Pacers Notes: Hield, Smith, Nesmith, Hill, Turner, Offseason
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Pacers starting shooting guard Buddy Hield unpacked his resurgent season in Indiana, as Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star writes.
“I wanted to come in this year and put a stamp on what I’ve been doing my whole career in the NBA and even next year take the next big jump too,” Hield said. “Staying locked in. Credit to my teammates each and every day, getting me open and finding me in the right spots.”
Dopirak notes that Hield’s volume three-point shooting was his biggest attribute for a rebuilding Indiana club. His 288 made three-pointers in 2022/23 represented both a career best and the second-most in the league this year.
There’s more out of Indiana:
- Pacers power forward Jalen Smith had an uneven first full season with Indiana. He began the year as the team’s starting four, and was later moved to a reserve role before being benched altogether. After the club shut down starting center Myles Turner for the year, he played well upon being reintegrated into the team’s rotation. Smith spoke about his year, as Dopirak relays. “Every challenge and every obstacle helped me grow and helped me become a better person and better basketball player,” he said. “Nobody likes falling out of the rotation. Everybody wants to play basketball. That’s something we grew up loving. It’s tough as a young player still finding a place in the league and a niche and still trying to prove themselves. But everything happens for a reason. I take on challenges head on. It’s not going to deter my work ethic. It’s not going to deter my team aspect.”
- Pacers wing Aaron Nesmith was promoted to a role as the team’s small-ball starting power forward midway through the season, and responded well to the task. He reflected about how he hopes to develop during the offseason. “This summer as opposed to previous summers, I have more of a game-plan for my summer, things I have to get better at on and off the floor,” Nesmith said, according to Dopirak. “In the weight room, body wise stuff, on and off the court. Things I really want to hone in and be better at. … It’s having the minutes, figuring out what my role is here, how I can help the team and how I can expand on that role in a positive way.”
- Turner sounds relieved to have inked a new extension to remain in Indiana. He spoke with Pat Boylan of Bally Sports Indiana (Twitter video link) about his decision to stick around. “I’m so glad I was able to stay here, come to the city that fully embraced since I’ve been here,” Turner said. “I’m just hoping to build for years to come. … I’m at home, man.”
- Veteran reserve point guard George Hill once again has reiterated his own desire to return to the floor for Indiana next season, as he told Boylan in a separate interview (Twitter video link). “You never know what the future holds for you,” Hill said. “If this is my last game, I can say I went out putting the ball in the basket a couple of times. I would love the opportunity to come back with these fans and this team.” Hill, 36, is an unrestricted free agent. His ties to Indiana basketball may help convince the front office to bring him back for another run.
- The lottery-bound Pacers will have an intriguing offseason focused on building towards a brighter future. Bobby Marks of ESPN provided an in-depth guide to the team’s offseason (YouTube video link).
Wolves Confirm McDaniels Has Broken Hand, Out Indefinitely
Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels has sustained fractures of the third and fourth metacarpals of his right hand, the team announced in a press release.
According to the Wolves, the third-year small forward has been placed in a cast and is out indefinitely.
While Minnesota didn’t provide a recovery timeline, Jeff Stotts of InStreetClothes.com notes (via Twitter) that Pistons big man Marvin Bagley III sustained a similar injury in 2022/23 and missed 19 games and 54 days after undergoing surgery (20 total games). Based on that rough timeline, the Wolves will have to make a very deep postseason run for McDaniels to have a chance to return — the NBA Finals tip off on June 1.
The 22-year-old broke his hand on Sunday when he punched a wall in the arena tunnel out of frustration after picking up a couple early fouls. Sources tell Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link) that McDaniels apologized to the team and took responsibility for his error in judgment. Krawczynski points out that McDaniels went down a tunnel that was covered in a plastic curtain and was unaware of the concrete wall behind it.
McDaniels is the team’s top wing defender and had his best offensive season to date, averaging 12.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.9 SPG and 1.0 BPG on .517/.398/.736 shooting in 79 games, all starts (30.6 MPG). He will eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer.
In other Minnesota health news, guard Jaylen Nowell is trending in a positive direction for Tuesday’s play-in game against the Lakers, reports Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News and SkorNorth (Twitter link). Nowell has missed 17 of the past 20 games due to left knee tendinopathy.
Magic To Relocate, Rebrand G League Affiliate
In a press release, the Magic say they have a “major announcement” scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. League sources tell Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel (subscriber link) that the Magic will announce they are relocating and rebranding their G League affiliate.
The club’s G League affiliate currently plays at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland, Florida, which is roughly 55 miles from the Amway Center in downtown Orlando.
The problem is I-4 — the interstate highway between Lakeland and Orlando (it technically runs from Tampa to outside of Daytona Beach) — is frequently heavily congested with traffic and/or construction, making the travel tedious and about an hour-and-a-half.
