Year: 2024

Southeast Notes: Knight, Lowry, Ball, Heat

October 24th, 2021 at 5:27pm CST by JD Shaw

Veteran NBA guard Brandon Knight was selected by the Heat‘s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, with the No. 4 pick in the G League draft on Saturday. Knight is hoping to make a comeback, as the 29-year-old last appeared in a game in March of 2020.

“I think it’s great. We’ve been a fan of his for a long time,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel (Twitter links). “I’ve just enjoyed my conversations with him, just talking hoops, talking about trying to get back in the league. And then the last six weeks or so, it shifted to this possibility.”

Knight most recently played Summer League with the Nets. He holds eight years of NBA experience, making past stops with the Pistons, Bucks, Suns, Rockets and Cavaliers during his career.

There’s more from the Southeast Division tonight:

Speaking of the Heat, Miami doesn’t have a Plan B at point guard without Kyle Lowry, Winderman writes for the Sun Sentinel. Lowry missed Saturday’s contest against the Pacers with a sprained ankle, giving Gabe Vincent the opportunity to start. Vincent struggled, recording just three points (1-for-3 shooting), three assists and three turnovers in nearly 25 minutes. Spoelstra has also used Tyler Herro at point guard when Lowry sits.
LaMelo Ball‘s jump shot looks improved this season, Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer writes. Ball shot 8-of-12 from deep during the Hornets‘ first two games, though the 20-year-old made just 1-of-6 threes in the club’s win on Sunday.
Ira Winderman examines a number of Heat-related notes for The Sun Sentinel, including a prominent voice joining Pat Riley in labeling the team as a contender. Miami has started the season 1-1 and will host the Magic on Tuesday.

Chris Finch Talks Gupta, Wolves Offense, Vanderbilt, Defense

October 24th, 2021 at 4:30pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch recently sat down for an extensive interview with Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. Finch and Hine engaged in some nitty-gritty conversations pertaining to the team’s plans for development on both sides of the ball, Finch’s relationship with new team president Sachin Gupta, and how power forward Jarred Vanderbilt is an under-appreciated contributor.

Under Finch, Minnesota sports a competent record of 18-25. They are currently 2-0 this year. Team stars Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, and D’Angelo Russell have exhibited encouraging chemistry together during this early portion of the 2021/22 NBA season.

The Timberwolves boast a 93.1 defensive rating thus far, good for the second-best in the league. Their 104.8 offensive pace ranks fifth in the NBA.

The full conversation is well worth a read, but here are some highlights from the chat:

On his time developing a relationship with Gupta with the Rockets, where Finch was an assistant coach and Gupta was a front office advisor:

“I remember the first project that (Sachin) and I ever did together. We were studying corner threes and I was looking for places on the floor where the passes came to generate the best corner threes. Some of it made sense just looking at the game, but he mapped it out. He gridified the half court and had all different color zones about the best way to create open corner threes from where you were passing on the floor.”

On how he hopes to re-tool the Timberwolves’ offensive possessions:

“I think probably develop a little bit more of a complete package for Anthony. So he’s kind of not like going through the game looking for opportunities. Maybe direct the ball more to him. Opportunities to post D’Angelo for his playmaking down there. Then continue to experiment with (Towns). Just move him around and continue to play him more like a guard as well as a big. When you have a guy like that, it’s a lot of fun.”

On how the recently re-signed Vanderbilt helps the team win, per analytics research:

“Multiple possessions guy (with offensive rebounding). So anyone who gets you multiple possessions is worth it. If you think about the average possession in the NBA, it’s worth like 1.1 points or whatever, let’s say. If you get three more possessions than your opponent, that’s about 3.5 points more. So it’s just basketball mathematics in that way. That’s one. Two is his defense, versatility on defense. So when he’s on the floor with multitude of defensive lineups, they are generally plus defensive ratings. Then, his rebounding too. He’s not only getting you extra rebounds offensively, but he’s helping a place where you’re already weak defensively. With that, it’s probably not as strong as the other two for sure. And a lot of the defensive stuff is his ability to be successful in pick and roll as a switch defender.”

