Joshua Kushner Purchases Minority Stake In Heat
Billionaire tech investor Joshua Kushner, the founder and managing partner of Thrive Capital, has purchased a minority stake in the Heat, the team confirmed today (Twitter links via Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald).
Puck News, which first reported the transaction, said Kushner will control less 5% of the Heat. Those shares will not come from majority owner Micky Arison, per the team.
According to Thomas Barrabi of The New York Post, Kushner actually purchased his stake in the Heat last year. He was previously a minority shareholder in the Grizzlies, but he sold that stake to become part-owner of Miami.
As both Jackson and Barrabi observe, Kushner owns a home in Miami with his wife Karlie Kloss. He’s the brother of President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who served as an adviser to Trump during his first term.
Southwest Notes: Mavs, Aldama, Popovich, Pelicans
Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison is making major changes to the club’s health and performance team, according to reports from Marc Stein (Twitter link), Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News and Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Those changes include parting ways head athletic trainer Dionne Calhoun and athletic performance director Keith Belton, among others.
As MacMahon details, Calhoun has spent over two decades with the Mavericks and had been the team’s head athletic trainer since 2019. He was one of the last holdovers from the staff of former health and performance director Casey Smith, who was let go in 2023.
MacMahon previously published a lengthy story about the turmoil within Dallas’ health and performance director, as we relayed last month. That story included details on a “loud, heated confrontation” between Belton and director of player health and performance Johann Bilsborough over how the team was handling Dereck Lively‘s ankle injury. That incident spurred an HR investigation, according to MacMahon, who says Bilsborough remains employed by the team.
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal previews Santi Aldama‘s upcoming restricted free agency, noting that the presence of solid frontcourt options like Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Clarke, and Zach Edey will give the Grizzlies some leverage in their negotiations with Aldama. However, the 24-year-old Spaniard has steadily improved during his four years in Memphis and his offensive skill set is an asset, Cole notes, so the team won’t necessarily be able to bring him back at a bargain rate.
- In a feature story for ESPN.com, Baxter Holmes takes an in-depth look at the “unparalleled” legacy that Gregg Popovich will leave behind after coaching the Spurs for the better part of three decades. Holmes spoke to Steve Kerr, Jerry Colangelo, Mike Krzyzewski, and Adam Silver, among others, about the impact that Popovich had during his long run as the head coach in San Antonio.
- Ahead of Monday’s draft lottery, William Guillory of The Athletic explores what the Pelicans‘ draft options will look like if they don’t have a shot at Cooper Flagg at No. 1 overall. Guillory breaks down some hypothetical scenarios in which New Orleans lands V.J. Edgecombe (at No. 4), Kon Knueppel (No. 5), and Jeremiah Fears (No. 7).
Fenerbahce’s Hayes-Davis, Biberovic Drawing NBA Interest
Forward Nigel Hayes-Davis and swingman Tarik Biberovic, who both play for Fenerbahce in Turkey, are receiving interest from NBA clubs, the team’s general manager Derya Yannier said during an interview with TRT Sports Star (Twitter video link; hat tip to Alessandro Maggi of Sportando).
“There is very serious interest from the NBA for Nigel Hayes-Davis and Tarik Biberovic,” Yannier said. “I hope they continue with us, but if they say, ‘I want to try in the NBA,’ we won’t stand in their way.”
Hayes-Davis, 30, had a brief NBA stint during the 2017/18 season, when he suited up for the Lakers, Raptors, and Kings. The former Wisconsin standout has been playing overseas since then in Turkey, Lithuania, and Spain and has been a member of Fenerbahce since 2022. He has averaged a team-best 16.8 points and 5.2 rebounds in 31.1 minutes per game across 37 EuroLeague appearances this season, with a .461/.412/.897 shooting line.
Hayes-Davis was also said to be drawing NBA interest last offseason and was a member of the Select Team that scrimmaged against the U.S. Olympic roster prior to the Paris games. He ultimately signed a new contract with Fenerbahce. While that deal was said to be for three years, it sounds like it includes an NBA opt-out clause.
As for Biberovic, the 6’7″ wing was selected 56th overall in the 2023 NBA draft by the Grizzlies, who still control his NBA rights. So if he wants to make the move stateside, he would have to negotiate exclusively with Memphis, barring a trade.
