Year: 2024

Knicks’ Thibodeau On Starters’ Struggles: “We’ve Gotta Figure It Out”

November 11th, 2021 at 11:24am CST by Luke Adams

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau benched his starters for the final 14 minutes of the team’s loss to the Bucks on Wednesday, as ESPN’s Tim Bontemps writes. After the game, Thibodeau said the five-man group – Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier, RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, and Mitchell Robinson – “just didn’t play well,” adding that “we’ve gotta figure it out.”

The Knicks’ starters were especially ineffective on Wednesday — Robinson was minus-15 during his minutes, while the other four starters were minus-22 or worse.

However, their struggles weren’t just a a one-game aberration. The Knicks’ starting five, which has been the most-used lineup in the NBA this season, has an abysmal -14.4 net rating (including a 119.3 defensive rating) in 205 total minutes. That’s the second-worst net rating of any NBA lineup that has logged more than 80 minutes so far in 2021/22.

Thibodeau isn’t buying that the group just needs more time to develop chemistry, according to Bontemps.

“You know what they say: When it’s 10 games, they say you need 20,” Thibodeau said. “When you say 20, they say you need 30; at 30, you say 40. And before you know it, the season is over. So that’s a bunch of bulls–t.”

The Knicks’ bench, led by Derrick Rose, Alec Burks, Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, and Taj Gibson, has been productive this season and has been a key factor in the team’s 7-5 start. It’s possible moving one of those players into the starting lineup could help jump-start that group and shore up the defense, but Thibodeau may prefer not to make such a move when the reserves are playing so well in their current roles.

Warriors Notes: Thompson, Green, Wiggins, Wiseman

November 11th, 2021 at 9:38am CST by Luke Adams

Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson has made “really good progress” in his recovery from Achilles surgery, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (video link), who said during an NBA Countdown appearance that Thompson could even be a little ahead of his previously-reported timeline.

“I’m told if he continues on his current course in rehab that a target date for his return will be set probably within the next couple weeks and there’s optimism it could be as soon as December 20th, December 23rd,” Wojnarowski said, noting that the Warriors have home games on those dates. Christmas Day was previously identified as a potential target date.

“The plan for Klay Thompson is to continue to ramp up,” Woj continued. “The Warriors will go on a road trip in mid-December, and at that point, if Klay continues on this track, he’d go down and play with the Warriors’ G League team. And the idea is – and the hope is – they’ll have him back perhaps prior to Christmas.”

Thompson has missed two full seasons due to ACL and Achilles tears and the Warriors are off to an NBA-best 10-1 start in his absence, so there’s no pressure to rush him back before he’s 100%. On ESPN’s NBA today earlier this week, Brian Windhorst (video link) suggested Thompson’s getting close to that level.

“The whispers going on around the league right now about Klay Thompson, people are watching him, people are talking to people in the Warriors’ organization, and they say he looks good,” Windhorst said. “Now I’m not saying he’s coming back and he’s going to be (scoring) 40 points in his first quarter. But he looks good working out and there’s a real confidence that – especially by the end of the season – Klay’s going to be BACK back.”

Here’s more on the Warriors:

Draymond Green left Wednesday’s win over Minnesota in the third quarter due to a right thigh contusion, as Nick Friedell of ESPN writes. Head coach Steve Kerr called it a “pretty nasty” contusion and said Green would be questionable to play on Friday, but added that Green’s knee didn’t appear to be affected at all. “When he came off the floor he said it was a bad thigh, muscle bruise,” Kerr said. “Like he just got kneed in the thigh, but it was close to the knee. But I have no reason to believe it has anything to do with a joint contusion from what I understand.”
Andrew Wiggins said on Wednesday that the Timberwolves have turned over their roster so much since his time in Minnesota that it’s “basically like facing a whole new team” when he faces his former club, per Rusty Simmons of The San Francisco Chronicle. Wiggins also remains appreciative of the trade that sent him to Golden State. “Something had to be done, just the way everything was going,” he said. “The way things were, we knew changes were coming eventually. I feel like it worked out for both teams.”
Kerr provided a minor update on James Wiseman on Wednesday, hinting that the second-year center could begin scrimmaging next week with Santa Cruz, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic (video link). Wiseman continues to make his way back from knee surgery.

