Pacific Notes: Booker, Young, Bol, Looney, Reddish
Devin Booker returned to the Suns‘ lineup on Monday night and the team’s big three carried it to a six-point win over Cleveland, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic notes. Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal combined for 88 of the club’s 117 points. Booker scored 27 points after missing four games with a right ankle sprain. Phoenix is 15-9 with all three stars in the lineup.
“They’ve got a great ability to pierce single coverage or drop coverage in pick-and-roll and when they start bringing two to the basketball, they’re all willing passers,” Suns head coach Frank Vogel said.
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- Veteran forward Thaddeus Young has only played in two games since the Suns signed him off the buyout market. “If the matchup fits, then we’ll use him, but for now he’s behind Drew (Eubanks) on the depth chart,” Vogel said, per Rankin (Twitter link). Bol Bol has received steady, if limited, minutes this month. He’s averaging 5.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in 11.2 minutes over six March outings. Regarding Bol’s minutes, Vogel said it’s about either matchup or being able to go zone to protect him on the defense, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports tweets.
- Warriors center Kevon Looney’s consecutive games played streak lasted 254 games in the regular season and 289 including playoffs — second in the NBA behind only the Nets’ Mikal Bridges. It ended not because of injury but due to losing his rotation spot. He was a DNP-Coach’s Decision against the Bulls and Spurs. “I still get to carry it a little bit. I was available. I can still say I didn’t get hurt. Knock on wood,” Looney told Anthony Slater of The Athletic as he knocked on his locker. “I’m still taking care of my body. Still feeling good. Still available whenever they call on me again. I’ll be ready.”
- Lakers forward Cam Reddish won’t play against the Kings on Wednesday due to a right ankle sprain, Khobi Price of the Orange County Register tweets. LeBron James (left ankle) is listed as questionable.
Suns Notes: Wainright, Booker, Durant, Ishbia
Ish Wainright, who returned to the Suns on a two-way contract earlier this week after being waived by Phoenix in October and by Portland in January, jokingly referred to Devin Booker as the “president of Arizona” and said it was Booker who first called him with the news that the team was re-signing him (Twitter video link via Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports).
Wainright went on to say that he received calls from several former coaches and teammates after he was waived by the Trail Blazers in January, providing encouragement and assuring him that he’d get another shot in the NBA. Booker was among those who reached out, with Suns head coach Frank Vogel and team owner Mat Ishbia also remaining in touch.
The 29-year-old forward had been working out in Phoenix since being let go by Portland and is thrilled to be back on the Suns’ roster.
“This whole time we stayed in contact, ’cause I know what they want to build here and I wanted to be a part of it,” Wainright said (Twitter links via Bourguet).
Vogel told reporters that the Suns are excited to have Wainright back, referring to him as a talented player and a “really good culture guy” with a strong work ethic, adding that he benefits from already knowing the team’s system (Twitter video link).
Here’s more on the Suns:
- Booker, who is recovering from a right ankle sprain, did some on-court work on Friday, but will be listed as doubtful for Saturday’s game vs. Boston, according to Vogel (Twitter video link via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic).
- Kevin Durant spoke to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report about how he stays motivated, his belief in the Suns, and his desire to continue establishing chemistry not just with star teammates Booker and Bradley Beal but with the entire roster. “I think we’re starting to build something and form an identity. And that takes time and reps,” Durant said. “Our coaching staff is doing a great job. I’m not promising anything, but I like our chances against anybody.”
- Ramona Shelburne of ESPN takes an in-depth look at Mat Ishbia‘s “topsy-turvy” first year owning the Suns and considers what comes next for the club. Ishbia told ESPN that he intends to do “whatever it takes to win” and isn’t concerned about the limitations that operating above the second tax apron will impose on the franchise. “I understand all the rules that come with the second apron. I understand exactly what the CBA tried to do,” he said. “I read it, I know it inside and out, and we made a calculated decision that we think the team with the best players wins. Would I rather have Brad Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker than just having two of those guys? I’d rather have all three a hundred times out of a hundred, and I don’t think there’s another GM or owner or CEO that wouldn’t say that exact same thing.”
- Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports passes along some of the notable quotes from Ishbia’s Thursday press conference with Adam Silver, where the NBA announced that Phoenix will host the 2027 All-Star Game. We relayed Ishbia’s comments about free-agents-to-be Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale in a separate story.
