Atlantic Notes: Knicks, King, Hernandez, Raptors
Knicks president Steve Mills broke his silence last week but declined to address whether the team will look to trade its lottery pick in a deal for disgruntled New Orleans star Anthony Davis, as relayed by Marc Berman of the New York Post.
The Knicks were awarded the No. 3 pick from the NBA’s Draft Lottery, something many fans saw as a bitter disappointment. The fans of New York, Mills says, should still be excited about where the team is positioned entering this summer.
“We’re excited about where we are,’’ Mills said Friday at the NBA draft combine, according to Berman. “We know we’ll get a good player at 3. So it’s something we’re excited about and look forward to.’’
With the Pelicans locked into Zion Williamson and Grizzlies reportedly focused on Ja Morant, the leading candidate for the Knicks could be Duke standout R.J. Barrett. In addition to the third pick, New York is starting to prepare for a pivotal free agency period — one that could shape the team’s future for better or worse.
“We want to build this team the right way,’’ Mills said. “We’ve always said we’re going to continue to work hard during the draft process. We believe we’re a team that can draft well and this is all part of our plan and growing our team.’’
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division tonight:
- Former Oregon forward Louis King has a pre-draft workout scheduled with the Sixers, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. King averaged 13.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in 30.4 minutes per game this past season with Oregon.
- The Nets plan to host former Miami Hurricanes player Dewan Hernandez for a pre-draft workout, according to David Wilson of the Miami Herald. Hernandez impressed multiple scouts at the NBA G League Elite Camp and worked his way to the NBA Draft Combine last week, Wilson writes.
- Raptors head coach Nick Nurse originally hinted at making lineup changes for Game 3, but the team ultimately decided to keep their starting lineup of Kyle Lowry, Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, Pascal Siakam and Marc Gasol intact. “I think there will be some lineup changes, that’s for sure… You’ll see some different lineups tonight,” Nurse said hours before tip-off, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports. Toronto has lost two straight games to Milwaukee and currently trails in the series 2-0.
Pacific Notes: Durant, Kings, Lakers, Franklin
The notion that the Warriors are a better team without Kevin Durant is silly and shouldn’t be taken seriously, Sam Amick writes for The Athletic.
Durant has missed Golden State’s last four games — all of which were wins — leading some to question how much better he truly makes the team. His absence has allowed Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and most notably Draymond Green to operate more with their surrounding cast, playing more up-tempo without their most talented player.
“We’re confident we can win (every time out), but we would much rather have (Durant) playing,” Curry said after Game 2, according to Amick. “So we’re going to hold the fort down till he gets back and go win another championship with our full squad. You know, him and DeMarcus (Cousins, who could return from his quad injury in this series), as well. We understand how great of players they are and how they raise our ceiling even higher.”
Multiple Warriors players have labeled Durant as the best talent on the team this season. The all-out recruitment of Durant, led by Green and others in 2016, kicked off because the team wanted another go-to scorer and all-around superstar on the wing.
Before suffering his strained calf against the Rockets, Durant was averaging a scorching 34.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game in the playoffs. He shot 51% from the field and 42% from deep during those 11 contests.
There’s more today from the Pacific Division:
- The Kings have announced their first pre-draft workout of the year, scheduled to take place on Monday, May 20. Armoni Brooks (Houston), Jon Axel Gudmundsson (Davidson), Xavier Sneed (Kansas State), Yoeli Childs (BYU), Reggie Perry (Mississippi State) and Kevin Samuel (TCU) will all be in attendance.
- Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report explores whether the No. 4 pick in this year’s draft could give the Lakers the best trade package for Anthony Davis. Los Angeles could combine the pick with other future assets and young players such as Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram or Josh Hart, though competing with the Celtics for the best trade proposal could be difficult. Davis remains intent on leaving New Orleans and expects his trade request to be honored this offseason.
- Former NBA guard Jamaal Franklin plans to attend a free agent mini camp with the Kings next week, Nicola Lupo of Sportando tweets. Franklin last played in the league during the 2014-15 season with Denver, having spent the past five seasons in China.
Celtics Notes: Horford, Irving, Stevens, Future
Celtics center Al Horford hopes to stay with the Celtics past this season and could take more of a team-friendly number on a new deal, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald writes, citing a league source.
