Community Shootaround: Zaza Pachulia
The player on the Warriors that everyone is talking about right now isn’t named Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant or Draymond Green. Rather, journeyman center Zaza Pachulia has been thrust into the spotlight in an unflattering manner.
Spurs star Kawhi Leonard injured his already tender left ankle during the third quarter in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals when Pachulia moved into Leonard’s landing spot after Leonard released a jump shot. Leonard did not return, which turned into a game-changing development. Golden State was able to wipe out a 25-point deficit and escape with a victory, something that probably wouldn’t have happened if Leonard had landed cleanly and remained in the game. Leonard is likely to miss Game 2 and his status for the remainder of the series is questionable.
Afterward, the Spurs’ franchise player was diplomatic and didn’t criticize Pachulia for the way he closed out defensively. Coach Gregg Popovich expressed a totally different viewpoint on Monday, ripping Pachulia for a “totally unnatural” act and said Pachulia has a history of careless and dangerous plays. Popovich added that it didn’t matter whether Pachulia intended to harm Leonard, comparing him to a driver who commits manslaughter because he or she was texting at the time.
Community Shootaround: Patty Mills
The 2016/17 campaign brought a changing of the guard on the Spurs. Tony Parker may have started 63 games for the club, but Patty Mills earned the distinction of best point guard on the team this season with his accurate 3-point stroke and his ability to create offense for his teammates.
How long Mills reigns with that unofficial title depends on the front office. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and he’ll have no shortage of suitors once his camp begins to take meetings.
Coach Gregg Popovich doesn’t want to make a big deal of Mills’ play. “I don’t want to talk too much about Patty Mills because the more good things I say, the more we’re going to have to pay him,” Pop said (via Michael Lee of The Vertical).
The Spurs have roughly $73MM on the books for the 2017/18 campaign against a projected $101MM salary cap. The team could offer Mills a sizable deal, but that would preclude them from making a big splash in free agency.
What do you think? What kind of deal should the Spurs offer Mills and if he decides to go elsewhere, which rival team would make a good fit for the Australian point guard?
Let us know what you think in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!
Community Shootaround: James Harden’s Endurance
After a 39-point loss in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Spurs, Rockets‘ point guard James Harden has been scrutinized for his poor performance in the series-clinching game. Harden posted just 10 points on 2-of-11 shooting with six turnovers, one game after he posted similar totals of 10 points (3-of-11 shooting) and six turnovers in the second half and overtime of a 110-107 loss in Game 5.
Harden enjoyed a historic regular season, averaging 29.1 points, 11.2 assists and 8.1 rebounds per game. He is in the conversation for the Most Valuable Player award with fellow point guard Russell Westbrook, who became the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double for an entire season. Now, looking back at Harden’s two clunkers, fatigue from a strenuous season may have set in.
Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni said in his exit interview with reporters, including ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, that perhaps resting Harden more next season will keep him sharper.
“All great players think they can do everything,” D’Antoni said. “Maybe he does need to take a game off here and there. ‘Hey, you’re nicked up a little bit, don’t play, maybe.’ Something to talk about, but that’s also his greatness, too. So it’s hard. It’s very delicate.”
Harden played in 81 regular season games, his third consecutive season of at least 81 games. If Harden’s playoff games over the last three years are added, he has played in 277 total games. Both D’Antoni and general manager Daryl Morey indicated that getting Harden, who turns 28 in August, more rest will be a goal next season.
“The offense will get better,” D’Antoni added.“I can get him off the ball some. I can save his legs a little bit and have more confidence [in other ball handlers]. Pat Beverley can run the team a little bit. We can do different things.”
That leaves a few things to be considered: Was fatigue to blame in Harden’s poor Game 5 and Game 6 outings or was it just a few off nights? Also, does it makes sense for the Rockets to rest him more frequently next season despite his tremendous offensive production?
Share your thoughts on Harden in the comments section below!
Community Shootaround: Kyle Lowry And The Sixers
Kyle Lowry didn’t officially announce until this week that he would be turning down his 2017/18 player option in order to sign a new, longer-term – and more lucrative – contract. However, the decision had long been expected, and much of the speculation on Lowry’s potential destination in recent months has centered on the idea of a homecoming.