The 24-year-old has been one of Fenerbahce’s most reliable shooters in recent years. In 2024/25, he averaged 10.5 PPG and 3.1 RPG in 35 EuroLeague outings (22.7 MPG), with a 43.8% mark on 5.0 three-point attempts per contest. Biberovic is on a long-term deal with the Turkish club, but the contracts includes NBA outs after each season.
Fenerbahce has qualified for the EuroLeague Final Four and leads Turkey’s domestic league with a 25-2 regular season record, so the team will be vying for a pair of titles this spring.
Latest From Stein, Fischer: Hawks, Iisalo, Suns, Doncic
The Hawks have begun the interviewing process for their next president of basketball operations, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer report in their latest rumor round-up at Substack.
The Hawks fired general manager Landry Fields last month and promoted Onsi Saleh to that role, but Atlanta wants to pair him with another top executive.
Sixers GM Elton Brand, former Nuggets GM Calvin Booth and former Kings GM Monte McNair have already undergone initial interviews for the position, apparently via Zoom, per Stein and Fischer.
Former BYU and EuroLeague swingman Travis Hansen and G League president Shareef Abdur-Rahim are also on the Hawks’ radar.
Here’s more from Stein and Fischer:
- Grizzlies management was so interested in adding Tuomas Iisalo to their coaching staff that they sent multiple executives to France last season to evaluate and ultimately recruit him to Memphis. The Grizzlies gave him a seven-figure salary and also paid a seven-figure buyout last summer to hire him away from Paris Basketball. Iisalo replaced Taylor Jenkins late in the regular season and had the interim tag removed this past week.
- Newly hired Suns GM Brian Gregory is expected to conduct the team’s head coaching search, with more than a dozen candidates under consideration. Though Phoenix has strong interest in hiring a coach without previous NBA head coaching experience, there are two candidates who don’t fit that description — Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego and Bucks assistant Dave Joerger. Borrego had a stint as Charlotte’s head coach, while Joerger has been a head coach with Memphis and Sacramento.
- Luka Doncic isn’t eligible for an extension until early August but the process has already begun. Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick had dinner with Doncic and Doncic’s business manager, Lara Beth Seager, two nights after the Lakers were eliminated. The star guard has one year left on his current deal.
Southwest Notes: Grizzlies, Davis, Castle, Popovich
On paper, a 48-win season for the Grizzlies looks like a relative success on the heels of last season’s injury-plagued 27-win showing. However, the club went just 14-23 over its final 37 games (including the play-in and playoffs) and finds itself at a crossroads entering the offseason, writes John Hollinger of The Athletic, a former Grizzlies executive.
Having spoken to sources around the league, Hollinger says four main themes were brought up as issues in Memphis: Ja Morant‘s lack of dependability on and off the court in recent years; potentially investing too heavily in Desmond Bane as a third option; gradually losing several key role players (such as Dillon Brooks, Steven Adams, De’Anthony Melton, and Kyle Anderson); and an inability to hit a home run on the trade market.
Regarding that last point, Hollinger notes that the Grizzlies have made an effort to take big swings over the years — they inquired on impact wings like OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Kevin Durant. However, their most significant deal, which saw them give up multiple first-round picks in exchange for Marcus Smart in 2023, didn’t pan out. The club ultimately had to give up another first-round pick to move off Smart’s contract at this year’s trade deadline.
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- Given the disappointment and anger that Mavericks fans felt over the team’s decision to trade Luka Doncic, the newest impact player in Dallas – Anthony Davis – is under immense pressure as he tries to fill the shoes of a beloved superstar. Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required) believes Davis is well suited to take on that challenge and takes an in-depth look at the path the former No. 1 overall pick took to Dallas. “Some people play this game because they make a lot of money. Some people play this game because they care, which makes them a lot of money. AD is a guy that cares,” agent Rich Paul told The Dallas Morning News earlier this year. “He’s bringing all that growth and maturation with him. I think Dallas is actually getting the best AD.”
- After being named this season’s Rookie of the Year, Spurs guard Stephon Castle admitted this week that he doesn’t feel yet like he deserves to be mentioned alongside the franchise’s previous winners of the award (Tim Duncan, David Robinson, and Victor Wembanyama). However, as Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required) relays, Castle also pointed out that the back-to-back Rookie of the Year honors for him and Wembanyama bode well for San Antonio’s outlook going forward. “It speaks highly of our future,” he said. “What we have going on and what we plan on doing.” Castle added that he won’t “shy away” from the target that his Rookie of the Year award puts on his back next season.