According to Price, Orlando will be relocating its NBAGL affiliate to Kissimmee, specifically Osceola Heritage Park, where the team will play at the Silver Spurs Arena starting in November. That’s much closer to the Amway Center — about 24 miles or 31 minutes, per Google maps.
Orlando’s G League team will now be known as the Osceola Magic.
Kawhi Leonard, Bobby Portis Named Players Of The Week
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard and Bucks forward/center Bobby Portis have been named the NBA’s players of the week, the league announced today (via Twitter).
Leonard averaged 25.7 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists on .491/.389/.842 shooting in leading the Clippers to a 3-0 record last week. They secured the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference playoffs and will face Phoenix in the first round.
In 52 games this season, the two-time Finals MVP averaged 23.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.4 steals on .512/.416/.871 shooting. Leonard is under contract at $45.6MM in 2023/24 and holds a $48.8MM player option for ’24/25.
Portis, the East’s winner, averaged 20.0 points and 12.3 boards on .447/.591/.636 shooting in three games last week. The Bucks went 2-1 in those contests and 2-2 overall last week, resting some key players as they locked up the NBA’s top overall seed for the playoffs.
The 28-year-old averaged 14.1 points and a career-high 9.6 rebounds on .496/.370/.768 shooting in 70 games this season, primarily off the bench (22 starts, 26.0 minutes). The veteran big man should get some votes for Sixth Man of the Year following his strong regular season. Portis is under contract through at least ’24/25 with a player option for ’25/26.
According to the NBA (Twitter link), the other nominees in the West were Stephen Curry, Anthony Edwards, Brandon Ingram and LeBron James, while Jimmy Butler, Portis’ teammate Jrue Holiday, Immanuel Quickley and Pascal Siakam were nominated in the East.
Draft Notes: Strawther, Roach, Martin, Audige, More
Gonzaga’s Julian Strawther has declared for the 2023 NBA draft, he announced via Twitter. The junior wing didn’t say anything about maintaining his college eligibility, so we’re assuming he’s going to hire an agent and turn pro.
Strawther averaged 15.2 PPG and 6.2 RPG on .469/.408/.776 shooting in 37 games (31.2 MPG) this season for the Bulldogs. Gonzaga went 31-6, ultimately losing in the Elite Eight to UConn, the eventual champions.
Strawther, who turns 21 years old next week, is considered a potential second-round pick, as he’s ranked No. 50 on ESPN’s best available players list.
Here are some more draft related notes:
- Duke guard Jeremy Roach (Twitter link), Florida Atlantic guard Alijah Martin (Twitter link), and Northwestern guard Chase Audige (Twitter link) are all declaring for the draft while maintaining their eligibility. Roach and Martin are juniors, while Audige is a redshirt senior who has one year of eligibility left due to COVID-19. None of the three are on ESPN’s list, so they’re considered unlikely to be drafted.
- The Portsmouth Invitational tournament has released its rosters, as Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report relays (via Twitter). The Portsmouth tournament is often used a springboard for lesser-known prospects to try and get invites to the G League Elite Camp and then the NBA combine, Wasserman notes, with Tyrese Martin and Jared Rhoden among the players who successfully went down that path last year and played some NBA minutes in 2022/23.
- In case you missed it, we released an update on the projected lottery standings and tentative draft order for each of the league’s 30 teams, as well as which picks will and won’t change hands.
Rudy Gobert Receives One-Game Suspension, Out Vs. Lakers
1:23pm: The Wolves officially confirmed Gobert’s one-game suspension in a press release.
12:36pm: Rudy Gobert isn’t traveling with the Timberwolves and will not compete in the play-in game against the Lakers on Tuesday after receiving a one-game suspension, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter links).
Gobert is expected to return for the following game(s), whether that’s another play-in contest or a first-round playoff series, Wojnarowski adds.
According to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link), the Wolves decided to suspend Gobert after reviewing his altercation with Kyle Anderson on Sunday, when Gobert took a swing at his frontcourt teammate. The two players continued to argue at halftime, with Gobert ultimately getting sent home by the team.
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year was experiencing back spasms that hindered his mobility, but was pushed to play yesterday due to the importance of the game. Reports indicated that Anderson profanely told Gobert to play better defense, which evidently caused Gobert to punch Anderson in the left shoulder/chest area. The veteran center subsequently privately and publicly apologized, but obviously the team didn’t take his actions lightly.
The Wolves will also be without Jaden McDaniels for the rest of the season after he broke his hand punching a wall. The third-year forward was frustrated after picking up two early fouls. Backup center Naz Reid is expected to miss several weeks as well following wrist surgery to repair a fracture.
