Giannis Antetokounmpo Ruled Out For Game 5
Giannis Antetokounmpo will officially miss tonight’s Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, the Bucks announced on Twitter.
The two-time MVP had been listed as doubtful after hyperextending his left knee in an awkward fall Tuesday night. Tests conducted Wednesday showed no structural damage to the knee, but a timetable hasn’t been put forth for his return.
“When you talk about the range of possibilities, I think where this has landed has to be looked at as a positive,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer told Eric Nemh of The Athletic. “It’s still a really difficult fall. … It’s part of sport. It’s part of the playoffs. We’ll manage it both from a Giannis perspective, from a team’s perspective, and we’ve just got to keep moving, get ready for Game 5.”
Nehm also examines how Milwaukee fared during the regular season when Antetokounmpo didn’t play. He notes that the Bucks went 6-2 when Giannis wasn’t active and the rest of the rotation was available.
Budenholzer hasn’t announced who will take Antetokounmpo’s place in the starting lineup and indicated that a decision may not come until shortly before the game, Nehm tweets.
“At some point, you’ve got to pull the trigger and make a decision,” Budenholzer said. We’ll probably do that and then we’ll probably tell you we don’t know who we are playing and planning on starting and then at tip-off or whatever, you guys will get it.”
Roster Announced For U.S. Select Team
The roster has been released for the U.S. Select Team, which will help Team USA prepare for the Olympics, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The Select Team, which will practice with and scrimmage against the national team during the upcoming training camp in Las Vegas, is made up mostly of first- and second-year NBA players. It will be coached by Erik Spoelstra of the Heat.
Making up the roster are:
- Saddiq Bey, Pistons
- Miles Bridges, Hornets
- Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves
- Darius Garland, Cavaliers
- Tyrese Haliburton, Kings
- Tyler Herro, Heat
- John Jenkins
- Keldon Johnson, Spurs
- Josh Magette
- Dakota Mathias, Sixers
- Immanuel Quickley, Knicks
- Naz Reid, Timberwolves
- Cameron Reynolds, Rockets
- Isaiah Stewart, Pistons
- Obi Toppin, Knicks
- P.J. Washington, Hornets
- Patrick Williams, Bulls
Lawsuit Related To Sale Of Timberwolves Dismissed
A judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Timberwolves’ second-largest shareholder, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. The decision means the sale of the team and the transition plan to new owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez can proceed as outlined in the sale agreement.
Meyer Orbach filed the suit in late May in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, claiming owner Glen Taylor’s arrangement with the buyers violates a partnership agreement by excluding “tag along rights.” That provision gives minority investors the option of selling their interests in the team before Taylor can. Orbach owns 17% of the Wolves and the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx, as well as the G League Iowa Wolves and the T-Wolves Gaming eSports franchise.
The judge sided with Taylor’s argument that because Lore and Rodriguez will start with a 20% share before gradually becoming full owners, there’s no initial agreement for controlling interest of the teams, Krawczynski adds (via Twitter). He ruled that Orbach’s contention that he should receive an immediate payout is null and void.
Lore and Rodriguez agreed to purchase the team for $1.5 billion and will serve as limited partners for two years while Taylor keeps majority control. The deal still needs final approval from the NBA’s Board of Governors.
Mavericks, Heat Would Be Top Suitors For Kawhi Leonard In Free Agency
The Mavericks and Heat plan to make a “hard push” to add Clippers star Kawhi Leonard this summer and other teams will be in the mix as well, sources tell Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. Leonard holds a player option for next season and is expected to bypass a $36MM salary to become a free agent.
Some executives consider Dallas to be in the best position to land Leonard because of the chance to play alongside Luka Doncic and the ability of the front office to create cap room or work out a sign-and-trade arrangement. Leonard has spent several years with Nike and has a strong relationship with longtime executive Nico Harrison, who was recently hired as the Mavericks’ general manager.
O’Connor notes that Leonard tried to talk Jimmy Butler into joining him with the Clippers two years ago before the team traded for Paul George. Butler opted for Miami, and O’Connor suggests that Leonard might have an interest in forming a partnership there. The Heat don’t have a realistic path for creating enough cap space to add Leonard in free agency and would have to rely on a sign-and-trade.
The Knicks do have plenty of cap room and will be in the market for any available star, O’Connor adds, and virtually any team would try to work out the details if Leonard shows an interest in joining them.
Even so, O’Connor states that there are plenty of indications Leonard will re-sign with the Clippers. He’s originally from Los Angeles and purchased a $17.1MM home in the area in March.
O’Connor foresees a lot of roster changes this summer, whether Leonard returns or not. Serge Ibaka has a $9.7MM player option, and Reggie Jackson and Nicolas Batum are both headed for unrestricted free agency. Keeping Jackson has become a priority after his stellar postseason, but the demand for him will be high and he could move beyond the Clippers’ price range.
L.A. is already in luxury tax territory, O’Connor notes, and adding more salary would be expensive. The team’s only path for signing a player will be the $5.9MM taxpayer midlevel exception. The Clippers have the No. 25 pick to offer in trade talks, but don’t own another first-rounder until 2027. They may try to move Luke Kennard, who has a four-year, $64MM extension that starts next season.
Giannis Has No Structural Damage In Knee, Doubtful For Game 5
4:02pm: Antetokounmpo has been listed as doubtful for Game 5, according to the Bucks (Twitter link). The team added in a press release that today’s MRI on Giannis’ knee confirmed the original diagnosis of a hyperextension.
3:24pm: Further testing on Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s injured left knee revealed no structural damage, according to Zach Lowe and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). His ligaments are sound, sources tell ESPN’s duo.
