Atlantic Notes: Prokhorov, Celtics, Stoudemire
Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov doesn’t feel like pushing the panic button despite the team’s woeful start, as he indicated to Andy Vasquez of NorthJersey.com in an email exchange. Prokhorov is preaching patience, which is something he hasn’t shown in the past, Vasquez notes. “We have a lot of new players and quite a few younger pieces, so it takes some time for the team to gel and to show its full potential,” Prokhorov told Vasquez, adding that “I think we’ve seen some positive progress and my hope is that these efforts will soon be reflected in the wins column.”
In other news around the Atlantic Division:
- The Celtics have positioned themselves for a very bright future, as Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post analyzes in his new role as the newspaper’s national NBA columnist. GM Danny Ainge made shrewd moves in the draft and in trades to secure quality pieces like Marcus Smart, Jae Crowder and Isaiah Thomas but that’s just the start, Bontemps continues. They have the Nets’ unprotected first-round pick next summer, courtesy of the 2013 Paul Pierce–Kevin Garnett trade, with an unprotected pick swap in 2017 and another unprotected first rounder in 2018 still to come their way from the deal. They could also have more than $50MM in salary-cap space next offseason to chase high-level free agents, Bontemps adds.
- Heat power forward Amar’e Stoudemire blames his Knicks coaches for not taking advantage of his offensive skills in conjunction with Carmelo Anthony, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports. Stoudemire and Anthony wanted to run more pick-and-rolls together during Stoudemire’s years in New York but couldn’t get their coaches, namely Mike D’Antoni and Mike Woodson, to call those plays often enough, Berman continues. “I don’t think that pick-and-roll offense between Melo and I was ever taken advantage of, which we could have,” he told Berman. “The way he shoots the ball, handles the ball from the outside and the way I attack the rim, it could’ve been a pretty good combination. I don’t think the coaching staff at the time really bought into that.’’
- The Raptors have to do a better job of getting everyone on the roster up to speed with all of their plays, according to Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun. Coach Dwane Casey has become increasing reliant on his reserves, and they haven’t demonstrated that they know the plays as thoroughly as the starters, Ganter adds.
Southwest Notes: Morey, Williams, McGee, Gentry
It’s up to the players to pull the Rockets out of the malaise that cost former coach Kevin McHale his job, according to GM Daryl Morey, but Morey acknowledges to TNT’s David Aldridge that some of the fault lies at his own desk, as Aldridge relays in his Morning Tip column for NBA.com.
“Except for Dwight Howard, there really isn’t anybody on the roster playing well, and those are all my decisions,” Morey said. “I can’t hide from that.”
The Rockets won their first game after switching from McHale to interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff but lost both of their games since, and they’re tied with the Kings at 5-9 for 12th place in the Western Conference. See more from the Southwest Division:
- Chandler Parsons doesn’t understand why Deron Williams has a reputation as a negative locker room force, citing evidence of the opposite to Jake Fischer of SI.com. Wesley Matthews observes a positive attitude from Williams in the face of challenges, like the erosion of his game, a change Williams acknowledges, as Fischer adds. “My days of scoring 20 and 10 are over. I know that,” said Williams, who gave up nearly $16MM to buy his way off the Nets before signing with the Mavericks for $11MM over two years.
- The return of JaVale McGee puts the squeeze on the minutes of early-season revelation Dwight Powell, notes Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. The Mavs have until January 7th to decide whether to pay McGee his full salary of $1.27MM or waive him and pay only his $750K partial guarantee.
- Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry was satisfied as the lead assistant for the Warriors last season and didn’t think he’d end up with another head coaching job until New Orleans came calling, observes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. “I was not going to take a job just to have a job as a head coach unless it was a situation that I thought was going to give you an opportunity to win and win big and compete for a championship,” Gentry said. “I really didn’t have any desire just to take another NBA job.”
