Celtics Notes: Porzingis, Holiday, Davison, Peterson, White
Kristaps Porzingis‘ unusual leg injury is something the Celtics big man can play through but he’ll eventually need surgery, a medical expert told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (Twitter link).
Porzingis is listed as questionable to play in Game 3 of the Finals due to a “torn medial retinaculum allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon in his left leg.”
Dr. Daniel Kharrazi, an orthopedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai in Boston and former Lakers consultant, told Washburn he’s only seen a injury like Porzingis’ once in 25 years.
“A lot of times the ankle and the tendon can be taped to allow play,” Khazzari said. “There are even some braces that they can use that helps protect the tendon. I don’t think it’s something that he’s gonna make worse by just playing, especially if he’s just running up and down the court and even some lateral movements may be OK. This can be a repetitive issue if he has awkward landings or with his foot in certain positions that causes subluxation of the tendon. I don’t think it’s a season-ending injury.”
We have more on the Celtics:
- The addition of Jrue Holiday has Boston two wins away from a championship. Holiday has provided stability to the starting unit and he can put up big numbers when needed, as his 26-point, 11-rebound effort in Game 2 exhibits, Kyle Hightower of the Associated Press writes. “It’s been great and the journey’s been awesome, but at the end of the day, the job is not done,” he said.
- Two-way contract players JD Davison and Drew Peterson have been in the stands during the Finals because they’re ineligible to suit up and there’s no room on the Celtics’ bench. They’re cheering the home team and jeering the opponent just as much as the fans, according to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe. “It’s definitely like being a fan and being on the team at the same time,” Davison said. “When everybody’s standing up and cheering, I’m one of the ones standing and cheering with them. We just wanted to be a part of everything and support the guys, honestly, so we’ll take whatever seats we can get.”
- Derrick White was traded from the Spurs to the Celtics during the 2021/22 season but he still hears Gregg Popovich’s voice when he’s playing, he told Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News. “The simple play always is the right play. That’s something I took from (Popovich), and it’s been great for my career,” White said.
Central Notes: Buckner, Giannis, Pacers Workout, Pacers Offseason
Greg Buckner is expected to join Doc Rivers’ staff with the Bucks, Marc Stein tweets. Buckner was the Cavaliers‘ associate head coach under J.B. Bickerstaff. He had been on Cleveland’s staff since 2020. Previously, Bucker was an assistant with the Grizzlies (2017-19). Former Lakers coach Darvin Ham has also made a commitment to join Rivers’ staff.
We have more from the Central Division:
- The Bucks didn’t play Giannis Antetokounmpo at center very often this season, but that has to change, Eric Nehm of The Athletic opines in his latest mailbag. While the team’s superstar doesn’t want to play the position regularly, there’s strong evidence that lineups featuring Antetokounmpo in the middle often produce positive results.
- Jack Gohlke, who became a folk hero when he lifted Oakland to a huge NCAA Tournament upset of Kentucky, will be among six prospects working out for the Pacers on Wednesday, the team tweets. Joining the 3-point specialist will be Michigan State’s Tyson Walker, TCU’s Emanuel Miller, UC-Santa Barbara’s Ajay Mitchell, Belgium’s Thijs de Ridder and China’s Yongxi Cui.
- In a subscriber-only story, The Indianapolis Star’s Dustin Dopirak has seven suggestions that would make for a successful Pacers offseason. Dopirak’s list starts with re-signing Pascal Siakam and also includes trying to find a shooter at a good price and extending both T.J. McConnell and Andrew Nembhard.
Thunder Could Make Serious Run At Hartenstein
Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein pumped up his value this season during his walk year. They’ll have competition for his services and the Thunder are viewed as the main threat, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.
Hartenstein made approximately $9.25MM this season and he’ll get a huge raise this summer. The Knicks hold his Early Bird rights and can offer a maximum of about $72MM over four years.
That might not be enough to keep Hartenstein, who started 49 regular-season games after Mitchell Robinson was injured and all 13 of the Knicks’ postseason contests. One recent report said the 26-year-old could receive $80-$100MM on a new deal from a team with cap room.
The Thunder will have around $35MM in cap space. While Rookie of the Year runner-up Chet Holmgren manned the middle for the Thunder, Hartenstein could provide a different element.
Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer recently noted that Hartenstein would help OKC with his rebounding, screening and passing. Rebounding was a major issue for the Western Conference’s top seed.
The Thunder will soon need to make some major salary commitments to keep its strong young core intact, so they make take a different approach with Hartenstein. Citing a source, Bondy suggests OKC might offer a short-term deal, perhaps two years, with a high salary. That would provide both OKC and Hartenstein with long-term flexibility.
OKC could go with a bigger starting lineup, sliding Holmgren to the power forward slot, or use Hartenstein as their main frontcourt reserve.
Mavericks Notes: Irving, Doncic, Washington, Celtics’ Talent
Kyrie Irving has pulled a disappearing act in the first two games of the Finals, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post writes.
The Mavericks guard has scored a total of 28 points on 13-for-37 shooting in the series after pouring in 30-plus points six times earlier in the postseason, Bondy notes.
“A lot of shots were hitting the back rim. That could piss you off as a competitor, but it’s all part of the game of basketball,” Irving said, adding, “A little disappointed in myself not being able to convert a lot more on my opportunities that I have in the lane. Obviously, I’m going against Jrue Holiday and Jaylen Brown a few times, but I feel like I have the upper edge on certain possessions where I’ve just got to convert. They are pushing me to my left hand a little bit more. I have to be aware of some of their adjustments, like I was in Game 1. … Offensively, I have to play better.”
We have more on the Mavs:
- Despite posting a triple-double in Game 2, Luka Doncic put the blame on himself for the 105-98 loss, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. Doncic committed eight turnovers and missed half of his eight free throws. “I think my turnovers and my missed free throws cost us the game,” Doncic said. Coach Jason Kidd disagreed with his superstar’s assessment. “He was really good (Sunday). Unfortunately, we just couldn’t get over the hump,” Kidd said. “I thought our defense was really, really good. We’ve just got to take care of the ball.”
- While the West is generally considered the toughest of the two conferences, P.J. Washington says the Celtics are superior to any of the teams they’ve faced in the playoffs. “They’re just better,” he said, per Tim Cato of The Athletic. “At the end of the day, they are better than all the teams we’ve played. It’s the Finals, and we’ve just got to be better.”
- Following along that theme, John Hollinger of The Athletic writes that of the seven best players in the series, all but two are playing for the Celtics. He concludes the only way Dallas can rally to win the series is if the Celtics beat themselves.
Pistons To Hire Michael Blackstone As Langdon’s Top Lieutenant
The Pistons are hiring Michael Blackstone as their executive VP of basketball operations, Omari Sankofa of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Blackstone will be the second in command under new president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon. Blackstone has updated his social media bio, stating he now works for the Pistons organization.
Blackstone had worked with Langdon as the Pelicans’ VP of basketball administration since the 2020/21 season. He had been considered the favorite to land the job as Langdon’s right-hand man.
Sankofa confirms the Pistons are also hiring Nets director of player personnel J.R. Holden in an executive role.
Blackstone was an assistant GM in Atlanta before coming to New Orleans. He was also the executive director of basketball operations with the Cavaliers from 2010-13.
The Pistons parted ways with GM Troy Weaver at the beginning of the month. Weaver’s rebuilding project was a failure, as the Pistons finished with the worst record in the league this season.
Langdon and his assistant will have over $60MM in cap space this summer to make the team more competitive. The Pistons hold the No. 5 pick in the draft after falling in the lottery.
Central Notes: Pistons, Cavaliers, Borrego, Atkinson, Ham
Gary Trent Jr. could fit next to Cade Cunningham as a three-point threat and floor spacer. Naji Marshall could fit in as a three-and-D wing. Goga Bitadze could provide much needed rim protector. They are among a dozen under-the-radar free agents that might make sense for the Pistons, Omari Sankofa II writes for the Detroit Free Press. Detroit could have as much as $64MM in cap space as the team looks to rise from the bottom of the league.
We have more from the Central Division:
- Adem Bona (UCLA), Ta’Lon Cooper (South Carolina), Tyler Thomas (Hofstra) and Kel’el Ware (Indiana) visited the Cavaliers on Monday in a pre-draft workout, Adam Zagoria tweets. Big men Ware and Bona are considered potential first-rounders. Ware is currently rated No. 24 overall on ESPN’s Best Available list while Bona is ranked at No. 37. The Cavaliers currently hold the No. 20 pick.
- Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego, still a candidate for the Lakers’ head coaching job, is expected to interview for the Cavaliers head coaching position early this week, Brian Windhorst of ESPN reports. Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson is also scheduled for a visit.
- Speaking of the Cavaliers, they could have a very intriguing offseason if they decide to break up their backcourt duo of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell or their frontcourt pairing of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Keith Smith delves into those topics, among others, in his offseason preview for Spotrac.
- Darvin Ham’s return to the Bucks as an assistant makes a lot of sense, according to The Athletic’s Eric Nehm. He’s well-respected by the team’s veterans and maintained his relationships with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton. It’s also a good spot for him to restore his reputation with an eye on getting another head coaching job.
Celtics Notes: White, Walsh, Horford, Series Outlook
It’s going to get even more expensive for the Celtics to keep their core group together. Derrick White, who has excelled during the postseason, will be seeking a contract extension this summer, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack article.
White will make $20MM next season in the last year of the four-year deal he signed with the Spurs. He’s eligible for another four-year deal that would max out in the neighborhood of $126MM. The remainder of the Celtics’ starting lineup is signed through at least the 2025/26 season, with all making at least $29MM per season.
We have more on the Celtics:
- The lone rookie on the team, Jordan Walsh, has only appeared in two postseason games but he’s contributing in other ways, Souichi Terada of Masslive.com writes. He’s trying to push Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown whenever he’s matched up against the star wing duo in practice. “I’m here to kill you in practice. I don’t care who you are, I’m trying to kill. So that’s kind of the mentality I have,” he said.
- Al Horford‘s experience and leadership is invaluable to the team, Baxter Holmes of ESPN writes in a feature story. “The bottom line is, we are much better because Al Horford is on our team, and everybody in the room is better because Al Horford is on the team,” top executive Brad Stevens said. “That’s the most important thing. He raises all ships. That’s just the way he’s always been. We don’t take that for granted. We know how important he is.” Horford’s on-court contributions have remained steady –he’s averaging 9.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game in the postseason.
- The ESPN trio of Brian Windhorst, Marc Spears and Dave McMenamin provide their observations and expectations for the remainder of the NBA Finals between the Celtics and Mavericks.
Southwest Notes: Mavs, Knicks, Topic, Spurs, Grizzlies
Mavericks part owner Mark Cuban denies the franchise purposely tanked last year to punish the Knicks, he told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.
By avoiding the play-in tournament last season, the Mavericks were able to retain a lottery pick, rather than conveying their pick to the Knicks as final compensation for the Kristaps Porzingis trade. Dallas used the pick on Dereck Lively. The Mavs will compensate the Knicks this year with their pick all the way down at No. 24.
Dallas lost Jalen Brunson in free agency in 2022 to the Knicks, who were later penalized a draft pick for tampering.
“I’m not a revenge guy,” Cuban said, adding, “We never tanked anything. We just decided to play our younger players the last couple of games. But it’s Nico Harrison’s and mine’s and Jason Kidd’s job to make the tough decisions. Nobody who decides to rebuild effectively likes it. When you play your young players, it’s not always fun. So we just felt it was time to go young.”
Cuban later admitted the franchise’s decision to rest key players was not truly a “rebuild” move. “We made the decision 10 other teams made, right?” Cuban said. “We just made it a little bit later. Obviously, it turned out well.”
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- Lottery prospect Nikola Topic has a partially torn ACL. That shouldn’t deter the Spurs, who own two picks in the top 10, from drafting the 18-year-old point guard, LJ Ellis of Spurs Talk opines. From all appearances, the Spurs haven’t shown much interest in Topic but that could be a smokescreen, Ellis notes. With two lottery selections, San Antonio has the luxury of using the latter pick at No. 8 on Topic and waiting for him to heal.
- What players could the Pelicans target with the No. 21 pick? Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times Picayune explores that topic, naming a trio of guards — USC’s Isaiah Collier, Baylor’s Ja’Kobe Walter and Pittsburgh’s Carlton Carrington — who could entice them at that spot.
- The Spurs and Grizzlies are two of the teams who currently own more than two picks in this month’s draft. Check out the list here.
