Michael Finley

Charania’s Latest: Mavs, Pacers, T. Young, Nets, Kuminga, Kings

December 9th, 2025 at 8:37am CST by Luke Adams

While the Mavericks are expected to explore trade options involving star forward/center Anthony Davis, he isn’t the only notable Dallas player who could be on the move this winter, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Sources tell Charania that the Mavs are also open to exploring the trade markets for center Daniel Gafford, swingman Klay Thompson, and point guard D’Angelo Russell.

Gafford signed a three-year, $54.4MM extension over the summer that will take effect in 2026/27, but remains trade-eligible because that deal didn’t exceed the extend-and-trade limits; Thompson is earning $16.7MM this season and is owed a $17.5MM guaranteed salary in 2026/27; and Russell is making $5.7MM in 2025/26, with a $6MM player option for next season.

As Charania observes, Thompson was sold on joining the Mavericks during the 2024 offseason in large part because he’d get to team up with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. But Doncic is no longer on the roster and Irving has been sidelined for over nine months due to an ACL tear. The Mavs are off to a 9-16 start this season and teams around the NBA know that Thompson would prefer to be on a team close to title contention, Charania continues.

While head coach Jason Kidd and minority owner Mark Cuban have some input in personnel decisions, Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi, who are currently running the Mavs’ front office as co-interim general managers, have been empowered to lead conversations about the team’s future, says Charania. Both Finley and Riccardi are expected to be candidates to keep the GM job on a permanent basis when the club conducts a full-fledged search after the season, sources tell ESPN.

Here are a few more items of interest from Charania’s latest ‘Inside Pass’ article for ESPN.com:

The Pacers are engaged in trade talks in the hopes of finding a long-term answer at the center position, Charania reports. The team has been deploying Isaiah Jackson, Jay Huff, and Tony Bradley in the middle so far this season in the wake of Myles Turner‘s departure in free agency.
While there has been some trade speculation centered around Trae Young this fall, the Hawks believe the star point guard will “elevate” the team once he returns from a sprained MCL that has kept him on the shelf since late October, according to Charania, who hears from sources that Young is optimistic about returning to action later this month.
The Nets are still the only NBA team with cap room and continue to have trade discussions about how they might use that remaining room to take on salary along with additional assets, sources tell ESPN. Charania adds that Brooklyn may end up working with Cam Thomas‘ representatives to find a trade destination that works for the fifth-year guard, who has an implicit no-trade clause after accepting his one-year qualifying offer in September.
Charania confirms that the Warriors will explore trades involving Jonathan Kuminga, who is eligible to be moved as of January 15, and that the Kings are being “open-minded” about possible deals involving most players on their roster, with Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Keon Ellis among the potential targets being monitored by rivals.

Details On Power Struggle Between Mavs’ Cuban, Harrison

November 19th, 2025 at 3:19pm CST by Luke Adams

After speaking to more than a dozen sources within the Mavericks‘ organization, Tim MacMahon of ESPN took a deep dive today into the events that led up to Nico Harrison‘s dismissal as the team’s head of basketball operations last week, painting a detailed picture of a long-running power struggle between Harrison and minority owner Mark Cuban.

As MacMahon outlines, Cuban hired Harrison as Dallas’ president of basketball operations and general manager back in 2021, when Cuban was still the team’s majority owner and had the final say on basketball decisions. After Cuban sold control of the franchise to Miriam Adelson and Patrick Dumont in late 2023, he maintained a 27% stake in the team and hoped to continue running the basketball operations department too, but quickly found himself pushed out of the inner circle.

“Mark is a friend. I will consult him from time to time,” Dumont said during a basketball operations meeting after taking over as the Mavericks’ governor, according to MacMahon’s sources. “But make no mistake about this: I’m the governor of the team and I am making decisions.”

Sources inside the organization tell MacMahon that Dumont’s announcement was a welcome one to many people in the organization, including Harrison and head coach Jason Kidd, who were “often frustrated by what they perceived as Cuban’s frequently unproductive meddling in personnel decisions.”

