Southwest Notes: Harrison, Doncic, Pelicans, Green, Kidd
Newly-hired Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison hopes to make Dallas a compelling free-agent destination, Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News writes. The goal, Harrison said, is to instill a culture that players want to be a part of.
“My approach is really simple,” he explained. “It’s going to be about servant leadership that kind of empowers the team and the staff to be at their best.”
Harrison understands that leadership must start at the top of an organization. Dallas lost longtime president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson and head coach Rick Carlisle this offseason, replacing them with Harrison and new coach Jason Kidd.
The team finished with a 42-30 record this season and has an All-NBA superstar in Luka Doncic, a 22-year-old wunderkind that could aid in Harrison’s mission to entice players and build a culture.
There’s more from the Southwest Division tonight:
- Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News examined the Mavericks‘ plan for Doncic next season. “It’s tough to nitpick an All-NBA player,” Harrison said. “The best thing you can do is surround him by a Hall of Fame coach (Kidd) who played his position and let those two vibe off each other. I think that’s going to help him tremendously.” Doncic averaged 27.7 points, eight rebounds and 8.6 assists per game this season.
- Christian Clark, Rod Walker and Scott Kushner of The Times-Picayune grade the Pelicans‘ hire of Willie Green as head coach. Green, a former NBA player, will finish the season as an assistant coach with the Suns before reporting for New Orleans.
- Jason Kidd has been in discussions with former Mavericks players Jason Terry, Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barea about joining his coaching staff, according to Mavs.com. All three players hold several years of playing experience and were on the team’s 2011 championship roster with Kidd.
And-Ones: McCullough, Hayes, Auguste, Udoh, Lofton
Former Nets forward Chris McCullough, the 29th overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft, is eyeing a return to the NBA this year, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes. McCullough is currently training for The Basketball Tournament with Boeheim’s Army.
“I’m still athletic and stuff like that. But I do way more than dunk now,” said McCullough, who played 40 games with Brooklyn from 2015-17 and 21 games with Washington from 2017-18. “I can block shots. I can handle the ball. I have range. I can create my own shot now. So it will be very different.”
McCullough’s TBT team is set to start playing on Saturday. The 26-year-old has received interest for the Las Vegas Summer League next month, sources said. He also told the Daily News that he has upcoming workouts scheduled with multiple NBA teams.
Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- EuroLeague players Nigel Hayes and Zach Auguste will work out for the Celtics this week, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando (Twitter link). Hayes, a 6’8″ power forward, holds nine games of NBA experience and last played in Lithuania. As for Auguste, a 6’10” big man, he’s spent most of his career overseas and most recently played in Greece.
- Free agent center Ekpe Udoh has signed a two-year contract with Virtus Bologna in Italy, the team announced. Udoh, the No. 6 pick in 2010, has appeared in 384 NBA games with four teams. He most recently played in China.
- Former Pistons two-way player Zach Lofton has signed in Kuwait with Kazma Sport Club, Nicola Lupo of Sportando tweets. Lofton is a 28-year-old guard who went undrafted in 2018.
Eastern Notes: Magic, Tibbetts, Bucks, Heat, Lillard
The Magic are expected to hire Nate Tibbetts as an assistant on Jamahl Mosley‘s staff, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Tibbetts and Mosley worked together on the Cavs’ coaching staff during the 2011/12 and ’12/13 seasons.
Tibbetts also interviewed for a position with the Kings, Fischer reports. He last served as associate head coach with the Blazers, working for several years as an assistant coach under Terry Stotts.
The Magic, who hired Mosley earlier this month, finished the 2020/21 campaign with just a 21-51 record. That mark was the second-worst in the East and third-worst in the league, mostly caused by key injuries and a midseason decision to start rebuilding.
Here are some other notes from the Eastern Conference tonight:
- The Bucks suddenly find themselves one win from an NBA title after winning Game 5 on Saturday, as Jonathan Abrams of The New York Times details. The victory was sealed with a steal and alley-oop from Jrue Holiday and Giannis Antetokounmpo at the end of the contest.
- The Heat have released their preseason home schedule for 2021/22, per an announcement on the team’s website. Miami’s first home game will be against Atlanta on Monday, October 4, just 78 days away. The league’s offseason will once again be shortened this year due to the altered schedule caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- In his latest “Ask Ira” mailbag, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel examines whether Bam Adebayo should serve as a roadblock in the Damian Lillard-Heat trade speculation. Portland likely wouldn’t entertain any offer for Lillard that doesn’t include Jimmy Butler or Adebayo, and to this point, neither Lillard nor the Blazers have indicated that a separation is being considered.
Western Notes: Hammon, Rockets, Mobley, Giddey, Curry
Although she interviewed with the Trail Blazers twice and was identified as a finalist for the team’s head coaching position, Spurs assistant Becky Hammon sensed that she wasn’t the favorite to land the job.
