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Joel Embiid Has Small Meniscus Tear, Out For Game 5

By | at June 2, 2021 12:19 pm

The Sixers have provided an official update on Joel Embiid‘s status, announcing (via Twitter) that an MRI on the big man’s injured right knee revealed a small lateral meniscus tear.

Embiid will be sidelined for Game 5 on Wednesday, according to the Sixers. However, the club has yet to rule him out beyond that, stating that he’ll be considered day-to-day going forward. His injury will be managed with a physical therapy and treatment program.

While it’s good news that Embiid doesn’t have a more serious injury, any level of meniscus tear is worrisome, so it’s hardly a best-case scenario for the 76ers.

Multiple treatment options are available for meniscus injuries, including surgery, but it sounds like the club will opt not to have its All-Star center go under the knife, since that would result in an absence of at least multiple weeks, if not months.

Even with no surgery, I wouldn’t count on Embiid necessarily being ready to return within the next few days. Managing swelling and pain in his right knee will play a significant part in how soon he’s able to play again, notes ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).

With Embiid unavailable, the Sixers figure to lean more heavily on frontcourt players like Dwight Howard and Mike Scott in Game 5 on Wednesday. Philadelphia has a 3-1 lead and can close out its first-round series with a win over the Wizards.

28 comments Newsstand Philadelphia 76ers Washington Wizards

NBA Announces Initial Early Entrant List For 2021 Draft

By | at June 2, 2021 10:38 am

The NBA has officially released the initial list of early entrants for the 2021 NBA draft, announcing in a press release that 353 players have filed as early entry candidates. Of those prospects, 296 are from colleges, while 57 are international early entrants.

That number obliterates the previous record of 236 early entrants, established in 2018. That had been expected, however, since the NCAA gave players an extra year of eligibility due to the coronavirus pandemic, resulting in seniors having to decide between staying at college for one more season or declaring for the draft as an “early” entrant.

Since well over half of the college early entrants are seniors, there are actually fewer college underclassmen than usual in this initial group of early entrants.

This year’s total of 353 early entrants figures to shrink significantly by July 7 and again by July 19, the two deadlines for players to withdraw their names from the draft pool. But it still looks like the pool will remain extremely crowded, with the eventual number of early entrants certain to exceed 60, the number of picks in the draft.

Our tracker of early entrants for the 2021 draft now includes seniors and is fully up to date. It can be found right here. It doesn’t include players who are automatically draft-eligible this year. As Jonathan Givony of ESPN tweets, that list of auto-eligible players includes the prospects who played for the G League Ignite, such as Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga.

Here are the changes we made to our tracker today:

Newly-added players:

College players:

These players hadn’t previously been included on our unofficial list of underclassmen early entrants and weren’t on the list of senior early entrants that the NBA sent to teams last week.

International players:

These players weren’t previously mentioned on our list of international early entrants. The country listed here indicates where they last played, not necessarily where they were born.

Players removed:

Despite reports or announcements that the players below would declare for the draft, they didn’t show up on the NBA’s official list.

That could mean a number of things — they may have decided against entering the draft; they may have entered the draft, then withdrawn; they may have incorrectly filed their paperwork; or the NBA may have accidentally omitted some names.

In any case, we’ve removed the following names from our early entrant list for the time being.

4 comments 2021 NBA Draft International Newsstand

Brad Stevens Named Celtics’ Head Of Basketball Operations, Will Lead Search For New Coach

By | at June 2, 2021 10:06 am

10:06am: The Celtics have officially announced that Stevens is the new president of basketball operations. Despite at least one report suggesting that Ainge isn’t expected to retire from basketball (as noted below), the club’s statement says the veteran executive is “retiring” from his role as president of basketball ops. Ainge will continue to work with the team through its offseason transition, per the C’s.

“Helping guide this organization has been the thrill of a lifetime, and having worked side-by-side with him since he’s been here, I know we couldn’t be in better hands than with Brad guiding the team going forward,” Ainge said in a statement. “I’m grateful to ownership, all of my Celtics colleagues, and the best fans in basketball for being part of the journey.”

