Ex-Cavs GM Suggests Celtics On Irving’s List
In an appearance on ESPN’s “The Jump” on Monday (h/t to CSNNE.com), former Cavaliers general manager David Griffin suggested that the Celtics are on Kyrie Irving’s short list of preferred destinations.
Griffin mentioned Brad Stevens and Gregg Popovich as “really good coaching situations” that Irving covets, as well as Irving’s desire to play with “Gordon Hayward in Boston” or “Kawhi Leonard in San Antonio.”
The Spurs had previously been reported as a team on Irving’s list, but this is the first the public is hearing about the Celtics as a desired destination for the disgruntled point guard. Aside from the Spurs, the Knicks, Heat, and Timberwolves were reported by Chris Haynes as Irving’s top choices for landing spots.
While the Celtics certainly have the assets to land Irving, with a trove of draft picks and Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, and other desirable players, Danny Ainge has been reluctant to part with these assets in trades for Paul George and Jimmy Butler, which led to the pair being traded elsewhere for far less than the Celtics could have offered.
Furthermore, if the Celtics were to strike a deal for Irving, he and Isaiah Thomas would make for an awkward fit starting in the backcourt, and a particularly troublesome pairing for Boston on defense, with neither point guard known for his defensive prowess. Irving also has reportedly wanted to be the lead guy on his next team, but Thomas is – and would likely continue to be – the Celtics’ franchise player. More likely, in the improbable event that the teams make a trade involving Irving, Thomas would have to head the other way.
Russell Westbrook Named Most Valuable Player
Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook was named the league’s Most Valuable Player, as was announced on TNT’s awards show Monday night. He was selected ahead of the other finalists, Rockets guard James Harden and Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard.
Westbrook became the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1961/62 to average a triple-double for a season. He posted an NBA-leading 31.6 PPG, 10.7 RPG and 10.4 APG while carrying the Thunder to the postseason.
Harden averaged 29.1 PPG, 8.1 RPG and an NBA-best 11.2 APG. Leonard averaged 25.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 3.5 APG and was also a finalist for the Defensive Player of the Year award while averaging 1.8 SPG.
Four of five members of the Hoops Rumors staff chose Westbrook.
Related stories:
Green Named Defensive Player of Year
Warriors forward Draymond Green was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, as was announced during the TNT awards show Monday night.
Green led the league in steals at 2.03 per game and was 12th in blocks at 1.4 per game. He topped the other two finalists, Jazz center Rudy Gobert and Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard. Leonard won the award the past two seasons.
Green, Gobert Headline 2016/17 NBA All-Defensive Teams
The NBA has announced its All-Defensive teams for the 2016/17 season, and Defensive Player of the Year finalists Draymond Green, Rudy Gobert, and Kawhi Leonard all earned a place on the First Team. Green led the way with 99 First Team votes, while Gobert received 97 votes for a spot on the First Team.
Here are the full rosters for the NBA’s All-Defensive teams:
First Team:
- Draymond Green (Warriors)
- Rudy Gobert (Jazz)
- Kawhi Leonard (Spurs)
- Chris Paul (Clippers)
- Patrick Beverley (Rockets)
Second Team:
- Tony Allen (Grizzlies)
- Danny Green (Spurs)
- Anthony Davis (Pelicans)
- Andre Roberson (Thunder)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
Avery Bradley (Celtics), Klay Thompson (Warriors), and John Wall (Wizards) were among the other players receiving votes who just missed out on an All-Defensive spot.
As Bobby Marks of The Vertical observes (via Twitter), Gobert’s cap hit for the 2017/18 season will now increase by $500K to $21.9MM based on his spot on the All-Defensive First Team.
Kawhi Leonard ‘Likely Out’ For Game 4
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said today that Kawhi Leonard is “likely out” for Monday’s Game 4, relays ESPN.com.
That means San Antonio will have to ward off elimination without its star forward, who hasn’t played since aggravating a sprained left ankle after landing on Zaza Pachulia after a jump shot in Game 1.
A first-team All-NBA selection, Leonard has been an indispensable part of the Spurs this season. He averaged 25.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per night, and is considered one of the top defenders in the league. He increased those numbers to 27.7 and 7.8 in the playoffs before the injury.
