Southeast Notes: Wizards, Bridges, Heat, Hall
Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard won’t be afraid to take “big swings” to improve his roster this offseason if the opportunities present themselves, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes.
The Wizards dealt with several COVID-19 and injury-related issues this season, finishing with just a 34-38 record. The team was eliminated by the Sixers in a five-game series after making it out of the play-in tournament.
“We’ve gotta continue to add talent everywhere we can, and I think we’ve shown that I’m not afraid to take big swings,” Sheppard said. “We’re not afraid to go out and acquire players in trades, to do whatever it takes.”
Prior to the season, Washington dealt John Wall and a future first-round pick to the Rockets in exchange for Russell Westbrook, a prime example of a big-swing move.
There’s more from the Southeast Division tonight:
- Hornets forward Miles Bridges emerged as a well-rounded threat for the team this season, Sam Perley of NBA.com writes. Bridges averaged 12.7 points and a career-high six rebounds per game, serving as a key cog in the club’s rotation. “I feel like I can always get better at everything,” Bridges said during his exit interview, as relayed by Perley. “For this team, I play a lot of positions, a lot of different roles. I want to get better at everything – my IQ mainly. Learn how to finish games better, creating shots for myself and my teammates. I can always get better at defense, so for me, it’s just the full package.” Bridges will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason.
- The Heat‘s early playoff exit will allow the team to spend more time reflecting on the season and planning for the summer, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes. Team president Pat Riley — much like Tommy Sheppard — has never been afraid to take big swings to improve his team, something worth monitoring this offseason.
- While Donta Hall provided relentless energy as a depth piece during his time with the Magic, he’s not under contract for 2021/22 and it remains to be seen whether he’ll have a place in the team’s future, notes Roy Parry of The Orlando Sentinel.
Western Notes: Doncic, K. Antetokounmpo, Ibaka, Warriors
Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic was available to play in Game 4 against the Clippers on Sunday night, as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported he would. Doncic suffered a strained neck in Game 3 and his status was uncertain at the time.
“It’s just weird,” Doncic said of his injury, which also caused some pain in his left arm. “Just some massage, some ice and hopefully it will be good.”
Doncic has played some of the best basketball of his career this series, averaging 38 points, 8.7 rebounds and nine assists through three games. He’s also shot 52% from the floor and 46% from behind-the-arc.
There’s more from the Western Conference tonight:
- Lakers forward Kostas Antetokounmpo has been attending to a personal matter in Greece, explaining his recent absence from the team, according to Adrian Wojnarowski and Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Antetokoumpo is currently on a two-way contract with the club. There’s optimism that he could return if the Lakers advance past the Suns in the first round, the duo notes.
- Clippers big man Serge Ibaka missed Game 4 due to lingering back soreness, as first reported by Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Ibaka has provided valuable production when healthy, averaging 11.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 23.3 minutes in 41 games this season.
- The Warriors still have a ways to go before returning to contention, says Moke Hamilton of Basketball News. Golden State played without Klay Thompson (torn Achilles’ rehab) this season, though Thompson is expected to return for 2021-22. The team would have its championship trio of Stephen Curry, Thompson, and Draymond Green to build around for the future.
Draft Notes: Njie, Chougkaz, Alocen, Diop, Diouf, Camara
International point guard Barra Njie is declaring for the 2021 NBA Draft after spending last season in Sweden, agent Jerry Dianis told Hoops Rumors.
The 6’3″ Njie was the Rookie of the Year in the Swedish Basketball League, averaging 17.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. His impressive athleticism and crafty scoring ability are two intriguing pieces of his game, possessing a 6’10” wingspan at just 20 years of age.
Njie attended St. Benedict’s Preparatory School before heading overseas. He was also teammates with Precious Achiuwa in 2018-19. Achiuwa was drafted No. 20 overall by Miami in last year’s event.
Here are some other draft decisions announced today:
- Greek forward Nikos Chougkaz has declared for the draft, as relayed by Sportando. Chougkaz plans to keep his name in this year’s pool after averaging 10.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game with Ionikos in the Greek Basket League last season.
- Spanish senior national team guard Carlos Alocen has also declared for the draft, Jonathan Givony of ESPN tweets. Alocen appeared in 63 games for Real Madrid during the Euroleague, ACB and domestic cups this past season.
- In addition to Njie, Chougkaz and Alocen, Italian-based players Ousmane Diop, Mouhamet Diouf and Gora Camara have also declared for the draft, Givony reports (via Twitter). The deadline for early entrants to declare for the draft is Sunday night at 11:59pm ET. This year’s draft is set to be held on Thursday, July 29.