Stein’s Latest: Lindsey, Williams, George, Bronny James, Cassell
The Pistons passed on Mavericks executive Dennis Lindsey and hired Trajan Langdon as their president of basketball operations. However, the Pistons would still like to bring in Lindsey for another front office role under Langdon.
Lindsey has been discussed as an ongoing target for the Pistons, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack post. Lindsey was the other finalist for Detroit’s top front office job and met with team owner Tom Gores multiple times before Langdon was offered the position.
The Mavericks don’t want to lose Lindsey, who recently attended the NBA’s European draft combine in Italy with assistant GM Matt Riccardi.
Langdon is still mulling whether to retain head coach Monty Williams, who has five years remaining on his contract, Stein adds.
Here’s more from Stein:
- Paul George is a well-known free agent target for the Sixers if he fails to reach an extension agreement with the Clippers this month. George will have at least one Eastern Conference alternative in that scenario. The Magic will also be in the mix and Orlando additionally has designs on the Warriors’ Klay Thompson. How the Magic would fit George into their frontcourt of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner would be an intriguing side story, while Philadelphia has an obvious frontcourt need with Tobias Harris (and most of the rest of the roster) headed to free agency.
- Bronny James worked out for the Suns on Wednesday and initially only made plans to visit the Suns and Lakers during the pre-draft process. However, that situation is fluid. Agent Rich Paul told Stein there are “a few more” workout invites under consideration.
- Reiterating an item from last month, Stein says Bucks coach Doc Rivers will make a push to hire Celtics assistant Sam Cassell after the Finals. Cassell was one of the early candidates for the Lakers’ head coaching job.
Southeast Notes: Keefe, Gafford, Micic, Hornets, Pullin
After getting the interim tag removed, Wizards head coach Brian Keefe is focused on continuing to build relationships within the organization, according to the Washington Post’s Ava Wallace.
“This is a relationship business,” he said. “And when you develop these relationships, then you can really dig into the stuff that we need to improve on.”
The Wizards went just 8-31 after Keefe was named interim coach, but they were impressed by his forward-thinking approach.
“We’re always going to be looking for what’s best for our group now, but also what’s best for our group going forward,” Keefe said, per The Associated Press. “One of the things I think is, how can we best use our players? And that might not be right now. That might pay off in two years from now.”
Keefe faces a different set of challenges than coaches hired by contenders, Josh Robbins of The Athletic opines. Robbins notes that it won’t easy to convince his players to play with unselfishness on offense and with effort on defense when many of those players will attempt to stand out in order to earn more lucrative contracts. It will also be tough for him to keep veteran players positive as the losses accumulate.
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- After being stuck on the going-nowhere Wizards, Daniel Gafford felt a huge sense of relief when he was traded to the Mavericks, he told David Aldridge of The Athletic. “It’s more like, with me, in all honestly, I felt, just, it was a lot of weight that was just lifted off of me,” Gafford said. “Because I felt it was a situation that was going to be better for me, of course. But I hated to leave a team where I’d built a lot of relationships with. It was a good atmosphere, always, when I was in D.C. … one door closed and another door opened for me.”
- Vasilije Micic embraced the challenge of an expanded role with the Hornets in his first NBA season after getting traded by the Thunder. Micic, the former EuroLeague star, is entering the second year of a three-year contract. “It was good for me,” he told HoopsHype’s Cyro Asseo de Choch. “I was very happy to get the chance, and to be honest, since I came there, I came up with an idea to face all the challenges that I could potentially face even though I was 29, even though I settled myself so well in Europe. I just wanted that challenge, and so far, it’s going OK.
- A more harmonious franchise structure from top to bottom and better player development are some of the keys to turning around the Hornets, Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer opines.
- University of Florida guard Zyon Pullin is working out for the Heat today and the Magic on Saturday. Currently ranked No. 90 on ESPN’s Best Available list, Pullin hopes to elevate his stock to second-round consideration, he told Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “Definitely hope to go probably second round,” Pullin said. “Ultimately, I could see myself going somewhere in that ballpark. I’m pretty confident. I know my capabilities. I’m very realistic. I don’t like to live in a fictional world. Whatever that is at the end of the day, I’m confident that it’s just another stepping stone.”