Jazz Notes: Markkanen, Olynyk, Sexton, THT
Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen recently sat down for an interview with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The Q&A session covered his self belief, his stints in Chicago and Cleveland, Utah’s future, and several other topics.
Markkanen, who plans to compete for Finland’s national team at the World Cup this summer, said he’d be thrilled if he’s named the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2022/23, according to Scotto.
“I think it would be great,” Markkanen said. “With the regular season about to end and I start hearing that stuff, it would be a pretty cool trophy to have at home. I take a lot of pride in the hard work and, like becoming an All-Star, knowing what I’ve gone through and being able to bounce back from that would mean a lot for me. Hopefully, I get it done. It would be pretty cool.”
Here’s more on the Jazz:
- Veteran big man Kelly Olynyk acknowledges he heard the trade rumor of the Celtics being interested in his services. However, he says he’s happy with the Jazz and he has no plans to ask out in the offseason, he tells Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. “I mean, I love Boston,” said Olynyk, who spent his first four seasons with the Celtics. “I grew up in Boston basically, coming out of college and starting my professional career. I have nothing but great things to say about the city, the organization, everybody involved. It feels like home every time I come back. When you see those kind of rumors, it brings up great memories. It’s a city that has unbelievable people, fans, culture, all that. So you always think, ‘What if? Maybe it could happen.’ But you obviously have to focus on the now and what you’re doing. I’m definitely not trying to get out of anywhere. This is a great situation to be a part of with this team, but your mind can’t help but wander for a second when you hear about things.”
- Collin Sexton had a solid showing in his first game back from a nagging hamstring injury, recording 15 points and three assists in 16 minutes in the Jazz’s loss to the Lakers on Tuesday. “It feels like he is just all competitiveness. He gives our team such a lift energy-wise. It is infectious, contagious, however you want to describe it,” head coach Will Hardy said, per Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune. “The guys love how he plays. … It’s the same Collin that we all know, and it’s the same Collin that we’ve missed for the last 18 games. So it was great to see him out there.”
- Sarah Todd of The Deseret News examines the pros and cons of Talen Horton-Tucker‘s game and wonders if he’ll be in the team’s long-term plans. Still just 22 years old, the fourth-year guard continues to show flashes of intrigue, but he’s also inconsistent and doesn’t shoot well from behind the arc (28.6% on threes). Todd thinks it’s very likely that Horton-Tucker will pick up his $11MM player option for 2023/24.
Western Notes: Kessler, Watson, Morant, KAT
Jazz center Walker Kessler will likely miss the rest of the regular season after entering the league’s concussion protocol, a source tells ESPN’s Tim MacMahon (Twitter link).
The 21-year-old sustained the injury when he was inadvertently elbowed by teammate Talen Horton-Tucker as Horton-Tucker drove to the basket, causing Kessler to fall backward. The play occurred during the third quarter of Utah’s loss at Brooklyn on Sunday.
Kessler, the No. 22 overall pick of the 2022 draft, has been one of the league’s best rookies in 2022/23. He leads the NBA in field goal percentage (72.0%), is second in block percentage (8.5%), fourth in blocks per game (2.3), and is second among rookies in rebounds per game (8.4) while also chipping in 9.2 points per game in 74 contests (23.0 minutes).
Here’s more from around the Western Conference:
- Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports doesn’t expect Peyton Watson to be in the Nuggets‘ playoff rotation, but the young wing has shown in the last two games that he’s a terrific athlete with plenty of defensive upside, compiling 13 rebounds and five blocks over 47 minutes against Phoenix and Golden State. Watson, the No. 30 overall pick last year, has spent most of the season with Denver’s G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold, but Wind writes that people within the organization believe the rookie could make All-Defensive teams in the future.
- For his part, Watson says he’s not taking his opportunity for granted and believes he’s ready to contribute, according to Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post. “This is a big responsibility that coach is trusting me with,” the Nuggets rookie said. “I’m grateful for it all and I’m going to continue to work. I’m not satisfied.”
