Atlantic Notes: Towns, Knicks, Holiday, Porzingis, Sixers
Karl-Anthony Towns gave the Pacers fits this season and the Knicks hope that continues over the next two weeks. He averaged 30.3 points, 12.0 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 46.7 percent from three-point range in 36.5 minutes per contest vs. Indiana, Zach Braziller of the New York Post notes, with the Knicks winning two of three regular-season matchups between the Eastern Conference finalists.
Towns will likely be matched up against Myles Turner, who averaged 19.5 points and 2.5 blocks per game against New York this season.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Knicks have been named the 2024-25 NBATA Athletic Training Staff of the Year, Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News tweets. New York’s training staff is led by Casey Smith, VP of Sports Medicine. The staff also includes senior athletic trainer Heather Mau. Smith and Mau are former members of the Mavs’ training staff, Curtis notes. Smith was fired in 2023 by Dallas GM Nico Harrison.
- All the extensions that the Celtics handed out last offseason could prove detrimental unless the front office can find a good trade offer for Jrue Holiday or Kristaps Porzingis, Brian Robb of MassLive.com opines. Holiday still has value but his production tailed off this season and he’s owed $104MM over the next three years. Porzingis has an expiring contract but has contributed little in the last two postseason due to injury and illness. A more dramatic reset for the franchise could be required if shedding these big-money contracts ends up costing Boston valuable assets, Robb concludes.
- While there has been some speculation that the Sixers will shop the No. 3 overall pick, Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports hears an entirely different story. A source told him that the front office isn’t interested in packaging that pick to acquire a veteran star (Twitter link). The team has spoken publicly about wanting to add more youth and athleticism to its core, Neubeck notes, and the No. 3 pick will provide an opportunity to do just that.
Stevens: More Time Required To Determine Offseason Plans
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens didn’t provide any clarity during his postseason press conference on his approach to a challenging offseason. Stevens said that the organization remains driven to compete for championships but there are other factors that must be considered.
“I know there will be a lot of questions about what’s next,” Stevens said, per Brian Robb of MassLive.com. “I’ll talk probably more about that at the draft time when we have a better idea after meeting with all the key stakeholders and everybody else about what next steps might be. At the end of the day, I think that will all be driven by the same thing that’s always driven us and that is how do we get ourselves in the mix to compete for championships best.”
Numerous players were signed to extensions last offseason after the Celtics won the championship. The cost of carrying those players will rise exponentially — their payroll for next season is projected to be around $225MM, with repeater tax penalties totaling approximately $280MM.
This comes at a time when majority ownership is due to change hands. The new ownership group, led by William Chisholm, is expected to be approved by the NBA’s Board of Governors next month, according to Robb. It’s unknown whether the new owners are willing to take on that kind of penalty.
“The CBA has been well-known for years,” Stevens said. “So there are penalties associated with being at certain levels, and we know that. You just weigh that. You weigh where we are. You weigh everything else then you make those decisions. You have to have the clarity of a full season and a full playoffs and, like I said, a couple good night’s sleep. Then everybody gets in a room and put your heads together and figure out what’s next.”
Another major factor in the Celtics’ offseason approach will be the likely season-long absence of star forward Jayson Tatum, who tore his Achilles during their second-round series. It was later revealed that Jaylen Brown played with partially torn meniscus in his right knee, while Kristaps Porzingis continued to battle a lingering illness. Stevens wouldn’t blame the series loss to the Knicks on those setbacks.
“The reality is we blew the first two games and that’s why we put ourselves in a tough spot. … That’s not on any one person,” Stevens said, per The Associated Press. “It’s not out of maliciousness. It’s not out of a bad decision. It’s not bad luck. It’s we had an opportunity to win those first two home games and we put ourselves behind the eight ball.”
Brown’s knee issues cropped up in March, Stevens said. However, the knee injury wasn’t severe enough to keep him off the court, as Robb relays.
“Jaylen wants to play, Jaylen’s a warrior, Jaylen takes great pride in being out there,” Stevens said. “And at the same time, he saw obviously our team docs and a couple of other people and as he even said a couple weeks ago, the knee’s in a good place structurally. And so I think he felt comfortable getting out there and going after it. And hopefully he’ll feel better after being off it for a couple weeks here. The unfortunate part is we’re done in the middle of May, but some of these guys who have some nicks, bruises and other things that it’ll be good to get some rest.”
