Western Notes: Lue, Green, Williamson, Mavericks
Various members of the Clippers praised head coach Tyronn Lue after the team beat the Jazz in a six-game series last round, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times writes.
Among many things, Lue made the decision to insert Terance Mann into the starting lineup once Kawhi Leonard got injured. Mann responded by putting forth a 39-point performance in Game 6 to help win the series.
“T. Lue,” Paul George said in response to a reporter wondering how the team got to this point. “T. Lue.”
Veteran Nicolas Batum also showed support for Lue, noting his presence has a calming effect on the group. “He always find a way to talk to us so we don’t panic,” Batum said. “We stay calm. We stay cool.”
Here are some other notes from the Western Conference:
- Suns lead assistant Willie Green is garnering interest around the NBA as a head coaching candidate, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes. Head coach Monty Williams indicated last week that Green, who played 12 NBA seasons, was talking to teams about the possibility.
- Zion Williamson‘s frustration with the Pelicans should fuel the team’s future internal growth, Scott Kushner of The Times-Picayune writes. New Orleans parted ways with head coach Stan Van Gundy last week after missing the playoffs with just a 31-41 record. For his part, Williamson averaged 27 points and 7.2 rebounds per game on the season.
- Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News explores whether the Mavericks‘ week of upheaval could turn out to be a good thing. While the team no longer has a general manager or head coach, it does have a special advisor in Dirk Nowitzki. Nowitzki committed to help the franchise last week after Donnie Nelson and Rick Carlisle‘s departures. “Mark Cuban approached me about a role as special advisor and I am happy to support my Mavs,” Nowitzki said. “Donnie Nelson and Rick Carlisle were both mentors and played huge roles in my career and the success of this franchise, and I am going to miss them. It is important for me now to join Mark and contribute as much as I can as we move forward.”
Eastern Notes: Bulls, Cook, Pistons, Nets
Multiple Bulls players discussed how the team can improve after finishing the 2020/21 season with a 31-41 record, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic writes.
Among those players was Thaddeus Young, a 14-year-veteran with several years of playoff experience. Young is coming off his second season with the club and averaged 12.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 24.3 minutes per game on the campaign.
“It starts with the leadership and the direction,” Young said. “I think we took some steps and strides forward this year with the change and leadership in direction of the organization, which was hiring AK and Marc. They are competitors. They want to win just a bad as the players want to win. And they want to make sure they get everything right.
“They started off getting things right with preaching culture and winning. Then bringing in (coach) Billy (Donovan). I think they did a phenomenal job in getting Billy, and Billy put together a great staff, as well as AK and Marc making trades. I think they did a phenomenal job on trade day in making those trades.”
Here are some other notes from the Eastern Conference:
- Pistons forward Tyler Cook turned his 10-day opportunity into much more with the team, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes. Cook, 23, inked a multiyear contract in April after signing two 10-day deals. His $1.7MM salary is non-guaranteed for next season.
- Speaking of the Pistons, the team is hoping for some lottery luck as the event nears this week, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press writes. The 2021 draft lottery will be held on Tuesday, June 22, and Detroit shares the best odds for a top-four pick.
- Steve Popper of Newsday examines what’s next for the Nets after losing Game 7 to the Bucks on Saturday. Brooklyn has most of its core under contract for next season, including Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Joe Harris and Kevin Durant. Bruce Brown and Blake Griffin — both of whom started for the team in Game 7 — are set to enter unrestricted free agency. A report from ESPN on Sunday also indicated that Spencer Dinwiddie plans on declining his $12.3MM player option.
Dyson Daniels Signs With G League Ignite
Australian prospect Dyson Daniels has signed with the G League Ignite, he announced on social media (Instagram link). Daniels is eligible to be drafted in 2022.
“I feel that this is the best pathway for me to get to my ultimate goal; the NBA,” he told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. “It has every resource I need in really good development, a great coaching staff and great competition to go against every day.”
Many evaluators believe Daniels, a 6’6″ combo guard, has a strong chance at being drafted in the first round next year. The 18-year-old joins Michael Foster, Scoot Henderson, Jaden Hardy and Fanbo Zeng as players who have committed to the program for the 2021/22 season.
The Ignite is entering its second season after being guided by veteran coach Brian Shaw last year. The team serves as a development program — consisting of both veterans and young players — that gives younger players unique experiences both on the court and off as they start their professional careers.
“My aim is to be one and done,” Daniels said, as relayed by Givony. “I know that with my work ethic in getting in the gym extra hours is going to give me the best chance at getting drafted. I’m going to do everything I can to get drafted and get drafted early.”
Kadeem Allen Signs In Israel
Free agent guard Kadeem Allen has signed a contract with Hapoel Haifa in Israel, the team announced on social media (Twitter link).
Allen, who holds 47 games of NBA experience, most recently played in France. He had been on an NBA roster in each of the past three seasons (Boston in 2017/18, along with New York the next two years), but he failed to make a team this year.