Despite being down two starters for the majority of the game, Minnesota wound up defeating New Orleans in a close, back-and-forth game. The victory clinched the No. 8 seed entering the play-in tournament for the Wolves, while the Pelicans fell to No. 9.
The winner of the Lakers/Wolves matchup will advance as the No. 7 seed and play Memphis in the first round. The loser will play the winner of Wednesday’s Pelicans/Thunder matchup on Friday for a chance at the No. 8 seed.
Rockets Part Ways With Stephen Silas
April 10: The Rockets have officially declined their option and parted ways with Silas, the team announced.
“On behalf of the Fertitta family and the entire Rockets organization, I would like to thank Stephen for his contributions to the team and the Houston community over the past three seasons,” said general manager Rafael Stone. “I have great respect for Stephen both as a person and as a basketball mind. His character, leadership, and positivity have been invaluable during this stage of our growth.”
April 9: Stephen Silas won’t return in 2023/24 as the Rockets‘ head coach, according to reports from Kelly Iko, Shams Charania, and Sam Amick of The Athletic and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Because he doesn’t have a guaranteed contract for next season, Silas isn’t technically being fired. However, Houston will turn down its team option on the final year of Silas’ deal and will hire a new head coach.
Rockets management is expected to meet with Silas on Monday to formally part ways, according to The Athletic and ESPN (Twitter link). Word of his exit broke moments after the club won its regular season finale on Sunday.
“I feel proud,” Silas said after Sunday’s game (Twitter link via Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle). “I wanted to be a head coach my whole life like my dad (Paul Silas). I’m proud of these guys. There’s been a lot of talk about my job for a long time. They kept working and playing hard, playing hard for their coach. I’m proud of that.”
Silas was hired by the Rockets to replace Mike D’Antoni prior to the 2020/21 season, back when James Harden and Russell Westbrook were still on the roster. Both of those stars requested trades early in Silas’ tenure and the team pivoted to a rebuild, significantly altering the nature of the job. Silas ultimately led the Rockets to a 59-177 (.250) record during his three years with the club, which was the NBA’s worst record during that time.
According to The Athletic’s story, the Rockets seriously considered firing Silas after slow starts both last season and this season, but he was able to save his job in both instances due to timely wins during those evaluation periods. Following the passing on Stephen’s father Paul this past December, the Rockets intended to let Silas finish the season.
Iko, Charania, and Amick say that Houston believes a head coaching change is necessary to take a next step toward contention, adding that the team will prioritize a more established coach when seeking Silas’ replacement.
Sources tell The Athletic that Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson, Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin, and former NBA head coaches Frank Vogel, James Borrego, and Ime Udoka are expected to be among Houston’s candidates. Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link) suggests that Trail Blazers assistant Scott Brooks, another former head coach, is also drawing interest from the Rockets.
Raptors coach Nick Nurse would be a target too if he doesn’t remain in Toronto, according to The Athletic’s reporters, who say the Rockets will have about eight candidates on their wish list.
As for Silas, he’ll likely be a popular target for teams seeking experienced assistant coaches this offseason, says Wojnarowski. Because he isn’t owed guaranteed money from the Rockets in 2023/24, Silas seems less likely to take a year off before finding a new job.
Hawks May Be Willing To Trade Trae Young
An early exit for the Hawks could lead to an offseason shakeup that might include a trade involving Trae Young, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.
Young has been regarded as Atlanta’s franchise player since he was drafted in 2018, but recent changes to the front office and coaching staff may point the team in a new direction, O’Connor states. Young had a tense relationship with former head coach Nate McMillan before he was replaced in February and may no longer be viewed as indispensable.
Sources tell O’Connor that the Hawks’ front office has received approval from ownership to make any roster changes it believes are necessary this summer. That group includes general manager Landry Fields and assistant general manager Kyle Korver — who have been running the team since former president of basketball operations Travis Schlenk moved into an advisory role in December — along with Quin Snyder, who demanded a say in personnel decisions when he took over as head coach. Many rival teams believe Snyder now has the final say in roster moves, according to O’Connor’s sources.
Snyder has been working to install the motion offense that was successful for him in Utah, but it has been difficult to overhaul the team’s style of play in just a few weeks. He also wants the Hawks to operate at a faster pace than they did under McMillan.
Both those concepts don’t seem to fit well with Young, who has gotten used to monopolizing the ball. O’Connor notes that even after Young pushed for the acquisition of Dejounte Murray as a second ball-handler, he often looks disengaged when he’s not running the offense and rarely cuts to the basket.
Young’s defensive limitations also remain an issue, O’Connor adds, which Snyder understands because he used to target Young on that end of court when he was coaching the Jazz. O’Connor points out that Atlanta has been among the bottom half of the league in defensive rating every season since Young arrived.