Porzingis’ illness was described to Stevens as “post-viral syndrome,” The Athletic’s Jay King tweets. Stevens believes Porzingis’ health issues will be “well cleared up” by the time he plays for Latvia in EuroBasket this summer.
Nicolas Batum Likely To Retire After Next Season
Nicolas Batum anticipates that next season will the final one of his lengthy NBA career, Eurohoops.net relays.
Batum believes he’ll hang it up after finishing out his contract with the Clippers. Batum holds a $4.9MM option on his 2025/26 contract, which he must exercise by June 29.
“There’s a very, very good chance that the next season will be my last,” Batum said in an interview with BeinSports.
Batum remains a productive rotation player, appearing in 78 games this season, including eight starts. Batum posted averages of 4.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 17.5 minutes per game but he only attempted 3.1 shots per game, mostly beyond the three-point arc. He drained 43.3% of his long-range shots.
Batum, 36, has played in the NBA since the 2008/09 season, beginning his career with Portland. He also played five seasons in Charlotte and spent the majority of the 2023/24 campaign with Philadelphia. Otherwise, he has been with the Clippers since 2o2o. He returned to the organization on a two-year deal in July.
President of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said during his postseason press conference that he hopes Batum opts in for next season. “Yes, 1,000 percent, we hope that Nico comes back,” he said.
Adelman Considered Strong Candidate To Remain Nuggets’ Head Coach
In the aftermath of the Nuggets’ blowout loss to the Thunder in Game 7 on Sunday, one of their core players made it clear he wants David Adelman to return as head coach.
“I love DA,” forward Aaron Gordon said, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN. “I hope he’s here next year. I hope he’s our next coach. I hope he gets an entire training camp and a whole offseason to figure out his philosophy. DA’s great. He was excellent for us, and I hope that he’s here next year.”
Adelman was elevated from his assistant coaching job with three games remaining in the season after Michael Malone was fired, along with general manager Calvin Booth, by the team’s ownership. Malone and Booth had a strained relationship due to differences in opinion over the team’s personnel and Malone’s rotation decisions.
Adelman is considered a strong candidate to have the interim tag removed, MacMahon reports. However, team governor Josh Kroenke declined to directly address the head coaching job.
The team’s superstar, Nikola Jokic, indicated that Adelman did an admirable job under trying circumstances.
“You had three games to change something,” Jokic said. “I think he changed energy. I think the guys were woken up a little. Guys had more energy. He made us believe something, and we played good. We played a seven-game series against the best team in the NBA. We had opportunity, we had chances. I think he did a really good job.”
Guard Jamal Murray told the Denver Post’s Bennett Durando that “I think (Adelman) did a great job” noting “the different schemes that we came up with.”
Adelman, who was an assistant with Minnesota and Orlando prior to be hired by Denver in 2017, wouldn’t lobby for the job after team’s 125-93 loss.
“Decision-makers will make that decision,” he said. “Obviously blessed to have this opportunity to take the helm and lead this team. If I’m not back next year, I’ll obviously never forget this. It’s been an incredible experience. To have the buy-in from the guys was really special for me.”
Stein’s Latest: Holiday, White, Porzingis, Williamson, Mavs, Dumont
The early speculation regarding the Celtics’ offseason is that Jrue Holiday is more likely to be moved than backcourt partner Derrick White, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack article.
Holiday has three years remaining on a four-year, $134MM contract, which includes a $37.2MM player option in the final year of the deal. White’s four-year, $118MM extension, which kicks in next season, includes a $34.8MM player option for 2028/29.
Kristaps Porziņgis‘ $30.7MM expiring contract is viewed by outside executives as the most movable on Boston’s roster, according to Stein. However, Porzingis’ mysterious illness, which lingered during the final month of the regular season through the playoffs, may give potential suitors pause.
It should be noted that the need to make some roster adjustments was anticipated before Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles tendon injury, which will likely sideline him though next season. The Celtics’ brass is confronted by luxury tax concerns and tax apron constraints.
