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Mavs Notes: Nowitzki, Cuban, Kleber, Doncic, Ntilikina

November 22nd, 2021 at 1:03pm CST by Luke Adams

As first reported last week by Marc Stein (Twitter link) and later confirmed by the team, the Mavericks will retire Dirk Nowitzki‘s No. 41 jersey on January 5, when they host the Warriors in Dallas.

Nowitzki will join Rolando Blackman (No. 22), Brad Davis (No. 15), and Derek Harper (No. 12) as Mavericks players who have had their jersey numbers retired by the franchise. All three players are expected to be in attendance for the ceremony on January 5, along with NBA commissioner Adam Silver, writes Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com.

“Dirk is everything to the Mavs. First, 41.21.1,” team owner Mark Cuban said, referring to Nowitzki becoming the first NBA player to spend 21 seasons with a single team. “And now, lifting his jersey to the rafters. It is a special day for the Mavs and Mavs fans around the world.”

Here’s more out of Dallas:

  • Mavericks owner Mark Cuban spoke on Sunday to a handful of reporters, including Mark Medina of NBA.com, about the team’s start to the season, his first impressions of new general manager Nico Harrison, and Nowitzki’s jersey retirement ceremony, among other topics. “He’s a learner,” Cuban said of Harrison. “To me, that’s always the most important part. Can you deal with the people? Can you get the results? And are you a learner? He’s a learner. He’s a sponge and always open to things. So I’m happy with what’s going on.”
  • Maxi Kleber returned to action on Sunday for the Mavs after sitting out nine games with a left oblique strain, but Luka Doncic remained sidelined, missing his third consecutive game due to left knee and ankle sprains. Doncic was a game-time decision on Sunday, which suggests he’s close to getting back on the court. Dallas is 0-3 without him after starting the season with a 9-4 record.
  • Mavs guard Frank Ntilikina left Sunday’s game due to a right calf injury and didn’t return (Twitter link). The severity of the injury isn’t yet known.
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Southwest Notes: Zion, Jackson Jr., Ntilikina

November 2nd, 2021 at 12:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

Pelicans coach Willie Green said doctors are “encouraged” by the latest imaging on Zion Williamson‘s surgically repaired right foot, but Scott Kushner of NOLA.com believes it’s hard to see Monday’s update as good news. Another round of scans will be conducted in two to three weeks. In the meantime, Williamson is taking part in 5-on-0 workouts, but hasn’t been cleared for full scrimmages.

Kushner compares the delay to Williamson’s rookie season, when he sat out three months after a preseason knee injury that originally had a six- to eight-week projected recovery time. He will miss eight more games if he’s able to return in two weeks, Kushner adds, and 12 if it’s three weeks. It could be much longer if the next set of scans don’t show improvement.

“We need him,” center Jonas Valanciunas said. “We are waiting every day for him to come back. It’s going to be a different look with our team. But he’s a huge piece for us. We need him back. Then we’re going to see what everything looks like.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

  • Another Pelicans season is already in danger of slipping away, and William Guillory of The Athletic is calling on the organization to place a greater emphasis on Williamson’s weight and conditioning. Guillory adds that while Williamson’s size may not have caused the two injuries, it played a role in keeping him out so long two years ago and will likely do the same this season. New Orleans has been competitive despite its 1-6 start, Guillory notes, but the club doesn’t have anyone to take over on offense in close games.
  • The Grizzlies need more production from Jaren Jackson Jr. to become legitimate contenders, writes Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer. Jackson, who received a four-year extension before the season began, is the only Memphis big man who can shoot from the perimeter, but he’s connecting at just a 31.3% rate through seven games. In addition, frequent foul trouble is limiting him to just 26 minutes per night.
  • Frank Ntilikina is making a case for more playing time with the Mavericks, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. The former Knicks guard has only been on the court for 61 minutes this season, but Dallas is plus-20 in that time. “When you look at the rotation, you have to play him,” said coach Jason Kidd.
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Mavericks Notes: Hardaway, Ntilikina, Porzingis, Cap Situation

October 11th, 2021 at 9:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Tim Hardaway Jr. is looking to expand his game as Luka Doncic‘s backcourt partner, Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News writes. Hardaway, who served as the sixth man in more than half of the Mavericks’ games last season, will look to boost his defensive presence along with delivering his usual 3-point shooting.