- Although Gregg Popovich will no longer coach the Spurs, his presence will be felt for years to come, according to columnist Mike Finger of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required), who examines the way that Popovich’s influence has permeated through the organization and the impact he has made on the Spurs’ culture over the last three decades.
Grizzlies Retain Tuomas Iisalo As Head Coach
Tuomas Iisalo, who took over as interim head coach of the Grizzlies when Taylor Jenkins was fired in late March, will keep the job on a permanent basis, the team announced in a press release.
“I have full confidence in Tuomas serving as head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies going forward,” team president and general manager of basketball operations Zach Kleiman said in a statement. “Tuomas’ teams at every level have been disciplined, tenacious and connected on both ends of the floor, consistently exceeding expectations. We look forward to the same in Memphis.”
Iisalo compiled a 4-5 regular season record followed Jenkins’ surprising dismissal. After finishing as the eighth seed, the Grizzlies lost to Golden State in the first round of the play-in tournament, but advanced to the playoffs with a win over Dallas. They were swept by Oklahoma City in the first round.
Iisalo was in his first season with Memphis after a successful coaching career in Europe and was one of four new assistants hired last summer in a shakeup of Jenkins’ staff.
He led Paris Basketball to the 2023/24 EuroCup championship and was named EuroCup Coach of the year. He also earned 2024 LNB Pro A Coach of the Year honors after taking Paris to the French Leaders Cup title and the French LNB Pro A Finals, and was the 2023 Champions League Coach of the Year with Baskets Bonn in Germany.
Iisalo is the first-ever Finnish-born coach in the NBA. He spent 14 years as a player in Finland and appeared in 57 games for the Finnish national team.
Iisalo is the third interim coach to be hired to a permanent job in the past two days, joining Doug Christie in Sacramento and Mitch Johnson earlier today in San Antonio. Phoenix is currently the only team without a head coach, while David Adelman is on interim status while leading Denver in the playoffs.
Spurs’ Stephon Castle Wins Rookie Of Year Award
Stephon Castle won a national championship with the University of Connecticut in his lone college season. The 20-year-old guard has now earned a major individual accolade – the NBA’s Rookie of the Year Award, , the league announced in a press release.
Castle is the second consecutive San Antonio player to earn Rookie of the Year recognition. Victor Wembanyama captured the award last spring.
Castle appeared in all but one of the Spurs‘ games this season after being selected with the No. 4 overall pick last June. He averaged 14.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 0.9 steals in 26.7 minutes per game. Castle, who started 47 games, shot 42.8% from the field.
Castle became a consistent offensive force as the season progressed and reached the 20-point mark 26 times. His post-All-Star averages were 17.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 5.0 APG in 30 games.
That was enough for him take down the top prize by a landslide over the two other finalists.
Top pick Zaccharie Risacher appeared in 75 games, including 73 starts, for the Hawks. The 6’8″ forward finished the season with averages of 12.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game, shooting 45.8% from the field overall and 35.5% from long range. Risacher scored 30 or more points in four games.
Jaylen Wells proved to be a diamond in the rough for the Grizzlies. The 39th overall pick started 74 of the 79 games in which he played. Wells wasn’t a big part of Memphis’ offense but still averaged 10.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists per night while taking on challenging defensive assignments.
Castle received 92 of a possible 100 votes from a global media panel and accumulated 482 points, according to the league (Twitter link). Risacher had five first-place votes and 245 points, while Wells received three first-place votes and 123 points.
Alex Sarr, Zach Edey, Kel’el Ware, Matas Buzelis, and Jared McCain also received votes. The required 65-game minimum doesn’t apply to Rookie of the Year voting, which is why a player like McCain, who suffered a season-ending injury after just 23 outings, was eligible.
Castle’s scoring average is the second lowest among ROY winners in the last 22 seasons. Only Malcolm Brogdon (2017) had a lower average (10.2 PPG) during that span.
Grizzlies Notes: Kleiman, Iisalo, Morant, Jackson Jr., Offseason Preview
Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman didn’t mince words during his end-of-season press conference when he discussed his team’s season.
“Disappointing season,” Kleiman said, per Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “A lot to sort through here. Forty-eight wins, good for an eight seed, but who cares? It’s not good enough.”
The Grizzlies were swept by the top-seeded Thunder in the first round of the playoffs after earning the No. 8 seed via the play-in tournament. An injury to Ja Morant didn’t help the cause, but Kleiman vowed to improve the roster in order to make the team a high-level contender.
