Miles McBride

Knicks Notes: Towns, Hart, Robinson, McCullar, McBride

Knicks wing Josh Hart and All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns both logged triple-doubles during a historic performance against the reeling Mavericks on Tuesday night, writes Chris Herring of ESPN. Hart and Towns became the first New York players to simultaneously achieve the feat, Herring writes.

In the 128-113 win, Towns racked up 26 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. Hart, meanwhile, had 16 points, 12 boards, and 11 dimes. Herring reports that this marked just the 17th time ever that two NBA teammates secured triple-doubles in the same game.

It was also Hart’s ninth triple-double of the 2024/25 season, besting Hall of Famer Walt Frazier‘s previous single-season Knicks record of eight in 1968/69. This is Towns’ first triple double of the year.

“I didn’t envision this,” Hart said. “This is more than I ever dreamed of.”

“[Hart’s] got nine this season; I’ve got one,” Towns remarked. “But the way he does it is special. It’s always with effort and for the betterment of the team. I’m just happy there’s a way to see on the stat sheet the impact he’s having on the game. He sacrifices so much for the team, so I’m happy that he can have this moment.”

There’s more out of the Big Apple:

  • The Knicks’ big man tandem of Towns and Mitchell Robinson is considered to be “a work in progress” even by head coach Tom Thibodeau, although metrics indicate that the dynamic duo is yielding strong early returns, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscriber link). Robinson has played just 10 games this season due to injury.
  • Knicks rookie wing Kevin McCullar Jr. made his NBA debut during Tuesday’s Dallas clash, and scored the first two points of his career during his three minutes of action, Bondy notes in another New York Post article. For McCullar’s achievement, Hart awarded the young guard the game ball. McCullar had spent roughly a full year recovering from a knee injury. “It’s been rough, but I kept my head on straight,” McCullar said. “Adversity makes you who you are and everybody goes through it in different ways of life… Growing up, that’s all I’ve known is playing basketball.”
  • Knicks reserve guard Miles McBride is out for a third straight game on Wednesday vs. the Clippers with a left groin strain, per Newsday’s Steve Popper (Twitter link). Robinson, who continues to sit out one game in back-to-back sets, is active on Wednesday after sitting out Tuesday’s contest against Dallas. According to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (via Twitter), Thibodeau told reporters today that McBride was “limited” during the team’s latest practice.

Knicks Notes: Brunson, Dolan, McBride, Kolek, Hart

Knicks guard Jalen Brunson is making “really good progress” in his recovery from a sprained right ankle, head coach Tom Thibodeau said on Monday, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv.

Brunson is feeling “a lot better” and has been able to do more rehab work every day, per Thibodeau, who referred to his point guard as “day-to-day, basically.” The team announced on Saturday that Brunson was expected to remain sidelined at least one more week.

“(He’s) doing a lot of shooting, working the pool, working the bike. Stuff like that. “So his conditioning is pretty good actually,” Thibodeau said, adding that getting clearance to take part in practice is “probably” the next step in Brunson’s recovery process.

While Begley has heard that Brunson’s rehab is moving faster than initially expected, he stresses that the Knicks have no intention of bringing back the 28-year-old until he’s 100% healthy. Still, according to Begley, there has been no consideration that Brunson will remain out for the rest of the regular season.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

  • In an in-depth story for The Athletic, Mike Vorkunov digs into the adversarial relationship that Knicks owner James Dolan has established with the NBA. Dolan’s long list of grievances with the league include the way in which the new media deals devalue teams’ regional sports networks (including Dolan’s MSG Networks) and the NBA’s revenue sharing system. “Dolan hates the idea of giving money on revenue sharing,” one former team owner told Vorkunov. “He’s been totally against it from the beginning.”
  • With Miles McBride ruled out for a second straight game on Tuesday vs. Dallas due to a left groin contusion/strain, rookie Tyler Kolek may be in line for a rotation role again after registering eight assists in 18 minutes in Saturday’s win over Washington. Thibodeau believes the first-year guard is up to the task, referring to him as a “gym rat” who’s getting better every day, as Bridget Reilly of The New York Post details. “He’s worked hard all year. The things that he needed to do, he did,” Thibodeau said. “He works, he’s a tireless worker. Performed well in the G League. So when the opportunity came, he was ready. And there’s still obviously a lot of work to be done but he keeps getting better and better and that’s a good sign.”
  • Knicks forward Josh Hart is averaging just 9.9 points per game on 40.8% shooting during Brunson’s absence, compared to 14.5 PPG on 54.7% shooting up until that point of the season. He spoke to reporters on Monday on how his role changes with Brunson – and now McBride – not on the floor. Reilly has the story and the quotes for The New York Post.

