2021 June | Hoops Rumors

Kemba Walker, Celtics Appear Headed Toward Breakup

June 9th, 2021 at 9:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kemba Walker and the Celtics are both looking to end their relationship this summer, according to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated (video link).

Former president of basketball operations Danny Ainge began shopping Walker after the team was eliminated from the playoffs last summer, Mannix states. He says Ainge and the front office were skeptical about Walker’s future after a knee injury he suffered in January 2020 lingered into the summer restart.

According to Mannix, the Celtics talked to “multiple teams” about a deal involving Walker, including a potential swap with the Spurs for LaMarcus Aldridge. The incentive for Boston was that Aldridge, now retired, had an expiring contract, while Walker is owed close to $74MM over the next two seasons.

Walker places a high priority on loyalty, Mannix adds, and was “frustrated” to learn that he was involved in trade talks after choosing the Celtics in free agency in 2019.

The report from Mannix coincides with a story by Farbod Esnaashari of Bleacher Report that claims there’s a “mutual agreement” between Walker and the Celtics to seek an offseason trade. Esnaashari mentions the Knicks and Mavericks as teams with the potential cap flexibility to assimilate Walker’s $36MM salary for next year.

Walker, 31, is a four-time All-Star, but his production has declined during two injury-plagued seasons in Boston. He went from scoring 25.6 PPG in his final year in Charlotte to 20.4 last season and 19.3 this year. He shot 42% from the field and 36% from three-point range, which were his worst numbers in six years.

A sore knee forced him to miss the start of the season, and he didn’t play his first game until mid-January. Walker missed 29 games this season and appeared in just 56 last year.

Rudy Gobert Named Defensive Player Of The Year

June 9th, 2021 at 8:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jazz center Rudy Gobert has been selected as the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. This is the third DPOY honor for Gobert, who also won the award in 2018 and 2019.

During his eight NBA seasons, Gobert has established himself as one of the league’s best shot blockers. He averaged a career-best 2.7 rejections per game this season and ranked first in a number of defensive analytics stats, including defensive real plus-minus and defensive RAPTOR, by a wide margin.

“It takes team effort, mental toughness, hard work and dedication,” Gobert told Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link). “Every day you have to come in with a mindset to make your team better on that end.”

Gobert received 84 first-place votes, along with 14 for second place and two for third place for an overall total of 464 points, the NBA announced in its official press release.

The Sixers‘ Ben Simmons was second with 15/67/11 and 287 points, followed by the Warriors‘ Draymond Green with 0/13/37 and 76 points. The other first-place vote went to Bam Adebayo of the Heat, who came in fourth.

Eight other players received at least one DPOY vote, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Clint Capela, Joel Embiid, and Jrue Holiday. Perhaps the most unexpected vote belonged to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who was placed third on one ballot.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Outside Names Emerge In Celtics’ Coaching Search

June 9th, 2021 at 7:38pm CST by Arthur Hill

New Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has begun reaching out to other organizations for permission to interview coaching candidates, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojanarowski.

The early group of candidates will likely be expansive, according to Woj. A few names he has heard from sources include Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups, Bucks assistants Darvin Ham and Charles Lee, Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley, and Nets assistant Ime Udoka.

Billups and Udoka have been mentioned before in relation to Boston, but the other three names are new. Ham, who played 12 NBA seasons, has been an assistant coach for the past decade, starting with the Lakers and then working under Mike Budenholzer in both Atlanta and Milwaukee. Lee is also a former NBA player with seven years as an assistant, all under Budenholzer. Mosley started his coaching career with the Nuggets in 2005 and has been with Dallas since 2014.

Stevens, who is in the unusual position of hiring his own replacement, recently completed interviews with several assistants who were on his staff this season. Prominent names in that group include Jay Larranaga, Scott Morrison, Jerome Allen, and Joe Mazzulla.

Follow the developments on all the coaching vacancies throughout the league with our Head Coaching Search Tracker.

Sixers Notes: Embiid, Milton, Simmons, Curry

June 9th, 2021 at 6:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

Joel Embiid didn’t get the MVP trophy he thought he deserved, so he turned his attention back to the pursuit of an NBA title, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Shortly before the start of Tuesday’s game, Denver’s Nikola Jokic was announced as this year’s MVP, with Embiid finishing a distant second. The Sixers center responded to the news with 40 points and 13 rebounds in a Game 2 win over Atlanta.

“It’s disappointing because as a player, you work hard for moments like this,” Embiid said. “But then again, it’s out of my control. There’s nothing I can do about it. You just got to come out every year and just be ready and do my job. But I’m focused on the playoffs, I’m focused on winning the championship. … So I’m not worried about those awards and stuff. If and when I’m holding that (Larry O’Brien) Trophy, anything else won’t matter.”

Embiid has been dominant in the first two games against the Hawks, averaging 39.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 blocks per game despite dealing with a small meniscus tear in his right knee that he suffered in round one. He admits having “limited mobility,” but said he’s found ways to adjust his game to still be effective.