However, sources familiar with Cuban’s thinking tell ESPN that he never meant for Harrison to have full autonomy on basketball decisions and that he didn’t believe the former Nike executive was qualified to be making those decisions, having hired him due to his relationships with players and agents. During Harrison’s first couple years with the team, Cuban still had to sign off on any personnel moves the Mavs made, while veteran executive Dennis Lindsey was brought in to “help mask Harrison’s perceived shortcomings as an inexperienced NBA executive,” MacMahon writes.

After Harrison became the Mavericks’ primary basketball decision-maker and Lindsey left for a job in Detroit, Cuban sought to regain some of the control he had lost. He now once again has Dumont’s ear in the wake of Harrison’s ouster.

“Mark’s been trying a palace coup for months,” a team source told ESPN.

Here are more highlights from MacMahon’s report:

After Dumont took over as the Mavs’ governor, Harrison began reporting directly to him instead of going through Cuban, as he sought to “ice out” the former majority owner. “Nico basically said, ‘Dude, I don’t want to deal with Mark anymore. He’s too much,” a team source told ESPN.
According to MacMahon, Harrison blamed Cuban for some of the Mavs’ biggest roster-related missteps in recent years, including losing Jalen Brunson and trading for Christian Wood, a player Kidd “didn’t want to coach.” Other members of the coaching staff and front office also blamed Cuban for those moves, MacMahon writes, adding that Harrison made the case to the new ownership group that the front office would function better without Cuban’s involvement.
Harrison strengthened that case by making savvy deals for P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford at the 2024 trade deadline and getting the Mavs to the NBA Finals, according to MacMahon, who notes that those deals only materialized after a trade sending two first-round picks to Washington for Kyle Kuzma fell through. “Nico did a hell of a sales job,” a Mavs official told ESPN. “He took credit for everything that was done. When Patrick asked questions — asked how we got Kyrie (Irving), how the draft happened, etc. — (Harrison) said he was the guy. We got on a roll and went to the Finals. Fool’s gold.”
While Dumont asked Harrison to keep Cuban in the fold, Harrison didn’t always do so — he and Cuban were communicating less and less after the sale, according to MacMahon. “Nico built the moat and put up the fence and said, ‘I got this!'” one source familiar with the situation told ESPN. Sources also said that Harrison was telling Dumont what he wanted the team governor to know, rather than everything Dumont needed to know. “The one guy in basketball ops who had a pipeline to Dumont wasn’t giving him the straight scoop,” a source said.
Having fully gained Dumont’s trust, Harrison sold him on February’s Luka Doncic blockbuster, making the case that committing to the star guard on a super-max contract worth a projected $345MM would be a bad investment due to conditioning concerns and recurring calf injuries, per MacMahon. At the time, Harrison and Doncic’s camp weren’t seeing eye-to-eye on the recovery process for his latest calf strain, which Harrison portrayed to Dumont as evidence that the perennial MVP candidate wasn’t fully committed to the Mavs. As MacMahon writes, Harrison also convinced Dumont not to loop Cuban in on those trade talks, contending doing so would likely result in a leak.
Cuban, who blamed Harrison rather than Dumont for the way in which his role in the organization was minimized, spoke out against the Doncic trade after the fact, and once the Mavs won the draft lottery in May he began pushing more aggressively for Dumont to make a front office change, MacMahon reports. Cuban’s case gained credibility because his criticisms of Harrison’s roster construction proved true — for instance, Cuban warned Dumont that a lack of ball-handling and play-making would result in Dallas having a poor offense, concerns which Harrison dismissed. The Mavs currently have the second-worst offense in the NBA.
Cuban’s relationship with Dumont never became contentious and he’s now once again part of the small group of team officials that has the governor’s ear, along with Kidd and co-interim GMs Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi. One source who spoke to MacMahon made it clear that Cuban is more of a consultant than a decision-maker, but the former majority Mavs owner is nonetheless thrilled to be back in the inner circle. “He’s walking around on air right now,” another team source told ESPN. “Cuban’s floating in his Skechers.”

Stein’s Latest: Davis, Cuban, Myers, Achiuwa

November 17th, 2025 at 8:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Anthony Davis could become the biggest name on the trade market heading into the deadline, but only if he shows he can be healthy and productive for an extended stretch, Marc Stein of The Stein Line writes in his latest Substack column (subscription required).