That’s great news for the Bucks and Antetokounmpo, who was diagnosed with a hyperextended left knee after falling awkwardly during Game 4 on Tuesday. However, the two-time MVP’s timetable to return remains unclear, per Lowe and Wojnarowski.
Both Antetokounmpo and Hawks star Trae Young are dealing with injuries and haven’t yet been cleared to play in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday. We should learn more about their respective statuses either later today or early tomorrow.
The Bucks, who are already down one starter (Donte DiVincenzo), will have to lean more heavily on stars Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday if Giannis is unable to play on Thursday in Milwaukee. Brook Lopez and/or Bobby Portis could also be asked to play a larger role in the frontcourt.
Wizards Interview Sam Cassell For Coaching Job
The Wizards interviewed Sixers assistant Sam Cassell for their head coaching job on Tuesday, sources tell Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link). The team is seeking a replacement for Scott Brooks after failing to reach an agreement on a new deal with him earlier this month.
Cassell was identified last week as one of the leading candidates to fill Washington’s coaching vacancy, but this is the first we’ve heard of his interview with the club. One report earlier in June suggested Cassell also may be on the Magic’s radar.
If Cassell were to be hired by the Wizards, it would be a reunion for the two sides and a homecoming of sorts for the former NBA point guard. A Baltimore native, Cassell began his coaching career with the Wizards in 2009, spending five years as an assistant with the franchise, first under Flip Saunders, then on Randy Wittman‘s staff.
Cassell subsequently worked as an assistant on Doc Rivers‘ staff with the Clippers from 2014-20, then joined Rivers in Philadelphia for the 2020/21 season. The veteran assistant has been a candidate for a handful of head coaching openings within the last couple years. He was linked to the Rockets and Clippers in 2020, and was said to receive some interest from Boston earlier this month before the team hired Ime Udoka.
While Cassell appears firmly in the mix for the Wizards’ job, the team is considering several other options, including Nuggets associate head coach Wes Unseld Jr., Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley, and Celtics assistant Scott Morrison.
Antetokounmpo Leaves Game Four With Knee Injury
Giannis Antetokounmpo left Game Four of the Bucks‘ series with the Hawks in the third quarter after injuring his left knee. He did not return to the game.
The initial diagnosis is a hyperextended knee, according to the Bucks, but more tests are likely to come to determine the extent of the injury and a potential return timeline.
Antetokounmpo had to be carried off the court by his brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo before walking the rest of the way himself. He initially returned to the bench before heading back to the locker room and being ruled out for the rest of the game. GM Jon Horst headed to the tunnel as well, tweets Ben Golliver of the Washington Post.
Hawks guard Trae Young missed Game Four altogether due to a foot injury, so neither Atlanta nor Milwaukee is assured of having its star player available for Game Five on Thursday. The Hawks’ win on Tuesday has evened the series at two games apiece.
Penny Hardaway To Stay At Memphis
Penny Hardaway will stay in his position as head coach of the University of Memphis, Hardaway announced in an Instagram post. He was under consideration for the head coach job with the Magic, and he expressed a future interest in that position, even if the time wasn’t right now.
“One day in the future I would love to coach in the NBA, and wouldn’t that be great if it were the Orlando Magic?” Hardaway said. “But today isn’t that day.”
Memphis has a 63-32 record under Hardaway’s leadership, in which time he coached 2020 No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman and No. 20 pick Precious Achiuwa and won the 2021 NIT championship.
“Today I’m here with my players, with the fans, with the city, working as hard as I can to try to bring us a national championship,” Hardaway said.
It’s unclear whether Hardaway – a Magic legend in his own right – withdrew from the search or was informed by the team he was no longer under consideration. Either way, Orlando will look elsewhere for its next head coach, with Kenny Atkinson and Terry Stotts among those viewed as strong candidates.
Trae Young Out For Game Four
Hawks star Trae Young has been ruled out for Game Four, report ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Malika Andrews.
According to Andrews and Wojnarowski, Young made every effort to be ready to play, but was hampered by a severe lack of mobility and amount of pain. The star point guard suffered a bone bruise and tweaked ankle in Game Three loss to the Bucks when he stepped on the foot of a referee while trying to get back on defense.
Young had previously gone through shoot-around, and had “looked good,” according to teammate Onyeka Okongwu. With the Hawks down two games to one in the series against the Bucks, this news comes as a devastating blow. Young’s availability for future games remains in question. He will continue to rehab and hopes to be ready for Game Five, tweets Wojnarowski.
Bogdan Bogdanovic, who has been hampered with right knee soreness, is available to play.
Jacque Vaughn Withdraws From Head Coaching Searches
Nets assistant Jacque Vaughn has elected to withdraw his name from the ongoing head coaching searches around the NBA, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
According to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), Vaughn is citing family reasons, including the opportunity to spend more time with his two teenage sons, as the motivator for his decision. The expectation is that he’ll return to Steve Nash‘s staff in Brooklyn for the 2021/22 season.
Three teams – the Pelicans, Wizards, and Magic – are still seeking a new head coach. However, there hadn’t been reports indicating that Washington and Orlando were considering Vaughn for their respective vacancies.
New Orleans, on the other hand, was said to have Vaughn high on its list of candidates. A report last week suggested that his candidacy for the Pelicans’ job was gaining traction, and a more recent report tabbed him as a potential frontrunner.
If Vaughn was their preferred candidate, the Pelicans will now have to turn to other options. Bucks assistant Charles Lee and New Orleans’ own assistant Fred Vinson are among those believed to be in the mix.