Splitter, St. Andrews, Crawford Join Blazers’ Coaching Staff
The Trail Blazers have officially named Tiago Splitter, Patrick St. Andrews and Quinton Crawford as assistants on Chauncey Billups’ staff, the team announced today in a press release.
Splitter joins the Trail Blazers after leading the Paris Basketball Club to a French Basketball Cup championship and into the EuroLeague playoffs as the team’s head coach. Previously, Splitter served as an assistant coach for the Rockets during the 2023/24 season and spent the five seasons prior with the Nets.
St. Andrews has been an assistant coach with the Grizzlies for the last two seasons. Prior to arriving in Memphis, St. Andrews spent five seasons on the Bucks’ staff.
Crawford comes to Portland after leading the NBA G League Stockton Kings to a championship in his first season as their head coach. He was an assistant with the Suns in 2023/24 after spending one season with the Mavericks and three seasons with the Lakers.
News that Splitter and St. Andrews were joining the staff broke over the weekend, while Crawford’s agreement with the team was first reported in May.
Additionally, Leron Black has been hired as a player development coach. Black has served as an assistant coach and director of video for the Rip City Remix, Portland’s G League affiliate.
Mark Tyndale will not be retained on Billups’ staff, according to Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian.
Ott: Merit, Not MSU Ties, Led To Suns’ Head Coaching Job
Jordan Ott graduated from Michigan State and served as a graduate assistant under longtime head coach Tom Izzo for two seasons. Suns owner Mat Ishbia played for Izzo during the Spartans’ 2000 championship run and new general manager Brian Gregory was an assistant under Izzo that season.
However, Ott denies that his MSU ties had anything to do with being named Phoenix’s head coach, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic relays.
“So I’ll say it like this,” Ott said during his introductory press conference on Tuesday. “I’ve earned the right to be here. I’ve spent 20 years of working as hard as I possibly can to be here in this spot. I’ve been around great people, great coaches and great players that have allowed me to grow, put me in tough spots to see if I can get better. I know I’ve earned this opportunity. I’m going to work as hard as I can from here on out to prove that I’m here for the right reasons. I’ve earned this opportunity. That excites me. That excites me going forward.”
The Suns interviewed more than 15 candidates for the position and the two finalists were Ott and fellow Cavs assistant Johnnie Bryant. Gregory said Ott was the “clear choice” for the job.
“Jordan Ott stood out in every single stage of that process,” Gregory said, adding “His work ethic is beyond reproach. His basketball knowledge, his forward thinking in terms of offensive schemes and systems, the blueprint for an aggressive defensive style of play fit in perfectly with everything that we’ve been talking about for the last five weeks. His leadership, his ability to develop players, his ability to develop deep relationships with players constantly stood out.”
What isn’t clear is what group of players Ott will be coaching next season. There’s been no indication that the Suns are interesting in a full rebuild, but the cap-strapped team is looking for a reset around Devin Booker. The front office is working with Kevin Durant and his agent, Rich Kleiman, to find a landing spot for Durant as early as this month with the draft approaching.
It’s no secret the Suns would also like to move Bradley Beal and his onerous contract, but Beal has a no-trade clause and would have to agree to waive it if Phoenix can find a trade partner willing to make a deal.
There will be changes to the coaching staff. David Fizdale, one of Mike Budenholzer‘s top assistants this past season, will not be retained, Phoenix radio host John Gambadoro tweets. Former Houston head coach Stephen Silas is under consideration to join Ott’s staff.
Heat Notes: Jaquez, Durant, Young Roster, Herro
Following a disappointing second season in the NBA, Heat guard Jaime Jaquez is already focused on turning things around, he told Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.
“When the season ended, I took some time away just to decompress, gather my thoughts, really get to a place of peace,” Jaquez said. “Now I’m full steam ahead. I’ve been in the gym every single day, working on my mind, body, spirit, my jump shot, defense. Really just getting my body and mind in tune to get ready for this next season.”