Atlantic Notes: Smart, Carroll, Vaulet, Okafor
Celtics coach Brad Stevens admits that a return in two weeks for Marcus Smart from his lower left leg injury is the most optimistic timetable, and a doctor unaffiliated with the Celtics or Smart who spoke to Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com believes a more likely period of recovery is four to six weeks. The C’s have a deep stable of point guards, but none of them can defend the way Smart can, as Forsberg examines. The Celtics are one of a surprising 11 Eastern Conference teams with winning records thus far, so it would appear they face a more daunting path back to the playoffs than expected. See more from the Atlantic Division:
- Injuries have contributed to some sluggishness in Toronto’s play to start the season, but with offseason signees DeMarre Carroll, Cory Joseph and Luis Scola all coming through when they’re on the floor, the 9-6 Raptors haven’t disappointed this season, argues Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. Jonas Valanciunas, who signed a four-year, $64MM extension this summer, was also in top-notch form, Lewenberg observes, before suffering the broken hand that’s reportedly expected to keep him out for six weeks.
- Nets draft-and-stash prospect Juan Vaulet believes he has a long way to go before he’s ready for the NBA, but the owner of the Argentinian team Vaulet plays for wouldn’t object to Vaulet coming stateside in spite of their contract, reports Fernando Rodriguez of La Nueva (translation via NetsDaily).
- Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel each do much better when the other isn’t on the court, as Chad Ford and Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com examine in an Insider-only piece, leading Ford to speculate that the Sixers might trade Okafor this season, given his relatively high value around the league.
Atlantic Notes: Nets-Celtics Deal, Bradley, Caboclo
The future looks vastly different for the Nets and Celtics two years after the eight-player deal that brought Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Brooklyn, according to Chris Forsberg and Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com. The key to the trade for Boston was a parcel of draft picks that included the Nets’ unprotected first-rounders in 2014, 2016 and 2018, along with the option to swap first-round picks in 2017. As a result, the 7-5 Celtics are looking at a draft bonanza over the next three seasons, while the 2-11 Nets must focus on free agency to have any shot at rebuilding. Mazzeo notes that Brooklyn GM Billy King is in the final year of his contract, and Nets fans are worried that if he stays with the team next summer, he will spend a possible $40MM in cap space on lesser free agents if he doesn’t land Kevin Durant or Mike Conley. Forsberg speculates that Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge may be willing to trade the Nets’ 2016 pick to acquire an impact player for this season.
There’s more news from the Atlantic Division:
- Brooklyn coach Lionel Hollins told Brian Robb of CBSBoston.com that he doesn’t dwell on the traded picks and believes the Nets can be successful without them. “I think more importantly it’s what we do daily, the foundation that we lay,” Hollins said. “There’s always second-round picks that are bought. There’s always second-round picks that are traded.”
- Four productive games off the bench have the Celtics thinking about keeping Avery Bradley in that role, Forsberg writes in a separate story. Bradley has been a starter in Boston for the past three seasons, but switched to a reserve role earlier this month while returning from a calf injury. “I’m not thinking,” Bradley said about the difference in coming off the bench. “Even if I did happen to go back to the starting lineup or whatever, I just need to continue to just play hard. That’s the most important thing for all of us. I feel like the best way to play basketball is without thinking. That’s when we are all at our best.”
- Bruno Caboclo, whom Toronto took with the 20th pick in the 2014 NBA draft, is considered a franchise player for the Raptors‘ new D-League squad, according to Michael Grange of SportsNet. The 20-year-old Brazilian appeared in just eight games for Toronto last season but is getting attention with his play for Raptors 905.
Offseason In Review: Brooklyn Nets
Hoops Rumors is in the process of looking back at each team’s offseason, from the end of the playoffs in June right up until opening night. Trades, free agent signings, draft picks, contract extensions, option decisions, camp invitees and more will be covered as we examine the moves each franchise made over the last several months.
Signings
- Andrea Bargnani: Two years, $2.9MM. Signed via minimum salary exception. Second year is a player option.
- Ryan Boatright: Two years, $1.4MM. Signed via minimum salary exception. First year includes $75K in partially guaranteed salary and the second year is non-guaranteed. Waived.
- Wayne Ellington: Two years, $3MM. Signed via taxpayer’s mid-level exception. Second year is a player option.
- Shane Larkin: Two years, $3MM. Signed via taxpayer’s mid-level exception. Second year is a player option.
- Brook Lopez: Three years, $63MM. Signed via Bird rights.
- Willie Reed: One-year, $947K. Signed via minimum salary exception. Includes partial guarantee of $500K.
- Thomas Robinson: Two years, $2MM. Signed via minimum salary exception. Second year is a player option.
