Knicks Notes: Porzingis, Jackson, Smith Jr., Front Office Diversity
The Knicks recently exercised their team option to re-sign Kristaps Porzingis for 2018/19. However, if Phil Jackson were still calling the shots at Madison Square Garden, who’s to say what The Unicorn’s basketball future would look like, Bryan Kalbrosky of Hoops Hype writes.
According to Peter Vecsey, who received the first and to-date only quote from Jackson after his departure from the Knicks, Jackson was legitimately interested in trading Porzingis.
Vecsey said: “People knew, they probably wouldn’t have accepted, but Phil was angling to try and trade Porzingis for the No. 1 pick to Boston and he would have taken [Lonzo] Ball. That’s who he was after. In the end, people might really like that.”
Vecsey adds that when Jackson began embarrassing Porzingis, owner James Dolan knew Jackson was no longer a suitable executive for the team.
Here are some more notes regarding the Knicks:
- Prior to this year’s NBA draft, Dennis Smith Jr. dined with former team president Jackson and was encouraged to eat an octopus tentacle, relays Stefan Bondy of the NY Daily News. Although Smith reluctantly ate the exotic delicacy, the Knicks opted to draft Frank Ntilikina instead. Smith was selected by the Mavericks with the following pick. Smith was a standout performer at the NBA Las Vegas Summer League and has already inked a three-year endorsement deal with Under Armour.
- Seventy years ago, the Knicks’ visionary coach Joe Lapchick pushed racial integration on a league that would merge with another to form the NBA three years later. Lapchick did so by fielding an all-black team that he pushed to have admitted to the league. Today, the Knicks are again at the vanguard of diversity, writes Harvey Araton of The New York Times. This time, New York is blazing trails in its front office, boasting the only African-American president-and-general-manager tandem in the NBA and proceeding to hire three more black front office executives in recent weeks.
- For more news, notes, and rumors on the Knicks, be sure to check out their team page.
Western Notes: Irving, Clippers, Parker, Spurs, Smith Jr., Randolph
Kyrie Irving reportedly would like to play for the Clippers, relays Bryan Kalbrosky of Hoops Hype. While speaking with Alex Kennedy on the HoopsHype Podcast, Peter Vecsey said this about Irving:
“He loves L.A. and he’s been working out there a lot this summer. Do they have the assets they get him? I don’t see how. But they also have Jerry West and he’s been able to figure out before … the Lakers didn’t have the assets to get Shaq and he wheeled and dealed and figured out and they got him … he was able to get Kobe for Divac in the draft.”
Vecsey added that Irving does not have leverage and that a trade does not appear doable despite the disgruntled point guard’s reported preference to play for Doc Rivers in Los Angeles.
Here are some more notes from the Western Conference:
- Spurs point guard Tony Parker expects to be back on the court in four to five months, reports Tom Orsborn of MySA.com. “It’s OK. It’s getting better and better,” Parker said regarding his recovery from the left quadriceps injury that cost him the last four games of the second round of the playoffs and the entire Western Conference Finals this past postseason. “I’m starting to run like a little bit. I’m walking pretty well. I think it’s still going to be a long process. It’s still going to take like another four or five months, but I am very happy with the progresses. I am advancing in my rehab.”
- Sean Deveney of SportingNews writes that, despite the Spurs’ fairly quiet offseason thus far, the team could make some bigger moves in 2018. Deveney argues that what the Spurs may have planned down the line could make this offseason, which was marked by a continuation of the status quo, worth it for San Antonio basketball faithful.
- The Mavericks‘ starting point guard position will be up for grabs in training camp, reports Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com. Mavs president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson further explained that Dennis Smith Jr. must put in the work to earn the job: “Those keys are earned. You know, it’s going to be an interesting training camp. I think Dennis is going to play for one of the best coaches in the NBA. That being said, I think internally you can’t help but be excited by the potential, but he wouldn’t want it any other way. Just knowing the character of Dennis and knowing his family and surrounding structure, he’s going to want to earn those minutes. He’s truly a winner in every sense of the word.”
- Zach Randolph could be banned by the NBA if he is convicted of his felony marijuana charge, writes Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal. Randolph’s former teammate O.J. Mayo was previously banned from the NBA for violating the league’s anti-drug policy.
Five Key Stories: 8/5/17 – 8/12/17
Here are some of the most noteworthy stories from the past week at Hoops Rumors:
Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor wants assurances from Andrew Wiggins before offering the forward a max extension. Taylor wants to hear these promises in a face-to-face meeting with Wiggins, who was Minnesota’s second-leading scorer last season. If Wiggins is maxed out, the T-Wolves will have five players on the current roster making at least $14MM for the 2018/19 season.