Stevens issued a statement of his own, as follows:

“I’m grateful to ownership and to Danny for trusting me with this opportunity. I’m excited to tackle this new role, starting with a wide ranging and comprehensive search for our next head coach. I love the Celtics, and know the great honor and responsibility that comes with this job. I will give it everything I have to help us be in position to consistently compete for championships.”

9:24am: A major shakeup is taking place in Boston, as Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge will indeed step down from his current role, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Wojnarowski had reported earlier in the morning that Ainge was seriously considering such a move.

The Celtics won’t go outside the organization for Ainge’s replacement, however. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter links), head coach Brad Stevens will be making the move from the sidelines to the front office and will become the club’s new president of basketball operations.

Rather than holding a dual role, Stevens will become a full-time front office executive and is expected to lead the search for the Celtics’ new head coach, Charania reports.

Celtics players were informed of this potential change late on Tuesday night after the team was eliminated from the playoffs, says Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).

Ainge had been contemplating leaving his job as the Celtics’ president of basketball operations for the last several months, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), who adds that Ainge had discussed possible succession plans with ownership.

While Stevens is a surprising choice as Ainge’s successor, Wojnarowski points out that Ainge made a similar move early in his post-playing career, having coached the Suns from 1996-99 before later transitioning into a front office role. According to Woj (Twitter link), Stevens has been described as feeling “worn down” with coaching since last summer and welcome the opportunity to shift into an executive position.

This major basketball operations overhaul comes on the heels of the Celtics’ early exit from the postseason. After making the Eastern Conference Finals in three of the last four years, Boston entered the season with aspirations of competing for a title.

However, due to COVID-19 issues, injuries, and inconsistent play, the team never built any real momentum toward legit contention, finishing seventh in the East. Although the C’s earned a postseason berth via the play-in tournament, they were eliminated swiftly in the first round by the Nets.

Despite the Celtics’ disappointing season, Stevens and Ainge – one of the longest-tenured coach/executive duos in the NBA – weren’t thought to be in any real danger of being fired. It appears Ainge’s exit is of his own volition after he spent the last 18 years calling the shots in the team’s front office.

Even though his time with the Celtics is ending, Ainge isn’t believed to be leaning toward retirement, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com, who tweets that the Jazz have been rumored as a possible landing spot for the veteran exec.

Meanwhile, Lakers assistant Jason Kidd and former Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce are expected to be among the candidates to fill Boston’s newly-created head coaching vacancy, according to Haynes (Twitter link).

In his eight seasons as the Celtics’ head coach, Stevens led the team to a 354-282 (.557) regular season record, with a 38-40 (.487) mark in the playoffs, including those three Eastern Finals appearances. As for Ainge, the C’s made the postseason in all but three of his 18 seasons running the front office, taking home a title in 2008.

Ainge’s trades for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen helped lead the Celtics to a title in 2008. Additionally, the blockbuster deal that sent an aging Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Nets for a boatload of draft picks in 2013 is considered one of the biggest NBA heists of the century, putting Boston in position to land Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in subsequent drafts.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

54 comments Boston Celtics Los Angeles Lakers Newsstand Utah Jazz

Danny Ainge Considering Stepping Down From Role With Celtics

By | at June 2, 2021 8:29 am

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge is seriously considering his future with the team and could make the decision to step down from his position in the front office, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Wojnarowski’s report comes on the heels of the Celtics’ exit from the postseason. After making the Eastern Conference Finals in three of the last four years, Boston entered the season with aspirations of competing for a title. However, due to COVID-19 issues, injuries, and inconsistent play, the team never built momentum toward legit contention, finishing seventh in the East. While the C’s earned a postseason berth via the play-in tournament, they were eliminated swiftly in the first round by the Nets.

We’ll have to wait for more details on Ainge’s thinking, but it’s worth noting that the veteran executive has had some health scares in the past. He suffered a mild heart attack in 2009, then another in 2019. Ainge took some time away from the job after that second heart attack two years ago, and later talked about it serving as a wake-up call to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Still, Chris Mannix of SI.com, who suggested on Tuesday night that he wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Ainge leaving the Celtics, hears that the 62-year-old likely wouldn’t retire if he stepped down from his position in Boston. The expectation is that he’d seek another opportunity in that scenario, tweets Mannix.

