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Heat Notes: Butler, Jovic, Jaquez, Wright, Adebayo

April 22nd, 2024 at 12:03pm CST by Luke Adams

As they look to bounce back after a Game 1 loss in Boston, the Heat can’t count on Jimmy Butler to return at some point later in the first round to give them a boost. While the team hasn’t provided any sort of official timetable on Butler’s recovery from an MCL sprain, Shams Charania of The Athletic said on FanDuel’s Run it Back show (Twitter video link) that the star swingman is going to remain on the shelf for a while.

“It’s crazy to me that Jimmy Butler played three quarters with what I’m hearing now was a severe MCL sprain,” Charania said. “He is not going to be back in this series. This is a rehab that’s go at least one month — could be two months of rehab.

“… Thankfully for him it wasn’t the ACL, it wasn’t a meniscus. But even if the Heat were to advance (beyond) this first round, somehow, his postseason availability is still very much up in the air.”

Here’s more on the Heat:

  • Although Miami suffered a resounding loss in Game 1 on Sunday, there were at least a couple silver linings, as Anthony Chiang writes in a pair of stories for The Miami Herald. The team’s last two first-round picks – Nikola Jovic and Jaime Jaquez – made the first playoff starts of their respective careers and ultimately held their own despite some shaky moments in the first quarter. Additionally, buyout market addition Delon Wright came up big off the bench, scoring 17 points and making all five of his three-point attempts. Wright figures to play a regular role in the series with Terry Rozier (neck) sidelined.
  • The odds are against the Heat repeating last spring’s success and making another deep playoff run, but even in the event of a first-round exit, the team should be well positioned for the offseason, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Appearing on NBA Countdown (YouTube link), Wojnarowski said he expects a lot of action on the trade market this summer and pointed out that Miami is almost among the preferred destinations for disgruntled stars. That didn’t do the Heat much good in the Damian Lillard talks last summer, but the team should have more leverage with trade targets who have fewer years left on their contracts, Woj adds.
  • William Guillory of The Athletic takes a look at how Bam Adebayo became Udonis Haslem‘s successor as a pillar of “Heat Culture” and how the big man plans to uphold that ethos for years to come.
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Latest On NBA’s Media Rights Negotiations

April 22nd, 2024 at 11:29am CST by Luke Adams

With the exclusive negotiating window for the NBA, ESPN, and TNT Sports set to close at the end of the day on Monday, Andrew Marchand of The Athletic checks in on where things stand for the league and its next media rights deal, with the current agreement set to expire at the end of the 2024/25 season.

As Marchand details, ESPN/ABC and TNT remain “intensely” interested in retaining their NBA rights and may well do so, but the league anticipates reaching deals on at least three separate TV packages – and possibly four – so at least one new partner is expected to enter the mix.

While the league will almost certainly talk to major streamers like Netflix, Apple, and Google/YouTube, the perceived favorite among those streamers is Amazon Prime Video, according to Marchand, who observes that Amazon has had success with an NFL Thursday Night Football package. Amazon is only interested in an NBA deal if it can secure a regular season and postseason package of “high-level” games, sources tell Marchand.

NBC, which was a key NBA partner during the era in which Michael Jordan‘s Bulls won six championships, remains interested in reuniting with the league, Marchand writes. NBC Universal chairman Mark Lazarus was with TNT when it brought the NBA to its network and has close ties with top league officials, per Marchand, who adds that NBC could incorporate its own streaming service (Peacock) into a potential agreement.

Back in 2014, the NBA struck a nine-year, $24 billion agreement with ESPN/ABC and TNT Sports well before their exclusive negotiating window closed, but the negotiations this time around are more complex, given the changing media landscape and the league’s desire to make streaming its principal distribution method, Marchand writes.

Here’s more from The Athletic’s report:

  • The NBA is seeking contracts of at least 10 years in its next media deal, according to Marchand.
  • The league is expected to look into the idea of partnering with a company like ESPN, Amazon, Apple, or Google/YouTube (or possibly more than one of them) to offer local games direct to viewers, Marchand says. The model the NBA is considering wouldn’t give those outlets exclusive local rights, but would be intended to give as many fans as possible access to games locally as cable diminishes.
  • Currently, ABC airs the NBA Finals, while ESPN and TNT show the conference finals. Those companies want to retain those high-end playoff series, but the idea of a streamer like Amazon getting the rights to conference finals or even NBA Finals games at some point in the next decade is a real possibility, says Marchand.
  • Given the increasing popularity of women’s college basketball stars, led by Caitlin Clark, there’s optimism about the WNBA receiving a significant bump in viewership in the coming years. WNBA media rights will be part of these negotiations, and – as Marchand puts it – the women’s league has “more currency in these negotiations than the last ones by a wide margin.”
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Atlantic Notes: Hetzel, Nets, Maxey, Thibodeau, Celtics

April 22nd, 2024 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

The Nets are hiring veteran assistant coach Steve Hetzel to be part of Jordi Fernandez‘s new staff in Brooklyn, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Hetzel was an assistant coach in Portland for the past three seasons under Chauncey Billups. Prior to his stint with the Blazers, he worked on Steve Clifford‘s staffs in both Charlotte (2014-18) and Orlando (2018-21).