While the Raptors, who can offer more years and more dollars than any other suitor, are still considered the favorites to sign Lowry this summer, the Sixers will have plenty of cap room at their disposal and don’t necessarily have a long-term solution at point guard. Throw in the fact that Lowry is a Philadelphia native, and that the Sixers are being run by former Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo, and it’s easy to connect the dots.
Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer made the case today for a union between the Sixers and Lowry, and Pompey’s report isn’t based entirely on speculation. The Inquirer reporter cited sources who have suggested that Lowry has been interested in playing for his hometown team “for some time.” Similarly, sources “have always said” that the Sixers intend to make Lowry a competitive contract offer this summer, according to Pompey.
While there’s a compelling case in favor of the Sixers seriously pursuing Lowry, there’s also plenty of reason to believe it won’t happen. Besides the fact that the Raptors head into free agency with the upper hand in negotiations, the Sixers and Lowry may not be looking for the same things this offseason, as Marcus Hayes of The Philadelphia Daily News argued this week.
While the Sixers haven’t found a long-term solution at point guard, they may have one on the roster already, as the team has announced its intentions to try No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons at that position this summer and fall. If Simmons can handle running the point and is better suited to that spot than a forward role, it may not make sense to bring in Lowry on a long-term deal.
Meanwhile, from Lowry’s perspective, the Sixers may be a little further from contention than he’d like. The All-Star point guard would certainly help Philadelphia become a legit playoff contender, particularly if Simmons, Joel Embiid, and Dario Saric are all healthy next season. But Lowry said in his exit interview this week that getting a championship ring is his top priority — Philadelphia still looks multiple years away from developing into a team of that caliber.
What do you think? If the Raptors and Lowry can’t work something out, would Philadelphia make sense as a landing spot, or is the fit not quite right? If not the Raptors or the Sixers, which team do you think signs Lowry this summer?
Jump into the comments section below to share your thoughts!
Community Shootaround: Western Finals
Thus far, the playoffs have been full steam ahead for the Warriors and Cavaliers. A third straight clash in the NBA Finals seems almost inevitable, given that neither has lost a game yet this postseason.
The Eastern Conference semifinal matchup between the Wizards and Celtics has been entertaining, particularly the point guard showdown between John Wall and Isaiah Thomas. Regardless of which club prevails in that series, it’s tough to see either one taking more than one or two games from the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving are playing at peak efficiency, with only the star-laden Warriors seemingly capable of slowing them down.
It’s safe to say Golden State will take care of business and dispose of the Jazz as early as this evening. The Warriors’ opponent in the next round is still very much in doubt. The Rockets-Spurs series has lived up to its billing, with each team showed it’s capable of dominating the other. The Rockets crushed the Spurs in San Antonio during Game 1 with their high-powered attack. The Spurs turned up the defensive intensity and cruised to victory in Game 2, then posted another double-digit win in Game 3 at Houston. The Rockets responded in Game 4 on Sunday with 19 made 3-pointers and buried the Spurs.
It could very take seven games to decide that series, and while either would be a major underdog against Golden State, a Western Conference Finals upset is not as far-fetched as Cleveland failing to represent the East in the Finals. The Warriors would have to face another team with plenty of firepower to match their offensive weapons if the Rockets outlast the Spurs. Golden State would have to deal with San Antonio’s teamwork, experience and savvy if the Spurs get through the conference semifinals.
That brings us to our Community Shootaround question of the day: Which team would give the Warriors a tougher battle in the conference finals — the Rockets or Spurs? And why?
Please take the comments section and share your thoughts on this subject. We look forward to what you have to say.
Community Shootaround: Raptors’ Free Agents
As the Cavaliers attempt to complete a sweep of the Raptors in Toronto, the Raps could be experiencing their final moments with Kyle Lowry, P.J. Tucker, Serge Ibaka, and Patrick Patterson playing north of the border.
Lowry, in particular, likely won’t go out on a high note, having missed Games 3 and 4 due to a left ankle sprain. The 31-year-old was also sidelined for 18 games due to right wrist surgery toward the end of the 2016/17 campaign, so he enters free agency as a dynamic guard who is north of 30, coming off an injury-riddled season.
