Eastern Notes: Kanter, Pistons, Tyndall
Veteran big man Enes Kanter decided to sign with the Celtics with hopes of competing for an NBA championship next season, he explained to Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype.
Kanter, 27, opted to leave the Blazers after spending the second half of last season with the organization, joining a Boston team that has the likes of Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Gordon Hayward on the active roster.
“The reason I went [to Boston] is for a championship,” Kanter told Kennedy. “I feel like the team is really young and willing to learn and we have an amazing group of guys. I feel like we can beat any team on any floor. All we have to do is just be good friends and stay together. Let’s just go have fun! It’s definitely going to be a very, very exciting season.”
Kanter registered major interest from a handful of teams at the start of free agency, but he and agent Mark Bartelstein worked quickly to reach an agreement with the Celtics. He’ll likely be named the team’s starting center for the 2019/20 season.
“It’s my ninth year in the league and I understand that, for many people, the money is important. For me, the most important thing is being with a team that you’re really happy on and playing with a team that’s competing for a championship,” Kanter said. “That’s was the big thing for me. For everybody else, the money matters [more]. For me, the No. 1 thing was winning.
“After I got released by the New York Knicks, I would always hear, ‘Boston Celtics, Boston Celtics, Boston Celtics,’ but I never really got a chance to talk to them. When free agency started and the clock hit 6 pm ET, I actually talked to Danny Ainge. He told me about his plans and everything. Then, the second time he called me, I answered the phone and it wasn’t him. It was Kemba Walker and he was on Danny’s phone. Kemba said, ‘Hey, my man, are we doing this or not?’ Then, he talked to me about the team and everything. That showed me what kind of leader he is, and that made me very happy. That was one of the biggest reasons [I signed with Boston].”
There’s more out of the Eastern Conference tonight:
- The mother of former Grand Rapids Drive forward Zeke Upshaw has reached a private settlement in her federal lawsuit with the NBA and Pistons franchise, according to T.J. Quinn of ESPN.com. Upshaw tragically passed away after collapsing near the end of a G League game in 2018, with his mother Jewel filing a wrongful death lawsuit in the months that followed. NBA officials released the following statement on the matter: “Jewel Upshaw, the National Basketball Association, and the Detroit Pistons announced today that they have resolved their prior dispute and the litigation claims against the National Basketball Association and the Detroit Pistons pending in federal district court have been dismissed. The NBA and Pistons express their sympathies to Jewel Upshaw and the rest of Zeke’s family on his tragic passing.”
- The Pistons are expected to name Donnie Tyndall as new head coach of the Grand Rapids Drive, according to Adam Johnson of 2 Ways & 10 Days. Tyndall has spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach with the Raptors 905, helping win a league championship under Jerry Stackhouse in 2017.
Atlantic Notes: Portis, Nets, Poirier, Knicks
For Bobby Portis, joining the Knicks in free agency didn’t require a promise from the team to name him a starter. Portis agreed to a two-year, $31MM deal with the team earlier in the month, fully prepared to contribute regardless of his role in the rotation.
“I don’t care about starting or coming off the bench,” Portis told Marc Berman of the New York Post. “I envision myself being a Sixth Man of the Year candidate. Last year I was in the running at the beginning of the season, playing well. That’s in the back of my mind for sure. Naysayers will say I’m crazy. I feel it’s going to come for me one day for sure. I play my role really well.”
With Portis eyeing the Sixth Man of the Year award, it’s worth noting he’s coming off a season that saw him average a career-high 14.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 26 minutes in 50 games with the Wizards, starting in 28 contests. He’s mostly played off the bench during his career, displaying an impressive touch around the rim and willingness to play physical.
In addition to Portis, the Knicks also reached free-agent agreements with Julius Randle, Marcus Morris, Elfrid Payton, Taj Gibson, Reggie Bullock and Wayne Ellington, giving head coach David Fizdale plenty of new options for the upcoming season.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division tonight:
- Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype spoke with a number of current and former Nets players about the new look of the team, including fourth-year Brooklyn guard Spencer Dinwiddie. “It shows that our program as a whole took a huge step forward – one that I don’t think many people thought was possible,” Dinwiddie said of the Nets landing Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. “Even when you and I talked about it previously on the podcast, people were mocking me! I was very upfront and said, ‘Hey, I’d welcome stars with open arms,’ but everybody laughed at it. The reaction was, ‘Alright, that sounds good, but it ain’t going to happen.’ I guess it just makes this experience that much sweeter (laughs).”
- Las Vegas oddsmakers don’t believe the Knicks will win more than 30 games next season, Marc Berman writes in a separate article for the New York Post. New York is coming off a league-worst 17-65 record from last season.
- New Celtics center Vincent Poirier impressed the team for a variety of reasons, as detailed by Jacob Carmenker of NBC Sports Boston. The Celtics were intrigued with Poirier’s athleticism, ability to rebound and willingness to sacrifice, reaching a two-year deal with him earlier this month.
