Walter McCarty

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Postseason, McCarty, Mudiay

Joel Embiids extensive injury history forced the Sixers to get creative with his playing schedule, which included not playing in back-to-backs for much of this season. But as the 76ers gear up for the postseason, Embiid wants no part of resting and wants to play in every game, Jessica Camerato of NBC Sports Philadelphia relays.

“We didn’t come this far to rest me,” Embiid said. “I mean, I was always complaining about playing every game and playing back-to-backs. I’m sure the fans were, too. Now that we’re here, I can understand maybe the last game before we get ready for the playoffs, but other than that, I want to play every game because that’s my first time I get the chance to do that.”

Embiid is averaging over 31 minutes per contest as the Sixers occupy the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. A healthy Embiid is imperative if Philadelphia wants a deep postseason run. Head coach Brett Brown indicated that the team will look to give its young center rest whenever possible, despite his competitive nature.

Check out more Atlantic Division notes:

  • The Sixers have played well down the stretch and are in a prime spot entering the postseason. In Brett Brown‘s own words, the Sixers hope to maintain this pace for the 11 games the team has left after Thursday, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “We respect the journey,” Brown said, “and we don’t intend on letting what we built so far go easily. We are of where we’re at. We want to hold on to where we’re at. And we want to play good basketball.”
  • Celtics assistant coach Walter McCarty will assume the role as head coach of the NCAA’s Evansville Purple Aces, sources tell Jon Rothstein of FanRag Sports. McCarty spent most of his NBA career as a player with the Celtics but he is an Evansville, Indiana native. Adam Himmelsbach‏ of the Boston Globe tweets that the Celtics will not look to immediately replace McCarty.
  • Emmanuel Mudiay has been the Knicks‘ starting point guard since the All-Star break but he has struggled with all facets of the game. A visibly frustrated Jeff Hornacek said the team needs to see what Mudiay is capable of over a prolonged stretch, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes. “We’re not just going to have (13 games with Mudiay starting) and make a judgment call on a guy,” Hornacek said. “We’ve seen the other guys. The other guys are coming off the bench. Trey continues to prove that he’s a guy that can really give us something. We’re trying to see and see if he can get used to our guys and we just go that way.”

Celtics Notes: Smart, Irving, Morris, Thomas, McCarty

As indicated in previous stories, Marcus Smart is expected to miss about six weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb. The plan is for Smart to return to action should the Celtics make it to the second round of the playoffs and, per Chris Forsberg of ESPN, Smart is supremely confident that he will be able to return this postseason.

“I am confident [I’ll be back for the playoffs],” Smart said Monday night. “I had one of the top [hand] doctors do it. The surgery was a success… I’m real, real, real excited and eager to get back out there, whenever that is, hopefully it’s sooner than later, like I said. Hopefully the team can and, like I think they’re gonna do, is handle their business and have me back [in the postseason].”

Smart originally thought his injury was only a sprain, and even after further testing revealed more extensive ligament damage, he weighed non-surgical treatment options before finally deciding on having the surgery when doctors told him he risked further complications that might force him out of action for a longer period of time should he have tried to play before undergoing the procedure.

“The first [thing] was could I damage it any more?” Smart said. “When we went to get the second opinion, they said the same thing: The ligament is torn completely. There’s nothing else you can do. Then there was, ‘OK, could I possibly play with it and get the surgery afterwards?’ That came into play and when she said — the doctor pretty much said, ‘If it was me, I would get this now. The longer you wait, the harder it [will be] and cause more complications. So just get it over with and then there’s a possibility you could be back sooner than you thought.'”

There’s more out of Boston:

  • All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving plans on obtaining a second opinion later this week for his ailing left knee, tweets Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports.
  • Marcus Morris was fined $15K for “verbal abuse of a game official,” it was announced today by the NBA. The incident occurred at the conclusion of the Celtics’ 19-point loss to New Orleans on Sunday.
  • Former Celtic and soon-to-be free agent guard Isaiah Thomas is willing to return to Boston next season, reports NBC Sports Boston. Asked on Twitter whether he would consider a reunion this offseason, Thomas tweeted, “Anything can happen.”
  • Celtics assistant coach and former player Walter McCarty will interview for the head coaching vacancy at the University of Evansville, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Born and raised in Evansville, IN, McCarty is looking to become a head coach for the first time after also having spent time as an assistant at the University of Louisville and with the Pacers.

