Southwest Notes: Thompson, Harrison, Dumars, Udoka
The Mavericks‘ play-in game victory in Sacramento had special meaning to Klay Thompson. He scored 23 points against the Kings, making five three-pointers along the way. Thompson missed all 10 of his field goal attempts last season against Sacramento in the play-in tournament, which wound up being his last game in a Warriors uniform.
“I wasn’t going to define myself off one bad shooting night,” he said, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN. “I mean, I’ve had some of the greatest shooting nights in the history of the game. So even someone in my caliber can go 0-for. … I try to not even think about that, but at times you do because you’re human. But you just keep going out there and do what you love.”
Dallas will now battle the Grizzlies for the No. 8 seed on Friday.
“I’m still alive. I’m excited,” Thompson said. “I get to go to Memphis. It was really fun (Wednesday) because you could just be fully immersed in the experience, and we’ve had a tumultuous season, to say the least. The injury bug has struck us like I’ve never seen before, but we’re still here playing postseason basketball.”
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison‘s contentious press conference, in which he stated he didn’t regret trading Luka Doncic, wasn’t something he suggested, ESPN’s Sham Charania tweets. “Nico Harrison did not want to do this closed-door roundtable. This was not his idea,” Charania said during an appearance on NBA Countdown. “This was something that was enforced by their owner, Patrick Dumont.”
- Now that Joe Dumars has been officially hired as the Pelicans president of basketball operations, he has two big decisions to make, Rod Walker of NOLA.com writes. His first major decision will be whether to retain head coach Willie Green. As the offseason progresses, he’ll have to choose whether to retain Zion Williamson as the franchise player or trade him and take the franchise in another direction.
- Dumars has spent the last three years as the NBA’s head of basketball operations and commissioner Adam Silver thanked him for his service in a statement relayed by The Athletic’s Sam Amick (Twitter link). “Joe brought tremendous credibility to his role at the league office and is one of the most genuine and respected people in all of basketball,” Silver said. “His exceptional playing career and tenure as an executive provided him with an elite understanding of the game and strong relationships around the NBA. We are grateful for Joe’s leadership over the past three years and wish him well as he begins his new role with the Pelicans.”
- The Warriors are actually the betting favorite to win their first-round series against Houston even though the Rockets are the No. 2 seed. Much of that is due to Golden State’s wealth of playoff experience — Rockets coach Ime Udoka says he and his staff will have to do their best to neutralize that advantage. “The experience for our young guys will be new,” he hold Mark Medina of Athlon Sports. “But as far as me and my staff and what we’ve experienced, I don’t think there is a whole lot that’s going to surprise us or be different. It’s just our young guys getting experience for the first time and going through the playoff prep and all the specifics of how much more you have to dig in.”
Kings Part With GM Monte McNair
10:47 am: The Kings issued a statement that they have officially parted ways with McNair, James Ham of The Kings Beat tweets.
12:41 am: After five years together, the Kings and general manager Monte McNair have mutually agreed to part ways, per Sam Amick of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The news broke just minutes after Sacramento was upset at home by the Mavericks, 120-106, in the West’s No. 9 vs. No. 10 play-in tournament game on Wednesday, ending the Kings’ season.
As ESPN’s Shams Charania writes, McNair’s tenure with the club included three consecutive seasons of 40 or more wins and a .488 overall win percentage (195-205).
The Kings snapped a 16-year playoff drought in 2023, posting a 48-34 record and securing the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed. But that was the team’s lone playoff appearance during McNair’s tenure, as the club was eliminated in the play-in tournament in each of the past two seasons.
This season, Sacramento fired former Coach of the Year Mike Brown after a 13-18 start. All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox was subsequently dealt to San Antonio in a three-team blockbuster deal with Chicago after he made it clear he wouldn’t sign an extension with the Kings. Under interim head coach Doug Christie, the Kings went 27-24 to finish the season.
McNair isn’t the only Sacramento mainstay who’s moving on this offseason. According to Mark Haynes of The Sacramento Observer (via Twitter), assistant coach Jim Moran is joining the college ranks, and will serve as an assistant under Florida State head coach Luke Loucks. Loucks was on the Kings’ coaching staff before being hired by the Seminoles in March.
As we noted earlier today when we wrote about McNair being on the hot seat, former Kings assistant general manager, Wes Wilcox also left the club in March to serve as the general manager at the University of Utah.
Following Wednesday’s defeat, Christie reflected on his uncertain future with the club, tweets James Ham of The Kings Beat.