Jaquez averaged fewer points (8.6 per game compared to 11.9 as a rookie) while shooting a worse percentage from the field (46.1% this season compared to 48.9%) and three-point range (31.1% compared to 32.2%). Jaquez’s offseason goals include developing a better mental approach.
“I’m working with a mental coach to try to just help myself become present in the moments, try to tune out all the noise and just really focus on what’s important,” he said.
Here’s more on the Heat:
- Miami does indeed have interest in trading for Suns forward Kevin Durant, as ESPN’s Shams Charania stated on Wednesday, but only at the “right price,” Chiang and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald report. Miami has tried to trade for the 15-time All-Star in the past. The Heat have two assets that could grease the skids for a trade — a skilled young center in Kel’el Ware, the type of big man Phoenix reportedly covets, and Duncan Robinson’s partially guaranteed contract. It’s unknown whether the Heat would offer Ware in a Durant trade. The Herald duo maps out possible trade scenarios that would work financially for both sides.
- Do the Heat have too many young players? That’s an unusual dilemma for a team that has been criticized in the past for relying on too many veterans, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel notes. The Heat hold the No. 20 pick draft and they’re considering all options. “It’s a good question, certainly having a lot of young players,” said Adam Simon, the Heat’s vice president, basketball operations and assistant GM. “We’ve been here on the other side, where we were told we were told we didn’t have enough young players.”
- A potential Tyler Herro extension presents complications for the front office, Chiang writes in his latest mailbag. Beginning on Oct. 1, Herro is eligible to add a three-year, $149.7MM extension to the two seasons he has left on his current deal. If an agreement is not reached on an extension by Oct. 20, Herro would be eligible to sign a four-year, $206.9MM extension next offseason. With Bam Adebayo already signed to a max extension, giving Herro that type of long-term security would hamstring the club’s efforts to fit in another high-salary star player.
- In case you missed it, Luke Adams offered his comprehensive offseason preview of the Heat to our Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers last week.
Suns, Durant Sifting Through Trade Scenarios
The Suns and Kevin Durant‘s business partner, Boardroom CEO Rich Kleiman, have met multiple times over the past week and are sifting through trade scenarios, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports.
The Rockets, Spurs, Heat, Timberwolves and Knicks are among the teams that have expressed interest in trading for the 15-time All-Star forward.
Several other suitors beyond those five teams have made inquiries on Durant in the past seven-to-10 days, Charania notes. Talks are expected to escalate before the draft, which takes place in two weeks.
After a colossally disappointing season in which the Suns didn’t make the playoffs, there has been an expectation that Durant will be moved. The Suns engaged in trade talks involving Durant prior to February’s deadline and nearly traded him to Golden State, which seemingly caught Durant by surprise and was something he didn’t want at the time.
Matching salaries could be a challenge for some teams and draft capital could be key for the Suns, who desperately need to replenish their draft stock. The latter issue makes it preferable for a Durant deal to be in place over the next two weeks.
Durant has a $54.7MM salary next season, the last year of his current contract, and his desire for an extension could prove to be a critical factor in where he lands, says Charania.
Once he is traded, Durant will be eligible to sign a two-year contract extension on July 6 worth as much as $112MM. After a six-month waiting period, he could instead sign a two-year extension worth up to $124MM.
Jaylen Brown Undergoes Arthroscopic Knee Procedure
Celtics star forward Jaylen Brown underwent a right knee arthroscopic debridement procedure today, according to a team press release. He is expected to participate in training camp without limitation, the statement adds (Twitter link).
Brown had been dealing with a knee injury since March. Late last month, it was reported that the 28-year-old was still pondering his options, including a surgical procedure. Ultimately, that’s the path that he chose.
Brown averaged 22.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 11 postseason games despite the partial meniscus tear that cropped up late in the regular season.
The fact that Brown is expected to be healthy for training camp is a big boost for a franchise that will likely be without Jayson Tatum next season due to the Achilles tear he suffered during the playoffs. Brown is entering the second year of his five-year super-max contract.