“I don’t think we can look back at this series and this season and say, ‘Oh, we’re close,'” Kleiman said. “No, we’re not close. There’s a lot of work to be done.”
Here’s more on the Grizzlies:
- Head coach Tuomas Iisalo has publicly expressed a desire to have his interim tag removed. However, Kleiman is still pondering his options regarding Taylor Jenkins’ full-time replacement. “I have not made any decisions on the coaching front at this point,” Kleiman said.
- Signing Jaren Jackson Jr. to an extension remains a priority in Memphis. Kleiman believes Morant, Jackson and Desmond Bane can be key pieces to a championship team. “At the peak times of what this group has done, it’s right there and there is so much to hold on to,” he said. “And there’s been so much growth. They’re beginning to enter their prime. I think for each of them, there are significant steps that have been taken in a really positive direction.”
- Kleiman should at least consider moving Morant, who has three years on his contract, and Jackson, Will Guillory of The Athletic opines. Morant has only appeared in 59 regular-season games over the last two seasons and his actions continued to be a problem this season, Guillory writes, noting that the guard’s “finger gun” celebrations became a talking point around the league. There were also rumblings about Morant’s role in Jenkins’ firing. As for Jackson, if he makes an All-NBA team this year, he’ll be eligible for a five-year, $345MM super-max extension. That may be too much for a small-market team to swallow.
- ESPN’s Bobby Marks provides insights and opinions regarding the Grizzlies in his video offseason preview (Youtube link).
Stephen Curry Named 2024/25 Teammate Of The Year
Warriors star Stephen Curry has been named the NBA’s Teammate of the Year for the 2024/25 season, the league announced today (via Twitter).
The Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award “recognizes the player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment to his team,” per the NBA.
The award isn’t voted on by media members. A panel of league executives select the 12 finalists (six from each conference) for the award, while current players vote on the winner. Players receive 10 points for a first place vote, seven for second, five for third, three for fourth, and one point for fifth place.
Curry just narrowly won this season’s vote ahead of Rockets center Steven Adams.
Here are this season’s full voting results, according to the NBA, with the player’s point total noted in parentheses:
- Stephen Curry, Warriors (1,257)
- Steven Adams, Rockets (1,237)
- Jalen Brunson, Knicks (925)
- DeAndre Jordan, Nuggets (897)
- Nicolas Batum, Clippers (868)
- Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers (850)
- Al Horford, Celtics (834)
- James Johnson, Pacers (751)
- Jaylin Williams, Thunder (690)
- Brook Lopez, Bucks (657)
- Tobias Harris, Pistons (648)
- Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies (552)
It’s the first Teammate of the Year award for Curry, though it’s the seventh time in a row that a point guard has earned the honor.
The award, which was introduced in ’12/13, had gone to either Mike Conley (2019 and 2024) or Jrue Holiday (2020, 2022, and 2023) in five of the past six seasons, with Damian Lillard claiming it in 2021.
Grizzlies’ Kleiman: We Should Have Picked Up LaRavia’s Option
Before the 2024/25 season began last fall, the Grizzlies declined to exercise their fourth-year team option on forward Jake LaRavia. That 2025/26 option was worth $5,163,127.
Because his option was declined, LaRavia is now on track for unrestricted free agency in 2025 instead of restricted free agency in 2026. It also made his free agency more complicated than it is for most players — the team he ended the season with cannot offer him a starting salary that exceeds the declined option.
With those factors in mind, the Grizzlies wound up trading LaRavia to Sacramento ahead of February’s deadline, even though he was having his most productive campaign as a pro.
At his end-of-season press conference on Sunday, executive vice president of basketball operations Zach Kleiman admitted he made a “mistake” by turning down that option, tweets Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.
“I think we should’ve picked up Jake LaRavia’s team option,” Kleiman said. “The mistake was there. … I think Jake could’ve helped us down the stretch.”
According to Cole (Twitter link), Kleiman explained that he thought Vince Williams Jr. and GG Jackson would be able to replace LaRavia in the rotation. Both players dealt with injuries in the first few months of the season and returned to action before the deadline.
“I probably overweighted just how much of a burden they would have been able to put on in a playoff push,” Kleiman said.
Memphis was eliminated from the playoffs on Saturday after being swept in its first-round series with Oklahoma City.