Warriors Rumors: Kerr, Melton, Stars, Post, Horford
The “general belief” both within the organization and around the NBA is that Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is more likely to step down from his current position than to sign a new contract to remain in Golden State, according to Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. Poole reports that Kerr will meet with team owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. to discuss his future and that the expectation is his decision will come in a matter of days, rather than weeks.
While it sounds like Kerr is leaning toward ending his run with the Warriors, he has left the door open to returning. For that to happen, Poole suggests the veteran coach would need to have “renewed faith in his role as the franchise shifts toward the future.” Kerr’s decision won’t be based on money, Poole adds.
“They could offer Steve $25 million a year and I doubt that alone would make a difference,” one league source told NBC Sports Bay Area.
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- According to Nick Friedell and Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic, Golden State was operating for most of the season as if it would be tough to bring back De’Anthony Melton, since he seemed likely to decline his $3.5MM player option in favor of a much more lucrative offer that the Warriors wouldn’t be able to match using the guard’s Non-Bird rights. However, an up-and-down finish to the season may hurt Melton’s market and make a return to Golden State more viable. For his part, the 27-year-old said on Monday that he’d “most definitely” like to stay with the Warriors but that he’ll “leave that type of stuff up to my agent and upstairs,” per Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area.
- Although the Warriors reportedly offered several future first-round picks for Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo prior to February’s trade deadline, one team source who spoke to Friedell and Thompson said the front office isn’t planning on giving up several future assets to load up on veterans for 2026/27. Noting that Golden State was the most aggressive suitor for Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard prior to the deadline, Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) posits that the team may be less inclined to pursue a veteran star like Giannis or Kawhi this offseason if Kerr doesn’t return.
- A restricted free agent this summer, Quinten Post said on Monday that he hopes to remain with the Warriors, per Friedell (Twitter link). Post, who is recovering from a foot injury, added that he thinks he’s about two weeks away from resuming on-court work and hopes to play for the Dutch national team this summer.
- Warriors big man Al Horford explained in greater detail on Monday why he left Boston last summer to sign with Golden State. Brian Robb of MassLive has the story and the quotes from Horford, who holds a $6MM player option for ’26/27.
Kerr’s Decision Could Lead To Major Changes For Warriors
The Warriors could be embarking on an “organizational reset” if head coach Steve Kerr decides not to return, several team sources tell Ramona Shelburne and Anthony Slater of ESPN. That could involve significant changes to the roster and coaching staff as the team tries to find a new direction following a 37-45 season and an exit in the play-in tournament.
After Friday’s loss at Phoenix, Kerr indicated that he’ll take a week or two before deciding whether to continue coaching. Team sources tell Shelburne that timeline is respectful to Kerr while giving the organization enough time to address its coaching situation before moving on to roster decisions. The sources also state that staff and philosophy questions will be discussed if Kerr returns, as management believes the team has become too reliant on three-point variance and wants to see more diversification in the offense and a greater emphasis on winning the possession battle.
There are lingering concerns about the 13-15 start when the roster was mostly healthy, Shelburne adds. Late-game performance, turnover problems and a sub-.500 record during a season when so many opponents were tanking were also worrisome.
“We didn’t find it earlier in the season,” Kerr said after the team was eliminated. “We were blowing some games we should’ve closed out. I could’ve done a better job. But when Jimmy (Butler) got hurt, it felt like we were finding it.”
Sources tell Shelburne that a wide search is expected for Kerr’s successor if he opts for retirement. College coaches could be in the mix, although Shelburne cites concerns about pairing someone who has no NBA experience with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Butler as they move into the final stages of their careers.
Changes to the coaching staff are expected even if Kerr stays, per Shelburne. Long-time assistant Chris DeMarco has already left to become head coach of the WNBA’s New York Liberty, and sources tell Shelburne that former Pelicans head coach Willie Green could return to the Warriors to work under Kerr again.
When Kerr discusses his future with management, owner Joe Lacob will want him to exhibit a strong desire to handle the day-to-day responsibilities of the job rather than stay out of loyalty to Curry and Green, according to Shelburne’s sources. They add that Lacob will ask Kerr to sign a multiyear contract instead of returning for a brief farewell tour.
According to Shelburne, the Warriors remain committed to general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., despite some outside rumors that he may be a candidate to run Chicago’s front office. She reports that Dunleavy recently signed an extension without any fanfare and has multiple years remaining on the deal.