Knicks Notes: Brunson, Kolek, McBride, Playoffs

Knicks All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson, who is expected to miss another week as he continues to recover from a sprained right ankle, has missed New York’s last eight games as a result of the injury. According to Ryan Dunleavy of The New York Post, one benefit of Brunson’s absence has been extended run for some the club’s younger backcourt options and role players.

“You are not replacing Jalen individually,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “It’s impossible. We have to do it collectively with our defense and rebounding and playing together.”

With Brunson’s usual backup Miles McBride a late scratch ahead of Saturday’s Washington clash due to a groin issue, veteran Cameron Payne drew the starter, while rookie Tyler Kolek logged a career-high 18 minutes and handed out eight dimes. Kolek often fed forward Mikal Bridges, who was in the midst of a solid shooting run.

“It was big-time for us having Ty out there finding ’Kal constantly,” Payne said.

There’s more out of New York:

  • Kolek’s big night has made him an intriguing possibility for backup minutes behind Brunson going forward. Dexter Henry and Bryan Fonseca of The New York Post wonder if he could wind up being the Knicks’ best reserve option for Brunson sooner rather than later, and what his path to a consistent rotation role might look like.
  • Kolek will probably get another shot at major minutes for the Knicks again on Tuesday, as McBride is considered likely to sit out Tuesday’s showdown with Dallas due to his groin injury, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (via Twitter). When healthy, McBride has been solid for New York this season. In 59 available bouts, he’s averaging 9.4 points per game on .407/.371/.817 shooting.
  • At 44-26 on the year, the Knicks seem to be more or less locked into the Eastern Conference’s No. 3 overall seed. Three clubs are jockeying for the right secure home-court advantage and the No. 4 seed behind them. The 41-29 Pacers are currently in that slot, just one game up on the 40-30 Bucks, and 2.5 games ahead of the 39-32 Pistons. James L. Edwards III of The Athletic evaluates the pluses and minuses of each of those clubs as potential first-round playoff foes for New York, identifying the team that should ultimately be the Knicks’ preferred matchup (Milwaukee).

Thibodeau Denies Having Conversation With Bridges About Starters’ Minutes

Knicks forward Mikal Bridges, the NBA’s leader in total minutes played this season, said on Wednesday that he has spoken to head coach Tom Thibodeau about the idea of dialing back the starters’ minutes to some extent and leaning more on the bench. Asked later in the day about that discussion, Thibodeau denied that it happened.

“We never had a conversation about it,” Thibodeau told reporters, including Stefan Bondy of The New York Post and James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.

Bridges, Josh Hart, and OG Anunoby are all among the top six in the NBA in terms of minutes per game, with Hart and Bridges occupying the top two spots on that leaderboard. Jalen Brunson ranks 19th, while Karl-Anthony Towns is 24th. Thibodeau, who has faced criticism over the years for the heavy workloads he assigns his top players, defended his approach ahead of Wednesday’s game in Portland.

“The facts are the facts. When you look at our team, and the way it works, Jalen plays 35 minutes, and I think he’s 20th or 21st in average minutes played,” Thibodeau said. “(Towns), who is a primary scorer, plays less than Jalen. He’s like 25th in the league in average minutes.

“Your wings play more, right? They’re matched up with primary scorers. The way it works, if Jayson Tatum is in the game or Jaylen Brown is in the game, OG will be in the game and Mikal will be in the game. When those guys go out, (our) guys go out. When they come back, (our guys) come back. We try to keep them matched up. If you look at the league, all those guys are playing 36, 37 minutes — whether it’s Durant, Tatum, Brown. The wings are going to play more. They are primary wings defenders. That’s the way it works.”

