Pacers Notes: Nesmith, Haliburton, Bradley, Walker
Aaron Nesmith went to the NBA Finals in 2022, but in a much smaller role than he’ll have this year, writes Souichi Terada of MassLive. Nesmith was in his second NBA season when Boston faced Golden State three years ago, and he mostly made limited appearances in the playoffs. His career didn’t take off until he was traded to Indiana shortly after that series ended.
Speaking at Finals media day on Wednesday, Nesmith said the Pacers got a lesson in how to handle an extended playoff run after being ousted in the conference finals last season.
“We just learned how hard it is to get here and not taking being in this position for granted,” he said. “Understanding most guys don’t play this long into the season, into the year. Just having our bodies right, our legs underneath us. I think it’s very helpful.”
Nesmith played a huge role in helping Indiana reach the Finals for the first time in 25 years. He’s averaging 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 16 playoff games while shooting 50% from three-point range. He was the hero of the Game 1 victory against New York, scoring 20 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter.
Nesmith acknowledges that his team is a huge underdog against Oklahoma City, but he believes the key to an upset will be dictating the style of play.
“Continue to play Pacers basketball,” he said. “That’s what got us here. I think that’s what’s going to help us succeed in the Finals. That’s what we’re going to have to do.”
There’s more on the Pacers:
- Tyrese Haliburton gets inspired when he hears people dismiss his team, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. The Pacers weren’t favored to beat Cleveland or New York, but have compiled a 12-4 record in the playoffs, the same as the Thunder. “I’ll continue to tell you guys in certain moments that it doesn’t matter what people say, but it matters — and I enjoy it,” Haliburton said. “I think the greats try to find external motivation as much as they can and that’s something that’s always worked for me.”
- Haliburton shared details of the team’s flight to Oklahoma City, which had to be diverted due to weather and wound up arriving more than three hours late, per Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (subscription required). “We took off, and I slept the whole plane ride, which I don’t normally do,” Haliburton said. “We landed, I was ready to get up. They said we were in Tulsa. We sat there for another hour. Then took off again. Felt like we were in the air for another hour and a half. … So, like a five-hour travel day. We might as well travel to Portland.”
- Backup center Tony Bradley has some familiarity with his Finals opponent after being sent to Oklahoma City as part of a three-team deal at the 2021 trade deadline. Bradley, who appeared in 22 games during his time with the Thunder, told Clemente Almanza of OKC Thunder Wire that he enjoyed watching Shai Gilgeous-Alexander develop into a star. “Honestly, he’s the same player. When I was here, he was just getting more recognition,” Bradley said. “Of course, he’s improved since I’ve been with him, but I’ve seen the potential was there.”
- As expected, Jarace Walker isn’t available for Game 1 of the NBA Finals after spraining his right ankle in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Bradley, who has been dealing with a left hip flexor strain, is active.
Thunder Change Starting Lineup For NBA Finals Opener
The Thunder are unveiling a different starting lineup as the NBA Finals get underway tonight, according to OKC beat writer Rylan Stiles. Coach Mark Daigneault is opting for a smaller look, with second-year guard Cason Wallace replacing center Isaiah Hartenstein.
Wallace, a defensive standout, will give Oklahoma City one more weapon to slow the speedy Pacers, who like to wear down opponents by pushing the ball up court throughout the game. Wallace is better equipped than Hartenstein to handle that style of play.
Hartenstein had been a starter for the Thunder in the first 16 games of this year’s playoffs, averaging 9.2 points and 7.9 rebounds in 23.9 minutes per night. He was signed as a free agent last summer to give OKC a larger presence inside and prevent the team from being badly outrebounded like it was against Dallas in last year’s playoffs.
Stiles notes that Daigneault has been relying on a double-big starting lineup with Chet Holmgren alongside Hartenstein. However, he moved away from it quickly in the conference finals against Minnesota, replacing Hartenstein early in games with either Wallace or Alex Caruso.