Rockets Re-Sign Gerald Green
JULY 22: The Rockets have made it official with Green over three weeks after agreeing to terms, announcing today (via Twitter) that the swingman has officially re-signed with the club.
JUNE 30: The Rockets will re-sign free agent Gerald Green on a one-year deal, his agent, James Dunleavy, told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Green, 33, has spent the last two seasons with the Rockets. In 2018/19, he averaged 9.2 PPG and 2.5 RPG in 73 games (20.2 MPG), with a shooting line of .400/.354/.838. Of his 578 shot attempts, 441 came from beyond the arc.
While terms of Green’s deal aren’t yet known, he played on a minimum-salary deal last season, so another one looks like a strong possibility.
Because he’s re-signing with his current team on a one-year contract, Green will have the ability to veto any trade that involves him during the 2019/20 league year. If he approves a trade, he would lose his Bird rights for 2020.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Bucks Waive Bonzie Colson
The Bucks have waived forward Bonzie Colson, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Colson, 23, went unselected in the 2018 NBA Draft after playing four seasons at Notre Dame. He spent time in the G League with Cleveland and Milwaukee shortly afterward, working for a two-way contract with the team last January.
Colson held averages of 14.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 46 G League games during the 2018/19 season.
[RELATED: 2019/20 NBA Two-Way Contract Tracker]
Milwaukee’s two-way contract spots will now be filled by Frank Mason lll and Cameron Reynolds, as noted by Nehm, with the team still having one open roster spot to work with once Kyle Korver‘s deal becomes official.
Pacific Notes: Cook, Kings, Suns, Clippers
The Lakers made a major splash by trading for Anthony Davis this offseason, but the team also made a number of other moves to help round out its roster in the weeks that followed. Among them was signing back-up point guard Quinn Cook to a contract, who has spent the past two seasons with Golden State in a championship atmosphere.
For Cook, his decision to sign with the Lakers went past the on-court product. He holds close relationships with several members on the team, including Davis, LeBron James and DeMarcus Cousins. He’s confident the team’s early chemistry will hold a positive impact this season, as he explained during an interview with Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype.
“We have our team group chat going and the guys are very active in it. It feels like this team has been together for a while,” Cook said. “Everyone has been really active in the group chat. Ever since I signed, I went straight to Los Angeles and I’ve been working out with Bron, Kuz, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and JaVale [McGee]. We’ve been working on a lot of stuff and I’m getting a chance to learn from the coaching staff, getting a chance to talk to Coach Vogel a lot and work out with Coach [Miles] Simon.
“Everyone has been so welcoming since day one when I signed. I know the other guys will start to trickle in; it’s still really early in the summer. As guys trickle in, we’ll keep working hard and getting ready for the season. All of the guys are really excited to get things going, man. I know this NBA season will be one of the better ones for everyone – from players to coaches to fans. If you’re a fan of basketball, this season will be amazing.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division tonight:
- Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee ponders whether analysts are overlooking the Kings entering next season. Sacramento sports a young nucleus of De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, Marvin Bagley and other talented players with eyes set on making the playoffs next spring.
- Duane Rankin examines the state of the Suns in an article for the Arizona Republic, including the team’s projected starting lineup, bench group, and array of intriguing combinations. Phoenix enters next season with several new players around Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton, including Ricky Rubio, Dario Saric and Aron Baynes.
- The additions of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are set to make the Clippers a hot ticket once again, Mirjam Swanson of the Orange County Register writes. The Lakers also revamped their roster during the offseason, with Staples Center expected to be wildly popular this season.
Community Shootaround: Western Conference Favorite
With free agency finally beginning to wind down, it’s time to look at which teams have the best chance of competing for an NBA championship entering the 2019/20 season.
We previously discussed which Eastern Conference teams could be in contention during a Community Shootaround earlier this month, including the Bucks, Nets, Sixers and more. The Western Conference appears to be slightly more crowded at the moment, however, with the Clippers, Jazz, Lakers, Nuggets and Rockets all made noticeable upgrades during the offseason.
The Clippers (Kawhi Leonard/Paul George) and Lakers (LeBron James/Anthony Davis) now have star-studded duos, with both franchises working diligently to fill in the remaining holes. The Clippers managed to re-sign Patrick Beverley, JaMychal Green and Ivica Zubac, while the Lakers added the likes of DeMarcus Cousins, Danny Green, Quinn Cook and others to its roster.
Houston made a surprising splash this month for longtime Thunder star Russell Westbrook, who’s widely considered to be the most talented teammate James Harden has had during his seven years with the organization.
The Jazz also made some major moves this offseason, acquiring Mike Conley from Memphis and signing Bojan Bogdanovic (18 PPG in 2018/19) to a four-year contract. Utah plans to pair those players alongside stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.
Elsewhere in the West, Denver quickly re-signed guard Jamal Murray to a five-year extension, exercised its $30MM team option on Paul Millsap and acquired athletic power forward Jerami Grant from Oklahoma City in a trade.
