Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Newsstand

Raptors Interview JJ Redick For Head Coaching Job

May 10th, 2023 at 11:15am CST by Luke Adams

Former NBA sharpshooter and current ESPN analyst JJ Redick is among the candidates who have interviewed for the Raptors‘ head coaching vacancy, according to Redick’s ESPN colleague Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca was the first to report Toronto’s potential interest in Redick.

Redick played in the NBA for 15 seasons from 2006-21, appearing in 940 total regular season games for the Magic, Bucks, Clippers, Sixers, Pelicans, and Mavericks. Known for his ability to make outside shots, he had a career three-point rate of 41.5%.

Since retiring two years ago, Redick has served only as a commentator, analyst, and podcaster, but he has previously discussed his interest in possibly getting into coaching, according to Grange.

It seems unlikely that the Raptors would hire Redick as Nick Nurse‘s replacement, given his lack of experience. Still, the fact that he got a meeting is an indication that the team is casting a wide net and keeping an open mind in its head coaching search.

As our tracker shows, Redick is at least the 11th candidate to reportedly secure an interview with Toronto.

Repost Share Send via email

NBA G League To Hold International Draft

May 9th, 2023 at 5:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Overseas NBA draft prospects will have another option to develop their skills. Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer reports that the NBA G League will start holding international drafts, beginning this summer.

The inaugural one-round virtual draft will be held on June 28. Overseas prospects between the ages of 18-21 can enter the G League for player development, rather than joining a college team or playing for another professional organization next season. Eligible players will not have previously entered an NBA draft.

The order for the G League’s international draft will be determined during a random drawing on June 19. Players selected will have until July 7 to opt out of joining their NBAGL affiliate for next season. Prospects will not be required to enter the subsequent NBA draft but teams will hold G League rights on those players for two seasons.

It should be a win-win situation for all parties, as NBA teams will get an up-close look at these players in the G League.

Repost Share Send via email

NBA Announces 2022/23 All-Defensive Teams

May 9th, 2023 at 1:04pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has officially announced its All-Defensive teams for the 2022/23 season.

A total of 100 media members vote on the All-Defensive awards, with players receiving two points for a First Team vote and one point for a Second Team vote. This year’s All-Defensive teams are as follows:

First Team

Second Team

Unsurprisingly, Jackson – who was this season’s Defensive Player of the Year – received the most First Team votes (96) and showed up on the most overall ballots (99). Only one voter didn’t have Jackson on either All-Defensive team.

Milwaukee teammates Holiday (94) and Lopez (85) received the second- and third-most First Team votes. No other player earned more than 50.

While the Bucks have two players on the First Team, it’s a bit surprising to see former DPOY Giannis Antetokounmpo miss out altogether. Antetokounmpo earned 16 First Team votes and 28 Second Team votes for a total of 60 points, the most of any player who didn’t earn All-Defensive honors. Although he received more total points than Brooks or Adebayo, Giannis didn’t make the cut because there were four forwards with more points than him.

Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (40 points), Celtics guard Marcus Smart (35), Nets guard Mikal Bridges (33), and Nets center Nic Claxton (25) would have joined Antetokounmpo on a hypothetical All-Defensive Third Team as the highest vote-getters who fell just short.

A total of 38 players showed up on at least one ballot — the full voting results can be viewed here.

Being named to an All-Defensive team will benefit a pair of players financially, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter). White earned a $250K bonus for his Second Team nod, while Holiday will receive $129,600 for making the First Team.

Repost Share Send via email

NBA Announces All-Rookie Teams

May 8th, 2023 at 1:12pm CST by Rory Maher

Rookie of the Year winner Paolo Banchero was a unanimous choice for the 2022/23 All-Rookie First Team, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).

Players receive two points for a First Team vote and one point for a Second Team vote, and Banchero received the maximum possible 200 points.

Here’s the full five-man squad, listed in order of their total points received via voters:

The All-Rookie Second Team was announced as well, with a couple of teammates headlining the group (Twitter link).

In my opinion, the most surprising omission from the All-Rookie Second Team was Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard, who received 46 points. Nembhard was actually listed on one more ballot than Eason, but Eason received two First Team votes versus Nembhard’s zero, giving him a narrow edge.

That’s not to say Eason (or anyone else) was undeserving — he had a strong season as a tenacious offensive rebounder and defender. I just thought Nembhard should have been honored because he started the majority of the season for a competitive Indiana team and was frequently tasked with guarding the opposing teams’ best player, as Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files notes (via Twitter).

According to the NBA (Twitter link), others receiving votes included Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe (36), Hawks wing AJ Griffin (26), Nuggets forward Christian Braun, Thunder center Jaylin Williams (seven), Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy (four), Spurs guard Malaki Branham (three), Pelicans guard Dyson Daniels (two), Hornets center Mark Williams (two) and Bucks wing MarJon Beauchamp (one).

In case you missed it, more NBA awards will be coming later this week. The All-Defensive teams will be announced on Tuesday, followed by All-NBA on Wednesday and the Teammate of the Year award on Thursday.