Horford has a player option worth $30MM+ for the 2019/20 season. He could choose to opt in and become a free agent next summer, opt out and negotiate a new contract, or opt out and sign with another team for his 12th NBA season.
“I’ve enjoyed being in Boston,” Horford said after the team’s Game 5 loss to Milwaukee, according to Bobby Manning of SB Nation. “I just have to wait and see what we’re going to do as a team, and the steps that management’s going to be taken forward.”
Horford appeared in 68 games with Boston on the year, averaging 13.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.3 blocks per contest. He remains a key cog in the team’s gameplan on both ends of the floor.
Whether Horford stays with the Celtics could largely depend on where Kyrie Irving chooses to go in free agency, as well as whether Boston chooses to pursue an Anthony Davis trade with the Pelicans.
There’s more tonight out of Boston:
- Frank Urbina of Hoops Hype examines the potential landing spots for Irving, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Urbina lists the Lakers, Clippers, Nets, Knicks and Celtics as possible destinations for Irving, one of the most talented free agents on the open market.
- Brad Stevens needs to take this summer to do some soul searching on how to move forward after a disappointing 2018/19 season, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe writes. The Celtics were eliminated in five games to the Bucks last round and now head into the offseason with uncertainty surrounding their roster, but the team has a talented coach in Stevens who could benefit from looking back on why the campaign went wrong.
- David Aldridge of The Athletic examines where the Celtics can go as a franchise heading into the summer. The team has an array of future assets, current stars and competitive roster that general manager Danny Ainge could work with for next season and beyond.
Pacific Notes: Beverley, Kerr, LeBron, Vogel
Clippers guard Patrick Beverley is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, a process the 30-year-old is looking forward to after his seventh NBA season.
Beverley, who averaged 7.6 points, 3.8 assists, 0.9 steals and 27.4 minutes in 78 games with Los Angeles this year, discussed a variety of subjects with Khari Arnold in a story posted to NBA.com this week — including where his mind stands ahead of the free agency period.
“I feel like I can play with any team,” Beverley said. “Whatever team that is, I feel like I can make an instant impact. It’s all about doing the right things. Building a new culture. Whether it’s a young team that I’m with and I have to build a new culture, or if it’s a team that’s already established and I have to figure out how can I fit in and make this team better, I’m selfless when it comes to that.”
Beverley sent a cryptic tweet to Mavericks star Luka Doncic last week, which prompted Arnold to ask him a question about potentially joining the Mavs and how he would see himself fitting in.
“Of course [I can fit in]. He’s ball dominant, makes the right plays,” Beverley said of Doncic. “If that does come, it would be me, Luka, Tim Hardaway Jr., (Kristaps) Porzingis, Courtney Lee. It’s tough when you actually think about it. But I’m going to have fun with free agency man. I work hard. I’m gonna enjoy this process.”
The Mavericks are said to be pursuing a point guard this summer and have also been linked to Hornets star Kemba Walker.
There’s more out of the Pacific Division tonight:
- Warriors coach Steve Kerr regrets not playing his bench more in the team’s series against Houston, Mark Medina of The Mercury News writes. “I probably should’ve used them earlier,” Kerr said. Regardless, the Warriors wound up winning the series, with Kevon Looney (14 points) and Shaun Livingston (11 points) giving key performances off the bench.
- Lakers star LeBron James is many things, but a victim isn’t one of those things, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes. James has had a sensational career filled with good luck, despite being shocked about Magic Johnson’s recent exit, Tyronn Lue’s contract-negotiation breakdown and an underwhelming regular season from his team.
- Kevin Pelton of ESPN examines whether Frank Vogel will be able to turn around the Lakers in his first season as head coach. Vogel was hired by the organization this past week, with former NBA head coach Jason Kidd set to join his staff in an assistant coaching role.
And-Ones: Female Coaches, Referees, One-And-Done, Draft Lottery
Adam Silver would like to see more female officials and coaches in the NBA down the road, a league that’s mostly comprised of men today, according to NBC Sports. Silver made his comments in an appearance for The Economic Club in Washington, D.C. on Thursday.
