Domantas Sabonis Talks Extension, Fit With Myles Turner
Domantas Sabonis has one year remaining on his rookie deal with the Pacers. The big man believes there’s a good chance he’ll sign an extension this offseason, but he’s remaining patient.
“Like my dad said: You did your job. You did your best and now you just have to wait. Now I can’t do anything. I just need to be patient and wait,” Sabonis said (via international journalist Donatas Urbonas’ Twitter feed).
The 23-year-old is arguably best-suited to play the five, which is also Myles Turner‘s best position. With Turner, who signed a four-year extension last season, in the fold and the Pacers drafting center Goga Bitadze in the first round of June’s draft, it’s fair to wonder about Indiana’s plan for Sabonis. The 23-year-old isn’t worried about the overlap with Turner.
“We know it can work,” Sabonis told Urbonas (Twitter link). “I think we were a good fit last season. We just need more time. Not only a few minutes per game, but a whole season or at least half of it. There are going to be better and worse games, but we need trust and everything will be fine.”
Celtics Notes: Walker, Smart, Stevens
Kemba Walker has gotten a chance to bond with some of his new Celtics teammates at Team USA’s training camp in Las Vegas, as Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com relays.
“I’m the new guy; they already know each other,” Walker said. “They are just kind of reeling me in and getting me acclimated to how things go. With four of us here now, it gives us an opportunity to play with each other and learn each other’s tendencies.”
Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown are all attending the camp. Coach Brad Stevens also made an appearance. Boston had some chemistry concerns last season, but the team is excited about turning to a new chapter.
“It can only be positive for us because it’s chemistry added,” Brown said about the four players’ experience at Team USA’s camp. “I just want to hoop. I don’t want any politics. We’re artists and this season is a new canvas.”
Here’s more from Boston:
- Walker is a lock to make Team USA’s roster and Tatum has a strong chance to make the squad as well, Windhorst adds in the same piece. Smart and Brown each making the team is not as much of a sure thing. “We’re all grateful to be here,” Tatum said. “Hopefully, all four of us make it; that would be amazing. Me and [Brown] play one-on-one all the time, and we’ve always tried to push each other and it’s been that way since day one. Ultimately, we have the same goal with our teams and here.”
- Smart has missed several days of practice with a left calf injury and he’ll be re-evaluated next week, as the AP’s Tim Reynolds tweets. “Right now, for me, I’m trying to grow as a player… taking those precautions,” said Smart (via Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports). “Last year, or two or three years ago, I probably would have still been out there trying to fight through it. It’s nothing serious so we just want to make sure it doesn’t turn into anything serious.”
- Stevens said the Celtics have moved past their issues from last season, as Forsberg passes along in a separate piece. “We turned that page a long time ago. That’s what you should do after a season. I think, whether you had success or it wasn’t as good as you want, you learn from it and move on,” Stevens said.
Lance Stephenson To Play In China
AUGUST 8: Stephenson’s deal with Liaoning is now official, tweets Carchia.
AUGUST 1: Lance Stephenson is taking his talents abroad. Liaoning of the Chinese Basketball Association will add the veteran shooting guard, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. It will be a one-year, $4MM deal, reports Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).
Stephenson played for the Lakers last year on a one-year, $4.45MM deal, in what many considered a surprising development. During his lone season in Los Angeles, he scored 7.2 points per game and made 37.1% of his shots behind the arc on nearly three attempts per game.
The nine-year veteran was drafted No. 40 overall by the Pacers in the 2010 draft. He spent his first four seasons in the league in Indiana and returned for a second stint during the 2016-17 campaign. He also made stops in Charlotte, Los Angeles (playing for both the Clippers and Lakers at points in his career), Memphis, and New Orleans.
Stephenson is the latest in a string of veteran players who are headed to the Chinese Basketball Assocation after spending part or all of the 2018/19 season in the NBA. Ekpe Udoh, James Nunnally, and Ian Clark are also reportedly joining Chinese teams.
Tony Wroten’s Journey Will Continue In Europe
Every basketball player is told at some point that they can no longer play the game. It could be a coach telling you that you didn’t make the team, an organization deciding to go in a different direction, or simply the voice in your head telling you that risk of injury is too great at a certain age. It’s an inevitable message, one that Tony Wroten isn’t ready to hear yet.
Wroten’s basketball journey takes another turn with the former first-round pick set to play for a new European team next season
(Note: Croatian team KK Zadar announced the signing of Wroten on its website, but multiple reports since then have indicated he’s on track to land instead with Polish club Anwil Wloclawek.)
