Lou Williams Wins Sixth Man Award
Lou Williams career year earned him the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award, it was announced at the NBA’s annual awards show. The 31-year-old Clippers guard easily beat out the other finalists, the Rockets’ Eric Gordon and the Raptors’ Fred VanVleet.
Williams had always provided instant offense off the bench during his career but he turned it a couple of notches this past season. He easily surpassed his previous scoring standards by averaging 22.6 PPG while dishing out 5.3 APG, another career best. Williams shot 43.5% from the field and 35.9% on 3-point attempts in 79 games in 19 career starts.
Williams scored 30 or more points in 17 games and blew up for a career-best 50 points against the Warriors on January 10th. Gordon won the award in 2017 while Williams was one of the finalists.
Rudy Gobert Named Defensive Player Of Year
Jazz center Rudy Gobert was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year at the NBA’s second annual awards show.
Pelicans superstar Anthony Davis and Sixers center Joel Embiid were the other finalists.
Gobert was a finalist in 2017 but the award went to the Warriors’ Draymond Green. Gobert finished second to Davis in blocks this past season with an average of 2.27 per game but his overall defensive excellence won him the honor.
Victor Oladipo Captures Most Improved Award
Pacers guard Victor Oladipo was named the league’s Most Improved Player award, it was announced during the NBA’s annual awards broadcast.
He beat out Rockets center Clint Capela and Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie, as expected. Oladipo blossomed into a star after getting dealt by the Thunder in the Paul George blockbuster.
Oladipo averaged 23.1 PPG, 4.3 RPG and 5.2 APG while leading the Pacers to the playoffs, where they pushed the Cavaliers to the brink before succumbing in seven games. He also shot a career-best 47.7% from the field and 37.1% from 3-point range.
Oladipo had never averaged more than 17.9 PPG in his previous four seasons.
Ben Simmons Wins Rookie Of Year
Sixers point guard Ben Simmons beat out a strong field to win the league’s Rookie of the Year award, it was announced during the NBA’s Second Annual Awards show.
Simmons was the top pick of the 2016 draft but his debut was delayed a season by a foot injury. Once he returned, Simmons quickly showed what all the fuss was about. He guided the Sixers to the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, where they fell to the Celtics.
The 6’10” Simmons was a triple-double threat every game while posting averages of 15.8 PPG, 8.1 RPG and 8.2 APG. He shot 54.5% from the field by confining himself inside the 3-point arc, as he failed to make a 3-point try.
Donovan Mitchell (Jazz) and Jayson Tatum (Celtics) were the other finalists. Malcolm Brogdon (Bucks) was the 2017 winner.
Danny Green Exercises Option, Stays With Spurs
Shooting guard Danny Green has exercised his player option of $10MM for next season to remain with the Spurs, Adrian Wojnarowksi of ESPN tweets.
The San Antonio Express-News reported last week that Green would likely pick up his option.
Green, 31, appeared in 70 games last season and averaged 8.6 PPG and 3.6 RPG with a shooting line of .387/.363/.769.
Although Green profiles as a three-and-D wing, his ability to knock down outside shots has wavered a little in recent years. He has converted just 35.7% of his three-point attempts over the last three seasons.
Considering that drop in performances plus his age, Green would have struggled to find a suitor who would have paid him more than his current salary. League sources told Young that Green would probably have received offers in the mid-level range ($5-8MM) if he opts out.
With Green staying, the Spurs will now have approximately $88.4MM in guaranteed salaries for next season. That figure doesn’t include cap charges for free agents Tony Parker and Kyle Anderson, or for Rudy Gay and Joffrey Lauvergne, who also hold player options — Gay is expected to opt out.
Adrian Griffin Reaches Agreement To Join Raptors’ Staff
Thunder assistant coach Adrian Griffin has agreed to join the Raptors’ staff as the lead assistant to new head coach Nick Nurse, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports reports.
Griffin served as an assistant to Billy Donovan the past two seasons. Griffin, who had a nine-year playing career, has also coached with the Bucks, Bulls and Magic.
Griffin interviewed for head coaching openings with the Rockets and Magic prior to joining Donovan’s staff.
League Approves Debt Limit Increase For Owners
The league has raised the debt limit of owners to $325MM, a move that should lessen the impact of increased payrolls and luxury-tax payments next season, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.
