Bucks Rumors: Budenholzer, Bledsoe, Giannis
Despite leading the Bucks to the NBA’s best regular-season record in each of the last two seasons, head coach Mike Budenholzer has faced criticism in the playoffs after losses to the Raptors in 2019 and Heat in 2020. In each series, there were concerns that Budenholzer was slow to make adjustments when things weren’t working and was reluctant to lean more heavily on his star players for big minutes.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Budenholzer’s job is safe heading into the 2020/21 season. Still, Charania stresses that there’s an understanding across the Bucks’ leadership group that “everyone must learn from this season and be better.” It’s probably a safe bet that Budenholzer’s seat will get a whole lot hotter in 2021 if the team’s next postseason run closely resembles the last two.
Here’s more on the Bucks from Charania:
- According to Charania, there’s an expectation among rival executives that the Bucks will focus this offseason on acquiring a play-maker and adding more shooting to the roster as they look to complement reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Chris Paul has already been cited multiple times as one possible target, but Milwaukee figures to explore many options on the trade market and in free agency.
- Starting point guard Eric Bledsoe is considered likely to become a potential trade candidate this offseason, sources tell Charania. Bledsoe, who made the All-Defensive Second Team this season, has two fully guaranteed years left on his contract at $17.5MM annually. The final year of his deal in 2022/23 is only partially guaranteed ($3.9MM of $19.4MM).
- Charania confirms that the Bucks intend to put a five-year, super-max contract extension offer on the table for Antetokounmpo as soon as the 2020/21 league year begins, which could happen in November. The value of that offer remains up in the air, since the starting salary will depend on where the ’21/22 cap lands.
Jazz Notes: Offseason, Gobert, Mitchell, Oturu
As the Jazz mull possible roster upgrades this offseason, they’ll be keeping an eye out for defensive-minded players, executive VP of basketball operations Dennis Lindsey said on Wednesday, per Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune.
“Anybody who has defensive integrity at their position, (who) can be an active, athletic defender will be someone that would be of interest to us,” Lindsey said. “Especially if they don’t compromise the spacing.”
While Utah’s roster features a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate in Rudy Gobert, the team only ranked in the middle of the pack this season in overall defensive rating, and struggled to slow down Jamal Murray and the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs.
Here’s more on the Jazz:
- Citing NBA rules, Lindsey declined to get into specifics on Wednesday when asked about possible offseason extensions for Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. However, as Sarah Todd of The Deseret News writes, he insinuated that the Jazz will look to lock up both Gobert and Mitchell long-term, stressing that the franchise is “extremely pleased” with the character of its two All-Stars. “As I’ve mentioned before, we’re working to add players of Rudy and Donovan’s physical talent and competitive makeup and so by definition we’re going to want to keep those type of players moving forward,” Lindsey said.
- Former University of Minnesota center Daniel Oturu interviewed with the Jazz on Wednesday, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link). Oturu, the No. 36 prospect on ESPN’s big board, may be an option for Utah at No. 23.
- While it wasn’t specifically related to the Jazz, Lindsey made another notable comment during his end-of-season presser on Wednesday, contending that the lack of travel this summer improved the quality of NBA games and suggesting that the league should do what it can to reduce travel going forward. “If we ever get to a situation like baseball where you play a team more than one time in the market — obviously, there’s some business concerns there — but that reduced travel, I definitely think the product is more compelling because of that,” Lindsey said. A previous report indicated that the NBA is mulling this idea.
NBA Investigating Possible Bubble Violation By Danuel House
SEPTEMBER 10, 8:39am: House is under investigation for allegedly allowing a female COVID-19 testing official into his hotel room, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, who reiterates that the forward “maintains his innocence.”
SEPTEMBER 9, 10:45pm: Danuel House missed Game 3 of the Rockets‘ second-round series against the Lakers on Tuesday for “personal reasons” and is listed as out for Game 4 as well.
Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon of ESPN provide some clarity on House’s situation, reporting that the NBA is looking into a potential violation of bubble protocol by the Rockets’ forward.
While specific details on House’s violation aren’t known, Wojnarowski and MacMahon report that the 27-year-old didn’t leave the perimeter of the NBA’s campus and has denied any wrongdoing. House hasn’t been cleared to play in Game 4 and his status for the rest of the series is up in the air, but the NBA and NBPA continue to discuss the issue, per ESPN’s duo.
Sources tell Wojnarowski and MacMahon that the league is believed to be considering the possibility of a 10-day quarantine for House — teammate Bruno Caboclo and Kings center Richaun Holmes faced similar penalties in July for campus protocol violations.
House is a key rotation player for Houston, having averaged 11.4 PPG and 5.8 RPG on .435/.358/.769 shooting in the Rockets’ first nine playoff games (31.0 MPG). When he sat on Tuesday, it resulted in a heavier workload for players like Jeff Green and Ben McLemore.
Although House’s status going forward remains unclear, the Rockets got some good news on Wednesday, as Robert Covington didn’t suffer a concussion or a broken nose as a result of his Game 3 collision with Anthony Davis. Covington is expected to be good to go on Thursday.