As Law Murray of The Athletic tweets, the Pacers got off to fast starts against the Thunder in their two regular season meetings and outscored OKC while Hartenstein was on the floor.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Luguentz Dort will join Wallace and Holmgren in the starting lineup.
Dennis Smith Jr. Among Players At Sixers’ Minicamp
Dennis Smith Jr. is participating in the Sixers‘ two-day veterans minicamp this week, sources tell Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
The 27-year-old guard is hoping to return to the NBA after a one-year absence. After failing to catch on with anyone prior to the start of the season, Smith signed a G League contract in mid-December. He was hoping to be claimed by the Austin Spurs, but wound up with the Wisconsin Herd and never played for them.
Smith headed to Europe in mid-January, signing with Real Madrid for the rest of the season. He reportedly wasn’t in top condition when he arrived in Spain and only appeared in two games. He left after about a month in hopes of being picked up by an NBA team with a roster opening, but that didn’t happen so now he’s hoping to work his way back into the league through offseason auditions.
Smith spent time with six teams during his seven NBA seasons. He was selected by Dallas with the ninth pick in 2017, but was traded to New York midway through his second season. He was sent to Detroit two years later and then had one-year stints with Portland, Charlotte and Brooklyn.
Smith was an extremely explosive and athletic guard coming into the league, but shooting issues prevented him from ever reaching stardom. He’s averaging 9.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 326 NBA games with career shooting splits of .407/.298/.674.
Other minicamp participants include Eugene Omoruyi, Malcolm Hill, Adama Sanogo, Alondes Williams, Malik Williams, Armando Bacot, Javonte Cooke, Judah Mintz and Leaky Black, Pompey adds (Twitter link).
Latest On Thibodeau’s Firing, Knicks’ Coaching Search
Knicks president Leon Rose and owner James Dolan met with several players and members of the coaching staff before making the decision to fire head coach Tom Thibodeau, sources tell Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. They were asked to provide input on the current state of the franchise following the loss to Indiana in the Eastern Conference Finals and offer advice on what moves should be made next.
Shelburne hears that Thibodeau’s dismissal had been brewing for several months, sparked by a feeling that the team wasn’t reaching its full potential despite having Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns as All-NBA players. Shelburne’s sources said Rose became convinced that a new leader was needed after talking to the players and coaches, as he no longer had confidence that Thibodeau could guide the team to the NBA Finals.
“He got outcoached,” one league source told Shelburne. “The Game 1 collapse (in the Eastern Conference Finals) was insane. If they don’t have that collapse, who knows what happens.”
The Knicks led most of the way in the series opener and held a 14-point advantage with 2:50 remaining before Indiana staged a dramatic comeback behind a barrage of three-pointers. The Pacers also won Game 2 in New York, and the Knicks were never able to gain control of the series.
Shelburne points out that Thibodeau was second-guessed on several decisions he made against Indiana. Towns remained on the sidelines late in Game 2 as the team’s offense bogged down, and the decision to insert Mitchell Robinson into the starting lineup didn’t come until Game 3 when the Knicks were already in a desperate situation.
There’s more from New York:
- Thibodeau’s insistence on giving a heavy workload to his starters was another factor in Rose’s decision, Shelburne adds. She notes that Brunson posted the highest usage rate of his career, with one source pointing out that he missed games this season due to ankle and calf injuries and raising concerns that he might eventually break down like Derrick Rose did while playing for Thibodeau in Chicago.
- The Knicks will prioritize experience in hiring their next coach and won’t panic if a replacement isn’t found by the start of Summer League on July 10, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Bondy examines the credentials of several candidates, stating that recently fired Kings coach Mike Brown and former Lakers and Kings coach Luke Walton were among the names he has heard recently. Bondy also mentions current Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, who has been cited before as a potential target, but cautions that it’s not clear if Dallas would consider letting him go.