And-Ones: Lottery, D. Howard, G League, M. Wright, Team USA
The NBA announced this week (via Twitter) that the 2024 draft lottery will take place on Sunday, May 12. That’s a departure from the league’s usual schedule — the lottery has typically been held on a Tuesday in recent years.
The lottery will be one of three draft-related events held during that week in Chicago. The NBA’s annual draft combine will run from May 12-19, according to the league, while the G League Elite Camp will take place just before that, on the weekend of May 11-12. The Elite Camp features the top draft prospects who didn’t make the initial cut for the combine, with the top performers at that event typically invited to stick around for combine week.
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Eight-time NBA All-Star and three-time Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard will continue his playing career in Puerto Rico, having reached a deal with Mets de Guaynabo, according to a tweet from the Baoloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN). Howard, who last played in the NBA in 2021/22, spent the ’22/23 season in Taiwan. He was accused of sexual assault and battery in a lawsuit filed last July; that civil suit is ongoing, with a Georgia judge denying a motion to dismiss it last week.
- Playing in the G League is becoming a more common path for rookies to develop and show they’re capable of a longer look at the NBA level, according to Zach Kram of The Ringer, who says 18 of this year’s 30 first-round picks – including six of 14 lottery selections – have spent time in the NBAGL. Both of those marks are new records, Kram writes within an in-depth look at what the future might hold for the NBA’s minor league.
- Former Georgia Tech star Moses Wright appeared in just four NBA games in brief stints with the Clippers and Mavericks earlier in his career and now plays for Panathinaikos in Greece. However, Clippers player development assistant Wesley Johnson, who was on Tyronn Lue‘s staff when Wright signed a 10-day deal with the team in 2021, is confident that the 25-year-old will be back in the NBA at some point. “He’s a great player, talented, athletic, can shoot, put the ball on the floor. He was the player of the year in the ACC for a reason,” Johnson said, per Giorgos Efkarpidis of Eurohoops. “… He will find the time and the moment to join a team.”
- Suns forward Kevin Durant is looking forward to playing for Team USA this summer and will be looking to claim his fourth Olympic gold medal, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic, who takes a closer look at what the U.S. roster might look like. The Athletic identified several frontrunners for the 12-man squad earlier this week.
And-Ones: Holiday, Team USA, Galloway, Top 2024 FAs
Celtics guard Jrue Holiday is expected to be a part of the Team USA roster that competes in the 2024 Olympics in Paris this summer, sources with knowledge of the situation tell Shams Charania and Joe Vardon of The Athletic. According to The Athletic’s duo, there’s a belief that Holiday has made a commitment to USA Basketball officials in recent weeks.
Holiday is one of several players who are considered locks for the 12-man U.S. roster as long as they remain healthy and interested. Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid, and Jayson Tatum also fall into that group, per Charania and Vardon.
Holiday holds a player option for the 2024/25 season, but he’ll become eligible to sign a long-term extension with the Celtics on April 1 (he’s technically extension-eligible already, but can only currently sign a short-term deal). Getting an extension done this spring would put the veteran guard in position to compete with Team USA this summer without having to worry about an unresolved contract situation.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Jaylin Galloway, a 21-year-old forward who played for the Sydney Kings in Australia’s National Basketball League this season, is generating NBA interest and is a candidate to sign with a team before the end of the 2023/24 season, Marc Stein writes in his latest article at Substack. Galloway played in last July’s Las Vegas Summer League with the Timberwolves, who are one of many teams around the NBA with an open roster spot.
- LeBron James, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George sit atop a list of the top 25 free agents of 2024 compiled by Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. James and George are considered likely to remain with their respective teams in Los Angeles, while Maxey will be a restricted free agent and will almost certainly sign a lucrative long-term deal with Philadelphia.
- Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic takes a look at the NBA’s new rule requiring players to appear in at least 65 games for award consideration, noting that it was a priority for the league ahead of negotiations for its next media rights deal. As Vorkunov writes, before the rule was implemented, at least one the NBA’s major television partners had expressed frustration to the NBA about star players sitting out marquee broadcasts.
Suns Notes: Beal, Bol, O’Neale, Gordon, Durant
Injured Suns guard Bradley Beal is “making progress” with the left hamstring issue that has kept him on the shelf for the team’s past four games, head coach Frank Vogel said on Tuesday, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.