“It’s an area, frankly, where I’ve acknowledged that I’m not sure how it was that it remained so male-dominated for so long. Because it’s an area of the game where physically, certainly, there’s no benefit to being a man, as opposed to a woman, when it comes to refereeing,” Silver said.
“The goal is: Going forward, it should be roughly 50-50 of new officials entering in the league,” he said. “Same for coaches, by the way. We have a program, too. There’s no reason why women shouldn’t be coaching men’s basketball.”
In 72 years of being active, the NBA has never had a female head coach. On the plus side, Kelly Krauskopf became the first female assistant general manager in league history this season, joining the Pacers in early-January.
Among the most influential female figures in the league is current Spurs assistant Becky Hammon. Hammon was the first full-time assistant coach in NBA history, originally heading to Gregg Popovich‘s staff in 2014.
Here are some other odds and ends around the basketball world today:
- Should the NBA abandon the one-and-done rule by 2022, two names to remember are Emoni Bates and Jalen Duren, Adam Zagoria of Forbes writes. Both players are among the top players in the class of 2022, with the NBA continuing to discuss how to remove this rule and allow prospects to declare for the draft after high school. “There are a bunch of issues that need to be worked through between us and the players association, so it’s something we’re in active discussions about,” Adam Silver said this week, according to Rick Maese of the Washington Post. “It’s a few years away, I think.”
- Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic takes an in-depth look at whether it’s possible for the NBA Draft Lottery to be rigged. The lottery will take place this Tuesday, May 14 in Chicago, with the Cavaliers, Knicks and Suns all having a 14% chance at landing the No. 1 pick.
- Kiki VanDeWeghe discussed his viewpoint of the behind-the-scenes draft lottery with Marc Berman of the New York Post. VanDeWeghe, the NBA’s VP of basketball operations, will moderate the actual ping pong ball drawing for the sixth consecutive season on Tuesday. “This is part of my job. I can tell everybody that every assurance is taken that it’s random,” VanDeWeghe said to those who believe the process could be fixed. “Knowing the process very well after three years, there’s no question in my mind.”
Draft Notes: Hampton, Elite Camp, Celtics, Simonds, Hawks
RJ Hampton has decided to graduate high school early and reclassify to the Class of 2019, he told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. Hampton is the No. 4 player in ESPN’s top-100 class of early 2020 rankings, explaining his major decision to reclassify to Givony.
“I’ve decided to reclassify to the 2019 class,” Hampton told ESPN. “I am doing this because I feel that from a development standpoint, this is the right move for me at this time in order to play against the highest level of competition possible. I am eager to test myself against older and more physically developed players in order to help improve my weaknesses and prepare me for reaching the ultimate goal of playing in the NBA.”
With his decision, Hampton will enroll for college this summer and be eligible for the 2020 NBA Draft. A 6-foot-5 versatile player at 188 pounds, Hampton is one of the most promising young point guards in high school, now shifting his focus to interested schools such as Kansas, Kentucky, Memphis and Texas Tech, according to ESPN.
“This is a move we’ve been contemplating for some time and we don’t take lightly,” Hampton’s father, Rod, told ESPN. “As someone that played in college as well as professionally in Europe, I know that you can’t skip steps in a player’s development. Thankfully, because of the hard work that RJ has put in in the classroom — achieving a 3.75 GPA and a 1280 SAT — he was able to have this option. This weekend playing against the top players in high school basketball at the Nike EYBL, as well as earlier this month at USA Basketball, my wife, Markita, and I realized that RJ is ready to take the next step and challenge himself by taking the next step in level of competition.”
Here are some other draft-related notes today:
- In speaking with some agents and executives around the NBA, there appears to be some confusion over whether prospects attending the NBA G League Combine are only working out for teams in the G League, according to Givony (Twitter link). The combine is set to include officials from all 30 NBA teams.
- The Celtics brought in several players for a workout last week in preparation for the NBA Draft, as relayed by Sportando. Among the players who attended the workout were Hofstra’s Justin Wright-Foreman, Ole Miss’ Terence Davis , Auburn’s Bryce Brown, St. Bonaventure’s Courtney Stockard and Iowa’s Joe Wieskamp.
- Georgia State’s D’Marcus Simonds sprained his ankle while working out for the Hawks, Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets. Simonds said he should be fine, according to Vivlamore, and future workouts have already been scheduled with the Cavaliers and Spurs.
