Knicks Notes: Hardaway, Beasley, Artis, Porzingis
The Knicks made a sizable commitment to Tim Hardaway Jr. this offseason, bringing the former Knick back home after inking him to a four-year, $71MM deal. While there’s a lot of apprehensions about Hardaway’s deal, Knicks’ assistant general manager and former guard Allan Houston cannot wait to see how the team’s draft pick from 2013 establishes himself, Thomas Lipe of the New York Post writes.
Speaking at Hofstra University with his youth program, Houston said the current version of Hardaway is more seasoned and talented than several years ago.
“I’m excited for [Hardaway],” Houston said. “When you’re 20 years old and you’re coming into this environment, everybody has to grow and everybody has to mature. He’s developed all the way around and he’s prepared himself for this. So he’s prepared for it.”
Houston himself is no stranger to large contracts with the Knicks as he signed a six-year, $100MM pact with the team in 2001. While Houston was more established at the time of his deal, he was also older and injuries prevented him from playing out the entirety of the contract. Hardaway, still just 25 years old, brings youth and upside to a rebuilding Knicks team. Houston feels that Hardaway can live up to expectations by not just strong on-court performance but strong off court work as well.
“The mindset I took is: you come in, you put your work in, you treat your whole being, your whole life, like you want to make the most out of it,” Houston said. “You want to be valuable, not in terms of money, but you want to be valuable to your family, your community, to the franchise. That’s where [Hardaway’s] mindset is.”
Read additional notes surrounding the Knicks below:
- In a resounding interview with Marc Berman of the New York Post, free agent signing Michael Beasley referred to himself as a “walking bucket” who has not received the respect he deserves. The former second overall pick says he’s long past his prior marijuana suspension and said that people still dwelling on his past issues need to emulate him by growing up. For his career. Beasley has averaged 12.8 PPG and 4.7 RPG across nine NBA seasons with five different teams.
- Just prior to signing with the Knicks, Jamel Artis spoke to Adam Zagoria of FanRag Sports. The former Pittsburgh forward expressed his excitement to join the New York squad and said his offensive skill set would mesh well with the current core.
- A recent report indicated the Cavaliers‘ interest to acquire a budding young star in a trade for Kyrie Irving with Kristaps Porzingis topping the list. Fred Kerber of the New York Post cites league source who claim “no proposal exists” in which the Knicks part with Porzingis for Irving. Kerber adds that while the New Jersey native Irving would like a homecoming to New York, it will not come at the expense of the team’s Latvian standout.
Northwest Notes: Westbrook, George, Hood, Murray
Russell Westbrook and Paul George will be teammates for the first time in the NBA this upcoming season after George was traded to the Thunder earlier this offseason. Just like any other superstar duo in NBA history, it will take time for both players to get acclimated to each other on and off the court. The duo got a head start after having their first workout together on Monday at a UCLA gym with four Oklahoma City teammates, ESPN’s Royce Young writes.
Young noted that Monday’s workout was the second organized by Westbrook this summer but George was unable to attend the first one due to a pre-planned vacation. Monday’s acclimation was the first of many steps for the reigning MVP and George to become comfortable; George addressed the importance of establishing a chemistry with his new teammates during his introductory press conference.
“Right now, it’s taking it as it comes,” George said (via ESPN). “We have a fresh start, and a chance to do something special is really the first thing that comes to mind. I’m not looking past 2017-18, we haven’t accomplished nothing yet. When it comes to that, when I get there, we’ll address that, but right now me and [Westbrook] have something to build now, and we’ll see where it takes us. It could be something that’s special that we build and want to continue on building.”
Read up on other news around the Northwest Division:
- Roster turnover in Utah has left the future of the Jazz in flux and that includes 24-year-old Rodney Hood, Benjamin Mehic of The Deseret News writes. The departure of Gordon Hayward has left a major void, which Hood, a player the Jazz believe can be a scoring weapon, could fill seamlessly. However, a poor season could end Hood’s run in Utah as the team prepares for the future.
- In a Q&A with Donnovan Bennett of Sportsnet, Canada native Jamal Murray answered a series of questions pertaining to undergoing surgery on his core muscles, his recent travels, and his expectations for the Nuggets during the 2017/18 season.
- In a lengthy feature, James Blancarte of Basketball Insiders recaps the Timberwolves‘ active offseason, which included a major trade (Jimmy Butler) and free agency signings (Jeff Teague, Jamal Crawford). With a strong core that already includes Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, the team is poised for a strong season.