“No excuses,” teammate Tobias Harris said. “He understands that. This is the playoffs. The way the NBA season was, I don’t think anybody is 100%. So when he steps on the floor, he has that attitude and that mentality that it’s, ‘win.'”

There’s more on the Sixers:

After playing just 38 seconds in the series opener, Shake Milton became a difference maker in Game 2, notes John Schuhmann of NBA.com. The third-year guard came off the bench to score 14 points and help Philadelphia break open a close game.
Another low-scoring performance by Ben Simmons is reviving questions about how far the Sixers can advance in the playoffs with minimal production from their second-best player, points out Brad Botkin of CBS Sports. Simmons finished with four points and only took three shots from the field in Game 2.
Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic looks at how Seth Curry has been able to rise from his early days in the G League to be an important contributor on a playoff team. Curry, who was acquired in an offseason trade with the Mavericks, is averaging 24.0 PPG in his last three games.

Pistons Notes: Joseph, Draft, Beilein, J. Allen

June 9th, 2021 at 5:18pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pistons‘ luck in the draft lottery could determine whether Cory Joseph returns next season, according to Rod Beard of The Detroit News. If Detroit takes Cade Cunningham or Jalen Suggs, the front office may decide it has too many point guards on the roster to keep Joseph. He has a $2.4MM guarantee on his $12.6MM contract for next season that kicks in if he’s still on the roster August 1.

Joseph will turn 30 in August and he slipped into a veteran mentor’s role after being acquired from the Kings at the trade deadline. He put up career-best numbers in 19 games with the Pistons, averaging 12.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists per night, and Beard believes the chances are “a little above 50-50” that the team will keep him.

There’s more from Detroit:

Former G League Ignite star Jalen Green might be the best option for the Pistons in the draft if they don’t land the top pick, Beard adds in the same piece. He sees Suggs as similar to incumbent point guard Killian Hayes — a good lead guard but not an exceptional shooter. Cunningham’s mix of both skills makes him the ideal choice, Beard states.
The Pistons hired former Cavaliers head coach John Beilein as a senior advisor last week to oversee the team’s six development coaches and ensure a consistent message throughout the organization, writes Keith Langlois of NBA.com. With 11 players age 24 or younger, Detroit is counting on individual improvement as the most likely way to become a contender again.
Celtics assistant coach Jerome Allen met today with the Pistons about an offer to join Dwane Casey’s staff, tweets Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. Allen reportedly interviewed for the head coaching job in Boston and may get an interview in Portland as well.

Nuggets Notes: Barton’s Return, Porter, Murray, Jokic, Malone

June 9th, 2021 at 3:51pm CST by Eli Cohen

Nuggets’ guard Will Barton is expected to play tonight, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Barton had previously been listed as “doubtful,” but over the course of the last 24 hours, had been upgraded to “questionable.” Now it seems that barring a setback, he’ll appear for the Nuggets in an important Game Two.

The 30-year-old has been inactive since April 23 with a hamstring strain, but has been ramping up his workouts in recent days. Adding Barton back into the Nuggets rotation would give them a 6’6, athletic option to try defensively on Devin Booker, who had 21 points on 12 shots against a combination of Austin Rivers, Aaron Gordon, and others in the Suns’ Game One victory.

Here’s more on the Nuggets:

Michael Porter tweaked his back in Game One, but head coach Michael Malone expects him back for tonight’s game, reports ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “He got treatment all day today, had a good conversation with him. But, barring anything unforeseen, Michael should be good to go for Game 2,” Malone said. The 22-year-old forward missed his first year in the NBA due to back injuries, but there seems to be little concern Game One’s injury was anything more than a minor tweak.
The Nuggets haven’t provided a specific timeline for Jamal Murray‘s return from his torn ACL, but sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports that the earliest they expect the guard to return would be in February 2022. Murray has been spotted getting shots up before games while avoiding putting weight on his injured knee.
The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie and the Denver Post’s Sean Keeler both took a closer look at Nikola Jokic‘s rise from 41st pick to 2021 MVP. Keeler writes about Jokic’s underdog mentality and how he refuses to lobby for his own awards. “I didn’t come here to want to be MVP of the league,” Jokic told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols. “I always think someone is better than me. I want to compete to beat him. Just by that mentality, I’m going to be underdog, always.” Meanwhile Vecenie writes about the draft process that led Jokic to Denver. “It was just kind of lucky scouting, to be honest with you,” said team president Tim Connelly.
Malone called the Nuggets’ mentality in Game One “soft,” reports ESPN’s Nick Friedell. “I think [we] had a soft mentality,” Malone said. “You can’t give up eight and-1s in a playoff game. If you’re going to foul somebody, foul them, and not let them get the and-1.” Aaron Gordon agreed with his coach’s assessment. “Scared, that’s another way to play it,” said Gordon. “You could choose between them two words, either soft or scared, that’s what it felt like we were playing like.” Jokic offered a different take, saying he didn’t believe they played soft, but that the team needed to be more decisive when the Suns started getting hot.