Eastern Notes: Sanders, Casey, Celtics, Newton

In his latest piece for Grantland.com, Zach Lowe explores what Larry Sanders has to do to justify his new, long-term contract with the Bucks. In breaking down Sanders' footwork and positioning on specific plays, Lowe goes much more in-depth than I did when I examined the big man's four-year extension earlier today, but we ultimately reached similar conclusions. Even though Sanders has only had one productive NBA season, I liked the deal for Milwaukee, and Lowe agrees, writing that it "should turn out just fine for the Bucks."

Here's more from around the Eastern Conference:

  • Even though Dwane Casey is heading into the final year of his deal, the Raptors head coach doesn't intend to "spend a waking moment" worrying about his uncertain long-term contract situation, as he tells Sean Deveney of the Sporting News.
  • Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld explains how the Celtics/Grizzlies swap of Fab Melo and Donte Greene worked financially, adding that Boston sent $1.66MM in cash to Memphis to complete the deal.
  • The Celtics also officially finalized their coaching staff today, formally announcing the hirings of assistants Ron Adams, Micah Shrewsberry, and Walter McCarty in a press release.
  • After some conflicting reports on whether or not Timberwolves president Flip Saunders had interviewed Milt Newton for the team's GM job yet, Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune tweets that Saunders is in Washington today to meet with the Wizards executive.
  • In today's mailbag for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Ira Winderman addresses the unlikely possibility of a Chris Bosh trade and agrees that the Heat could use another athletic perimeter player.

Odds & Ends: Sanders, Nets, Jazz, McCarty

Larry Sanders has a brand new deal with the Bucks that will make him the face of the franchise after the departures of Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings.  However, he'll have to get accustomed to an entirely new system in Milwaukee this season, writes Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld.  Many are expecting a drop off from last season based off what the Bucks lost, but if Sanders can take another step forward, they could still be in the mix for a playoff spot.  Here's more from around the Association..

  • The Nets announced that they have finalized their coaching staff by hiring assistants John Welch, Joe Prunty, and Charles Klask.  That brings the total staff count underneath coaching neophyte Jason Kidd to six.
  • The Nets also announced that Doug Overton has been appointed as the head coach of their D-League affiliate, the Springfield Armor.  Overton enjoyed a lengthy playing career that included two stints with the Nets.
  • The Jazz announced that Justin Zanik will serve as an assistant GM.  Utah GM Dennis Lindsey says that he's excited about being able to draw on the insight of a former agent, tweets Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune.
  • Walter McCarty confirmed to Jeff Goodman of ESPNBoston.com (on Twitter) that he'll be joining the Celtics staff as an assitant coach under Brad Stevens.

Atlantic Rumors: Rondo, Rivers, Pierce, Celtics

Training camps are still about six weeks from opening, but some Nets and Knicks are already gearing up in preparation for another crosstown battle. Nets players are organizing voluntary workouts this week in Los Angeles, with Deron Williams and Paul Pierce the driving forces, Josh Newman of SNY.tv reports via Twitter. Meanwhile, Raymond Felton expects the entire Knicks roster to get together for workouts shortly after Labor Day, the point guard tells Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link). Here's more as the offseason starts to dwindle away:

  • Pierce tells Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe that Rajon Rondo's presence wasn't the force that prompted Doc Rivers to leave the Celtics, and says his goal is to outlast his contemporaries in the NBA, naming Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki and Nets teammate Kevin Garnett among those he hopes will precede him in retirement.
  • A source familiar with the Celtics tells Washburn that the team is in dire need of an assistant coach who can form a strong relationship with Rondo. The C's are reportedly targeting an ex-player for the coaching staff, with James Posey a leading candidate, and fellow Globe scribe Baxter Holmes identifies Walter McCarty as another possibility. Boston is also seeking at least one more front office executive to assist GM Danny Ainge, Holmes adds (All Twitter links). 
  • Nerlens Noel and Michael Carter-Williams of the Sixers plus Kelly Olynyk of the Celtics are three Atlantic Division rookies among the five draftees from this June whom HoopsWorld's Bill Ingram believes could outperform their draft position.