- Donald Sloan: One year, $947K. Signed via minimum salary exception. Includes partial guarantee of $50K.
- Thaddeus Young: Four years, $50MM. Signed via Bird rights. Fourth season is a player option.
Extensions
- None
Trades
- Acquired the rights to 2015 No. 23 overall pick Rondae-Hollis Jefferson and Steve Blake from the Trail Blazers in exchange for Mason Plumlee and the rights to Pat Connaughton, the 41st overall pick in the 2015 Draft.
- Acquired Quincy Miller from the Pistons in exchange for Blake. Miller was subsequently waived.
Waiver Claims
- None
Draft Picks
- Chris McCullough (Round 1, 29th overall). Signed via rookie exception to rookie scale contract.
Camp Invitees
Departing Players
Rookie Contract Option Decisions
- Sergey Karasev (fourth year, $2,463,754) — Declined.
The Nets as a franchise are still recovering from their ill-advised attempt to win a title by going all-in on an aging roster that never gelled. The aging group of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry, Joe Johnson and Deron Williams won a total of one playoff series for Brooklyn during their tenure, and they cost the franchise numerous future first-round picks to assemble, which will serve to make the team’s current rebuilding process especially daunting. While I appreciate the verve the Nets had in shooting for the stars, the franchise has been set back years as a result.
Brooklyn is attempting to move on and pick up the pieces as best it can. All of the players from the ill-advised Boston deal are gone, as is Deron Williams, whom the Nets waived via the stretch provision this offseason, ending his difficult and disappointing tenure with the team. The point guard was acquired to anchor the franchise, as well as to drum up extra interest in the team since the Nets, moving from New Jersey to Brooklyn, desired to make a dent in the Knicks’ hold over New York basketball fans. Injuries, a questionable work ethic and an occasionally combative attitude toward coaching sunk Williams, reducing him to a shell of the player he was while with the Jazz. Waiving Williams will cost the team $5,474,787 per season through 2019/20, but with the salary cap rising next season the team shouldn’t feel the sting that much. Plus, all parties are better served by breaking up and moving on.
Entering this offseason, the Nets’ plan was relatively straightforward. The team wanted to get younger, cheaper and to work its way from out of the pile of player-friendly deals that it had committed to with less than successful results. Depending on your perception of the values of Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young, the team was relatively successful at achieving this goal over the offseason.
Lopez, who had been the subject of copious trade rumors involving the Thunder for the better part of the 2013/14 campaign, is one of the top offensive-minded centers in the game, but he remains a constant injury concern, having missed a combined 160 contests over the past four seasons. But inking the 27-year-old to a three-year pact will temper the risk the franchise is taking, and the escalating salary cap will also serve to provide some breathing room for the front office, not only to try and build the roster around Lopez, but also to find a suitable fill-in if the big man were to miss significant time in the future due to injury. I’m not quite sure Lopez is worth an average annual salary of $21MM, given his less-than-stellar defense and merely adequate rebounding, but such are the economics of today’s game. Plus, he’s a player the Nets could ultimately not afford to lose, especially given their lack of future draft picks.
With the Nets unable to go after the top names on the free agent market this offseason, retaining their own players became paramount for the team if it wished to have any chance at remaining competitive in 2015/16. That mindset clearly influenced the team’s negotiations with Lopez, as well as unrestricted free agent combo forward Thaddeus Young. Young is a solid complementary player who hasn’t had the opportunity to play alongside much talent over the course of his career, and he remains underrated as a result. Young isn’t a franchise-altering talent, but if utilized the proper way, he can be a solid producer and valuable rotation piece. His four-year, $50MM deal, which includes a player option for the final season, is a fair one based on today’s market, though he’s destined to be a productive player on what are likely to be some lousy Brooklyn teams the next few seasons.
The team supplemented the signings of Young and Lopez with a number of smaller deals for players who aren’t likely to do more than fill a roster slot for the near future. Brooklyn added oft-injured power forward Andrea Bargnani, under-performing shooting guard Wayne Ellington, reserve playmaker Donald Sloan, combo forward Thomas Robinson, as well as promising young point guard Shane Larkin this offseason. I do like the addition of Larkin, a player who in the right system could be successful in the NBA. With Williams gone and Jarrett Jack the starter, the Nets need to improve at the one spot, and Larkin may offer a glimmer of hope in that regard, though his ceiling is likely of a solid reserve, and not a starting-caliber guard.