Pelicans’ David Griffin Reportedly On Hot Seat

November 11th, 2021 at 8:20am CST by Luke Adams

There has been more and more chatter around the NBA in recent weeks about David Griffin‘s job security, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, who says that Griffin’s hold on his position as Pelicans executive VP of basketball operations appears increasingly tenuous.

The Pelicans came into the season with playoff aspirations, but have lost eight consecutive games and own a league-worst 1-11 record. The team has been without Zion Williamson so far, and Griffin has faced criticism for making misleading comments on Media Day about when the former No. 1 pick would be ready to return from his offseason foot surgery.

When Griffin took the reins in New Orleans in 2019, the Pelicans were in position to draft Williamson and cash in on trades involving stars Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday, giving them a massive leg up in the rebuilding process.

Although Griffin did well to stock up on draft picks in the Davis and Holiday blockbusters, he has made a handful of other questionable moves, including extending Steven Adams and then dumping him a year later before the extension even took effect. Additionally, besides Williamson, Griffin’s first-round picks in 2019 and 2020 – Jaxson Hayes, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Kira Lewis – have yet to make a major impact at the NBA level.

According to Fischer, another recent incident raised eyebrows around the league. A NOLA.com report in September claimed that Griffin blamed the Pelicans’ poor start in 2019/20 on former head coach Alvin Gentry, telling one person, “I give Alvin all the answers to the test, and he still fails.” After Sacramento beat the Pelicans in New Orleans on October 29, Griffin approached Gentry – now a Kings assistant – to say hello, but Gentry viewed Griffin’s friendliness as inauthentic, per Fischer.

During that interaction, Fischer says, Griffin denied multiple details from that NOLA.com report, while Gentry pointed out that the Pelicans had essentially the same record under Stan Van Gundy (31-41) in 2020/21 as they did under Gentry in ’19/20. “You must not have given Stan the answers to the test, either,” Gentry shouted at Griffin, per Fischer’s sources, who say the two men had to be separated.

Meanwhile, Willie Green, the third coach of Griffin’s tenure with the Pelicans, expressed frustration following the club’s loss to Oklahoma City on Wednesday night, as Andrew Lopez of ESPN details. Four New Orleans players combined for five technical fouls in the game, prompting Green to call out his players after the game for complaining about foul calls they “haven’t earned.” The first-year head coach also wasn’t happy with his players’ compete level.

“It’s not the losing streak. It’s not one quarter. It’s our approach to this game,” Green said. “There were moments in the game where we just didn’t have guys who didn’t compete hard enough for me. Hard enough for our team. That’s a non-negotiable for me. That’s the deal. That’s who we are. As the leader of this team, I can’t have that. I can’t have guys on the floor if they aren’t going to give 110%.”

Getting Williamson and Brandon Ingram (hip) back on the court will go a long way toward making the Pelicans competitive again, but the club’s early-season slump is creating an increasingly difficult path to playoff contention. If New Orleans doesn’t bounce back in a major way, significant changes could be coming, and the head coach is unlikely to be the fall guy for a third straight year — that means Griffin finds himself firmly on the hot seat.

Woj: John Wall May Sit Out Entire Season

November 10th, 2021 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

John Wall isn’t expected to play for the Rockets this season and it doesn’t appear any teams are willing to gamble on his contract, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on tonight’s “NBA Countdown” (hat tip to Doric Sam of Bleacher Report).

“There are no plans for John Wall to play for the Rockets, and it’s becoming increasingly likely that John Wall may not play anywhere in the NBA this season because the cost of his contract right now is just too prohibitive,” Wojnarowski said.

The 31-year-old point guard is owed nearly $91.7MM over the next two seasons, which breaks down to a $44,310,840 salary this year with a $47,366,760 player option for 2022/23. Wojnarowski suggested that the only way for Wall to engineer a trade to another team would be to turn down that option in advance.

“Any team that would potentially trade for him would want him to decline that option,” Woj said. “Well, he’s not doing that, he’s not giving that money back.”

Wall reached an agreement with the Rockets in September that he would sit out games while the team explored trade possibilities. Since that time, he has served as a de facto assistant coach, working with the team’s young players but with no intent to actually see any playing time.

Houston acquired Wall before the start of last season, sending Russell Westbrook to the Wizards and picking up a lottery-protected first-round pick in 2023. Wall was able to revive his career somewhat after missing a year and a half because of injuries. He appeared in 40 games for the Rockets and averaged 20.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists per night.