Shelburne also notes that if Golden State’s roster remains largely intact next season, there will still be the issue of having three players in their late 30s who take up nearly 80% of the payroll. Curry will be eligible for an extension of up to two years this summer and has already talked about wanting to keep playing for multiple seasons. Butler will become extension-eligible in February, which is about when he’s projected to return from an ACL tear. Shelburne hears that he’s expected to focus on getting healthy again and work out his future next summer.
Green has a $27.6MM player option for next season that he’s expected to either exercise or use as the basis to negotiate a longer deal. He was reportedly included in the Warriors’ offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo at the deadline and while there’s a still a chance he could be moved for a star, sources tell Shelburne there is “no desire or mandate” to trade Green.
Shelburne suggests that Golden State could make another offer to the Bucks this summer or try again for Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, who became a target in February after the Antetokounmpo deal fell through. She adds that LeBron James could also be a possibility in free agency if he decides to leave the Lakers.
Clippers Notes: Kawhi, Lue, Investigation, Garland, Offseason
A couple days after Kawhi Leonard declined to discuss his future, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank reaffirmed the Clippers‘ commitment to the star forward, writes Kris Rhim of ESPN.com.
“Our plan is to win with Kawhi,” Frank said. “We obviously showed as an organization that we want to continue and we are driven to win. So, at the appropriate time, we’ll sit down with Kawhi, and very similar to 2024, lay out our plan. And if our goals are aligned, then we’d like to win with Kawhi.”
The two-time Finals MVP is entering the final year of his contract, which will pay him $50.3MM in 2026/27. He’ll be eligible this offseason to sign a two-year extension.
As Rhim notes, the Clippers made a couple major trades ahead of the February deadline, sending James Harden to Cleveland for Darius Garland and Ivica Zubac to Indiana for Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, and two first-round picks. Frank thinks those moves put the team in a better position to contend in the future.
“I think we do have great hope and optimism with our future,” he said. “Because as we build that bridge from competitive to contender, we’ve put ourselves in a very good position with emerging young players, draft capital and cap space going forward.”
Here’s more on the Clippers:
- Law Murray of The Athletic passes along several more quotes from Frank’s 45-minute press conference. The longtime executive confirmed head coach Tyronn Lue, who is under contract until 2029, isn’t going anywhere, as Murray previously reported. “I thought Ty and the staff did an unbelievable job of, every day, showing up with a great spirit, and just kept at it,” Frank said. “Ty’s an incredible coach, an incredible partner. And one of the characteristics we look for, not just in staff, but also in players, are people who are driven to improve. And all of us, you know, are very much driven to improvement.”
- Frank also doubled down on comments he made at the beginning of 2025/26, expressing confidence that the NBA’s investigation into Leonard’s alleged no-show endorsement deal with Aspiration won’t result in a significant punishment for the franchise. “If you know (owner) Steve (Ballmer) and know Steve’s integrity, you know there’s nothing to it,” Frank said. “And I can’t comment on the investigation, but I will stand by what I said up here back in September, October, whenever it was, that, you know, we believe and we’re very confident we’re on the right side of this.”
- Frank said he’d like to see Garland focus on adding strength to his frame in addition to getting healthy after dealing with a nagging toe injury for most of the last year, Murray writes. “The offseason is the time where you can make great gains with your body,” Frank said. “And I think when you look at the — in this league — smaller guards who have been able to excel, it’s the strength part of it.”
- Frank said the team needs to improve its rebounding, secondary ball-handling, and shooting, according to Murray, who points out that Frank made similar comments last year.
- Determining Leonard’s future, finding a workable contract with Mathurin, who will be a restricted free agent, and looking for a new starting center should be the Clips’ top three priorities entering the offseason, per Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.
Warriors Notes: Curry, Green, Horford, Porzingis, Kerr, Payton
Vintage performances from Stephen Curry and Draymond Green sparked the Warriors to a comeback victory in Wednesday’s elimination game against the Clippers, writes Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. As Anthony Slater of ESPN details, Golden State trailed by as many as 13 points with under 10 minutes remaining, but clutch shots from Curry — and clutch defense from Green — led the team to a play-in win.
“We came back every single time they made a run,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “An incredible display of guts and competitiveness and connection. Then obviously Steph and Dray took over down the stretch. Draymond is the best defender I’ve ever seen in my life.”
According to Slater, Green prevented Kawhi Leonard (21 points on 8-of-17 shooting, five turnovers) from attempting a field goal in the 12 half-court possessions he defended the Clippers star in the fourth quarter. Green sealed the victory with two steals in the final minute — one on on inbound pass which led to an and-one for Brandin Podziemski, and the other a clean strip of Leonard when the Clips were down six and desperate to score.
