Atlantic Notes: Hollins, Hinkie, Johnson
Nets GM Billy King denied a report that he’s seeking a replacement for coach Lionel Hollins, though he appeared hesitant to make any long-term promises about the coach, observes Brian Lewis of the New York Post.
“It’s funny because I think the report said it was management — and I’m management. So there was no truth to that,’’ King said to Sarah Kustok of the YES Network, as Lewis transcribes. “I’ve talked to ownership, and — right now — Lionel is our coach and we’re working to try to turn this around.”
King also told Kustok that the Nets would explore making roster moves but that the team would give the current roster a chance “until we can find another option,” notes Andy Vasquez of The Record. See more on the Nets amid the latest from the Atlantic Division:
- Brook Lopez, who re-signed with the Nets on a three-year max deal this past summer, called for stability, as Lewis relays in his piece. “We’re working on something here and we’ve had turnover year in and year out since I’ve been here. It’s tough to find continuity if you keep changing personnel,’’ Lopez said. “We have to find something that’s working for us and continue to work with the pieces we have and improve.’’
- Sam Hinkie is still Sixers GM, but the addition of Jerry Colangelo to the front office depletes his power to the point that it’s as if he’s not there anymore, a source told Tom Moore of Calkins Media. “It’s clear [Hinkie] has, for all intents and purposes, been fired,” the source said, adding that he believes Colangelo’s son Bryan Colangelo, who was once GM of the Suns and Raptors, will be involved. League executives who spoke with Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer cast doubt on the idea that Hinkie will stay with the organization much longer.
- Amir Johnson‘s positive personality, as well as his defensive versatility, are what make the Celtics offseason signee especially valuable, coach Brad Stevens said, as Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald relays.
Atlantic Notes: Hinkie, Perkins, Young
The reports that the league office and other team owners played a role in the Sixers‘ hiring of Jerry Colangelo as chairman of basketball operations are troubling and could set a bad precedent for the future, Tom Ziller of SBNation opines. The SBNation scribe also points out that many of the same owners complaining about Philadelphia’s tanking didn’t vote for lottery reform when given the opportunity, and Ziller notes that it’s likely due to those franchises hedging their bets in case they need to rebuild in that manner in the future.
Here’s more from the Atlantic:
- Outside of the Celtics trading him to the Thunder back in 2011, center Kendrick Perkins believes Danny Ainge, Boston’s president of basketball operations, has done an excellent job in rebuilding the franchise, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald writes. “[They’ve done] a great job,” said Perkins. “I can’t recall them really going through a real bad rebuilding process. It’s been steady. Like right now, when they come in, guys are really preparing for them like one of the good teams in the league. They’ve got a nice team. They’ve been playing really well. You can tell they play together like it’s a family.”
- It’s been difficult for coach Brad Stevens to find enough playing time to go around on a deep Boston squad, but the coach believes it’s just part of the Celtics‘ growing process, Bulpett notes in the same piece. “How many guys are on our team, 15?” Stevens told Bulpett. “I’ve talked to all 15 about it. It’s all part of the experience, not only of a normal team but just of our depth, especially in the frontcourt. So you just try to keep those conversations alive. The one thing that I think that these guys know, and I hope they would say this, is that my door is always open to talk.”
- Conventional wisdom will credit Sixers GM Sam Hinkie only partially, if that, should the Sixers’ rebuilding plan bear fruit now that Colangelo is on board, but Hinkie would get all the blame if the plan fails, posits Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.
- Nets combo forward Thaddeus Young has seen how quickly other players’ NBA careers have ended, and he uses that as his motivation to keep working to improve, Jessica Camerato of Basketball Insiders writes. “You see guys come and go each and every year,” Young told Camerato. “I saw how quickly it could become a situation where you don’t know if you’re going to be in the NBA, D-League or overseas. It’s definitely an eye-opening experience. You do see a lot of guys on other teams and you say, ‘Man he was good. Seeing those type of guys being able to play this game and then they’re not in the league anymore, it’s crazy.”
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Eastern Notes: Fournier, Green, Young
Evan Fournier‘s camp sought significantly more than $10MM a year in extension talks this fall, sources told Zach Lowe of ESPN.com. The Bouna Ndiaye client turned down a four-year, $32MM offer from Orlando, as Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports reported earlier. The Magic might wish they’d upped the number in their proposal, Lowe opines, believing that the team’s decision to bench former No. 2 overall pick Victor Oladipo is, at its simplest, because Fournier is a better player and better option for the Magic as a starting two guard than Oladipo is. See more from the Eastern Conference:
- Gerald Green drew criticism for his defense from Suns coach Jeff Hornacek last season, but the Heat signed him in large measure because they saw potential in him for that end of the floor, and the 29-year-old has embraced that part of the game, as Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post details. He wants to parlay his performance on a one-year, minimum-salary deal into a long-term contract with the Heat, Lieser writes. “I’m trying to find a home, and can’t Miami be my home?” he said. “That’s where my intentions are. So what is a Miami Heat requirement? To D-up. I know if I want to be here the rest of my career, [forget] offense. I gotta D up. That’s where my mind is at.”