Perhaps most notably, Hetzel was the head coach of the Canton Charge in the G League during the 2013/14 season. Fernandez was an assistant on his staff that year before taking over as the Charge’s head coach for the next two seasons after that.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

  • The Sixers have listed guard Tyrese Maxey as questionable to play in Game 2 on Monday due to an illness that forced him to miss this morning’s shootaround, tweets Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  • In an anonymous player poll conducted by The Athletic, 47% of the respondents named Tom Thibodeau as the head coach they’d least want to play for. However, Thibodeau’s Knicks players were prepared to go to bat for him, as Fred Katz of The Athletic writes. “Nobody’s in our locker room and everybody that talks is on the outside of our locker room. They don’t know what goes on,” Donte DiVincenzo said. “Thibs is a great leader. He’s a great head coach and he’s done an amazing job this year not only dealing with injuries in and out of the lineup but also getting the best out of every single player on our team. I’m having a career year. Different guys on the team are having career years.”
  • The Celtics have made at least the Eastern Conference Finals in five of the last seven postseason but haven’t won a title during that time. Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston explores how last year’s additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday give the team a new dimension and raise its ceiling entering the 2024 playoffs.
  • Porzingis passed a key test in Game 1 on Sunday vs. Miami, writes Brian Robb of MassLive.com, scoring 18 points and finishing as a +17 in his 34 minutes. Porzingis – who had only played in 10 playoff games, including none since 2021 – lacks the extensive postseason experience of his fellow Celtics starters, but he showed on Sunday that he’s up to the challenge with the stakes raised, says Robb.
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Zaccharie Risacher Entering 2024 NBA Draft

April 22nd, 2024 at 8:54am CST by Luke Adams

As expected, potential No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher has submitted paperwork to the NBA to make himself eligible for the 2024 draft, he tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

A 6’10” French forward who turned 19 earlier this month, Risacher has been playing professionally in his home country since 2021. He spent this season with JL Bourg, which competes in France’s top league (LNB Pro A) and finished as the runner-up in this year’s EuroCup tournament.

Risacher was excellent during EuroCup competition, averaging 13.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game with a .566/.561/.659 shooting line in 17 games (24.0 MPG), per Basketball-Reference. He has put up 9.7 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 1.0 APG on .426/.341/.721 shooting in 27 LNB Pro A contests.

Givony describes Risacher as a prospect who plays “mistake-free, intelligent” basketball on both ends of the court, noting that he has shown good range on his jump shot and strong versatility on defense. He would be a good fit on virtually any NBA roster and still has plenty of room to continue developing, Givony adds.

“There are a lot of things I can bring an NBA team,” Risacher said. “First of all — my number one strength is my shooting. Then my defensive ability after that. And lastly, my ability to do what’s asked of me, using my versatility — I can rebound, handle the ball if needed, finish above the rim, pass the ball. Whatever you ask me to do I will do it and do it well.”

Risacher has been the No. 1 prospect on ESPN’s big board for the last several updates, having surpassed fellow Frenchman Alexandre Sarr earlier this year.

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Nets Officially Hire Jordi Fernandez As Head Coach

April 22nd, 2024 at 8:25am CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have made it official, announcing today in a press release that they’ve named Jordi Fernandez their new head coach. Word officially broke last Monday that Brooklyn had decided to hire Fernandez.

“As we progressed through an extensive search over the past six weeks, it became increasingly clear that Jordi is the best coach to lead our team forward,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said in a statement. “Jordi brings a diverse set of experiences and basketball knowledge gained over the course of a coaching career that has taken him around the world.

“Each step of the way, Jordi has consistently demonstrated the ability to implement strong processes and creative systems designed to optimize each team’s specific roster. He’s proven the ability to build genuine relationships and garner the respect of players of all levels, and we’re confident that our players will benefit greatly from his expertise.”

Fernandez has spent the past two seasons as the associate head coach on Mike Brown‘s Kings staff. Prior to arriving in Sacramento, he was an assistant under Michael Malone in Denver from 2016-22, the head coach of the Canton Charge in the G League from 2014-16, a Charge assistant in 2013/14, and a player development coach for the Cavaliers from 2009-13.

