Month: November 2024

Lakers Rumors: Nurse, Davis, LeBron, Westbrook, Carmelo

April 11th, 2022 at 11:39am CST by Luke Adams

Once the Lakers officially dismiss head coach Frank Vogel, Raptors head coach Nick Nurse is expected to be one of the team’s top targets, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic. The Lakers are hoping that Nurse is an option, according to Charania, who acknowledges that it’s unclear whether Nurse “will be attainable or whether he would have interest.”

In order to even talk to Nurse, the Lakers would have to get permission from the Raptors, since the former Coach of the Year remains under contract in Toronto for two more years. Nurse would then have to be interested in leaving a stable, well-run organization for one that was mired in dysfunction this season. And the Lakers would likely have to be willing to give up substantial draft compensation to acquire Nurse from the Raptors.

Given all of those obstacles, I’d be shocked if Nurse emerged as a realistic candidate for the Lakers’ job, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. As one Eastern Conference executive observed to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com, Nurse is represented by Andy Miller at Klutch Sports, the same agency that reps LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

“I would expect the Lakers to at least ask about Nick Nurse,” the executive told Deveney. “… He got the big contract with the Raptors and he is secure there. They’re not going to let him go. But it makes him look better and Klutch look better if they are asking for him, right? So yeah, I would not be surprised to see the Lakers ask about him but more as a favor to Klutch. Maybe they won’t because he is so far out of reach. But, you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours, that is how things work.”

Here’s more on the Lakers:

Anthony Davis said on Sunday that he still believes a roster built around him and LeBron James can contend for a title moving forward, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes. “I think us two can. We’ve shown that we can,” Davis said.
While James and Davis are widely expected to remain in Los Angeles going forward, Russell Westbrook‘s future is cloudier. According to Charania, rival executives believe the Pacers will be open to discussing trades involving Malcolm Brogdon and Buddy Hield and could emerge as a Westbrook suitor, which is something Marc Stein suggested over the weekend. While Brogdon and Hield would be good fits on the Lakers’ roster, L.A. would likely have to attach sweeteners to Westbrook to realistically make any deal with Indiana.
James told reporters today that an MRI on his left ankle showed that he won’t require surgery or any injections, but he’ll have to stay off of it for the next four-to-six weeks (Twitter link via Mark Medina of NBA.com). LeBron also said that he and the Lakers could have extension discussions later this offseason once CBA rules allow for it (Twitter link via McMenamin). James will become extension-eligible in August.
Asked about potential roster moves and the possibility of playing with Westbrook next season, James said he’ll defer to the front office. “I’m not here to make decisions for the front office and that nature,” he said (Twitter links). “But I loved being teammates with Russ.”
Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com spoke to multiple league sources about the Lakers’ disappointing season and the perception that head coach Frank Vogel was being undermined. “On a regular basis, (Kurt) Rambis would get on Vogel in front of staff and players — in practices, in the hallway where everybody can see it. He wasn’t taking it behind closed doors and laying it out,” one source said. “And what position does Rambis have? What’s his title? His title is friend of Jeanie Buss. Trust me, Frank Vogel would have been happy to have been fired from that mess.”
Addressing Vogel’s firing, Bill Oram of The Athletic contends that the way the news leaked – before the team formally informed Vogel – should be a warning sign for potential replacements.
Asked about his priorities in free agency this offseason, Carmelo Anthony said he’d like to win a championship, but also wants to be somewhere he’ll be happy. “If I gotta be unhappy to try to go fight and win a championship, I don’t want that. I don’t want that unhappiness,” he said, per McMenamin (Twitter link). “… I think at this point in my carer, it’s about just being happy and being able to wake up and come to work every day with a good attitude. Being positive.”

Poll: Tuesday’s NBA Play-In Games

April 11th, 2022 at 10:56am CST by Luke Adams

A year ago, the NBA scheduled its first two Eastern Conference play-in games for the Tuesday after the regular season ended, with both the Western Conference games taking place on the Wednesday.