Injuries have plagued Davis ever since the Mavericks acquired him last February. He missed his eighth straight game on Sunday with a strained left calf, and the team announced that he won’t be reevaluated for another week to 10 days.

Even with last night’s overtime victory against Portland, Dallas is off to a 4-10 start and Stein states that rival teams are expecting the Mavs’ front office to listen to offers for Davis. However, he added that there’s a “general consensus leaguewide” that Davis will have to show he can stay on the court throughout December and January to convince teams that he’s worth a major trade offer.

Davis averaged 25 points, 11.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in Dallas’ first four games before leaving with the calf injury after playing just seven minutes on October 29. He has been an All-Star the past two seasons and is still a dominant inside force when he’s healthy. However, he was limited to nine games last season and may no longer be part of the future plans for the Mavericks, who have the option of rebuilding around top pick Cooper Flagg.

Davis, who’s still in the first season of a three-year, $175MM extension, is owed $58.5MM in 2026/27 and holds a $62.8MM player option for 2027/28. He’ll become eligible for another extension next summer.

Stein states that Daniel Gafford is considered to be “the most tradable” Maverick, but frequent injuries to Davis and Dereck Lively II could make the team reluctant to part with Gafford.

There’s more from Stein:

Mark Cuban is providing “input and counsel” to the Mavericks’ management team after being out of that circle for the past year-and-a-half, sources tell Stein. Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley were appointed as co-general managers on an interim basis after Nico Harrison‘s firing last week, and Stein states that they’re the most prominent voices in the organization, along with coach Jason Kidd.
Stein reports that Bob Myers isn’t a candidate to eventually replace Harrison in Dallas. The former Warriors general manager isn’t available, even as a consultant, after recently becoming president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, which owns teams in the NFL, NHL and Premier League, along with the Sixers. Myers is a friend of Mavs CEO Rick Welts, and Stein suggests that he may be asked for input as the team seeks its next permanent GM. Stein adds that Myers has turned down “numerous overtures” from NBA teams since leaving Golden State.
Stein hears that the Sixers had interest in Precious Achiuwa before he signed a one-year deal with the Kings two weeks ago.

Mavericks Notes: Kidd, Harrison, Finley, Riccardi, Washington, Injuries

November 12th, 2025 at 8:39pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd hopes Tuesday’s firing of general manager Nico Harrison will lead to a better atmosphere at home games, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. Fans turned against Harrison after he traded franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic to the Lakers in February, and “fire Nico” chants have been a regular feature at American Airlines Center, sometimes to the detriment of the home team.

“We can only hope that we don’t have to go through that again, because it was a little disrespectful, because the guys are playing hard, they’re trying to win,” Kidd told reporters before the Mavs hosted Phoenix on Wednesday. “Understanding that they got their point across, the fans, but we have to move forward. I understand the healing process for the fans, but these guys are playing hard. Ever since the trade, these guys have given everything.”

Kidd offered a reminder of the dire situation the Mavericks were in late last season, with only eight players available on many nights, but they still managed to reach the play-in tournament. He pointed out that his players are battling the odds again, with Anthony Davis missing his seventh straight game due to a strained left calf and Kyrie Irving still recovering from a torn ACL.

“We’ve got over, I think, $100MM (in player contracts) sitting on the sideline, and we’re still competing, and we’re still in games, and we’re learning how to win,” Kidd said. “So I would hope that we start to get a little credit for that, because these guys, they can hear those things and they feel really disrespected. And it’s hard to keep guys here in this league, when they start to think that the home team is not home — and then it becomes a visiting place. And so hopefully that changes tonight.”

There’s more from Dallas:

Kidd also expressed confidence in Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi, who have been appointed to handle the general manager’s duties on an interim basis, Townsend adds in the same piece. “I think we’re talking about basketball, right?” Kidd said. “And so it’s about getting back to x’s and o’s and competing. The two things that we can control is our energy and effort. Business is just talked about. We’ve got to push forward. We believe that Riccardi and Fin can do a good job, and they will do a good job.”
P.J. Washington, whose acquisition along with Daniel Gafford at the 2024 trade deadline sparked the Mavericks to an NBA Finals run, is sorry to see Harrison go, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. “I thanked Nico for what he did for me,” Washington said. “He believed in this group. So do I.”
Kidd also provided injury updates on Davis, Irving and Dereck Lively II, relays Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Twitter video link). He said all three players had positive workout days and are “working extremely hard” to get back on the court.