Young is in the first season of a five-year, $215MM extension that he agreed to in 2021. He will make $40MM, $43MM and $46MM over the next three years and has an early termination option for his $49MM salary in 2026/27.
While the Hawks will explore their options with Young this summer, O’Connor emphasizes that the odds are always against a major star being traded unless he forces his way out. O’Connor adds that the most likely scenario remains that Atlanta will keep Young and Murray together and try to rebuild the roster around them.
Pacific Notes: Westbrook, George, Biyombo, LeBron
Russell Westbrook is preparing to face Kevin Durant in a playoff series for the first time since their Oklahoma City partnership ended seven years ago, writes Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. The Clippers wrapped up the No. 5 seed Sunday afternoon with a victory over the Suns, setting up a first-round matchup with plenty of star power.
Both players started the season elsewhere, and they got to their current teams in radically different ways. Durant was the centerpiece of the season’s most celebrated trade, being sent from Brooklyn to Phoenix in a four-team deal at the deadline. Westbrook was a salary dump by the Lakers, who had to give up their 2027 first-round pick to get Utah to take his contract. He signed with the Clippers after agreeing to a buyout with the Jazz.
Westbrook is eager to return to the playoffs after missing the postseason last year.
“It’s a blessing and something that I don’t personally take for granted,” he said. “I’m grateful to be in a situation where I have an opportunity to do so, and I’m looking forward to it.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Paul George won’t be available when the Clippers start their series on Sunday, but he’s making “tangible progress” in his recovery from a sprained right knee, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. A report over the weekend said George has started exercising again after having to keep the knee immobilized for a while.
- Suns center Bismack Biyombo sat out Sunday’s game with a right knee bone contusion, but he’s confident that he’ll be ready for the playoffs, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Biyombo said he felt the worst pain of his career when he bumped knees with Lakers big man Anthony Davis Friday night, but the effects have largely subsided. “If it was a big game, I’d probably step on the court and compete, honestly,” Biyombo said on Sunday, “but the medical staff and the trainers that we have, we’re working through the process, but we’re patient enough knowing that we’ve got the playoffs starting. … That’s when things matter, which I’m really excited for.”
- LeBron James is relieved to be in the play-in tournament after a 2-10 start, but he said the Lakers have to keep the same focus that propelled their late-season success, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “We put ourselves in a position where we can move on. That’s all we asked for, to put ourselves in a position to move on,” James said. “We obviously had a very, very slow start. … So, to know where we are today, you can be happy about that but not satisfied.”
Mavericks Notes: Doncic, Irving, Wood, Investigation
In an attempt to ward off trade speculation, Luka Doncic told reporters on Sunday that he’s happy in Dallas, but his demeanor at the podium suggested otherwise, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. Doncic was clearly disturbed by the Mavericks‘ late-season collapse that resulted in an early vacation, and he wasn’t on board with the choice to rest rotation players on Friday while there was still a chance to make the play-in tournament.
“I didn’t like that decision,” he said. “That’s it.”
Doncic also said, “Something’s got to change,” but refused to elaborate on specifics, adding, “I don’t want to talk to the media about it.”
Teams around the league are monitoring Doncic’s situation, but he doesn’t have much leverage to push for a trade even if he decides he wants out of Dallas, according to Sean Deveney of Heavy. The maximum extension that Doncic signed in 2021 will keep him under contract through the 2026/27 season.
“The only way he can force a trade is to sit out like Ben Simmons did and anyone who knows anything about Luka knows he is not going to do that. There’s just no way,” a Western Conference executive told Deveney. “Anyone saying they’re going to trade him isn’t looking at the facts, or it is wishful thinking. Why trade him? You have him signed through 2027. This is not an issue until 2025 or 2026. That’s just the reality, the way the CBA is set up. He has not been in town long enough to start asking out.”
There’s more from Dallas:
- Kyrie Irving didn’t address the media after Sunday’s game, but coach Jason Kidd indicated that Irving has enjoyed his time with the Mavericks and will be open to re-signing in free agency, Townsend adds. “I think he’s excited to be here,” Kidd said. “He’s excited to work with Luka. He believes that we have a chance to win. And so this is a big summer, not just for us as Mavs, but for Kai. Everything we’ve done is to show that this is a great city, a great organization. And now it’s time to continue to build that process of winning the championship.”
- Free agent big man Christian Wood seems unlikely to return, Marc Stein writes in his latest Subtack article. Stein notes that there was talk of an extension for Wood before the Irving trade, but now it doesn’t appear that Dallas will try to re-sign him. Stein adds that JaVale McGee and Tim Hardaway Jr. also have uncertain futures, but their contracts won’t make them easy to move.
- David Aldridge of The Athletic questions the wisdom of the NBA’s investigation of the Mavericks for resting healthy players, claiming it’s no different than what numerous other teams have done.