On how he intends to improve the club’s defense:

“Transition, eliminate our fouling or reduce it, and rebounding. If you look at those three play types, from an offensive point of view, they’re the three most efficient play type starts. Teams that score in transition score at a higher rate. Free throws are big and then offensive rebounds. So even if we got back and we’re not a great half-court defense, but we make them play in the half court more, we’re going to win that small battle, even if they’re making shots against us. They’re not going to make shots at the rate they do in transition.”

Texas Notes: Wood, Theis, Forbes, Johnson

October 24th, 2021 at 3:32pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Rockets big man Christian Wood has used a perceived Team USA Olympic selection slight and a positional switch from center to power forward as fuel for his own development, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

“(The move to power forward from center) allows me to show what I can do, and it allows the floor to be open, and I can create for other guys and I can create for myself,” said Wood, who connected on 37.4% of his 5.0 three point looks per night during the 2020/21 season. “I wanted to be one of the best bigs in this league, and I have to go out every night and show that.”

“There’s been big-time growth, there’s been big-time maturity, there’s been a lot,” head coach Stephen Silas raved following a 31-point, 14-rebound, three-block performance from Wood in a 124-91 victory over the Thunder on Friday. “I think another part of it is the fact that this is the first time he’s been on the same team for two consecutive years. And you see the growth from year to year, you see the trust that goes back and forth between he and I, the trust that goes back and forth between him and his teammates who know him and know what he can do.”

There’s more out of the Lone Star State:

Newly-acquired Rockets center Daniel Theis hopes to stick around Houston to watch the club’s exciting young core develop, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “I want to help them grow and get better on court, off court,” Theis said. “I have a good relationship with Jalen (Green). He listens a lot on the court, off the court he’s going to learn a lot. The same with Scoot (Kevin Porter Jr.)… Just help them to grow and get better.” The 6’8″ Theis is starting at center after signing a four-year, $36MM contract with Houston in a sign-and-trade with the Bulls over the summer. The addition of Theis has allowed for the 6’10” Wood to move to the power forward position.
On Saturday night, Spurs shooting guard Bryn Forbes reunited with his last club, the Bucks, with whom he won the NBA title this summer. Ahead of the game, he expressed his eagerness to collect his championship ring, per Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. “I’m excited to have that in my possession and hold it,” Forbes said. “It’s an accomplishment you dream of your whole life.”
Young Spurs small forward Keldon Johnson appears to be developing nicely during this early portion of his third NBA season, writes Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. The 22-year-old Johnson, selected with the No. 29 pick out of Kentucky in 2019, set a career high for points in a half with 18 against the Nuggets Friday, finishing with 27 for the game. “I just keep pressure on the rim,” Johnson said. “That’s what I do.” In recent comments, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich offered a frank appraisal of Johnson’s strengths — and weaknesses. “When he catches and makes quick decisions — shoots it or passes it — that works best for him,” Popovich said. “When he’s just dribbling and trying to beat somebody, that doesn’t work out very well.”

Central Notes: Cunningham, Green, Pacers, Mobley

October 24th, 2021 at 1:14pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham is set to miss Detroit’s entire early-season road trip due to a lingering ankle injury, but could be ready to make his NBA debut on October 30 against the Magic, per Rod Beard of The Detroit News. Cunningham, 20, is apparently still dealing with some soreness.

“Last week, we made the decision to make sure we bring him back gradually, where he’d get some time with the G League team (the Motor City Cruise), practice with them, and get some reps with them,” head coach Dwane Casey said of the top draft pick out of Oklahoma State. “The medical people are holding back — and rightfully so… You don’t want to rush him back if it’s not 100%. That’s the one thing that they want to make sure of, that it was 100%, because there were certain movements he had that were still sore.”

