Southeast Notes: Olynyk, Hill, Wizards
One year after being part of a Celtics team that made a strong push towards a championship, Heat forward Kelly Olynyk is upset that his season is over, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes. Miami was eliminated from the postseason by the Sixers in five games.
Olynyk signed a four-year pact with the Heat last summer as the Celtics shifted focus to acquiring Kyrie Irving and signing Gordon Hayward. Olynyk was honest in the fact that going home early was a disappointment, but that he is using it as motivation to come back stronger next season.
“Unfortunately, I wish it was us and it was something that makes you leave that taste in your mouth where you want that, you want to experience that,” Olynyk said. “I want that next year to be Game 5 [of the Eastern Conference finals] in Miami, at AmericanAirlines Arena, either playing them or somebody else. That’s the goal. That’s what it’s all about.”
In his first season with the Heat, Olynyk posted career-best totals of 11.5 PPG and 5.7 RPG in 76 games (22 starts).
Check out more Southeast Division notes below:
- Matt Hill, the only assistant coach retained by the Magic from Frank Vogel‘s staff, is headed to the Hawks as an assistant coach, tweets Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. Hill originally started as a video analyst in the Magic’s basketball operations department.
- Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington examined the Wizards‘ possible draft strategy as the team prepares to select players for the first time since 2015. Hughes writes that Washington could use its first- and second-round picks to select either a modern big man, wing player or backup point guard.
- It may be enticing for the Wizards to shop their first-round pick, but the team should learn from previous seasons and retain that pick to draft a young player, Hughes writes in a separate story.
Pacific Notes: Ball, Warriors, Cook, Kings, Suns
The Lakers hosted LiAngelo Ball, the younger brother of their point guard, Lonzo Ball, for a pre-draft workout earlier this week. However, it appears that the Lakers’ association with the younger Ball will not go beyond the workout, Marc Stein of the New York Times reports.
Stein noted that there is “pessimism in the extreme” that the Lakers have any interest in LiAngelo, whether it be as an NBA or G League player. Before his workout with the Lakers, LiAngelo indicated that signing with the team and playing with his brother was his main focus.
“The Lakers are my priority, for sure,” LiAngelo said during a recent appearance on the Marcellus and Travis show on ESPNLA radio. “I want to play with my brother. Ever since I played with Zo, we went undefeated. When we get older, we will get stronger, faster and a better feel for the game. I’m willing to play for other teams, but my priority is to play with my brother.”
LiAngelo returned to the United States recently after completing his first professional season overseas with Vytautas Prienu of the Lithuanian league. He averaged 12.6 PPG during his stint. The brothers’ outspoken father, LaVar Ball, had said his goal was to have all three of his sons play together for the Lakers. At this time, that appears unlikely at best.
Check out more Pacific Division notes below:
- The Warriors accomplished something unprecedented by building an elite, all-time roster as the organization pursues its third championship in four years, In an insightful piece, Mark Medina of the Mercury News writes that Warriors general manager Bob Myers understands that Golden State’s window of dominance will not last forever. “No team should last forever. It’s not good for anybody,” Myers said. “I’m fully aware. I don’t need a reminder from Houston to know how fragile this whole thing is. That’s a part of it. That’s why you have to appreciate it.”
- Kevin Durant has reiterated his desire to remain with the Warriors as he heads for unrestricted free agency this summer. However, after a close call in the Western Conference Finals, Tim Kawakami of The Athletic (subscription required) wonders whether or not the Warriors’ future is more fragile than expected.
- Before Quinn Cook became a crucial part of the Warriors‘ roster, he was a promising G League prospect within the Cavaliers organization. Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue viewed Cook as a solid player. In turn, Cook said he took one major lesson from his tenure with Cleveland, Mark Medina of the Mercury News writes. “I took what I learned from there and took some things with me that I still use today,” Cook said. “The biggest thing was being a sponge.”