Zach Randolph was arrested on a felony charge of marijuana possession with intent to sell. The embattled big man was signed by the Kings last month to be in part a mentor to the younger players. Randolph, 36, moved from the starting lineup to the bench in Memphis last season, but was still very productive, averaging 14.1 PPG and 8.2 RPG in just 24.5 minutes per game.
The Knicks have signed Michael Beasley to a one-year deal. New York hopes that the signing will bring some much-needed scoring punch off the bench. In 56 games for the Bucks last season , the veteran forward averaged 9.4 PPG with a career-best .532 FG% and .419 3PT%. Beasley was selected one spot after Derrick Rose in the 2008 draft, but has yet to live up to his pre-draft billing.
Ben McLemore is expected to be sidelined for 12 weeks. As a result of the injury that was incurred during a pick-up game, McLemore may not be ready to begin the regular season. The shooting guard signed a two-year contract with the Grizzlies last month.
The Knicks and Rockets have re-engaged on trade talks involving Carmelo Anthony. A third team in a potential trade would be needed since the Knicks do not have interest in Ryan Anderson. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Anthony could begin the season in a Knicks’ uniform.
Ten More Stories
- Isaiah Thomas expects to return from his hip injury in time for training camp.
- The Timberwolves reportedly intend to add three more established veterans to their roster this offseason.
- Here is the latest on the potential sale of the Nets.
- The Knicks have exercised their 2018/19 team option on Kristaps Porzingis.
- After undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery, Patrick Patterson may not be ready for the Thunder‘s training camp.
- The Lakers will sign Briante Weber to a partially guaranteed deal.
- The Bucks have hired Milt Newton as their assistant general manager.
- NBA veterans Ty Lawson and Donatas Motiejunas will play in China this season as teammates for Shandong.
- The NBA is expected to approve player-resting rules, which are designed to cut back on teams benching healthy players for regular seasons games.
- Clippers big man Willie Reed was charged with misdemeanor battery.
Central Notes: Pistons, SVG, Bullock, Bucks, Kidd
In the wake of Clippers head coach Doc Rivers surrendering his front office power, Tom Ziller of SB Nation writes that Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy should do the same.
In the piece, Ziller praises Rivers for giving up the power of possessing dual roles as someone who has been so famous and successful. Rivers quietly accepted a demotion and seems to have handled the transition in stride. Earlier this offseason, Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer was also stripped of his front office power with the team installing GM Travis Schlenk above him in the decision-making hierarchy.
Ziller goes on to write that Van Gundy’s 2016/17 team was extremely disappointing and comprised mostly Van Gundy acquisitions. SVG previously traded for Reggie Jackson and paid him a tremendous amount and drafted Stanley Johnson in the lottery. Both players have been monumental disappointments. Ziller argues that while Van Gundy is a talented coach, “someone else needs to be in the seat of power when it comes to roster.”
Here’s what else you should know from the Central division:
- Pistons wing Stanley Johnson, who underwhelmed in 2016/17, lies at the heart of SVG’s vision for the team to be elite on defense, writes Keith Langois of NBA.com. Detroit spent most of last season as a top-10 defensive squad before finishing the season at No. 11. Van Gundy said: “I think now we have a chance to become an elite defensive team and Stanley’s a huge part of that. And then I think it’s for him to really find his offensive game and it takes some guys some time. Whether he’s starting or coming off the bench, his primary role will be to guard the best forward or a big two guard every night. Avery (Bradley) will take on the challenge of guarding the best guard every night and then Andre (Drummond) will take on more responsibility as a defender and that’s our way to becoming an elite defensive team.”
- The Pistons will feature Reggie Bullock for a more prominent role this upcoming season, Ansar Khan of MLive.com writes. In limited minutes in two seasons, Bullock has been the team’s best deep shooter, drilling 39.7% of his three-point attempts. Van Gundy is also high on Bullock for other reasons: “A lot of people focus on Reggie’s shooting, which is very good, but to me it’s more the way he plays the game. The ball moves when he’s out there, he makes quick decisions, he moves very well without the ball, he helps other people play well. And at the other end he defends, so he’s a two-way player who helps your team function at both ends of the floor. We’re looking forward to having Reggie back, healthier than he’s been, hopefully, and available for a lot more action because he has helped us play very well.”
- The pressure is on for head coach Jason Kidd and his Bucks, writes James Blancarte of Basketball Insiders. With many Eastern Conference teams taking significant steps backward this offseason, the athletic and upstart Bucks carry lofty expectations entering the 2017/18 season. For a detailed look at why so much is expected of Kidd and the Bucks this coming season, I highly recommend reading Blancarte’s piece.
Ex-Cavs GM Suggests Celtics On Irving’s List
In an appearance on ESPN’s “The Jump” on Monday (h/t to CSNNE.com), former Cavaliers general manager David Griffin suggested that the Celtics are on Kyrie Irving’s short list of preferred destinations.