Here’s more from Stein:
- League sources tell Stein that Zion Williamson‘s presence at the draft lottery was indeed a signal from the Pelicans’ new front office that they’ll continue to make him the team’s centerpiece, rather than looking to deal him. Williamson represented New Orleans at the lottery, though he didn’t bring good luck — the club slid to the No. 7 pick.
- While the Mavericks haven’t been overt about it, they have no plans to field trade offers for the No. 1 overall pick. “Not even for Giannis (Antetokounmpo),” a source briefed on the team’s thinking told Stein. The team’s ownership and front office realize they must rebuild trust with their fan base by drafting Cooper Flagg as the new face of the franchise. The Mavericks are expected to soon secure their first in-person meeting with Flagg.
- New majority owner Patrick Dumont, who is based in Las Vegas, has visited Dallas multiple times since the Mavericks’ season ended in early April. That has reinforced the notion that Dumont remains in general manager Nico Harrison’s corner as the franchise’s top decision-maker, says Stein.
Knicks Notes: Bridges, Pacers Storylines, Key Moments, Hart
Mikal Bridges, acquired in a blockbuster deal with the Nets in the offseason, played a huge role in the Knicks’ second-round series triumph over the Celtics. He averaged 14.7 points per game, including 34 total points in fourth quarters, Jared Schwartz of the New York Post notes.
He also made enormous defensive stops, stealing the ball away from Jaylen Brown to end Game 1 and intercepting a Jayson Tatum pass to end Game 2. Bridges is thirsting for more as the Knicks enter the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pacers.
“There’s more to go,” Bridges said. “We’re not done. That’s what it is. We came out there [Friday night] to play hard and handle business, but our season’s not over. We’ve got so much more to go and we play on Wednesday, so get ready to prepare for them. Whole different team and a whole new series.”
We have more on the Knicks:
- They, of course, will be looking to avenge last season’s second-round series loss to the Pacers, in which they blew a 2-0 lead. However, the Knicks were riddled with injuries by that point. In contrast, New York has all its pieces entering this series, Schwartz points out. Pace and three-point shooting will also be key components to the series, he adds.
- How did the Knicks turn into a contender? Post columnist Mike Vaccaro takes a closer look at how they were built, starting with the hires of Leon Rose as president of basketball operations and Tom Thibodeau as head coach. From a roster standpoint, the team’s zeal to sign Jalen Brunson in free agency in 2022 proved to be the pivotal decision.
- Fiery, hard-nosed wing Josh Hart has become a huge fan favorite and his popularity continues to grow, according to Vaccaro, who says the photo of Hart with a defiant look on his bloodied face after he caught an errant elbow epitomizes the toughness and grit of the team.
Southeast Notes: Larsson, Wiggins, Da Silva, Harris
Pelle Larsson knows he has to become a better shooter to stick around long-term in the NBA. The Heat guard made 33.7 percent of his 3-pointers and shot 43.8 percent overall in 55 regular-season appearances, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel notes. Larsson’s salary for next season is an economical $1.96MM with a $978K guarantee. The contract becomes fully guaranteed if he makes the opening night roster, which seems like a safe bet.
“I think shooting is always something that you get better at all the time,” he said. “It never hurts to be a better shooter in this league. So definitely keep working on that, and then being more comfortable with the ball in my hands, making decisions and making plays for others is something that I think could have been needed more of this year. So just making plays for others and keep defending at a higher level. I kind of got introduced to how it was. And I think I’ve learned a lot from this year.”
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- Will Andrew Wiggins turn out to be a midseason rental for the Heat? Winderman believes it’s a 50-50 proposition that the veteran forward will be moved, noting Wiggins’ contract would likely be needed for salary-matching in any significant trade. He’s owed $28.2MM next season and holds a $30.2MM player option for the 2026/27 campaign.
- Magic wing Tristan Da Silva saw quite a bit of action in his rookie season, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel writes. Da Silva appeared in 74 games, including 38 starts, averaging 7.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He remained in the rotation after Franz Wagner recovered from an oblique injury. Da Silva admits the NBA schedule was a shock to his system. “It’s definitely a whole new deal,” he said. “You’ve never played that many games before in your life, traveled that much and been exposed to so many things all at once. So at some point in the season — you can call it a rookie wall or whatever you want — there’s definitely a moment during the season where you feel tired physically and mentally, and the real challenge is digging through that and making sure that you’re coming out on the other end. And that’s what I did with the focus on work and trusting the process.”
