Western Notes: Kings, Harden, Griffin
Two years into his majority ownership of the Kings, Vivek Ranadive admits he has made several mistakes — including hiring former coach Michael Malone before assembling a front office and selecting a general manager in 2013 — but said he expects success in the future for the franchise, and also clarified Vlade Divac‘s role in the front office in an interview with Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee.
“Vlade makes the decisions,” said Ranadive, adding that Divac’s title as vice president of basketball and franchise operations positions him above GM Pete D’Alessandro. “Two people report directly to me. Chris Granger, who runs the business side, and Vlade from the basketball side. I want to make that clear as we move forward. We have a lot of work to do, and we are all in this together.”
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- In the same piece, Divac tells Voisin that he doesn’t expect the Kings to be a lottery team next season. “[It’s the] last time [in the lottery],” said Divac, who will represent the Kings at the proceedings on May 19th. “We’re going to move fast, and like Vivek said, we are all in this together. Me, coach, Pete, Mike [Bratz]. No separate agendas. Our only agenda now is to win.”
- James Harden is averaging 27.4 points per game this postseason, but the skilled scorer also leads the NBA in postseason turnovers, at 40, and produced plus/minus in the negative and the Rockets need him to elevate his game in the team’s series against the Clippers, Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com writes.
- Rockets coach Kevin McHale was complimentary of the Clippers‘ Blake Griffin and the star’s improvement this postseason, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes. As Feigen points out, Griffin’s averages of 25.1 points per game, 13.5 rebounds per game and 7.3 assists per game through his first 10 playoff games are all playoff career bests. “You either improve or you stay the same. If you stay the same, they draft other people at your position and you go get a job being an Uber driver or something,” McHale said. “He improved. That’s what you got to do. If you’re not better in your third or fourth year than you were in your first year, there’s something wrong with you.”
Grizzlies Notes: Gasol, Allen, Conley
Marc Gasol, who will become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, is showcasing why he’s considered one of the elite players this summer’s market has to offer. The Grizzlies‘ big man seized control of the second quarter in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals series against the Warriors, Michael Cohen of the Commercial Appeal writes. Gasol played every second of the second quarter, scoring 12 points and grabbing five rebounds while missing only two shots from the field. Gasol, who was guarded by elite defender Draymond Green in the second quarter, finished with 21 points and 15 rebounds.
Here’s more out of Memphis:
- Tony Allen, who has two years remaining on his contract after the Grizzlies re-signed him in July 2013 to a four-year deal worth $20MM, wants to be remembered as one of the all-time elite defenders, Michael Wallace of ESPN.com writes in a lengthy profile of the veteran guard/forward. “When they talk about the Bruce Bowens, Dennis Rodmans and Michael Coopers, I want them to remember my name, too,” said Allen, who was named to the All-NBA Defensive first team in 2011/12 and 2012/13. “I’m not just playing this game to be average. I want to be elite. I think I am, and I’ve proven it this year. It’s all right to be acknowledged; nothing wrong with that.” Wallace adds that while Marc Gasol is the face of the franchise, it is Allen who resonates more with Memphis because of his blue-collar work ethic.
- Despite battling through several injuries, Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley has made things difficult for the Warriors’ Stephen Curry in the Western Conference semifinal series between the two teams, Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal writes. Conley’s five-year, $45MM extension back in November 2010 is widely considered more of a bargain than it was when he was initially inked to the deal. His contract is up after next season.
Stephen Curry Wins MVP
MONDAY, 10:03am: Curry has indeed won the MVP, the league announced via press release. He garnered 100 out of 130 first-place votes. Harden, the second-place finisher, received 25, while the other five went to LeBron James, who came in third. Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis and Chris Paul followed in the voting among media members. To see each voter’s ballot, click here.
SUNDAY, 6:33pm: Stephen Curry will be named the league’s Most Valuable Player, reports CSNBayArea.com’s Monte Poole, who cites multiple league sources. The official announcement, Poole writes, is expected to be made between Games 1 and 2 of the Western Conference semifinals series between the Warriors and the Grizzlies.
Curry, 27, would become the first Warrior in the franchise’s 53-year California history to win the award, Poole notes. Curry, who led the Warriors to an NBA-best 67-15 regular season record, was the top vote-getter in this year’s All-Star Game, which he started in for the second straight season. Curry will be only the second Warriors player to win the NBA MVP award, tweets Yahoo! Sports’ Marc J. Spears, who noted that the other was Wilt Chamberlain of 1959/60 Philadelphia Warriors.
After the Warriors’ Game 1 win, Curry was asked if he expected to win the MVP. Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group transcribed the post-game interview.