- Frequent D-League assignee James Young had perhaps his best NBA game Monday against New Orleans, an auspicious sign for the development of last year’s 17th overall pick, and it wouldn’t have happened if not for Celtics coach Brad Stevens, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com. It was Stevens who decided to cut short Young’s latest D-League assignment Friday, believing he might need him for depth purposes with R.J. Hunter out.
- The Sixers have assigned Carl Landry and Christian Wood to the D-League, as Brian Seltzer of Sixers.com relays via Twitter. It’s a rehab assignment for Landry as he continues to make his way back from a right wrist injury, Seltzer notes, and he’s not expected to play any games for the Delaware 87ers, the Sixers affiliate, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
Atlantic Notes: Rondo, Lopez, Joseph, Williams
The breakfast meeting between Rajon Rondo and Kobe Bryant that took place a year ago hastened the trade that took Rondo out of Boston, the point guard believes, according to Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com. Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge didn’t indicate that was the case, Rondo concedes, and he wound up signing in the summer with the Kings instead of the Lakers, but Rondo still connects the breakfast and the trade, which happened two weeks apart, Forsberg notes.
“No, Danny never said anything, but I’m pretty sure that, after that, Danny thought he’d lose me for nothing at the end of the year so he made a decision and I understand that,” Rondo said.
People in the Celtics organization, including coach Brad Stevens, are glad to see Rondo playing well again, and Avery Bradley and Jared Sullinger both say their former teammate is like a brother to them, as Forsberg details. Rondo is reportedly back in play for a max deal in the summer ahead. See more from the Atlantic Division:
- One reason why Kristaps Porzingis is rebounding so well, to the tune of 12.0 per 36 minutes, is the presence of Knicks offseason signee Robin Lopez, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. “When you take a look at Robin in Portland, LaMarcus Aldridge’s rebounding numbers next to Robin were really good,” Knicks coach Derek Fisher said. “Robin does a really good job impacting his guy, boxing out and holding guys away from the basket so other players can get rebounds.’’
- Cory Joseph‘s scoring has been a positive revelation for the Raptors, observes Doug Smith of the Toronto Star, who looks at the highlights and trouble spots for the team so far. The inability of fellow free agent acquisition Bismack Biyombo to provide a reasonable facsimile for what the injured Jonas Valanciunas can do on offense helps lead to the lack of ball movement that has plagued Toronto, Smith adds.
- Deron Williams‘ shooting percentage and scoring are up, and Lionel Hollins, his former coach, attributes that to his escape from the spotlight of the New York metropolitan area, notes Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Williams gave up nearly $16MM in salary as part of a buyout of the final two years of his contract with the Nets before signing a two-year, $11MM deal with the Mavs this past offseason. “He’s played well. I said he’d play well, he’d be more comfortable out of New York,’’ Hollins said. “I said that he’d go down and play in a little different system, but mainly be out of New York and be away from the New York spotlight and expectations that were really unnatural. So I expected him to play better.’’
Atlantic Notes: Young, Okafor, Marshall, Knicks
The Celtics‘ James Young had the shortest D-League assignment of his career Friday, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. After sending him to their Maine affiliate, the Celtics decided they needed Young as insurance because of a quad injury to Avery Bradley. So Young was recalled to the NBA before he got on the plane. “I got to the airport, I got to the gate and everything, I got a phone call saying I was going to stay here,” Young said. “I was like, ‘alright.’ I had to tell people, I need my bags back. So they took it to baggage claim and I went down.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The off-court conduct of Sixers rookie Jahlil Okafor is a result of GM Sam Hinkie failing to have veteran mentors on the roster, charges Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Okafor served a two-game suspension this week that was imposed after two alleged altercations in Boston on November 25th, among other reported transgressions. Washburn criticizes Hinkie and the organization for not having someone in place to help Okafor learn about life in the NBA.
- The Sixers hope to have Kendall Marshall make his season debut in Thursday’s game against the Nets, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Marshall, recovering from a torn ACL, was recalled from the D-League on Friday, along with fellow injured point guard Tony Wroten. Wroten hopes to play 15 or 16 minutes against the Spurs Monday, Pompey also tweets.
- The Knicks are crediting changes to their training program and staff for improved health through the first month of this season, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. Since Arron Afflalo returned from a strained hamstring on November 11th, the team has had all 14 players ready for nearly every game. “That started last season — re-evaluating what we were doing, how we were doing it,” said coach Derek Fisher. “How the practices should be structured, how long they should be, offseason progress. [It was] all designed to create this environment. Everybody can be here for us and ready to play and it gives us the most chance to win.”