Mavs Rumors: Davis, Cuban, Kidd, Front Office, Harrison, Dirk

November 12th, 2025 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont has asked for medical data indicating that Anthony Davis isn’t at risk of aggravating his left calf strain before he signs off on the big man returning to action, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, who reports that Davis will miss a seventh straight game on Wednesday vs. Phoenix.

Davis’ status was a subject of disagreement during the final days of Nico Harrison‘s tenure as the Mavericks’ head of basketball operations.

According to MacMahon, Mavericks director of health and performance Johann Bilsborough and Davis’ personal medical team weren’t aligned on whether Davis was ready to suit up this past weekend. Dumont sided with Bilsborough, who wanted to take a cautious approach and hold Davis out a little longer, while Harrison was in favor of the star forward/center returning, sources tell ESPN.

Within a deep dive into the Mavericks’ front office change, Joe Vardon, Christian Clark, and Sam Amick of The Athletic cover similar ground, writing that Davis has pushed the team to let him play and that Harrison supported that push. However, per both The Athletic and ESPN, there’s concern among the medical staff about the risk of a torn Achilles if Davis returns too soon from his calf issue.

We have much more on the Mavs:

Minority shareholder Mark Cuban made a case to Dumont over the past several months that Harrison was leading the Mavs in the wrong direction, according to Vardon, Clark, and Amick, who report that head coach Jason Kidd and team officials loyal to Kidd were making a similar case.
While it’s unclear whether Kidd ever explicitly suggested parting ways with Harrison, he hasn’t seen eye to eye with the former GM over the roster, having opened the season by starting Cooper Flagg at point guard over free agent addition D’Angelo Russell, write Vardon, Clark, and Amick. After receiving contract extensions in each of the past two offseasons, Kidd had more leverage than the front office in any disagreement between the two parties, The Athletic’s report notes.
The Mavericks’ pick for Harrison’s permanent replacement could provide a hint at whose voice Dumont is weighing most heavily. League sources confirm to The Athletic that Cuban has advocated for bringing back former Mavs advisor and current Pistons executive Dennis Lindsey, while Vardon, Clark, and Amick say a Matt Riccardi promotion would represent a “clear sign of Kidd’s sway” within the organization. Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) believes Kidd will have a significant voice in the process, but hears from one source close to the situation that Dumont intends to conduct a “prudent and thorough” search.
According to The Athletic, Michael Finley was originally reluctant to accept his promotion to co-interim GM alongside Riccardi. Stein adds that league sources describe Finley as the Mavericks executive who was most strongly opposed to last season’s Luka Doncic trade before it was completed.
Citing turbulence and upheaval in the team’s health and performance department over the past year, Vardon, Clark, and Amick suggest that Harrison exhibited poor hiring practices and a lack of accountability during his time as the Mavs’ GM. The Athletic’s trio also points to the case of Victoria Martinez, who was hired as the team’s head of public relations in 2024 despite not having previous experience in the field and was subsequently fired this September after having spent the last few months doing “clean-up duty” following the Doncic trade.
In addition to making questionable hires for key roles, Harrison also didn’t respond well to anyone who disagreed with his way of doing things, multiple team employees told The Athletic. “If you offend Nico’s sensibilities any stretch of the way, that’s it,” a former employee said. “He’s a sensitive guy.”
Another factor that contributed to the decision to move on from Harrison was ownership’s desire to have a lead executive who is comfortable speaking to reporters – and fans – about the team’s plans, Stein writes. Even prior to the Doncic trade, Harrison wasn’t a natural in that role. After the deal, he was less inclined to hold media sessions and had a habit of putting his foot in his mouth when he did.
According to Stein, there’s optimism within the organization that Harrison’s exit could pave the way for former Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki to become more involved with the team again, either formally or informally. The Doncic trade and Harrison’s decision to fire longtime director of health and performance Casey Smith in 2023 were among the factors that chilled the relationship between Nowitzki and the organization.

