Lacob: Kerr Expected To Sign Extension This Summer
After the Warriors captured their third championship in four seasons on Friday, owner Joe Lacob said that the organization expects to sign head coach Steve Kerr to an extension, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne writes.
Kerr, 52, has one year left on the original five-year, $25MM pact he signed with Golden State prior to the 2014/15 season. With three championships to his credit, the organization wants to keep Kerr in his current role.
“We’ll get it done this summer,” Lacob said. “Let him rest a little bit. But we’ll get it done. He wants to be with us. We want him long term. He obviously has some health issues he’s still working through, but we’ll get it done. I think as long as he feels comfortable doing it long term, we want him.”
Health issues have been a recurring theme during Kerr’s tenure as head coach. Last season, Kerr missed a month-and-a-half of the postseason due to painful migraines and nausea that stemmed from back surgery he underwent two years prior. Kerr also missed the first 43 games of the 2015/16 season due to complications from back surgery. Kerr coached the entire 2017/18 season without issue.
All told, Kerr has coached the Warriors to a 265-63 record in four seasons, leading the team to the NBA Finals in each of those campaigns.
LeBron James Suffered Serious Hand Injury After Game 1
LeBron James suffered a self-inflicted injury to his right hand after the Cavaliers‘ loss to the Warriors in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and Brian Windhorst reported.
James’ injury occurred after he punched a whiteboard in the Cavaliers’ locker room out of frustration, a source told ESPN. The ESPN report noted that James underwent two MRIs during the NBA Finals and sported a cast when he was not practicing, playing or visible to reporters.
“I let the emotions get the best of me and pretty much played the last three games with a broken hand,” James said after the Cavaliers were defeated in Game 4.
A visibly upset James took issue with a controversial call that resulted in a charge on Kevin Durant being overturned into an offensive foul late in the fourth quarter. Also, teammate J.R. Smith lost track of the score, forcing the game into overtime, where the Cavaliers’ ended up losing 124-114. It’s clear that frustration carried over into the Cleveland locker room postgame.
The injury was reported after the Cavaliers were swept out of the NBA Finals. ESPN noted that the hand injury helps explain the decline in James’ outside shooting, as he went 5-for-19 on shots 10 feet and out in the remaining three games.
Despite the injuries to his hand and his eye, the 33-year-old James had a strong series statistically, averaging 34.0 PPG, 10.0 APG and 8.5 RPG.
DeAndre Jordan Interested In Joining Rockets?
With DeAndre Jordan considering whether to turn down his 2018/19 player option and test free agency this summer, the Rockets are believed to be one of his preferred destinations, sources tell Kelly Iko of Rockets Wire.
One source tells Iko that Jordan spoke to several Rockets players throughout the 2017/18 season to express his interest in playing for his hometown team. The last time he hit free agency in 2015, Jordan agreed to play for the Mavericks, a team in his home state, before pulling out of the agreement to re-sign with the Clippers.
After a now-infamous postgame locker room altercation between Rockets and Clippers players in January, Jordan interacted with several Rockets players on their team bus to voice his frustration with Los Angeles, Iko’s source claimed. A few weeks later, Blake Griffin was shipped to Detroit as the Clippers shifted their strategy.
Jordan, 29, enjoyed a strong season with the Clippers, averaging 12.0 PPG and 15.2 RPG in 77 games. While those numbers are strong, the Rockets appear committed to 24-year-old restricted free agent Clint Capela at center. Team owner Tilman Fertitta has said that Houston will match any offer sheet extended to Capela, so unless the team has a change of heart, Jordan does not have a direct path to the Rockets.
Marvin Bagley III To Work Out For Suns
The Suns are set to host Duke’s Marvin Bagley III, a probable top-five pick, for a workout tomorrow, the team announced in a press release.
Phoenix wields the No. 1 selection and has been linked to Arizona big man Deandre Ayton, who is expected to be the first overall pick. The Suns hosted Ayton for a workout earlier this week where he confirmed the Suns will be the only team he works out for. “I know I’m going No. 1,” Ayton told reporters.
However, general manager Ryan McDonough has indicated that the Suns are casting a wide net and will explore other options with the first pick.
“It is difficult and I think people are jumping to conclusions as far as [thinking] there’s only one or two guys in the mix for us,” McDonough said in an interview with ESPN. “There are more than that. There are a handful of guys.”
Bagley and his 6’11”, 234-pound frame is an intriguing prospect who teams consider a potential cornerstone in the frontcourt. In 33 games with Duke as a freshman, Bagley averaged 21.0 PPG and 11.1 RPG.
Draft Notes: Doncic, Bridges, Holiday, Diallo, Rodriguez
Kings owner Vivek Ranadive and general manager Vlade Divac are both in Madrid, Spain, to watch Luka Doncic in the ACB Playoffs, tweets basketball journalist David Pick. Doncic, widely expected to be a top-three selection in the draft, has already secured numerous accolades, including the EuroLeague MVP, Rising Star, and Final Four MVP.