- The Hawks will hold a pre-draft workout on Monday, the team announced today. Tennessee center Kyle Alexander, St. Louis forward Javon Bess, Terence Davis, Shaw guard Amir Hinton, Xavier guard Paul Scruggs and Stanford center Josh Sharma are all set to be in attendance.
Pacific Notes: Williams, Johnson, Lue, Lakers, Clippers
The Suns made their final decision by hiring Monty Williams last week, but many new challenges await the veteran NBA coach, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes.
Williams, who will stay with the Sixers throughout their playoff run as an assistant, is inheriting a young roster with multiple lottery picks and a great deal of cap space to work with in free agency this summer. Among the greatest challenges with this franchise, however, remains Suns owner Robert Sarver.
In meeting with Williams and Suns general manage James Jones, Sarver promised to give Williams space and create a healthy culture within the franchise, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. However, this isn’t the first time Sarver has made this declaration.
“I’ve been blessed to coach alongside and play for some of the beast coaches in the NBA, and consider it a privilege to once again be a head coach with an excellent organization like the Suns,” Willams said as part of a larger statement about joining Phoenix. “It is a tremendous opportunity with a talented group of players and a loyal fan base. I will be very excited to get to the valley, connect with our team and get to work.”
Having an experienced roster, lack of talent in the Western Conference and the threat of Sarver interfering could cause challenges for Williams, but many around the NBA have expressed confidence in his ability to turn around the Suns.
There’s more out of the Pacific Division tonight:
- Suns guard Tyler Johnson had his 2018/19 season review published on NBA.com last week, outlining his final stats, highlights and more. Johnson was acquired by Phoenix from Miami before February’s trade deadline, being thrown into the young, hungry group more than halfway into the season.“It definitely pushed my comfort zone,” Johnson said. “It’s not something I was used to as far as being vocal. In past years, I had always been with somebody who led by example and come in and be professional and make sure I was getting my work done. Now, I’m worried about other guys and making sure they’re on top of their stuff as well. It definitely opened up by mind to a whole new set of possibilities.”
- The Lakers would theoretically give LeBron James the keys by hiring Tyronn Lue as head coach, Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times writes. James won his third NBA championship playing under Lue with the Cavaliers in 2016, coming back from a 3-1 series deficit to defeat the Warriors. The two share a close relationship and have great admiration for one another, a big reason why the Lakers could look to finalize a deal with Lue as early as this week.
- This summer’s free agency period will largely determine the futures of the Clippers and Lakers for years to come, Mark Heisler of the Orange County Register writes. Both franchises could pursue the top players available on the open market, including Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving.
Eastern Notes: Russell, Carter, Magic, Oladipo
Nets All-Star D’Angelo Russell was cited last week after it was discovered he was hiding marijuana while trying to board at a New York airport, but this distraction won’t prevent him and Brooklyn from coming together on a new deal this summer, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes.
“It’s not an issue,” one league source told Lewis. “I’ve had a cell phone ticket that was more [costly].”
Russell, who’s coming off a career season with the Nets, is scheduled to become a restricted free agent on July 1. Brooklyn will likely offer him a lucrative multi-year deal, especially if the team strikes out on recruiting some of the top free-agent players.
Russell won’t be suspended by the NBA for his first-time action, as stated in the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. He’s heading into free agency as one of the most talented backcourt players, coming off a season that saw him average a career-high 21.1 points, seven assists and 1.2 steals in 81 games.
“We got a little lucky: We got him in the right time frame and the point in his maturity,” Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said of Russell on a Bleacher Report podcast last week. “He never expected anything. When we had our first conversation with him, I was authentic with him and honest that you’re going to have to earn it. And I think that was a continuing conversation. I think our communication helped.
“There was nary a text, never a ‘Hey coach, can I talk to you? I’m not happy.’ There was zero of that. I think he knew he had to earn it, take stock of how he was playing, and was honest with himself. … He tells me that all the time: ‘I really learned how to be a pro here.’ ”
There’s more out of the Eastern Conference today:
- Matt John of Basketball Insiders examines potential landing spots for veteran guard Vince Carter, who becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Carter has played for three different teams in the past three seasons, good for eight different teams in his 21-year career. John speculates that Carter could be a good fit on many different clubs, including a potential return in Toronto.