“I honestly have no idea,” Curry said. “It’s obviously just — in the middle of a playoff series, it’s hard to kind of separate yourself with other things that may or may not happen. Obviously I know what the situation is, and just trying to focus on the game, and if I get a call tomorrow, I’ll definitely be happy, and there will be a lot of people that can be proud of that moment, as well, and we’ll enjoy it. But right now I’m happy we won Game 1. I’ll wake up tomorrow a fresh new day, and we’ll see what happens.”
The slick-shooting sixth-year point guard averaged 23.8 points per game, which was good for sixth in the league. He also averaged 7.7 assists (sixth in the league) and 2.04 steals (fourth in the league). He shot 44.3% from 3-point range (fourth). His 91.4% on free throws was tops in the league. The runner-up in the voting, reports Poole, citing sources, was Rockets star James Harden.
The award is further confirmation of Curry’s status as one of the game’s best values. The Warriors signed him to a four-year, $44MM extension in the fall of 2012 amid concerns over his ability to avoid then-persistent ankle injuries. He’s missed only 10 games in the three years since and is making just a little more than $10.629MM on the backloaded deal.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
And-Ones: Bulls, Green, Turner
The Bulls need to take a now-or-never approach to their series against the Cavs for several reasons, David Haugh of The Chicago Tribune writes. Swingman Jimmy Butler will become a restricted free agent this summer if Chicago tenders him a qualifying offer of $4,433,683. Derrick Rose‘s health is always a question mark. Pau Gasol, as Haugh notes, turns 35 in July. Joakim Noah, Haugh adds, faces an uncertain summer with one year left on his contract and lingering knee issues make giving him a long-term deal a questionable investment. What’s more, there’s a strong possibility that Tom Thibodeau, as Haugh points out, will be coaching elsewhere next season. It’s been rumored that Thibodeau will be fired after this season.
There’s more from the basketball world:
- Willie Green, who is set for unrestricted free agency in July, is interested in re-signing with the Magic, Ken Hornack of Fox Sports Florida writes. Green, who has played 12 seasons in the league, averaged 5.9 points per game and played well in a limited role despite riding the bench until mid-January. “I’m definitely open to being back here in Orlando,” Green said. “I like the foundation that the team has. “I like our young fellas, and I think I can help them on and off the floor. So if that possibility is open, then I’m definitely open to exploring it.”
- Myles Turner agrees with the pundits who compare him to LaMarcus Aldridge and Anthony Davis but adds that he’s focused on blocking out speculation about where he will get picked, as the big man says in an interview with Raul Barrigon of HoopsHype. Turner is the No. 10 prospect in the Insider-only rankings that Chad Ford of ESPN.com compiles, while Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress has him at No. 11.Hoops Rumors’ Eddie Scarito recently profiled Turner, the former Texas center.
Western Notes: Thunder, Blazers, Spurs
It would behoove Tim Duncan to convince LaMarcus Aldridge to join the Spurs this summer, Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News writes. The Spurs are reportedly at the top of Aldridge’s list. Duncan, 39, would have a more realistic shot at another title playing alongside Aldridge, a native of Texas, if Duncan decides he wants to play next season, Harvey adds. Harvey also speculates that since Aldridge already has a list of teams in May, the star forward conceivably will be on the move.
There’s more from the Western Conference:
- Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard’s intention to seek a maximum contract extension from the team this offseason is a shrewd move and one that makes Portland’s offseason even trickier, John Canzano of the Oregonian opines. Lillard is basically using Aldridge’s free agency as leverage, Canzano writes. If the team says no to Lillard, it seemingly sends a signal to Aldridge that it’s not invested in competing, Canzano adds. As reported last week, Lillard has no plans to consider agreeing to an extension for less than the designated maximum.
- Thunder GM Sam Presti said he was looking for a coach with tactical gumption and Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman writes the executive found one in former Florida coach Billy Donovan. The new coach wants to put an emphasis on unselfish ball movement and a lot of offensive freedom for players, Mayberry adds, which is similar to what the Thunder tried to implement last season before injuries helped derail expectations. More creativity would benefit the Thunder, Mayberry writes, and the consensus among those the reporter interviewed is that Donovan is the man who can add that aspect to the team. Another important part of the hire is that Donovan has solid experience working with players like Russell Westbrook, who is very talented, but has an emotionally charged personality, Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman writes.
New York Notes: Lopez, Young, Gasol
The Nets have made it clear to Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young — both can opt out of their current deals — that they would like them to return, Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com writes. Young said he first would want to see what Lopez plans to do before making a decision. “I definitely wanna see what the big fella’s gonna do also, but we’ve already been told that they expect us back next year and they want us back next year — no matter if we pick up our options or opt out,” Young said. “But for me, like I said, I’m just gonna factor in everything possible across the board and just try to make the right decision.” In what Mazzeo describes as an uncertain offseason for the Nets, Alan Anderson said he plans to opt out of his current deal, while Mirza Teletovic can become an unrestricted free agent if the Nets don’t submit a qualifying offer.