Hawks’ Hunter Out For Playoffs With Torn Lateral Meniscus

June 9th, 2021 at 3:01pm CST by Eli Cohen

Hawks second-year wing De’Andre Hunter missed the first two games of the team’s round two series with the 76ers with right knee swelling. After an MRI, the initial review revealed a small tear of the lateral meniscus, according to a team press release. Hunter is scheduled to fly to Los Angeles for surgery on Tuesday. He will miss the remainder of the postseason.

This will be the second surgery on Hunter’s right knee this season, and marks the end of an injury-ravaged sophomore year in the NBA. Hunter had started the year playing the best basketball of his young career, but was injured just 19 games into the season. He finished the year having only played 23 games.

After a promising return during the Hawks’ first round series against the Knicks, Hunter was once again on the injury report, due to knee swelling. This diagnosis puts to rest any hope of Hunter returning during the playoffs.

With fellow second-year wing Cam Reddish still recovering from an injured Achilles, the Hawks will have to rely on more minutes from veteran wings Danilo Gallinari, Solomon Hill and Tony Snell.

Zero New COVID-19 Cases Among Players For Third Straight Week

June 9th, 2021 at 2:01pm CST by Eli Cohen

The NBA and NBPA announced today in a press release that out of the 264 players tested for COVID-19 since June 2, none returned a new positive confirmed test.

This marks the third straight week that the league’s testing protocols have found no positive tests. Only two players have tested positive since May 5, a welcome development as the NBA attempts to conduct its post-season with as few COVID-related interruptions as possible.

The league has been extremely careful in its attempts to limit the spread of COVID from players and coaches, and with the draft process ramping up and MGM Resort Summer League establishing its schedule, their success so far in the playoffs is an encouraging sign for this off-season and the 2021/2022 season to come.

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Cavaliers’ G League Affiliate Moving To Cleveland

June 9th, 2021 at 1:22pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Canton Charge, G League affiliate of the Cavaliers, will be moving to Cleveland for next season, reports Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. The Charge have played in Canton for nine seasons, but as their 10-year contract with the Canton Memorial Civic Center expires, Cavaliers ownership wanted to bring the team back to Cleveland.

“When we acquired the franchise and relocated it here to Northeast Ohio, our goal was to create the best operation and experience in the G League, both on the court and off,” said Cavaliers’ CEO Len Komoroski. “We’ve had success working towards both those goals and that remains our commitment and focus.”

The team will be called simply “The Charge” during the transition, but the team hopes to officially rebrand as “The Cleveland Charge” by the start of the 2021/22 season, which is set to tip off in November. The Charge will now be based out of Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center. The Cavs are hoping this will lead to a long-term partnership between the G League team and the Wolstein Center.

“We’re thrilled to welcome the Charge to the Wolstein Center and we look forward to collaborating with Rock Entertainment Group on what’s next,” said CSU President Harlan Sands.

As Fedor notes, this move by the Cavaliers is indicative of a larger league-wide trend of teams trying to keep their G League affiliates closer to home. The Charge are expected to use the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, the Cavaliers’ home court, as well as Cleveland Clinic Courts, the team’s player training and development facility.

As the relationships between professional teams and G-League teams become more dynamic, this will allow teams to optimize their player development goals, synchronize philosophies, and better monitor progress.

“As we look to the future, we’re very pleased to now be able to continue the growth of the Charge at the Wolstein Center,” said Charge general manager Brendon Yu. “The proximity to Cleveland Clinic Courts and Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse creates an enhanced synergy between the two teams and will foster even greater personnel development that will be very impactful for us.”

The team reiterated its commitment to remaining engaged in its relationship with the community of Canton, especially through youth programs, including the Junior Cavs Camp.

Harden Out For Game 3 With Hamstring Tightness

June 9th, 2021 at 12:29pm CST by Eli Cohen

James Harden will be out for Game Three of the Nets series against the Bucks, tweets Adam Zagoria of NY Times Sports. Head coach Steve Nash, addressing the media, made it clear that both Harden and forward Jeff Green will miss at least another game, though he added that it’s “highly possible” that Green plays sooner rather than later.

Harden has played just 43 seconds of the Nets’ second round playoff series against Milwaukee after leaving Game One with right hamstring tightness. The Nets have won the first two games of the series in convincing fashion without him, which could give them more leeway to take the recovery process slowly with their star shooting guard. Nash stated that both Harden and Green continue to make progress, according to a tweet from Malika Andrews of ESPN.

With Harden out, the Nets have turned to guards Bruce Brown and Mike James, with Brown taking much of the available guard minutes. Brown responded well to getting the starting nod in Game Two, putting up 13 points, six rebounds and four assists with no turnovers while also proving quite effective as a small-ball roll man/rim runner. James has scored in double digits in both contests.

The Bucks had clearly hoped to take advantage of Harden’s absence, but that didn’t prove the case in Game Two, as the Nets cruised to a 39-point victory. Kevin Durant scored 32 points on 12-18 shooting while none of the Bucks’ three stars could find much of a rhythm offensively.

With the next two games being held in Milwaukee and no clear timetable for Harden’s return, Game Three will be crucial if the Bucks have any hope of climbing back into this series.

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