Beal missed Phoenix’s final contest before the All-Star break due to what the team has referred to as hamstring “tightness.” Vogel suggested at the time that the injury didn’t appear significant, and the star guard was originally listed as questionable for last Thursday’s game vs. Dallas. However, he was ruled out for that one and two more since then. According to Vogel, Beal still isn’t fully comfortable with “high-intensity” work.
“He did some of the non-contact stuff,” Vogel said after Tuesday’s practice. “More sprint work. There’s quick twitch stuff, which is shell defense, half court, and then there’s the full-court sprinting where you’re stretching out your legs and your stride. So that’s where he was having some discomfort still, but he’s making progress.”
Here’s more on the Suns:
- Bol Bol has worked his way into Phoenix’s rotation this month, playing a season-high 27 minutes on Friday and 24 more on Sunday. Bol’s ascension has been well-earned, according to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (subscription required), who says a regular role feels sustainable for the big man as long as he remains healthy.
- In a story for his newsletter, Bourguet identifies five Suns lineups that he’d like to see more of, including four groups that feature relative newcomer Royce O’Neale.
- Kelly Iko of The Athletic spoke to both O’Neale and Eric Gordon about their experiences in Phoenix this season, as well as their time with their former teams in Brooklyn and Houston, respectively. O’Neale, who was acquired by the Suns at the trade deadline, said he has enjoyed joining a team that was prioritizing defensive help. “It’s been good. That’s what kind of made my name in the league, defense,” O’Neale said. “Just coming in, being one of the guys that brings that defensive intensity, leadership, trying to help these guys and they’re helping me out. So it’s been good, I feel welcomed back to playing good basketball.”
- While Kevin Durant has been as effective as ever on offense this season, advanced stats suggest he’s also taking his game to new heights defensively, as Jake Fischer details in a story for Yahoo Sports. “Sometimes you have to hide top scorers just to manage their workload or whatever. But he wants that challenge each night,” Vogel said. “He’s more engaged when he’s guarding a top guy. And his seven-foot length and wingspan, and ability to slide his feet, he can guard most guys in this league, big and small.”
Suns Notes: Durant, Bol, Beal, Nurkic
In an interview with Malika Andrews of ESPN (video link), Kevin Durant talked about the possibility of finishing his career with the Suns, but he didn’t offer any guarantee that it will happen. Durant asked to be traded to Phoenix last February, and he told Andrews that he enjoys being in the city when she asked if that will be his final NBA stop.
“I’ve been on so many teams and I’ve said this before,” Durant responded. “Right now, in this moment today, without thinking about it in the next minute, yeah. But that’s just saying right now. I can’t really predict what may happen, but I love playing in Phoenix. I love the fan base, the city. I’ve grown to understand what our mission is being in the Valley and how deep these people care about their team. I started to understand the history of the Suns, and I’m glad to be a part of it. I want to go up in that Ring of Honor someday, so however long that takes.”
Durant is under contract for two more seasons and won’t reach free agency until the summer of 2026, when he’ll be 37. He’s still playing at an All-Star level, and he talked to Andrews about continuing his career past the age of 40. He also reflected on how he has learned to look at the game differently since he got older.
“Winning, I don’t even have to think about that no more because when I step on the floor that’s just in me already,” Durant said. “I tend to think about the other detailed parts of the game that’s going to help me get to the win. How to be a great teammate, how to inject myself into the game at different moments. I started to think about the small parts of the game, and that’s just made it more fun for me.”
There’s more on the Suns:
- Bol Bol was outstanding in Friday’s loss at Houston, coming off the bench to deliver 25 points and 14 rebounds in 26 minutes. It was a rare outburst from Bol, and his teammates were thrilled to see him take advantage of the opportunity (video link from Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic). “Super proud of him, got in there ready to play,” Devin Booker said. “Wasn’t sure if his name was going to be called and still performed at a high level.”
- A left hamstring injury will sideline Bradley Beal for a fourth straight game on Sunday, Rankin writes in a full story. Beal was listed as doubtful Friday night, but he was able to complete a pre-game workout that included running, shooting and resistance work. Jusuf Nurkic, who missed the game in Houston with a sprained right ankle, is expected to return.
- Friday’s loss showed how much the Suns miss Beal when he’s not available, Rankin adds in a separate piece. Durant and Booker both shot below 50% on the night, and there was no one else to provide a consistent shooting threat or create opportunities for Grayson Allen and Eric Gordon.