The league has tweaked that schedule this time around — Tuesday’s slate of games will feature one from each conference, with the Nos. 7 and 8 teams all in action. The Nos. 9 and 10 teams in both conferences will play on Wednesday.

That means we’ll know by the end of the night on Tuesday which two teams will claim the No. 7 playoff seeds, securing first-round matchups against the Celtics in the East and the Grizzlies in the West.

The Nets are eight-point favorites over the Cavaliers in the first of Tuesday’s play-in games, according to BetOnline.ag, and for good reason. The game will be played in Brooklyn, where Kyrie Irving is now eligible to play despite not having received a COVID-19 vaccine. And after a strong start to the season, Cleveland didn’t play well down the stretch, posting a 9-16 record since the All-Star break.

Injuries will also be a factor in this game. Irving and Kevin Durant are both healthy, which is more than can be said about the Cavs’ All-Stars. While Darius Garland is good to go, center Jarrett Allen continues to battle a fractured finger and there’s pessimism he’ll be available on Tuesday. Ben Simmons and Joe Harris will be sidelined for Brooklyn, but the Nets have gotten used to playing without those guys — Harris hasn’t played since mid-November and Simmons has yet to make his Nets debut.

Over in the West, the Timberwolves will host the Clippers after finishing four games ahead of them during the regular season. Still, BetOnline.ag only lists Minnesota as a three-point favorite for the time being.

The Clippers are getting healthy at the right time, which is one reason why they’re viewed as a candidate to make a little noise in the postseason. Kawhi Leonard continues to recover from his ACL surgery, but Paul George has been back in the lineup since late March and Norman Powell returned last week.

Winning in Minnesota will be a tall order for L.A. though. The Wolves have been one of the NBA’s most dangerous teams since the new year, having gone 30-16 following a 16-20 start to the season. The trio of Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and D’Angelo Russell has been tough to stop on offense, while Patrick Beverley and Jarred Vanderbilt helped anchor an above-average defense.

We want to know what you think. Which teams will win Tuesday’s play-in games and become this season’s No. 7 seeds?

Vote in our poll below, then head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!

Nikola Jovic Declares For 2022 NBA Draft

April 11th, 2022 at 9:38am CST by Luke Adams

Serbian forward Nikola Jovic has declared for the 2022 NBA draft, agent Misko Raznatovic tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Jovic has already submitted the paperwork necessary to enter this year’s draft pool.

At just 18 years old, Jovic is a starter for Mega Mozzart in the Adriatic League, averaging 11.8 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 3.3 APG in 28 minutes per contest this season, per Givony. The 6’10” forward has also debuted for the Serbian national team after leading the country to a fourth-place finish in FIBA’s Under-19 World Cup in 2021.

Although Jovic will have until June 13 to potentially remove his name from the draft, he ranks 23rd overall on ESPN’s big board of 2022 prospects, making him a probable first-round pick, so it would be a surprise if he withdraws.

According to Givony, Jovic’s combination of size, ball-handling, passing, and shot-making has attracted the interest of NBA scouts, who have likened him to NBA players like Danilo Gallinari and Deni Avdija. Mike Schmitz also raves about Jovic’s offensive potential in his scouting report, though he notes that the youngster still has some work to do on the defensive end.

Timberwolves Sign Chris Finch To Multiyear Extension

April 11th, 2022 at 9:10am CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves have signed head coach Chris Finch to a multiyear contract extension, the team announced today in a press release. The assistants on Finch’s staff have also been extended.

Shams Charania and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link) first reported that Finch and his coaching staff were receiving multiyear extensions. According to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link), Finch signed a three-year deal with a fourth-year option.

A former assistant coach in Houston, Denver, New Orleans, and Toronto, Finch took the reins in Minnesota midway through the 2020/21 following Ryan Saunders‘ dismissal. He guided the Timberwolves – who got off to a 7-24 start – to a 16-25 finish last season, then helped take the club to another level in ’21/22.

Minnesota finished this season with a 46-36 record, good for seventh in the Western Conference. It’s the Wolves’ second-best record since 2004 and puts them in position to earn just their second playoff berth since then, assuming they can win a play-in game this week.