Repost Share Send via email

D’Angelo Russell: Lakers Have “A Decision To Make” In Free Agency

May 7th, 2023 at 10:58am CST by Arthur Hill

D’Angelo Russell isn’t sure where he’ll be next season, but for now he’s enjoying his role in the Lakers‘ playoff run. He was one of several players brought in by general manager Rob Pelinka at the trade deadline, turning L.A. from a sub-.500 team to a possible title contender. Those moves will lead to some difficult offseason decisions as the Lakers have nine potential free agents on their roster, seven of whom see regular playing time.

One of them is Russell, who was acquired from the Timberwolves in a three-team deal in February. The 27-year-old guard talked about his future in an interview with Sam Amick of The Athletic.

“I would love to stay here, but I would have loved to be in Minnesota too,” Russell said after scoring 21 points in Saturday’s win over Golden State. “So wherever my feet are, that’s where I’m gonna be.”

Asked whether he believes the Lakers are willing to make him a long-term part of their core group, Russell responded, “They’ve got a decision to make, don’t they? So we’ll see.”

Russell is earning $31.4MM in the final season of a four-year contract he signed when he was with Brooklyn. After being drafted by the Lakers in 2015, he spent time with the Nets, Warriors and Timberwolves before Pelinka brought him back to L.A.

Russell immediately stepped into a starting role and brought stability to the Lakers’ backcourt. He averaged 17.4 points and 6.1 assists per game following the trade and has posted similar numbers in the playoffs.

Even though Russell said he would have re-signed with Minnesota, he told Amick that he was expecting the Wolves to trade him rather than negotiate with him in free agency. He adds that he didn’t ask for a deal, but he had a feeling that it was going to happen.

“I felt they couldn’t pay me, so I kind of expected it,” Russell said. “I felt like I was gonna outplay my (Timberwolves) offer, whatever they wanted to offer me, and then I’d be in a position where I’d have to make a decision. And I just kind of held my cards tight and let the basketball gods take over.”

Russell also indicated that he wasn’t fully happy with how he was being used in Minnesota, where he had to take a back seat to Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns in the offense. Even though he’s still playing with two stars in L.A., Russell says he has more freedom to create.

“I felt like I was held back there, honestly,” he said of his time with the Wolves. “I just kind of had to be the third option. Some nights, I was a little more aggressive and was kind of being held back. So to be in a position now where I can kind of thrive and be aggressive and it gets guys going, and where the team reflects off of anybody with that type of energy, it’s fun.”

Repost Share Send via email

Bronny James Commits To USC; NBA Could Be A Year Away

May 6th, 2023 at 8:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

The first step in a story that could have major NBA implications next summer took place today as Bronny James revealed that he’ll play college basketball at USC. The 18-year-old star at Sierra Canyon School in Los Angeles made the announcement on his Instagram page.

Bronny’s father, LeBron James, stated at the 2022 All-Star Game that one of his remaining career goals is to play on the same NBA team with his son. They would become the first father-and-son duo to ever be in the NBA at the same time.

LeBron’s current contract with the Lakers includes a $50.652MM player option for the 2024/25 season, which he could decline to become a free agent. He has indicated a willingness to sign with whatever team selects Bronny in next year’s draft.

He talked about it again in a January interview with Dave McMenamin of ESPN (video link), saying, “I need to be on the floor with my boy. I gotta be on the floor with Bronny. I would love to do the whole Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. thing.”

The younger James has been steadily moving up draft boards, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reported in February. Givony has Bronny going 10th in his latest 2024 mock draft and calls him “arguably the best perimeter defender in his high school class.”

Bronny is a McDonald’s All-American and is considered one of the five best point guard prospects in high school, according to Jeff Borzello of ESPN. He selected the Trojans over Oregon and Ohio State, who were considered to be the other finalists in a mostly secretive recruiting process.

The potential pairing of LeBron and Bronny would be a huge money-maker for whoever can pull it off, Adam Zagoria states in a Forbes article. Pinnacle Advertising creative director Bob Dorfman told Zagoria that some teams could see a 50% rise in their valuation within a year if they were able to acquire both players.

“The franchise value of the team that lands them will skyrocket,” Dorfman added. “Their games will become must-see events that command huge ticket prices and prime-time viewing slots, and they could quickly turn into a playoff powerhouse.”

Repost Share Send via email

Ben Simmons Wants To Play In World Cup

May 6th, 2023 at 6:22pm CST by Arthur Hill

Ben Simmons is hoping to represent Australia in this summer’s FIBA World Cup, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

Simmons sat out nearly the last two months of the Nets‘ regular season because of lingering pain in his back, but he’s indicated that his rehab work is going well. The Boomers’ first World Cup game will take place August 26 in Okinawa, and their training camp will likely start in early August.

Australian national team head coach Brian Goorjian recently expressed hope that Simmons would be able to participate, and Simmons told The Daily Telegraph in Sydney (subscription required) that he’ll try to be ready.