Heat Notes: Leonard, Butler, Lowry, Free Agency
Jimmy Butler‘s ties to Kawhi Leonard could impact what the two-time NBA champion decides to do if he reaches free agency this summer, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel speculates.
Leonard holds a $36MM player option for the 2021/22 season and could choose to sign elsewhere — especially if the Clippers lose in the first round. Los Angeles is currently trailing Dallas 2-1 in its series.
Miami lost all four games to Milwaukee in its own series, becoming the first team to be eliminated from the playoffs despite reaching the Finals last fall. If Leonard chooses to explore his options, the Heat could offer a compelling role alongside Butler, Bam Adebayo and others — though the team would need to create sufficient salary-cap space for him first.
There’s more out of Miami tonight:
- The Heat could also pursue Kyle Lowry in free agency, though that situation is more complicated than some may realize, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald explores. The team expressed interest in Lowry prior to the trade deadline, ultimately opting not to make a deal.
- Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel examines whether a playoff lineup change is a sign of things to come in free agency. Miami opted to start Goran Dragic in place of Kendrick Nunn during the team’s final two games of the series against Milwaukee, though Dragic mostly struggled. Nunn will enter restricted free agency this offseason, while Dragic has a $19.4MM team option for 2021/22.
- Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald looks back on the Heat’s underwhelming season and what comes next. Miami dealt with a shortened offseason, COVID issues and multiple injuries throughout the campaign, complicating the club’s season from the start.
Anthony Davis Suffers Left Groin Strain
Lakers superstar Anthony Davis missed the second half of Game 4 versus Phoenix after suffering a left groin strain, as relayed by Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link).
Davis will be listed as day-to-day going forward, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.
Davis, who sustained the injury at the end of the first half, finished with six points, four rebounds and three assists. The Lakers played without Kentavious Caldwell-Pope due to a knee contusion, and LeBron James also admitted this week that he needs around-the-clock treatment to keep his ankle ready.
Davis was dealing with a left knee sprain coming into the contest. He averaged 27 points and 9.3 rebounds per game (39.7 MPG) in the team’s first three games of the series, shooting 43% from the floor.
The Suns will host the Lakers in Game 5 on Tuesday after tying the series 2-2. Davis’ status is naturally uncertain.
Western Notes: Booker, Paul, Curry, Muscala
Suns star Devin Booker is ready to produce in the playoffs after Phoenix’s six-year postseason drought, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes.
“It’s been a long journey since I’ve been here,” Booker said. “A full six years to get to this point and I know it’s been even longer for the city of Phoenix and this organization to get to this point. So I don’t want to take these opportunities for granted. We gave the fans what they wanted with a playoff berth and now, we want to give them even more of what they asked for.”
Booker is looking to create something special in Phoenix, finishing with 34 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in a Game 1 victory over the Lakers on Sunday. The team will host Game 2 on Tuesday.
There’s more out of the Western Conference tonight:
- Suns guard Chris Paul sustained a right shoulder contusion in the club’s game against the Lakers, the team announced (Twitter link). Paul appeared to be in significant pain before exiting for the locker room. He later returned for a brief stint, exited again and returned to finish the game. With Phoenix up 1-0 in the series, it’s an injury to monitor as the team looks to take a 2-0 lead this week.
- The Warriors owe Stephen Curry more next season, says Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. Golden State failed to make the playoffs despite an excellent season from Curry, who averaged a league-best 32 points per game on 48% shooting from the floor and 42% shooting from deep.
- Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman examines why veteran big man Mike Muscala wanted to stay with the Thunder this season. Oklahoma City shut down Muscala and teammate Al Horford to focus on its young core late in the season, but Muscala had no interest in leaving the team. “I’m going to get a little emotional probably,” he said as part of a larger quote. “But coming to OKC, it was just like — I’m grateful for it, and it helped me a lot as a man and as a player.”
Atlantic Notes: Payton, Celtics, Barrett, Rivers
The Knicks still have some doubters to prove wrong in the playoffs this year, according to guard Elfrid Payton, as relayed by Alex Kennedy of BasketballNews.com. Payton, who started 63 games for New York this season, averaged 10.1 points, 3.2 assists and 23.6 minutes per contest. This will be his first playoff stint.
“I think we match up well against them,” Payton said of the team’s first-round opponents, the Hawks. “They have a lot of weapons over there, a lot of guys who can shoot the three; John Collins is playing well, (Clint) Capela is a force inside and they’ve got a good bench with Lou Will and (Danilo) Gallinari.
“I think we’re just a little bit deeper and a little bit more physical, and that’s going to make it tough for them. As far as the preparation, it’s been crazy. It’s my first playoffs, so… It’s kinda what I expected, but having so much time off, we were able to really dive into a lot of film and a lot of their tendencies.”