Thibodeau also pointed out that Bridges’ minutes have come down as of late. The veteran forward played 39.3 minutes per night through his first 35 games of the season; entering Wednesday, he had averaged 35.5 MPG in his previous 21 outings. While Wednesday’s contest vs. the Trail Blazers represented the seventh time Bridges has played 40-plus minutes since February 1, five of those games went to overtime.

According to Thibodeau, his starters’ playing time will likely remain a little below where it was during the first couple months of the season because the reserves are healthier at this point, with Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet among those now playing rotation roles.

“We’ve started the season with Landry hurt and (Miles McBride) not 100 percent. So our wings did play more,” Thibodeau said. “So are they playing a little bit more than I would like? Yeah. Probably 35 or 36 (minutes), and that’s where Mikal is if you look at the last 10 games — he’s playing 35 minutes per game and four of those games are overtime games. So that’s the reality. Now that Deuce is healthy, those minutes are going to come down. So that’s the way it is.”

Although Thibodeau didn’t sound thrilled to have to revisit the discourse about his player usage, the day ended on a positive note for both him and Bridges, who scored a team-high 33 points on 13-of-21 shooting and nailed a buzzer-beating three-pointer in overtime to give the Knicks a 114-113 win (Twitter video link).

“He was huge, huge,” Thibodeau said, per Edwards.

Knicks Notes: McBride, Towns, Ewing, Anunoby, Hart

Miles McBride wasn’t happy with his first performance while replacing Jalen Brunson as the Knicks‘ starting point guard, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. McBride, who’s expected to fill that role while Brunson recovers from a sprained right ankle, was limited to seven points while shooting 2-of-13 from the field in Friday’s loss to the Clippers.

“We didn’t win, so any time we don’t win, I don’t think I played well enough. I think anybody can always shoot the ball better. I think defensively there were some plays I could have had, probably could have come up with some more rebounds,” McBride said. “Full complete game, I feel like I could have upped it a lot more.”

The Knicks believe in McBride’s ability to run the offense while Brunson is sidelined, Bondy adds, noting that he did it for five games last season. It was a poor shooting night for the team overall, as New York was thrown off rhythm by L.A.’s switching defense.

“When he’s starting, the ball is in his hands more,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “With the second unit, he was more off the ball and (Cameron Payne) handled more. But Deuce can do it. I’ve seen him have huge games there. So I have a lot of confidence in his ability.”

There’s more on the Knicks:

  • Karl-Anthony Towns is thrilled to be learning about the game from Knicks legend Patrick Ewing, who joined the team as a coaching consultant before the start of the season, Bondy states in another piece. Ewing has attended several games this year, including both contests last week in Los Angeles, and he was at Sunday’s practice. “You always learn a little bit here and then you ask him for that help and he’s been in the situations, especially here in New York,” Towns said. “So his wisdom is priceless and his game is obviously on a Hall of Fame level. So getting a chance to sit with him, talk with him about basketball, about what I can do to be better from my spot, is awesome.”
  • Extensive preparation enables OG Anunoby to excel on defense, according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Anunoby spends a lot of time studying players’ tendencies when they have the ball and learning tricks by watching film of other elite defenders. “I like players who play hard on defense, so I’ll watch Alex Caruso and the stuff he’s doing — the active hands and aggressiveness,” Anunoby said. “If he’s doing this, I can do that, too.”
  • Josh Hart is trying to find the right balance between taking care of his aching knees and staying sharp on the court, per Steve Popper of Newsday. “It all depends,” Hart said. “I will take a couple of days off, feel good, go out and shoot for 10 minutes and then it swells up again. It’s just a constant process of playing, resting, getting that inflammation out, and then just cut and paste and keep doing it.”

Jalen Brunson Sprains Ankle, Out At Least Two Weeks

6:04 pm: Brunson has been diagnosed with a sprained right ankle and will be reevaluated in two weeks, the Knicks announced today (via Twitter). X-rays on the ankle were negative, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter link).


8:18 am: Knicks star Jalen Brunson badly rolled his right ankle when he landed on Austin Reaves‘ foot with 1:24 remaining in overtime during Thursday’s road loss to the Lakers (YouTube link).

While Brunson was able to stay in to shoot (and make) two free throws after being fouled on the drive, he left the game immediately afterward, slowly and carefully limping off the court.