“They had a great game plan,” Leonard said, per Thompson. “Just being physical all game. Making sure I don’t get catch-and-shoot shots. Blasting every pick and roll. … And then, you know, Draymond, Hall of Fame defender. So, yeah, it was hard to even get shots off.”
Green has long relished the chance to compete against — and beat — the best players in the league, notes Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated.
“There will never be a person that I would want to prove more to than myself,” said Green. “The same people that say I lost a step said I never had a step. They’re the same people that said I would never make it and I should be out the NBA and I ride a coattail. And the list goes on and on. Those are the same people. So ultimately, when you step on the floor, this is competition. You want to be your best.”
Here’s more on the Warriors, who will play at Phoenix on Friday to determine the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference:
- Curry shook off a rough first half (eight points on 2-of-9 shooting) and to deliver a sublime final two quarters, scoring 27 points (on 10-of-14 shooting) and dishing out four assists after halftime. The 38-year-old star showed why he was determined to return this season after a persistent right knee injury caused him to miss 27 consecutive games, as Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. “This is why Steph came back,” Kerr told reporters in Inglewood. “So, everybody out there who thought Steph should have taken the rest of the year off, this is what he does! This is who he is! If he can compete, he’s going to compete. And it was just incredible to watch.”
- Curry and Green had plenty of help to win Wednesday’s game, with Gui Santos (20 points, six rebounds, five assists), Kristaps Porzingis (20 points, five rebounds five assists, two blocks) and Al Horford all delivering in key moments. Horford’s contributions may have been the most unexpected, per Nick Friedell of The Athletic — the veteran big man was 0-for-3 from three-point range entering the fourth quarter, then converted all four of his attempts down the stretch. “Steph was in my ear,” said Horford, who returned to action from a calf strain with two games left in the regular season. “Draymond was in my ear the whole time, giving me that confidence and letting me know that I do that, that I’m capable of (that). And for me, that was a special moment that I shared with them there, and with our season on the line, it was pretty fitting.”
- Porzingis is listed as questionable for Friday’s game due to right ankle soreness (Twitter link via Slater). The impending free agent center was “limping a bit” after Wednesday’s victory, Slater writes.
- According to Slater (Twitter video link), Kerr isn’t expected to make a decision about his coaching future in the immediate aftermath of whenever the Warriors’ season comes to an end. For what it’s worth, Golden State’s longtime coach, who is on expiring contract, was euphoric after Wednesday’s win. “There’s a reason we have four championships,” Kerr said, per Slater. “With all the wins we’ve ever had here — a lot of them with a lot more at stake — this is right up there. Just because of where we are and our age and the decline of our performance this year and our injuries. It was just a beautiful display of competitive will.”
- In an interview with Mark Medina of RG.org, Gary Payton II discusses playing with Curry and Green and the news that Seattle is being considered for an expansion team. Payton, the son of SuperSonics legend Gary Payton, was born in the Emerald City. “It’s about time. Hopefully, I can get there before my career is over and put on a Sonics jersey,” the younger Payton said. “We’ll see how it plays out. But if not, it’ll be good to go up there and see some games.”
Clippers Notes: Lue, Garland, Kawhi, Offseason, CP3
The Clippers have registered an NBA-best 15 consecutive winning seasons, but they’ve gone five straight years without winning a playoff series and, after Wednesday’s loss to Golden State, have now failed to make it out of the play-in tournament twice during those five years, writes Law Murray of The Athletic.
Following an unceremonious end to a turbulent season, the Clippers’ next steps are unclear. A league source tells Murray that head coach Tyronn Lue – under contract through 2029 – isn’t going anywhere this offseason, and neither is the team’s new point guard of the present and future, Darius Garland. But beyond that, everything is in flux.
Kawhi Leonard‘s future, which he declined to discuss after Wednesday’s loss, is the biggest question mark hanging over the franchise. A league source tells Murray that the Clippers don’t believe the NBA’s investigation into Leonard’s alleged no-show endorsement deal with Aspiration will result in a significant punishment for the franchise — or in the star forward’s contract being voided. But even if that’s the case, Leonard will have to be traded or extended in order to avoid having him play out an expiring contract in 2026/27.