- Sean Deveney of Sporting News outlines the offseason focus for the Magic, including free agency, the draft and more. Orlando has a major decision to make on whether they want to retain All-Star center Nikola Vucevic on a new deal, with the 28-year-old also set to reach free agency in July.
- The Pacers need Victor Oladipo to pace himself in order for them to maximize their potential next season, J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star writes. Oladipo suffered a season-ending torn right quad tendon in January and is pushing to get himself ready for next year, though it’s imperative that he doesn’t rush the process and risk suffering a setback. Indiana finished with the fifth-best record in the Eastern Conference at 48-34 this season despite Oladipo only appearing in 36 of those games.
Marcus Smart Upgraded To Questionable For Game 4
Celtics guard Marcus Smart has been upgraded to questionable for Game 4 against Milwaukee this Monday, the team announced on its Twitter feed today.
Smart, who has missed all of Boston’s seven playoff games to date, has been rehabbing from a left oblique tear since early April. He told reporters that he’s hopeful to make his return in Game 4 and responded well to 3-on-3 contact on Saturday, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
“Feeling good today,” Smart said after Boston’s practice. “Today was a good day. I was able to participate with the team. … The boxes are being checked.
“We’re taking it one day at a time, but we’re definitely in the right position, right time, progressive phase to where I’m getting really close to coming back here.”
The Celtics have missed Smart’s defensive intensity and energy, going down 2-1 in the series and losing home court advantage after Friday’s defeat. Should Smart not play on Monday, he could still return when the Celtics travel to Milwaukee for Game 5 on Wednesday night.
Smart became a permanent starter in November and was a key cog for the Celtics during the regular season, averaging 8.9 points, four assists and a career-best 1.8 steals per game. He appeared in 80 contests on the year before suffering the injury, which was also a career-high.
Suns Notes: Williams, Sarver, Coaching, Practice Facility
The Suns‘ hiring of Sixers assistant Monty Williams was well-received around the NBA this week, Gina Mizell details in a story for The Athletic.
Williams, who last served as a head coach with the Pelicans in 2015, is one of the most respected figures across the league. Aside from his basketball intellect, Williams demonstrated incredible courage, faith and strength when his wife of 26 years tragically passed away in a car accident two years ago.
The mark he left on many NBA figures, including players, coaches and executives, cannot be measured. It’s this kind of culture that piqued the interests of Suns GM James Jones and owner Robert Sarver, who pitched Williams on starting a new program and improving the culture of the team.
“They need him. They really need him there,” said Anthony Morrow, who played under Williams for two seasons. “He really likes the grind of building up the organization and building the culture.
“That’s the mentality that he’s gonna put in these guys’ heads. I think it’s gonna be special to watch after a while.”
Perhaps nobody was impacted more by Williams than consensus top-three player Kevin Durant, who lauded Williams’ courage and positive attitude shortly after news broke of him joining the Suns.
“I got to know the type of man he was. His coaching style is what it is because of the stuff he’s been through as a person and how he looks at life in general,” Durant said, as relayed by Mark Medina of The Mercury News. “He’s a leader and a teacher. I’m excited he’s back into coaching and walking those sidelines again.”
There’s more out of Phoenix today:
- The Williams hiring will work best if team owner Robert Sarver keeps his distance, Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic writes. The Suns’ win totals have steadily declined in the past five seasons under Sarver, going from 48 in 2014 to 19 this year. Sarver promised Williams that he would stand clear and allow him to develop his younger players in their meeting with Suns GM James Jones, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
- Phoenix spoke with several more coaching candidates than what was originally reported, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 tweets. The Suns, according to Gambadoro, spoke with roughly 10 other potential coaches before choosing to hire Williams.
- Plans have officially been announced for the team’s new state-of-the-art practice facility, set to be built as part of a $230MM renovation deal for Talking Stick Resort Arena, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “There are extensive limitations to the player development and training space available in our nearly 30 year old arena,” James Jones said in a press release. “The development of this stand-alone, secure and private facility will enhance our player health, development and wellness capabilities, and allow us to retain and attract the best basketball talent to the Valley for years to come.”