Here are some other notes from the Atlantic Division tonight:
- The Celtics are increasing their crowd capacity for Game 3 against the Nets on Friday, according to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link). Boston will be at “near full” capacity for Game 4, which is set to commence next Sunday.
- Knicks guard RJ Barrett revealed an interesting game plan for guarding Hawks star Trae Young, as Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News details. Barrett believes his team is better off forcing Young to score instead of making plays for his teammates (he averaged 25.3 points and 9.4 assists per game this season).
- Sixers head coach Doc Rivers has turned his star-studded team into winners, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Rivers holds several years of coaching experience and memorably guided the Celtics to a championship in 2008. He was also named the NBA’s Coach of the Year with Orlando in 2000.
Southeast Notes: Hornets, Heat, Theis, Clifford
Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak recently discussed a variety of topics related to his team, including free agency, head coach James Borrego, LaMelo Ball and more.
Charlotte (33-39) managed to reach the play-in tournament despite coping with several injuries this season, but lost to Indiana by a score of 144-117. Still, Kupchak believes the Hornets are on the rise and should appeal to free agents this summer.
“I think free agents around the league look at the pace we play, and players want to play that way. I think we have a player’s coach,” Kupchak said, as relayed by Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. “And if (free agents) remember why (Ball) is so much fun to play with — his ability to pass — I don’t know why players wouldn’t want to come here to play with him.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- The Heat have increased their crowd capacity to 17,000 fans for the postseason, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. For now, that number is believed to be the highest capacity of all 16 playoff teams. Miami will host Milwaukee in Game 3 on Thursday and Game 4 on Saturday.
- The Hornets may have interest this offseason in free-agent-to-be Daniel Theis, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer tweets. Theis figures to be one of many frontcourt targets for Charlotte this summer, as Kupchak recently admitted that he could see the team signing more than one center.
- Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel makes the case for why the Magic should offer head coach Steve Clifford a contract extension. Clifford is set to oversee a rebuild centered around the likes of Markelle Fultz, Jonathan Isaac, and Wendell Carter Jr.
Donovan Mitchell To Miss Game 1 Against Grizzlies
Jazz star Donovan Mitchell will miss Sunday’s Game 1 against the Grizzlies despite being cleared to return earlier in the day, the team announced (Twitter link). Mitchell is recovering from a sprained ankle.
“I’m ready to go tonight,” Mitchell said after the team’s shootaround. “No pain. I’m excited to get going.”
Mitchell has missed over a month due to the injury and was cleared for full practice last Thursday. While he declared himself ready to return to action, it seems the team has decided to hold him out a little longer.
“There’s always going to be soreness when you come back from an injury like this,” Mitchell acknowledged. “There are things that haven’t been activated in five weeks, but I feel good.”
Mitchell averaged 26.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game in a career-best season this year. Despite his late-season absence, Utah still finished with the best record in the league at 52-20 and has games against Memphis on Wednesday, Saturday and next Monday in the series.
Atlantic Notes: Nets, Rose, Raptors, Garnett, Celtics
The Nets expect to have Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Kevin Durant all available for just the eighth time on Saturday, Malika Andrews of ESPN writes. Brooklyn will host Chicago in its second-to-last game of the season.
“If everything stays the same, those three will play tomorrow,” head coach Steve Nash said after the team’s practice on Friday.
Despite coping with injuries this season, Brooklyn still holds the second-best record in the East at 46-24. The team has struggled to build on-court chemistry due to inconsistent lineups — though it appears to be regaining health just in time for the playoffs.
“I’m just happy they are on the floor,” forward Jeff Green said of his team’s big-three. “We’re getting to finally try to create a rhythm with all guys healthy. We’ll see what happens from there. We have a long week to prepare for whomever we play. For those guys, it will be good. For us, it will be good to get a look and see where we are at when everybody is healthy.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division today:
- Knicks guard Derrick Rose missed Thursday’s contest against the Spurs due to a minor ankle injury, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. “Just needed a day,’’ head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We knew we were getting a couple of guys (Immanuel Quickley and Alec Burks) back so we thought it would be good to give him the rest.’’
- The Raptors will look to add to Nick Nurse‘s staff this summer with former assistants Nate Bjorkgren and Chris Finch gone, Blake Murphy of The Athletic tweets. Bjorkgren has since joined the Pacers as head coach, while Finch has become head coach of the Timberwolves.
- Celtics legend Kevin Garnett wishes that he joined the team sooner, he said during his Hall of Fame induction speech on Friday. “My only regret in any of this was that I should have came to Boston a little earlier. Other than that, it was magical,” Garnett said, as relayed by Taylor Snow of Celtics.com (video link). Garnett ultimately joined the team via trade in July of 2007.