Newsstand Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Top Six, Play-In Tournament Now Set For Eastern Conference

April 7th, 2023 at 9:20pm CST by Rory Maher

The Eastern Conference’s postseason picture is much clearer after Friday night’s games, though we’ll still have to wait until next week’s play-in tournament to determine who will emerge as the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds.

The top six seeds are now set after Brooklyn defeated Orlando:

Milwaukee Bucks
Boston Celtics
Philadelphia 76ers
Cleveland Cavaliers
New York Knicks
Brooklyn Nets

Two first-round playoff matchups are finalized: Philadelphia will face Brooklyn, and Cleveland will face New York.

As for the bottom end of the postseason picture, Toronto lost to Boston tonight, which means the play-in tournament has been finalized for the East (Twitter link via Mark Medina of NBA.com).

No. 7 Heat will host No. 8 Hawks on April 11 — the winner advances as the No. 7 seed to face Boston.
No. 9 Raptors will host No. 10 Bulls on April 12 — the winner advances to face the loser of Miami vs. Atlanta.
Loser of the Heat/Hawks matchup plays the winner of the Raptors/Bulls on April 14 — the winner advances as the No. 8 seed to face Milwaukee.

The first round starts on April 15, according to the NBA. The Bucks have locked up the best record in the league and will have home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

Luka Samanic Signs Multiyear Deal With Jazz

April 7th, 2023 at 8:50pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

APRIL 7: Samanic’s new contract with the Jazz is official, the team announced in a press release.

APRIL 6: Jazz power forward Luka Samanic has agreed to a deal with Utah that will run through the 2023/24 season, Samanic’s agents Mark Bartelstein and George Roussakis inform Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via Twitter).

Samanic is on the final day of a 10-day deal with Utah. According to Wojnarowski, the forward’s new agreement with the team includes some level of guaranteed salary for next season and trigger dates for his money to become fully guaranteed.

Even with Samanic joining the team for the rest of the season and potentially next year, the Jazz still have 14 of their 15 standard roster spots filled. As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, Utah is one of just five NBA clubs who still possess a roster opening.

Selected with the No. 19 pick by the Spurs during the 2019 draft, Samanic spent two seasons in San Antonio, but failed to make much of an impact. He had been out of the league before inking his 10-day contract with Utah in March.

Across four games with the Jazz so far, Samanic is averaging career highs of 7.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG and 0.8 SPG, plus 1.8 APG, in 17.5 MPG.

Connecticut Star Jordan Hawkins Declaring For Draft

April 7th, 2023 at 2:27pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

2023 NCAA champion Jordan Hawkins, a sophomore guard for Connecticut, is declaring for the NBA draft, as he informed Malika Andrews of ESPN during today’s broadcast of NBA Today (Twitter video link).

Hawkins is projected by ESPN’s big board to be the No. 15 pick in the impending 2023 draft.

“Hearing my name called on draft night will be a blessing,” Hawkins told Andrews, (hat tip to Jonathan Givony of ESPN). “I worked so hard for this, me and my dad, we’ve been through so much.

“When I first stepped on campus in Storrs, I was a little kid, just 160 pounds,” Hawkins continued. “I didn’t know the college game. Coach [Dan] Hurley threw me into the fire. He guided me through it. It means the world for me having him, having this opportunity. He told me sophomore year, I need to step my game up, make a name for myself. It’s amazing what we did together as a team.”

The 6’5″ swingman was an All-Big East First Teamer this season. He logged averages of 16.2 PPG with .409/.445/.887 shooting splits. He also chipped in 3.8 RPG, 1.3 APG, and 0.7 SPG. During Connecticut’s title game against San Diego State, Hawkins scored 16 points.

As Givony notes, Hawkins is considered an elite shooter, and improved as a ball-handler and defender this season, two skills that scouts are hoping he continues to develop at the next level. He went 21-of-42 from deep during the Huskies’ six-game tourney run.

“Shooting is my super power,” Hawkins said. “There are a lot of ball-dominant guys in the NBA who can create their own [shot]. I can be a knockdown shooter and play a significant role right away. As time moves on, I can develop and become an even bigger piece of the rotation, because I know I’m more than just a shooter. There’s more to my game, but I have to prove it to people.”

Coaching Changes May Be Coming In Detroit, Toronto, Houston

April 7th, 2023 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pistons, Raptors and Rockets are the main teams to watch for head coaching changes once the NBA season ends, writes Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Detroit’s Dwane Casey met with ownership to discuss his future after Wednesday’s game, and sources tell Fischer that some staff members are preparing for a change to take place. Fischer cites a source with knowledge of the situation who says Casey may be given the option of returning as head coach for the final year of his contract or moving into an advisory role with the front office.