Pacific Notes: Ball, Jackson, Wilson, Suns
Lonzo Ball‘s rise from UCLA standout to the Lakers‘ teenage cornerstone has been largely hyped up by his outspoken father, LaVar Ball. The elder Ball has become a media sensation, known for his flurry of outrageous claims (claiming he can beat Michael Jordan one-on-one) and promotion of his son’s abilities has been front page news since last year. While the world is still learning how to deal with the circus, the younger Ball is not ashamed or surprised at how his father conducts himself in the public eye.
“I think it’s overblown, I mean, that’s how my dad is, I’m used to him acting like that, so it’s nothing new for me,” Ball said in an interview with USA Today. “The way we look at it as a family is positive, you know, we talked it over before all this happened and we all know he’s going to do what he’s going to do. We just look at it as a positive and try to run with it.”
Once the season is underway, and Lonzo tries to live up to LaVar’s promise of leading the Lakers to the playoffs in his first season, past comments will not be relevant anymore. Ball will have to execute his on-court abilities and block out the noise associated with the NBA season. He will seek showing the world that his dad claiming his son is better than Stephen Curry is more than an offhand comment.
Below you can read additional news surrounding the Pacific Division:
- The Kyrie Irving saga has continued and training camp, followed by the regular season, are all drawing closer. Irving has drawn interest from around the NBA and in his latest piece, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer examines the possibility of Kyrie to the Suns. Specifically, O’Connor addresses Phoenix trading 2017 first rounder Josh Jackson for the NBA champion, ultimately viewing a trade for a proven commodity over keeping an athletic asset with upside a no-brainer.
- The Clippers‘ deal with Jamil Wilson is a two-year, two-way contract, according to basketball journalist David Pick (via Twitter). Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweeted that $50,000 of Wilson’s first-year salary is guaranteed.
- In a minor coaching change, the Suns named Jeff Fish the director of performance and head strength and conditioning coach, per a team announcement.
And Ones: G-League, Expansion Draft, 2018 Rookies
The NBA Draft class of 2017 is preparing for the start of camp and shortly thereafter, the regular season, where the league’s top youngsters will look to prove their worth against basketball’s elite. But it’s never too early to look into the future and Kevin O’Connor at The Ringer provides us with an in-depth look at five standouts who could make up a superstar-laden draft class in 2018.
Michael Porter Jr., who is rated by most outlets as the top player heading into next season, is committed to the University of Missouri. O’Connor likes Porter’s size (6’11”), scoring ability, and ability to improve as a passer. O’Connor is particularly intrigued by Marvin Bagley III, who possess raw size and skill that can be shaped into some special. While he has had flashes of immaturity — something that’s expected with teenagers — the Ringer scribe says that Bagley “embodies qualities found in evolutionary big men with excellent athleticism, speed, and flashes of ballhandling and shooting.”
The other three players O’Connor highlights are DeAndre Ayton, Mohamed Bamba, and Luka Doncic. Size is a recurring theme in O’Connor’s piece and he consistently notes that while next year’s draft does not figure to be as deep as this year’s class in terms of talent, the impact of the top picks makes for an interesting draft.
Read about other news around the basketball world below:
- Starting next week, the NBA will head to Israel as part of an effort to expand the presence of international talent in the league. Commissioner Adam Silver will be on hand as part of the Basketball Without Borders program that hosts training camps for top teenage players. Israeli-born Omri Casspi will also be in attendance with NBA legend David Robinson doing some coaching.
- The NBA G League Player Invitational will take place today and here is the roster of players currently set to play as they hope to impress scouts and officials enough to gain entry into the G League draft come October.
- With four new teams added to the G League, 2Wins10Days breaks down the expansion draft and how each team is selected and who will/will not be eligible.
Central Notes: Jackson, Turner, Pacers, Bucks
The Pistons have postseason aspirations in 2017/18 and those plans will significantly hinge on the performance of Reggie Jackson. Jackson is coming off an injury-riddled 2016/17 season in which he was limited to 52 games and averaged just 14.5 PPG and 5.2 APG, both totals being his lowest in a single season since his 2013/14 season with the Thunder.
With Jackson a liability last year, head coach Stan Van Gundy trotted out Ish Smith in favor of Jackson. Entering this season, Smith remains the backup to Jackson at point guard; despite their standings, Smith tells Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press that Jackson has been working hard this summer and is showing glimpses of the player who averaged just under 19 PPG two seasons earlier.
“He’s out there in California enjoying himself, but he’s getting better,” Smith said. “He’s getting back to the Reggie Jackson everybody knows and loves.
Jackson’s coach echoed Smith’s sentiments, boasting about his point guard having a renewed confidence.
“He’s doing well and feeling good, and I think feeling confident too,” Van Gundy said. “Things are going in the right way so I’m going to go out there sometime in the next couple weeks and spend some time with him.”