Wroten is no stranger to international play. He suited up for BC Kalev/Cramo in Estonia last season, an experience he said helped him to improve.
“Obviously, Europe in general is different than the States,” the 6’5″ combo guard told Hoops Rumors during the Wizards’ pre-Summer League training camp earlier this offseason. “Even basketball. The basketball is different, the culture, it was a learning experience. I was able to learn things about myself and get better both mentally and physically on and off the court. I really think that helped me to get to where I am now.”
Injuries have stunted Wroten’s growth as a player. He tore his ACL early in the 2014/15 season while playing for Philadelphia but was able to work his way back to the court in December of 2015. The Sixers waived him on Christmas Eve—just eight games into his comeback campaign—and he hasn’t played in an NBA game since.
Wroten said he felt like his health was finally back to 100 percent while speaking to Hoops Rumors at the Wizards’ camp back in June. He was impressive during the three-day event, displaying athleticism, passion, and leadership, at least during the media portion of drills.
“Being a professional, I know I’m not perfect. I’m trying to work on every single thing,” Wroten said with a mix of conviction and urgency. “In the NBA, it’s the best of the best and you have to pretty much have no weaknesses if you’re going to be a star in the league.”
Wroten still has ambitions to continue his career in the NBA. Sources told Hoops Rumors earlier this summer that the 26-year-old was under consideration for an NBA roster spot in at least one organization.
Instead of returning to the league, Wroten will spend another season in a situation that will require him to learn on the fly. Last year, he had to adjust to the the Latvian-Estonian Basketball League, which has a reputation for not being kind to scorers due to slightly different restrictions and rules in the paint. Wroten figured it out, averaging 19.6 points per game during his final five contests in Eastern Europe, all while playing in an environment that was much different than in any of his previous stops.
“In the States, no one is beating the drums all game and throwing things on the floor. [The European fans] are really passionate. It’s just a different kind of passion the NBA vs. Europe,” Wroten explained.
Among the other players on BC Kalev/Cramo’s roster last season? Arnett Moultrie. Yes, former NBA player Arnett Moultrie, who was Wroten’s teammate on the 2013/14 Sixers.
The duo played together for just one NBA season, as Moultrie was traded to New York in 2014. In return, the Sixers took back Travis Outlaw and netted a 2018 second-rounder and a 2019 pick that ended up being the No. 33 overall selection—the Sixers packaged this pick with its first-rounder to move up and select University of Washington’s Matisse Thybulle.
“Being there since the start of The Process, [through the] bad years, and for them to be in the playoffs and close to the Eastern Conference Finals, it just shows the trust [the organization] has in the team and the players behind [Joel] Embiid,” said Wroten who was in Philadelphia for parts of three seasons. “I’m happy for them.”
Wroten is also happy for the city. He remembers the Philadelphians who continued to show up to the Wells Fargo Center to see a team that didn’t put out the best product. “For us to have a record like we did and to still have the support: Philadelphia is terrific fan base,” he said.
The 26-year-old feels like he’s fully healthy for the first time since those pre-injury Sixers days. While the Seattle-native appears likely to play in Poland this upcoming season, he’ll knock on the NBA’s door again in the future.
Injuries cause many professional athletes to consider retirement and potentially pursue other career choices. Wroten’s setbacks could have forced him to second-guess his future but he never doubted his path: Basketball is life.
“Injuries, you can’t control,” Wroten said. “But with me being a competitor, I’d have to be dead not to play.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NCAA Issues Rules For Agents Of Certain NBA Prospects
The NCAA has created requirements for agents to represent college athletes testing the NBA draft waters, as Jeff Borzello of ESPN.com relays. According to the new criteria, agents must:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree.
- Be NBPA certified for at least three seasons.
- Carry professional liability insurance.
- Complete an in-person exam taken at the NCAA office in Indianapolis.
- Officially fill out an application.
- Undergo a background check.
Sources tell Borzello that these agents will also be required to agree that they will cooperate with the NCAA in investigations.
Again, this only applies for those agents representing players testing the draft waters, meaning situations in which a prospect can attend the NBA’s draft combine and team workouts and still return to school if he so chooses. This does not apply to agents representing players who officially declare for the draft.
Some have labeled this as the “Rich Paul Rule.” Rich Paul, who represents LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Ben Simmons and Draymond Green among other players, began working with James a few years after high school and never obtained a degree.