- The Magic hold a $7.5MM club option on Gary Harris‘ contract and there’s a strong chance they’ll decline it, given that Harris’ role shrunk this season and he once again battled injuries. Harris would like to stay in Orlando, he told Beede. “I love Orlando,” Harris said. “My kids love it here. It’s been great to be a part of what we’ve been building here in this city, but you know how the league is. There’s a lot uncertain. You never know what’s going to happen. So all I can do is control what I can, continue to put the work in [and] stay ready for whatever the future may hold. But I definitely love my time here in Orlando, so we’ll see if it continues.”
Central Notes: Pacers, Bryant, Pistons, Duren, Giannis
The intensity and pace at which the Pacers play makes them a tough out in the postseason. Indiana dusted off a weary, banged-up Cavaliers team in five games and now awaits the winner of the Boston-New York series in the Pacers’ second straight trip to the Eastern Conference Finals.
“It’s hard to play at our pace over a seven-game series,” guard Tyrese Haliburton told Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star. “It’s hard to play at our pace in a one-game series. I think we’re doing a great job of playing our way, controlling what we can. I really feel like that’s important. Coach has been stressing that the last few years. It’s not just about one game, it’s how can you wear on teams for 48 minutes every game every day. I feel like we did that with our physicality, we did that with our pace, many different ways.”
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- In-season acquisition Thomas Bryant played an underrated role in Game 5 on Tuesday, Dopirak notes. The veteran center made several key third-quarter plays that swung the momentum in the Pacers’ favor. He finished with nine points on 4-of-6 shooting, along with three rebounds. “Thomas Bryant in the second half gave us some of the greatest minutes you can ask of a backup center,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “He ran. He rebounded. The three in the right corner was enormous during a run where we were starting to get into their legs a little big. His enthusiasm, it just permeates our team.”
- Keith Langlois of Pistons.com tackles a number of topics in his latest mailbag, ranking the Pistons’ priorities this offseason, in order, as player development, retention of their own free agents and a strategic addition via trade or free agency.
- Center Jalen Duren is eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason and his growth this season stamps him as an integral part of the franchise’s future, Langlois writes. The Pistons’ lead executive, Trajan Langdon, indicated as much during his postseason press conference. “J.D. took a huge step,” Langdon said. “After the first 25 games of the season, he was a different player the last 50, 60 games of the season. Got off to a slow start and we’re going to push him this summer, as well, and I think he’s willing to take that up to another level.”
- Giannis Antetokounmpo hasn’t requested a trade, though he’s reportedly open to considering the idea of joining another team. The Athletic’s trio of Sam Amick, Eric Nehm and David Aldridge take a closer view of how this offseason might play out regarding the Bucks’ superstar, noting that the next move — whether to stay or go — is up to him.
Southeast Notes: Hornets, Wizards, Giannis, Heat, Isaac
The Hornets were one of the finalists in the draft lottery but wound up with the fourth pick, dropping one spot from their pre-lottery position. However, Charlotte’s front office and coach put a positive spin on the outcome.
“Up until this moment, everyone just (had) a ton of anxiety, just waiting to see where we would be picking,” president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson told the Charlotte Observer’s Roderick Boone (subscription required). “But now that we know we are picking four, it helps clear some things up in conversations with other teams and continue the process as we are here with the draft prospects at the draft combine. So we are really excited.”
Hornets head coach Charles Lee expressed similar feelings.
“Excitement, clarity,” he said. “I think that this whole time, you are sitting and (wondering) what pick do you get? But I know talking to Jeff, talking to (assistant GM) Dotun (Akinwale) and the entire front office. They’ve talked about how deep of a draft class this is.I think they have a lot of the intangibles, in terms of great work ethic and great competitiveness, and they understand the team game and what it’s going to take to really impact winning at a high level. So, I look forward to kind of getting into the weeds with Dotun, and Jeff and the front office, and figuring out who is that next pick to continue to help us to build. ”
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- The Wizards had miserable lottery luck, falling from No. 2 to No. 6. “We started the day with zero, and we walked away with six. So that’s the mindset we have coming in,” general manager Will Dawkins told Varun Shankar of the Washington Post. “We gained the sixth pick this year, and we also have 18,” he said. “So time to get back to work with our scouts.” The latter pick was the first-rounder acquired from the Grizzlies ahead of the trade deadline. Dawkins is apparently open for business if some team wants to move up in the draft or if the Wizards chose to seek a higher pick by packaging both of theirs. “We’ll look to move … but we’re very comfortable staying where we’re at,” Dawkins said.
