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New York Notes: Porzingis, Lin, LeVert, Back-To-Backs

January 1st, 2018 at 3:40pm CST by marksuleymanov

Dirk Nowitzki is widely regarded as one of the top international players in NBA history but the German legend feels Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis will surpass him one day, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes.

“He’s way ahead of the curve,” Nowitzki tells Berman. “My first year I was struggling straight out of Germany and he had that great rookie year. If he stays injury-free, working like that — and I know he will — the sky’s going to be the limit.’’

In his third season, Porzingis is averaging a career-best 24.5 PPG with 6.7 RPG in 30 games. Recent shooting issues aside, Porzingis has made tremendous progress not just this season, but over the last three years. Nowitzki referred to Porzingis as a “walking mismatch” for opposing teams. Porzingis’ combination of size, shooting, and defense is why Nowitzki feels he can one day become one of the all-time greats.

Check out other news and notes out of New York:

  • In an update on Jeremy Lin, who suffered a season-ending ruptured patella tendon in the right knee on opening night, he is recently started cycling, Bryan Fonseca of NetsDaily relays. Lin, 29, has been stationed in Vancouver to do his rehab with periodic visits to Brooklyn. He has until June 29 to decide whether he will exercise his option for a third season in Brooklyn but after a season-ending surgery, it’s hard to envision Lin forfeting guaranteed money.
  • If it were solely based on talent, Caris LeVert would likely be a starter for the Nets. While he is currently coming off the bench, LeVert has made himself the leader of Brooklyn’s second unit, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. “He’s making it his group,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “You do need someone to lead a unit, and they’ve got nice chemistry going.”
  • The Nets have struggled when playing back-to-back games this season and it’s something the team needs to fix, Lewis writes in a separate story.
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Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Celtics, Stauskas, LeVert

December 24th, 2017 at 11:03am CST by Arthur Hill

For all the talk about “The Process,” the Sixers are lagging behind several other organizations that started rebuilding around the same time, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The first year of former GM Sam Hinkie’s plan to collect high draft picks was 2013/14, when the team posted the league’s second-worst record at 19-63, trailing only the Bucks. The Magic were next, followed by the Celtics, Jazz, Lakers, Kings, Pistons and Cavaliers. Cleveland has won a title since then, aided by the return of LeBron James, while Milwaukee, Boston, Utah and Detroit have all turned into perennial playoff contenders.

The Sixers, on the other hand, continue to flounder. They lost their fifth straight game Saturday and have dropped nine of their last 10. Center Joel Embiid remains a health risk, with back tightness and knee problems forcing him to miss eight of the team’s first 32 games. While other teams were able to improve through trades and free agent signings, Pompey notes that Philadelphia didn’t receive much in return for lottery picks Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor, while the team’s first significant opportunity in free agency is coming next summer.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • The Celtics are hoping to host their first All-Star Game in more than a half century, according to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. The game hasn’t been in Boston since 1964, partly because of concerns that season-ticket holders wouldn’t have access to their regular seats, but Washburn writes that management is proceeding with plans to apply for hosting privileges. “We are going to ask for an application package and we’ll see what happens,” said majority owner Wyc Grousbeck. The next available opening is 2022.
  • The trade that brought Okafor to the Nets reunited former college teammates Nik Stauskas and Caris LeVert, writes Tom Dowd of NBA.com. They were part of a talented freshman class that helped Michigan reach the NCAA title game in 2012/13. The former college roommates now have adjoining lockers at Barclays Center. “First class organization,” Stauskas said. “I love it here. I think the thing that I enjoy most is how seriously they take skill development. They’re huge on getting better every day, especially taking care of your body.”
  • The Raptors have the second best record in the East and are winning without excess wear and tear on their star players, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. Because of an improved bench, Kyle Lowry is playing 32.9 minutes per night, his lowest total in five seasons, and DeMar DeRozan is at 34.3 minutes, the lowest since he was a rookie.
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Atlantic Notes: LeVert, Holmes, Hayward

December 14th, 2017 at 10:06am CST by Austin Kent

The Nets have been pleased with the progress they’ve seen out of 23-year-old sophomore Caris LeVert. As Alex Squadron of the New York Post writes, the second-year swingman has begun to show what he’s capable of as a playmaker.

