The Cavaliers are promoting assistant Greg Buckner to an associate head coach position, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter). As Wojnarowski notes, Buckner played a key role in helping Cleveland become a strong defensive team last season.
Buckner spent 11 years in the NBA as a player from 1998-2009. He joined the Rockets as a player development coach in 2011, then became an assistant with the Grizzlies in 2017. The Cavaliers hired him in 2020.
Cleveland finished with a 44-38 record this season, dealing with several injuries throughout the year. The team lost in the play-in tournament and failed to make the playoffs for the fourth year in a row.
There’s more from the Eastern Conference tonight:
- Celtics center Robert Williams III tweaked his knee and asked to come out of Game 4 on Friday, head coach Ime Udoka said, as relayed by Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). However, Williams is hopeful to play in Game 5. The shot-blocking big man has dealt with knee soreness for several weeks. Williams said he feels better and is relieved to have more of his usual explosion lately, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston tweets.
- The Sixers‘ recent handling of a third star hasn’t been good, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. If Philadelphia pursues a trade for another star, Pompey believes the team must make sure he’s the right fit. As it stands, the Sixers are headlined by James Harden and Joel Embiid, but the team also has two quality players in Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris behind them. That quartet alone combined to score 86.3 points per game last season.
- James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required) examines whether Malcolm Brogdon has played his last game with Indiana. Brogdon played a career-low 36 games this past season with the Pacers, who could explore his value on the trade market during the offseason. He averaged 19.1 points per contest on 45% shooting last year.
With Doc Rivers and Harden, 76ers won’t beat Celtics and Bucks and win the East next year
Heat have Pat Riley, better than any GM in the East
Give Harden a reasonable contract then trade him
Clearly Harden has past his prime
Masai, (technically not the GM) is the best exec in the east.
Two first round picks available for trade
Nets
Heat
Celtics
Celtics have traded away 2022 and 2028 Firsts to Spurs
Bucks and 76ers have no future Firsts for trade
To be fair to Pompey, he used a lot of “they say”s when discussing third-star theories for Sixers. He is not so sure himself, believing more in fit.
They need a 3 and D wing. Thybulle ain’t it. And they need a 6th man. Niang, Shake, Furkan, Joe and Reed aren’t it. Since they are unlikely to guarantee Green to use in a trade they’ll have the full MLE. Need someone like Otto Porter, TJ Warren if healthy, Derrick Jones. Or fill that role via trade and bring in a guard like Oladipo or Schroder to be that 6th man.
None of those guys are going anywhere, except maybe Schroeder.
Sixers couldn’t get it done with Embiid and Simmons, with Butler either and it’s definitely not happening now with Harden either. It’s not about talent or a third superstar, it’s about fit and team chemistry.
@Puto
If it was Harden of 2 years ago it absolutely would’ve been a fit, no question. A pg that can score at all 3 levels and be a willing passer to the big he’s never had who can dominate offensively the way Embiid can but Capella never could. It would’ve been a beautiful inside out game. A good wing scorer in Tobias. Add another outside sniper and that’s another fit. At least offensively.
@KnicksFan yeah but this is 2022 Harden, and it’s just not working.