- The Suns‘ selection with the first overall pick has been the main focus, but the team also has the 16th overall pick in their possession. Scott Bordow and Jay Dieffenbach of Arizona Central Sports gave their input on who Phoenix may target with the 16th pick.
- The popular consensus is that international superstar Luka Doncic will be the Kings‘ selection with the second overall pick. Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee writes that the Kings are exploring multiple options with the pick beyond Doncic.
Jason Kidd To Interview For Pistons Head Coaching Job
Former Nets and Bucks head coach Jason Kidd is in Detroit and he’s scheduled to interview with the Pistons for the organization’s head coaching vacancy, tweets Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports.
Kidd, 45, spent the last three-plus seasons as the Bucks’ head coach but he was fired this year following Milwaukee’s 23-22 start. He was replaced by interim coach Joe Prunty, who led the Bucks to the postseason as the Eastern Conference’s seventh seed.
The 10-time NBA All-Star last played for the Knicks during the 2012/13 season. Kidd accepted the role as head coach of the Nets months after he retired from active competition. In his first season in Brooklyn, Kidd led the team to a 44-38 record, losing in the second round of the playoffs.
In July 2014, the Bucks acquired the rights to Kidd’s services after sending two second-round draft picks to Brooklyn. In parts of four years with the Bucks, Kidd posted a 139-152 record.
The Pistons have ramped up their search for a new head coach following the dismissal of Stan Van Gundy. This week, Michigan coach John Beilein and recently fired Raptors coach Dwane Casey interviewed with the franchise. Spurs assistants Becky Hammon and Ime Udoka, Heat assistant Juwan Howard, and TNT broadcaster Kenny Smith have also been connected to the position.
Central Notes: Irving, Bamba, Lee, Brown, Pistons
In a series of tweets before the Cavaliers went down 0-1 in their series against the Warriors, owner Dan Gilbert voiced his thoughts about Cleveland’s’ journey, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. The Cavs are back in the NBA Finals for a fourth straight season and team owner Gilbert said that trading Kyrie Irving was a crucial part of that.
Gilbert said that general manager Koby Altman‘s decision to deal Irving, and then restructure the roster at the deadline was critical in getting the team to this point.
“W/o either of these 2 bold moves orchestrated by Koby & the @Cavs front office, we would not be here w/ a good chance to bring another one home to CLE,” Gilbert wrote in one tweet. Gilbert also praised LeBron James, writing that “his impact is magical,” and also lauded the play of his support cast.
Much was made of the Cavaliers’ decision to part with Irving last summer as the point guard helped lead the team to an NBA title two seasons ago. James himself admitted to ESPN’s Rachel Nichols that he doubted the Cavaliers’ ability to compete after the team dealt Irving.
“Even if you start back to the summertime where I felt like it was just bad for our franchise just to be able to trade away our superstar point guard,” James said. “A guy that I had been in so many battles with over the last three years, and obviously I wasn’t a part of the communications and know exactly what went on between the two sides. But I just felt like it was bad timing for our team.”
Check out more Central Division notes down below:
- Former Hawks assistant coach Charles Lee has signed a contract with the Bucks to join the staff of new head coach Mike Budenholzer, tweets Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- During a press conference before Game 1, NBA commissioner Adam Silver addressed the January police video that showed Bucks player Sterling Brown being arrested. Jeff Zillgitt of USA TODAY Sports writes that Silver called the footage “horrific” and that he has been in contact with Brown.
- After working out and interviewing with the Bulls, Texas big man Mohamed Bamba has made a compelling case to be drafted by the Bulls as the seventh overall pick, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes.
- With the departure of GM Jeff Bower, assistant GM Pat Garrity is likely a strong candidate to land a key role in the Pistons’ front office, tweets Vincent Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
- Keith Langlois of NBA.com looks at the Pistons‘ search for a head coach and a general manager. With Ed Stefanski hired to oversee the hiring process, Langlois writes that Detroit should prioritize a head coach.