“Chris has done a tremendous job creating stability and consistency for this franchise and building a winning mentality,” the Timberwolves said in a statement attributed to their ownership group. “We look forward to supporting him throughout the years while he continues achieving the goals he and his staff have set out for the team.”

The Wolves are in the midst of an ownership transition, with Glen Taylor planning to hand majority control over to Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore in 2023. Finch’s extension – and the statement from team ownership – is a strong signal that he has the full support of Rodriguez and Lore in addition to Taylor.

Injury Notes: Allen, Doncic, Murray, LeBron, Barrett

April 11th, 2022 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen, who has been sidelined since March 6 due to a fractured finger, has shed his splint and has his injured finger wrapped with black tape, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. However, sources tell Fedor there’s still pessimism about Allen’s potential availability for Cleveland’s play-in game vs. Brooklyn on Tuesday.

One of Fedor’s sources said it’s “unrealistic” to expect Allen to play on Tuesday, while another said that Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff is preparing to be without his All-Star center.

“I can’t give you an exact timeline,” Bickerstaff said before Sunday’s regular season finale. “He’s doing more and more with that hand. It’s just a matter of time.

“It’s a structure thing first and foremost. You always want to make sure that it’s as healthy as it possibly can be. In his position, the banging that he does, on the rim, like blocking shots, all those things. Then it becomes pain tolerance. Then strengthening and his ability to use that finger. But he’s making steps. It’ll be one of those things where the day will come and he’ll be ready to go.”

If the Cavaliers can’t get by the Nets on Tuesday, they would face either Atlanta or Charlotte on Friday, with the No. 8 spot up for grabs. One source who believes Allen will miss Tuesday’s game thinks it’s “50-50” that he’d return on Friday, according to Fedor.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Mavericks star Luka Doncic will undergo an MRI on his strained left calf on Monday to determine the severity of the injury and a potential recovery timeline, tweets veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein.
Appearing on 104.3 The Fan in Denver, Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly said it’s “100%” up to Jamal Murray if he returns from his ACL injury this season. “We want him to feel no pressure, want him to know that the organization has his best interests in mind,” Connelly said (Twitter link via Mike Singer of The Denver Post). “… He’s done a great job in rehab, he looks really, really good.”
Lakers forward LeBron James underwent an MRI on his left ankle in Los Angeles this weekend and didn’t make the trip to Denver for the team’s regular season finale, Frank Vogel told reporters on Sunday (Twitter link via Dave McMenamin of ESPN). Presumably, the Lakers will be able to share more information on the results of that MRI at today’s exit interviews with the media.
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau confirmed that RJ Barrett avoided a worst-case scenario when he injured his right knee earlier this week and has been diagnosed with just a sprain. The team anticipates Barrett will be back to 100% for offseason workouts in about a month, says Marc Berman of The New York Post.

Checking In On NBA’s 2022 Lottery Standings, Projected Draft Order

April 11th, 2022 at 7:56am CST by Luke Adams

The 2021/22 NBA regular season is officially over, but the draft order for June 23 has not yet been set.

A handful of factors, including the play-in results, random tiebreakers, and – of course – the lottery results themselves will ultimately determine what the 60 picks in the 2021 NBA draft look like. But with the season in the books, there’s plenty we do know.

Let’s dive in and check in on a few key aspects of the lottery standings and projected draft order…

Tentative lottery standings/odds

So far, only 10 of the 14 teams involved in the draft lottery are known — the four teams eliminated in the play-in tournament will join them.