There’s more out of the Central Division:

Reserve forward Javonte Green has already endeared himself to the Bulls faithful since coming over to Chicago at the 2021 trade deadline, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Tribune. “(Green is) one of the biggest energy guys we have,’’ Bulls starting point guard Lonzo Ball said. “Not only running the lane but playing defense. He can guard a lot of different positions, and he uses his hands very well… We definitely feed off of that when he comes into the game.’’
Pacers guard Jeremy Lamb and forward Oshae Brissett are proving their mettle as galvanizing scorers off the bench so far this season, according to Akeem Glaspie of The Indianapolis Star. “A lot of the time the starters are not gonna be able to have it completely going and be able to make shots,” starting point guard Malcolm Brogdon said. “But as long as we defend and the second team comes in and gives us some energy and a spark off the bench offensively, we’re gonna be fine.” Indiana is currently 1-2 in this young season.
Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff and his assistants have been showing film of some NBA legends to rookie big man Evan Mobley, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Mobley, the third pick in the 2021 draft out of USC, was utilized much like Hall of Fame big man Kevin Garnett on defense during a 101-95 Cleveland win over the Hawks. He has also watched game tape of future Hall of Fame power forward/center Dirk Nowitzki, as well as current All-Star bigs Anthony Davis and Giannis Antetokounmpo. “He’s asking me to emulate them but knows I’m still my own player,” Mobley said about Bickerstaff’s strategy. “I try to play my game, take bits and pieces from them, but still be myself and play how I play.” Mobley, already the Cavaliers’ starting power forward, is averaging 15.7 PPG, 8.3 APG, 2.3 BPG and 1.3 APG through three games. Cleveland is 1-2 in those contests.

Southeast Notes: Fournier, Reddish, Ross, Kuzma

October 24th, 2021 at 11:57am CST by Arthur Hill

After spending six-and-a-half years in Orlando, Knicks guard Evan Fournier knew he was on the way out last season when he heard the Magic sent Nikola Vucevic to Chicago, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Orlando purged most of its veteran talent at the trade deadline as the team committed fully to rebuilding. Within a few hours, the Magic finalized deals involving Vucevic, Fournier and Aaron Gordon.

“Once they pulled the plug with Vuc — because Vuc got traded first to Chicago — I remember it was the one year where I felt, OK, this might happen for real now,’’ Fournier said. ‘When I saw Vuc, I was with my wife at home like, ‘Yeah, honey, we out,’ because obviously you trade Vuc. Then it was myself, then it was Gordon.’’

Fournier, who was dealt to the Celtics before signing with New York over the summer, is glad to be in different surroundings as he prepares to face his former team for the second straight game. With a roster full of young players, the Magic may be looking at several years before they return to the playoffs.

“That’s a rebuild, so a rebuild takes time,’’ Fournier said. “It is definitely gonna take them time to figure it out. It’s not my problem anymore.’’

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Rival teams view Hawks forward Cam Reddish as a strong trade candidate, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Atlanta made Reddish available at the March deadline and again heading into the draft, but couldn’t find the right deal, Scotto states. One executive told Scotto that teams would be willing to offer a protected lottery pick for Reddish.
Executives around the league expect the Magic to eventually trade Terrence Ross to a playoff team, Scotto adds in the same piece. Orlando was seeking a first-round pick in exchange for the veteran swingman last season, but teams may not be willing to meet that price. “He’ll be moved,” an unidentified executive said. “They were trying to move him at the draft. They wanted to put him in a place where he could win. I think he’s worth a couple of second-round picks.”
Kyle Kuzma, who was part of the Wizards‘ return for sending Russell Westbrook to the Lakers, believes the deal has made Washington a better team, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. “I mean, you gotta do that trade 10 out of 10 times,” Kuzma said. “If you have an opportunity to get five good basketball players for one, it makes sense. Granted, (Westbrook is) obviously a Hall-of-Fame player and everything. He’s an unbelievable player, don’t take that wrong. But especially for a team like Washington, if you look at the track record from the past couple of years, it hasn’t necessarily been enough ballplayers here. … It’s smart, you have to do it if you’re a GM.”