Chauncey Billups Among Pacers’ Coaching Candidates
The Pacers‘ initial list of candidates for their head coaching vacancy featured 14 names, but apparently it was still unfinished. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski adds another name to that list, reporting that former NBA point guard Chauncey Billups has emerged as a candidate for the Indiana job.
According to Wojnarowski, Billups and Pacers officials recently engaged in talks about the position and plan to discuss it further. Woj points out that Billups fits the profile of some past Pacers coaching hires, such as Larry Bird and Isiah Thomas — Bird and Thomas were former Finals MVPs – like Billups – who were hired without any previous coaching experience in large part due to their leadership abilities as players.
A report last week indicated that Billups was interested in pursuing an NBA head coaching job and that teams had begun doing their homework on the former Piston, researching his candidacy.
Although Billups lacks coaching experience, NBA teams have a history of hiring former point guards who don’t have any past experience as assistants. Steve Nash is the latest example, but Doc Rivers, Steve Kerr, Mark Jackson, Jason Kidd, and Thomas are others who fit the bill.
The Pacers’ management team wants to get to know Billups, evaluate his preparedness for the job, and explore how they’d work together to build a coaching staff, writes Wojnarowski. According to Woj, people around the league have long believed that Billups would land a significant role with an NBA organization due to his leadership style and “basketball savvy.” It remains to be seen if he and the Pacers will be the right fit for one another.
Timberwolves Notes: Afflalo, No. 1 Pick, Trades
A month-and-a-half after we first learned that former NBA player Arron Afflalo was part of an investment group exploring a bid for the Timberwolves, Shams Charania and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic report that Afflalo’s group has now engaged in talks with the Raine Group (the search firm working with team owner Glen Taylor) about buying the franchise.
According to The Athletic’s duo, the group – which includes entrepreneur Jay Bloom – hasn’t yet met with Taylor for advanced discussions, but is hopeful of getting to that point.
Although Afflalo didn’t spend time with the Timberwolves as a player, he’s close with the Saunders family, according to Charania and Krawczynski, who note that the late Flip Saunders was Afflalo’s first coach in the NBA. The former guard has strong relationships with current Wolves coach Ryan Saunders and president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas, per The Athletic.
Taylor, who wants a commitment from any buyer to keep the franchise in Minnesota, has sought local buyers, but hasn’t had any success on that front so far, Charania and Krawczynski report. Still, Afflalo’s group doesn’t sound like it has any interest in relocating the Wolves. If the group buys the team, there “would be a desire to become pillars in the Twin Cities community,” according to The Athletic.
Here’s more on the Wolves:
- While the Timberwolves will explore what the No. 1 overall pick can get them in a trade, the idea that the selection will net them an established star such as Devin Booker or Ben Simmons is probably unrealistic, says Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. Pointing out that this year’s top pick isn’t as valuable as a typical No. 1 overall selection given the lack of a clear-cut No. 1 prospect, Hine suggests that players such as Victor Oladipo, Caris LeVert, and Aaron Gordon may be more viable targets in any major deal.
- Timberwolves executive VP of basketball operations Sachin Gupta, who created ESPN’s Trade Machine, said there will be “no stone unturned” when it comes to exploring the Wolves’ draft and trade options this offseason, as Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic details. “If you’re not being proactive in trade you’re missing out on one of the most significant ways to impact your roster,” Gupta said. “We are not bashful at all. We try to be creative and generate ideas. We’re not afraid to throw it out there.”
- Gupta added that the Timberwolves aren’t focusing on any specific objective as they consider trade options, but are simply looking to maximize the value of their assets. “We’ve been having a lot of fun just thinking of all of the different possibilities that getting the No. 1 pick has presented us,” Gupta said. “Trading back, trading out, trading for future with the quality of the upcoming drafts and the possibility of, at some point, the double draft. There’s just so much available to us.”
- In case you missed it, Gupta was identified on Tuesday as one of several candidates for the Kings’ head of basketball operations job.
Serge Ibaka Available For Raptors In Game 6
Raptors big man Serge Ibaka, who twisted his left ankle during the team’s Game 5 loss on Monday and was in a walking boot on Tuesday, will be available to play in Game 6 today against the Celtics, head coach Nick Nurse told reporters.
Ibaka, who had previously been listed as questionable, won’t have any minutes restriction, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca.
Losing Ibaka for Wednesday’s game would have been a major problem for the Raptors as they look to avoid elimination and force a seventh game. The veteran center has been one of the team’s most reliable offensive weapons in the series, as well as its top scorer off the bench.
In five games against Boston in the second round, Ibaka has averaged 11.8 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 1.4 BPG on .512/.500/1.000 shooting in 23.2 minutes per contest.
If Toronto doesn’t win Game 6, it’s possible it will be Ibaka’s last game as a Raptor. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
And-Ones: D. Johnson, Donovan, Macura, Free Agency
Former Thunder big man Dakari Johnson, a second-round pick in the 2015 draft, has re-signed with the Qingdao Eagles of the Chinese Basketball Association, he tells JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors (Twitter link).