Across his 15 games in France, Allen averaged 9.3 points, 2.6 assists and 18.3 minutes per contest. He also shot 55% from the floor and 39% from deep.
Allen was the No. 53 pick to Boston in 2017. He spent two years at Arizona before entering the draft, spending much of his professional career to date in the G League with Maine and Westchester.
Eastern Notes: Harris, Irving, Harden, Bucks, Martin
Sixers forward Tobias Harris has become a reliable secondary option on offense for the franchise, Tom Moore of the Bucks County Courier Times writes.
Harris, a respected leader in the team’s locker room, is averaging 23.6 points, 9.3 rebounds and 34.6 minutes per game during the playoffs. He’s shot 54% from the floor during those contests, trailing only Joel Embiid in points per game.
“I would list him right now as one of my favorite teammates ever,” teammate George Hill said. “He has a great sense of awareness of how things are going. He’s very open-minded, he listens (and is) just a great guy to be around. I think he’s a big leader for us and we’re going to continue to lean on him as we go through this journey.”
Here are some other notes from the Eastern Conference:
- The Nets won’t allow Kyrie Irving‘s ankle sprain to impact James Harden‘s return from a hamstring injury, head coach Steve Nash said, as relayed by Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Harden missed most of Game 1 and hasn’t played since, with Brooklyn now missing two of its top three players due to injuries. “I think it’s an independent case. I don’t want James to be rushed back,” Nash said. “If he’s able to play next game and the game after, that’s fantastic.” As of Sunday night, no return timeline has been issued for either player.
- Eric Nehm of The Athletic examined how the Bucks can improve their offense prior to Game 4 on Sunday. Milwaukee bounced back with a much better offensive effort in the contest, winning 107-96 while shooting 44% from the floor. The team also recorded 27 assists in the outing.
- Brendan Rourke of Pacers.com reviews the season from Kelan Martin, who appeared in a total of 35 games. The 25-year-old Martin joined the Pacers last November after playing 31 games with the Timberwolves in 2019/20.
Southeast Notes: Biyombo, Heat, Dragic, Lowry, Ross
Hornets center Bismack Biyombo provided much-needed leadership and guidance to his younger teammates this season, Sam Perley of NBA.com writes.
Charlotte has a young core of LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, and P.J. Washington among others. Biyombo, who held per-game averages of 5.0 points and 5.3 rebounds in 20.4 minutes in his 10th NBA season, relished the role of veteran leader for the team.
“The most special part was that this was a team where nobody had an ego,” Biyombo said. “We trusted each other, supported each other. We didn’t want to hear the outside noise. When you’re around a team that doesn’t have egos, it’s easy to lead and be a voice of the team.
“People are able to listen and you can listen to other people give their opinion and be willing to understand where the other person is coming from. I think overall, we trusted and relied on each other. I think that was the most special part about this season.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division tonight:
- Some Heat players could still have a short offseason despite being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, as Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel explores. While it won’t be nearly as brief as last offseason, it’ll be shorter than usual — the league plans to return to a normal format next season, meaning training camps will start the final week of September. Should Jimmy Butler or Bam Adebayo participate in the Olympics, it would reduce their time off even further.
- In his “Ask Ira” mailbag, Winderman examines whether replacing Goran Dragic with Kyle Lowry would be enough of an upgrade for the team. Miami holds a $19.44MM team option on Dragic for next season, while Lowry is set to become an unrestricted free agent.
- Magic veteran Terrence Ross found new ways to score this season, elevating his game to another level, Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel writes. Ross averaged a career-high 15.6 points per game, shooting 41% from the field and 34% from three-point range in 46 contests.
And-Ones: Maldonado, Holmgren, Banchero, Fieldhouse
Team Dynasty Academy guard Emmanuel Maldonado has decided to sign with the Overtime Elite League, he announced on social media.
Maldonado, who stands at 6’4″, is the sixth player to sign with the league thus far, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link). He’s also a candidate to represent Puerto Rico at the FIBA U19 World Cup in July.
The Overtime Elite league serves as an alternative pathway for players to turn pro. Top recruits Matt and Ryan Bewley became the first prospects to commit to the league last month, as we relayed in a separate story.
Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Top 2022 prospect Chet Holmgren has been named the Gatorade National Player of the Year, ESPN’s Myron Medcalf writes. Holmgren, a Gonzaga commit, averaged 20.8 points, 12.6 rebounds and 4.7 blocks last season for Minnehaha Academy. As Medcalf notes, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and several other high-profile players have won the award in the past.
- Paolo Banchero is unable to join Italy for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament this summer, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando (Twitter links). Banchero, a Duke prospect, will reportedly miss the tournament due to school-related issues despite receiving his passport.
- Renovations are ongoing at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, home of the Pacers and the WNBA’s Fever, Scott Agness of FieldhouseFiles tweets. As a result, the Fever will be forced to play the remainder of their season at Indiana Farmers Coliseum — the original home of the ABA Pacers.