- Due to the Rose Rule language included in his rookie scale extension, Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant would earn a projected $233,160,000 if he makes an All-NBA team again this season, compared to $194,300,000 if he doesn’t. Mark Giannotto of The Memphis Commericial Appeal takes a look at Morant’s chances of making one of the three All-NBA teams, writing that the star’s eight-game suspension shouldn’t be held against him from a merit standpoint, as he has already appeared in more games than last season. However, Morant faces stiffer competition with so many guards having strong seasons, and if he does make it, which is far from a lock, he might be the sixth and final guard selected, according to Giannotto.
- Timberwolves power forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns has seen his status downgraded to questionable ahead of Minnesota’s next contest, Tuesday against the Nets, the team announced (Twitter link). Towns just recently returned to the club’s lineup after a four-month absence due to a Grade 3 calf strain.
Alex Kirschenbaum contributed to this report.
Mavs “Seriously Considering” Shutting Down Doncic, Irving
The Mavericks are “seriously considering” shutting down Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving for the rest of the season, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter video link via FanDuel TV).
As Charania notes, the Mavs owe a top-10 protected pick to the Knicks as part of the Kristaps Porzingis trade. As things currently stand, Dallas would have a 76.3% chance of keeping the pick, a 13.9% chance of moving into the top four, and a 3% chance of winning the lottery and the No. 1 overall pick, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
Both players have dealt with injuries in recent weeks. Doncic missed five games last month due to a thigh strain, while Irving missed four and continues to deal with plantar fasciitis in his foot, Charania adds.
Dallas has been in a tailspin, losing seven of its past eight games to currently hold a 37-42 record with only three games remaining. The Mavs trail the Thunder by one game for the No. 10 seed and the final spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament, but the 38-41 Thunder hold the tiebreaker, making it essentially a two-game lead.
The pick the Mavs owe is top-10 protected through 2025, so if they keep it this year it will just push back the obligation until ’24. They would be able to trade the ’23 pick after they make the selection if they want to make a win-now move, but the only other pick they’d be able to trade is their own ’27 first-rounder due to the Stepien rule.
Despite a very disappointing stretch after the All-Star break after trading for Irving, Charania believes the team’s top offseason priority will be re-signing the veteran point guard, who was named to his eighth All-Star team this season (Twitter video link via FanDuel TV). Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report has heard the same thing, with sources telling Haynes that Irving plans to wait until free agency to maximize his potential earnings (his extension eligibility is limited after being traded).
Anthony Davis, Mikal Bridges Named Players Of The Week
Lakers big man Anthony Davis and Nets wing Mikal Bridges have been named the NBA’s players of the week, the league announced (via Twitter).
Davis, the Western Conference’s winner, averaged 38.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 2.0 blocks on .652/.333/.806 shooting in leading the Lakers to a 3-0 record last week. After winning six of seven, L.A. is currently 40-38, the No. 7 seed in the West.
Bridges, the East’s winner, averaged 33.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals on .500/.455/.885 shooting last week as the Nets went 3-0. Brooklyn is close to locking up the No. 6 seed and a guaranteed playoff spot, currently sitting with a 43-35 record and a two-game lead (and the tiebreaker) on the No. 7 Heat.
According to the NBA (Twitter link), the other nominees in the West were Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Brandon Ingram and Domantas Sabonis, while Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, Jalen Brunson, Immanuel Quickley, Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum were nominated in the East.
Popovich, Nowitzki, Wade Headline 2023 Hall Of Fame Class
APRIL 1: Popovich, Wade, Nowitzki, Gasol, Parker, and Hammon have officially been announced as Hall of Famers. In addition to those previously reported names, the following inductees will join them:
- Gene Bess: Longtime head coach at Three Rivers Community College who won two NJCAA national championships and won a record 1,300 games.
- Gary Blair: Longtime women’s basketball head coach at Texas A&M, Arkansas, and Stephen F. Austin who won a national championship in 2011 and was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.
- David Hixon: Longtime Amherst College head coach who won a pair of Division III national championships and was twice named the D-III Coach of the Year
- Gene Keady: Longtime Purdue head coach who appeared in 17 NCAA tournaments and was named Big Ten Coach of the Year seven times.
The Hall of Fame is also recognizing Jim Valvano, the late NCAA broadcaster who created The V Foundation for Cancer Research, and the 1976 Olympic U.S. women’s basketball team (Twitter links).