Ainge is one of the NBA’s longest-tenured presidents of basketball operations, having held the role with the Celtics since 2003. His tenure in that position is exceeded by only Gregg Popovich (Spurs) and Pat Riley (Heat), both of whom have been presidents of basketball operations since the mid-1990s.

During his 18 years in Boston, Ainge has made a series of memorable deals. His trades for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen helped lead the Celtics to a title in 2008. Additionally, the blockbuster deal that sent an aging Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Nets for a boatload of draft picks in 2013 is considered one of the biggest heists of the century, putting Boston in position to land Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in subsequent drafts.

A handful of Ainge’s moves in recent years haven’t panned out quite as well. The Celtics haven’t had a great hit rate on draft picks besides Tatum and Brown, and their last star trade acquisition (Kyrie Irving) departed after just two up-and-down seasons.

20 comments Boston Celtics Newsstand

Anthony Davis Won’t Play In Game 5

By | at June 1, 2021 8:40 pm

Lakers star Anthony Davis has been officially ruled out for Game 5 of the team’s first-round series against the Suns, Mark Medina of USA Today tweets. Markieff Morris will start in his place.

Davis suffered a left groin strain in Game 4 on Sunday and was considered doubtful. He did come out onto the court on two occasions to test the injury but the club’s medical staff ultimately decided he wasn’t ready to go.

The Lakers and Suns are tied at 2-2 in their first-round series, and Davis averaged 34.0 points and 10.5 rebounds in the team’s two wins in Game 2 and 3.

Morris has only played 12 minutes in the series and hasn’t made a field goal. He averaged 5.9 PPG and 3.0 RPG in 21 postseason games, including two starts, for the Lakers during their championship run last season.

36 comments Los Angeles Lakers Newsstand Phoenix Suns

Davis Bertans Out 4-6 Weeks Due To Calf Strain

By | at June 1, 2021 11:39 am

An MRI conducted on Davis Bertans‘ injured right calf revealed a Grade 2 strain, a source tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). According to Wojnarowski, Bertans will require four-to-six weeks to recover from the injury.

It’s bad news for the Wizards and for the veteran forward, who suffered the injury in Monday’s win over Philadelphia after scoring 15 points in just 23 minutes. However, given that Washington is down 3-1 in the series, it may not have mattered if Bertans had just been ruled out for a few days rather than for a few weeks — his season would likely be over either way.

Still, considering the Sixers are dealing with an important injury of their own – Joel Embiid (knee) is also undergoing an MRI today – the door is slightly ajar for the Wizards to make the series interesting. If they’re going to do so, they’ll have to lean on power forward Rui Hachimura to play an increased role. While he’ll be hard-pressed to replicate Bertans’ floor-spacing ability, Hachimura has knocked down 8-of-12 threes through four games.

After signing a five-year, $80MM contract last offseason, Bertans had an up-and-down 2020/21 season. In 57 games (25.7 MPG), he recorded 11.5 PPG on .404/.395/.870 shooting, which represented a dip in his production from ’19/20. He should be fully healthy well in advance of the start of the second season of that five-year deal.

3 comments Newsstand Washington Wizards

Embiid Leaves Playoff Game With Knee Soreness

By | at May 31, 2021 7:47 pm

Joel Embiid will not return to Game 4 of the Sixers’ first-round series against Washington with right knee soreness, the team tweets.

Embiid played 11 minutes on Monday before retreating to the locker room. Initial speculation was that Embiid had a tailbone injury after taking a fall, but the team’s official announcement could be even more ominous.

Embiid underwent surgery on his left knee in 2017 and has dealt with soreness in that knee at times.

An extended absence for Embiid, who averaged 29.3 PPG in Philadelphia’s three victories in the series, would obviously be a crushing blow to the Sixers’ title hopes. If the Sixers are able to close out the series quickly, it would buy more time for Embiid to heal for the conference semifinals.

17 comments Newsstand Philadelphia 76ers

Anthony Davis Unlikely To Play In Game 5

By | at May 31, 2021 12:14 pm

Lakers big man Anthony Davis is unlikely to be available for Game 5 on Tuesday, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

As Charania explains, although Davis – who suffered a left groin strain on Sunday – may not be ready to go on Tuesday, there’s optimism that he won’t have to be ruled out for the series. He’ll continue to be evaluated on a daily basis this week. If Davis misses Game 5, his next opportunity to suit up would be on Thursday for Game 6.