“I’m currently rehabilitating my back injury and putting my full effort and focus towards that,” Simmons said. “I love what coach Goorjian is building with the Boomers and I look forward to being a part of the program in the future.”

Lewis points out that the microdiscectomy that Simmons underwent last May to repair a herniated disc typically carries an 18-month recovery timeline for the nerves to be fully healed. A nerve impingement that sidelined Simmons in February is common among people who undergo that operation, according to medical experts that Lewis consulted.

Sources close to Simmons and the team told Lewis that a second surgery isn’t likely to be necessary, although a final decision won’t be made until later this month. Lewis adds that Simmons has been working out regularly at the Nets‘ facility and recently posted pictures from those sessions on Instagram.

Playing in the World Cup would give Simmons a chance to sharpen his skills ahead of Brooklyn’s training camp, which starts in late September. The Nets will need the three-time All-Star back in top form to serve as a leader of their rebuilt roster.

Repost Share Send via email

Jimmy Butler To Return For Game 3

May 6th, 2023 at 1:30pm CST by Luke Adams

MAY 6: Butler will be available for Game 3, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.

MAY 5: The Heat have yet to offer an official update on Jimmy Butler‘s status for Game 3 vs. the Knicks, but the star forward is planning to play on Saturday, a source tells Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter link).

Head coach Erik Spoelstra has continually deflected questions about Butler, who missed Game 2 due to a sprained right ankle and seems likely to be listed as questionable for Game 3. Spoelstra told reporters today that there likely won’t be a definitive update on the injured swingman until close to game time on Saturday.

However, like Winderman, Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald have also heard that there’s optimism about Butler’s chances to play tomorrow.

Obviously, getting Butler back in the lineup would significantly improve the Heat’s odds of defeating the Knicks and advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals. The 33-year-old averaged an eye-popping 37.6 points per game on .597/.444/.708 shooting during Miami’s first-round upset of the Bucks and was the team’s leading scorer in its Game 1 win over New York, racking up 25 points and 11 rebounds in 43 minutes.

With Butler’s status still up in the air, the Knicks have been preparing for both scenarios – the six-time All-Star being available or out – leading up to Game 3.

Repost Share Send via email

Trajan Langdon, Milt Newton Among Wizards’ GM Candidates

May 5th, 2023 at 2:25pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards are taking their time as they seek out a replacement for former president of basketball operations Tommy Sheppard, who was let go last month. However, they have identified at least a couple initial candidates, per Ava Wallace of The Washington Post.

Wizards owner Ted Leonsis and a “small group of decision-makers” have spoken to Pelicans general manager Trajan Langdon and Bucks assistant GM Milt Newton, according to Wallace, who adds that the team is still believed to be in the “information-gathering” stage of its search.

Langdon has been with the Pelicans since 2019, when he left his role as an assistant GM with the Nets to work under David Griffin in New Orleans. He received consideration from the Timberwolves when they sought a new head of basketball operations in 2019 and from the Kings when they did the same in 2020.

Newton, hired by the Bucks in the summer of 2017, was the Timberwolves’ general manager from 2013 to 2016 and has also previously worked for the Sixers and the NBA’s league office. Perhaps most notably, he was employed by the Wizards as their VP of player personnel from 2003-13, so he’s no stranger to Washington. Newton was a candidate for the Bulls’ top front office job in 2020 before they hired Arturas Karnisovas.

Wizards VP of player programs John Thompson III and assistant GM Brett Greenberg are running the team’s basketball operations department while the search for a new head of basketball operations continues.

Repost Share Send via email

50 Prospects Reportedly Invited To G League Elite Camp

May 5th, 2023 at 8:12am CST by Luke Adams

A total of 50 prospects for the 2023 NBA draft have been invited to the NBA’s G League Elite Camp, according to reports from Adam Zagoria of Forbes and Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report (Twitter links).

Those players are as follows:

The name of the G League Elite Camp is a bit of a misnomer — when first introduced, the event showcased NBAGL players, but the field of participants now consists exclusively of draft prospects. The event will take place on May 13 and 14 in Chicago, ahead of this year’s draft combine.

Like the combine, the Elite Camp brings young players to Chicago to meet NBA teams and participate in drills and scrimmages. While the combine focuses on the top prospects in a given draft class, the Elite Camp generally features prospects who are trying to break into that upper echelon of prospects but are more likely to go undrafted. The top performers at the event typically receive invites to the combine.

Of the 50 G League Elite Camp invitees, 15 show up on Jonathan Givony’s list of this year’s top 100 prospects at ESPN.com. However, no Elite Camp invitee ranks higher than No. 58 (Hart) on ESPN’s board.

The G League Elite Camp will give the invitees who declared for the draft as early entrants an opportunity to see where they stand ahead of the draft withdrawal deadline on May 31. Not all of the players who participate in this event will remain in the draft pool.

Some NBA players who have participated in past G League Elite Camps include Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado, Pacers forward Oshae Brissett, Clippers guard Terance Mann, and Heat wing Max Strus.

Repost Share Send via email
Load More Posts