2021 NBA Offseason In Review: Minnesota Timberwolves

October 24th, 2021 at 10:41am CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2021 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s offseason moves and look ahead to what the 2021/22 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Free agent signings:

Note: Exhibit 9 and 10 deals aren’t included here.

Jarred Vanderbilt: Three years, $13.12MM. Includes incentives. Third year partially guaranteed. Re-signed as restricted free agent using Bird rights.
Jordan McLaughlin: Three years, $6.48MM. Includes incentives. Third year non-guaranteed. Re-signed as restricted free agent using Early Bird rights.
Nathan Knight: Two-way contract.
McKinley Wright: Two-way contract.

Trades:

Acquired Taurean Prince, the Wizards’ 2022 second-round pick, and cash ($2.5MM) from the Cavaliers in exchange for Ricky Rubio.
Acquired Patrick Beverley from the Grizzlies in exchange for Jarrett Culver and Juan Hernangomez.

Draft picks:

None

Draft-and-stash signings:

Leandro Bolmaro (No. 23 pick; 2020 draft)
- Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $11,805,395).

Contract extensions:

None

Departing players:

Jarrett Culver
Ed Davis
Juan Hernangomez
Ricky Rubio

Other offseason news:

Fired president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas; promoted Sachin Gupta to head of basketball operations.
Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore approved as part-owners; the Wolves’ succession plan calls for them to take over as majority owners in 2023.
Hired Elston Turner, Micah Nori, and Joe Boylan as assistant coaches; lost assistant coaches David Vanterpool, Bryan Gates, and Joseph Blair.

Salary cap situation:

Remained over the cap and below the tax line.
Carrying approximately $135.8MM in salary.
Full non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($9,536,000) and bi-annual exception ($3,732,000) still available.
- Note: The Timberwolves wouldn’t be able to fully use both exceptions, since doing so would hard-cap the team at $143MM.
One traded player exception ($4.75MM) available.

The Timberwolves’ offseason:

Through mid-August, few NBA teams had experienced a quieter offseason than the Timberwolves. They entered the offseason with no draft picks and no cap space, limiting their ability to make meaningful roster upgrades.

The trade market was the Wolves’ best bet for a shakeup, but two weeks into free agency, the club’s activity had been limited to one deal: sending Ricky Rubio to Cleveland in exchange for Taurean Prince, a future second-round pick, and some cash.

The benefits of the move were three-fold — while both players are on expiring deals in 2021/22, Prince makes less money than Rubio, freeing up a little extra room below the tax line for the Wolves. The team also picked up a couple extra assets in the swap (the draft pick and cash) while addressing, to some extent, its major hole at the forward position. Prince isn’t a difference-maker, but he’s capable of taking on a rotation role and playing either the three and four. Minnesota was in short supply of that type of player last season.

Still, it’s not as if Rubio was someone the Wolves necessarily wanted to salary-dump. The Spaniard had a real impact on rookie Anthony Edwards last season, and the team’s point guard depth chart looked a little thin without Rubio on it — especially since D’Angelo Russell was coming off an injury-plagued season in which he was limited to 42 games.

So, with virtually all the top free agents off the market, the Wolves once again turned to the trade market a couple weeks into the new league year, sending Juan Hernangomez and Jarrett Culver to Memphis in exchange for veteran guard Patrick Beverley.

The Wolves’ relationship with Hernangomez became strained over the summer when the organization held him back from participating in the Olympics due to a shoulder injury, so it made sense to move on from him. Trading Culver was a tougher pill to swallow. Gersson Rosas‘ first major move when he took over as the head of basketball operations in Minnesota in 2019 was to trade up from No. 11 to No. 6 in order to nab Culver. However, the former Texas Tech standout made little impact at the NBA level in his first two seasons, prompting the Wolves to admit defeat on that pick.