Deep into the luxury tax, the Celtics are looking to shed some salary with prominent players such as Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis among the candidates to be on the move. There hasn’t been as much speculation about a possible Brown trade but the fact that his knee problem appears to be relatively minor should erase any concerns from potential suitors about acquiring him.
Celtics Eyeing Point Guard Prospects, Evaluating Trade-Up Scenarios
The Celtics are doing their due diligence on point guard prospects ahead of the 2025 NBA draft, as well as evaluating potential trade-up scenarios, league sources tell Grant Afseth of RG.org.
Boston currently controls the No. 28 pick in the first round and the No. 32 pick in the second round, giving the team some ammunition to potentially move up a few spots if there’s a specific prospect the front office likes in that range.
Of course, the ability to draft a player with that No. 32 pick and sign him to a rookie-minimum salary would benefit the cap-strapped Celtics as they look to reduce their payroll, so the club would have to weigh its options carefully if it considers a move up — packaging the No. 28 selection with a future pick or two while hanging onto No. 32 could also be an option, though that’s just my speculation.
As Afseth writes, the Celtics have “quietly evaluated” a number of point guards in this year’s draft class, conducting background work on those prospects and making an effort to bring them in for workouts. Adding a “rotation-level” guard on a rookie scale contract is viewed as a priority for a team that operated over the second tax apron this past season, Afseth adds, especially with Jrue Holiday considered a prime offseason trade candidate.
Among this year’s draft-eligible point guards, Dylan Harper, Jeremiah Fears, Kasparas Jakucionis, and Egor Demin are viewed as probable lottery picks. Nolan Traore is at No. 25 on ESPN’s big board, with Walter Clayton Jr. at No. 27 and Ben Saraf at No. 30. For what it’s worth, Traore was once considered a potential top-10 pick and was still in the lottery in ESPN’s mock drafts as of mid-March, but has fallen in the rankings this spring.
According to Afseth, Boston is one of a few teams with multiple picks in the first round or early second who are exploring the idea of trading up. The Thunder (Nos. 15, 24, and 44), Magic (Nos. 16, 25, 46, and 57), and Nets (Nos. 8, 19, 26, 27, and 36) are also “viewed as active in that market,” sources tell RG.org.
Knicks Denied Permission To Speak To Udoka, Finch, Kidd
8:30 am: The Knicks asked for the Mavericks’ permission to speak to Kidd and, as expected, were turned down by Dallas as well, according to Stein (Twitter link).
For what it’s worth, Steve Popper of Newsday (Twitter link) has heard that some people in the Knicks’ organization believe the “first no” from the Mavs doesn’t necessarily spell the end of New York’s pursuit of Kidd.
7:56 am: The Knicks formally requested permission to speak to Rockets head coach Ime Udoka and Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch, but were denied on both counts, according to reports.
Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link) first reported that the Knicks’ request to Houston had been turned down, while longtime New York radio and podcast host Mike Francesa (Twitter link) was first to say that the Timberwolves declined the Knicks’ request to speak to Finch. Shams Charania of ESPN subsequently confirmed both reports.
Marc Stein wrote last week that the Knicks had interest in Udoka but would almost certainly be rebuffed by the Rockets if they sought permission to talk to him. New York’s interest in Finch was initially reported last week by Begley.
Udoka, who was hired by the Rockets following three straight seasons of 22 or fewer wins, has helped turn things around in Houston, leading the team to a 41-41 record last season and a 52-30 mark – along with the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference – this past year. Finch, meanwhile, has guided the Timberwolves to back-to-back appearances in the Western Conference Finals.
Neither team was likely to be enthusiastic about letting the Knicks poach a successful head coach who remains under contract.
It sounds like that will likely be the case for the Mavericks as well, as multiple reports have suggested that Dallas is expected to spurn the Knicks’ advances if New York seeks permission to speak to Jason Kidd. Charania confirms as much, citing sources who say the Mavs would decline the Knicks’ request if it comes (it hadn’t as of Tuesday night).