- Kidd shouldn’t be dismissed as a candidate just because he’s under contract, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on the latest Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip to Jared Schwartz of The New York Post). Kidd, who signed an extension with the Mavs last year, played for the Knicks during his final NBA season and has experience coaching Brunson. “I think it would be way too far to hint, suggest or any of that that J-Kidd is looking to get out of Dallas,” MacMahon said. “I think that would be not an accurate or fair thing to say. But if this opportunity were to present itself, I bet you his ears would perk up.”
Draft Rumors: Maluach, Raynaud, Niederhauser, Coward
Duke center Khaman Maluach may be moving up draft boards after a “wildly positive” pro day in which he showcased his shooting touch, writes Jonathan Wasserman of Hoops HQ.
According to Wasserman, some NBA scouts believe that Maluach has a chance to be selected in the top five of this month’s draft, perhaps by the Hornets (No. 4) or Jazz (No. 5). The South Sudanese big man is ranked No. 6 on ESPN’s best available prospects list.
Here are a few more draft rumors from Wasserman:
- Stanford center Maxime Raynaud was one of the big winners of the pre-draft process, excelling in the first day of scrimmages and measuring better than some other big men in the class. While scouts initially thought Raynaud had moved himself into late first-round territory after the combine, they now think he could be selected in the teens or early 20s, Wasserman writes.
- Penn State big man Yanic Konan Niederhauser is another player who shined during the pre-draft process, particularly at the G League Elite Camp. According to Wasserman, Niederhauser was largely off NBA radars a month ago, but now teams believe he will receive legitimate consideration late in the first round. There have been rumors that the Swiss center may have received a promise after he decided to keep his name in the draft, Wasserman notes, though that hasn’t been confirmed. Niederhauser is ranked No. 34 on ESPN’s board.
- Cedric Coward, the 29th-ranked prospect on ESPN’s list, appears to have a wide draft range. Some NBA personnel Wasserman has spoken to have a lottery projection for the Washington State wing, while others think he’s only a potential first-round pick. Coward only played six games for the Cougars due to an injury and was relatively unheralded until this season, but he had excellent physical measurements and tested very well at the combine, making him the “ultimate high-risk, high-reward” prospect, per Wasserman.
Barnes, Stewart, Vassell Candidates For Jamaican National Team
Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart and Spurs guard/forward Devin Vassell are in discussions to join Jamaica’s men’s basketball team, reports Daniel Blake of The Jamaica Observer (Twitter link).
Clippers wing Norman Powell has already committed to represent Jamaica during the pre-qualifiers for the 2027 FIBA World Cup this summer, as has Timberwolves forward Josh Minott, according to Blake (Twitter link).
Rockets wing Amen Thompson and Pistons wing Ausar Thompson may also represent Jamaica in FIBA competitions and possibly the Summer Olympics. Blake hears the Thompson twins began the process of applying for Jamaican passports last week — their father is from Jamaica.
Blake previously mentioned Suns center Nick Richards, who was born in Kingston, Jamaica, as another candidate to join the national team.
If Jamaica is able to secure the commitments of all the aforementioned NBA players, the country would become a formidable opponent in international competitions. Former Rookie of the Year and All-Star Barnes is the most accomplished of the group, and all but Minott have established themselves as at least solid rotation players in the NBA.
Knicks’ Towns Undergoes Procedures For Playoff Injuries
Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns recently underwent unspecified procedures to deal with his bruised left knee and to repair ligament damage in his left finger, reports Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com.
As Shelburne writes, Towns sustained the finger injury in New York’s second-round series against Boston and hurt his knee in the Eastern Conference Finals vs. Indiana.
The 29-year-old big man had his injuries reevaluated after the Knicks were eliminated by the Pacers, according to Shelburne, who hears from sources that Towns opted to have the procedures right away in order to maximize his recovery timeframe ahead of the 2025/26 season.