Brooklyn also took to the trade market this summer in an effort to reshape its roster, dealing away promising young big man Mason Plumlee to the Blazers in exchange for the draft rights to Arizona defensive whiz Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. This was a risky but interesting move by the team. Plumlee is a talented big who has the potential to be a breakout player, but he wasn’t a favorite of coach Lionel Hollins, and he will be better served by a change of scenery. But for the Nets to deal away their best option in the event that Lopez goes down again may invite some second guessing at some point down the line.
If the team did have to part ways with Plumlee, adding an uber-athletic wing who can defend multiple positions like Hollis-Jefferson was a solid move for the future. Likewise the team taking a chance on injured Syracuse power forward Chris McCullough with the No. 29 overall pick in this year’s draft. McCullough is extremely raw, with only 16 games of college experience under his belt, and some level of uncertainty exists about how well he’ll recover from the torn ACL he suffered last season. But if he is able to make a full recovery, the Nets landed themselves a player who had lottery potential at the bottom of the first round.
The Nets also needed to make a decision regarding Sergey Karasev‘s fourth year rookie scale option, and they elected not to exercise it. Karasev underwent season-ending surgery on his right knee in March, but he was ready in time for the start of this season. The 22-year-old nonetheless hasn’t been an integral part of the team’s rotation, and the Nets’ decision to decline the option despite their need to retain players says a lot about how the team values the Russian’s services. Rumors of his desire for a trade aren’t entirely surprising.
This is likely going to be a lost season for the franchise and its fanbase. The team likely improved its overall chemistry by parting ways with Williams, and it managed to tread water talent-wise by retaining Lopez and Young, though I doubt anyone would argue that this year’s Brooklyn squad is an improvement over last season’s. The team added some intriguing young pieces in McCullough and Hollis-Jefferson, whom the Nets desperately need to pan out, given their lack of draft picks and tradeable assets. The light on the horizon is that Brooklyn could have in the neighborhood of $40MM in cap space next summer, though it remains to be seen how attractive a free agent destination the team will be after what is likely to be a soul-crushing 2015/16 campaign.
The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.
Sergey Karasev Wants Nets To Trade Him?
FRIDAY, 10:22am: Karasev said today that he doesn’t want a trade and hasn’t asked for one, tweets Brian Lewis of the New York Post. He added that he “loves” the Nets, that he respects the opinion of his father but doesn’t share it, and that he’s spoken to Hollins about his father’s criticism of the coach, Lewis also notes (Twitter links). Hollins told Karasev not to worry about it.
THURSDAY, 12:49pm: Sergey Karasev wants the Nets to trade him, as his father said in an interview with Russia’s SovSport and as a league source confirms to NetsDaily. The Nets declined their team option on the fourth year of his rookie scale contract earlier this month, setting him up for unrestricted free agency in the summer ahead. His father said the swingman has begun to talk about trade scenarios, as NetsDaily relays from its translation of the SovSport report, but it’s unclear if he or agent Andy Miller has discussed the issue with Nets management.
Karasev, 22, has played just six total minutes across three games so far this season. His father blasted the Nets and coach Lionel Hollins for his scant playing time, pointing to his full recovery from a right knee injury that prematurely ended last season and wondering if “political” issues are at play, NetsDaily notes. Karasev and Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov are both Russian.
Any team that trades for Karasev this year wouldn’t be able to re-sign him to a contract that gives him more than $2,463,754 next season, the value of the option that the Nets declined. His father acknowledged the possibility that Karasev will play in his native Russia come 2016/17, following in the footsteps of Russia’s Alexey Shved, who signed a deal worth $10.2MM over three years with Khimki Moscow this past summer that made him the highest-paid player in Europe, NetsDaily adds.
The Cavs originally drafted Karasev in 2013, and he played sparingly as a rookie, averaging 1.7 points in 7.1 minutes per game across 22 appearances. Cleveland shipped him to the Nets in a three-team trade that cleared the cap space necessary for the team to sign LeBron James in the summer of 2014. Hollins gave Karasev the starting nod in 16 of the 33 games he played last season, a year in which he posted 4.6 points in 16.8 minutes per contest with just 29.6% shooting from behind the arc.