This year’s class will formally be enshrined in the Hall of Fame on the weekend of August 11-12 in Springfield, Mass.
MARCH 28: Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, Tony Parker and Becky Hammon have been inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
All six were finalists of the 2023 class, and a formal announcement of all the inductees will take place on Saturday morning at the NCAA Men’s Final Four.
Popovich, the NBA’s all-time leader in wins for a head coach, has won five championships, all with San Antonio. The 74-year-old is in his 27th season as the lead coach of the Spurs, compiling a 1363-757 record to this point, good for a 64.3 winning percentage. In 284 postseason games, his teams have gone 170-114 — a 59.9 winning percentage.
A three-time Coach of the Year, Popovich is the longest tenured active coach in the league. He led Team USA to a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
Popovich was actually eligible to be inducted years ago but didn’t want to be considered until his longtime point guard Parker was eligible after Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili were previously inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Nowitzki spent his entire 21-year career with the Mavericks, winning the team’s lone championship in 2011 en route to Finals MVP. He earned numerous accolades during his career, including being named the league’s 2006/07 MVP. The German big man was also 14-time All-Star and 12-time All-NBA member.
Wade, a shooting guard, was a 13-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA member, and three-time NBA champion with the Heat. He was named Finals MVP in 2006 and spent the bulk of his career with Miami. Wade is currently a part owner of the Jazz.
Parker, a point guard, spent his first 17 seasons with the Spurs before surprisingly signing one-year contract to finish his career with Charlotte. He was a six-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA member, four-time NBA champion and 2007 Finals MVP.
Gasol, a forward/center, was a six-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA member, two-time NBA champion with the Lakers and was the ’01/02 Rookie of the Year. He also had a storied international career with the Spanish national team, winning a couple of Olympic silver medals and several medals during World Cup and EuroBasket compeitions.
Hammon was a six-time WNBA All-Star and two-time first-team All-WNBA member. The former guard won an Olympic gold medal in 1998 with the U.S. national team.
Hammon was a Spurs assistant for parts of eight seasons, becoming the first female acting head coach in NBA history when Popovich was ejected from a game in December 2020. She departed San Antonio when she was named head coach of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, becoming the first rookie head coach to win a championship last season.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Los Angeles Lakers
For the rest of the regular season and postseason, Hoops Rumors is taking a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents during the 2023 offseason. We consider whether their stock is rising or falling due to their performance and other factors. Today, we’re focusing on a handful of Lakers players.
Note: We also covered a couple other Lakers earlier this month.
Dennis Schröder, G
- 2022/23: Minimum salary
- 2023/24: UFA
- Stock: Up
Before the 2022/23 season started, Schröder said he had “unfinished business” with the Lakers after reportedly being unwilling to discuss a lucrative extension in his first stint with the team a couple of seasons ago. The rumored four-year, $80MM offer was never signed, and Schröder instead inked a one-year, $5.9MM contract with Boston in 2021 free agency.
Despite a tepid market in ’21, I was surprised it took Schröder so long to find a team last offseason. He didn’t sign until September, when he was running the show for Germany during EuroBasket, helping lead his national team to a bronze medal.
A reunion with the Lakers has worked out well for both sides, as Schröder has been one of the league’s better bargains on his minimum-salary contract.
The Lakers had an abysmal start this season in part due to injuries to Schröder and Thomas Bryant, who both underwent thumb surgeries right before the season began. The team went just 3-10 in the 13 games they missed (Bryant was traded to Denver at last month’s deadline).
Since he returned, Schröder has only missed one game and the Lakers have gone 34-28 with him in the lineup. He leads L.A. in total minutes played and the team has been better on both ends of the court when he’s playing — and significantly worse when he’s not. He only trails LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves in net rating differential among players with a large sample size.
I’ve been impressed with Schröder’s point-of-attack defense this season. He has also cut down on his turnovers and has generally just been willing to do the little things necessary to win games. He’s not a great three-point shooter (33.8%), but he remains extremely quick and is a very good ball-handler who can create shots and draw fouls. Schröder is also highly accurate on free throws, converting 87% of his looks this season – an important factor when trying to close out games.