Based on what we know, it has been an unusual coaching search so far for the Knicks, who have only really been linked to candidates who already have head coaching jobs. It remains possible the club will request permission to speak to other head coaches currently employed by NBA teams, Charania notes.
Among coaches who aren’t presently employed, Taylor Jenkins is one name that people around the league think the Knicks will consider, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Jenkins was let go by the Grizzlies prior to the end of the regular season.
The Knicks are seeking a replacement for Tom Thibodeau, who took out a full-page ad in the New York Times on Wednesday thanking the fans, his players, and his coaching staff for his experience in New York, as Steve Popper of Newsday relays (via Twitter).
“To the best city in the world with the best fans in the world: Thank you,” Thibodeau wrote. “When I was hired in 2020, I said this was my dream job. I am grateful that dreams became a reality. Thank you to our players and coaching staff who gave everything they had, and to everyone who makes this franchise special. I am proud of everything we accomplished together, including four playoff appearances and this year’s run to the Eastern Conference finals — our first in 25 years.
“And to the fans, thank you for believing in me and embracing me from day one. Watching you support our team, and seeing the Garden ignite with that incomparable Knicks energy, is something I will never forget.”
Mavs, Pistons To Play Regular Season Game In Mexico City
The Mavericks and Pistons will play a regular season game in Mexico City on November 1, 2025, the NBA has announced in a press release. The game will take place at Mexico City Arena (aka Arena CDMX).
It’s the second straight year in which the NBA’s annual Mexico City game will coincide with local Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations. The Heat and Wizards played in Mexico during the 2024/25 season on Nov. 2.
The matchup between the Mavericks and Pistons will be the NBA’s 34th preseason or regular season game in Mexico since 1992. It will also be the eighth time that the Mavericks have participated in one of those contests south of the border.
The NBA has consistently played at least one regular season game in Mexico City since 2017, skipping only 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is the first 2025/26 regular season game announced by the NBA that will take place outside of the U.S. or Canada, though the league previously confirmed a series of international preseason matchups for the fall. The Knicks and Sixers are competing in Abu Dhabi on October 2 and 4; the Pelicans will face teams from Australia’s National Basketball League in Melbourne on Oct. 3 and 5; and the Nets and Suns will be playing in Macao on Oct. 10 and 12.
Thunder Notes: Caruso, Wiggins, Ownership, Depth, Defensive Strategy
Alex Caruso played 19.3 minutes per game during the regular season but is averaging 23 minutes during the postseason. Caruso, who averaged 28.7 minutes last season with Chicago, said the reduced playing time over the course of the year was by design. The Thunder wanted to keep the hard-nosed guard fresh for a deep playoff run.
“I just only have one gear. I don’t know how to play at 75 percent. Some of that was keeping me out of my own way, out of harm’s way. I don’t do a good job of that on my own,” Caruso said, per Ryan Stiles of Sports Illustrated. “Yeah, some of that, it was difficult just because I am such a competitive guy. If I’m only playing 15 to 20 minutes, if it’s one of those nights where it’s 15, we’re not playing great, like my instinct is to, all right, coach, leave me in there, let me fix it, let me be the one to help us get out of it.”
We have more on the Thunder with Game 3 of the NBA Finals approaching on Wednesday:
- Aaron Wiggins erupted for 18 points in 21 minutes in Game 2 after playing just nine minutes in Game 1. That made a strong impression on one of his All Star teammates. “It’s the hardest job in the league, I feel like. I think he’s underrated … It’s really hard to stay engaged and stay ready. For him to be able to do that on the biggest stage he’s ever played on and have a really good game, very special player. I always keep that in mind. Yeah, it’s a really tough job. He does it very well,” Jalen Williams said, per Stiles.
- Some investors may be regretting their decision to not grab a stake in the franchise. According to Kurt Badenhausen and Eben Novy-Williams of Sportico, shares of the team held by the estate of fracking baron Aubrey McClendon, who died in 2016, were put up for sale in 2019. McClendon was part of Clay Bennett‘s group that paid $350MM for Seattle SuperSonics in 2006. Those shares, approximately 20 percent of the franchise, remained on the market for a while before ultimately purchased by the current majority stakeholders.