It would be tough for the Nets to pull off a trade any time in the next four weeks, since most of the players who signed new contracts in the offseason won’t be eligible for inclusion in trades until December 15th. That doesn’t directly apply to Karasev, since he didn’t sign a deal this past summer, but finding other components for a swap prior to the middle of next month would likely prove troublesome. So, that ostensibly gives the Nets some time to try to repair their relationship with Karasev if they’re interested in doing so.
Which team do you think should try to swing a deal for Karasev? Leave a comment to let us know.
Atlantic Notes: Joseph, McHale, D-League
Cory Joseph has exceeded all expectations that the Raptors had for him when they inked him to a four-year, $30MM deal this offseason, Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca writes. “When you do these things, you try to get good players and you try to figure out,” said GM Masai Ujiri of Joseph. “You do your scouting, you do your analytics, and you try to figure out if the team will fit together. But honestly, until they start playing, we [don’t know]. When we looked at it, we tried to look at two-way players who bring us some kind of toughness and that’s what he is. He’s a two-way player that will pick up the ball full court and put pressure on opposing guards. He knows how to fight people and make people better and score a little bit too. So you hope that it translates to the basketball court.”
Coach Dwane Casey is also a fan of Joseph’s, but he also admits the play of the 24-year-old playmaker has exceeded expectation, Lewenberg adds. “He has [been a pleasant surprise],” said Casey. “His energy, his toughness wasn’t a surprise but it’s really been glaring. He’s really filled in. I didn’t know how much we could play the two [point] guards together but he plays bigger than he is. He’s not the typical point guard, he can guard twos, he can get down there and wrestle with some threes. If he gets switched off he gets into the big guys’ knees and boxes them out. So he is better than expected.”
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge would like to bring former teammate and fired Rockets coach Kevin McHale to the Celtics in some capacity, even if it’s just in a consultant’s role, Ainge told Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. The Mavericks are also interested, league sources said to Marc Stein of ESPN.com.
- The Nets have respect for the coaching of Randy Ayers, whom they recently hired as a scout, though team officials say the organization doesn’t regard him as a coach-in-waiting in case Lionel Hollins is fired, reports Chris Mannix of SI.com.
- The Celtics have assigned Jordan Mickey, Terry Rozier and James Young to the D-League, the team announced (Twitter link).
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Eastern Notes: Knight, Porter, Jackson
Bucks coach Jason Kidd discussed why the team dealt Brandon Knight to the Suns last season, and noted that the reasoning was purely financial, with Milwaukee not wanting to have two max salary players in its backcourt, Charles F. Gardner of The Journal-Sentinel writes. “I wouldn’t say we gave up a lot,” Kidd said. “He [Knight] was having a great season, and he’s having a great season this year. But it wasn’t we gave up Brandon. We had a decision to make between our backcourt. It wasn’t Klay Thompson or Stephen Curry. We weren’t going to max out our backcourt. As an organization, we had a decision to make, and we made it.” The Bucks re-signed Khris Middleton this summer to a five-year, $70MM deal, while Knight re-signed with Phoenix for the same terms.
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- The Wizards are gaining trust in young small forward Otto Porter, and his playing time has increased as a result, J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic.com writes. It’s Porter’s ability to do the little things as well as make his teammates around him better that has impressed the team, Michael adds. “He does a great job of pushing the pace. He’s comfortable putting the ball on the floor and making plays for other people,” John Wall said of Porter. “Always going to be averaging around nine or 10 rebounds because he’s always in the right position at the right time. He’s always in helpside defense. He’s does the little things on the basketball court that people don’t get noticed for.”
- Knicks president Phil Jackson has not been more involved with the team this campaign despite his offseason statement indicating that he intended to take a more active role, notes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. “Maybe a couple times earlier in training camp, we had some kind of sat down and talked about some things visually at the same time. So far, it’s our typical mornings-after-the-game conversations or email exchanges,” coach Derek Fisher told Bondy. “Sometimes before practice we’ll visit for a few minutes. But not really any hardcore film sessions together. Although when those opportunities do present themselves, I’ll definitely be happy to participate.”