Tristan Thompson Avoids Suspension, Fined $25K
Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson has been fined $25K for “failing to leave the court in a timely manner” after he was ejected in overtime of the team’s Game 1 loss, the league announced in a press release (via Jeff Zillgitt of USA TODAY Sports).
Thompson was ejected with 2.6 seconds left in overtime after it was deemed he threw an elbow at Warriors guard Shaun Livingston. Thompson was assessed a flagrant-2 foul on the play but the league announcement noted that it has been downgraded to a flagrant-1.
Golden State forward Draymond Green taunted a visibly frustrated Thompson, who shoved the basketball at Green’s face. A brief scuffle ensued until both players were separated and Thompson made his way to the locker room.
There was concern that the Cavaliers may lose Thompson to a suspension. His teammate Kevin Love also avoided a one-game ban — it appeared Love walked onto the court during Thompson’s scuffle, but he was not fined or suspended. Head coach Tyronn Lue was also not fined for making critical comments of the officiating late in regulation.
Tyronn Lue Will Not Be Fined For Critical Comments
Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue will not be fined for his postgame comments that were critical of the officiating in the team’s Game 1 loss to the Warriors, tweets ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
LeBron James appeared to draw a charge on Warriors forward Kevin Durant with the team leading 104-102 and 36.4 seconds left in the fourth quarter. However, officials Ken Mauer, Tony Brothers, and Ed Malloy convened and chose to review the video of the play, which is permitted with two minutes or less left in the game.
It was determined that James was outside the restricted area, but the charge was reversed into a blocking foul on the Cavaliers forward. Durant made two free throws to tie the game at 104-104, eventually leading to overtime. The Warriors dominated in overtime, winning the game 124-114 to take a 1-0 series lead.
“For our team to come out and play their hearts out and compete the way we did, man, I mean, it’s bad. It’s never been done before where you know he’s outside the restricted, and then you go there and overturn the call and say it’s a block,” Lue said (via Cleveland.com). “It’s never been done, ever, in the history of the game. And then (Thursday) in the Finals on the biggest stage, when our team played well, played our (butt) off, man, it ain’t right. It ain’t right.”
The NBA is often strict with employees who make critical comments of the league, including the officiating in games. However, Lue not being fined may signal the league sees validity in his comments.
Gersson Rosas Withdraws From Consideration For Pistons GM Job
Rockets executive Gersson Rosas has withdrawn from consideration for the Pistons‘ general manager/senior basketball leadership position, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.
Rossas has spent more than a decade with the Rockets and is currently the executive vice president of basketball operations for the team. A close associate of general manager Daryl Morey, Rosas had a brief stint as Mavericks general manager in 2013 but returned to Houston shortly thereafter.
This is the latest development today in the Pistons’ search for a GM as the team parted ways with the incumbent, Jeff Bower. Bower was former head coach Stan Van Gundy‘s right-hand man and viewed as a possible long-term solution.
Ed Stefanski was hired last week as a senior advisor in charge of overhauling the team’s basketball operations.
As Brian Lewis of the New York Post noted, Nets assistant GM Trajan Langdon remains a top contender for the Pistons’ vacancy.
Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Brown, Bamba, Nets, Celtics
Joel Embiid has gone viral in recent days after he was spotted playing basketball at local South Philadelphia basketball courts over the last few days. However, if Embiid suffers an injury while playing on streetball, it could result in him losing out on serious money, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes.
Embiid signed a maximum-salary, five-year contract extension with the Sixers last October, one year after a strong showing as a rookie. The 2018 All-Star, however, would risk having part of the deal — which kicks in next season — voided if he suffers a major injury. Pompey notes that Embiid will receive his full pay if he plays at least 1,650 regular season minutes for three consecutive seasons.
Injuries outside the organization’s jurisdiction is always a concern, but in Embiid’s case, injuries in general are an issue. The Cameroon native missed his first two NBA seasons after being drafted third overall in 2014. Embiid then played in just 31 games as a rookie due to injury.