And beyond Leonard, there are several decisions facing the Clippers up and down their roster. John Collins, whom Murray describes as a good locker room fit, will be an unrestricted free agent, while newcomer Bennedict Mathurin is entering restricted free agency. The team holds options on Brook Lopez, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Nicolas Batum, Jordan Miller, and Kobe Sanders, while defensive aces Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. will be eligible for extensions.
As the Clippers prepare for an eventful offseason, here are a few notes on the club:
- Garland, who underwent surgery on his left big toe last offseason and sprained his right big toe earlier in the season, said on Wednesday that he has been playing on “nine toes,” per Dan Woike of The Athletic (Twitter link). As Garland explained, the right toe feels fine now, but the left one has remained an issue. The guard’s goal this offseason is to “get healthy.”
- Previewing the Clippers’ summer, ESPN’s Bobby Marks suggests that adding frontcourt help and acquiring a play-maker to back up Garland should be priorities for the club. Marks also points out that operating as an under-the-cap team is a possibility, though it would require L.A. to part ways with several role players, so operating above the cap seems more likely. The Clippers should have more than enough flexibility to re-sign Mathurin and use the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception if Collins isn’t re-signed, Marks adds.
- Over four months after the Clippers announced they were parting ways with him, Chris Paul wasn’t shedding any tears when their season ended on Wednesday. As Murray notes (via Twitter), the veteran point guard posted the “I stopped by one of my biggest hater’s funeral” meme on his Instagram account shortly after L.A. was eliminated.
Kawhi Leonard Not Ready To Discuss Future, ‘Not Stressing’ Aspiration Probe
On the heels of one of the best regular seasons of his NBA career, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard was hounded by Draymond Green on Wednesday and was held to 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting with five turnovers in L.A.’s home loss to the Warriors. In the fourth quarter of the do-or-die play-in game, the Clippers surrendered 43 points and blew a 13-point lead, ending their season.
Although the Clippers’ offseason is now underway, Leonard wasn’t ready to discuss his future immediately after the game. The star forward will be eligible this offseason to tack on up to two years to the one season left on his current contract, but he said those conversations could wait, as Ramona Shelburne of ESPN relays.
“Let me cry about this loss a little bit more,” Leonard said when asked his future with the Clippers. “We’ll have our discussions when that time comes.”
A Los Angeles native, Leonard prioritized a return home when he reached free agency in 2019 just days after winning a title in Toronto. Since choosing the Clippers that summer, he has signed two more extensions with the team, signaling his desire to remain in L.A. However, there has been speculation following in-season trades of James Harden and Ivica Zubac that the Clippers intend to retool their roster around a younger core. If that’s the case, Leonard probably won’t remain at the center of their plans going forward.
There has also been some discussion about whether Leonard will even be able to play out the final year of his current contract, which will pay him $50.3MM in 2026/27. Some league observers have predicted that if the NBA determines Leonard’s and the Clippers’ agreements with the now-bankrupt green banking company Aspiration were designed to circumvent the salary cap, it would result in the 34-year-old’s contract being voided.
Investigative reporter and podcaster Pablo Torre alleged the Clippers were using a no-show endorsement deal between Leonard and Aspiration to funnel the star forward additional money on top of his NBA salary, which the team and Kawhi have vociferously denied. Leonard told reporters after Wednesday’s loss that he’s not concerned about the findings of the investigation.
“I never thought about it too much other than questions asked,” Leonard said, per Shelburne, when asked if he knows the status of the probe. “You’ll have to ask the NBA, not me. I’m not the one doing the investigation. … I think we’re going to be in the clear. I’m not stressing it.”
Between the outcome of the Aspiration investigation and Leonard’s uncertain future in L.A., there are plenty of questions hanging over the two-time Finals MVP this summer. Fortunately, this time around, his health isn’t one of them. Leonard has been plagued in past years by health issues, but he said on Wednesday that his “body’s in a good place” and that his surgically repaired right knee wasn’t a problem at all in 2025/26, per Law Murray of The Athletic.
“I had no headaches with (the knee) the past two years, so I feel great,” Leonard said.
And-Ones: Player Movement, J. Harper, CP3, More
It could be an eventful summer across the NBA, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link), who suggests within his look ahead to the offseason that there’s “growing anticipation” in rival front offices that more than one of Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, and Lakers forward LeBron James could end up changing teams in the coming months.
Of the three, only James will be a free agent, Stein notes. But both Antetokounmpo and Leonard were involved in trade rumors in February ahead of the deadline and those rumors figure to resurface as both stars enter potential contract years.