- Could the Hawks be a dark-horse candidate to pull off a Giannis Antetokounmpo deal? Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal Constitution believes the franchise should pull out all the stops to make that happen. Cunningham anticipates that the Hawks could offer the Bucks two of their three top players — Trae Young, Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels — plus their two first-round picks this season (Nos. 13 and 22) and up to three more first-round picks through the 2032 draft.
- The Heat aren’t going anywhere — at least in terms of their local broadcasts. They have reached a multiyear agreement with FanDuel Sports Network to remain on FanDuel Sports Network Sun, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets.
- Magic forward Jonathan Isaac appeared in 71 games, the second-most of his career, but he was far from satisfied with his season. His playing time was spotty, partly due to his offensive struggles. He shot 41.4 percent overall and 25.8 percent on threes. Isaac believes he needs improve his stamina, he told Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. “Definitely inconsistent,” he said. “I started to feel a little better towards the end of the season, started to feel a little lighter, a little more agile. So, I’m taking that into the summer to just focus on my game, focus on really getting in shape, shedding some weight and kind of getting back to where I was before.” Isaac has three years left on his contract.
Cavaliers Notes: Early Exit, Mitchell, Allen, Jerome, Garland, Atkinson
Donovan Mitchell was in a state of disbelief after the Cavaliers’ second-round flameout.
“I love playing in that (bleeping) arena,” Mitchell said of Cleveland’s Rocket Arena after the team’s Game 5 elimination by the Pacers on Tuesday, per ESPN’s Jamal Collier. “That energy, that crowd. We were 0-3 at home, let the city down. This place is special. This place is really special and we didn’t get it done.”
Mitchell said the early exit will provide extra motivation heading into the offseason.
“We’ve had a lot of positives,” Mitchell said. “But we didn’t capitalize. Now we’ve got to use this motivation. Everybody’s going to write us off.”
The Cavs became the fourth team in NBA history to win at least 64 regular season contests and check out in the first or second round.
“I do feel like we got better,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “From the team aspect and then we had a lot of individuals make a step, so I just want to make that clear. But the truth of the matter is we didn’t get to the level we wanted to get to. So, I’m not pleased with that. And we’re not celebrating the season, if that all makes sense. But I do think we made strides. I think we took a jump. Now we got to figure out this last piece, how to get over this hump. And I was quite honestly expecting more, especially coming off the [first-round] Miami series.”
We have more on the Cavaliers:
- The Cavs’ lack of toughness was evident in the postseason, Jason Lloyd of The Athletic opines. They were pushed around physically, and overmatched and overwhelmed by what was supposed to be an inferior opponent. Jarrett Allen, in particular, has failed to provide a nasty streak in the interior during recent postseasons, Lloyd writes.
- Cleveland is deep into the luxury tax and projects to operate over both tax aprons next season, ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes. Re-signing second unit star Ty Jerome is a priority — they hold his Early Bird rights. However, Jerome’s salary would cost exponentially more due to luxury tax penalties. Adding a reserve big capable of playing rotational minutes and turning Jaylon Tyson into a rotational player are some other priorities, in Marks’ view.
- Trading Darius Garland, who has three years left on his deal and is eligible for a two-year extension this offseason, might be the Cavaliers’ best option in a summer filled with hard choices, John Hollinger of The Athletic writes. That could potentially reinvent the team, ease some of their financial burden and keep the Mitchell-Evan Mobley core in title contention.
- Atkinson won the 2024-25 Rudy Tomjanovich Award, which honors an NBA coach for his cooperation with the media and fans, as well as his excellence on the court, the Professional Basketball Writers Association announced in a press release. “Kenny has always brought great candor, humility and a sense of humor to the job, and to his regular sessions with the media,” PBWA president Howard Beck said. “He’s always eager to explain the nuances of the game and to discuss the bigger issues across the league.”