- The Thunder were a plus-11 in Game 2 during the 12 minutes that MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was on the bench, a showcase of their depth, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater notes. The five-man unit of Caruso (who had 20 points), Williams, Wiggins, Cason Wallace and Isaiah Hartenstein was particularly potent. “We’ve played that lineup a lot through the playoffs,” Caruso said. “(Head coach) Mark (Daigneault) went back to it because we’ve had a lot of success. Me and Cason do a good job of mixing it up with whoever is the lead guard. Dub has great hands. We have a versatility in the lineup. It lets Wigs get a little bit loose, too.”
- In Game 2, Oklahoma City found success via a combination of ball screen location, aggression and overall defensive alignment, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic. He breaks down OKC’s defensive strategy that slowed the Pacers’ high-octane attack.
2025 NBA Offseason Preview: Orlando Magic
From the 2012/13 season through 2021/22, the Magic were one of the worst teams in the NBA. They finished well below .500 in nine of those 10 years, and went just 42-40 in their one winning season ('18/19) during that decade-long stretch.
The Magic committed to a rebuild in '20/21 after being stuck in mediocrity for a few years, trading away Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon, and Evan Fournier. Orlando shrewdly drafted Franz Wagner eighth overall in 2021 with one of the picks it acquired for Vucevic, then got lucky in 2022, winning the draft lottery and selecting Paolo Banchero.
After going just 22-60 the year before Banchero was selected, Orlando made significant strides during his first two seasons, winning 34 games in his rookie campaign and compiling a 47-35 record and making the playoffs in '23/24. The team eventually lost its highly competitive first-round series vs. Cleveland in seven games.
Given their talented young core, seemingly college-like off-court chemistry, and a rock-solid defense, there was an expectation that the Magic would continue to improve again in '24/25. But that didn’t happen, as they finished 41-41 and had to advance through the play-in tournament to secure the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Orlando again lost in the first round, this time to the defending champion Celtics in five games.
There were a number of reasons why the Magic took a minor step back this season, with the most obvious being injuries to their best players. Banchero, Wagner and Suggs account for a huge chunk of the team’s offense, but the trio was limited to a combined 141 appearances and suited up together just six times. On top of that, Orlando's fourth-leading scorer, reserve big man Moritz Wagner, only played in 30 games due to a torn ACL.
The Magic actually had a strong run in the first third of '24/25 even after losing Banchero to a torn abdominal muscle in their fifth game, going 17-9 with Franz Wagner looking like a strong early contender to earn his first All-Star and All-NBA nods. Unfortunately, he sustained the same injury as Banchero in December, with older brother Moritz going down later that month as well.
While injuries were undoubtedly a major factor Orlando's .500 record, the end result was still disappointing.
Key offseason signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was unable to build much chemistry with his new teammates and had an underwhelming first season with the Magic. Role players like Wendell Carter, Jonathan Isaac and Cole Anthony took steps back. Second-year guard Jett Howard continued to receive sporadic minutes and largely struggled when he was on the court, despite being a late lottery pick -- 11th overall -- a couple years ago (he was selected with the second first-rounder the Magic received in the Vucevic deal).
Veteran guard Cory Joseph and rookie forward Tristan da Silva were forced into bigger roles than expected due to injuries, and while they acquitted themselves fairly well given the circumstances, it certainly wasn't something the team had planned for. Overall, things were a bit of mess, particularly on the offensive end.
But there are still plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the Magic’s future, especially if the front office is able to find the right combination of talent to surround their top players over the next several months. There’s a strong foundation in place in Orlando, which has a legitimate chance to be a contender in a depleted East next season with better luck and a few changes to balance out the roster.
The Magic's Offseason Plan
The first order of business for the Magic this summer is signing Banchero to a rookie scale extension. There’s really no drama with that decision — I fully expect him to get a five-year max deal with Rose rule language that could increase the value from 25% to 30% of the '26/27 salary cap if he meets certain performance criteria next season.