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Former NBA point guard Jared Harper has been out of the league since 2022, but he’s building an impressive résumé overseas. Playing for Hapoel Jerusalem, Harper has been named the EuroCup MVP for a second straight year after averaging 19.5 points and 5.2 assists per game and leading his team to a league-best record of 13-5 during the 2025/26 regular season.
- After retiring from the NBA in February, future Hall-of-Famer Chris Paul will reportedly join the staff at Campbell Hall High in California and coach his son, Chris Paul II. Hunter Shelton of On3.com has the details.
- Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) evaluates what the next contracts for several players eligible for rookie scale extensions in 2026 might look like, exploring whether maximum-salary deals are within reach for Jazz guard Keyonte George and Hornets forward Brandon Miller.
- With the first round of the playoffs set to tip off on Saturday, Zach Kram of ESPN ranks the 50 most impactful players taking part in the postseason, from play-in stars like Stephen Curry and Tyrese Maxey to top options on title contenders, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama.
Injury Notes: Wembanyama, Leonard, Curry, James, Highsmith
Two days after meeting the 65-game criteria, Victor Wembanyama is out for the Spurs‘ season finale against the Nuggets on Sunday.
“He’s doing well but just a little sore and felt it was the appropriate decision,” said head coach Mitch Johnson, per Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.
Wembanyama is dealing with a sore rib cage following a collision with the Sixers’ Paul George on Wednesday.
“I think he’s the strongest, the best in shape he’s been since I’ve been around,” Johnson said. “But, yeah, I think he’s fought through some games just in terms of, not injury, I’m talking about just physicality, the toll of a really competitive high-level game.”
Nuggets star Nikola Jokic will suit up tonight, per The Athletic’s Jared Weiss (via Twitter), as he needs to play at least in 15 minutes in order to reach the 65-game threshold and become award-eligible.
We have more injury news from around the NBA:
- Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out for the Clippers as they face off against the Warriors in their season finale. Head coach Ty Lue said of his star forward that he “has been dealing with some things with his wrist and ankle the last couple weeks,” per Mark Medina of Essentially Sports (via Twitter). Leonard recently hit the 65-game mark, making him eligible for end-of-season awards.
- Stephen Curry will start for the Warriors against the Clippers on Sunday, and head coach Steve Kerr hopes to get him up to around 30 minutes played, ESPN’s Anthony Slater reports (Twitter link). Curry has played between 25 and 27 minutes in each of his three games since returning from his extended absence due to a knee injury.
- LeBron James will play for the Lakers on Sunday against the Jazz, Dave McMenamin of ESPN notes (via Twitter), adding that, according to coach JJ Redick, no Laker is expected to play more than low-30s in terms of minutes, including Marcus Smart, who will be on a minutes restriction. Redick wants to try to “control what they can control” by going for the win against Utah, McMenamin writes (Twitter link).
- Haywood Highsmith will play for the Suns tonight after being out since March 17 with right knee injury management, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic notes (Twitter link). “I think that’s what he was shooting for this whole time, just to get back and be available, credit to him,” said head coach Jordan Ott. “He’s had a season where he’s been off the court a ton, and when he’s been on the court for us he’s been super helpful. So excited to see him go back out there and be available.“
Wemby, Kawhi Meet 65-Game Criteria; Jokic One Game Away
Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama returned on Friday from a one-game absence due to a rib contusion and played 26 minutes in a win over Dallas, ensuring that he has met the requirements for the 65-game rule and will now be eligible for postseason awards, as Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press writes.
Wembanyama has technically logged 20-plus minutes in just 62 regular season games this season, but he also surpassed the 15-minute mark in two additional appearances, which count toward the minimum. Additionally, he gets credit for playing 25 minutes in December’s NBA Cup final, even though that game isn’t considered a regular season contest.
With the Spurs locked into the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, it seems unlikely that Wembanyama would have suited up for Friday’s matchup with Dallas if not for the 65-game rule.
“I tried to protect (the injured rib) as much as possible while still being respectful of the game,” he said after racking up 40 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists in the victory, per ESPN’s Michael C. Wright. “But it was OK. It didn’t bother me that much, just a few times where it was a specific moment or specific hit where it was painful.”
Wembanyama, who has averaged 25.0 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 3.1 APG, and a league-leading 3.1 BPG for the 62-19 Spurs, looks like a lock to win Defensive Player of the Year and earn All-NBA honors, almost certainly as a first-teamer. He also should show up on most – if not all – Most Valuable Player ballots.