The Lakers only have his Non-Bird rights, so they will be limited to offering the 29-year-old 120% of the veteran’s minimum, which would amount to $3.8MM. If the two sides go that route, it would almost certainly be a one-year deal or a two-year pact with a player option. That would give him Early Bird rights in 2024 and make it easier for the Lakers to give him a more lucrative longer-term contract, if they’re so inclined. They could also give him a bigger raise this summer by using one of their exceptions (either the bi-annual or the mid-level).
Rui Hachimura, F
- 2022/23: $6.26MM
- 2023/24: RFA
- Stock: Down
When the Lakers traded three second-rounders (and Kendrick Nunn) to acquire Hachimura, I don’t think they envisioned him averaging 9.2 points and playing just 22.3 minutes per night, but that’s what he’s put up through 27 games.
The former lottery pick is a talented mid-range scorer, but he’s sort of a one-trick pony in that his game isn’t very well-rounded. His three-point accuracy (33.9%) has been virtually identical to what it was with the Wizards this season (33.7%), which is disappointing.
Hachimura has looked better on defense than I’ve seen in the past, but it’s still merely passable, and he doesn’t always play with a lot of energy. His role has been reduced of late, as he received one healthy scratch and averaged 5.3 PPG and 2.5 RPG in the six contests (16.0 MPG) he did play over the past seven games.
Hachimura’s $7,744,600 qualifying offer isn’t prohibitive, and he’s only 25 years old. Are the Lakers really gung-ho about bringing him back? Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t see a huge market for him in restricted free agency based on his relative lack of development over his first four NBA seasons. One report said he might get something around the full mid-level exception, which is projected to start at $11.37MM — I would wish him luck and let him walk at that price.
Troy Brown, G/F
- 2022/23: Minimum salary
- 2023/24: UFA
- Stock: Up
There’s nothing about Brown’s game that really jumps out at you, nor do his modest numbers — he’s averaging 7.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG and 1.2 APG in 70 games (45 starts, 24.9 MPG).
What Brown provides is prototypical size on the wing at 6’6″ and 215 pounds and a strong understanding of the game. He can do a little bit of everything, but doesn’t stand out in any one particular area. The 23-year-old is shooting a career-high 37.3% from deep, tries hard on defense, and is an unselfish passer.
Despite giving forth solid effort, Brown isn’t the greatest athlete by NBA standards, and is only around league average on defense. He hasn’t been much of a scoring threat, but the Lakers only really ask him to shoot when he’s open.
As with Schröder, Brown is another player the Lakers added on a minimum deal last summer, so unless they use one of their exceptions, they can only offer him 120% of the minimum using his Non-Bird rights – that would be about $2.77MM.
Could he get more than that from another team? I think something in the $3-6MM range could be in play, but I’m not sure. Either way, he has provided positive value considering his compensation this season, and I would imagine there’s motivation from both sides to bring him back – he’s getting regular minutes, which wasn’t the case the past couple seasons.
Malik Beasley, G/F
- 2022/23: $15.49MM
- 2023/24: $16.52MM team option
- Stock: Down
Beasley is a long-range shooting specialist and the Lakers rank just 26th in the league in three-point percentage, which is why they traded for him. The problem is, he’s only shooting 35.6% from deep in 2022/23 (34.7% in 20 games with the Lakers), which is his worst conversion rate since he became a rotation regular in ‘18/19.
The 26-year-old is extremely streaky, and perhaps more than any other player on the team’s roster, he was negatively impacted by James’ absence due to a foot injury. LeBron has always been great at finding open shooters and Beasley has by far the best track record on the team as a high-volume outside shooter, despite his down season and inconsistency.
Free agents D’Angelo Russell and Reaves will likely higher on the team’s priority list this offseason than Beasley, and they won’t be cheap. However, it’s convenient to have mid-size contracts like Beasley’s on the roster, and his specialty is certainly more valuable than Hachimura’s.
How Beasley fares for the rest of the season will likely determine whether the Lakers exercise their team option on his deal, because it’s a hefty price tag considering he doesn’t provide a whole lot else beyond shooting and floor spacing. One report indicated the Lakers were likely to pick the option. They could potentially bring him back at a lower annual cost if they decline it, though there’s always a risk another team could swoop in with a better offer in that scenario.