Beverley isn’t the passing maestro that Rubio is, but he’s a better shooter, and the Wolves hope he can play a somewhat similar role, bringing toughness and veteran leadership to a team that needs it. He’ll be Russell’s backup, but he’s capable of playing alongside him too, handling the tougher defensive assignments in order to allow D-Lo to focus more on his offensive game.

The Wolves filled out their depth chart in September by re-signing a pair of restricted free agents, Jarred Vanderbilt and Jordan McLaughlin, to multiyear contracts. Vanderbilt was one of the few forwards the team could rely on in 2020/21 and should continue to play a regular role going forward.

The team’s acquisition of Beverley suggests the front office wasn’t comfortable with the idea of having McLaughlin as its primary backup at the point. But he has provided steady production in limited minutes over the last two seasons and looks a lot better as the third option behind Russell and Beverley.

Minnesota also made up for its lack of a first-round pick this year by signing 2020 first-rounder Leandro Bolmaro after stashing him in Spain for a year. It’s not the most satisfying consolation prize, since Bolmaro probably isn’t ready for regular NBA minutes and the team surely would’ve rather had the No. 7 pick it had to send to Golden State as part of last year’s Russell trade. But it’s better than nothing.

Just as it seemed like the Wolves were wrapping up a fairly quiet, uneventful offseason, the team shocked the basketball world by firing Rosas and replacing him with top lieutenant Sachin Gupta.

The timing of the move – which happened just days before training camp – raised eyebrows around the league, and while team ownership insisted it was performance-related, it’s safe to assume the extramarital relationship Rosas was reportedly having with a team staffer resulted in the team expediting his dismissal. While current owner Glen Taylor announced the decision, the incoming ownership group – which won’t take full control until 2023 – certainly would’ve been involved in those discussions too.

Rosas’ fingerprints all over the current roster, which he overhauled upon taking the reins in 2019. Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Okogie are the only players from the previous regime still with the current group, and Rosas mortgaged major draft capital in the trade for Russell. He may no longer be a part of Minnesota’s front office, but the way this year’s squad performs will be a reflection on Rosas’ team-building ability, for better or worse.

The Timberwolves’ season:

The Timberwolves won 19 games in 2019/20 and 23 in 2020/21. On paper, with so few changes to this year’s roster, there’s little reason to expect much improvement on those numbers.

But some better injury luck would go a long way toward allowing Minnesota to at least compete for a play-in spot. Good friends Towns and Russell have barely played together since D-Lo was acquired at the 2020 trade deadline, and Malik Beasley missed about half the team’s games last season due to injuries and a suspension.

Availability wasn’t a problem for Edwards, the one Minnesota player who appeared in all 72 games in ’20/21, but the club can still expect more from him in his sophomore season, as he appeared to be taking the first steps toward stardom in the second half of his rookie year.

The Wolves are probably a power forward away from becoming a legit playoff team (they’re one of the few clubs that would be a great fit for Ben Simmons, and they have interest). But there’s enough talent here to avoid another bottom-three finish in the West, and if things break right, a play-in spot could be in play.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.

Northwest Notes: Billups, Powell, Edwards, SGA

October 24th, 2021 at 9:16am CST by Arthur Hill

Chauncey Billups has been emphasizing defense and ball movement since he was hired as the Trail Blazers‘ head coach in June, and that combination was on display in a win over Phoenix Saturday night, writes Jason Quick of The Athletic. Billups inherited a team that reached the playoffs eight straight years under Terry Stotts, but has lost in the first round in four of the past five seasons. He is determined to take the Blazers to a new level, and he said that starts with breaking bad habits.

“I could have taken this job and just kept everything the same and said ‘All right, let’s be a little bit better defensively.’ But they (the players) want more. I want more,” Billups said after his first career coaching victory. “You can’t keep everything the same and expect different results. So, I could have done that. ‘We are going to run everything y’all used to run.’ Great offense, boom, bam. Well, there’s a ceiling on that, in my opinion. Not only in my opinion, we’ve seen it play out.”

