Scotto’s Latest: Irving, Leonard, Acuff, Hawks Draft, Front Office Hires
Masai Ujiri‘s comments since arriving as the Mavericks new president and alternate governor have been consistent and future-facing, leading some executives around the league to wonder about the long-term fit of Kyrie Irving alongside franchise cornerstone Cooper Flagg, Michael Scotto reports for HoopsHype. Ujiri has expressed enthusiasm about seeing the two stars plays together, as has newly hired assistant general manager Mike Schmitz.
“That’s something you dream of,” Schmitz said. “Having a magician with the ball like that who can pass, dribble, shoot, and someone with the connective qualities of Cooper. It’s a match made in heaven.”
However, given the difference in timelines — Irving is 34 years old and coming off a torn ACL, while Flagg will enter next season at just 19 — there are questions about how long it makes sense to keep the duo together. The Mavs have a top-10 pick in this year’s draft as well as 21-year-old Dereck Lively II, so they’re well-positioned to undergo a youth movement to build a future contender around Flagg, especially if they can continue adding to that young core in a deal for Irving. On the other hand, Kyrie could provide veteran stability and help Flagg continue to develop into a superstar while making the team more competitive.
The Mavericks struggled to find an answer at point guard this season, ranking 22nd in assists and 18th in turnovers with Irving rehabbing. Brandon Williams started 15 games while Ryan Nembhard started 27. Both showed themselves to be useful NBA role players, but not necessarily starting point guards to build around should Irving be moved.
The 2026 draft lottery is loaded with intriguing point guards, though, at least one of whom will likely be available when the Mavericks are on the clock with the ninth pick.
We have more news and notes from Scotto:
- In addition to monitoring Dallas’ plans for Irving, rival executives will be keeping a close eye on what the Clippers do with Kawhi Leonard and the fifth overall pick, Scotto writes. If the Clippers make Leonard available, many execs would have him and Giannis Antetokounmpo “neck-and-neck” as the top player on the trade market, Scotto adds. On the other hand, if L.A. retains – and possibly extends – Leonard, rivals are curious about whether the team would consider moving the No. 5 pick. Assuming the Clippers keep that selection, Illinois guard Keaton Wagler is widely viewed as their most likely target, according to Scotto.
- Echoing prior reporting from Kevin O’Connor, Scotto cites league sources who say the Kings are “enamored” with Darius Acuff, the point guard out of Arkansas. The question is whether the electric scorer will still be available when the Kings are on the clock. Acuff averaged 23.5 points and 6.5 assists while making 44.0% of 5.8 three-point attempts per game this season.
- Rival executives who have spoken to Scotto believe the Hawks will use the No. 8 pick to either select a point guard from the group of Wagler, Acuff, Mikel Brown, and Kingston Flemings, or to take 7’3″ Michigan center Aday Mara. Mara’s stock has been rising and he’s considered a lottery lock due to his size, passing ability, and potential as a defender and rim protector. According to Scotto, Atlanta would also like to bring back CJ McCollum, a veteran leader who had a red-hot start to the Hawks’ first-round series against the Knicks.
- The Mavericks are looking to fill out their front office under Masai Ujiri, and two potential targets they’re eyeing are Prosper Karangwa, the Sixers‘ assistant general manager, and Patrick Engelbrecht, the Raptors‘ director of global scouting, with whom Ujiri worked for over a decade.
- The Mavs are not alone in their interest in Kawanga, Scotto writes, as the Lakers are also eyeing him, Heat vice president of player personnel Eric Amsler, and Jazz vice president of player personnel Bart Taylor, among others, as they look to build out their front office. Timberwolves assistant general manager Steve Senior reportedly passed on an offer from the Lakers, opting to stay in Minnesota.
- The Jazz are tapping Shane Fenske as general manager of their G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars, per Scotto. Fenske, who is the Jazz’s assistant general manager, was preceded by Katie Benzan, who is not leaving the team but rather changing roles within the franchise, notes Ben Anderson of KSL Sports (Twitter link).
Northwest Notes: SGA, Dort, K. Williams, Wolves, Edwards, Jazz
Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who missed the team’s entire six-game preseason schedule due to Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee, is on track to be available for the regular season opener on Wednesday in Minnesota, head coach Mark Daigneault told reporters on Sunday (Twitter link via Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman).
It’s good news for the Thunder and for Gilgeous-Alexander, who has missed significant time in each of the last two seasons because of injuries, including the last 10 games of 2021/22 due to a right ankle issue.
Luguentz Dort (left quad contusion) and Kenrich Williams (right groin strain) also should be available for the Thunder in the first game of the regular season, Daigneault said today (Twitter link via Mussatto).