Fernandez, who has long been considered a future NBA head coach and interviewed for jobs in Phoenix and Toronto last spring, led the Canadian national team to a bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. The expectation is that he’ll coach the Canadians again this summer at the Paris Olympics, though it figures to be a busy offseason as he prepares for his new job in Brooklyn.

“I am truly grateful to lead the Nets as head coach and cannot thank (Nets owners Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai) and Sean enough for this exciting and humbling opportunity,” Fernandez said in a statement. “My family and I are thrilled to join such an incredible organization and become part of the vibrant Brooklyn community. I am eager to get to work with this talented group of players and collectively drive our team forward. Together, we will be fully committed to building something special for Nets fans and the borough to be proud of for years to come.”

The Nets parted ways with former head coach Jacque Vaughn in February, replacing him on an interim basis with Kevin Ollie. While Ollie received some consideration for the permanent job, he wasn’t among the group of reported finalists that also included veteran head coach Mike Budenholzer and Suns assistant Kevin Young.

Following last Monday’s report that the Nets had chosen Fernandez, one report indicated that Budenholzer’s contract demands were “rather high” in terms of both years and dollars. That same report noted that former Hornets head coach James Borrego also received serious consideration from Brooklyn. Young, meanwhile, has since accepted the head coaching job at BYU.

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Poll: Who Should Win 2023/24 NBA Awards?

April 22nd, 2024 at 7:25am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA announced the 2023/24 finalists for its seven major awards on Sunday, revealing the top three vote-getters for Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Player, Sixth Man of the Year, Coach of the Year, and the newly added Clutch Player of the Year.

Some of these awards have felt like foregone conclusions for a while, but some results could be genuine surprises when they’re revealed beginning this week.

Today though, we’re not focusing on which players will win the awards, but the ones you believe should win them. Select your winners for this year’s major NBA awards in the seven polls below, then head to the comment section to weigh in with your thoughts.

Our polls only include the three finalists in each category, but if you think someone else deserves to win one of these awards, be sure to use the comment section to “write in” that pick and explain your reasoning.

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Pacific Notes: Harden, Leonard, George, Booker, Wiggins, Thompson

April 21st, 2024 at 9:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kawhi Leonard‘s absence didn’t hold back the Clippers in Game 1 against the Mavericks, in part because James Harden ramped up his scoring, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN notes. Harden scored 28 points, including 20 in the first half as his team built a 26-point halftime lead en route to a 12-point victory.

“I can score with the best of ’em,” Harden said. “Still can score with the best of ’em. My role for this team is just generating really good shots and making guys’ jobs easier. And then when my number to score is called, then you score the basketball. Obviously, Kawhi is out, so my play-making and my volume is going to go up a little bit more, and took advantage of it.”

Harden will be hitting the free agent market after the season and performances like the one on Sunday should help him land another lucrative contract.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

  • The Clippers believe they can more than hold the fort until Leonard’s knee is healthy enough for him to play, Paul George told Janis Carr of the Orange County Register and other media members. “I mean, we still have more than enough,” George said. “Obviously Kawhi puts us well over the top, but we still got more than enough. So, I think we still got experience. We still, like I said we got enough to win games. Obviously, we want Kawhi back when he’s ready, but I still think we have enough confidence to continue to push forward and win games when we need to. We’re going to hold it down until Kawhi comes back. Honestly, he is the piece we do need if we plan on winning it all and getting to where we want to get to. But we’re going to hold it down for him until he’s ready to return and we feel comfortable with where we’re at.”
  • It’s time for the Suns to regroup after a 25-point loss to Minnesota in their first-round series. Devin Booker shot just 5-for-16 from the field and believes his team needs to match the Timberwolves’ physicality, he told Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “We all just need to adjust to the playoffs, the physicality,” Booker said. “They’re being ultra-physical with me and I had three early fouls and went to the bench. Just trying to find a rhythm from there.”
  • The Warriors are likely to pursue upgrades via the trade market this offseason, with Andrew Wiggins among the players they’ll be willing to deal, according to Marc Stein in his latest Substack post. Stein notes the Warriors made unsuccessful attempts to create a market for Wiggins during the season. Stein also believes Golden State will find common ground with free agent Klay Thompson, though the veteran guard will have other suitors despite his 0-for-10 clunker in the Warriors’ play-in tournament loss.
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And-Ones: Weis, Embiid, Cook, Goodwin, Gambling

April 21st, 2024 at 8:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Former French center Frederic Weis ripped Joel Embiid for choosing Team USA over France in the Paris Olympics, Eurohoops.net relays. Weis, a 1999 first-round draft pick of the Knicks who never played in the NBA, made his comments on French station RMC.