“He’s able to score the ball, but we’re asking him to play defense, too,” coach Jason Kidd said. “We’re trying to show him the things that can help him be better at that position, and if he can do those things, I think he can be talked about as an All-Star, too, in this league.”

Hardaway, who signed a four-year, $75MM contract this summer, chose to be a starter this season after Kidd gave him the option of being in the lineup regularly or heading the second unit.

We have more on the Mavericks:

  • Dallas made a strong push for Frank Ntilikina, which the free agent point guard appreciated, he told Marc Stein of Substack. “I felt that will since the beginning of free agency, so that will from them to have me here, that’s what made me want to come here,” the former Knicks guard said. “The challenge is just exciting.” Ntilikina signed a two-year minimum contract, though the second year is non-guaranteed.
  • Kidd believes that Kristaps Porzingis can return to his All-Star form as early as this season, according to Caplan. “I think he has the skill set to be an All-Star. He is an All-Star in this league,” Kidd said. “Sometimes we judge people unfairly because of injuries or other things that are going on, and we expect them to be robots or be All-Stars every year.”
  • Despite having two max players, the Mavericks have a favorable cap situation, John Hollinger of The Athletic notes. Dallas is still $16MM below the luxury-tax line, giving the club plenty of elbow room to pursue roster upgrades. Hollinger takes a deep dive into the team’s offseason moves and projects it to finish with the Western Conference’s fifth-best record.
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Mavs Notes: Chandler, Powell, Burke, Ntilikina

September 30th, 2021 at 1:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Mavericks center Tyson Chandler doesn’t officially have a role on his old team’s coaching staff, but he’s present at training camp and is sharing his knowledge with Dallas’ players, writes Dwain Price of Mavs.com.

“For me, I just want to help in any way I can,” Chandler said. “(Head coach) Jason (Kidd) called me and said, ‘What are you doing?’ I said, ‘Nothing much. Working out.’ And he’s like, ‘Well, come by.’ So I came by and I’m just trying to lend my knowledge and help any way I can.”

Chandler isn’t sure whether he wants his unofficial role with the Mavericks to lead to something more formal down the road. For now though, Kidd is happy to have his former teammate around working with the club’s big men.

“He started helping out, and he wanted to see if he loved it,” Kidd said. “We’re lucky to have someone like that who can help our bigs. It was great to hear players mention him yesterday. That’s a sign of Tyson is doing the right thing.”

Let’s round up a few more Mavs notes…

  • Dallas’ plan to open the season is to have Dwight Powell starting at center alongside power forward Kristaps Porzingis, Kidd said on Wednesday (link via Eddie Sefko at Mavs.com). Kidd added that he wants to experiment a little with different lineups early in the year “to see what combinations work.”
  • The Mavericks said earlier this week they’re hoping to get 100% of their roster vaccinated against COVID-19, but guard Trey Burke said on Wednesday that he’s “not trying to rush into a decision,” per Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link). Burke said he wants to learn more about possible long-term effects of the vaccine.
  • Kidd had a hand in the Mavericks’ decision to sign Frank Ntilikina, having pushed for the move, a source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post (Twitter link).
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Texas Notes: Exum, Ntlikina, Rockets, Mavericks

September 21st, 2021 at 3:01pm CST by Rory Maher

In a tweet and Instagram video, Bobby Marks of ESPN breaks down the creative structure the Rockets employed for Dante Exum‘s contract, which was initially reported to be worth a fully non-guaranteed $15MM over three years.

The base salary for the first year is $2.5MM non-guaranteed, with $2.5MM in likely incentives. As Marks states in the video, Exum can earn $1MM for averaging 15.8 minutes per game and another $1.5MM for playing 15.8 MPG and recording a net rating of at least +2.7. Both incentives – which apply to all three seasons of the deal – are considered “likely” because Exum averaged 19.3 MPG with a +3.6 net rating in 2020/21.

The leaguewide salary guarantee date is January 10, so if Exum is still on the Rockets by that date his salary would be guaranteed and would be considered $5MM for trade purposes.