Check out more Atlantic Division notes:
- After a strong regular season and solid performance in the postseason, the Sixers‘ mix of young talent and cap space makes them a popular destination in free agency. Marcus Hayes of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes that Sixers head coach Brett Brown‘s mindset when it comes to free agency differs from president Bryan Colangelo.
- A Wednesday report suggested that the Celtics might consider moving up in the draft with their sights set on Texas big man Mohamed Bamba. However, a league source who spoke to Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald dismissed that idea. “Don’t waste your time on that one,” the source said.
- The infamous 2013 trade between the Celtics and Nets that sent Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry to Brooklyn has had disastrous effects on the Nets, specifically related to draft picks. Michael Scotto of The Athletic (subscription required) revisited that trade and the impact that deal is still having on both franchises nearly five years later.
Rockets GM Confident In Chris Paul’s Future With Team
Despite going up 3-2 against the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, the Rockets failed to win the series and the absence of Chris Paul played a huge part. The Houston point guard suffered a Grade 2 strain of his right hamstring, sidelining him for both Game 6 and Game 7 of the series.
After meeting with Paul, both Rockets general manager Daryl Morey and head coach Mike D’Antoni came away feeling optimistic about his free agency plans, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes. Paul will hit unrestricted free agency this summer and will be a highly sought-after free agent. In his first season with Houston, Paul averaged 18.6 PPG, 7.9 APG, and 5.4 RPG.
It has been believed that Paul, along with possible 2017/18 NBA Most Valuable Player James Harden, will help the Rockets recruit big name free agents this summer.
With an injury shortening his postseason and possibly costing Houston a trip to the NBA Finals, Paul was hit the hardest by the loss and will be on a mission to improve, according to Morey.
“He took it the hardest, I thought, because he knew if he hadn’t had the unfortunate injury, he’s dragging us the last (way to the Finals),” Morey said.“He’s been there before at those moments and got injured sometimes. Yeah, he took it hard. But you know what, he’ll be back. He’ll be back 100% and we’re ready to go.”
Bryan Colangelo Expected To Lose Job With Sixers?
The Sixers‘ investigation into team president Bryan Colangelo‘s alleged use of burner social media accounts is expected to conclude shortly and several league sources believe he will lose his job, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Pompey writes that the investigation could wrap up as soon as tomorrow. Due to Game 1 of the NBA Finals taking place tonight, the league did not want the Colangelo investigation to be a distraction, Pompey adds.
On Tuesday, a report from Ben Detrick of The Ringer provided evidence that connected Colangelo to five Twitter accounts that bashed Sixers players and coaches, and disclosed sensitive medical and team information. Colangelo admitted to owning one of the accounts in question but said that the account was used strictly to monitor social media.
Colangelo has unequivocally denied any wrongdoing or tweeting from any of the accounts. Today, Colangelo told John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia that he is “fully unaware of anything” pertaining to the messages. Colangelo added that he had “zero’ knowledge of any tweets being sent from those accounts.
During a press conference before Game 1 of the Finals, NBA commissioner Adam Silver revealed that the Sixers hired a New York law firm to oversee the investigation (per Sixers insider Jon Johnson).
Did the Sixers win? on Twitter presented evidence that Colangelo’s wife, Barbara Bottini, could be behind at least three of the accounts. Bottini’s phone number ends with the digits 91, which matches the final two numbers associated with the accounts. Bottini has yet to issue a denial.
As the Sixers prepare for free agency this summer with eyes on several top free agents, Colangelo’s presence could be a hindrance in luring players to Philadelphia. In an earlier report, one unidentified NBA executive said the damage — unless Colangelo is proven explicitly innocent — has been done.
“I think the damage is done,” an unidentified NBA executive told Pompey. “I don’t know if the players can trust him. I think he lost the trust of the players unless it’s proven definitively that it wasn’t him.”