The rising value and financial health of NBA franchises was the primary reason for the decision, Wojnarowski continues. Teams with cash flow problems already have mechanisms to get relief but the ability to take on debt is often focused on infrastructure and facility improvements, Wojnarowski notes.
The $325MM debt limit is a $75MM increase and the first time it’s been raised since 2014. The Board of Governors approved the move on Friday but it didn’t become public until Monday.
Suns Rumors: Bridges, Free Agency, Coaches, Williams
The addition of Mikal Bridges gives the Suns a logjam at the forward spots and they still need to address their point guard situation, Scott Bordow of the Arizona Republic writes.
After the draft-night trade with the Sixers to acquire Bridges’ rights, the Suns now have five recent first-rounders – Josh Jackson, T.J. Warren, Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss being the others – angling for playing time in the frontcourt. GM Ryan McDonough said he might add a stretch four in free agency, Bordow continues, so they could use that depth in a trade, with Chriss and Warren the most likely to be dealt.
Despite selecting Frenchman Elie Okobo with the first pick of the second round, the Suns still need another veteran at that spot, and McDonough confirmed they could pursue a floor leader in free agency, Bordow adds.
We have more on the Suns:
- The Suns consider Bridges a “special player” and that’s why they were willing to deal the No. 16 pick and the Heat’s unprotected 2021 first-rounder for him, Bob Baum of the Associated Press reports. ‘‘We weighed the pros and cons of trading it heavily and carefully,” McDonough said. ”We were only going to put it in play if we had a chance to get a special player and that’s how we feel about Mikal.”
- With $15-$20MM available to pursue free agents, the Suns will be proactive in free agency, Baum adds in the same piece. ‘We’re going to continue to be aggressive for the next couple of weeks in free agency,” McDonough said. “We’ve got some money to spend and we’re looking to spend it on the best players we can get.”
- Joe Prunty, Corliss Williamson, Jamelle McMillan, Jason Staudt and Cody Toppert have officially signed up as assistants for new head coach Igor Kokoskov, Bordow tweets.
- It’s hard to imagine the Suns will retain center Alan Williams on his current deal, Bordow adds in another tweet. Williams, whose $5.52MM salary is not guaranteed, would get a full guarantee if he’s still on the roster through July 6. He’d be a third-string center behind Deandre Ayton and Tyson Chandler if he sticks.
Kornet, Hicks Receive Qualifying Offers From Knicks
The Knicks have extended qualifying offers to both Luke Kornet and Isaiah Hicks, according to RealGM’s Transactions log. Those moves make them restricted free agents next month.
That duo signed one-year, two-way contracts last season. According to the latest CBA, the qualifying offer is a two-way contract, with $50K guaranteed.
At least one of them would have to eventually sign a regular contract for next season, since the club has reached an agreement with Arizona guard Allonzo Trier for one of their two-way deals.
Kornet, a 7’1” power forward/center out of Vanderbilt, appeared in 20 games with the Knicks last season. He averaged 6.7 PPG, 3.2 RPG and 1.3 APG in 16.4 MPG. Hicks, a 6’9” forward from North Carolina, saw action in 18 NBA games and posted averages of 4.4 PPG and 2.3 RPG in 13.3 MPG.
Wilson Chandler Opts In With Nuggets
JUNE 23rd, 9:07 am: Chandler has officially opted in, according to RealGM’s Transactions log.
JUNE 22nd, 5:11 pm: Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler will opt in for the final year of his contract, Chris Haynes of ESPN tweets. Chandler will make $12.8MM rather than test the free agent market.
Chandler had until Sunday to make a decision on his option. With Gary Harris‘ extension kicking in next season, the Nuggets now have a handful of players making between $12.8MM-$29.7MM.
Chandler started 71 of the 74 games in which he played last season but his role diminished. He averaged just 8.5 shots per game, his lowest total since his rookie year with the Knicks in 2007/08. His 10 PPG were his lowest since 2011/12, when he played just eight games.
That was a stark contrast to the previous season, when Chandler averaged 15.7 PPG – second-most in his career – and a career-high 6.5 RPG.
The 6’9” Chandler could see an even bigger dip in playing time if the team’s draft pick, Michael Porter Jr., is healthy enough to play regularly. Porter slipped to the No. 14 overall spot because of long-term health concerns after he underwent back surgery in his lone college campaign at Missouri.