Read additional stories around the NBA’s Central Division:
- The Bucks announced a sponsorship deal with Harley-Davidson which will allow the motorcycle company’s logo to appear on the team’s jerseys next season, ESPN’s Darren Rovell writes. With the deal, the Bucks become the 12th NBA franchise to reach a sponsorship deal that will feature a company logo on its jerseys.
- The Pacers are a weakened team without longtime star Paul George, who was traded to the Thunder, but third-year big man Myles Turner, still believes Indiana will be in the playoffs, We recently examined the team’s playoff aspirations in a Community Shootaround but making the postseason — despite the players’ optimism — remains a challenging task.
Kyrie Irving Notes: Communication, Future, LeBron
In a somewhat comical yet harsh column, Mike Polk Jr. of Cleveland.com breaks down Kyrie Irving‘s highly publicized trade request as the former NBA champion reportedly wants out of Cleveland. The Cavaliers have been fielding offers for their All-Star point guard but at this juncture, no deal appears close. Polk believes that Irving’s ego is clouding his judgment and could ultimately ruin his legacy.
Irving has notoriously been criticized for his defense, something that, depending on who you ask, stems from his lack of defensive skill or defensive effort. While scoring is not an issue for Irving (25.2 PPG in 2016/17), team’s — at least so far — have not blown the Cavaliers away with offers. Polk opines that Irving’s attitude and limited defense may be scaring off suitors and that alone is a red
However, Irving and James could both be on their way out by the end next season, which could put the Cavaliers in a dire situation. Therefore, fans should embrace their superstar duo and Irving should set aside his desire to “lead a team” in lieu of making possibly one final run at the title, Polk writes. It may be easier said than done, but with three NBA Finals appearances and one title on their combined resume, Irving and James have proven they can be successful together.
Read more Irving-related news tidbits below:
- In another Cleveland.com column, Bud Shaw criticizes Irving for not addressing his trade demand. Instead, Irving is focused on his brand with Shaw citing a recent sneaker release in which Irving collaborated with Kobe Bryant. Irving has been bashed throughout the NBA for wanting to break up a super team to create a core in which he’s the leader. Shaw writes that the Cavaliers’ hope is for Irving to assure interested teams he will not pull a similar stunt in two years when his current deal expires, which should facilitate a deal.
- On a recent edition of The BBall Breakdown Podcast, ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin reported that Irving went several days last postseason without speaking to his Cavaliers teammates. “Phoenix, of course, hired James Jones this offseason,” McMenamin said (via USA Today). He’s been inside that locker room. He’s seen Kyrie Irving – I think I reported this on SportsCenter this week – he saw Kyrie Irving in the playoffs this year – in between the first round when they beat Indiana and the second round when they played Toronto – go consecutive days without speaking to a teammate at practice.” With Irving a seeking a chance to lead, reports of him secluding himself from teammates contradicts his reported intentions.
Blazers Sign C.J. Wilcox To Two-Way Contract
AUGUST 9: The Blazers have officially signed Wilcox to a two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release.
AUGUST 8: The Trail Blazers have agreed to a two-way deal with former Washington standout C.J. Wilcox, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via Twitter). Just yesterday, basketball journalist David Pick tweeted Wilcox was reportedly drawing interest overseas interest for Baskonia Vitoria, but the former first-rounder will instead remain in the United States.
Wilcox, 26, appeared in 22 games with the Magic last season, averaging a mere 1.0 PPG. Selected 28th overall by the Clippers in 2014, Wilcox has failed to transition his collegiate success to the professional level. In 66 career NBA contests, Wilcox has posted averages of 2.0 PPG, 0.5 RPG, and 0.5 APG while suiting up for the Clippers and Magic.
Portland will hope that Wilcox, entering his fourth professional season, can rediscover his once productive form as he resumes his career domestically.
Knicks Notes: Front Office, Dotson, Perry
The Knicks announced a series of hires for the team’s front office on Tuesday, which included Gerald Madkins (assistant general manager), Craig Robinson (vice president, player development and G-League operations), Harold Ellis (director, player personnel), Michael Arcieri (director, basketball strategy) and Fred Cofield (scout). Clarence Gaines Jr. will remain with the team as a scout as well.
“Last month, the day after I was hired, I started a full evaluation of the entire basketball operations staff,” Knicks general manager Scott Perry said in a press release. “My first goal was to build-up the highest level front office in the NBA. We are adding a host of highly-regarded and respected basketball people to work with the Knicks to fortify the franchise for years to come.”