Griffin mentioned Brad Stevens and Gregg Popovich as “really good coaching situations” that Irving covets, as well as Irving’s desire to play with “Gordon Hayward in Boston” or “Kawhi Leonard in San Antonio.”
The Spurs had previously been reported as a team on Irving’s list, but this is the first the public is hearing about the Celtics as a desired destination for the disgruntled point guard. Aside from the Spurs, the Knicks, Heat, and Timberwolves were reported by Chris Haynes as Irving’s top choices for landing spots.
While the Celtics certainly have the assets to land Irving, with a trove of draft picks and Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, and other desirable players, Danny Ainge has been reluctant to part with these assets in trades for Paul George and Jimmy Butler, which led to the pair being traded elsewhere for far less than the Celtics could have offered.
Furthermore, if the Celtics were to strike a deal for Irving, he and Isaiah Thomas would make for an awkward fit starting in the backcourt, and a particularly troublesome pairing for Boston on defense, with neither point guard known for his defensive prowess. Irving also has reportedly wanted to be the lead guy on his next team, but Thomas is – and would likely continue to be – the Celtics’ franchise player. More likely, in the improbable event that the teams make a trade involving Irving, Thomas would have to head the other way.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 7/29/17 – 8/5/17
Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team compiles original content to complement our news feed. Here are some of our favorite segments and features from the past seven days:
- Luke Adams checked in on unsigned 2017 draft picks.
- Adams also delved into how teams are using 2017/18 mid-level exceptions.
- Which NBA players have trade kickers in 2017/18?
- And which NBA players can veto trades in 2017/18?
- Who is the longest-tenured player on each NBA team?
- Hoops Rumors unveiled a new series this week, “Five Available Free Agents”:
- Arthur Hill answered your Kyrie Irving questions in his weekly Sunday mailbag. Submit your questions via Twitter (@HoopsRumors) or by sending us an email (hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com).
- Check out our free Trade Rumors app available for IOS and Android.
- Here are the questions we asked you in our Community Shootaround discussions and polls this week:
- What chance do the Pelicans stand of making the playoffs?
- When will Irving and Carmelo Anthony be traded?
- What should the Timberwolves do with Andrew Wiggins?
- Which Atlantic division team has had the best offseason?
- Which Northwest division team has had the best offseason?
- How should the 76ers handle a potential Joel Embiid contract extension?
- Which rookie point guard will have the best season?
Poll: Best Rookie Point Guard Season
The 2017 NBA Draft was loaded with talented point guards, including first overall pick Markelle Fultz, No. 2 selection Lonzo Ball, and fellow lottery picks De’Aaron Fox, Frank Ntilikina, and Dennis Smith Jr.
Fultz showed flashes of brilliance in the NBA Summer League amid overall inconsistent play before he ultimately injured his ankle in his Las Vegas debut. The 76ers guard was promptly shut down for the remainder of Summer League. This season, the rookie figures to be a regular fixture in the Philadelphia backcourt.
After dominating his freshman season at UCLA, Ball won Las Vegas Summer League MVP honors, racking up assists (9.3 APG) and steals (2.5 SPG), as well as points and rebounds. Although it is not clear whether Ball will start for the Lakers right out of the gate, he will certainly be the beneficiary of a hearty amount of playing time.
Fox is also expected to see his fair share of action this season, but averaged just 21.3 minutes per game in four Las Vegas Summer League games. Like Fultz and Ball, Fox exhibited tantalizing athleticism. The Kentucky product averaged a solid 11.8 points per contest and 3.0 assists. Fox’s 2.3 SPG were extremely impressive.
The Knicks drafted Ntilikina eighth overall because of his speed and agility. Last season, the point guard averaged just 15.5 minutes per game for Strasbourg in France but displayed tremendous promise and improved noticeably as a shooter. With D. Rose out of town, it appears as if the keys to Madison Square Garden are about to be Frank’s.
In six games in Las Vegas, Smith averaged 17.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 4.2 APG, shooting 45.7% from the floor and electrifying with the occasional powerful dunk. The Mavericks prospect also tallied 2.2 SPG.
This brings us to today’s poll: Which of these point guards will have the best rookie season in 2017/18?
Five Key Stories: 7/29/17 – 8/5/17
Here are some of the most noteworthy stories from the past week at Hoops Rumors:
Lawrence Frank replaced Doc Rivers as the Clippers’ president of basketball operations. Although Rivers will continue to have a “strong voice” in personnel and basketball matters, and will work closely with Frank, he’ll no longer have the title of president of basketball operations, and will instead focus primarily on coaching. With Rivers stripped of his president title, only Gregg Popovich, Stan Van Gundy, and Tom Thibodeau hold dual roles as head coach and president of basketball ops for their respective clubs.