Trail Blazers Sign Skylar Mays To 10-Day Deal
MARCH 30: Mays’ 10-day contract with the Blazers is official, the team announced in a press release.
MARCH 29: The Trail Blazers plan to sign Skylar Mays to a 10-day contract, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Mays, a 6’4″ guard out of LSU, was the 50th overall pick in the 2020 draft and spent his first two professional seasons with the Hawks. He was on two-way contracts until being promoted to Atlanta’s standard 15-man roster during the final week of the 2021/22 regular season.
In 61 total games for the Hawks, Mays averaged 3.3 PPG and 1.0 RPG on .469/.338/.882 shooting in 8.0 MPG. He became an unrestricted free agent last summer when Atlanta opted not to extend him a qualifying offer.
The Sixers signed and waived Mays during the preseason to secure his G League rights, and he spent a good chunk of ’22/23 with the Delaware Blue Coats, Philadelphia’s G League affiliate. In 18 games (27.3 MPG) during the fall Showcase Cup, he averaged 13.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.3 APG and 1.1 SPG, but struggled with his shooting, posting a .392/.333/.800 slash line. His numbers declined in 13 regular season games (19.2 MPG) with the Blue Coats, averaging just 7.8 PPG, 2.5 RPG and 3.8 APG on .364/.174/.923 shooting.
However, the 25-year-old has played well with the Ciudad de Mexico Capitanes, averaging 19.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 6.1 APG on .458/.341/.868 shooting in 16 regular season games (34.4 MPG).
The Blazers have a full 15-man standard roster at the moment, but they have several injured players, so Mays will likely be signed using the hardship exception, which allows teams to exceed the typical roster limit in special circumstances.
Wolves Notes: Gobert, Officiating, Reid, Conley, KAT
Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert was highly critical of the officiating following Wednesday’s loss in Phoenix and will likely be fined, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune.
The Wolves have felt they’ve gotten poor treatment from the officials all season long, so it wasn’t just about last night’s game, Hine writes. The Suns attempted 27 free throws versus Minnesota’s 12.
“It’s not fair. It’s really not fair,” Gobert said. “Every night. I’ve been in this league for 10 years and I try to always give the benefit of the doubt, but it’s hard for me to think they’re not trying to help [the Suns] win tonight. It’s hard for me to think they didn’t try to help the Warriors win the other night or Sacramento Kings the other night. It’s just so obvious. As a basketball player that’s been in this league for so long, it’s disrespectful.”
According to Hine, Gobert specifically pointed to how many moving screens he’s been called for this season, and he believes officials are favoring bigger-market teams.
“We understand that we’re not the biggest of the markets and we’re a team that — I think you want to see KD [Kevin Durant] in the playoffs, Steph [Stephen Curry] in the playoffs, you want to see LeBron [James] in the playoffs,” Gobert said. “[The] Timberwolves are not there yet. We got to keep putting our head down, keep playing through that and it’s frustrating for sure, especially for me.”
Here’s more on the Wolves:
- Reserve center Naz Reid injured his left wrist yesterday after taking a hard fall on a dunk attempt, Hine adds in the same story. Reid was able to keep playing, but was in noticeable pain in the locker room afterward. It’s unclear if the fourth-year big man will miss time with the injury.
- Prior to the game, Suns head coach Monty Williams praised Reid, Hine tweets. “He’s probably a starter in this league on some teams, if not most,” Williams said. If a rival team believes Reid can be its starting center, that might make it tricky for the Wolves to retain him, Hine notes (via Twitter). The 23-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, though he will remain eligible for an extension until the end of June. Reid was recently nominated for Western Conference player of the week.
- In addition to his chemistry with Gobert, the Timberwolves traded for Mike Conley because they wanted a mature veteran who “cared less about making flashy plays,” sources tell Kendra Andrews of ESPN. The three-team deal saw the Wolves send out D’Angelo Russell in exchange for Conley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and three second-round picks. Head coach Chris Finch also strongly implied that Russell’s limitations as a point-of-attack defender played a factor in the trade, according to Andrews, who takes a look at the team’s outlook for the rest of the season.