“He’s come a long way,” Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I think we had high expectations for him. We kind of knew right off the bat he was going to be pretty good. I’m glad that the high expectations we had — it’s starting to show. It’s starting to come to light that he’s a pretty good player.”

The Nets have relied on LeVert to handle some playmaking duties, something he did during his time in college. Over the course of the past four games, LeVert has averaged 16.5 points and 7.3 assists per game.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Third-year Sixers big man Richaun Holmes has made the most of an increase in playing time of late. The reserve can shift between the four and the five and provide offense off the bench. “It’s just a matter of the playing time, the opportunity,” Holmes told Keith Pompey of The Inquirer. “I know what I can do on the court.“
  • Despite the fact that he hasn’t even turned 20 years old, Frank Ntilikina is beginning to show that he could lead an NBA offense, perhaps sooner than later. As Fred Kerber of the New York Post writes, the Knicks rookie continues to develop in a variety of ways as the season progresses.
  • Although there remains no timetable for his return, Celtics forward Gordon Hayward has been given the green light to remove his walking boot. “I feel alright I guess, as well as I could,” Hayward told the media, including A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston. “I’m out of the boot right now so that’s good, slowly getting better.“
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Atlantic Notes: Kanter, Rozier, Lin, LeVert

December 2nd, 2017 at 9:20am CST by marksuleymanov

Two months into the Carmelo Anthony trade, Enes Kanter has shown himself to be a positive influence on a Knicks team that has overachieved early in the season, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. In 18 games this season, the 25-year-old is averaging a double-double with 14.1 PPG and 10.4 RPG while using his positive mentality to the team’s advantage.

Kanter spent the entire offseason cutting weight and increasing his mobility. Before the Turkish big man even knew he was destined for New York City, he spent most of the offseason working out with one of Anthony’s trainers, and former Knicks assistant trainer, Chris Brickley.

“Mentally [Enes] is on another level,’’ Brickley said to The Post. “He pushed himself to the limit daily. As the summer progressed, I would have to sit down on my couch prior to the workout and think of different ways to get him tired because he would never get tired. It was actually kind of funny. He really has a special work ethic and nothing he has done this year has surprised me.’’

Not only has Kanter been impactful on the court, he has been vocal in his support of his new teammates. Kanter even got into a war of words with LeBron James after the Cavaliers superstar said the Knicks missed out by not drafting Dennis Smith Jr. — which some perceived as a slight against Frank Ntilikina.

Check out other news from the Atlantic Division below:

  • Celtics point guard Terry Rozier joined NBC Sports Boston to discuss his career. The third-year guard promised he would eventually be a starter in the NBA but that will be complicated in Boston with Kyrie Irving occupying that slot.
  • Nets point guard Jeremy Lin is expected to miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on a ruptured patella tendon — which he suffered on opening night. As Net Income of NetsDaily writes, Lin will rehab his injury in Canada at Fortius Sport and Health.
  • Despite his early-season shooting woes, Nets’ second-year forward Caris LeVert is finally taking strides and building off a solid rookie campaign, Anthony Puccio of NetsDaily writes.
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Nets Notes: Point Guards, Harris, Hollis-Jefferson

November 16th, 2017 at 4:44pm CST by Austin Kent

The Nets are without an exact timetable for D’Angelo Russell‘s recovery from a knee contusion, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes, so they haven’t made any reactionary moves to replace him just yet.

If the 21-year-old, who has been sidelined with the injury since last Saturday, ends up in street clothes long-term, Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson may look to bring in reserves.

“We’re not there. It’s updates every day, that’s where we are,” Atkinson said. “If it were contrary to that, somebody would be here. So we’re just obviously [expecting not to need that].”

In the meantime, Alex Squadron of the New York Post writes, the Nets will turn to Spencer Dinwiddie as their temporary starter. They also have Isaiah Whitehead and Sean Kilpatrick available to step up in Russell’s absence too.

“Spencer’s made a jump up. Isaiah has got a year under his belt. And obviously Sean played a lot of minutes [for the Nets] last year,” Atkinson said. “I just think our roster is a lot better equipped this year to deal with guys being out.”