With the help of data from Tankathon and our own reverse standings, here’s a tentative breakdown at what the lottery odds would look like if the play-in favorites (the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds) advance through the tournament and secure playoff spots:

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14
HOU	14	13.4	12.7	12	47.9	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
ORL	14	13.4	12.7	12	27.8	20	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
DET	14	13.4	12.7	12	14.8	26	7	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
OKC	12.5	12.2	11.9	11.5	7.2	25.7	16.7	2.2	–	–	–	–	–	–
IND	10.5	10.5	10.6	10.5	2.2	19.6	26.7	8.7	0.6	–	–	–	–	–
POR	9	9.2	9.4	9.6	–	8.6	29.8	20.6	3.7	0.1	–	–	–	–
SAC	7.5	7.8	8.1	8.5	–	–	19.7	34.1	12.9	1.3	>0	–	–	–
LAL	6	6.3	6.7	7.2	–	–	–	34.5	32.1	6.7	0.4	>0	–	–
SAS*	4.5	4.8	5.2	5.7	–	–	–	–	50.7	25.9	3	0.1	>0	–
WAS	3	3.3	3.6	4	–	–	–	–	–	65.9	19	1.2	>0	>0
NOP*	2	2.2	2.4	2.8	–	–	–	–	–	–	77.6	12.6	0.4	>0
NYK	1.5	1.7	1.9	2.1	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	86.1	6.7	0.1
CHA*	0.8	0.9	1	1.1	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	92.9	3.3
ATL*	0.7	0.8	0.9	1	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	96.6

(* Asterisks denote play-in teams)

Because the Hornets and Hawks finished with matching 43-39 records, random tiebreakers will be completed to determine their exact lottery positioning, assuming neither one makes the playoffs. So their lottery odds, in italics, are just tentative so far. If the Hawks were to win the random tiebreaker, the two teams would be flipped in the chart above.

The different colors in the chart above reflect that those teams could (or will) lose their picks. The Lakers‘ first-round pick will be sent to the Pelicans if it lands in the top 10 (99.6%) or the Grizzlies if it falls outside the top 10.

The Pelicans‘ own pick is top-four protected and will go to the Trail Blazers if it falls any later in the lottery (90.6%). If New Orleans makes the playoffs, their first-rounder will go to the Hornets.

The play-in factor

The teams eliminated in this week’s play-in tournament will end up in the lottery, sorted by record (worst to best), while the teams that earn playoff spots won’t pick earlier than No. 15. Here are the eight play-in teams:

San Antonio Spurs (34-48)
New Orleans Pelicans (36-46)
Charlotte Hornets (43-39)
Atlanta Hawks (43-39)
Los Angeles Clippers (42-40)
Cleveland Cavaliers (44-38)
Brooklyn Nets (44-38)
Minnesota Timberwolves (46-36)

Based on their 46-36 record, the Timberwolves could end up with a pick as low as No. 19 in the first round of the draft (depending on tiebreaker results). However, if they lose two play-in games this week and don’t make the playoffs at all, they’d hold the No. 14 spot in the lottery instead.

The Hornets and Hawks finished with matching 43-39 records, while the Cavaliers and Nets were each 44-38, so if both teams in either of those pairs are eliminated in the play-in tournament, a tiebreaker will be required to determine their spots in the lottery standings.

If, for example, Brooklyn makes the playoffs and Cleveland doesn’t, no tiebreaker would be necessary, since the Cavs would be in the lottery and the Nets wouldn’t.

The tiebreakers

Many tiebreakers will be required to determine either lottery positioning or a team’s specific draft pick. Here are all the teams that finished with identical records, creating a situation where a random tiebreaker will (or may) be required:

Atlanta Hawks / Charlotte Hornets (43-39)
- Note: A tiebreaker would not be required if one team makes the playoffs and the other doesn’t.
Brooklyn Nets / Cleveland Cavaliers (44-38)
- Note: A tiebreaker would not be required if one team makes the playoffs and the other doesn’t.
- Note: The Nets’ pick will be sent to the Rockets; the Cavaliers’ pick will be sent to the Pacers if it lands outside of the top 14.
Chicago Bulls / Minnesota Timberwolves (46-36)
- Note: A tiebreaker would not be required if the Timberwolves don’t make the playoffs.
Denver Nuggets / Toronto Raptors (48-34)
- Note: The Raptors’ pick will be sent to the Spurs.
Boston Celtics / Milwaukee Bucks / Philadelphia 76ers (51-31)
- Note: The Celtics’ pick will be sent to the Spurs; the Sixers’ pick will be sent to the Nets (unless Brooklyn exercises its option to defer the pick until 2023).
Miami Heat / Golden State Warriors (53-29)

These tiebreakers will be conducted by the NBA next Monday (April 18).