“I knew I was second; I knew who they wanted,” said Hammon, who openly discussed multiple topics with Jabari Young of CNBC. “And I’m OK with that, because every race I’ve gotten into my entire life, I’ve been behind, and I’m OK with that. And that’s just how it is — but at the same time, I’m not ignorant to what I’m going up against.”
Instead of Hammon, Portland opted to hire Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups in the position. Billups was one of two preferred names mentioned by Blazers star Damian Lillard last month, immediately making him a strong candidate for the job.
“I’m not mad,” Hammon said. “This is the business, and it’s a very competitive business. But, at the end of the day, throw everything out the window — if you want to hire me, you’ll find a reason to hire me. And if you don’t want to hire me, you’ll find that reason, too. And that’s just that.”
There’s more from the Western Conference tonight:
- Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle examines the pros and cons of drafting Evan Mobley for the Rockets. Houston owns the No. 2 pick in the draft. In addition to Mobley, Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga and Jalen Suggs are widely projected to be drafted in the top five, joining probable No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham.
- Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman lists five things to know about prospect Josh Giddey, who’s arguably the best international player in the draft. Giddey is expected to be available when the Thunder select at No. 6 later this month and could even be in play at No. 16 or 18 if he slips a little.
- Warriors superstar Stephen Curry won an ESPY award for “Best NBA Player” this past weekend, as relayed by NBA.com. The award was voted on by fans, with Curry averaging a career-high 32 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game in 2020/21.
Eastern Notes: David, Pistons, Rose, Nored, Barrett
The Pistons have hired George David as the franchise’s assistant general manager, according to James Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link).
David will report to general manager Troy Weaver, who was hired by the organization in June of 2020. David was previously with the Pistons for nearly two decades, serving in a variety of roles. This includes being the assistant GM from 2012-14.
Detroit owns the No. 1 pick in the draft and finished this season with a 20-52 record, the worst in the Eastern Conference and second-worst in the league.
There’s more from the Eastern Conference tonight:
- Ian Begley of SNY examines the main factors of Derrick Rose‘s impending free agency. Rose helped propel the Knicks to playoff status this season, averaging 14.9 points, 4.2 assists and 26.8 minutes in 35 regular season games. He’ll be entering his 13th NBA season.
- The Pacers are finalizing a deal with Ronald Nored to join Rick Carlisle‘s staff, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. Nored most recently served as an assistant coach with Charlotte from 2018-21, though he’s been involved in coaching and player development since 2013.
- Knicks swingman RJ Barrett isn’t considered untouchable by the franchise this offseason, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports. However, Barrett – who is coming off an impressive season, averaging 17.6 points per game at just 21 years old – only figures to be available if the opportunity arises for New York to acquire a superstar.
Suns Notes: Paul, Booker, Ayton, Kaminsky, Game 3
The backcourt pairing of Chris Paul and Devin Booker has reached historic levels this season, particularly during the first two games of the NBA Finals, Gina Mizell of Suns.com writes.
Paul and Booker have caused problems for the Bucks’ defense, combining to score a total of 59 points in Game 1 and 54 points in Game 2. The two stars are now just two wins away from securing an NBA championship for the first time in their respective careers.
“I’m having a hard enough time trying to figure out how to guard those two,” said Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer, who’s thrown a variety of defensive schemes at Phoenix thus far. “I can’t come up with a good comparison for you.”
There’s more out of Phoenix tonight:
- Mark Medina of USA TODAY examines the special bond between Deandre Ayton and former NBA player Mychal Thompson as native Bahamians. “I tell him how proud I am of him and to keep going,” Thompson said of Ayton. “He’s the greatest player we’ve ever had from the Bahamas.” Ayton has welcomed the advice with open arms, averaging 16.2 points and 12.1 rebounds in 36.5 minutes per game in 18 playoff contests.
- The Suns could benefit from Frank Kaminsky serving as a frontcourt X-factor the rest of the series, Dana Scott of the Arizona Republic writes. Phoenix is already playing without Dario Saric due to a torn ACL, making it imperative that Kaminsky is prepared to step into the rotation. “For me, my mentality this whole playoffs is just, ‘Stay ready,'” Kaminsky said before Game 2. “You never know what can happen. I’ve been ready, I’ve been putting the work in.”
- The team is treating Sunday’s Game 3 as a must-win contest, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes. With a win, Phoenix would take a commanding 3-0 lead heading into Game 4 on Wednesday. “For us, the biggest game of the year is tomorrow,” Paul said on Saturday. “Tomorrow. It’s a must-win game for us. We’ve got to come out with that mindset. Know that they’re home, they’re more comfortable, they will be in front of their fans, but we got to be us. We got to be us and we got to be the hungrier team, and so that’s what we’ll do.”
And-Ones: Dead Money, Baldwin, Cole, Stone
As free agency and the draft near for the NBA’s 30 teams, several clubs still owe money to players that are no longer on their present-day rosters, writes Ethan Fuller of BasketballNews.com.