There’s more out of Brooklyn tonight:

  • In addition to Spencer Dinwiddie and Isaiah Whitehead, Caris LeVert also saw time at the one in the club’s Tuesday night loss to the Celtics, writes Bryan Fonseca of Nets Daily. “I thought our defense was pretty good,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said of the decision to try their swingman at the point. “Caris handled the ball a fair amount and that worked out OK. We need more of a sample size. We need to feel it out more. I am giving you a little bit of a vague answer, but we’re still trying to figure it out.“
  • With a clearly established role, fourth-year guard Joe Harris is stepping up and thriving. As the New York Post’s Alex Squadron writes, Harris has reached double figures seven times this season, shooting 38.5% from beyond the arc.
  • While the Nets have struggled to stay healthy of late – and win games, for that matter – one thing that’s going particularly well is the development of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. Alex Squadron of the New York Post writes that the versatile forward has made progress in 2017/18. “It’s great to see,” head coach Kenny Atkinson says. “I have a special place in my heart for Rondae for some reason. We have a good relationship.“
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Nets Exercise Options On Three Players

October 12th, 2017 at 5:59pm CST by Austin Kent

The Nets have exercised team options on three players that make up a substantial part of their young core. The team announced on its website that the 2018/19 options for all of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, D’Angelo Russell and Caris LeVert have been exercised.

Both Hollis-Jefferson and Russell will be under team control through their fourth seasons, the former having spent the past two years with the squad, the latter arriving in Brooklyn after an offseason trade with the Lakers.

In LeVert’s case, fresh off of his rookie season in Brooklyn, it was his third-year option exercised.

Expect all to see significant time on the court for the Nets in 2017/18 as the franchise claws its way out from a dark chapter in franchise history.

Russell will suit up for the squad having posted 14.2 points per game through two years in Los Angeles. Hollis-Jefferson and LeVert averaged 8.7 and 8.2 points per game in 2016/17, respectively.

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Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Porzingis, LeVert, Valanciunas

October 10th, 2017 at 8:44pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Sixers decided to take a risk as the franchise signed talented but oft-injured center Joel Embiid, to a five-year, maximum salary extension this week. It’s a lofty commitment to a player who has appeared in just 31 regular season NBA games in three years. However, it could also prove to be a steal if Embiid can stay healthy and match his output from last season, David Murphy of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes.

In 25.4 minutes per game last season, Embiid, 23, averaged 20.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 2.5 BPG. This season, Embiid will be a focal point on a Sixers team with highly-touted rookies (Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz), veterans (J.J. Redick). Murphy also notes that compared to centers such as Steven Adams and Timofey Mozgov, who signed lucrative deals, Embiid possesses a rare upside that could make a huge difference in Philadelphia.

Embiid has been limited in practice this preseason but is expected to make his debut versus Brooklyn tomorrow. It will be the first step in determining whether or not the Sixers’ franchise-altering signing was a mistake or a bargain.

Read about additional news from the Atlantic Division below:

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Eastern Notes: Wade, Bradley, LeVert, Pierce

August 18th, 2017 at 12:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

A Dwyane Wade reunion with the Heat would create rotation and chemistry issues, Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel explains in his latest mailbag. A buyout agreement between Wade and the rebuilding Bulls is possible, though not close to happening. It’s widely assumed Wade would seriously consider returning to Miami but the Heat already have plenty of options at the guard spots, Winderman notes. Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters, who was re-signed this summer, are the starters and Tyler Johnson is being paid lavishly to be the main backup. Josh Richardson, Rodney McGruder and Wayne Ellington are also viable rotation options and if Wade were to close out games, coach Erik Spoelstra would have a tough dilemma deciding which player loses those minutes, Winderman continues. In fact, the Heat brass and coaching staff may privately be wishing they’re not faced with the prospect of Wade getting bought out and looking to re-join them, Winderman adds.

In other items involving Eastern Conference teams:

  • Avery Bradley may be a newcomer to the Pistons’ locker room but coach Stan Van Gundy expects the shooting guard to be quickly embraced as a leader, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com reports. Bradley was traded by the Celtics in their efforts to clear cap space and sign free agent forward Gordon Hayward. Van Gundy wants Bradley’s toughness and defensive approach to rub off on his other players, Langlois adds. “What Avery’s really embracing is a chance to play a bigger role as a player and as a leader,” Van Gundy told Langlois. “That’s something that excites him.”
  • Nets guard Caris LeVert believes the club can make the playoffs with better health and this summer’s roster changes. “I feel like it’s really realistic,” Levert told Fred Kerber of the New York Post. “Last year, we were like top seven in the East when we had all our players healthy. Just building off that momentum with the pieces we’ve added — obviously we lost a great player in Brook [Lopez] — but I feel with the pieces we’ve added we’ll be in that conversation.”
  • Paul Pierce will have his No. 34 retired by the Celtics, team co-owner Steve Pagliuca informed Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe. “It’s going to be fantastic,” Pagliuca said. “For our era, the most recent era, he embodied the Celtics’ leadership, the Celtics’ brand and was the MVP of the championship team.” Pierce’s 34 will be the 22nd number to hang in the rafters at TD Garden.
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Atlantic Notes: Brown, Smart, Noel, Jackson