Suns Notes: Durant, Young, O’Neale, Beal
Suns star Kevin Durant has responded to being called a “follower” by TNT analyst Charles Barkley during a broadcast of Sunday’s All-Star Game on TruTV, according to ESPN. Barkley said Durant hasn’t proven himself as a leader, adding that Devin Booker will have to assume a leadership role for the team to have a realistic title shot.
Durant answered Barkley’s comments and talked about how he’s perceived by his peers in an interview with his agent, Rich Kleiman, on Boardroom, a media platform that Durant owns.
“I don’t feel like I want people to call me a leader, but I also don’t want people to say I’m not one either,” Durant said, “because they don’t see what goes on behind the scenes of what I talk about or my intentions or relationships that I’ve built with my teammates and my support staff.”
Durant also addressed whether he belongs in the conversation as one of the greatest players ever. Kleiman noted that many observers put an asterisk next to Durant’s name because his two championships came after he joined an already loaded Golden State team.
“I feel like I’ve accomplished things on a court and been in situations that the greatest have seen,” Durant responded, “so I feel like I can have a conversation about basketball with the Michael Jordans or the Kobe Bryants or the LeBron James, not about bragging about how much we’ve done, but what did you see out there, and did I see the same things.”
There’s more from Phoenix:
- After officially signing with the Suns on Tuesday, Thaddeus Young expects to help the team both as a power forward and a small-ball center (video link from Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic). “When you’re trying to beat certain teams down the stretch, sometimes you have to go with those smaller lineups,” Young said. “I think having me brings a different dynamic to the team with my skill set.” Young also mentioned his defensive versatility, saying he’s capable of guarding any position on the court.
- Young received a veteran’s minimum contract and will earn a little more than $1MM for the rest of the season, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. Phoenix will take on a $638,413 cap hit, according to Marks, raising its projected tax penalty to $66.9MM, the third-highest otal in the league.
- Appearing on the Burns and Gambo Show, Young told the hosts he was nearly traded to Phoenix in 2014 and 2021, per John Gambadoro (Twitter link).
- Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports lists five things to watch as the season resumes, including the effect that acquiring Young and Royce O’Neale will have on the Suns’ small-ball lineups.
- Bradley Beal is listed as questionable for Thursday’s game against Dallas due to tightness in his left hamstring after injuring it last week, Rankin tweets. Beal underwent a procedure on his nose during the break and will continue wearing a face mask when he resumes playing.
Knicks Notes: Randle, Anunoby, Robinson, Hartenstein, More
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said on Tuesday that Julius Randle continues to make “good, steady progress” in his recovery from a dislocated right shoulder, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv. One day later, speaking publicly on Wednesday for the first time since suffering the injury, Randle told reporters that he’s feeling “better and stronger” than he was earlier in the month, according to Peter Botte of The New York Post.
However, neither Thibodeau nor Randle indicated that the possibility of season-ending surgery is off the table.
“I mean, we’ll see. There’s still necessary steps. It’s a process to everything. I have to weigh out everything ultimately and decide from there,” Randle said. “But right now I’m just focused on trying to avoid (surgery), obviously, and get back on the court as soon as I can.”
Even if Randle is able to return to action this season without undergoing surgery, it’s unclear if he’ll be able to avoid a procedure on the shoulder in the offseason, Botte writes.
“I’ve heard many different opinions. Both, so we’ll see,” Randle said when asked about that scenario. “I like how I feel today as far as getting better, feeling stronger, progressing to where I need to be, as far as getting on the court.”
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- While Randle’s recovery timeline remains very much up in the air, another injured Knicks forward – OG Anunoby – said on Tuesday that he “for sure” expects to return before the end of the regular season and be available for the playoffs, according to Botte. Anunoby, who underwent a procedure on his right elbow a couple weeks ago, is expected to be reevaluated around March 1 and to resume on-court activities not longer after that, a league source tells Fred Katz of The Athletic.
- Within that same Athletic story, Katz says center Mitchell Robinson (ankle surgery) is on track to resume on-court work not long after the All-Star break, though it remains to be seen whether or not he’ll return this season. Katz adds that big man Isaiah Hartenstein doesn’t view the Achilles injury he has been nursing as a serious issue.
- Hartenstein, Donte DiVincenzo (hamstring), and Bojan Bogdanovic (calf) all returned to practice on Tuesday and went through a second day of workouts on Wednesday, according to Thibodeau, who said that all three players remain on track to return on Thursday (Twitter link via Steve Popper of Newsday).