The players seem to welcome the new approach, even though it’s delivered with a hard edge. Damian Lillard, who has been the subject of trade speculation, has said that talking to Billups made him more open to staying with the organization. Jusuf Nurkic was so inspired after hearing Billups’ introductory press conference that he flew from Bosnia to Portland to meet his new coach.

“He’s very detailed,” Nassir Little said. “And not just Chauncey, all the coaches. They are very detailed in what they are saying. They don’t let anything slide through the cracks as they are teaching. The way they break things down, from close-outs to footwork, to who goes where on rotations, it’s all so detailed.”

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

The Trail Blazers believe Norman Powell avoided a serious injury to his left knee Saturday night, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Powell left the game in the second quarter, but the results from initial tests are encouraging, Wojnarowski adds (Twitter link). Powell will undergo an MRI, according to Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian.
Veteran guard Patrick Beverley has been impressed by the willingness to accept instruction he sees from his new Timberwolves teammate Anthony Edwards, per Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. “A lot of young guys, especially No. 1 picks — that’s no discredit of course to anybody — guys think they’ve got it figured out already …” Beverley said. “He’s always wide-eyed, bushy tailed and eager to learn. He’s like a sponge. He soaks up everything.”
Injuries limited Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to 35 games last season and he’s still adjusting to being back on a full-time schedule, notes Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman. “I think it only makes it harder the longer you go without playing,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “With that being said, it’s no excuse. Guys in the NBA do it all the time. I just gotta figure it out.”

Pacific Notes: Ayton, Kuminga, Dowtin, Bagley

October 23rd, 2021 at 9:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Suns didn’t work out a rookie-scale extension with Deandre Ayton before Monday’s deadline, but that doesn’t mean the center is on the trading block, writes Sean Deveney of Heavy. Phoenix wasn’t willing to offer Ayton a maximum deal over five years, but the team isn’t looking to make major changes after reaching the NBA Finals last season.

“That is definitely not the case yet,” a rival general manager told Deveney. “The Suns still have a lot of the leverage in this. But if they really don’t think the situation is going to change, then yeah, they’d have to consider maybe making a move sooner than later.”

The Suns can make Ayton a restricted free agent next summer by submitting a qualifying offer, which would give them the opportunity to match any offer he receives. However, no team will be able to give him the contract he wanted from Phoenix, which would have covered five years at an estimated $172MM+.

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Rookie forward Jonathan Kuminga is making “good progress” with a strained right patellar tendon and will be re-evaluated on Friday, the Warriors announced (via Twitter). Kuminga suffered the injury in an October 6 preseason game.
Jeff Dowtin modeled his game by watching Stephen Curry, so he’s thrilled to be on the same team as his favorite player, per Connor Letourneau of The San Francisco Chronicle. The Warriors claimed Dowtin off waivers Monday and put him into one of their two-way slots. “Honestly, I haven’t wrapped my mind around the fact that we’re teammates,” Dowtin said. “Right now, I’m just kind of focused on playing basketball.” Dowtin has already talked to Damion Lee and Juan Toscano-Anderson, who both earned regular roster spots after starting as two-way players, to get advice on how to follow that same path.
After sitting out the season opener, Kings forward Marvin Bagley III saw 10 minutes of action Friday night, notes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Bagley, whose agent criticized the team this week for keeping Bagley out of its rotation, was pressed into service because Maurice Harkless missed the game with soreness in his left hip. “We’re here to win games,” coach Luke Walton said. “So, Moe goes down, next man up, and Marvin, I thought, he’s had a good week of practice. He stayed ready and I thought he went in there and did some nice things for us tonight.”

New York Notes: Uptempo Knicks, Quickley, Irving, Nash

October 23rd, 2021 at 7:42pm CST by Arthur Hill

The defensive-minded Knicks that were a surprise No. 4 seed in the East last season have been transformed, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Coach Tom Thibodeau’s team has a combined 259 points in its first two games and leads the NBA with 41 made three-pointers.