- Joe Johnson is struggling to find other ways to help the Nets as he deals with the cumulative effects of age and injuries, and the veteran has gone from a scoring threat to more of a facilitator in the team’s offense, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com writes. “People make such a big thing about him being such a dominant scorer, but being his teammate these past two years, he’s such a willing passer.” Jarrett Jack said of Johnson. “Joe being selfless enough to make those plays and take advantage of those opportunities speaks volumes about him as a person and a player.”
And-Ones: Fisher, Vaulet, Rasheed, Huestis
Derek Fisher admits to feeling more comfort as a coach this season, though Knicks team president Phil Jackson hasn’t been working more closely with Fisher, as Jackson said before the season that he would. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News has the details.
“Maybe a couple times earlier in training camp, we had some kind of sat down and talked about some things visually at the same time. So far, it’s our typical mornings-after-the-game conversations or email exchanges,” Fisher said. “Sometimes before practice we’ll visit for a few minutes. But not really any hardcore film sessions together. Although when those opportunities do present themselves, I’ll definitely be happy to participate.”
The Knicks are 6-6, a significant improvement on last season’s 17-65 mark, though Fisher cautions that .500 isn’t the team’s goal. See more from around the NBA:
- Draft-and-stash prospect Juan Vaulet is pleased that the Nets own his NBA rights, citing the way team doctors cared for the stress fracture in his leg, as he said in an interview with ESPN Argentina earlier this month (YouTube link), as NetsDaily relays. Still, the 6’6″, 19-year-old Argentian, who fashions himself a point guard, believes he’s a ways off from signing to play in the NBA.
- Rasheed Wallace, Al Harrington and Keyon Dooling are among the 60 players who’ve so far committed to The Champions League, an upstart minor league circuit with plans to play in the summers beginning in 2016, USA Today’s Sam Amick reports. The league intends to pay annual player salaries that average around $200K, league chairman and CEO Carl George told Amick.
- The Thunder have assigned Josh Huestis to the D-League, the team announced via press release. It’s the second trip to the D-League this season for the small forward, who averaged just 7.0 points in 28.4 minutes per game across two appearances in his first D-League stint this year.
Atlantic Notes: Stauskas, Lopez, Galloway
Sixers trade acquisition Nik Stauskas, not far removed from having become the eighth overall pick in 2014, is still struggling to become the sort of dead-eye 3-point shooter in the NBA that he was in college. His minutes shrunk in Monday’s game, but even as coach Brett Brown insists he’s sticking by him, “If you fall out of the raft, you have to participate in your own rescue,” Brown said, according to Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News.
“He [Stauskas] knows this,” Brown continued. “This coaching staff loves that kid and he has got a green light to go play and play fearlessly, and we will help him. He just happens to be missing shots right now, and it can’t creep into his defense, which is the area that upsets me the most. So right now he’s swimming, and you have to swim hard. Nobody is going to scold him and bench him right now. He’s going to play, and we’re going to help him move forward. But it is a case of participating in your own rescue, and it’s in him. We need it to be in him. It’s all about being a two-way player.”
See more on the Sixers amid the latest from the Atlantic Division:
- Nets are a woeful 1-9, but they’ve challenged in many of their losses and Brook Lopez believes that unlike during their rough patches last season, the team remains engaged, observes Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “We haven’t had guys quitting — it definitely doesn’t feel like other previous seasons where we had a losing season and losing mentality to go with it,” Lopez said in part. “We have a positive group.”
- The Knicks spent heavily on Robin Lopez, Arron Afflalo, Kyle O’Quinn and Derrick Williams and drafted a new point guard in Jerian Grant, but none are scoring as much as Langston Galloway, who’s third on the team with 11.4 points per game, notes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “Everybody gets an opportunity. Can you capitalize on it? Then once you capitalize on it, can you continue?” Knicks coach Derek Fisher said. “Langston’s doing so. And it’s impressive because it’s not easy to do. It really requires a commitment and a discipline that’s not easy to maintain.”
- The Sixers have a decent chance to add four lottery picks to the lineup at the start of next season, if Joel Embiid gets healthy, Dario Saric signs, and the Lakers miss the playoffs but fail to land a pick within the protected top-three range on the draft choice they owe Philadelphia, notes Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. That shows the wisdom of GM Sam Hinkie‘s plan, Kennedy opines. To keep track of the Lakers’ pick and the Sixers’ own selection, keep tabs on our Reverse Standings, which will be updated daily.