Mavericks Dismiss GM Nico Harrison

November 11th, 2025 at 11:34am CST by Luke Adams

11:34 am: The Mavericks have made it official, announcing in a press release that they’ve parted ways with Harrison and elevated Finley and Riccardi as co-interim general manager, as previously reported. While Finley and Riccardi will run the front office for now, the Mavs indicated that they’ll conduct a “comprehensive” search for a permanent replacement for Harrison.

In addition to the press release, Dumont put out an open letter to fans addressing the decision.

“No one associated with the Mavericks organization is happy with the start of what we all believed would be a promising season,” Dumont’s letter reads, in part. “You have high expectations for the Mavericks, and I share them with you. When the results don’t meet expectations, it’s my responsibility to act. I’ve made the decision to part ways with General Manager Nico Harrison.

“Though the majority of the 2025-26 season remains to be played, and I know our players are deeply committed to a winning culture, this decision was critical to moving our franchise forward in a positive direction.

“I understand the profound impact these difficult last several months have had. Please know that I’m fully committed to the success of the Mavericks.”

9:25 am: The Mavericks are expected to move on from embattled president of basketball operations and general manager Nico Harrison, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, who reports (via Twitter) that Harrison’s dismissal is viewed as “imminent.”

ESPN’s Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon (Twitter link) confirm Stein’s reporting, stating that Harrison is expected to be let go at a 10:00 am Central time meeting on Tuesday.

MacMahon said on Monday that he believed it was a matter of “when, not if” Harrison will be fired, indicating that governor Patrick Dumont‘s trust in the Mavs’ top basketball executive has “disintegrated.” Christian Clark of The Athletic echoed that reporting this morning, writing that Harrison’s exit was considered inevitable.

A former Nike executive, Harrison had a significant hand in constructing a Mavericks roster that advanced to the NBA Finals in 2024, making key deals for P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford during that season. However, he has made a handful of missteps since then, most notably sending Luka Doncic to the Lakers last February in a shocking trade that incited a revolt among fans in Dallas.

While the Doncic blockbuster has overshadowed the rest of the Mavs’ recent moves, Harrison has made other questionable roster decisions within the past year, including another 2025 deadline deal that sent Quentin Grimes to Philadelphia for Caleb Martin. That trade moved the Mavs so close to their hard cap that they were unable to add any reinforcements – even on 10-day contracts – when their roster was decimated by injuries during the second half.

After missing the playoffs in the spring, the Mavericks were thrown a lifeline with a long-shot draft lottery win — they claimed the No. 1 overall pick despite having just a 1.8% chance and used that selection to draft top prospect Cooper Flagg. However, while Flagg figures to be the long-term franchise player in Dallas, his arrival hasn’t helped turn things around in the short term.

The Mavs are off to a 3-8 start this season, with a 2-5 record at home, where fans have frequently regaled the team with “Fire Nico” chants. As MacMahon writes for ESPN, that chant bubbled up several times during Monday’s loss to the Bucks, which was the first game Dumont had attended since the regular season opener.

While Dumont ultimately signed off on the Doncic trade last season, a fan who had a courtside conversation with the Mavericks’ majority owner at Monday’s game told Clark that Dumont said he “feels horrible” about the deal.

Injuries have played a part in the Mavs’ struggles since February’s trade deadline. Anthony Davis, the centerpiece of the return in the Doncic deal, appeared in just nine games for Dallas last season and has missed six of 11 contests so far this season due to a calf strain. Point guard Kyrie Irving, who became more important than ever without Doncic on the roster, sustained an ACL tear in early March and has been out since then.

Still, the Mavs knew entering the offseason that they wouldn’t have Irving available for a significant chunk of the season and Harrison’s most significant move to address that hole – signing free agent D’Angelo Russell – hasn’t worked out so far. Russell has started just three of 11 games this fall and hasn’t played up to his usual standards, making just 37.3% of his field goal attempts, including 27.8% of his three-point tries.