Johnson, who will turn 25 later this month, appeared in 31 NBA games with Oklahoma City in 2017/18 and was eventually waived after being traded to Memphis in 2018. However, he’s coming off a strong season in China, having averaged 23.7 PPG, 14.5 RPG, and 1.6 BPG in 29 CBA contests.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Jeff Goodman of Stadium (Twitter link) has been told by multiple sources that Billy Donovan‘s preference is to continue coaching in the NBA rather than returning to college. Following his departure from Oklahoma City, Donovan is reportedly expected to draw interest from the Bulls and Sixers.
- Former Hornets and Cavaliers guard J.P. Macura has signed with Turkish team Afyon Belediye, per an announcement from the club (hat tip to Sportando). Macura spent the 2018/19 season on a two-way contract with Charlotte and signed a 10-day deal with Cleveland in February 2020.
- With the Pistons, Hawks, and Knicks poised to enter the 2020 offseason as three of the teams with the most cap flexibility, James L. Edwards III, Chris Kirschner, and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic explore how those Eastern lottery clubs could potentially control free agency.
- John Hollinger of The Athletic examines the next big decisions and moves facing the four Western teams that were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, including whether the Thunder will trade Chris Paul and whether the Jazz should extend Rudy Gobert.
NBA, NBPA Eyeing November 18 For Rescheduled Draft
The NBA has informed its teams that Wednesday, November 18 is the date currently being targeted for a rescheduled draft, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
As Wojnarowski explains (via Twitter), that date has yet to be finalized, but the NBA and NBPA have zeroed in November 18 during their negotiations, and the plan is to discuss it further in calls with the league’s Board of Governors and general managers later this week.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Tuesday that the league and the players’ union had agreed to once again postpone 2020’s NBA draft date, which had previously been pushed back from June 25 to October 16. However, Charania cautioned that a new date had yet to be set.
While some teams – especially those who have been out of action for months – may be ready to get on with the draft, there are multiple reasons why the NBA was motivated to move it back again.
According to Wojnarowski (via Twitter), the delay may open the door for the league to hold a pre-draft combine after May’s event was indefinitely postponed. Additionally, the extra month will give the NBA more time to gather information on what next season might look like and will give the league and union more time to negotiate new salary cap numbers for 2020/21 and other issues related to the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The free agent period and the start of the 2020/21 season will be delayed along with the draft. We don’t have any concrete updates on those dates yet, but it’s a safe bet that free agency will begin a few days after the draft. As for next season’s opening night, it seems increasingly likely to be postponed to early 2021.
O’Connor’s Latest: Bucks, CP3, Giannis, Clippers, Dragic
Shortly after the Bucks were eliminated from the postseason on Tuesday night, Marc Stein of The New York Times tweeted that a number of rival teams believe Milwaukee will explore a trade for Thunder point guard Chris Paul this offseason.
In his latest column, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer digs deeper into that idea, arguing that the Bucks need an upgrade at the point and making the case that Paul would be an ideal fit alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton.
While the Bucks likely wouldn’t face a ton of competition if they pursue Paul due to his exorbitant cap hit ($41.4MM in 2020/21), O’Connor cites league sources who say the Sixers have “seriously debated” the idea of going after the veteran guard. The Knicks – whose front office is now being run by CP3’s former agent Leon Rose – are also a potential suitor, as O’Connor notes.
The Bucks could conceivable outbid either team for Paul, but they don’t have a ton of appealing assets, in O’Connor’s view — after this year’s No. 24 overall pick, the next first-rounder Milwaukee can trade is in 2024.
Here’s more from O’Connor:
- League sources view the Bucks as the “clear favorite” to retain Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2021, but the Heat, Raptors, Warriors, and Mavericks are among the teams hoping to make a run at him, according to O’Connor.
- Interestingly, O’Connor also reports that multiple league sources have said recently that the Clippers intend to pursue a deal for Antetokounmpo. It’s hard to imagine such a deal coming to fruition, but Giannis has an “admiration” for Clippers head coach Doc Rivers, O’Connor writes.
- Goran Dragic is one player the Bucks could try to sign in free agency as they seek a point guard upgrade, but league sources expect Dragic to remain with the Heat, per O’Connor.
- League sources expect a somewhat quiet trade market this offseason, says O’Connor.
Nuggets Promoting Tommy Balcetis To Assistant GM
The Nuggets are promoting Tommy Balcetis to an assistant general manager position, according to Lithuanian journalist Donatas Urbonas (Twitter link).
Balcetis, who was initially hired by the Nuggets in 2013 as the team’s basketball analytics manager, served as Denver’s VP of basketball strategy and analytics this past season.
A native of Lithuania who went to school at Harvard, Balcetis built up a Nuggets analytics department that was “practically non-existent” when he joined the organization, as Kendra Andrews of The Athletic detailed in June.
When Nuggets general manager Arturas Karnisovas opted to leave the organization for the Bulls’ head of basketball operations earlier this year, assistant general manager Calvin Booth was promoted to fill the GM vacancy. Based on Urbonas’ report, it sounds like Balcetis will, in turn, be elevated to fill the position opened by Booth’s promotion.