Steve Kerr Talks Changes To Warriors’ Roster, Team Decisions
It’s been a while since Golden State entered a season without being viewed as the undisputed favorite to win it all. In many ways, things will feel different in Northern California this upcoming season, as the Warriors will play in a new arena without the championship expectations to which they’ve grown accustomed.
“This summer was painful in many ways, losing the guys that we did,” said coach Steve Kerr said. “But reassuring, in the sense that we brought back some key guys who are going to help us kind of get to that next era, whatever that looks like.”
The Warriors lost Kevin Durant in free agency and cut ties with several key contributors from their championship runs, including Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston. Golden State retained some stability after the franchise inked Klay Thompson to a five-year deal.
Draymond Green also signed a new deal this summer, putting pen to paper on a four-year extension. Kerr said that he and GM Bob Myers have discussed securing Green long-term for quite some time.
“I think every player sort of faces these moments where they’ve got to decide, ‘Am I going to mitigate risk and sign something now or play it out?’ That’s up to them,” Kerr said. “Obviously, everyone goes about it differently. But it didn’t surprise me that Draymond signed. He wanted to be here. He’s talked about it all along.”
D’Angelo Russell will join the mix and Kerr called the point guard a “great young talent” who’s going to “fit right in” with the group.
“Without Klay, especially, we’ll need D’Angelo’s scoring and it’s up to us as a staff to figure out how best to use him to shake the team, shake the offense. And we’ll figure it out,” Kerr said.
With Thompson slated to miss considerable time next season, the Warriors will have to rely on young, unproven options to get them through the year. Kerr is embracing the challenge of building the team back up to a championship level.
“I’d rather be the favorite again, to be honest with you,” Kerr said. “But I like coaching. Every year’s a little different. This will be a lot different. But I’m excited to coach the guys who are coming back and the many young, new players that we’ve got. It’s a new challenge and I’m excited for it.”
Hawks Sign Brandon Goodwin To Two-Way Deal
AUGUST 6: The Hawks have officially signed Goodwin to a two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release.
JULY 23: The Hawks will bring in Brandon Goodwin on a two-way deal, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. Each team is awarded a pair of two-way deals and Atlanta has already used one on Charlie Brown Jr., as our two-way contract tracker shows.
Goodwin was not selected in the 2018 NBA Draft. He went to camp with the Grizzlies last fall on an Exhibit 10 deal and latched on with the Nuggets later in the season, ultimately occupying one of their two-way deals.
The point guard played in 16 games for Denver last season, scoring a total of 23 points and dished out 14 assists over 57 minutes of action. In 27 G League games for the Memphis Hustle and Iowa Wolves, he averaged 21.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 5.1 APG.
Goodwin most recently played for the Nuggets’ Summer League team.
2019 NBA 2K League Finals Preview: 76ers GC Vs. T-Wolves Gaming
The NBA 2K League Finals between the 76ers GC and T-Wolves Gaming will take place this Saturday. You can catch it live on the league’s Twitch channel or YouTube channel, starting at 3:00 pm ET.
The two teams battled during The Tipoff tournament back in April with Philadelphia beating Minnesota by a score of 68-57 on their way to winning the event. On Saturday, the two teams will again meet in the NBA 2K League Finals, which will be a best-of-five series for the first time (last year’s championship series was a best-of-three).
The schedule is as follows:
- 3:00 pm: Game 1, T-Wolves at 76ers GC.
- 4:15 pm: Game 2, 76ers GC at T-Wolves.
- 5:30 pm: Game 3, T-Wolves at 76ers GC.
- 6:45 pm: Game 4, 76ers GC at T-Wolves.*
- 8:00 pm: Game 5, T-Wolves at 76ers GC.*
*Game 4 and 5 if necessary. All times listed are ET.
The league’s second season began 18 weeks ago with the Knicks kicking off the year as the defending champs. New York will hold onto that title for a few more days before a new champion is crowned.
The 76ers GC do not have a traditional center, employing a guard-heavy lineup instead. T-Wolves Gaming fields a traditional lineup with a power forward off the bench. Here’s more on each team ahead of the NBA 2K League Finals:
76ers GC
- Record: 11-5 (3rd overall)
- Point differential: +7.7 (2nd overall)
- Playoff record: 4-0
- Playoff point differential: +60
Philadelphia won The Tipoff (the first tournament of the 2019 season) and finished second in The Turn (the second tournament). The team hasn’t lost more than two games in a row all season.