Bucks assistant Charles Lee, who has interviewed for numerous head coaching positions in the past, is a top candidate if the Pistons’ job opens up, according to Fischer, who hears that Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin may be given consideration as well. Griffin previously worked under general manager Troy Weaver as an assistant coach in Oklahoma City.

Nick Nurse amplified questions about his status in Toronto last weekend when he said he plans to take some time after the season to evaluate his future with the organization. There were already rumors that the Raptors were considering a coaching move following a disappointing season that will result in a spot in the play-in tournament.

Former Celtics coach Ime Udoka is considered a leading candidate to replace Nurse if he either decides to move on or is dismissed by the team. Udoka was a finalist for the job before Nurse was hired in 2018, and he has a strong relationship with executive Masai Ujiri through the Basketball Without Borders program.

Nurse could wind up in Houston, where Stephen Silas appears likely to be replaced after three years of rebuilding, Fischer adds. Nurse was the Rockets’ G League coach from 2011-13, but he’s not the only potential candidate with ties to Houston or to James Harden, who will reportedly be an offseason target in free agency.

Fischer notes that Trail Blazers assistant Scott Brooks coached Harden in Oklahoma City, while Pistons assistant Rex Kalamian worked on Brooks’ staff with the Thunder. Fischer states that Kalamian has been mentioned by several NBA sources as a potential addition in Houston, possibly as an assistant.

Elsewhere, Fischer hears that league personnel are watching Steve Clifford’s future with the Hornets. The current leadership isn’t considering replacing Clifford, who’s still on the first season of his new contract, Fischer adds, but that could change if Michael Jordan sells enough of his interest in the team that there’s a new primary governor.

Celtics Sign Justin Champagnie

April 7th, 2023 at 10:04am CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

APRIL 7: The signing is official, the Celtics announced (via Twitter).

APRIL 3: Free agent small forward Justin Champagnie, currently with the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBAGL, is set to sign a deal with the Celtics, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The Celtics have both their two-way player slots occupied, but do still possess an opening on their standard 15-man roster. It seems likely they will add Champagnie to their standard roster for the 2022/23 season’s final week and possibly give him a non-guaranteed salary for ’23/24.

After going undrafted out of Pittsburgh in 2021, the 6’6″ swingman inked a two-way deal with the Raptors for the 2021/22 season. The team brought him back aboard for 2022/23, but after he had appeared in just three games for Toronto this season, he was cut in December. He has been with Sioux Falls ever since.

Champagnie holds career NBA averages of 2.2 PPG and 1.9 RPG across 39 pro games, while playing sparingly. In 23 games with the Skyforce this season, the 21-year-old has averaged 18.2 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.9 SPG, and 0.7 BPG.

Hornets Convert Kobi Simmons’ Contract, Sign Xavier Sneed To Two-Way Deal

April 7th, 2023 at 9:42am CST by Arthur Hill

The two-way contract that Kobi Simmons signed with the Hornets last week has been converted to a standard deal, the team announced in a press release, adding that Xavier Sneed will fill the newly created two-way opening.

Simmons, a 25-year-old point guard, has appeared in three games so far with Charlotte, averaging 1.7 PPG in 5.7 minutes per night. It marked the first NBA action for the long-time G-Leaguer since he played one game for the Cavaliers during the 2018/19 season.

Simmons received a multi-year contract, according to the press release, but terms weren’t revealed so it’s uncertain whether he has any guaranteed money beyond this season. He has spent the past three years with Charlotte’s G League affiliate and is the club’s career leader in scoring.

Sneed averaged 5.0 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in three games with Charlotte on a 10-day contract that expired Thursday. The 25-year-old small forward also had brief stays with the Grizzlies and Jazz last season.

David Duke Jr. Gets Standard Contract From Nets

April 7th, 2023 at 9:06am CST by Arthur Hill

9:25am: The move is official, the Nets announced (via Twitter).

9:06am: The Nets will convert David Duke Jr.‘s two-way contract to a standard deal, sources tell Brian Lewis of The New York Post. An official announcement is expected to be made later today.

The 23-year-old combo guard has appeared in 21 games in his second season with Brooklyn, averaging 3.1 points and 1.0 rebounds in 8.6 minutes per night. He emerged as a star in the G League, Lewis notes, finishing third in this year’s MVP voting.

Duke earned a two-way contract in 2021 after going undrafted out of Providence and got into 22 games last season. He had hoped to get a standard offer after a strong Summer League showing, according to Lewis, but he had to settle for another year on a two-way contract.

The Nets have a roster spot open after Moses Brown‘s second 10-day contract expired on Thursday. Brown played just six total minutes in two appearances with Brooklyn and wouldn’t have been eligible for the playoffs because the Knicks waived him past the March 1 cutoff point.