The Lakers and Suns are tied at 2-2 in their first-round series, and L.A. has been at its best when Davis has been at his best. He averaged 34.0 points and 10.5 rebounds in the team’s two wins in Game 2 and 3. In a Game 1 loss, he put up just 13 points and seven rebounds. Prior to his early exit in Game 4, he had recorded six points and four rebounds in 19 minutes.

If Davis is sidelined for Game 5, frontcourt players like Markieff Morris, Kyle Kuzma, and Montrezl Harrell could see increased roles, while LeBron James and Dennis Schröder will have to take on added scoring and play-making responsibilities.

20 comments Los Angeles Lakers Newsstand

Anthony Davis Suffers Left Groin Strain

By | at May 30, 2021 4:31 pm

Lakers superstar Anthony Davis missed the second half of Game 4 versus Phoenix after suffering a left groin strain, as relayed by Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link).

Davis will be listed as day-to-day going forward, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

Davis, who sustained the injury at the end of the first half, finished with six points, four rebounds and three assists. The Lakers played without Kentavious Caldwell-Pope due to a knee contusion, and LeBron James also admitted this week that he needs around-the-clock treatment to keep his ankle ready.

Davis was dealing with a left knee sprain coming into the contest. He averaged 27 points and 9.3 rebounds per game (39.7 MPG) in the team’s first three games of the series, shooting 43% from the floor.

The Suns will host the Lakers in Game 5 on Tuesday after tying the series 2-2. Davis’ status is naturally uncertain.

60 comments Los Angeles Lakers Newsstand

Jalen Green Believes He Should Be No. 1 Draft Pick

By | at May 29, 2021 8:55 pm

Jalen Green doesn’t lack confidence when talking about his draft prospects. In an interview with Farbod Esnaashari of Bleacher Report, Green discusses his experiences with the G League Ignite, his decision to skip college basketball, and how he thinks he measures up against the rest of the 2021 draft class.

“I didn’t really start paying attention to it until after the (G League) bubble,” Green said. “I just felt like I should be No. 1 because I work harder than a lot of the dudes in my class. That’s the only reason. It’s not something that could have been or should have been; it’s just because I work harder.”

Green was a basketball pioneer along with Ignite teammates Jonathan Kuminga, Isaiah Todd, and Daishen Nix, who all sought an alternative to the traditional path to the NBA. They got to play alongside veterans such as Jarrett Jack and Bobby Brown while being coached by Brian Shaw.

During his time in the G League, Green was a dedicated student of game film. He paid particular attention to high-scoring guards Bradley Beal and Zach LaVine, whom he hopes to emulate, along with legends such as Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Green said Jack and Brown were especially helpful in offering tips about the pro game.

Green touches on several other subjects in the wide-ranging interview:

His advice to other high school stars who are considering the G League:

“I would say to, for sure, do it. If their goal is to get to the NBA and they’re one of the top kids in the country, I would say for sure. You’re going to pick up on things early, you’re going to be ahead of schedule, you’re just going to learn how to be an overall pro. This year was the first year (of the G League Ignite), so I’m sure the next years are going to get better and better.”

How the league prepared him for the NBA:

“I think it was overall a great experience. I learned a lot, I learned how to be a pro early. I was put in a pro setting. Improved my pro habits on and off the court. I feel I just got overall better. The young guys that were there got overall better too. It was just a great experience overall.”

What he learned by playing for Shaw:

“I think I learned a lot from B-Shaw. We were playing in the triangle offense, so that was an offense with a lot of vets put in. So that was cool learning that. I just got to pick his brain a lot about Kobe Bryant, Larry Bird and Shaq. We watched a lot of film. B-Shaw helped me a lot.”

The incentive that came with trying to be the top overall pick:

“For me, it’s like a motivation thing. Just because, at first I wasn’t even talked about going No. 1 because of the route I took. It was different, and I was off the map for a little bit. Even after the bubble, they still were talking about that. Just seeing that now is more motivation. I feel like that’s where I should have been. It’s a dream come true for sure; it does give me butterflies.”

37 comments 2021 NBA Draft Newsstand
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