With Harrison on the way out, there has been a “push” from some members of the organization to try to bring back veteran executive Dennis Lindsey, according to Stein (Twitter link). A former advisor to Harrison in Dallas, Lindsey was hired in 2024 by the Pistons as their senior VP of basketball operations.

Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link), meanwhile, suggests there has been some chatter around the NBA about the possibility of head coach Jason Kidd moving into a front office role.

For now though, the Mavs figure to install an interim replacement for Harrison, per Stein and Mannix. Assistant general managers Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi are among the top candidates to take on increased roles, Mannix adds (via Twitter).

It remains to be seen what sort of vision a new head of basketball operations will have for the Mavs going forward — rebuilding around Flagg is a possibility, but not necessarily an inevitability. For what it’s worth, Stein reports (via Twitter) that Davis’ agent Rich Paul has established a strong relationship with Dumont and that the two parties communicate regularly.

Mavs To Make Michael Finley, Matt Riccardi Interim Co-GMs

November 11th, 2025 at 10:25am CST by Luke Adams

Upon firing president of basketball operations and general manager Nico Harrison, the Mavericks will make Michael Finley and Matt Riccari their interim co-GMs, reports Tina Nguyen of FOX 32 Chicago (Twitter link).

Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link) confirm the report, indicating that Finley and Riccardi will be promoted during a 10:30 am Central time meeting with Mavs governor Patrick Dumont.

A two-time All-Star and NBA champion as a player, Finley played in the NBA from 1995-2010 before transitioning to a front office role. He was hired by the Mavericks in 2012 and was promoted to VP of basketball operations in 2018. He later became the team’s assistant GM and VP of player personnel in 2021.

Riccardi, a native of the Dallas area, worked with the Nets for 13 years in scouting and executive roles, then was hired by the Mavericks in 2022 as their senior director of pro personnel. He was promoted during the summer of 2023 to an assistant GM position and was the Mavs’ representative in the drawing room on draft lottery night in May when the team won the No. 1 overall pick.

Marc Stein reported this morning that former Mavs advisor and current Pistons executive Dennis Lindsey could be a target for Dallas, while Chris Mannix of SI.com suggested there has been chatter about the possibility of head coach Jason Kidd moving to a front office role.

For now, Finley and Riccardi will run the show, and it’s possible one or both will receive consideration for the permanent job.

While it’s somewhat rare for a team to employ co-GMs, it’s not unprecedented. For instance, the Suns designated James Jones and Trevor Bukstein as co-GMs when they made a front office change just before the start of the 2018/19 season, then named Jones their lone, permanent head of basketball operations at the end of that season.

Southwest Notes: Murray, Edey, Flagg, Mavs, Hooper

June 20th, 2025 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on The Pivot Podcast (YouTube link) this week, Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray said he has “nothing but love” for the city of New Orleans but that the last year was his “worst experience in the NBA,” as Rashad Milligan of NOLA.com relays.

In addition to sustaining two major injuries – a broken hand and a torn Achilles – Murray dealt with a series of tragedies in his personal life, including the death of a cousin, his mother suffering a stroke, and an uncle overdosing. He also felt that he wasn’t getting the sort of support he needed from the Pelicans.

“The organization, it got bad, man,” he said. “As you guys can see, such and such got fired, another guy left, they brought new people in.”

Pelicans executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin was let go at the end of the season, while general manager Bryson Graham left New Orleans to take a job in the Hawks’ front office.

“I’m stressed, I’m mad everyday, I’m sad, I’m angry, I don’t want to be there at that time. It’s just so much going on,” Murray said, describing his mental state during the season. “… It wasn’t just me, it was everybody’s mental. Every player. I hope this brings peace to my brothers. I hope everyone gets what they need. I hope the organization gets it together because you have the talent, but it ain’t just the talent. You need every dot to connect to have a chance to win.”

