffering the consequences of their decision to chase Kevin Durant when he was a free agent in 2016, writes Ashish Mathur of AmicoHoops. Washington elected to pass on a talented 2015 free agency market that included Al Horford, LaMarcus Aldridge, Marc Gasol, DeAndre Jordan, Paul Millsap and Khris Middleton because the team wanted to preserve cap room for a run at Durant.
The Wizards went a couple of steps further, hiring Durant’s former Oklahoma City coach, Scott Brooks, and bringing on David Adkins, part of the coaching staff on Durant’s high school team, as a player development assistant. Despite those moves, Durant, who grew up near Washington, never gave serious consideration to returning home and didn’t even meet with the Wizards.
There’s more Wizards news from today’s exit interviews:
- John Wall indicated that the front office needs to shake up the roster this summer, tweets Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. Wall, who clashed with center Marcin Gortat over social media comments earlier this season, said the team needs to find “athletic bigs” for next year. “We added some pieces to help us out at times … but at the same time front office people need to figure out what really fits with the team,” Wall added (Twitter link).
- Gortat, who is entering the final year of his contract, remains confident that he has “a lot in the tank.” (Twitter link). He said he hopes to get back to a more physical style next season and criticized small-ball lineups, which he called the “worst thing” in the NBA.
- Markieff Morris told reporters he underwent minor groin surgery last summer in addition to the sports hernia operation that was known about (Twitter link). Morris, who missed the start of the season because of the procedures, twice said the Wizards’ problems with consistency are linked to “immaturity.”
- Majority owner Ted Leonsis penned a thank you letter to Wizards fans on social media and praised the team for remaining competitive with Wall sidelined for half the season.
Stephen Curry To Miss Game 1, ‘Very Likely’ For Game 2
The Warriors will not use Stephen Curry in tonight’s opening game against the Pelicans, tweets Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. Coach Steve Kerr told his team about the decision this morning, adds ESPN’s Chris Haynes, but said the star guard feels great and is “very likely” for Game 2 (Twitter link).
Curry is still recovering from a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee that he suffered in a March 23 game. He missed the entire opening-round series against the Spurs, but said Friday he considered himself “50-50” to play tonight.
Kerr said he had discussions with Curry, GM Bob Myers and trainer Chelsea Lane before making the decision, relays Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News (Twitter link), with Kerr adding, “We have to protect him from himself.” (Twitter link).
“He’s very likely to play Tuesday night,” Kerr said. “… When you’ve been out five weeks and you want to play in the playoffs, I don’t think one scrimmage is enough.” (Twitter link).
Kerr hasn’t decided what Curry’s role will be in Game 2, tweets Monte Poole of CSN Bay Area. He may start or come off the bench and he could be playing with a minutes restriction.
BC’s Jerome Robinson To Stay In Draft
Potential first-round pick Jerome Robinson of Boston College has signed with CAA Sports and will remain in this year’s draft, tweets Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports.
The 6’6″ point guard averaged 24 points for the Eagles as a junior this season. He and teammate Ky Bowman both elected to enter the draft earlier this month without agents, but Robinson’s decision to hire CAA finalizes his status.
Robinson comes in 39th on the list of the top 100 prospects compiled by Jonathan Givony of ESPN and is projected to be taken 40th by the Nets in Givony’s latest mock draft.
“I feel that my game and my mentality is pro ready,” Robinson told ESPN’s Jeff Goodman. “Simple as that.” (Twitter link).
Several teams are projecting Robinson as a late first-round selection, Goodman adds (Twitter link).