The traded first-round picks

Here’s a breakdown of the traded first-round picks for the 2022 NBA draft:

Picks that will change hands:

Pelicans or Grizzlies acquiring Lakers‘ pick (unprotected).
- This pick will almost certainly end up in the top 10 (most likely at No. 8 or No. 9) and go to the Pelicans. There’s only a 0.4% chance it will land at No. 11 and No. 12 and be sent to Memphis instead.
Thunder acquiring Clippers‘ pick (unprotected).
- If the Clippers secure a playoff spot via the play-in tournament, this pick will be either No. 15 or No. 16. If the Clippers don’t make the playoffs, it will move into the lottery.
Rockets acquiring Nets‘ pick (unprotected).
- If the Nets secure a playoff spot via the play-in tournament, this pick will land in the 16-18 range. If the Nets don’t make the playoffs, it will move into the lottery.
Spurs acquiring Raptors‘ pick (top-14 protected).
- This pick will land at either No. 20 or No. 21, depending on the tiebreaker results.
Grizzlies acquiring Jazz‘s pick (top-six protected).
- This pick will be No. 22.
Spurs acquiring Celtics‘ pick (top-four protected).
- This pick will land somewhere in the 23-25 range, depending on the tiebreaker results.
Thunder acquiring Suns‘ pick (top-12 protected).
- This pick will be No. 30.

Picks that won’t change hands:

Thunder acquiring Pistons‘ pick (top-16 protected).
- This pick will be between 1-7, falling in its protected range. The Pistons will instead owe the Thunder their 2023 first-round pick (top-18 protected).
Hawks acquiring Thunder‘s pick (top-14 protected).
- This pick will be between 1-8, falling in its protected range. The Thunder will instead send their own 2024 and 2025 second-round picks to Atlanta and their obligation to the Hawks will be extinguished.
Bulls acquiring Trail Blazers‘ pick (top-14 protected).
- This pick will be between 1-10, falling in its protected range. The Trail Blazers will instead owe the Bulls their 2023 first-round pick (top-14 protected).
Hawks acquiring Hornets‘ pick (top-18 protected).
- Even if the Hornets earn a playoff spot via the play-in tournament, this pick will be between 15-18, falling in its protected range. The Hornets will instead owe the Hawks their 2023 first-round pick (top-16 protected).
Rockets acquiring Heat‘s pick (unprotected swap)
- The Rockets have the ability to swap their own pick or the Nets’ pick for the Heat’s pick, but the Heat’s pick will be the lowest of the bunch (either No. 27 or No. 28, depending on the tiebreaker results), so Miami will keep it and their obligation to the Rockets will be extinguished.

Picks that might change hands:

Trail Blazers or Hornets acquiring Pelicans‘ pick (various protections).
- If the Pelicans secure a playoff spot via the play-in tournament, their pick would be either No. 15 or No. 16 and would be sent to the Hornets. If the Pelicans miss the playoffs, they could still keep their pick if it moves into the top four in the lottery, but the odds of that wouldn’t be better than 13.9%. The Trail Blazers will receive it if it lands in the 5-14 range.
- If the Trail Blazers don’t receive this pick, the Pelicans would owe Portland the Bucks’ 2025 first-round pick.
- If the Hornets don’t receive this pick, the Pelicans will instead send their own 2022 and 2024 second-round picks to Charlotte and their obligation to the Hornets will be extinguished.
Pacers acquiring Cavaliers‘ pick (top-14 protected).
- The Cavaliers must secure a playoff spot via the play-in tournament in order for the Pacers to receive this pick. If Cleveland makes the playoffs, the pick will land somewhere in the 16-18 range.
Nets acquiring Sixers‘ pick (unprotected)
- This pick will land somewhere in the 23-25 range, depending on the tiebreaker results. The Nets will have the option to let the Sixers keep it and instead acquire Philadelphia’s unprotected 2023 first-round pick.