And-Ones: Jones, All-Stars, Draft Picks, Inglis
The Timberwolves have assigned rookie point guard Tyus Jones to the D-League, the team tweeted tonight. The former Duke star was drafted 24th overall by the Cavaliers in June and then shipped to Minnesota in a draft-night trade. He has played just 14 minutes in two games with the Wolves, with 1 point, 1 rebound and 1 assist. Minnesota officials had previously announced their intention to have Jones spend part of the year in the D-League to get more playing time. Jones will be sent to the Idaho Stampede, the affiliate of the Jazz. Wolves GM Milt Newton will address the situation Sunday, according to a tweet from the team.
There’s more from around the basketball world:
- Pistons center Andre Drummond heads a list of most likely first-time all stars compiled by Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders. With Drummond averaging more than 18 points per game and leading the league in rebounds, Brigham considers the fourth-year center a shoo-in for the February 14th contest in Toronto. Potentially joining him from the Eastern Conference are Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis, the Hornets‘ Kemba Walker, the Celtics‘ Isaiah Thomas and the Heat’s Hassan Whiteside. Brigham’s five picks for the Western squad are the Warriors‘ Draymond Green, the Spurs‘ Kawhi Leonard, the Suns‘ Eric Bledsoe and/or Brandon Knight and the Jazz’s Derrick Favors.
- LSU’s Ben Simmons looks like the clear No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft, Brigham writes in a separate story analyzing the top six contenders for that honor. Brigham cites the Australia freshman’s versatility on offense, where he possesses the skills of a point guard but the 6’10” frame of a power forward. Also on Brigham’s list are Kentucky freshman Skal Labissiere, California freshman Jaylen Brown, Duke freshman Brandon Ingram, Providence junior Kris Dunn and Utah sophomore Jakob Poeltl.
- The Bucks recalled Damien Inglis from the Canton Charge of the D-League, tweets Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. He was sent to Canton on November 22nd.
- The Raptors recalled Bruno Caboclo and Delon Wright from Raptors 905, the team tweeted today. Neither was active for today’s game with the Warriors.
Atlantic Notes: Johnson, Porzingis, D-League
A five person ESPN.com panel was asked to speculate on where Nets small forward Joe Johnson would play in 2016/17, and some members posited that the Warriors, Kings or Grizzlies could be possibilities in 2016/17, while others noted that Johnson is a prime candidate to reach a buyout arrangement with Brooklyn this season if the team were unable to trade him before the February deadline. While the panel members may not have agreed upon the specific franchise Johnson would end up with, the consensus opinion was that he most certainly would not return to Brooklyn next season.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- With the Nets franchise in disarray, the Knicks, thanks to the growing popularity of rookie Kristaps Porzingis, have a secure foothold as the No. 1 team in New York, Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News writes. Porzingis has adapted remarkably well to living and playing in the U.S., and the big man credits his brother Janis for helping prepare him, Bondy adds. “[Janis] was always thinking 10 steps ahead. When I was younger I took extra English classes just to make sure I have good English if I had the chance to play professionally. Things like that,” Porzingis said. “When I was young I was doing a lot of extra stuff for my body. Now that makes sense, all the stuff I did. At that time, I was like, ‘Why do you make me do all this stuff?’ But that just showed me how much they were preparing me for what’s coming.”
- The Raptors have assigned Bruno Caboclo and Delon Wright to their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This is Caboclo’s second trip of the season to the Raptors 905 and Wright’s third.
- Celtics swingman James Young was assigned to and recalled from the Maine Red Claws, Boston’s D-League affiliate, the team announced (Twitter links). This was the sixth trek to Maine of the 2015/16 season for Young.
Atlantic Notes: Saric, Rondo, Williams
Sixers draft-and-stash prospect Dario Saric‘s father confirmed that the forward intends to opt out of his deal with Turkey’s Anadolu Efes after the season in order to join the NBA, Vedran Modrić of Eurohopes relays (h/t to Orazio Cauchi of Sportando). Philadelphia apparently wanted to bring Saric over for 2015/16, and the player shared that desire, according to a report by international journalist David Pick, but his contract contained no escape clause for this season. Saric’s father has reportedly been pushing the Sixers away from his son, but the younger Saric has denied that his father is exerting undue influence upon him regarding his playing career.