While there has been talk of Doncic going No. 1 overall to the Suns, it’s more likely he ends up with either the Kings or Hawks, who own the second and third picks, respectively. Doncic has said that it’s not certain that he will come stateside next season despite the expectation that he will be a top draftee. Just recently, a report suggested that both the Hawks and Kings may pass on Doncic and instead focus on frontcourt players.
“[The Kings] have a real hole there in the frontcourt. I don’t think that they’re in love with Willie Cauley-Stein by any means. They started Zach Randolph at the four all year long,” ESPN’s Jonathan Givony said. “What do they do there? Do they go with Marvin Bagley who is going to be a compelling prospect for them?
Check out more draft news below:
- Michigan State’s Miles Bridges is set to work out for the Knicks this Saturday, reports ESPN’s Ian Begley. The Knicks own the ninth overall pick and Bridges, along with Villanova’s Mikal Bridges have been reported as possible targets for New York.
- UCLA’s Aaron Holiday had his second workout with the Suns on Thursday, the team announced. Five other prospects were part of the workout, with Troy Brown (Oregon), Jalen Brunson (Villanova), Marcus Derrickson (Georgetown), Amine Noua (France), and Desi Rodriguez (Seton Hall) also participating.
- Seton Hall’s Desi Rodriguez also worked out for the Thunder on Wednesday, tweets Adam Zagoria of SNY.
- Kentucky’s Hamidou Diallo has scheduled workouts with the Lakers and Mavericks, Sean Deveney of Sporting News tweets. Diallo will have also worked out for the Bulls, Wizards, Suns, Blazers, Kings, Nets, Knicks, and Bucks.
Southwest Notes: Bagley, Ariza, Cousins
Duke’s Marvin Bagley III has consistently been mentioned as a top-three draft pick who may drop a spot or two further. If he does slip, the Mavericks could have interest in Bagley as the team wields the fifth overall pick. However, The Ringer’s Jonathan Tjarks spoke to the Dallas Morning News about why Bagley may not be the ideal pick for the Mavericks.
I’m pretty sure the top four will be some order of [Luka] Doncic, [DeAndre] Ayton, [Jaren] Jackson and Bagley,” Tjarks said. “Porter and Bamba could get up there. Bagley, he’d be a good roll man. He could do a lot of the things Dwight Powell does, obviously a lot better. The tough part of Bagley is if you put him at the 5 he’s unlikely to anchor a defense, and if you play him at the 4 he doesn’t have the shooting that Rick [Carlisle] wants at the 4. It’s a tough fit. He put up a bunch of stats, but I’m not sure how much he fits into Rick’s scheme because he doesn’t really fit into the 4 or 5.”
As it stands, Bagley is unlikely to even be available when the Mavericks’ turn to pick comes up. Luka Doncic, Deandre Ayton, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Bagley are expected to round out the top four picks.
Check out more Southwest Division notes below:
- The Rockets will have a ton of decisions to make this summer, among them being veteran Trevor Ariza. He is set to hit free agency this summer and after several productive seasons in Houston, Frank Urbina of HoopsHype examines four potential destinations for Ariza. In addition to re-signing with Houston, Urbina views a reunion with the Knicks and joining the Thunder or Pelicans as possibilities.
- Coming off a devastating torn Achilles, DeMarcus Cousins‘ monetary hopes in free agency this summer took a massive blow. He will have a hard time securing the max deal he was once expected to receive, but he should still be a popular target. In a separate story, Urbina writes that in addition to the incumbent Pelicans, the Lakers, Mavericks, and Spurs are possible destinations.
- As we relayed earlier, an extension or a trade are the most likely outcomes for the Spurs and Kawhi Leonard this offseason, as neither side would want to head into next season without some sort of resolution.
Atlantic Notes: Baynes, Trade Talks, Knicks Coaches
Aron Baynes, who is set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer, has previously declared his interest in returning to the Celtics. Baynes once again reiterated that desire, but said he understands that the business side of the game may prevent a reunion, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe writes.
“I always want a big role. I want more of a role and I want to be able to contribute to the team more. That’s always one of those big things. That was one of the big reasons for coming here. And then how the family is. You definitely have to look out for them. And also just the living situation,” Baynes said. “Money comes into it. That’s the business side of things, but I don’t think it’s the only side of things either. So I think I showed that when I came here at the start of the season as well. I’m looking forward to it, but at the end of the day my agent is going to be doing most of the work and it’s not on me.”
Baynes signed a one-year deal with Boston last summer and produced a solid 6.0 PPG and 5.4 RPG in 81 games for Boston. However, with a healthy Daniel Theis expected to return and the Celtics possibly wanting to allocate his potential salary elsewhere, Baynes is not a lock to return.
- Jud Buechler, a former part of the Bulls’ 72-10 season and an assistant coach with the Lakers, has agreed to join David Fizdale‘s Knicks coaching staff, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports.
- In addition to Buechler, Keith Smart, Pat Sullivan, and Royal Ivey have all been brought in as assistant coaches, the Knicks confirmed with a press release. Their hirings were previously reported.