NBA’s Play-In Field, Top-Six Playoff Seeds Set

April 10th, 2022 at 11:09pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA wrapped up its 2021/22 regular season on Sunday, and the teams and seeds for this year’s play-in tournament have been set. Here are the play-in matchups:

Eastern Conference

Tuesday, April 12

Game 1: Cleveland Cavaliers (8) at Brooklyn Nets (7), 7:00pm ET
- Winner secures No. 7 seed; loser plays on Friday.

Wednesday, April 13

Game 2: Charlotte Hornets (10) at Atlanta Hawks (9), 7:00pm ET
- Winner plays on Friday; loser is eliminated.

Friday, April 15

Winner of Game 2 at Loser of Game 1, time TBD
- Winner secures No. 8 seed; loser is eliminated.

Western Conference

Tuesday, April 12

Game 1: Los Angeles Clippers (8) at Minnesota Timberwolves (7), 9:30pm ET
- Winner secures No. 7 seed; loser plays on Friday.

Wednesday, April 13

Game 2: San Antonio Spurs (10) at New Orleans Pelicans (9), 9:30pm ET
- Winner plays on Friday; loser is eliminated.

Friday, April 15

Winner of Game 2 at Loser of Game 1, time TBD
- Winner secures No. 8 seed; loser is eliminated.

Once the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds in each conference are set later this week, the eight first-round matchups will be finalized. Those first-round series will tip off on April 16 and 17.

Here are the top six seeds in each conference, along with the matchups that are locked in so far (and Game 1 info, per the NBA):

Eastern Conference

Miami Heat (1) vs. No. 8 seed (play-in) ^
Boston Celtics (2) vs. No. 7 seed (play-in) ^
Milwaukee Bucks (3) vs. Chicago Bulls (6) ^
Philadelphia 76ers (4) vs. Toronto Raptors (5) *

* Series begins on April 16.
^ Series begins on April 17.

Western Conference

Phoenix Suns (1) vs. No. 8 seed (play-in) ^
Memphis Grizzlies (2) vs. No. 7 seed (play-in) *
Golden State Warriors (3) vs. Denver Nuggets (6) *
Dallas Mavericks (4) vs. Utah Jazz (5) *

* Series begins on April 16.
^ Series begins on April 17.

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Pacific Notes: Green, Poole, Kings, Ranadive, Bridges

April 10th, 2022 at 9:46pm CST by JD Shaw

Warriors star Draymond Green wants to see Jordan Poole win the NBA’s Most Improved Player award this season, Kendra Andrews of ESPN.com writes. Poole has raised his numbers from last season, averaging 18.4 points (up from 12.0) and 4.0 assists (up from 1.9) per contest.

“The award is called the most improved. Not who had the best year. That’s the MVP,” Green said. “A lot of times we get it confused. No disrespect to Ja Morant, but Ja is an MVP candidate. Ja Morant isn’t the Most Improved Player. He was f—ing incredible last year. When you look around, the most improvement has been Jordan Poole and that goes without saying. He is the most improved.”

While Morant was already a borderline All-Star last season, he has raised his averages in 2021/22 as well: 27.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game on 49% shooting, up from 19.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 7.4 APG on 45% shooting. He’s currently considered the betting favorite for the award.

Here are some other notes from the Pacific Division:

Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee explores how Kings owner Vivek Ranadive has played a role in the franchise’s struggles. Anderson also cites a former team basketball operations employee who called the environment “toxic,” adding that “people don’t trust each other” and “are thirsty to get any advantage or any promotion they can.” Ranadive has been with the Kings since March of 2013. “People are not treated well,” the former employee continued. “They’re not valued. It’s a toxic workplace where there are some super-talented people who either move on or get let go for different reasons. It’s unfortunate because I think people come with really pure intentions and want to turn it around.”
Anthony Slater of The Athletic examines what’s next for the Kings after missing the postseason for an NBA-record 16th straight time. Sacramento finished with the fourth-worst record in the Western Conference this season (29-52), trading away former No. 12 pick Tyrese Haliburton for Domantas Sabonis in February.
Suns wing Mikal Bridges recently made his case for why he should be Defensive Player of the Year in an interview with Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, explaining why he believes big men win the award too often. “I would never discredit anybody, and obviously bigs have been winning that award for a while and they do a hell of a job, but the amount of times a big has won over a guard is just crazy,” Bridges said as part of a larger quote. “I think people take it for granted how tough it is to guard the top perimeter players in this league and not be able to really touch them because they’re going to get the foul call.”