Thibodeau urged his players to commit to the three-point shot over the offseason, but some of the Knicks’ transformation has occurred out of necessity. The team is short-handed in the middle with Nerlens Noel dealing with a hamstring issue and Taj Gibson on paternity leave, so Thibodeau will have to decide whether to continue the new approach once they return.

“What we’re seeing in the NBA today is the premium that’s put on shooting,’’ he said. “Oftentimes, there’s at least four 3-point shooters on the floor. Now we’re seeing that there’s five. One of the things why I think we’re effective when Julius (Randle) is at the five and Obi (Toppin) is at the four is because the floor is opened up and now we have driving gaps where we can get to the basket. The great value in our team is the versatility.’’

There’s more from New York:

Immanuel Quickley understands that he needs to keep his offensive game sharp to stay in the Knicks‘ rotation, per Steve Popper of Newsday. Quickley got an opportunity as a rookie because New York needed scoring punch, but after signing Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier and drafting two guards, the team has a lot more options for backcourt scoring.
The Nets are “clearly sitting tight” in regard to a Kyrie Irving trade, a Western Conference executive tells basketball writer Jordan Schultz (Twitter link). Schultz doesn’t expect a deal for Irving to happen until much later in the season, if at all.
Nets coach Steve Nash is tinkering with lineups as the team gets used to playing without Irving, according to Tim Bontemps and Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Brooklyn is already dealing with a revamped roster that features 10 players who weren’t with the team at the end of last season. “It is not just the new pieces, it’s the void that we are used to playing with,” Nash said. “It is a lot for us to take on at this moment in time. But hopefully in the weeks coming, we start to clear some of the debris so to speak and figure out how we can best play together.”

Sixers Notes: Roberts, Simmons, Morey, Embiid

October 23rd, 2021 at 6:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

NBPA executive director Michele Roberts is defending Ben Simmons against accusations that he might be claiming psychological issues as an excuse to avoid playing, writes Liz Roscher of Yahoo Sports. Simmons told his Sixers teammates and coach Doc Rivers on Friday that’s he’s not mentally ready to start playing for the team again. That prompted skeptics to question Simmons’ motives since he claimed a medical issue with back tightness earlier this week.

Roberts threw her support behind Simmons and blasted Philadelphia president of basketball operations Daryl Morey for suggesting that it could take a long time to find an acceptable trade, possibly even the four years that Simmons has left on his contract.

“Really? Is it so hard to believe that Ben’s not mentally at a place to compete? Professional athletes — like the rest of us — have difficult periods in our lives that require time and energy to heal,” Roberts said. “We have and will continue to provide Ben with the support and resources he needs to work through this. Threatening the prospect of ‘another four years’ serves no one’s interests. Like Tobias (Harris), I say let’s respect Ben’s space and embrace him while allowing him the time to move forward. So, take a breath and count to 10: We are all too good to continue to play this perpetual game of chicken.”

There’s more from Philadelphia:

Morey has called around the league in an effort to work out a trade for Simmons, but he hasn’t contacted the Nets to inquire about Kyrie Irving, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said Friday on “NBA Countdown” (video link). Woj adds that Brooklyn GM Sean Marks has accepted calls about Irving, but he hasn’t reached out to other teams about the star guard, who is inactive because of vaccination issues.
At a team meeting on Friday, Joel Embiid asked Simmons why he wants to be traded, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Simmons responded that he isn’t feeling like himself mentally and needs some time away from the team. Harris and other team leaders expressed support for Simmons, sources tell Charania.
Soreness in his right knee is already an issue for Embiid, per Tim Bontemps and Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Embiid was having trouble moving on Friday after a collision in the season opener, but he intends to continue playing if the pain doesn’t get worse. “I mean, after last game, that was a pretty good hit by the big fella, but we’ll see how it feels tomorrow, but I’m not planning on sitting,” he said. “I want to keep playing as long as there’s not any big damage on it.”

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