Embiid reportedly told French officials in 2021 he would play for their national team. “I think he doesn’t have any respect for France and also for all the people who are asking for a French passport and don’t get it,” Weis said. “And under the pretext that he is a great athlete, he got it. I find it scandalous, I find it embarrassing. I don’t care about his excuses, cause they are his words, and his words mean nothing.”

We have more from around the international basketball world:

  • Former NBA guard Quinn Cook has signed with Puerto Rico’s Cangrejeros de Santurce, the team announced (via Twitter). Cook hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since the 2020/21 season.
  • Cook takes the roster spot of another former NBA guard, Brandon Goodwin, who has signed with another Puerto Rican club, Gigantes de Carolina, according to the team’s Instagram feed. Goodwin last appeared in the NBA during the 2021/22 campaign, when he saw action in 36 Cavaliers games.
  • Jontay Porter‘s ban from the NBA due to a gambling-related scandal could become the new norm for the NBA and other sports who have embraced betting sites, Kevin Draper and Tanai Ganguli of the New York Times write in an in-depth feature.
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Western Notes: George, Holmgren, Ingram, Kennard

April 21st, 2024 at 7:13pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Keyonte George became a big part of opponents’ game plans as the season wore on, and Jazz CEO Danny Ainge feels the young guard will benefit from that experience, Eric Walden of the Salt Lake Tribune relays.

“He had some ups and downs, and I kind of liked that he had those ups and downs,” Ainge said. “I kind of liked the fact that the scouting report — the most important person to stop on our entire team many nights the second half of the year was him. So the best defender was guarding him, the team defensive schemes were to stop him, and so he had to face some of that.”

Ainge believes George made bigger strides than another of the Jazz’s rookies this season, Taylor Hendricks.

“He’s just a little further behind than Keyonte,” Ainge said of Hendricks. “His shooting was getting better and better. He’s working a lot on his shooting. His arc of his shots has been a little bit flat. But he shot a pretty good percentage. That’s a big step for him, but he’s got to get a lot better defensively.”

We have more from the Western Conference:

  • The Thunder rolled into the playoffs as a No. 1 seed despite being one of the league’s youngest teams. Center Chet Holmgren, the likely runner-up in the Rookie of the Year, said his team must take an even-keeled approach to the postseason. “The playoffs are a time of huge swings,” Holmgren told Darnell Marberry of The Athletic. “And you can’t let the swing of things allow your emotions to run wild in one direction or the other, good or bad. If you win one game, the series isn’t over. If you lose one game, the series isn’t over. So it doesn’t matter what fashion you lose or win with. A buzzer-beater, a blowout, it doesn’t matter. You’ve got to get ready for the next game because no team’s going to roll over and give you anything.”
  • With Zion Williamson sidelined by a hamstring injury, the Pelicans will need big performances from Brandon Ingram to get out of the first round, Rod Walker of the New Orleans Times Picayune opines in a subscriber-only story. Ingram had 24 points, six rebounds and six assists in New Orleans win over Sacramento on Friday. “He is a leader for us and we follow his lead,” forward Larry Nance Jr. said. “Every single game, I tell him to be the best player on the court and (Friday) I believe he was the best player on the court.”
  • The Grizzlies have a $14.8MM option on Luke Kennard‘s contract for next season and Keith Smith of Spotrac believes they’ll pick it up, even though it would push them closer to the second tax apron. Smith, previewing the Grizzlies’ offseason, notes that Kennard is a solid backup wing due to his shooting ability and play-making.
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Doncic, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic Named MVP Finalists

April 21st, 2024 at 6:03pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic were revealed on Sunday as the finalists for the Most Valuable Player award, according to the NBA (Twitter link).

Doncic led the league in scoring (33.9 points per game) and finished second in assists (9.8) while also grabbing 9.2 rebounds per contest. Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder to the top seed in the Western Conference by averaging 30.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 2.0 steals per contest. Jokic, who is widely considered the favorite to win his third MVP trophy, averaged 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists per night.

The NBA also announced the finalists for six other postseason awards. Here are the finalists for all of those awards:

Most Valuable Player

Sixth Man

Defensive Player of the Year

Most Improved Player

Note: Sengun appeared in just 63 games but was eligible for award consideration based on the season-ending injury exception described in our glossary entry on the 65-game rule.

Coach of the Year

  • Mark Daigneault, Thunder
  • Chris Finch, Timberwolves
  • Jamahl Mosley, Magic

Rookie of the Year

Clutch Player of the Year

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