And-Ones: Holman, Crawford, Messina, Terry, Tanking Standouts

April 10th, 2022 at 8:16pm CST by JD Shaw

Free agents Aric Holman and Jordan Crawford have signed in Puerto Rico with Gigantes de Carolina, the club announced on social media (Facebook links). The duo joins a team that already features former NBA players Tremont Waters and Thomas Robinson.

Holman, a 6’9″ big man, played 38 games with the Spurs’ G League affiliate this season. He averaged 11.6 points and 6.2 rebounds in 24.5 minutes per game, shooting 38% from the floor. He also signed a 10-day contract with the Heat back in December.

Crawford, a 6’5″ guard, has played 281 NBA games with five teams. He spent time with the Nets’ G League affiliate this season, averaging 14.4 points on 37% shooting from the floor. He was also the No. 27 pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.

Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Ettore Messina has agreed to a two-year contract extension with Olimpia Milano in Italy, according to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport (hat tip Sportando). Messina, the head coach of Milano, spent five years coaching under Gregg Popovich with the Spurs from 2014-19. He was named the EuroLeague Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2008.
Free agent big man Emanuel Terry has agreed to a deal in France with Orleans Loiret Basket, the team announced on social media (Twitter link). Terry spent this season in the G League with Sacramento’s affiliate, averaging 13.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
John Hollinger of The Athletic examines some of the players from the NBA’s “tanking” teams who have looked good down the stretch, including Wizards big man Kristaps Porzingis, Rockets guard Jalen Green and Knicks forward Obi Toppin.

Atlantic Notes: Durant, Nash, Barrett, Siakam, Knicks

April 10th, 2022 at 6:48pm CST by JD Shaw

Nets superstar Kevin Durant praised head coach Steve Nash for the job he’s been doing in his second season, as Chris Milholen of NetsDaily relays. Nash, hired in 2020, has pushed through a tumultuous season, which has included Durant missing time due to injury, Kyrie Irving‘s part-time availability and James Harden‘s trade request.

“I think he’s done a great job. The last two years, he’s been dealt a wild hand: injuries, trades, disgruntled players, guys in and out of the lineup, and stuff that he can’t control,” said Durant, his “disgruntled” player comment apparently referring to James Harden. “I felt like he’s handled it the best as he could.”

Nash spent 18 seasons in the league as a player, retiring in 2014. That career included eight All-Star appearances, though the former MVP never served as an assistant coach after retirement. Still, Brooklyn owns the seventh-best record in the East (44-38) and won four straight games to end the season.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division tonight:

Knicks swingman RJ Barrett suffered a knee injury against the Wizards on Thursday, but Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (Twitter link) hears it isn’t serious. New York ruled Barrett out for its finale on Sunday, calling it a right knee sprain. The 21-year-old raised his scoring average from 17.6 to 20.0 points per game this season, but his shooting numbers slipped from last year (44% to 41% from the field and 40% to 34% from deep).
Michael Grange of Sportsnet examines how Raptors star Pascal Siakam reclaimed his place among the NBA’s elite players. Siakam finished the regular season, the best of his professional career, averaging 22.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. The 28-year-old also shot 49.4% from the floor and 34.4% from three-point range, leading Toronto to the fifth-best record in the East.
Marc Berman of the New York Post explores the potential futures for each player on the Knicks, terming the roster as “broken.” New York failed to make the play-in tournament after a successful season last year, finishing the campaign on a disappointing note.

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