The Kings have hired Brandon Williams to be their new assistant GM. Sacramento’s new hire most recently served as the Sixers VP of Basketball Administration and GM of Delaware 87ers, the team’s G-League affiliate. Williams previously worked within the NBA league office as Director of Player Development and Associate Vice President of Basketball Operations.
The Nuggets have named Calvin Booth the team’s assistant general manager. Booth, Denver’s new assistant GM, had worked in the Timberwolves front office for the past four seasons and played for seven teams during his 10-year NBA career. Also this offseason, Denver promoted Arturas Karnisovas to general manager and Tim Connelly to team president.
The Timberwolves are working on signing Andrew Wiggins to a five-year, maximum salary extension. These contract talks, however, are in the early stages. Owner Glen Taylor also added that the team plans to extend Karl-Anthony Towns next offseason. Based on projections, a five-year, max extension for Wiggins would net him slightly under $148MM. The Wolves are not offering Wiggins in any potential trades for Kyrie Irving.
Here is the latest from Steve Kyler on the status of potential Kyrie Irving and Carmelo Anthony trades. The Cavaliers are not operating with a sense of urgency and are rather in “fact-finding mode” at this point. Also on the Irving front, the Wolves and Suns have a strong chance to land the disgruntled point guard, but likely only if they relent on including Wiggins and Josh Jackson or Devin Booker, respectively. As for Anthony, the Rockets will likely have to sweeten their offer for the Knicks to agree to a deal. If not, the Knicks appear willing to bring Melo to training camp.
Ten More Stories
- After NBA owners unanimously approved the Pistons‘ move to downtown Detroit, the team will begin playing at Little Caesars Arena in 2017/18.
- Pop star Beyonce Knowles-Carter is reportedly considering buying stake in her hometown Rockets.
- Speaking of Clutch City, former Rockets guard confirms that he requested to be traded before Houston dealt the point guard to the Clippers.
- Recently-signed 76ers guard J.J. Redick revealed that he also had offers from the Rockets and Nets.
- Executives around the NBA are keeping a close eye on DeMarcus Cousins and the Pelicans this season to determine whether he is worthy of pursuing in free agency next offseason.
- The Heat are expected to offer a contract extension to wing Josh Richardson.
- Clippers forward Danilo Gallinari suffered a fractured thumb punching an opponent in an exhibition game with the Italian national team, but he is expected to be ready for Clippers training camp.
- The Hawks have agreed to sign Luke Babbitt to a one-year, $1.9MM deal.
- The Pelicans have signed Ian Clark to a one-year, $1.6MM deal.
- Free agent guard Gerald Henderson may miss the season with a hip injury.
Jack Cooley Signs Two-Way Contract With Kings
JULY 29th, 3:01pm: The signing is official, the team announced.
JULY 22nd, 12:17pm: Free agent power forward Jack Cooley will sign a two-way contract with the Kings, reports Chris Reichert of 2Ways10Days.com (link via Twitter). It will be the first two-way contract offered in franchise history.
Cooley went undrafted in 2013 out of Notre Dame, but has had two 10-day stints with the Jazz, playing limited minutes in 16 career NBA games. The burly Fighting Irish product has also played in 26 G League games over two seasons and holds the league record with 29 rebounds in a game. In 2015, the Cavaliers signed Cooley, only to then waive him in the preseason.
In 2016/17, Cooley played professionally in Germany for MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg after playing the previous season in Spain for Unicaja. In five games for the Kings in the 2017 Las Vegas Summer League, Cooley averaged 9.2 PPG and 6.6 RPG on 64% shooting in just under 18 minutes per contest.
Here is Hoops Rumors’ updated 2017/18 NBA Two-Way Contract Tracker, so you can keep up with the two-way signings.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 7/22/17 – 7/29/17
Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team compiles original content to complement our news feed. Here are some of our favorite segments and features from the past seven days:
- Luke Adams checked in on the new Designated Veteran Extension.
- Adams also delved into which teams hold the largest trade exceptions.
- Arthur Hill discussed the likelihood of Kyrie Irving being traded to the Heat, Cavaliers turmoil, and the status of Nerlens Noel in his weekly Sunday mailbag. Submit your questions via Twitter (@HoopsRumors) or by sending us an email (hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com).
- Check out our free Trade Rumors app available for IOS and Android.
- Here are the questions we asked you in our Community Shootaround discussions and polls this week:
- Chris Crouse asked for your thoughts on a potential Kyrie to the 76ers trade.
- Arthur Hill asked how you expect the Kyrie situation to unfold. Will the point guard remain in Cleveland or be traded?