It appears a buyout is the only way for Wall to join another team, but the amount of money he would have to give up may be too high for that to be realistic.

Knicks Notes: Fournier, Robinson, Gibson, Chemistry

November 10th, 2021 at 8:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

The signing of Evan Fournier has added another dimension to the Knicks‘ offense, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post. Fournier made a statement with 32 points in his first game with his new team, and although he hasn’t duplicated that, he has put up consistent numbers, averaging 14.9 PPG and shooting 37.5% from three-point range.

Fournier was barely mentioned as a target for New York when free agency began, Braziller notes, as the team was rumored to have more interest in Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan. They both wound up in Chicago, so the Knicks lured Fournier away from Boston on a four-year, $73MM deal.

“I just like his playmaking, I like the shooting,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “One of the things when you go back, we had to close the gap in the 3-point shooting. That was a big thing for us. Two years ago, we were so far behind in that. I think that he and Kemba (Walker) have added the right shot profile to what we’re trying to get accomplished. We still have room to grow in that area. Understanding how we get to those shots is important.”

There’s more from New York:

Mitchell Robinson is reminding people how valuable he can be when he’s on the court, notes Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post. The Knicks’ disappointing first-round playoff exit last season came without Robinson, who was sidelined with a broken foot. The team believes it has an effective center combination with Robinson and Nerlens Noel, as long as both can stay healthy. “When they play together, I think we’re a handful to deal with,” Thibodeau said.
While Robinson and Noel have both battled injuries, Taj Gibson has been the team’s most reliable center, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Gibson said cutting sugar from his diet has helped him remain productive at age 36. “No candy. No candy,” he said. “Me and Derrick (Rose) were talking about all the good candy we used to eat back in the day. I can’t eat that stuff anymore because so much inflammation it leads to after a game. Playing real physical, playing against talented big men the way we’ve been playing, I just been taking care of my body.”
The Knicks are still working to develop team chemistry after bringing in a new starting backcourt, observes Peter Botte of The New York Post. “It’s only going to get better,” Walker said. “We’re still trying to figure each other out. But yeah, as long as we keep communicating, which we are, me and (Julius Randle), us as a team, we’ll continue to grow. That’s what it’s about.”

Pacific Notes: Bagley, Davis, Warriors, R. Jackson

November 10th, 2021 at 7:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kings coach Luke Walton refused to comment on speculation that Marvin Bagley III refused to check into Monday’s game against the Suns, tweets Sean Cunningham of KXTV in Sacramento. Cunningham posted a video clip of Bagley walking away from coaches and shaking his head during a timeout. Cunningham was told by multiple sources that Bagley turned down Walton when he was told to enter the game.

“Anything that happens within our group, that’s between our group,” Walton responded when reporters asked him about the incident. “So the thing that matters is people know what’s expected and we continue to move forward tonight” (Twitter link from Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee).

Bagley has repeatedly expressed frustration about his situation with the Kings, as have his agent and his father. He has only played once in the team’s first 11 games.

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Anthony Davis is determined to prove that he can lead the Lakers with LeBron James sidelined, per Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Davis overcame a lingering stomach illness Monday night to push L.A. to an overtime victory against the Hornets. “(Carmelo Anthony) is in my ear a lot about leading the team and just controlling the team, especially with (James) out,” Davis said. “We don’t have all our guys yet, so guys are playing a lot of minutes now, but it’s my job to make sure I stay in command of the team.”
Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers didn’t make a splashy trade during the offseason, but all his smaller pick-ups have worked out, observes Kendra Andrews of NBC Sports Bay Area. Myers filled the roster with Andre Iguodala, Nemanja Bjelica and Otto Porter Jr., all of whom have contributed to the team’s league-best 9-1 start.
Defense was among the many topics that Clippers guard Reggie Jackson wanted to talk about after Tuesday’s win over the Trail Blazers, writes Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register. He said everyone has bought into the scheme, enabling L.A. to rank in the top three in team defense despite playing without Kawhi Leonard. “(Ivica Zubac) and myself and a few of us have actually been joking about (Luke Kennard’s) willingness to play defense, honestly,” Jackson said. “He’s been such a threat on offense and now the way that he’s locking in on defense and giving his best effort, he understands what we’re trying to get accomplished, he understands where help’s coming from, where he needs to be at in help and it’s just getting contagious. Like, this is fun. It’s fun figuring it out.”