Saric was non-committal back in June when he was asked about the possibility of him playing in the NBA in 2016/17. “Next season? I don’t know and I can’t speak about that because I don’t know yet the situation, how things are going to work out,” Saric said at the time. “I can say that I’m happy here at Efes and I’m also happy that people from Philadelphia came here and want me there. That’s all I can tell you right now. I don’t have any information or any feeling regarding what could happen. I’m just focused on the rest of the season. If I stay here or if I go to the NBA, I will be happy [either way]. I don’t know what could happen this summer or next summer. Now it’s not the time to talk about that.”
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Former Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo is thankful for all of the support he received from the team’s fanbase during his years in Boston, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com writes. “They know the game. That’s what impressed me most about being in Boston,” Rondo told Blakely. “They know the game. They appreciate it. They’re the best fans. Whenever I was out in public, they always showed me great love, great appreciation. The fans always showed love, even my first year when we lost 18 straight. They’ve been the best fans I ever played for.”
- Nets coach Lionel Hollins isn’t surprised by Deron Williams‘ solid play for the Mavericks this season, with Hollins noting that Williams needed to get away from the bright lights of New York in order to succeed, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “He’s played well. I said he’d play well, he’d be more comfortable out of New York,’’ Hollins said. “I said that he’d go down and play in a little different system, but mainly be out of New York and be away from the New York spotlight and expectations that were really unnatural. So I expected him to play better.’’
Atlantic Notes: Winslow, Johnson, Early
Heat rookie Justise Winslow is aware of the Celtics‘ reported push to move up in the 2015 NBA in order to select him, but the swingman noted that because Boston’s pick fell in the middle of the first round he had minimal pre-draft interaction with the team, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe relays. Celtics coach Brad Stevens sang the rookie’s praises when asked about Winslow’s potential, Himmelsbach adds. “He’s a super-mature kid who’s just going to get better and better,” Stevens said. “Winning’s the most important thing to him, and he’s got a high ceiling. I think he’ll do well. He’s shown that. I think you can see that whenever you have an organization like this that’s at the caliber that they have been, and they’re playing him at the end of games pretty consistently. That just tells you where he is emotionally.”
Here’s more from the Atlantic:
- The criteria that Joe Johnson finds most important as he thinks about choosing a team in free agency this coming summer is an ominous one for the woe-begotten Nets, as Andy Vasquez of The Record reveals. “Winning. Winning is going to be important to me,” Johnson told Vasquez. “I’ve made enough money, man, throughout my career. So, yeah, winning will definitely be top priority for me.”
- The Knicks have recalled Cleanthony Early from their D-League affiliate in Westchester, the team announced. This was Early’s first trip to the D-League this season.
- The Sixers anticipate point guard Tony Wroten will return to action within 8 to 10 days, but Kendall Marshall‘s rehab is going “much slower,” Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweets.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Atlantic Notes: Afflalo, ‘Melo, Okafor, Porzingis
The Knicks knew Kristaps Porzingis would perform well, but they had no idea he would burst out of the gates so spectacularly, GM Steve Mills told Zach Lowe of ESPN.com. The pick is a potential game-changer for New York, as Lowe examines. Mills said to Lowe that agents have remarked of how players “feel really good” about the Knicks but want to see the team start to win, a sentiment that Arron Afflalo understands. The shooting guard with an $8MM player option for next season contends “the city isn’t enough for people,” but is convinced for himself that the Knicks are for real, as he explained to Lowe.
“I want to finish my career here,” Afflalo said. “Having a good young player and a winning team should help us get other guys.”
Afflalo has been sold on the Knicks for a while, as he and Mills said to Lowe that the Knicks and Nuggets had trade talks last season that would have fulfilled Afflalo’s desire to go to New York even amid last season’s 17-win debacle. See more from around the Atlantic Division:
- The Celtics went after the Hornets’ pick at No. 9 with the idea of flipping it to the Knicks, along with another first-rounder, for the No. 4 overall pick, which Boston would have used to take Justise Winslow, sources told Lowe for the same piece. Boston offered Charlotte four first-rounders for the ninth pick, as Lowe reported earlier, but the Hornets refused, putting the kibosh on the scenario in which Boston would have vaulted to No. 4. The Knicks listened to the idea, Mills admits, but a deal was never close, he told Lowe.
- The Knicks have “never” thought about trading Carmelo Anthony, Mills insists to Lowe, who nonetheless hears skepticism from other teams that the subject hasn’t at least been the topic of internal discussion.
- Knicks president Phil Jackson would have drafted Jahlil Okafor over Porzingis if he had the chance, a source said to Marc Berman of the New York Post.
- Okafor’s off-court troubles are likely a shock to the Sixers, given the meticulous background checking they did before the draft on the center from Duke, a league executive told Berman for the same piece.
- Porzingis decided against working out for the Sixers but wouldn’t have been opposed to playing for them, seeing it as an opportunity to perform in a low-pressure environment and viewing Nerlens Noel as a strong frontcourt complement to his game, a source close to Porzingis said to Berman.