“This is where I want to be, I think you all know that,” Christie said. “I need to finish what I started.”
According to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (via Twitter), Christie told reporters that he had not received any indication he would be returning as the Kings’ coach next season.
Scott Perry Considered Frontrunner For Kings’ GM Job
Longtime NBA executive Scott Perry is considered the frontrunner for the Kings’ general manager job, Sam Amick and Anthony Slater of The Athletic report.
The organization is looking for a replacement for Monte McNair, who mutually agreed with ownership to part ways after a five-year run. The Kings were eliminated from the play-in tournament by Dallas on Wednesday.
Perry was the Kings’ VP of basketball operations and has a strong working relationship with Sacramento owner Vivek Ranadive. Perry has a 25-year front office resume that has included stints with the Pistons, SuperSonics, Magic and Knicks. Former Nuggets GM Calvin Booth, who lost his job last week, is also expected to receive consideration.
While former GM Vlade Divac is still within the organization as VP of basketball and franchise operations, he’s not considered a candidate for the top executive job. Team sources tell The Athletic that Divac won’t be returning to the front office in any formal capacity.
As for the head coaching job, Doug Christie hasn’t been given any promises to have the interim tag removed, but he’s well-positioned to keep the job. Christie replaced Mike Brown in late December.
According to The Athletic, McNair didn’t want to fire Brown and he also recently clashed with ownership regarding Christie’s status beyond this season, with Ranadive backing Christie. The decision to acquire DeMar DeRozan in a sign-and-trade last offseason and deal for Zach LaVine at the trade deadline may also have been driven by ownership, per Amick and Slater.
McNair, who spoke with the team minutes after the loss to the Mavericks, may not be out of a job for long. He could return to the Rockets, where his former co-worker, Rafael Stone, is the GM. He also has close ties with Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey.
Booth’s potential candidacy and McNair’s potential reunion with Houston were previously reported.
Latest On Kevin Durant
It will likely be a couple more months before any offseason trades are completed, but the rumors surrounding Suns star Kevin Durant are already beginning to pick up steam now that Phoenix’s season is over.
Reporting earlier this week indicated that Durant’s manager Rich Kleiman planned to travel to Phoenix this week to talk to the Suns about the veteran forward’s future. On Wednesday, appearing on NBA Today (Twitter video link), ESPN’s Shams Charania made it clear that the Rockets could emerge as a serious suitor for Durant if they make an early postseason exit this spring.
“This is a Houston team we need to keep an eye on in this playoff run,” Charania said. “… There is going to be a level of mutual interest – there has been already – with them and Kevin Durant with the Suns. If they win a couple rounds, they might be good where they’re at. If you lose early, don’t win enough to where you want to, could you look at a guy like Kevin Durant once again this offseason? Monitor them.”
Reports throughout the 2024/25 season indicated that the Rockets weren’t looking to break up their young core and that if they did make a blockbuster deal, they’d be focused more on a younger star who better fit their timeline than a player like Durant, who will turn 37 this September. However, a first-round exit as the West’s No. 2 seed could alter the front office’s thinking on both counts.
Plugged-in Phoenix-based reporter John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter links) notes that he has been discussing the possibility of the Rockets pursuing Durant for weeks on his radio show and views Houston as one of the top three likely suitors for the Suns star, along with the Timberwolves and Knicks.
A deep playoff run for any of those three teams would probably diminish their appetite for major changes, according to Gambadoro, who adds that the Spurs and two or three other teams could also emerge as suitors.
Charania previously identified all four of those teams (Houston, Minnesota, New York, and San Antonio) and the Heat as clubs that had some level of mutual interest with Durant prior to February’s trade deadline. Golden State also pursued him at that time, but Durant wasn’t open to a reunion.
Houston is loaded with young players and draft assets, including a handful of Suns picks, putting the team in a favorable position to make a strong offer for Durant. In addition to controlling Phoenix’s 2025 first-rounder, which will almost certainly be in the top 10, the Rockets also own the Suns’ unprotected 2027 pick and will receive the two most favorable 2029 first-rounders out of their own, Dallas’, and Phoenix’s.
According to Gambadoro (via Twitter), it’s “very unlikely” that the Rockets would be willing to give up Phoenix’s 2025 lottery pick in any deal for Durant. However, it’s possible that those future Suns draft assets could be part of any discussions between the two teams.
While it remains to be seen where Durant will be playing next fall, it’s a safe bet it won’t be in Phoenix, per Gambadoro, who adds in another tweet that the former MVP is “gone for sure.”