According to NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link), there’s optimism that Brunson sustained a sprained ankle and not something more serious.

Still, it’s worth noting that the severity of ankle sprains can vary drastically — a mild sprain might cause a player to only miss a game or two, while a major sprain can see a player sidelined for months. Brandon Ingram has missed four months and counting with a “significant” sprain, with no timetable for a return.

Former teammate Luka Doncic checked in on Brunson after the game, according to Steve Popper of Newsday (subscriber link). While Doncic said Brunson told him he’d be OK, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said the team’s point guard was still being evaluated.

He’s being examined,” Thibodeau said. “I haven’t spoken with him. He was back with the medical people. … His mental toughness is through the roof. It doesn’t surprise me (that he stayed in to shoot free throws). The way he played the whole game, they were loaded up on him the whole game.”

Close friend Josh Hart expects Brunson to miss some time due to the injury, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.

Obviously it’s a bummer of an injury. We’ve got to expect him to be out for a little bit,” Hart said. “We’ve got guys. Now we have to step up. Other guys’ roles are going to be bigger. There’s more opportunity. Keep it afloat until he comes back, be aggressive, go out there and compete.”

Brunson, who finished with 39 points and 10 assists, is New York’s team captain. He has made All-Star appearances each of the past two seasons, leads the team in points and assists per game, and is the Knicks’ go-to option in crunch time.

As James L. Edwards III of The Athletic writes, any type of extended absence for Brunson would clearly be detrimental to the club, especially on offense, even if it has all but secured a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The team has looked a little shaky over the past few months, according to Edwards, who points out that Brunson has frequently bailed out the offense late in games.

In a subscriber-only story for The Post, Bondy argues that Miles McBride and Karl-Anthony Towns will need to step up while Brunson is out. Cameron Payne is among the other candidates for an increased role.

Knicks Notes: Robinson, Achiuwa, Ryan, Bridges, Raptors Dispute

Knicks center Mitchell Robinson, who missed the first 58 games of the season while recovering from ankle surgery, was “really good” on Friday in his first game back, head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters, including Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. The big man had six points and four rebounds and was a +11 in 12 minutes in his season debut vs. Memphis.

Robinson provided the Knicks with some energy off the bench again on Sunday vs. the Heat, grabbing a pair of offensive rebounds, blocking a shot, and making his only field goal attempt in 13 minutes of action. He said after the game that he’s happy about his progress so far.

“It’s coming along. Just taking time. First game, as y’all saw, tired as hell. Second game, not so much. But still a little bit,” Robinson said, per Bondy. “That’s what’s going to happen when you miss 10 months playing ball.”

As Bondy notes in another New York Post story, Robinson has said he believes his minutes limit is 18, but he has been held in the 12-to-13 minute range in each of his first two outings so far. The 26-year-old says he’s OK with that, though he’s looking forward to being able to play a little more.

“I think each week it goes up more and more,” he said of the minutes restriction. “It is [frustrating] because it’s hard to get a rhythm.”

Here’s more on the Knicks:

  • Robinson’s return has pushed Precious Achiuwa out of the rotation, as Bondy observes. Achiuwa played just four minutes on Friday and was a DNP-CD for the first time this season on Sunday.
  • The Knicks have a pair of open two-way slots, which they’ll likely fill on Monday or Tuesday before the March 4 two-way signing deadline. Veteran sharpshooter Matt Ryan was among the two-way players waived by the team over the weekend. “I thought he did a really good job for us. Hard worker,” Thibodeau said of Ryan, according to Bondy. “You’re always looking at ways to improve the team. [Team president Leon Rose] and his staff, that’s what they do. And then we’re obviously very pleased with him and wish him well.”
  • Mikal Bridges‘ up-and-down season continued on Sunday as he was benched for most of crunch time during the Knicks’ comeback overtime win over Miami. Thibodeau said after the game that he stuck with Miles McBride over Bridges – who scored just five points on 2-of-11 shooting in 28 minutes – because the lineup was working, Bondy writes for The New York Post. Thibodeau added that Bridges took the decision in stride. “That’s what you love about the team. Whoever has got it going, we’re going to ride those guys a little bit more,” Thibodeau said. “The most important thing is the team winning. And Mikal is fully engaged in the team and he does a lot of the dirty work for us and it’s much appreciated.”
  • The arbitration hearing to settle the legal dispute between the Knicks and Raptors will take place during the week of July 21, according to Baxter Holmes of ESPN. The Knicks filed a lawsuit in August 2023 alleging that former video coordinator Ikechukwu Azotam illegally took thousands of proprietary files with him to a position in Toronto and shared them with his new club. New York was seeking $10MM in damages from the Raptors, who referred to the suit as “baseless” and argued that the issue ought to be resolved through the NBA’s arbitration process by commissioner Adam Silver rather than in court. That’s what will happen in July, despite the Knicks’ claims that Silver is biased due to his relationship with Raptors governor Larry Tanenbaum, the chairman of the league’s Board of Governors.

