The Pistons began their in-market training camp on Wednesday with several players from their G League affiliate participating, according to Rod Beard of the Detroit News (Twitter link). Tre’Shawn Thurman, Tra-Deon Hollins, Adam Woodbury, Khalil Iverson, and Craig Sword all played with the Grand Rapids Drive this season.
Beard also reports (via Twitter) that Pistons center Justin Patton had surgery Tuesday to repair a fractured right pinky finger. Additionally, Tony Snell returned home for personal reasons, and Jordan McRae will not be participating in the team portion of the in-market camp.
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- The Bulls have reportedly hired Vanja Cernivec as an international scout, per Daniel Greenberg (Twitter link; h/t Real GM). Cernivec spent the last five years working in the NBA’s office in Spain as manager of basketball operations. He also played professional basketball in Slovenia.
- After wrapping up his first season with the Hornets, Terry Rozier is ready to take on a larger role, writes Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. “I’ve had a lot of time over six months to figure out how I can be a better leader: Get to the guys, talk to them how they like it,” Rozier said. The combo guard averaged 18.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 4.1 APG this season, after inking a three-year free-agent deal last summer with Charlotte. Rozier also spoke about how hard its been not being able to play in an organized game in six months. “I’m not going to sugar-coat and say, ‘Ah, six months is nothing.’ It’s been tough on all of us.”
- Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau is hoping that assistant coach Kenny Payne can help unlock Kevin Knox‘s potential, writes Marc Berman of the New Post. Knox has struggled to find his footing since being selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft. This season, he averaged a modest 6.4 PPG and 2.8 RPG in 17.9 MPG, but Thibodeau has been impressed with the 21-year-old in the team’s in-market training camp. “Kevin’s come in and he’s done quite a bit of work,’’ Thibodeau said. “I’m getting to know him and he’s getting to know me and it will take some time. But I like what he’s done so far.”
Scary Terry… 104th PER. At least he isn’t making max.
Knox time is now. Either he becomes part of rotation or he becomes part of a trade. Either way you have play him and build him up. Knicks were close to moving Randle for Rozier last yr. If they don’t get a PG in draft. They might try and revisit this again.
And what has Kevin Knox done so far that is so pleasing, Coach Thibs? Is he coming hard around screens?
Nobody will give the Knicks anything significant for Knox so they should see if he can play or not. Most of the Knicks players trade value can’t get any lower
Thibs will increase the value, he gets maximum effort from players.
The value of a HC like Thibs is not that he – or his staff – will turn around Knox or anyone else. No coach really provides more than an assist in player development. What a HC can do is establish standards and give out roles and PT (and eventually roster spots) based on them. Knox won’t play much, and, at the appropriate time, will cast off, if he doesn’t turn it around. That may mean he’ll turn it around himself. Or it may not. Either way, the organization is healthier.
If Knox is not cracking the rotation then Thibs may demand he get some run in the G-league. Seems that was one of his non-negotiable items in taking the job.
No more massaging FO egos on 1st rd picks. Languishing on the bench, in the NBA, because you were overdrafted is foolish. If Knox can rediscover (or create if needed) his hoops identity in the G-league, let him go down there & work on adding some value to his contract. From there, he either plays it out in NYK or someone else is intrigued at “what might” & make an offer.
Agree. Though it was Fizdale, the HC, that was opposed to sending guys (who were not playing) to the G-league, even in between NBA games when there were no practices being held. He didn’t want any other coaches beyond his staff working with them.