Bulls Notes: Play-In Loss, White, Karnisovas, Huerter
The Bulls‘ season ended in familiar fashion on Wednesday night with another loss to Miami in the play-in tournament, writes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. This is the third straight year that it’s happened, and Wednesday’s game wasn’t close, with the Heat pulling away early while sinking a barrage of outside shots.
Poe notes that Miami scored 39 points in the first quarter and 32 more in the second quarter, neutralizing the Bulls’ game plan of pushing the pace in transition because they constantly had to inbound the ball after made shots. The Heat connected on 10 three-pointers in the first half and held a 24-point lead at intermission.
The home crowd found a little bit to cheer about as the Bulls briefly cut the lead to 13 points in the fourth quarter, but Miami quickly responded to put the game away. With a 39-43 record and an early postseason exit, Poe points out that it’s Chicago’s worst season in four years. The loss ensures the Bulls’ first-round pick will be in the lottery, but they’ll have minuscule odds of moving up to one of the top four selections.
There’s more from Chicago:
- Coby White believes the Heat’s experience in big games made the difference, per Andrew Seligman of The Associated Press. White, who had been on a scoring tear to close out the regular season, finished with 17 points but shot just 5-of-20 from the field. “We didn’t really have game-plan discipline,” he said. “We beat them in the regular season. We thought if we just do what we normally do, then we’ll be good. But obviously, they’ve got guys that have been to the finals. They’ve got guys that know what it takes. They got a head coach who’s one of the best head coaches in the league. They came in and they were the better team tonight.”
- Executive VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas should be embarrassed that he wasted another season on player development instead of finding a way to get elite talent on the roster, contends Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Cowley states that every mistake the front office has made over the past five years was on display Wednesday night, but the ultimate difference was dominant shooting by Miami’s Tyler Herro, who finished with 38 points. “You look at any great team, they have ‘a guy’ that’s really, really elite,” coach Billy Donovan said. “And a lot of times it’s in the backcourt. I think Coby made a really good jump, and wherever he gets to, I don’t know. Josh (Giddey) made a nice jump. I’m sure those will be all things the front office will take a look at as they go into the draft and free agency. I don’t disagree with you because that’s kind of been the case. I think what’s changed is the number of guys you needed.”
- Kevin Huerter, who was acquired from Sacramento in February, is hoping for a long-term future in Chicago, Cowley adds in a separate story. Huerter still has one season left on his contract, and he wants to find some stability after being dealt twice in the past three years.
Trail Blazers Notes: Henderson, Clingan, Billups, Offseason
Scoot Henderson looked more like a high lottery pick in his second NBA season than he did as a rookie, writes Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. The No. 3 selection in the 2023 draft improved his shooting numbers to 41.9% from the field and 35.4% from three-point range and got to play in some significant games as the Trail Blazers remained in play-in contention late in the season.
“I’d say this year, I guess the game kind of slowed down,” Henderson said. “Things like that only come from playing and experiencing the NBA in general … I think I had more fun.”
Fentress adds that Henderson plans to spend the offseason working on his technique in all parts of the game, with an emphasis on learning how to be a better shot creator for himself and his teammates and finishing near the basket with his left hand. His confidence is buoyed by Portland’s success, as the team went 23-18 over the second half of the season and won 10 of 11 games at one point.
“I kind of liked seeing a little bit of who we are,” he added. “We kind of got our swag there, and when we get our swag like that, it’s tough to stop.”
There’s more from Portland:
- Rookie Donovan Clingan began to blossom when starting center Deandre Ayton suffered a season-ending calf injury in early February, Fentress states in a separate story. Clingan started getting consistent playing time and responded by averaging 8.8 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game for the rest of the season. “It was great to see DC out there get some good bump,” Ayton said. “Knowing that he’s a two-time national championship guy, I know he wasn’t used to coming off the bench. So, just having the half of the season, starting, you could definitely see the confidence build up. And you saw his body change a little bit, him getting into better shape.”
- In another piece, Fentress shares the details of the contract extension head coach Chauncey Billups received last week. League sources tell Fentress that the Blazers picked up the fifth-year option on Billups’ current deal and added two more seasons, extending it through 2027/28. The new contract is fully guaranteed, Fentress adds, and Billups received a raise, although the amount wasn’t disclosed. Sources tell Fentress that Billups earned about $4.7MM this season.
- The Blazers should stick to their long-term plan and not get caught up in this season’s success, contends Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (subscription required). He compares the situation to the 2016 offseason when Portland invested heavily in free agents after Damian Lillard led the team to an unexpected fifth seed and a first-round playoff victory.