As Fuller notes, when the league calendar changes this August, about half of the league’s clubs will still owe money to former players. The Pistons are on the hook for the biggest single dead-money charge, as they still have to pay Blake Griffin a total of $29.8MM next season. Other examples include the Hornets (Nicolas Batum), Knicks (Joakim Noah) and Lakers (Luol Deng).
Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Free agent guard Wade Baldwin IV has signed a one-year contract with Baskonia in Spain, the team announced on its website. Baldwin holds 56 games of NBA experience, making stops with Memphis and Portland from 2016-19. He was the No. 17 pick in 2016 and spent the 2020/21 season in Germany with Bayern Munich.
- ASVEL has parted ways with guard Norris Cole and big man Ismael Bako, the club announced (Twitter link). Cole, who won championships with Miami 2012 and 2013, averaged 13.7 points and 3.6 assists with the French club this season. He is now a free agent.
- Veteran swingman Julyan Stone has re-signed with Reyer Venezia in Italy, as relayed by EuroHoops. Stone has played 70 NBA games with Denver (2011-13), Toronto (2013-14) and Charlotte (2017-18), spending much of his professional career overseas. “I have achieved great things with Reyer, but the journey is not over yet,” Stone said. “I still can help achieve some things and I will put in my hard work to give us the best chance at success. My role in the team may change, but my motivation will continue to grow.”
And-Ones: Paul, Silver, Canaan, Mickey
Suns guard and NBPA president Chris Paul spoke about the NBA’s ongoing injury problem this postseason, making it clear that every player has the right to make their voice heard about topics discussed with the league throughout the year.
Several key players have dealt with injuries throughout the playoffs, including Paul himself. It’s unclear whether the compressed schedule has played a large role or whether the league has simply experienced bad luck — or a combination of both.
“Man, one thing about our league and its players is everything is always a conversation,” Paul said, as relayed by Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. “There’s a ton of guys on the executive committee who are working hard on things right now, as we speak — day in and day out, traveling. I wish you guys knew all the things that are going on. So, decisions that are made as far as playing or not playing, players are always involved in it.
“Injuries are always unfortunate. You hate to have them. But just like when we went to the bubble, everything was discussed as far as the players and the full body of players. Everything that’s good for this guy and that guy might not be the same for that guy, but everything has always been a conversation, and it’s going to continue to be that way. So, if people don’t like it, then you know everybody has the same opportunity to be a part of all these conversations.”
Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world today:
- Allowing fans back into arenas helped the NBA with financial losses caused by COVID-19, commissioner Adam Silver said, as relayed by ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. “We did somewhat better than we initially projected,” said Silver. “We don’t have the exact numbers yet, but maybe we’ll be down roughly a third in revenue, something around there, instead of 40%.”
- Isaiah Canaan has signed an extension with Unics Kazan in Russia, the team announced (via Twitter). Canaan, a former NBA guard, averaged 14.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game in 43 outings with the club last season.
- Free agent big man Jordan Mickey has signed with Zenit St. Petersburg in Russia, the team announced (Twitter link). Mickey, the No. 33 pick in 2015, holds NBA experience with the Celtics and Heat.
Nuggets Announce New G League Affiliate Name
The Nuggets have revealed a new name and logo for their G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold, making the announcement on social media today.
Prior to this season, the affiliate was known as the Grand Rapids Drive and operated by the Pistons. The team will enter the 2021/22 season associated with the Nuggets for the first time.
“This new affiliation and corresponding name change is one of the biggest moves we’ve made as a franchise,” Grand Rapids Gold president Steve Jbara acknowledged in a press release.
“Aligning ourselves further with the Denver Nuggets, a team that recently advanced past the first round of the NBA playoffs for the third consecutive season, further elevates the professional basketball experience here in Grand Rapids, and we couldn’t be more excited to get back on the court this fall.”
Denver is the second team to announce changes to its G League name and logo this year. The Maine Red Claws previously announced that they would become the Maine Celtics back in May.
“We are extremely excited about the new name and logo of the Grand Rapid Gold,” Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly said. “We feel the new look aligns well with both the Nuggets and Grand Rapids organizations and are excited to see it in action on the court next season.”
Dario Saric Suffers Torn ACL
Suns power forward Dario Saric has suffered a torn ACL in his right knee, the team announced (via Twitter). Saric sustained the injury in the first quarter of Game 1.
It’s a tough blow for Saric, who won’t return this season and whose 2021/22 season is now in jeopardy as well, given the typical recovery timeline for an ACL tear. The 27-year-old remains under contract with the Suns for two more years.
Saric has served as a key cog off Phoenix’s bench, averaging 8.7 points and 3.8 rebounds in 17.4 minutes per game this season. Suns forward/center Frank Kaminsky will likely see more playing time in his absence the rest of this series.
Despite losing Saric, Phoenix managed to take a 1-0 lead at home by defeating Milwaukee 118-105. The team was led by Chris Paul, who finished with 32 points, nine assists and a plus-17 net rating on the night.
The Suns will host the Bucks in Game 2 on Thursday before traveling to Milwaukee for Game 3 on Sunday.