Atlantic Notes: Gordon, George, Holiday, Hart, McBride, Anunoby

Sixers wing Eric Gordon has been out since February 9 due to what the team is calling a sprained right wrist. When word broke that Lonnie Walker had agreed to sign with Philadelphia, Marc Stein reported that the team made the move in part because Gordon’s return from that wrist injury may not happen in the near future. Head coach Nick Nurse confirmed as much on Thursday.

“He’s seen two specialists, and they still don’t know what to do,” Nurse said, per Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link).

According to Nurse, Gordon is expected to receive more medical opinions on his wrist before he and the team decide on a treatment plan. While there’s a possibility the injury can be managed, there’s also a scenario in which it keeps the veteran shooting guard sidelined for a “long time,” Nurse acknowledged.

We have more from around the Atlantic:

  • In other Sixers injury news, forward Paul George confirmed last week’s report from Shams Charania, which said that he had been receiving injections in order to play through various health issues, including tendon damage in his finger. “I’m hanging in there,” George said on Thursday, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “I’m giving this team everything I have. The report is true. You know, I am taking some sorts of medicines to kind of, I guess, play through pain. But yeah, I’m going to try to give everything I got.” As Pompey writes, with George and Joel Embiid both at less than 100% and Philadelphia holding a 20-35 record, it would be “completely understandable” if the team decides to shut down its two stars for the season, though there has been no indication that will happen.
  • After missing the Celtics‘ last four games prior to the All-Star break due to a right shoulder issue, Jrue Holiday returned on Thursday and played 20 minutes in a win over Philadelphia. As Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe relays, Holiday said the injury had been nagging him “for a little bit,” but that it “feels really good” now after the team’s training staff insisted he take some time off. “Sometimes they’ve got to save you from yourself,” he said. “Especially for me, if it’s a game I want to play. You play through injuries, you play through being hurt but sometimes it’s smarter to take a little bit of time especially since we’re at the second half of the season. Obviously I would have played through it, which I feel a lot of us do, is play through injuries. All testament to the training staff.”
  • Knicks forward Josh Hart will miss a second consecutive game on Friday in Cleveland due to patellofemoral pain syndrome (runner’s knee), writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. With Hart out on Thursday vs. Chicago, Miles McBride got his first start of the year and scored a season-high 23 points in a tight overtime win, as Peter Botte of The New York Post details.
  • While Hart will be out on Friday, another injured Knicks forward – OG Anunoby – is on track to return to action. Anunoby, who has been on the shelf since February 1 due to a sprained foot, is expected to be available vs. the Cavaliers, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Knicks Notes: Robinson, Anunoby, McBride, Hart, Towns, Shamet

The return of Mitchell Robinson and OG Anunoby to today’s practice gave the Knicks a fully healthy roster for the first time all season, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. This was Robinson’s first time participating in a full practice with contact since undergoing offseason ankle surgery, while Anunoby missed the last five games before the All-Star break with a sprained right foot.

New York has already declared Robinson out for Thursday’s game with Chicago, but it appears his season debut won’t be far away. Coach Tom Thibodeau is looking forward to having his defensive anchor back on the court.

“You have to anticipate that the game’s gonna be different, so we’ll see where he is once he’s out there,” Thibodeau said. “He’ll need a little bit of time. But the things that he can bring, the hustle, the ability to see things early, play pick and roll, rim-protect, offensive rebound; those are things he’ll bring right off the bat.”