We have more from around the Southwest:

Grizzlies center Zach Edey will have an initial hearing on Monday for a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving, according to Ron Wilkins of the Lafayette Journal & Courier. As Wilkins reports, Indiana police say that stopped Edey on May 1 after he was driving 101 mph in a 55-mph zone. He told the state trooper who pulled him over that he was speeding because he was trying to pass another vehicle.
Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (subscriber link) takes an inside look at Cooper Flagg‘s visit to Dallas this week, which included a Tuesday dinner with general manager Nico Harrison, head coach Jason Kidd, CEO Rick Welts, assistant GM Michael Finley, and other Mavericks staffers. According to Curtis, Flagg’s visit also included meetings with members of the Mavs’ business operations department, a tour of the team’s facilities, and a standard workout that included situational reads and shooting drills. He reportedly shot the ball “insanely well” during that workout, a league source tells Noah Weber of The Smoking Cuban.
With Flagg set to join the Mavericks next Wednesday as the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, Chris Mannix takes an in-depth look at the star prospect in a cover story for Sports Illustrated.
The Mavericks plan to name Max Hooper as the new head coach of their G League affiliate, the Texas Legends, reports Marc Stein (Twitter link). Hooper, the head video coordinator in Dallas, will replace Jordan Sears, who is expected to move back to the Mavs’ coaching staff after coaching the Legends for the past two seasons, Stein explains.

Western Notes: McGee, Doncic, Brunson, Mavs, Williamson

May 28th, 2022 at 9:33am CST by Dana Gauruder

Veteran center and unrestricted free agent JaVale McGee said he’s interested in re-signing with the Suns this offseason, according to Kellan Olson of ArizonaSports.com.

“Definitely consider it, definitely consider an opportunity,” McGee said. “At this point in my career, I’m definitely focused on myself and what’s best for me and my situation and my family. I know what I bring to a team if it’s any organization that I go to. For me, that’s what it’s all about. Make sure I’m valuing myself as much as the team (is) valuing me.”

We have more from the Western Conference:

Luka Doncic will be informed of potential roster moves via frequent contact with head coach Jason Kidd, owner Mark Cuban, GM Nico Harrison and assistant GM Michael Finley, Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News reports. Doncic will not be taking it easy this summer. He’ll start practicing with the Slovenian National Team on June 15 ahead of World Cup qualifying matches against Croatia (June 30) and Sweden (July 3). He’ll re-join the national team in August to prepare for EuroBasket, which begins Sept. 1 in Cologne, Germany.
Doncic wants free agent Jalen Brunson to remain his backcourt partner, Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News writes. “The step – the huge leap – he took this year was unbelievable,” Doncic said. “And he’s going to deserve all the money he gets.” The Mavericks have made their desire to retain Brunson known but they also want to acquire a quality big man — a rebounder and rim-protector. “That’s no secret. We know we got beat up on the boards,” Harrison said after the conference finals.
Zion Williamson no longer has any restrictions from his foot injury. So how will he fit in with a Pelicans team that showed vast improvement in the second half of the season? Will Guillory of The Athletic takes a closer look at that topic.

Southwest Notes: Spurs, Batum, Finley, Kerr, Green

August 5th, 2021 at 8:28pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The five-team trade the Spurs are involved in continues a trend of the teamstockpiling draft picks, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News notes. The Spurs will gain a 2022 second-round pick along with Chandler Hutchison from the Wizards in the agreed-upon multi-team swap, highlighted by the Lakers’ acquisition of Russell Westbrook. San Antonio is also acquiring three picks – a first-rounder and two second-rounders – in the DeMar DeRozan sign-and-trade with the Bulls.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

The Mavericks were among the teams interested in Clippers forward Nicolas Batum before he agreed to re-sign with Los Angeles, Marc Stein of Substack tweets. The Warriors also checked in on Batum before he chose to take a two-year deal with a player option from the Clippers.
The Mavericks have officially announced the promotion of Michael Finley to assistant GM/VP of basketball operations, the team’s PR department tweets. Finley will work under new president of basketball operations Nico Harrison in his expanded front office role.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr is ecstatic that one of his former assistants, Willie Green, got the Pelicans‘ head coaching job and believes he’ll have little trouble growing into the role, Kerr told William Guillory of The Athletic. “There’s just kind of this quiet dignity and intelligence about him that the players will really appreciate,” Kerr said. “And then I think, like all coaches, he’s going to have to find his voice and find his style. I’m sure he’s going to hire a great staff to help him do that. And he’ll grow into the job, but I think he’ll be fantastic.”

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