Popovich added that David Lee is doubtful for Monday after being hurt early in Game 3. He was diagnosed with a torn patellar tendon in his left knee, and the Spurs are waiting for MRI results before they make a decision.
Kawhi Leonard To Miss Game 3 Due To Ankle Injury
Spurs forward and finalist for the 2016/17 NBA Most Valuable Player award, Kawhi Leonard, will miss Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals against the Warriors tonight due to a sprained left ankle, the team confirmed.
Leonard initially suffered the left ankle sprain in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Rockets, forcing him to miss most of the contest. After also missing the Spurs’ series-clinching Game 6, he returned to play Golden State, but re-injured the ankle on a controversial closeout by Warriors center Zaza Pachulia — who ironically will also miss Game 3 due to an injured heel — in the third quarter of Game 1. Leonard missed Game 2 as the Spurs fell to a 2-0 series deficit.
“In the end, I guess it’s my decision,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told reporters, including Melissa Rohlin of the San Antonio Express-News, at shootaround on Saturday. “He’s not thrilled that he’s not playing, but he’s not ready, so we’re not going to play him.”
In a separate piece, Rohlin spoke to Leonard about what needs to improve in his ankle before he’s ready to return to the court.
“Just seeing if I can run and at least be myself on the court,” Leonard said. “Don’t want to hobble around or shoot off balance shots. Just want to be able to push with both legs. Just that, really.”
In 12 postseason games, Leonard has averaged 27.7 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 4.6 APG while providing his usually stellar defense. Instead, the Spurs will enter tonight’s game without its best player as the team tries to salvage a win against the defending Western Conference champions.
NBA Reveals Award Finalists
The NBA is in the process of revealing its finalists for each of the major year-end awards on TNT, the winners of which will be announced at the official award show on June 26.
Below is an ongoing list that we’ll update as the NBA on TNT crew reveals more.
Most Improved Player of the Year
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Rudy Gobert
Nikola Jokic
Hoops Rumors Analysis: MIP
Sixth Man of the Year
Eric Gordon
Andre Iguodala
Lou Williams
Hoops Rumors Analysis: Sixth Man
Rookie of the Year
Malcolm Brogdon
Joel Embiid
Dario Saric
Hoops Rumors Analysis: ROY
Coach of the Year
Mike D’Antoni
Gregg Popovich
Erik Spoelstra
Hoops Rumors Analysis: COTY
Defensive Player of the Year
Rudy Gobert
Draymond Green
Kawhi Leonard
Hoops Rumors Analysis: DPOY
Most Valuable Player of the Year
James Harden
Kawhi Leonard
Russell Westbrook
Hoops Rumors Analysis: MVP
No Paul George, Gordon Hayward On All-NBA Teams
The NBA has officially announced its All-NBA teams for the 2016/17 season, and neither Paul George nor Gordon Hayward is among the 15 players honored. That’s big news for both players and their teams, since they’ll be ineligible for the Designated Veteran Extension, reducing the amount of money the Pacers and Jazz – respectively – could offer their star forwards in contract extensions this offseason.
Here are this year’s All-NBA teams:
All-NBA First Team
- Guard: Russell Westbrook (Thunder)
- Guard: James Harden (Rockets)
- Forward: LeBron James (Cavaliers)
- Forward: Kawhi Leonard (Spurs)
- Center: Anthony Davis (Pelicans)
All-NBA Second Team
- Guard: Stephen Curry (Warriors)
- Guard: Isaiah Thomas (Celtics)
- Forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
- Forward: Kevin Durant (Warriors)
- Center: Rudy Gobert (Jazz)
All-NBA Third Team
- Guard: John Wall (Wizards)
- Guard: DeMar DeRozan (Raptors)
- Forward: Jimmy Butler (Bulls)
- Forward: Draymond Green (Warriors)
- Center: DeAndre Jordan (Clippers)
Based on this year’s All-NBA voting results, Wall is now eligible to sign a Designated Veteran Extension this summer, while Leonard is eligible to sign one next summer. Harden, Westbrook, and Curry are also eligible to sign DVEs this summer, as Bobby Marks of The Vertical notes (via Twitter).