Cavaliers Notes: Sexton, Windler, Okoro, Allen

November 10th, 2021 at 6:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

Coach J.B. Bickerstaff will explore his options as the Cavaliers try to survive without starting guard Collin Sexton, writes Kelsey Russo of The Athletic. Sexton was diagnosed Monday with a torn meniscus in his left knee, and the Cavs are still determining the best way to deal with the injury and how much time he might miss. Cleveland is one of the NBA’s surprise teams with a 7-4 start, and Sexton has been the top scorer at 16.0 points per game.

Bickerstaff doesn’t have a similar scoring threat at shooting guard, where Sexton has started all 11 games, so playing time might depend on nightly matchups. He said everyone will need to “tick up a couple of notches” until Sexton returns.

“So those guys that are stepping in and their minutes are going to increase, they’ve got to find ways to help,” Bickerstaff said. “Whether they create shots for other people, whether it’s the shots for them, on the defensive end of the floor, they take those challenges. So it’s going to be everybody that’s got to contribute a little bit more. The guys that are taking those minutes and then the guys who are playing as well. They’re going to have to find a way to help us more as well.”

There’s more from Cleveland:

Sexton’s absence could result in more minutes for Dylan Windler, who is fully healthy after injuries limited him to 31 games in his first two seasons, Russo adds. Windler is playing just 9.9 minutes per night, but he’s shooting 50% from three-point range. “I think he’s finding his way,” Bickerstaff said. “And the only way that happens in the league is by playing. You have to believe and have the confidence, but you’ve got to get the experience of being on the floor and playing against other NBA players and playing with your teammates so that they know where you’re going to be and what spots you like and all those things. So, the more and more he plays, the more comfortable he’ll get.”
The Cavs are welcoming back swingman Isaac Okoro, who is returning tonight after missing seven games with a strained left hamstring, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Okoro will be on an undetermined minutes restriction, Fedor adds.
Center Jarrett Allen, the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, is quickly building chemistry with new frontcourt partners Lauri Markkanen and Evan Mobley, writes Katie Heindl of Uproxx.

Heat Notes: Morris, Haslem, Strus, Herro

November 10th, 2021 at 5:15pm CST by Arthur Hill

With a couple of days to cool down following Monday’s incident in Denver, Heat players are hoping to put the skirmish behind them, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Nuggets center Nikola Jokic was suspended for one game for striking Markieff Morris in the back following a hard foul late in Monday’s contest. Morris was fined $50K for the initial hit, while teammate Jimmy Butler received a $30K fine for “attempting to escalate” the conflict.

Morris suffered whiplash and has been ruled out of tonight’s game against the Lakers, Chiang adds. He was at the team’s shootout this morning, but didn’t participate and left for a doctor’s appointment without speaking to reporters.

“Obviously in a situation like that, alpha males and reactions take over,” said team captain Udonis Haslem. “A couple of days later, we all want what’s best for everybody. I don’t think Jokic is a bad guy. I actually love him as a basketball player and I love him as a person. I think he’s a really good guy. I think emotions just got the best of everybody.”

There’s more on the Heat:

Max Strus will miss his fifth straight game tonight with a sprained left knee, Chiang adds. Strus was initially listed as probable, but woke up with pain in the knee today following a workout Tuesday. “He had a really good day of work yesterday,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He’s definitely making progress and I think he needs a little bit more time.”
Tonight will mark Miami’s first meeting with Kendrick Nunn since he signed with the Lakers in free agency, notes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. The Heat decided to rescind their qualifying offer to Nunn because of luxury tax concerns, but Spoelstra said he enjoyed the two years they spent together. “He surprised everybody in the league,” Spoelstra said. “He really contributed and helped us win at a high level. And he got better as a basketball player. And he developed a relationship with some that I know will continue. I’m a big fan of K-Nunn.”
The offseason addition of Kyle Lowry is one obvious reason for the Heat‘s 7-3 start, but Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer identifies a few more. One is the resurgence of Tyler Herro, who is back to being the dangerous offensive threat he was after the NBA’s restart in 2020. He’s averaging 20.3 PPG and has become a more efficient scorer in his third season.

Pacific Notes: Sarvers, LeBron, Lakers, Caruso, Kuminga

November 10th, 2021 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

After Baxter Holmes of ESPN published a report accusing Suns owner Robert Sarver of racist and misogynistic conduct, three former team employees received messages from Sarver’s wife, Penny Sarver, Holmes writes in a new ESPN story. She called one former Suns employee “a liar,” said another was “crushing my families’ lives,” and accused a third of being “very bitter,” as Holmes relays.