Thibodeau added that Anunoby was able to heal during the week-long All-Star break. Miles McBride was also back at practice today after a rib issue forced him out of last week’s game with Atlanta.

“It means a lot. Obviously after the break you want everyone to be ready to go,” Jalen Brunson said. “I’m excited to get down this stretch. I love this team a lot.”

There’s more from New York:

  • Josh Hart will be held out of Thursday’s game with patellofemoral syndrome in his right knee, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday. The condition is also known as “runner’s knee.”
  • The Knicks have been the clear winners of the trade for Karl-Anthony Towns, who has become their best center since Patrick Ewing, contends Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post. He states that Towns has been far more productive than Julius Randle, who was sent to Minnesota in the deal, while Donte DiVincenzo has suffered through an early-season shooting slump and a recent toe injury. Vaccaro notes that Towns has also shed any reputation he had of being “soft.” He has been able to stay on the court despite knee issues and a sprained thumb.
  • Landry Shamet appears to be the odd man out of the rotation once Robinson is cleared to resume playing, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic states in a mailbag column. Shamet is averaging 11 minutes per night in 22 games off the bench, but Edwards notes that Thibodeau prefers a nine-man rotation at most and isn’t likely to expand that when Robinson becomes available. However, Edwards expects Robinson to start out on a minutes restriction, so there should still be some opportunities for Shamet.
  • Towns isn’t likely to complain if he has to move from center to power forward to accommodate Robinson’s return, Edwards adds. He points out that Towns’ most successful season came playing alongside Rudy Gobert in Minnesota.

New York Notes: Anunoby, Knicks Lineup, Mitchell, Towns, Johnson, Simmons

The Knicks could get one of their starters back in the lineup on Tuesday. Forward OG Anunoby is listed as questionable to play against Indiana (Twitter link via New York Basketball). Anunoby has missed the last three games due to a right foot sprain suffered during a non-contact play on Feb. 1.

The fact that Anunoby’s status was upgraded came as somewhat of a surprise, since ESPN’s Shams Charania reported over the weekend that the three-and-D standout was expected to return after the All-Star Game. Of course, the upgrade in his status doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll return on Tuesday.

We have more on the New York teams:

  • Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau went with a smaller lineup in the second half against Boston on Saturday, inserting guard Miles McBride in place of forward/center Precious Achiuwa, the New York Post’s Peter Botte notes. New York did rally from a 13-point deficit to cut the Celtics’ lead to three, but Boston then took command and won by 27. “That was part of the reason why we put Deuce in the second half just to get the shooting, because of the help that was coming from the back side, just to try and open it up for [Karl-Anthony Towns] a little bit more,” Thibodeau said.
  • On the flip side, the Knicks might go with a big lineup once center Mitchell Robinson finally returns to action, Botte reports. Towns could move to power forward once Robinson, who’s hopeful of suiting up by March 1, settles in. Towns is excited at that prospect. “Just a tall lineup, and it’s gonna be exciting to kind of explore that lineup,” Towns said. “It should give me … I have some familiarity with it with Rudy (Gobert), so it’ll be something that I’ll tap into that kind of potential well.”
  • Cameron Johnson was prominently mentioned as a trade candidate for months but ultimately the Nets wound up retaining him. He can breathe easier until the offseason. “At least there’s gonna be a little cushion, where it’s gonna calm down and then, who knows? Maybe it picks up again,” Johnson said, per Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily.com. “But I just can’t give my energy towards that, I gotta focus on what we’re doing here.” Johnson has been dealing with trade chatter since the Nets-Knicks Mikal Bridges blockbuster last offseason. “It was just different, it was a completely different experience for me,” he says. “I think that the rumors have been moving quickly since Mikal got traded, and maybe even before then. Every time my agent called me over the summer, it’s like, ‘Oh, is something going down? I don’t know.’”
  • Ben Simmons gave back $1,082,061 in his buyout agreement with the Nets, Hoops Rumors has confirmed, which is the exact amount he’ll earn on his new minimum-salary deal with the Clippers. NetsDaily first reported (via Twitter) that Simmons was giving up a prorated portion of the veteran’s minimum.