There’s more from Texas:

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New York Notes: Randle, Barrett, Millsap, Ntilikina

September 19th, 2021 at 5:16pm CST by JD Shaw

Knicks All-Star big man Julius Randle recently discussed a variety of subjects with SNY.tv’s Ian Begley, including his career-best 2020/21 campaign, Mitchell Robinson‘s progression and more.

Randle, 26, is coming off an excellent season with New York, averaging 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and six assists per game. He also shot 46% from the field and 41% from deep during those contests.

“My process, honestly, it stays the same,” Randle said. “I try to keep the main focus, the main focus. And that’s, (taking) everything day by day. Whether it’s a workout, whether it’s a film, whatever it is, I just try to give everything that I can when I’m doing what I’m doing. And I kind of let the chips fall where they may.

“I trust the work and the process of everything that I’ve done. And I have faith and belief that that’s going to pay off. I know what I sacrifice, I know what I do to prepare. And regardless of success or failure, I try not to change. I don’t know what the expectation is (for our team). I can’t even tell you what to expect from me. I just know that I’m just gonna keep improving, getting better as a player. That’s just where I stand with it.”

There’s more out of New York tonight:

  • In the same interview with SNY.tv, Randle praised the rapid improvement of Knicks guard RJ Barrett. Like Randle, Barrett also had a productive 2020/21 season, averaging 17.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. “RJ’s going to be a really good player,” Randle said as part of a larger quote. “What is he, 21? I don’t know how old he is. He’s young as hell (laughs). He’s a really good player, and I can relate as far as what he’s done, and what I’ve seen from him so far in this offseason is he just keeps improving. That’s really what it’s about.”
  • Nets big man Paul Millsap is switching jersey numbers from No. 4 to No. 31, according to NetsDaily (Twitter link). Millsap, a 15-year NBA veteran, signed a free-agent deal to join the team last month.
  • Former Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina bid farewell to the team and its fans on Sunday, posting a short video on social media (Instagram link). Ntilikina was the team’s No. 8 pick in the 2017 draft. He recently signed with the Mavericks after spending four seasons in New York.
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Western Notes: Bozic, Gordon, Ntilikina, Fox

September 17th, 2021 at 6:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Spurs have a new G League coach in Petar Bozic, according to a press release from the Austin Spurs. Bozic spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach for the G League franchise. Before coming to Austin, he served as head coach of Partizan in his home country of Serbia from 2015-16.

We have more from the Western Conference:

  • The agreed-upon four-year, $92MM extension between the Nuggets and forward Aaron Gordon is a sign that the franchise is going all out win a title in the next three seasons, Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post opines. It’s a declaration that Nikola Jokic and the core group is good enough to capture the championship, regardless of the moves made by the Lakers and other contenders.
  • The two-year contract that guard Frank Ntilikina has signed with the Mavericks includes a team option in the second season, Marc Stein of Substack tweets. It’s still unclear whether the former Knick received a full guarantee for the upcoming season.
  • Kings guard De’Aaron Fox explained why he’s faster than anyone else in the league in an interview with The Reel’s Kenny Beecham, relayed on the team’s website. “The way I move is so much different than everybody else,” Fox said. “Everybody’s not able to make the cuts and just stop and do what I do, especially going at full speed.”
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Mavericks Sign Frank Ntilikina

September 16th, 2021 at 8:10pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Ex-Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina has signed with the Mavericks, the team’s PR department tweets.

A report surfaced on Tuesday that Dallas was expected to ink the point guard and now it’s official. The Mavs have a full 20-man training camp roster.

It’s believed to be a minimum contract, according to Marc Stein of Substack. The Mavericks already have 14 other players on guaranteed deals, plus Moses Brown on a partially guaranteed contract.

During the 2020/21 season, Ntilikina earned $6.2MM in the fourth year of his rookie deal.

The 6’4″ guard, still just 23, suited up for 33 games with the Knicks last year under head coach Tom Thibodeau. He averaged just 2.7 PPG and 0.9 RPG across 9.8 MPG.

The defensive specialist, who is shooting 36.6% from the field for his career, averaged 6.3 PPG and 3.0 APG in 20.8 MPG during the 2019/20 season.