“Please put your hatred aside and realize the hurt you are causing by spreading lies and fabrications,” she wrote to the third former employee. “Is your time in the spotlight that important? If something happens to one of my children, I will hold you and (former Suns head coach) Earl Watson personally responsible. Think about your own child for a second and imagine the tables turned.”

Reached for comment, Penny Sarver said she wanted to “set the record straight and to share how disappointed and hurt I am by the lies that are circulating about my husband and the Suns organization.” However, one of the former employees contacted by Sarver told Holmes it was hard to interpret the message as anything “other than as a threat.”

Meanwhile, Alex Prewitt and Jon Wertheim of SI.com have obtained video of Robert Sarver telling sexually explicit jokes and anecdotes during a posthumous “roast” of former Suns minority owner Dick Heckmann, who passed away in October 2020. While explicit material is expected at such an event, some of Sarver’s comments may have crossed a line and are consistent with complaints from many of Holmes’ sources about the Suns owner’s penchant for inappropriate workplace humor.

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

In an appearance on ESPN (video link), Brian Windhorst said that LeBron James‘ abdominal strain is “not a severe injury” and won’t keep him out for an extended period. The Lakers star has been out since last Tuesday and the team hasn’t provided a timeline for his recovery or return.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report explores whether the Lakers made a mistake not re-signing Alex Caruso and what the cost of doing so would’ve been after accounting for tax penalties. While matching the Bulls’ four-year, $37MM deal for Caruso would’ve helped shore up L.A.’s backcourt defense and given the team a very movable contract, Pincus estimates that the Lakers’ overall 2021/22 payroll (salary and taxes) would’ve increased by about $33MM with that deal on the books.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said this week that No. 7 overall pick Jonathan Kuminga, who hasn’t seen much NBA action so far, will have to be patient and will benefit from getting G League reps with Santa Cruz. “He had a lot of guys who were drafted right before or right after who are all playing a lot,” Kerr said, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “So it’s not easy for him, but he understands he’s on a very good team and he’s got to pay his dues and learn from the guys and there’s a lot to be said for that route in terms of development. I think he understands that and he’s working really hard.”

Western Notes: Blazers, Ainge, Lillard, Landale, Gay

November 10th, 2021 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s too early to say whether the Trail Blazers‘ investigation into Neil Olshey‘s conduct will lead the franchise to make any major changes at the top of the front office. However, Howard Beck of SI.com said on the latest episode of The Crossover NBA Show that he wouldn’t be surprised if Danny Ainge‘s name is connected to the president of basketball operations role in Portland if the team looks to replace Olshey (hat tip to RealGM).

“I don’t know if Danny would take it, but I would expect Danny Ainge would be in the mix for a vacancy in Portland,” Beck said, admitting that he was putting the horse before the cart. “It’s one of the cities he’s been connected to over the years because of his history there.”

Ainge, who spent a couple seasons with the Blazers as a player, was also born and raised in Oregon, which is the “history” Beck is referring to. Ainge has shifted into a consultant role in Boston after stepping down as the Celtics’ head of basketball operations this summer.

Let’s round up a few more notes from around the Western Conference…

The NBA has acknowledged that its referees are still working to find the right balance between instituting the league’s new philosophy on foul calling and continuing to allow freedom of movement. Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard believes there’s still plenty of work to do, as Kurt Helin of NBC Sports relays. “I feel like the way the game is being officiated is unacceptable,” Lillard said on Tuesday night. “I don’t want to go too deep into it so they make a big deal out of it, but the explanations, the s–t that’s getting missed, I mean, come on. I felt like coming in, the rule change wouldn’t affect me, because I don’t do the trick the referees, the trick plays… (but) it’s just unacceptable.”
Spurs big man Jock Landale has been placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News, who says it’s unclear whether or not Landale tested positive for COVID-19. The rookie is the second Spur to enter the protocols, joining fellow center Jakob Poeltl.
Rudy Gay, who signed with the Jazz in the offseason, is inching closer to making his debut for the team, writes Sarah Todd of The Deseret News. The team said on Tuesday that Gay has been taking part in “controlled court work,” and Todd says he’s begun participating in 3-on-3 action. Utah will provide another update on the veteran forward on Monday.

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