Zion Williamson Remains Out Indefinitely

April 7th, 2023 at 8:34am CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

APRIL 7: Williamson is considered unlikely to return for the play-in tournament, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

APRIL 6: Pelicans team president David Griffin said on Thursday that injured New Orleans All-Star forward Zion Williamson will remain sidelined as he continues to rehabilitate his hamstring injury, the team has announced (Twitter link).

Given that the Pelicans have just two games left in the 2022/23 regular season, it appears Williamson will likely, though not definitely, be finished at least until the play-in tournament begins.

“After further evaluation, it has been determined that Zion Williamson will continue his rehabilitation and conditioning regimen,” Griffin said. “We will continue to monitor his progression, and updates will be provided as warranted.”

Notably absent from that statement is any kind of timeline estimate for Williamson’s return to action for the 41-39 Pelicans. The 6’6″ forward has struggled with his health for his entire pro career thus far, having appeared in just 114 of a possible 306 regular season contests for New Orleans.

This news puts a damper on the intel from a report earlier this week that appeared to indicate Williamson was pushing for a return before the end of the regular season. That report indicated that Williamson has progressed to “low-intensity” 3-on-3 workouts with coaches but has yet to graduate to 5-on-5 scrimmages. He has been absent since January 2 due to a strained right hamstring.

In the 29 games he did play this year, the 22-year-old produced at a high level, as a bulky, hyper-athletic driving threat who’s proven to be pretty much unstoppable in the paint. Williamson posted averages of 26.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 4.6 APG and 0.6 BPG.

At present, New Orleans is the eighth seed in a crowded Western Conference, just a game behind the fifth-seed Clippers and sixth-seeded Warriors. Should the Pelicans somehow skirt the play-in tournament and qualify for the playoffs outright, the team would enjoy a week-long break before its postseason would begin, presumably giving Williamson more of an opportunity to rejoin his teammates.

NBA Denies Mavericks’ Game Protest Vs. Warriors

April 6th, 2023 at 1:13pm CST by Rory Maher

The NBA has denied the Mavericks‘ protest of their loss to the Warriors on March 22, the league announced (via Twitter).

The protest was filed due to the Mavs’ claim that an officiating error occurred late in the third quarter, leading to an uncontested basket for Golden State (video link from The Athletic). All five Dallas players were on the opposite side of the court as the Warriors inbounded the ball, resulting in an easy dunk for Kevon Looney.

The league notes that there were nearly 14 minutes remaining in the game when the incident occurred, and the Mavericks later took the lead twice in the last four minutes. Thus, the protest failed because the Mavs were unable to prove that they were “deprived of a fair opportunity to win the game,” according to the NBA.

After the game, Mavs owner Mark Cuban incorrectly claimed that the officials signaled it was Dallas’ ball prior to a timeout and then changed the call to award Golden State possession without informing the Mavs. However, in their formal written protest, the Mavs agreed that the refs had initially awarded the ball to the Warriors.

The NBA says that while the “officials could have taken steps to better manage” the situation, it did not warrant the “extraordinary remedy” of upholding the protest.

Dwane Casey Discusses Future With Pistons

April 6th, 2023 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

With one year remaining on his contract, Dwane Casey isn’t a lock to return as the Pistons’ coach next season. One of the early steps in making that decision took place when Casey met with members of the team’s ownership after Wednesday’s game, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press.

“We talked about how we’re going to look at everything and meet again after we’re all done and see which way we all want to go as far as the organization,” Casey said. “There’s nothing that’s been decided as far as that’s concerned.”

Casey joined the Pistons in 2018 shortly after being fired by the Raptors despite winning Coach of the Year honors. He inherited a playoff-level team built around Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson and went 41-41 in his first season.

The Pistons eventually shifted to rebuilding mode, and when Troy Weaver was hired as general manager in 2020, he viewed Casey as the best coach to develop young talent. Casey was rewarded with an extension that runs through the end of next season.

According to Sankofa, Casey has enjoyed a full vote of confidence from the Pistons’ decision makers, including owner Tom Gores and senior advisor Arn Tellem as well as Weaver. That has enabled him to become the league’s sixth longest-tenured head coach despite a 120-262 record.

Coming off a promising year centered around No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham, Detroit entered this season with hopes of contending for a play-in spot. But Cunningham played just 12 games before undergoing season-ending shin surgery in December, and the Pistons have gone through another year of losing with a young roster. At 16-64, they have clinched the worst record in the NBA and are in danger of setting a franchise mark for the most losses in a season.

Despite the frustrations, hope remains for a quick turnaround next season. Whether Casey will be part of that next step is a decision that will be made this summer.

“I’m here,” Casey told reporters when asked about his status. “I’m under contract for another year. I committed to Tom that we were winning 60 games when I left (Toronto), and now we’re losing 60 games, but I committed to him to come in and turn around the organization. We are where we are right now. I know it seems like it’s forever away, but we’re not that far away. This team is not that far away.”