Atlantic Notes: Griffin, Stevens, Williams, Green
Nets big man Blake Griffin has been happy, healthy and productive since signing with the team in March, as NetsDaily.com details.
Griffin, an 11-year veteran, has averaged 6.8 points and 5.8 rebounds in 24.1 MPG through the team’s first eight playoff games, starting at center in every contest. He’s shot an impressive 52.5% from the floor and 37.5% from deep during those outings.
“Every time I talk to Blake, one of the things that always comes up is how much fun he’s having, playing in meaningful games and making an impact,” said Jeff Capel, Griffin’s college coach.
Griffin is seeking his first NBA championship, earning a starting role on a contending team at 32 years old. The Nets are currently tied with the Bucks 2-2 in the second round of the postseason.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division tonight:
- A. Sherrod Blakely of the Boston Sports Journal ponders whether Celtics fans will be ready to “trust the process” now that Brad Stevens is the team’s lead decision-maker. Boston dealt with numerous injury and COVID-19 issues this season, never getting a fair chance at developing chemistry and competing. The team finished with an underwhelming 36-36 record and lost to the Nets 4-1 in the first round.
- Justin Leger of NBC Sports Boston explores the factors that would go into a potential Robert Williams extension this offseason. Williams is eligible for a rookie scale extension after becoming the Celtics‘ top big man in the final stages of the season. He averaged 8.0 points and 6.9 rebounds in 18.9 minutes per game this year.
- The Sixers sent Danny Green home to Philadelphia to get treatment on his right calf strain, but hope to get him back around the team as quickly as possible due to his veteran leadership, head coach Doc Rivers said on Sunday (Twitter link via Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com). Of course, the team would love to welcome a healthy Green back on the court too, but he’s expected to miss at least two or three more weeks due to his calf injury.
And-Ones: Vanterpool, Mack, Championship, Jones
Longtime Blazers assistant David Vanterpool could receive strong consideration for multiple head coaching vacancies across the league, Jordan Schultz of ESPN tweets.
The Celtics, Magic and Blazers all recently opened up their head coaching positions, with more teams potentially on the horizon. Many league observers are monitoring the Pacers and Pelicans after both clubs finished with underwhelming campaigns.
Vanterpool, who has been linked to past coaching vacancies, served as Minnesota’s associate head coach this season, but he won’t return to the team for 2021/22. Prior to joining the Wolves, he spent five years as an assistant with CSKA Moscow and seven years as an assistant with Portland.
Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Former NBA guard Shelvin Mack has left Panathinaikos in Greece, according to SDNA.com (hat tip to Sportando). Mack departed from the club due to personal reasons. The 31-year-old was drafted at No. 34 overall in 2011 and holds eight years of NBA experience, the most recent of which was with Charlotte in 2018/19.
- David Aldridge of The Athletic examines how the past failures of some teams could provide fuel in the championship race this season. The Bucks and Clippers are two prime examples of such, with Milwaukee getting revenge against Miami in the first round and Los Angeles avoiding another playoff collapse on Sunday.
- Michigan transfer DeVante’ Jones has received an invite to the G League Elite Camp, which is set to be held from June 19-21 in Chicago, a source told Hoops Rumors. Jones remains an intriguing mid-major prospect for the draft, averaging 19.3 points per game with Coastal Carolina last season. The 23-year-old also averaged 7.2 rebounds per game and finished third in the NCAA in steals per game (2.8). For more information on draft-related dates and deadlines this year, click here.
Atlantic Notes: James, Knicks, Harden, Celtics
Nets guard Mike James stepped up in the absence of James Harden (hamstring) during the team’s Game 1 victory oevr Milwaukee, Jonathan Lehman of the New York Post writes.
James pitched in 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists off the bench in the win, shooting 5-of-11 from the floor in 30 minutes. The team will continue to rely on his production as it plays without Harden, who has already been ruled out for Game 2 on Monday.
“It’s happened to us all year where something’s happened, some sort of adversity, someone goes down and the next man’s up,” head coach Steve Nash said. “Mike, who would have thought before the game he’d play 30 minutes?
“Scored the ball, rebounded, made a few plays and hustled. It was great to see guys who haven’t been in the rotation get an opportunity, step up and play well.”
Here are some other notes from the Atlantic tonight:
- Despite making good progress this season, the playoffs showed that the Knicks must continue making upgrades for the future, Steve Popper of Newsday writes. New York finished with the fourth-best record in the East at 41-31, though the team lost its first-round series against Atlanta in just five games.
- Alex Schiffer of The Athletic examines whether the Nets could continue to win without James Harden available. In addition to Mike James‘ strong play, Brooklyn also received solid production from Kevin Durant (29 points and 10 rebounds), Kyrie Irving (25 points and eight assists), and Blake Griffin (18 points and 14 rebounds), winning the contest 115-107.
- Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe explores where new Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens could turn to fill the team’s head coaching job. Boston will consider multiple candidates for the position — both internally and externally — as Stevens looks to find someone for his old role.