Another MVP candidate, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, was held out of Friday’s matchup with Oklahoma City due to right wrist injury management, meaning he’ll have to play at least 15 minutes in Sunday’s regular season finale in order to reach the 65-game threshold. While that’s certainly possible, head coach David Adelman suggested after Friday’s win that it’s not a lock, according to Reynolds. Adelman suggested that an “adult conversation” will take place prior to tip-off on Sunday.
“Obviously, the success in the playoffs matters more than anything else,” Adelman said. “But this rule stares at us right now. And so, we’ve got to make a proper decision and we need to go in there with a real plan of, ‘This is what it’s going to be.’ Either he gets those minutes, or we say, ‘Let’s just move on.'”
Interestingly, the Spurs and Nuggets will face one another on Sunday in San Antonio. And even though Wembanyama has already met the award eligibility criteria and Jokic hasn’t, San Antonio may be the team more motivated to win Sunday’s game, since doing so could push Denver into the No. 4 spot in the West (assuming the Lakers beat Utah). That would put the Lakers, instead of the Nuggets, on the Spurs’ side of the Western Conference playoff bracket.
Ahead of Sunday’s slate of games, here are a few more updates on the 65-game rule and award eligibility, with a hat tip to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link):
- Clippers star Kawhi Leonard played over 37 minutes on Friday, marking his 65th appearance of the season and making him award-eligible. Although Leonard now looks like a safe bet to make an All-NBA team, Friday’s outcome was a disappointing one, as Portland beat L.A. to take control of the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference standings.
- Also becoming award-eligible on Friday as a result of meeting the 65-game criteria were Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley, Pistons wing Ausar Thompson, and Warriors forward Draymond Green. All three players are candidates to earn All-Defensive votes this season.
- Another All-Defensive candidate, Thunder swingman Luguentz Dort, narrowly surpassed the 20-minute threshold on Friday and will need to do so again on Sunday in order to be eligible for postseason awards.
- Trail Blazers All-Star forward Deni Avdija will have to play at least 15 minutes on Sunday in order to meet the 65-game criteria. He’ll likely receive All-NBA and Most Improved Player consideration if he qualifies.
And-Ones: NBA Awards Picks, G League Awards
Reigning Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander claims two awards on the unofficial ballot of Dan Devine of Yahoo Sports: MVP and Clutch Player of the Year.
To be clear, Devine does have an official vote for year-end awards, but those ballots aren’t sent out until the regular season concludes on April 12. Devine also notes that he may be forced to change some of his picks, depending on which players are eligible.
Victor Wembanyama, for example, needs to play at least 20 minutes in one of San Antonio’s remaining two games to be eligible for awards consideration. The French big man is Devine’s choice for Defensive Player of the Year and is his runner-up for MVP, ahead of Nikola Jokic.
Kon Knueppel (Rookie of the Year) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Most Improved Player) are a couple of Devine’s other awards picks.
Here are a few more awards-related stories and announcements:
- There’s quite a bit of overlap between Devine’s awards picks and the tentative selections of Zach Harper of The Athletic. Both writers have Joe Mazzulla, J.B. Bickerstaff and Mitch Johnson as the three finalists, in order of how they finish, for Coach of the Year, and Keldon Johnson, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tim Hardaway Jr. as their top three picks for Sixth Man of the Year.
- Michael Pina of The Ringer lists his three All-NBA, two All-Defensive, and two All-Rookie teams. Pina’s first-team All-NBA picks are Kawhi Leonard, Jaylen Brown, Gilgeous-Alexander, Wembanyama and Jokic; his All-Defensive First Team selections are Wembanyama, Derrick White, Scottie Barnes, Ausar Thompson and Chet Holmgren; and his top-five rookies are Knueppel, Cooper Flagg, VJ Edgecombe, Dylan Harper and Derik Queen.
- The NBA G League has announced its All-Defensive and All-Rookie teams, which are each comprised of five players (Twitter links via the NBA). The All-Defensive selections are Jamarion Sharp (Texas Legends), Chris Manon (South Bay Lakers), Alijah Martin (Raptors 905), Andersson Garcia (Mexico City Capitanes) and Jalen Slawson (Noblesville Boom), while the All-Rookie team consists of Raptors 905 standout Martin, Norchad Omier and Sean Pedulla of the San Diego Clippers, Keshon Gilbert (College Park Skyhawks) and RJ Davis (South Bay Lakers). Martin, Manon, Slawson (Pacers), Omier and Pedulla are on two-way contracts with their respective NBA teams.