Still, Lowry has averaged 18.2 PPG, 6.8 APG, and 4.7 RPG over the past five seasons in Toronto, racking up three consecutive All-Star appearances. Also, the Villanova University product set career-highs in PPG (22.4) and RPG (4.8) while adding solid totals in APG (7.0) through 60 games this season. Premium facilitators are coveted in today’s game and Lowry has been one of the game’s best at his position.
After spending his first seven seasons with the Thunder, Ibaka split 2016/17 between the Magic and Raptors. Ibaka is regarded as one of the NBA’s premier defenders and while his blocks have seen a drop, his RPG (6.8) were identical to last season and he posted his best PPG total (14.8) since 2013/14. Still just 27 years old without a history of serious injuries, the versatile swingman will be plenty popular on the market.
Much like Ibaka, Tucker was a trade deadline acquisition, but was acquired more for his defensive intensity and rebounding. With 11 professional seasons under his belt at 32 years old, Tucker figures to draw interest as a solid reserve, a role he has excelled in since returning to the NBA in 2012/13. In 81 games between the Suns and Raptors this season, Tucker posted totals of 6.7 PPG and 5.8 RPG.
Finally, Patterson has — just like Tucker — been a solid role player in recent seasons, the last three-and-a-half as a member of the Raptors. This season, Patterson averaged 6.8 PPG and 4.5 RPG through 65 games (eight starts). At 28, he still has relative youth on his side and will have no shortage of suitors.
With four departures there are major questions to be answered: Will the Raptors let Lowry walk and lose All-Star level production from a position of strength? Is Ibaka worth a long-term investment? Also, will Toronto be willing to pay above average salaries to career reserves who contribute solid, yet unspectacular, numbers?
Share your thoughts on the Raptors’ offseason outlook in the comments section below!
Community Shootaround: Coach/Executives
Part of today’s rumored shakeup in Atlanta includes the possibility that coach/executive Mike Budenholzer could give up his title as president of basketball operations.
Budenholzer has spent four seasons in Atlanta, improving dramatically from 38-44 in his first year to 60-22 in his second. The Hawks regressed to 48 wins last season and 43 this year, leading many to speculate that the organization might be better off with Budenholzer as a full-time coach.
It reopens the debate of whether it’s a good idea to give a head coach a role in the front office. In addition to Budenholzer, there are only four others right now who hold both titles: Doc Rivers with the Clippers, Stan Van Gundy with the Pistons, Tom Thibodeau with the Timberwolves and Gregg Popovich with the Spurs.
Obviously, Popovich has been very successful with his dual responsibilities, and Rivers has helped make the Clippers a perennial playoff team. Thibodeau’s first season in Minnesota was disappointing, while Van Gundy is 113-133 with just one playoff appearance in his three years in Detroit.
During a season-ending press conference today in Los Angeles, Rivers defended the idea of having one person handle both roles. There has been talk that he may be relieved of his front office duties this summer.
“It is hard, that’s why I hired [VP of basketball operations] Lawrence [Frank]“ Rivers said. “People don’t realize [Popovich] has been the president a long time. Clearly, it can be done but you’ve got to have great help. [General manager] R.C. Buford and that entire staff does. Pop really coaches the team. He’s involved. That’s the same system we’re at. I hear that it’s hard to do both. I’m doing the same thing. We’ve hired a million people. Half of them, I’m still learning their names. Lawrence is running the team in that way, but I’m still the president. I really believe more now that it’s a good way of doing it.”
Do you agree with Rivers that the coach/executive concept can work, or is it a better strategy to separate the responsibilities? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.
Community Shootaround: Favorite Pierce Moment
When the Clippers fell to the Jazz in Game 7 of their first-round series the legendary, 19-year career of former Celtics forward Paul Pierce officially came to an end. The man had made no secret of the fact that the 2016/17 campaign would be his final campaign in the NBA.
For nearly two decades Pierce routinely established himself as one of the game’s deadliest offensive weapons in the clutch, decorating his resume with a laundry list of accomplishments along the way.
Although he was the 2008 Finals MVP when the C’s knocked off the Lakers in an instant classic battle, it’s the endurance and longevity that he showed throughout his time in the league that stands out the most.
A Top 20 all-time scorer with 26,397 total points, Pierce showed up year in and year out to lead Boston’s offense. From 1998-2013, Pierce averaged 21.8 points per game all while wearing Celtics green.