Mavericks Hope Kyrie Irving Can Return By January, Eye Three-Year Contract
The Mavericks are optimistic that Kyrie Irving could be playing again by January, Shams Charania of ESPN said on Wednesday during an appearance on NBA Countdown (Twitter video link).
Irving suffered a torn ACL in his left knee on March 3 and underwent surgery about three weeks later. The team didn’t provide a recovery timetable following the procedure, but players can often take a year or more to come back from ACL tears. If Charania’s timeline is accurate, Irving is on track to fully recover within about 10 months.
The 33-year-old guard was playing at an All-NBA level before the untimely injury, averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists through 50 games with .473/.401/.916 shooting numbers. In February, he was selected as an All-Star for the ninth time in his career.
The loss of Irving sent the Mavs into a spiral that resulted in a 39-43 record, a 10th-place finish in the West and a spot in tonight’s play-in game. They were often short on personnel as their two-way players used up their eligibility, and they were unable to fill an open roster spot until April 10 due to a first-apron hard cap.
The more immediate issue with Irving is a nearly $44MM player option that he holds for next season. His decision is due by June 25, and Charania hears that the Mavericks would prefer to sign him to a new three-year contract. That would align him with Anthony Davis as well as general manager Nico Harrison.
Suns’ Devin Booker Comments On Possible Extension
Devin Booker has expressed a desire to spend his entire career with the Suns, and he can take a step toward doing that by signing another extension this summer, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. With the season just wrapping up, Booker said he hasn’t been focused on his financial future.
“I haven’t even thought about it to be honest,” he said. “It’s a great situation to be in, though. Longevity in this league. Every year you can get, somebody wants you for an extra year or two, that’s always a pleasure. You never know when the game is going to stop.”
Booker will be eligible for a two-year, maximum-salary extension that could be worth up to $149.8MM, and a report on Tuesday indicates the Suns are expected to make that offer. This season was just the first of his current four-year super-max deal, which will pay him $53.1MM in 2025-26, $57MM in 2026-27 and $61 MM in 2027-28. Adding two more years would take his contract into 2030 when he’ll be 33 years old.
“I’ve been in long enough where I’ve watched some of my heroes and idols just slowly get out of the league, and you see how it hurts them,” Booker added. “I don’t want to think about the day that I have to do that. It’s nice to be up for an extension.”
Booker is expected to be the one constant in an offseason shakeup in Phoenix. There’s intense trade speculation surrounding Kevin Durant, the team attempted to move Bradley Beal at the deadline and virtually everyone else is believed to be available as the Suns try to move below the second apron.
Last month, owner Matt Ishbia vowed that he would never consider trading Booker, calling the idea “silly.” He said Booker is the type of “superstar” that’s needed as the cornerstone of a championship contender.
Booker turned in another outstanding individual season, even though Phoenix fell far short of expectations. He played 75 games, the most in eight years, and averaged 25.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.1 assists per night. However, his shooting numbers fell sharply — to 46.1% from the field and 33.2% from three-point range — and he told Rankin that improving his efficiency will be an offseason priority.
“I’ll probably start open gym right after the season,” Booker said.
Bulls, Heat Dealing With Injuries Going Into Play-In Game
Bulls guard Josh Giddey will be available for tonight’s play-in game against Miami, but both teams are missing key players for the elimination contest. In a pregame meeting with reporters, Chicago coach Billy Donovan said Giddey, who has been dealing with pain in his right hand, won’t be on a minutes restriction, relays Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Giddey sat out the final two games of the regular season, and sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter video link) that he’s been playing for roughly the last month with a muscle tear in the palm of his hand. Charania called it “a pain-tolerance injury” and said Giddey will need several weeks of rest after the season ends to fully recover.
Charania also states that Giddey’s value is “going up” as he prepares for restricted free agency this summer. He’s averaging 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists over his last 19 games while shooting 46% from beyond the arc.
Donovan added that Lonzo Ball remains out, but he could be available by Sunday if the Bulls advance to a first-round series against Cleveland. Ball has been sidelined since February 28 with a sprained right wrist. Donovan also provided an update on point guard Tre Jones, who has been out since March 20 with a left foot sprain, saying he’s out of a walking boot but likely won’t be ready for the first round.
The Heat are shorthanded too, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). Nikola Jovic remains sidelined while recovering from a broken right hand that has kept him out of action since late February and Kevin Love is still reconditioning after being away from the team for personal reasons. Coach Erik Spoelstra said Jovic was able to participate in practice on Tuesday, according to Weiss (Twitter link).