Madkins and Cofield both have ties to the Knicks organization, whereas Ellis and Arcieri worked on Perry’s staff in Orlando. Robinson, the brother-in-law of former president Barack Obama, had a prominent role in the Bucks’ front office before joining New York. As ESPN’s Ian Begley notes (via Twitter), Gaines was hired by since-departed president Phil Jackson, who credited Gaines with the team’s decision to draft Kristaps Porzingis.
Read below notable tidbits of news surrounding the Knicks:
- Marc Berman of the New York Post writes that Perry has been able to come in the Knicks’ front office and make the personnel moves he desires. Creating a staff of preferred people was reportedly one of the hurdles that kept former Cavaliers general manager David Griffin from coming to New York, so Perry seems to have at least some power in the early stages of his Knicks tenure.
- Per ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter), Damyean Dotson is the fourth second-round pick in 2017 to sign a contract worth over $1MM for the coming season. Dotson’s deal guarantees him $1.1MM in 2017/18 and $1.4MM in 2018/19. As for the $1.6M salary in 2019/20, it is non-guaranteed with trigger dates during the season to guarantee it.
Southeast Notes: Wall, G League, Heat, Magic
After agreeing to a four-year extension worth $170 million with the Wizards, which kicks in during the 2019 season, John Wall will be the face that runs the place for the foreseeable future. The super-max deal puts Wall in an elite class among his NBA peers and now he will have to be a leader for a talented team that has been on the cusp of an extended playoff run the last few years.
In a new in-depth feature, Michael Lee of The Vertical speaks to Wall and breaks down his future in the nation’s capital. While pursuing a deal to play in a large media market is enticing to many NBA players, Wall says he’s comfortable staying with the only team he’s ever suited up for.
“I think a lot of players want to be in a certain place. Who wouldn’t want to be in L.A.? Who wouldn’t want to be in Miami? Those are amazing cities. Well, I’m in one of the best cities you want to be, in D.C. So I’m fine,” Wall said.
While the entirety of Lee’s piece is worth the read, the fact that Wall’s role with the Wizards and expectations have soared into the forefront.
Below you can read additional tidbits of news surrounding the Southeast Division:
- In a pair of Ask Ira columns on Monday and Tuesday, Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel addressed several Heat-related topics. Winderman discusses how the Heat roster would look if Willie Reed had been re-signed, the team’s 2017/18 lineup, A.J. Hammons‘ possible G League stint, and Josh Richardson‘s future.
- The Magic announced on Tuesday that the team’s new G League affiliate – the Lakeland Magic – has named Anthony Parker the general manager and Stan Heath the head coach. Parker has served as a scout in Orlando for the last half decade, while Heath sports an accomplished record as a college head coach.
Mavs Notes: Barnes, Free Agency, Roster, Amenities
Harrison Barnes is entering his second season with the Mavericks and he will prepare for 2017/18 as a player looking to prove that Dallas’ lofty commitment was not a mistake. As Eddie Sefko of Dallas Sports Day writes, Barnes’ first season with the Mavericks was outstanding, as his PPG shot up by nearly eight points from 11.7 with the Warriors in 2016/17 to 19.2 with Dallas in 2017/18.
Sefko adds that life off the court is also going well for Barnes, as he got married recently and is enjoying the four-year, $95MM contract he signed with Dallas last year. However, Barnes’ rebounding numbers have not improved and the 25-year-old is entering a season in which the Mavericks are not expected to compete.
“Much will depend on how Dennis Smith Jr. bonds with Barnes and other teammates,” writes Sefko, noting a young Mavericks team that will need guidance from its veteran coach. “What the Mavericks have going for them is Rick Carlisle pulling the strings. He’s no stranger to putting together new pieces – he’s had to do it just about every season in Dallas.”
It may be a long year for the Mavericks, but Barnes showing further improvement will be beneficial for the team’s future.
Below you can read additional news surrounding the Mavericks.
- In a separate feature, Sefko breaks down the Mavericks’ internationally flavored roster and the organization’s mentality in seeking out talent worldwide. Sefko quotes Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who, in Sefko’s words, half hyperbolized that Dallas is “scouting third-graders in Nigeria.”
- While the Mavericks did not try to sign any of the prominent free agents this summer, Dallas Sports Day examines prior free agents who spurned the team and how it has impacted the franchise. The list includes Deron Williams, Dwight Howard, and perhaps most famously, DeAndre Jordan, who verbally agreed to a deal with Dallas before re-signing with the Clippers.
- While that batch of free agents chose to continue their careers elsewhere, the Mavericks are using a new tool to possibly lure talent. As Sefko writes once more, the Mavericks have revamped their locker room, weight room, and increased amenities for the players. Sefko quotes Cuban once again, who says that the team’s goal is “to integrate anything and everything that could give us a competitive advantage.”