The Trail Blazers and Warriors can never be totally counted out, with Portland acquiring shot-blocking center Hassan Whiteside and Golden State adding D’Angelo Russell to a newly projected starting five of Stephen Curry, Russell, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Willie Cauley-Stein.
With all of this in mind, who do you believe is the current favorite to win the Western Conference this upcoming season? Is it one of the seven teams listed above, or is it a separate wild card team? Take to the comments section below to voice your opinion!
Lakers Claim Kostas Antetokounmpo
The Lakers have claimed forward Kostas Antetokounmpo off waivers, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Antetokounmpo will head to Los Angeles on a two-way contract.
Antetokounmpo, the younger brother of Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, was waived by the Mavericks last week after appearing in just two games with the team. He spent most of the 2018/19 season with Dallas’ G League affiliate, holding per-game averages of 10.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks.
Antetokounmpo was selected No. 60 overall by Philadelphia in the 2018 draft, ultimately getting dealt to Dallas later that night. He’ll join undrafted Gonzaga guard Zach Norvell as current Lakers players on two-way deals.
Kings Sign Tyler Lydon
JULY 17: The Kings have officially signed Lydon, the team announced today in a press release.
JULY 14: The Kings have agreed to a two-year deal with free agent forward Tyler Lydon, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojarowski (Twitter link).
The agreement is for the league minimum and also contains a partial guarantee, Sean Cunningham of ABC10 Sacramento tweets.
Lydon appeared in 25 games with the Nuggets last season, seeing an average of 3.8 minutes per contest. He was traded to Denver shortly after being selected No. 24 overall in the 2017 draft by Utah, spending part of his professional career in the NBA G League.
“I feel like I’m good enough to play in this league, and I’ll believe that ‘til the day I die,” Lydon said last week before agreeing to his deal, according to Stephen Haynes of the Poughkeepsie Journal. “It’s like, ‘Give me one chance to prove that I belong.’”
Lydon started his career with a deep Denver team that was unable to give him a clear role. His season was cut short after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus, with the 23-year-old working extensively to improve his strength and shooting skills since then.
Sacramento now has 18 players on its active roster, including two-way players Kyle Guy and Wenyen Gabriel.
Rockets Re-Sign Austin Rivers
JULY 17: The Rockets have officially re-signed Rivers, the team announced today in a press release.
JULY 1: The Rockets will re-sign point guard Austin Rivers on a two-year deal, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports. The second season in the agreement contains a player option. Rivers’ new deal will be worth the minimum, tweets Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.
Rivers, 26, first signed with Houston on a free-agent deal in December. He provided production off the bench behind Chris Paul and James Harden in 47 games, averaging 8.7 points and 2.3 assists per contest.
“I’m just very excited,” Rivers said, according to Mark Berman of Fox 26. “Happy to be on a playoff team.”
Rivers, the No. 10 pick in 2012, spent time with the Pelicans, Clippers and Wizards before joining the Rockets. Houston already came to terms with free agents Gerald Green and Danuel House during the first day of free agency.
Because he’s re-signing with his previous team on a two-year deal with a second-year option, Rivers will have the ability to veto trades in 2019/20, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter).
Atlantic Notes: Williams, Knicks, Horford, Barrett
Second-year Celtics center Robert Williams picked up some skills from former teammates Al Horford and Aron Baynes during his rookie season, as he explained in a recent interview with Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe.
“Al isn’t the fastest person, but one thing that always amazed me about him was any time he got the ball, even if you knew what he was doing, it’s effective as hell,” Williams said, as relayed by Himmelsbach. “I kind of took to that. He taught me how to really put an emphasis on my moves.
“And watching Baynes showed me the importance of just going straight up on defense instead of swiping down. Honestly, I don’t even always have to block it. Making them alter it is a great solution too.”
Williams, 21, is expected to see more playing time entering next season with Horford leaving Boston in free agency and Baynes being traded to Phoenix. He appeared in 32 games with the team last year, averaging just 2.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 8.8 minutes per contest.
The Celtics also signed eight-year veteran Enes Kanter in free agency, one of the league’s most skilled players on the low block and another player Williams could learn from.
Here are some other notes from the Atlantic Division today:
- The Knicks’ brass has been noticeably quiet since missing out on several top free agents in early July, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. New York was exceedingly confident that it could land two superstar talents on the open market this summer, but fell short to rival Brooklyn in pursuit of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.
- Veteran center Al Horford broke the hearts of Celtics fans by choosing to sign a four-year, $109MM deal with the Sixers in free agency. “It feels right,” Horford said while wearing his new jersey in a video posted to the team’s social media this week. Horford will help make up a deadly 76ers frontcourt that includes the likes of Tobias Harris and Joel Embiid.
- R.J. Barrett ended summer league exactly the way the Knicks hoped, Berman writes in a different article for The Post. Barrett tallied 21 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists during a 103-87 win over the Wizards on Saturday, showcasing his talents on both ends of the floor.