Dallas already has Jalen Brunson and Trey Burke as rotation options behind Luka Doncic, so Ntilikina doesn’t project to play much even if he’s on the 15-man roster this season.

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Mavericks Expected To Sign Frank Ntilikina

September 14th, 2021 at 9:41pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

It is anticipated that the Mavericks will add defensive-oriented former Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina within the next few days, league sources inform Marc Stein of Substack (Twitter link).

Stein notes that Dallas had been eyeing Ntilikina even in the 2017 NBA draft lottery, but after the Knicks selected him with the eighth pick, the Mavericks pivoted to Dennis Smith Jr. with the No. 9 selection. Smith, who himself was eventually sent to the Knicks in 2019, recently signed a training camp deal with the Trail Blazers.

During the 2020/21 season, Ntilikina earned $6.2MM in the fourth year of his rookie deal. This year, his deal will most likely be either a non-guaranteed deal or a veteran’s minimum. The Mavericks currently have 14 players on guaranteed deals, with one player – Moses Brown – signed to a non-guaranteed contract and both of their two-way contract spots occupied.

The 6’4″ reserve guard, still just 23, suited up for 33 games with the Knicks last year under head coach Tom Thibodeau. He averaged just 2.7 PPG and 0.9 RPG across 9.8 MPG. A talented defensive player, Ntilikina has yet to develop on the other end of the hardwood. He holds career averages of 5.5 PPG, 2.7 APG and 2.0 RPG.

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Atlantic Notes: Brown, Simmons, Ntilikina

September 13th, 2021 at 8:52pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Veteran journeyman wing Anthony Brown is set to work out for the Celtics this week, per Ennio Terrasi Borghesan of Sportando.

Drafted with the No. 34 selection out of Stanford in 2015 by the Lakers, Brown played sparingly for the Lakers and their NBA G League affiliate, then called the Los Angeles D-Fenders (now the South Bay Lakers). In the NBA, he later played for the Pelicans, Magic, and Timberwolves, in addition to suiting up for the NBAGL affiliates for the latter two teams.

Brown played just 41 games across three NBA seasons. He holds averages of 3.9 PPG and 2.5 RPG in 18.6 MPG. Since his last league stint during the 2017/18 NBA season, Brown has played for a variety of international clubs in Serbia, France, and Spain.

The Celtics currently have 14 players inked to guaranteed deals on their 2021/22 roster, and just one of their two-way player slots filled.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

  • Sixers All-Star Ben Simmons has lost a lot of his trade value following a disappointing postseason performance. In a new mailbag column, Derek Bodner of The Athletic explains that he would be open to Philadelphia team president Daryl Morey targeting draft picks as the primary return in a Simmons deal. By making this kind of move, Morey and his front office team could potentially deal for a star player beyond the caliber of the personnel teams may be making available for Simmons at present.
  • Former Knicks point guard Frank Ntilikina, the eighth draft pick in 2017, never lived up to his promise while with New York. Moke Hamilton of Basketball News examines the forces at fault for the current free agent’s underwhelming first four seasons. Then-team president Phil Jackson generally shoulders much of the blame for selecting Ntilikina in the draft ahead of Donovan Mitchell, Bam Adebayo, and Malik Monk, all lottery-caliber players drafted after the 6’4″ guard who have already proven themselves to be NBA mainstays. “[Ntilikina] obviously had the physical gifts to be an impact player in the league, but there were two or three other guys that got support because they seemed much safer,” a Knicks source told Hamilton. Hamilton also opines that the team’s lack of stability in its coaches hurt Ntilikina’s development. In four seasons, the point guard played for four different head coaches. Hamilton speculates that, should Ntilikina want to remain in the NBA this season, the 23-year-old should be able to find a team willing to take a flyer on the defensive specialist.
  • In case you missed it, new Lakers center DeAndre Jordan‘s departure from the Nets apparently became inevitable after the team retained Blake Griffin this summer, in addition to signing Paul Millsap and LaMarcus Aldridge. Promising big man Nicolas Claxton also leaped ahead of Jordan in the center rotation during the 2020/21 season.
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