- On The Ringer’s Off Guard podcast with Austin Rivers and
Alabama’s Brandon Miller Entering 2023 NBA Draft
Alabama forward Brandon Miller will forgo his remaining college eligibility and enter the 2023 NBA draft, he tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Miller is one of the draft’s top prospects, currently ranked third on ESPN’s big board, but he could go as high as second overall behind French phenom Victor Wembanyama, Wojnarowski adds.
As a freshman for the Crimson Tide in 2022/23, Miller averaged 18.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.9 SPG and 0.9 BPG on .430/.384/.859 shooting in 37 games (32.6 MPG). Alabama was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but the 20-year-old struggled mightily during the Tide’s three-game run due to a groin strain, with the team ultimately losing to San Diego State in the Sweet 16.
The 20-year-old was widely considered the top prospect in college basketball, earning numerous accolades, including SEC Player and Freshman of the Year and second-team All-America.
A 6’9″ wing, Miller has drawn comparisons to Paul George due to his length, guard-like skills, shot-making and versatility.
However, Miller was also tied to a murder case a couple months ago. He allegedly brought the gun that was used in the killing of a woman on the Tuscaloosa strip in January, according to police testimony.
Miller’s former Alabama teammate Darius Miles and another man, Michael Davis, were arrested and charged with capital murder. While the gun belonged to Miles, Miller reportedly brought it to the scene at his ex-teammate’s request. Miller’s car, which was struck by two bullets during the shooting, was allegedly one of two vehicles blocking the victim’s car.
Miller was not charged with a crime and his coach called him a “fully cooperating witness” who didn’t break any laws or school policies, which is why he was allowed to keep playing.
Mavs GM Harrison On Irving Trade, Kidd, More
Mavericks president of basketball operations and general manager Nico Harrison sat down for an interview with Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News prior to Wednesday’s loss in Philadelphia.
We have provided a few highlights below, but it’s worth checking out in full for any Mavs fans.
On why the team has struggled after trading for Kyrie Irving last month:
“When we made the trade, we expected those two guys — Kyrie and Luka (Doncic) — to jell by now, so that’s definitely below expectations. I’m not even saying they haven’t jelled, but the team — they haven’t had enough minutes together to jell. Kyrie was out, Luka was out, one played, the other played, so we’re behind where we wanted to be.
“But those two work. Like, two guys at that level work. Then it’s how these guys around them — how do they fit in and play off them? That’s the tougher thing. You’ve got all this analytical data to say these lineups work, but guess what? Since the trade, we haven’t had consistent players out there, so it’s tough to say, like, absolute which lineups work because it’s very little minutes that they’ve all played together because it’s been change after change after change.”
On whether there’s enough time to evaluate the team as it sits outside of the play-in tournament with only five games remaining:
“Everybody knows we’re fighting to get into this playoffs. I just think every game we’ve got to continue to make strides. Even if players aren’t healthy, we don’t have any choice. We have to go. That’s why I say we have high-character guys. Nobody’s feeling sorry for themselves. They’re positive guys, and they’re hard-working guys. They’re high-character guys, so we’ll figure it out. Hopefully we figure it out sooner or later. The clock’s on us.”
On how players have responded to head coach Jason Kidd since the trade:
“I think Jason’s done a great job, starting with the top, making sure Luka and Kyrie are communicating and on the same page, which he’s done well. I think it’s tough for a coach every day. A lot of times you guys think we’re being cute when you’re like ‘Hey, are they playing today?’ And we’re like ‘Yeah, we don’t know yet.’ You’re like ‘Yeah, they know,’ but we’re looking at each other like, ‘Hey, what do you think?’
“If you’re Jason, how do you game plan when you don’t know who’s available? I think he’s been put in a tough position. I think what Jason’s done really well is he’s really dug into being positive with all the uncertainty. It’s easy to start pointing fingers. He’s really dug into being positive, and I think that’s super helpful. I think the guys can feel the positive energy and again, I think he’s been in a tough position.
“Honestly, we weren’t playing good before the trade, so the trade was never going to be a magic pill all of a sudden, but we did expect those guys to play more games together to figure each other out. Again, I’m not really worried about those two figuring each other out. It’s the players around them.”