Klay Thompson To Play In Game 2
6:09pm: Thompson will play in tonight’s contest, according to the Warriors’ Twitter feed.
4:59pm: Klay Thompson suffered a high left ankle sprain with significant bruising during the Warriors‘ Game 1 victory but is likely to play tonight, according to reports from ESPN’s Ramon Shelburne and USA TODAY’s Sam Amick.
The injury occurred when Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith dove for a loose ball early in the first quarter and landed on Thompson’s leg. After briefly leaving the game, Thompson returned to the game and played through the injury. Thompson told reporters yesterday that the pain worsened the day after the victory and if Game 2 had been scheduled for Saturday, he was unsure he could play.
Walking with a noticeable limp, Thompson said he was angered when he saw a replay of Smith’s dive.
“From watching that replay, it pissed me off,” Thompson said. “That’s a tough play on the ball, and then just to tumble into somebody’s legs like that. You’ve got to move past it, but it’s just life, and I’m going to be better from it. It’s just a minor setback. But I don’t think it was intentional.”
Thompson remains listed as “questionable” for tonight’s game. The Warriors sharpshooter has never missed a postseason game and while he’ll likely attempt to play, it’s uncertain how effective he will be on a bothersome ankle.
Southwest Notes: Green, Brown, Grizzlies
Danny Green has a $10MM player option on his contract and could hit free agency this summer, potentially leaving the Spurs. Given that he recently received a platelet-rich plasma injection for an ailing left groin, it’s possible Green returns to San Antonio, but he’s weighing all options, Jabari Young of the San Antonio Express-News writes.
“I’m taking some time. I don’t know what the decision is going to be. It depends on the feedback I get from my agent and what I get back from the organization,” Green said. “I think they are taking some time as well to take a breath because so much has gone with the organization outside of the players with Pop (Gregg Popovich) and the draft stuff is going on. There is a lot to be processed and taken into account on both sides. Not just the player’s side but the organizational side.”
Green made some headlines recently claiming that, based on his conversations with Kawhi Leonard, the two-time Defensive Player of the Year wants to stay in San Antonio. It’s unclear what will happen with both Leonard and Green but as Green tells Young, “things can change.”
Check out more Southwest Division notes below:
- Sean Deveney of The Sporting News writes that the Celtics maintain possible interest in Texas big man Mohamed Bamba. The Mavericks, who have the fifth overall pick, have been linked as a possibility for Bamba but if Boston decides to move up in the draft, Deveney writes that Jaylen Brown would likely be the starting point in any conversation for the fifth pick.
- The Grizzlies own the fourth overall pick in this month’s draft. Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal looks at four possible ways Memphis could utilize that fourth pick, noting that trading it seems unlikely.
- In an earlier edition of Southwest Notes, we looked at the Pelicans‘ possible free agency plans, the Rockets‘ confidence in landing a top free agent, and more.
New York Notes: Young, Ntilikina, LeVert, Lin
The Knicks are scheduled to host Oklahoma point guard Trae Young for a private workout at the organization’s practice facility on Tuesday, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. We relayed earlier this week that the Knicks were one of a “handful” of teams Young will work out for privately.
Young has long been linked to the Knicks, but the chances of him being available when the team picks ninth are unlikely. Nonetheless, Berman wrote a feature in which Young’s style of play and attitude are highlighted as a match for the bright lights of New York City.
“After two years,’’ said Sooners assistant Chris Crutchfield, “he’ll be an NBA All-Star. One, he’s quick with the ball. Two, he can really, really shoot it. And three, he can pass it. Based on the way the NBA is designed with defensive rules, it’s ideal for a guy like Trae to have success. If you don’t guard him at 35 feet he may shoot it. If you do, he’s going to go by you.’’
Berman compares the Knicks’ interest in Young to the team’s 2009 interest in Stephen Curry, who was selected by the Warriors one spot before New York picked. There is concern that comparisons to Curry may impact Young’s career early, but he appears to be welcoming the pressure.
Check out more Atlantic Division notes:
- Frank Ntilikina returned to the United States from his native France this week with a new look inspired by his desire to improve as part of the Knicks future, Berman writes. “I’ve added some weight and muscle,” Ntilikina said. “I spent a lot of time working on my body in France. I’m getting better and more comfortable with my skills and body. I had the chance to maximize my time and work on my body, which I didn’t have time to do during the season.”
- Nets forward Caris LeVert spent time in India this week working with young kids as part of the Basketball Without Borders program, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. LeVert said he enjoyed going to Taiwan last year for a camp hosted by teammate Jeremy Lin and that he wants to see more of the world.
- Speaking of Lin, his season ended on opening night when he ruptured the patella tendon in his knee. Lin reflected on how faith helped him overcome the grief of an injury ending his season, Net Income of NetsDaily writes. “The injury was like the last straw for me. This was the biggest setback in my life. It took place at the moment of my life’s most anticipated and highest peak,” Lin said. “I’m 30 years old. As a basketball player, I’m 30 years old already entering the end of the line.”