Towns, who was selected No. 1 overall in the 2015 draft, had a productive first season with the Knicks, having been named to his fifth All-Star team and earning a spot on the All-NBA Third Team for the third time.
Towns is under contract through ’27/28 and will be extension-eligible this offseason, Shelburne notes. His current deal will pay him approximately $110MM in guaranteed money over the next two seasons, with a $61MM player option for the final year.
D.J. Augustin Joining Rockets’ Front Office
Former NBA point guard D.J. Augustin formally announced his retirement as a player in November. Now, he’s transitioning to a new role.
Sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic that Augustin is being hired by the Rockets and will have a job in their front office (Twitter link). Augustin confirmed the news to Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle.
Augustin had two separate stints with Houston at the end of his long playing career. The 37-year-old, who played high school ball in Texas, also played two years at the University of Texas at Austin prior to being selected No. 9 overall in the 2008 draft.
Augustin appeared in 976 regular season games (334 starts) with 11 different teams over the course of his 15 NBA seasons, averaging 9.5 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 23.4 minutes per contest. He posted a shooting slash line of .412/.381/.867.
When he announced his retirement on Instagram, Augustin suggested that he would be looking to remain involved with basketball in some capacity.
“I may be retiring as a player, but I’ll always be connected to this game we all love,” he wrote in November.
Hoops Rumors Chat Transcript: 6/5/2025
Hoops Rumors hosted a live chat today at 1:00 pm Central time (2:00 pm Eastern).
Kings’ Jake LaRavia Discusses Free Agency, Memphis, More
Kings forward Jake LaRavia will be an unrestricted free agent this summer after having his fourth-year team option for 2025/26 — worth $5,163,127 — declined by Memphis last fall. The Grizzlies subsequently traded him to the Kings in February, and Sacramento will not be able to offer him a starting salary that exceeds the declined option.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who recently interviewed LaRavia over the phone, several teams are expected to register interest in the 23-year-old when he hits the open market at the end of this month.
Here are a few highlights from Scotto’s conversation with LaRavia.
On what he’s looking for in free agency:
“The biggest thing, like scratch the money part, I want what everyone else wants, which is being on a team that’s really competing for a championship or a young up-and-coming team that’s ready to win. I love to compete. It’s one of the biggest reasons I enjoy playing basketball. You’re competing against the highest level of talent when you’re playing in a league.
“So being on a team that is competing for a championship and that needs a guy like me, a wing that plays both sides of the ball. I’m a defender who can shoot the three and can make plays. I do a little bit of everything. I’d love to see my role expand as I get more and more years in the league.”
On if he’s open to signing with a new team:
“Yeah, options are definitely open. It’s not like I have my mind set on one place. I’ve seen plenty of cases where it’s hard to turn down money at the end of the day. It’s a business.”
LaRavia says he quickly built a strong relationship with Doug Christie, who was Sacramento’s interim coach at the time but has since been named the team’s permanent head coach. Will Christie’s promotion impact LaRavia’s free agency?
“Yeah, for sure. I loved him being the interim head coach. I even told him in the interview that if you’re not hired, odds are I’m probably not going to re-sign Sacramento, but if you are, there would be more of a chance for me to go back to Sacramento. When I found out the news, I congratulated him. I’d love to play for Doug Christie.”
LaRavia’s reaction to Grizzlies executive vice president of basketball operations Zach Kleiman saying he made a mistake by declining LaRavia’s option and that the former first-round pick could’ve helped Memphis down the stretch:
“(Agent) Aaron (Reilly) sent that to me when it happened, and my fiancé sent that to me. I was appreciative that he said that. You don’t really see an executive make that kind of remark, so it shows the respect that he had for me and the relationship that we had. It means a lot for a GM to say something like that.”
LaRavia also discussed what he’s focused on improving this summer, his efficient third season, his time with Memphis, the Kings and their roster, what he brings to the table for a team, and more. The full interview with Scotto can be found right here.