Miami will welcome back rookie guard Pelle Larsson, who sprained his ankle last week while lifting weights, Chiang adds (Twitter link).
“He was right back at the scene of the crime doing the same routine,” Spoelstra said. “That’s been a big part of his process and a lot of the guys’ process. He finished the routine and he’s fine.”
Community Shootaround: Wednesday Play-In Team Futures
Wednesday evening will see four teams in very different places fight for the opportunity to earn the No. 8 seeds in their respective conferences.
For the third straight season, the 39-43 Bulls will be squaring off against the 37-45 Heat in a play-in tournament game. This year, however, Chicago seems to have the edge. Per BetOnline stateside and BetVictor Canada, the Bulls are a marginal favorite as the home team.
Having moved on from former All-Star wings DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, Chicago has been emphasizing more pace and ball movement. Star guards Coby White and Josh Giddey are propelling a fast-breaking offense that won 15 of its last 20 games to close out the 2024/25 regular season.
Rookie forward Matas Buzelis has benefited mightily from extended run to close out the year, while center Nikola Vucevic has adapted well to this speedier iteration of the team, operating as a trailing big who can be a release valve in these frenetic offensive sets.
Recently extended guard Lonzo Ball (wrist) and new trade acquisition Tre Jones (foot) will miss Wednesday’s game.
The No. 10 Heat, meanwhile, have been up and down since their blockbuster midseason Jimmy Butler trade. Armed with new additions Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell and Kyle Anderson, the club stumbled into a 10-game losing skid that was immediately followed by a six-game winning streak. Miami, which controls its own 2025 first-round pick as long as it lands in the top 14, might be happy to lose this matchup and reset with a quick rebuild through this year’s loaded draft lottery.
Chicago team president Arturas Karnisovas has been a frequent source of fan ire. He and ownership would probably like to see the young Bulls appear in their first playoff series since 2022. If Chicago does clinch a playoff appearance by beating Miami and then the Hawks in Friday’s final play-in game, would it prompt Karnisovas to shy away from the kinds of personnel changes he might otherwise pursue this summer, including a Vucevic trade for draft equity?
The Mavericks, on paper, are fielding the most talented squad out of the four Wednesday teams. Had nine-time All-Star guard Kyrie Irving not torn his ACL, Dallas could have been in the thick of the playoff hunt. Instead, the 39-43 Mavs are clinging to the Western Conference’s No. 10 seed. With most of the rest of the roster healthy, the club will be riding a super-sized frontcourt lineup centered around 10-time All-Star big man Anthony Davis as its two-way fulcrum.
Dallas was constructed to win around Luka Doncic. After sending him to Los Angeles in exchange for Davis, three-and-D swing Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round draft pick, the front office was roundly criticized. Still, with Irving, Davis, and talented two-way wings and frontcourt pieces, a healthy version of this team looks like it could be a legitimate tough playoff out. Due to the timing of Irving’s recovery and Davis’ extensive injury history, it’s unclear when exactly that healthy iteration might next be available.
Meanwhile, Doncic has raised the Lakers’ ceiling. If Dallas misses the playoffs, will the club’s new ownership cohort look to penalize Nico Harrison for the most unpopular transaction in its franchise’s history? The Mavericks do have the highest upside of any of the teams in action on Wednesday, but that comes with a massive health caveat.
Dallas will be facing off against a mostly-healthy Kings club for the right to play the Grizzlies on Friday.
After Sacramento team owner Vivek Ranadive fired former Coach of the Year Mike Brown midway through the season, guard De’Aaron Fox pushed for – and received – a deal to the Spurs. The 40-42 Kings have since struggled with their newest impact player, LaVine, under interim head coach Doug Christie. Sacramento is loaded with ball stoppers – including LaVine, DeRozan, and Malik Monk – but has perhaps the more talented offense than Dallas sans Irving, thanks in large part to do-everything All-Star center Domantas Sabonis.
Should Sacramento get booted in this initial play-in tournament matchup, would Sabonis at least explore a trade out of town? A report in March suggested that the big man is expected to “seek clarity” this offseason on the Kings’ direction.
Just two years ago, during Brown’s inaugural season, the Kings finally seemed to have discovered a direction and identity. Now, the club is floundering in mediocrity. Massive changes — perhaps starting with Christie and Sabonis — could be underway for the team this summer, barring a strong playoff run.
We want to know what you think. How will the offseason play out for the the teams that get bounced in Wednesday’s games? What changes would – or should – be made if all four clubs eventually fail to qualify for the playoffs?