If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Here are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:
Magic Johnson went on the offensive and ripped the Lakers’ organization. Johnson said in an ESPN interview that GM Rob Pelinka backstabbed him by badmouthing him to other league executives. Johnson also revealed that he decided to step down from his post as president of basketball operations when owner Jeanie Buss wouldn’t let him fire then-coach Luke Walton during the season.
The Timberwolves removed the interim tag from Ryan Saunders and named him their head coach. Saunders had a losing record after replacing Tom Thibodeau but he formed a strong bond with star Karl-Anthony Towns and impressed new president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas during extensive talks. Many of the assistant coaches were not retained.
The league revealed its All-NBA Teams. Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden led the way as the two unanimous selections for the First Team. Kevin Durant was relegated to the Second Team while teammate Stephen Curry, Paul George and Nikola Jokic grabbed the other First Team spots. Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and Kemba Walker became eligible for super-max extensions while Bradley Beal, Klay Thompson and Nikola Vucevic failed to reach that status because they didn’t make the cut.
The league moved up the start of free agency to the evening of June 30. Instead of starting free agency at the stroke of midnight ET on the first day of July, negotiations can begin at 6 p.m. the previous night. The change, which was agreed upon by the league and the players’ union, will also allow teams to communicate and schedule meetings with free agents or their agents at 6 p.m. ET on June 29. Those meetings can’t take place before free agency officially opens on the evening of June 30.
The Trail Blazers handed coach Terry Stotts a two-year contract extension. The Blazers reached the conference finals despite the late-season loss of center Jusuf Nurkic and rewarded their coach for the accomplishment. Stotts is the fourth longest-tenured coach in the NBA.
Here are 10 more top headlines worth passing along this week:
- New Pelicans president of basketball operations David Griffin insisted he’ll try to convince Anthony Davis to drop his trade request.
- The Blazers gave president of basketball operations Neil Olshey a contract extension through 2024.
- The Wizards continued their search for a new GM after Nuggets president Tim Connelly turned them down.
- The Warriors remain hopeful that both Durant and DeMarcus Cousins will return at some point in the NBA Finals.
- The league cancelled its global camp for international prospects.
- Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert maintained his franchise got the better of the Kyrie Irving deal with the Celtics.
- LeBron James reportedly has already begun recruiting free agents to Los Angeles.
- Heat assistant Juwan Howard was named head coach of his alma mater, the University of Michigan.
- Jazz big man Rudy Gobert headed the list of players on the All-Defensive Teams.
- Led by Luka Doncic and Trae Young, the league’s All-Rookie Teams were unveiled.
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