Those Designated Veteran Extensions – which are dependent on a player making an All-NBA team in the year before he signs an extension, or in two of the previous three years – apply to players finishing up their rookie scale extensions. They allow a player re-signing with his own team to earn up to 35% of the salary cap, rather than just 30%. So, if we assume a $101MM salary cap for 2017/18, a player like Curry could sign a new Warriors contract with a starting salary of $35.35MM, instead of $30.3MM.
The Pacers and Jazz will still be able to offer George and Hayward larger and longer contracts than any other team, but the advantage won’t be as significant as it would have been if those players had earned All-NBA spots. Teams can offer their own Bird-rights free agents up to five years (instead of four) and 8% raises (instead of 5%).
Hayward figures to opt out of his contract and become a free agent this summer, while George is expected to reach free agency in 2018. George could still become eligible for the DVE in ’18 if the Pacers hang onto him through next season and he earns All-NBA honors a year from now. However, there’s no guarantee that Indiana will be willing to take that risk.
As for the rest of the All-NBA votes, there weren’t any major surprises, particularly on the first two teams. Perhaps the biggest surprise, in a year which was dominated by four clear-cut MVP candidates, is that Harden was the only player who received 100 out of 100 possible First Team votes. Westbrook and James received 99 apiece, while Leonard received 96.
Note: Hoops Rumors readers voted last month on All-NBA teams, and our squads looked awfully close to the official ones, with a couple notable exceptions. You can check out the results of our voting right here.
Andre Iguodala Sidelined For Game 2
Warriors small forward Andre Iguodala has been ruled out for Game 2 against the Spurs Tuesday night due to left knee soreness, reports Marc J. Spears of ESPN.com. An MRI performed Monday revealed no structural damage, but the Warriors continue to be cautious with the veteran as they have done all season.
Iguodala will not be the only former NBA Finals MVP to be sidelined for the game. Spurs leading scorer Kawhi Leonard will also miss the contest. The Warriors lead the series 1-0.
Southwest Notes: Leonard, Pelicans, Parsons, Nowitzki
Kawhi Leonard‘s MRI revealed no structural damage, Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com tweets. Leonard injured his left ankle twice in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Sunday, including a controversial play in which Warriors center Zaza Pachulia moved into his landing space after Leonard released a jump shot. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich ripped Pachulia on Monday for what Popovich felt was a reckless closeout. Leonard is expected to miss Game 2.
In other news around the Southwest Division
- Donatas Motiejunas is unlikely to re-sign with the Pelicans because of their frontcourt logjam, Lithuanian journalist Donatas Urbonas tweets. Motiejunas told Urbonas, ‘They don’t need me with already 4-5 big (men) on the roster for the next season.’ The 7-foot forward, who is an unrestricted free agent this summer, averaged 4.4 PPG and 3.0 RPG in 14.1 MPG over 34 games with the Pelicans.
- Chandler Parsons‘ future with the Grizzlies could be as a stretch four rather than playing his natural small forward spot, according to Michael Wallace of the team’s website. That could be a sensitive subject this offseason with veteran power forward Zach Randolph becoming an unrestricted free agent this summer and fellow big man JaMychal Green entering restricted free agency. Knee injuries limited Parsons to 34 games in the first year of his four-year, $94MM contract with Memphis.
- Dirk Nowitzki is willing to assist the front office as the Mavericks prepare for the draft, according to team website reporter Earl K. Sneed. The club holds the No. 9 overall pick, pending the results of Tuesday’s lottery. “Maybe I’ll be in the draft room this year, if that’s what it takes,” Nowitzki told Sneed. “I think we’ve got plenty of time over the next few weeks to set a plan, execute the plan on draft day hopefully and maybe in free agency, and we’ll go from there.”
- Improving 3-point shooting is paramount for the Pelicans to make the playoffs next year, coach Alvin Gentry said on The Vertical podcast. Gentry’s comments were relayed in a story by Scott Kushner of the New Orleans Advocate. The Twin Tower duo of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins won’t work unless the club acquires better perimeter shooters, according to Gentry. “We are going to have to upgrade there and the players that we have are going to have to show vast improvement over the summer,” Gentry said on the podcast. “If you’re going to play the two big guys that we have, obviously, there are going to be a lot of double-teaming. … in order to make that work, we’re going to have to be able to knock down perimeter shots.”