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- With Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns sharing the court on the first time in Friday’s preseason finale, the Timberwolves looked very much like a group that had yet to play together, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, who writes that “the lane was clogged, the ball movement was non-existent and shots were clanking.” However, as Krawczynski outlines, the Wolves know integrating Gobert and the other new players on the roster will take some time and weren’t discouraged by the early returns. “I thought it was good at times, bad at times,” Gobert said after the game. “But I think that’s the fun of it.”
- Chris Hine of The Star Tribune takes an in-depth look at Anthony Edwards‘ intense offseason training regimen and explores how that work might translate to the court in the Timberwolves guard’s third NBA season. While much of the focus will be on Gobert’s impact, Edwards’ ability to continue taking his game to new levels may determine how high Minnesota’s ceiling rises.
- The Jazz issued a press release on Friday announces several new hires and promotions within the team’s basketball operations department. Most notably, Bart Taylor was named Utah’s vice president of player personnel, while Marquis Newman‘s is now director of pro personnel for the Jazz and general manager of the Salt Lake City Stars, Utah’s G League affiliate.
And-Ones: Klutch, T. Young, Blazers, Jazz
Veteran NBA agent Omar Wilkes has left Octagon Sports and will become the head of basketball at Klutch Sports, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports that the move will create a path for Rich Paul to “expand his scope” as the company’s CEO. Although Paul will continue to work with Klutch’s basketball clients, the hiring of Wilkes will allow him to commit more time to the agency’s newer MLB and NFL divisions, Woj adds.
Wilkes’ most noteworthy client at Octagon, rising Hawks star Trae Young, has cut ties with the agency and appears likely to follow Wilkes to Klutch, writes Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic cautions that CAA and Roc Nation have reached out as well, but says Young figures to end up with Klutch, since he and Wilkes are “incredibly close” (Twitter links).
Cam Reddish, OG Anunoby, and draft prospect Anthony Edwards were among Wilkes’ other clients at Octagon. It’s unclear whether they’ll remain at Octagon or stick with Wilkes as he makes the move to Klutch.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- A pair of sports representation agencies – Tandem and You First – have merged, as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski relays (via Twitter). Tandem president Jim Tanner will be the president of basketball for the merged firm, which will rebrand with a new name, tweets Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. Between them, Tandem and You First represent a number of notable NBA players, including Ja Morant, Kristaps Porzingis, and Serge Ibaka.
- The coronavirus pandemic is having an impact on the Trail Blazers‘ operations, according to Joe Freeman of The Oregonian, who reports that the team laid off about 40 employees – 15% of its workforce – and reduced salaries for anyone in a director role. The cuts affected multiple departments and also impacted the team’s arena management company, Rip City Management, per Freeman.
- In an interesting piece for The Athletic, Seth Partnow makes a case against the 82-game season, suggesting that the NBA has an opportunity to experiment in 2020/21, with the season tentatively scheduled to start at least a month or two later than usual.
- The Salt Lake City Stars took home a pair of NBA G League end-of-season awards, with Martin Schiller earning Coach of the Year honors and VP of basketball operations Bart Taylor named Basketball Executive of the Year. The Jazz‘ NBAGL affiliate finished the 2019/20 season with a 30-12 record, giving the Stars a comfortable hold on the No. 1 seed in the West.
Jazz Announce Coaching Staff Changes
The Jazz have finalized their coaching staff for the coming season and have also announced some changes to their basketball staff, the team announced in a pair of press releases. Most notably, assistant coach Igor Kokoskov has received a promotion to lead assistant in Utah, as he prepares for his second year with the club. Kokoskov previously served as an assistant for five other NBA teams, including a Pistons squad that won the 2004 NBA Finals.
[RELATED: Salary Cap Snapshot: Utah Jazz]
In other coaching staff moves, Zach Guthrie was elevated from manager of basketball strategy/technology to assistant coach/basketball strategy, while Lamar Skeeter was promoted from player development/video analyst to assistant coach/player development. Guthrie, Skeeter, and Kokoskov will join five other returning Jazz assistants on Quin Snyder‘s staff.
In the scouting department, Richard Smith was promoted to executive director of international scouting. Elsewhere in the front office, Bart Taylor was named the Jazz’s director of scouting and the VP of basketball operations for the D-League’s Salt Lake City Stars.
While Snyder is just 78-86 in his two years with the Jazz, the team heads into the 2016/17 season with increased expectations, having added some veteran talent to a young roster in the offseason. Although Utah missed the postseason this spring, many fans and observers expect the club to take a step forward and compete for a top-five seed in the Western Conference.