March 18th, 2017 at 10:58am CST by Austin Kent

After a break down in communication in their Wednesday night matchup, Celtics veteran Marcus Smart was seen arguing with rookie Jaylen Brown. CSN New England’s Gary Tanguay discussed the altercation, adding his own case in defense of the 20-year-old swingman.

Per Tanguay, the heated discussion started when Brown attacked the basket prior to letting a set play develop but the rookie guard was wise, he says, to be aggressive. Tanguay added that Brown is the future of the Celtics franchise, not Smart.

In 65 games this season, Brown has averaged 6.5 points and 2.9 rebounds per game but those numbers have jumped over the course of the past two months as the first-year guard has grown into a bigger role with the Celtics.

Smart, on the other hand, averages 10.8 points per game for the Celtics and is generally heralded for his leadership abilities.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

  • Though his Mavericks were emphatically defeated, Nerlens Noel‘s return to Philadelphia was an otherwise positive experience. “[I have] no beef at all,” Noel told Jessica Camerato of CSN Philadelphia of how his time with the Sixers came to an end. The third-year big man held a meet and greet with local fans upon his return.
  • There may be light at the end of the tunnel for the rebuilding Nets. General manager Sean Marks recently shed some on what could be next for the franchise. “Let’s build a rock-solid foundation, develop these young guys, get Isaiah Whitehead, Caris LeVert and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson growing up and see where they are at 25, 26,” he said, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post.
  • It’s been three years since Phil Jackson took the reins of the Knicks and Marc Berman of the New York Post says the executive left his basketball brains in Los Angeles. Berman writes that Jackson nailed the only lottery pick he’s been given (Kristaps Porzingis) but has failed to manage personalities, as was a reported strength.
  • The New York Post’s Mike Vaccaro suggests that, if a smooth operating triangle scheme is truly the goal, Phil Jackson may have been better off either handling coaching duties himself or being more assertive in having his Knicks coaches employ the triangle offense.
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Atlantic Notes: Nets, Ibaka, Bradley

March 14th, 2017 at 5:20pm CST by Austin Kent

Despite the fact that the Nets mortgaged their future for a shot at short-term success back in 2013, the franchise has shown flashes of promise throughout a long rebuild. Buddy Grizzard of Basketball Insiders recently wrote about the years-long process, pointing out that for all the up-hill challenges the club’s general managers have faced, they’ve done a decent job drafting young talent.

When the club first moved to from New Jersey to Brooklyn, first-round picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018 were all sent to Boston in exchange for a package surrounding Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Suffice it to say, the bold gamble didn’t pay off for the franchise but the organization is making the most out of the scant cards they dealt themselves.

Grizzard mentions former general manager Billy King‘s selection of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson in the 2015 draft as an intriguing aspect of the current roster, as well as current general manager Sean Marks‘ decision to nab Caris LeVert at No. 20 in 2016.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

  • After missing 18 games with an Achilles injury, Avery Bradley had been on a minute restriction for the Celtics. As of March 12th the limitations are no longer, says A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England.
  • Say what you will about Cory Joseph backing up the injured Kyle Lowry, but one thing the reserve hasn’t been able to replicate is Lowry’s three-point shooting. “We’re more of a spread-it team,” Raptors head coach Dwane Casey said Monday night, per Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. “Cory’s an attack guy, but he’s going into where everybody else is. It’s not that Cory’s doing something wrong; that’s just his game. When Kyle’s in there, he can space out and be one of the (pass) receivers out there.”
  • When the Raptors acquired Serge Ibaka, they added a rare force capable of impacting a basketball game without scoring a point, Ryan Wolstat of the National Post writes. Ibaka did just that on Monday night, finishing with a plus-18 rating despite not scoring a single basket.

 

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