76ers GC won four straight games entering the playoffs and didn’t take a single loss during their first two series against Pacers Gaming and Celtics Crossover Gaming. They closed out their semifinals series over Boston with a 37-point victory. Here’s more about the team:
- 76ers GC is led by 2019 NBA 2K League Coach of the Year Jeff Terrell.
- Point guard Radiant earned All-NBA 2K League Second-Team honors and was an MVP candidate.
- Rookie power forward Breadwinner earned All-NBA 2K League Defensive Team honors and was named to the league’s All-NBA Rookie Team.
T-Wolves Gaming
- Record: 10-6 (4th overall)
- Point differential: +5.8 (5th overall)
- Playoff record: 4-0
- Playoff point differential: +60
After a one-point loss to Cavs Legion GC on May 31, T-Wolves Gaming held a 3-6 record. Without a tournament win (Minnesota finished 3-3 in tournament play), the squad’s playoff hopes were dwindling. However, the team caught fire over the last six weeks of the regular season, winning its final seven contests by nearly 18 points per game.
T-Wolves Gaming took down Kings Guard Gaming 2-0 in the first round to set up a matchup with the Warriors Gaming Squad. WGS had won two of the three tournaments this season, including The Turn, when they knocked out 76ers GC in the finals. Minnesota dusted Golden State in the semifinals, winning the pair of playoff games by margins of 18 and 22, respectively. Here’s more about the team:
- T-Wolves Gaming is led by coach Shawn Vilvens, who also serves as the team’s GM.
- Center FEAST won the league’s Sportsmanship award.
For more details on the NBA 2K League, check out our 2019 season primer, which includes a full breakdown of which teams are involved, details on the league’s tournaments, and a look into how players make money while competing in the league.
Which side do you think will win the NBA 2K League Finals? And what are your thoughts on the NBA 2K League in general? Take to the comment section below to share your thoughts.
FIBA World Cup Notes: Barrett, Drummond, Adebayo
RJ Barrett will not participate in the 2019 FIBA World Cup for Canada due to a mild calf strain, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. The most recent No. 3 overall pick will join Team Canada for training camp and team activities in Toronto. Barrett represented his country over the last four summers and helped the squad qualify for the World Cup.
There’s also Team USA news. Here is the latest, via USA Basketball’s website:
- Andre Drummond is the latest player to drop out of this year’s international competition for Team USA. Montrezl Harrell, who was previously reported to have declined his invitation, will also not vie for a spot on the 2019 World Cup roster.
- As previously reported, Bam Adebayo will join the Men’s National Team in training camp. Adebayo will add depth to a thin crop of traditional big men. Brook Lopez, Myles Turner, and Mason Plumlee are the only traditional centers attending camp. Thaddeus Young, Kyle Kuzma, P.J. Tucker and Harrison Barnes will also attend.
- Jaren Jackson Jr. has been added to USA’s Select Team roster. Jackson will join fellow 2018 top-five picks Marvin Bagley and Trae Young on the 14-man squad.
Patrick Patterson Bought Out By Thunder, Plans To Sign With Clippers
The Thunder and Patrick Patterson have agreed to a buyout and the big man intends to sign with the Clippers once he clears waivers, as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports (Twitter links). Oklahoma City today on its website that Patterson has been released.
Los Angeles is limited to offering the veteran’s mininum, which is roughly $2.3MM for a player with Patterson’s level of experience (nine seasons), as Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets. Patterson had one year and approximately $5.7MM left on his deal. It’s unclear how much he will give up to free himself from Oklahoma City, but it seems safe to assume that it’ll be about the same amount as he’ll earn in L.A.
If the Clippers’ new-look roster has a weakness after an eventful offseason, it would be in the frontcourt. The team re-signed JaMychal Green this offseason to play the four, but options behind him are limited. Patterson could have a place in the rotation from day one or he could simply be an addition for depth. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Maurice Harkless all have the ability to play the power forward spot, with Harkless the most likely candidate to see significant time at the position.
The Kentucky product struggled to make a real impact with OKC after signing a three-year deal with the franchise during the 2017 offseason. He finished his Thunder stint playing in 145 out of a possible 164 regular season games while averaging slightly under 15 minutes per contest. He also appeared in six playoff contests for the club.
Once Patterson clears waivers on Saturday and officially signed with the Clippers, the team will have 14 players on guaranteed contracts for the 2019/20 season.