The Knicks are hoping their lack of point guard depth won’t come back to haunt them, especially early in the season, Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News writes. Projected third-stringer Chasson Randle is expected to miss three to four weeks with an orbital fracture and presumptive starter Derrick Rose has yet to play during the preseason due to his civil trial which is being held in Los Angeles. The earliest Rose could be back with the team would be for Thursday’s contest against the Nets, but even if he return in time for the game, he may not play due to lack of practice time, Bondy notes. “I don’t know [if I’ll play him without a practice]. If we can go through some things in the morning with him the day of the game — it’s a back-to-back situation, so I don’t know if we’d get a chance to,” coach Jeff Hornacek said. “But if somehow we could get a couple guys to work with him, maybe, just to give him a little bit of time before the first game. But we won’t push that.”
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Patrick Patterson is earning $6,050,000 this season and will become an unrestricted free agent next summer. The Raptors power forward is keenly aware that he is in a contract year, telling Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports (via Twitter), “My attitude, my demeanor and the way I carry myself on and off the court is going to be drastically different.” Patterson acknowledged that every player wants to get paid, noting that he has added some new moves to his offensive game for 2016/17, Blake Murphy of Raptors Republic relays (Twitter links).
- The Sixers have promoted Ned Cohen to Vice President of Basketball Operations and Chief of Staff, as well as re-structured their analytics department, which will now be led by Vice President of Analytics and Strategy Alex Rucker, and supported by Director of Applied Analytics Dr. Lance Pearson and Sergi Oliva as Director of Basketball Analytics and Innovation, the team announced via press release. “These moves reflect the outstanding performance of many within the 76ers organization and also addresses our desire to enhance and improve our internal processes regarding decision making, athlete performance care and team services. We are very excited about the future of this organization both on and off the basketball floor,” said team executive Bryan Colangelo.
- Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer looked back at how executive Danny Ainge built a “super team” in Boston with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, and what the current state of the Celtics‘ current reconstruction is, as well as what the team needs to take things to the next level.