Though not quite as memorable as his legacy with the C’s franchise, Pierce also reaffirmed his spot in NBA history by emerging as a critical factor in postseason appearances with the Nets and Wizards.
Simply put, there’s no denying that Pierce was an icon of his generation and an exemplary pro. Where there may be some debate, however, is what Pierce story or chapter stands out as the most memorable.
Was it the late-nineties dynamic duo he formed along with Antoine Walker? His incredible return to the court at age 22 after being stabbed in a nightclub? His brief tenure as a Raptor killer in the twilight of his career? The back-to-back Finals battle with the Lakers? The Infamous Wheelchair Incident of 2008?
Sure, there are too many to choose from, but we’re going to ask you to do it anyway.
We’ll miss you Truth.
Community Shootaround: Dwight Howard
After slipping from 60 wins and a spot in the Eastern Conference finals in 2014/15 to 48 wins and a second-round playoff ouster last season, the Hawks knew they needed an impact move.
They gave Dwight Howard $70.5MM over three years to come to Atlanta, but the early results aren’t encouraging. The Hawks slipped to 43-39 and were eliminated in the first round tonight by Washington.
More disturbing is the fact that Howard barely made an impact in the series. He averaged 26.8 minutes per night through the first five games as the Hawks increasingly leaned on a smaller lineup. He saw just 22 minutes of action in tonight’s closeout game and never left the bench in the fourth quarter.
If there’s good news for Atlanta, it’s that Howard seems to have gotten over his recent history of back issues. He appeared in 74 regular season games, averaging 13.5 points and 12.7 rebounds and giving the Hawks the interior presence they were hoping for.
The bad news is that Howard eats up a ton of cap room over the next two seasons, making $23.5MM next year and more than $23.8MM in 2018/19. All-Star forward Paul Millsap is very likely to opt out this summer. If he re-signs with Bird rights, the Hawks will have about $14MM to spend in the free agent market. If Millsap leaves, Atlanta will have to rebuild around Howard, Dennis Schroder and a very young roster.
That brings us to tonight’s question: Did Atlanta make a mistake in signing Howard? Considering the NBA’s trend toward floor spacing and away from traditional big men, could that money have been put to better use? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.
Community Shootaround: Blake Griffin
With the Clippers on the verge of elimination, the franchise is moving closer to addressing the tough decisions it will face this summer. J.J. Redick is definitely headed toward free agency, and Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are almost certain to opt out and join him, leaving owner Steve Ballmer to decide how much it’s worth to keep the current team together.
A recent report suggests that a five-year extension for Paul is a done deal. Redick is a valuable starter, but not a franchise-altering player. So L.A.’s most important choice will be what to do about Griffin.
At age 28, Griffin remains one of the most talented power forwards in the league. He averaged 21.6 points per game this season, topping the 20-point threshold for the sixth time in his seven NBA seasons. He’s a five-time All-Star who will be among the biggest draws on the open market.
But re-signing Griffin won’t be a slam-dunk decision. Injuries, behavior and finances will all factor in, as will the Clippers’ long string of playoff disappointments.
Griffin managed just three playoff games this year before being sidelined for the rest of the postseason with an injured toe. It’s the second straight season that the Clippers have lost Griffin in the first round, as both he and Paul were unavailable at the end of last year’s ouster against Portland. Griffin appeared in just 61 regular-season games, losing part of the season to arthroscopic knee surgery in December.
A year ago, he managed just 35 games and broke his right hand in a fight with equipment manager Matias Testi. Griffin apologized to teammates and fans, but the incident reportedly soured some members of the front office about his future in the organization.
Giving max deals to keep both Paul and Griffin would push the Clippers’ payroll among the highest in the league. Ballmer would be faced with a sizable luxury tax and a huge repeater tax on top of it. Vertical insider Adrian Wojnarowski wrote this morning that it wouldn’t be “realistic” to expect that kind of commitment after another early playoff exit.
One option if Griffin isn’t retained is to revisit a deal for Carmelo Anthony. The Clippers were one of the teams that the Knicks contacted before the deadline. Anthony could at least replace Griffin’s scoring and give L.A. a new Big Three with Paul and DeAndre Jordan.
That brings us to tonight’s question: Should the Clippers re-sign Griffin this summer, and if they don’t, where will he end up? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.