- During a Boardroom.tv discussion (YouTube link) between Kevin Durant and longtime business partner Rich Kleiman, the duo confirmed that Kleiman badly wanted Durant to sign with the Knicks as a free agent in 2019, when the star forward instead chose to join the Nets.
Pacific Notes: Suns’ Buyout Options, Durant, Booker, Harden, LeBron, Curry
The Suns have numerous options on the buyout market, but their preferred targets may not be available, writes Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. Phoenix had two roster spots open after an active trade deadline, and one of those will be filled by Thaddeus Young, who is expected to finalize his reported deal with the team early this week, according to Bourguet.
The Suns are looking for help in several areas, and one of their top priorities was reportedly Delon Wright, who is expected to sign with Miami. Sources tell Bourguet that Phoenix also considered Danilo Gallinari, but he was crossed off the list after the agreement with Young and wound up signing with Milwaukee. Bourguet also cites mutual interest in a reunion with Bismack Biyombo before he reached a deal with Oklahoma City.
Bourguet identifies ideal targets as Spurs forward Cedi Osman and Jazz forward Otto Porter, who hasn’t played since being acquired from Toronto at the deadline. However, there hasn’t been a strong indication that either player will reach a buyout before the March 1 deadline to be eligible for the postseason with a new team. If they aren’t available, Bourguet looks at Danuel House as a potential signing, along with the possibility that Saben Lee could be promoted from his two-way contract.
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Suns stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker both talked Saturday about the connection they’ve formed after a full year as teammates, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “We have the same likes in life,” Booker said. “We’re hoops junkies and that’s where it started. Now we spend a lot more time together, man. We like to kick it, chill. Talk basketball and play video games.”
- Clippers coach Tyronn Lue believes the early-season trade for James Harden relaxed the burden on Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, enabling both stars to stay healthier, according to Janis Carr of The Orange County Register.“(Having Harden) makes it a lot easier on Kawhi and PG not to have to handle and make every play for themselves and for our team,” Lue said. “So, James has been great, just keeps everybody happy … takes a lot of grind off of PG and Kawhi.”
- In the wake of a report that the Warriors contacted the Lakers about LeBron James before the deadline, Bruce Jenkins of The San Francisco Chronicle looks at what would have to happen if James and Stephen Curry decide they want to join forces with Golden State.
Warriors To Explore Trades For Star Wing In Offseason?
Warriors sources confirm to Sam Amick, Anthony Slater and Jovan Buha of The Athletic that Golden State made an unsuccessful run at Lakers superstar LeBron James prior to last week’s trade deadline. However, there’s “zero indication” the Warriors came close to acquiring James, per The Athletic’s report.
Still, the fact that Golden State tried to pry James out of L.A. shows the Warriors are willing to take big swings to try and capitalize on Stephen Curry‘s still-excellent form, despite his advancing age (he turns 36 next month). And it opened the door to a possible pursuit again this summer, when James could hit unrestricted free agency if he declines his $51.4MM player option.
According to The Athletic, James won’t be the only marquee player the Warriors will explore going after, assuming they’re even available. Their “dream scenario” would be trading for Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, with Clippers wing Paul George and Suns forward Kevin Durant among the other star wings on their wish list.
Antetokounmpo has only ever played for Milwaukee and signed a long-term extension before the season began that has him under contract through at least 2027, with a player option for 2027/28. George holds a $48.8MM player option for ’24/25 and has openly said he hopes to sign an extension with the Clippers (he’d have to decline the PO to sign an extension). Durant, who won back-to-back titles with Golden State in 2017 and 2018, could hit free agency in 2026.
The emergence of Jonathan Kuminga — whom GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. called “virtually” untouchable after the deadline — has given the Warriors an internal pathway to a possible star running mate for Curry. He’ll be eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer. Depending on what route Golden State takes, Kuminga could also be an enticing headliner in a blockbuster trade, The Athletic’s authors note.
As Amick, Slater and Buha write, only one of the Warriors’ future first-round picks (2030) is tied up in a trade beyond this year’s draft, and the team will have some financial flexibility as well, with Klay Thompson on an expiring $43.2MM contract and Chris Paul on a pseudo-expiring deal (his $30MM salary for ’24/25 is non-guaranteed).