Here’s more from the Big Apple:
- In the same piece, Mazzeo writes that Nets coach Lionel Hollins believes Lopez has the potential to be a franchise player — if the big man’s low-post game gets better.“I think when you look at Brook, I think that you can think about him that way,” Hollins said. “He has some limitations. When I say limitations, I think that if he developed his post-game, he could be a franchise player. But I don’t want to put that pressure on him, to say that if he doesn’t do that, he isn’t. I’m just saying that potentially with size and athleticism and the whole nine yards, from an offensive perspective. But there’s a lot more that goes into a franchise player than just skill, so I don’t even want to go there.” There’s a strong belief around the league, according to previous reports, that Lopez will opt out but re-sign with the Nets on a max deal this summer.
- Lopez said his mind isn’t made up on what to do, Tim Bontemps of The New York Post writes. “You know, I don’t know,” Lopez said. “There’s lots of different stuff. I haven’t thought about it at all. The season just ended, so I haven’t given it any thought.”
- Anderson, on the other hand, is very sure about opting out, Bontemps adds in the same piece. “I’m free,” Anderson said. “I mean, I would love to stay in Brooklyn, but I am a free agent. So I will be free.” The Nets, as Bontemps notes, will have Anderson’s Early Bird rights, giving them some additional flexibility to re-sign him, after he spent the past two years with the team.
- Former Knicks player Beno Udrih, who is now on the Grizzlies, said New York doesn’t have much of a shot at landing Memphis’ Marc Gasol, who will become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, tweets Bleacher Report’s Jared Zwerling. “They’re not going to get him. He’s a laid-back guy and doesn’t like drama,” Udrih told Zwerling.
Eastern Notes: Bucks, Love, Johnson
The Bucks‘ new owners, Wes Edens and Marc Lasry, along with Peter Feigin, the team’s president, have reinvigorated the franchise and have raised expectations, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today writes. In the near future, just making the playoffs, which seemed to be the ceiling under previous ownership, won’t be the goal, notes Zillgitt, who adds the team doesn’t need to land superstars; they need to sign talented players, similar to the Hawks signing Paul Millsap and Kyle Korver as free agents. With a promising young roster and under the leadership of Jason Kidd, the Bucks won 41 games this season after only winning 15 times last season.
Here’s more from Milwaukee and the Eastern Conference:
- In the same piece, Zillgitt writes that Bucks GM John Hammond said Kidd has been an integral part of the changing culture. “These jobs are all about managing people, and he’s done a great job with that,” Hammond said. “He was a very cool customer the way he played and he coaches the same way. Keeps his emotions in check, pushes the right buttons when necessary. I know at the end of the day the vote did not go this way, but in my book, he’s the coach of the year.” Kidd finished third for the award.
- Speaking of the Bucks’ plans for a better future, the team’s owners and state and local officials did not reach a financing deal for a new $500MM arena during a closed-door meeting last week, writes Scott Bauer of The Associated Press. The team, state and local leaders are trying to come up with a plan to split the costs of the new arena in downtown Milwaukee that would be part of a larger $1 billion entertainment district, as Bauer details. Without a new building by 2017, the NBA has said it will buy back the team and relocate it, according to Bauer.
- Amir Johnson said he hasn’t thought about whether or not Game 4’s elimination loss Sunday was his last game with the Raptors, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun tweets. Johnson, who was linked to trade rumors earlier this season, is set to be an unrestricted free agent.
And-Ones: Love, Williams, Bass
While nothing will be official until the results of an MRI are expected to be announced Monday, the Cavaliers are expecting Kevin Love to miss at least two weeks, Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com tweets. Love suffered a dislocated left shoulder in Sunday’s game against Boston and will be evaluated further, the Cavaliers announced. The Cavs will open their semifinal series on either May 2nd or May 4th, depending on when the Bulls–Bucks series concludes.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Nets coach Lionel Hollins told reporters, including Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, that Deron Williams, who was involved in trade rumors earlier this season, isn’t the same player he was four years ago when he was heralded by the team as the league’s best point guard and that’s OK. “That’s four years ago. We’re now. No player is the way he was four years ago. All I’m saying is now is that the guy is playing well,” Hollins said. “Somebody picks out that he has two points [in Game 2 against the Hawks]. So what? He played well. It’s not just about the scoring. If it was just about the scoring, there’s a lot of teams that would be better because they have guys who score a lot of points. But it’s about winning. It’s about doing the right things for the team. And I’ll defend Deron until the end on that and all my players to the end if you think that just because a guy makes a lot of money and is supposed on a level because everybody put him on that level — whether it be the organization, or whomever — it’s still where we are now. And we have to deal with now. And I support him 100%.”
- Soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Brandon Bass hinted that he would like to return to the Celtics, but acknowledged that it’s not solely his call, Jessica Camerato of Basketball Insiders writes. “I don’t know what the future holds,” Bass said following the Celtics’ Game 4 elimination to the Cavaliers on Sunday. “That’s up to [President of Basketball Operations] Danny Ainge. But Boston’s been great to me over the last couple years, so it’ll be great for me to come back.”
- Enes Kanter, Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett were listed by Moke Hamilton, Alex Kennedy and Jessica Camerato of Basketball Insiders as players who are poised to be overpaid as free agents. Hamilton argues that Kanter, a soon-to-be restricted free agent, will cash-in on a small, 26-game sample size. The Timberwolves hold Garnett in such high regard they will most likely offer him a larger contract than teams without previous ties would, Camerato writes.
Western Notes: Aldridge, Williams, Thunder
Damian Lillard is confident that his Trail Blazers teammate LaMarcus Aldridge, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, will remain in Portland, Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com writes. “I don’t have any reason to believe why he wouldn’t be back here,” Lillard said. Aldridge has been the subject of several recent reports that have tied him to the Spurs, Mavericks and Knicks. Aldridge has played for only Portland since he was drafted in 2006. On Sunday, Holmes notes, Aldridge declined to answer questions about his future. “I’m focused on winning right now,” Aldridge said.
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- Pelicans coach Monty Williams, who has one year remaining on his contract and a team option beyond next year, deserves to lead New Orleans for the next two seasons, Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune opines. It was Williams’ tactical gumption that propelled the Pelicans into the playoffs this year, Smith writes. Under Williams, the Pelicans finished 45-37 this season, winning 11 more games than the previous season. There were reports last month that the Pelicans would evaluate Williams, who has received support from players, after the season. Williams was reportedly under pressure earlier this season, his fifth as coach of the Pelicans.
- The next coach of the Thunder won’t be someone with a flamboyant personality, and instead will have a blue-collar work ethic, a humble demeanor and well-known success with the clipboard, Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman writes. Whoever replaces Scott Brooks will have to embrace the “Thunder Way,” Mayberry adds. “We have a pretty clear identity of the type of person and specific vision for that role going forward,” said Thunder GM Sam Presti. Florida’s Billy Donovan is a leading candidate for the job.
Celtics Notes: Crowder, Stevens, Bass
The biggest question mark for the Celtics, Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com writes (Insider subscription required), heading into the offseason is this: Can the franchise land a star? Pelton projects the Celtics will likely have $21.1MM in cap space. The Celtics have the cap space to offer a max deal this summer while bringing others (including soon-to-be restricted free agent Jae Crowder and soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Jonas Jerebko) back, Pelton adds. In an ideal offseason, Boston would ink Kevin Love, if the big man chose to opt out of his deal with the Cavs, and also package its pair of first-round picks to move up and draft Willie Cauley-Stein as a rim protector and versatile defender, Pelton writes.
Here’s more from Beantown:
- In the same piece, Pelton writes that soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Brandon Bass will probably fill the role of a veteran who can knock down the midrange jumper for a different team after playing well for the Celtics this season.
- Crowder plays with a ton of energy, plays physical and plays with emotion, all of which makes him an ideal player for a playoff-team and someone who would help the Celtics in coming seasons, if the team were to re-sign him, Jimmy Toscano of CSNNE.com writes. Crowder, someone Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said he’d like to have back, averaged 10.8 points per game and five rebounds per game in the four games Boston lost to the Cavaliers. Boston can match any competing offers for the forward who turns 25 in July as long as they tender a qualifying offer worth only $1,181,348.
- Despite trading away their two best veterans, Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green, before the season’s midway point, the Celtics made the playoffs and that’s a credit to second-year head coach Brad Stevens, who finished fourth in NBA Coach of the Year Award balloting, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News writes. Stevens, 38, has come a long way since last year, Deveney adds. While Stevens described himself as “clueless” in his first year, scouts told Deveney that the former Butler coach is now a respected leader in the league for both his offensive system and focus on transition defense. The team consistently played hard under Stevens, who, as Deveney notes, is often praised for his even-keeled demeanor. What’s special about Stevens’ offensive system is that it runs 10 players deep, so it will be interesting what role — if any — that has in the Celtics’ offseason plans. It’s very possible Stevens’ coaching style could benefit the Celtics in that regard because, as Deveney points out, Stevens has shown an ability to adapt his style to the players he has.