Dallas Mavericks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Mavs GM Harrison On Irving Trade, Kidd, More

March 30th, 2023 at 12:45pm CST by Rory Maher

Mavericks president of basketball operations and general manager Nico Harrison sat down for an interview with Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News prior to Wednesday’s loss in Philadelphia.

We have provided a few highlights below, but it’s worth checking out in full for any Mavs fans.

On why the team has struggled after trading for Kyrie Irving last month:

“When we made the trade, we expected those two guys — Kyrie and Luka (Doncic) — to jell by now, so that’s definitely below expectations. I’m not even saying they haven’t jelled, but the team — they haven’t had enough minutes together to jell. Kyrie was out, Luka was out, one played, the other played, so we’re behind where we wanted to be.

“But those two work. Like, two guys at that level work. Then it’s how these guys around them — how do they fit in and play off them? That’s the tougher thing. You’ve got all this analytical data to say these lineups work, but guess what? Since the trade, we haven’t had consistent players out there, so it’s tough to say, like, absolute which lineups work because it’s very little minutes that they’ve all played together because it’s been change after change after change.”

On whether there’s enough time to evaluate the team as it sits outside of the play-in tournament with only five games remaining:

“Everybody knows we’re fighting to get into this playoffs. I just think every game we’ve got to continue to make strides. Even if players aren’t healthy, we don’t have any choice. We have to go. That’s why I say we have high-character guys. Nobody’s feeling sorry for themselves. They’re positive guys, and they’re hard-working guys. They’re high-character guys, so we’ll figure it out. Hopefully we figure it out sooner or later. The clock’s on us.”

On how players have responded to head coach Jason Kidd since the trade:

“I think Jason’s done a great job, starting with the top, making sure Luka and Kyrie are communicating and on the same page, which he’s done well. I think it’s tough for a coach every day. A lot of times you guys think we’re being cute when you’re like ‘Hey, are they playing today?’ And we’re like ‘Yeah, we don’t know yet.’ You’re like ‘Yeah, they know,’ but we’re looking at each other like, ‘Hey, what do you think?’

“If you’re Jason, how do you game plan when you don’t know who’s available? I think he’s been put in a tough position. I think what Jason’s done really well is he’s really dug into being positive with all the uncertainty. It’s easy to start pointing fingers. He’s really dug into being positive, and I think that’s super helpful. I think the guys can feel the positive energy and again, I think he’s been in a tough position.

“Honestly, we weren’t playing good before the trade, so the trade was never going to be a magic pill all of a sudden, but we did expect those guys to play more games together to figure each other out. Again, I’m not really worried about those two figuring each other out. It’s the players around them.”

Mavs Notes: Doncic, Tanking, Disaster Season, League Standing

March 27th, 2023 at 11:09pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The escalating in-game complaints of Mavericks All-Star guard Luka Doncic have grown so distracting that even he has acknowledged he needs to get them under control, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.

Townsend wonders if Doncic will actually adjust his whining to referees at some point, a potentially essential tweak to a game that otherwise is one of the most exciting in the NBA.

Doncic was recently assessed what would have been his 16th technical foul this season in a Sunday defeat against the Hornets. A 16th tech would have warranted an automatic suspension, but the NBA intervened and rescinded the call.

Doncic’s complaints certainly have not helped his team win many games of late. Dallas has struggled since offloading two starters, Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith, for one injury-prone All-Star in Kyrie Irving. The Mavericks own a 9-13 record with Irving on the team, though injuries to both of the team’s All-Star guards have limited their availability during that stretch.

There’s more out of Dallas:

The 37-39 Mavericks have fallen from being a top-four seed in the West to the conference’s current No. 11 seed. Dallas owes a top-10-protected 2023 lottery pick to the Knicks. Tanking to preserve the selection might be the savviest move at this juncture, contends Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.
The Mavs’ miserable second half is shedding light on major underlying issues in Dallas, posits Tim Cato of The Athletic. Beyond the personal problems Doncic recently alluded to, the team is sorely missing the three-guard attack and consistent defensive buy-in that helped it reach the Western Conference Finals last season.
Two blowout losses to an injury-depleted, rebuilding Hornets club have officially made the Mavericks the NBA’s biggest disappointment this year, writes Marc Stein in a new Substack piece.

NBA Rescinds Luka Doncic’s 16th Technical Foul

March 27th, 2023 at 12:31pm CST by Rory Maher

The NBA has rescinded Luka Doncic‘s 16th technical foul and he will not be suspended for Monday’s game at Indiana, the league announced (via Twitter). The Mavericks‘ star guard was originally issued the technical in the third quarter of Sunday’s loss at Charlotte.

After the game, crew chief Kevin Scott said the officials made the right call in assessing a technical on Doncic because he used profane language, per Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News.

“Doncic was assessed a technical foul for his use of profanity directed at the officials in protest to a no-call that was correctly judged in postgame video review,” Scott said.

Apparently the NBA disagreed with Scott’s assessment.

Players are automatically suspended for one game without pay once they reach 16 technical fouls unless they are later rescinded, as is the case with Doncic. It would have been his first suspension, according to Caplan.

It remains to be seen whether Doncic will actually suit up for Monday’s game even though he won’t be suspended. It’s the second of a back-to-back, and he has only played in one out of five back-to-back sets this season. He also missed five games earlier this month with a left thigh strain, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he sat out, despite Dallas’ precarious spot in the standings.

The Mavs have lost seven of their past nine games — including four straight — to drop to 36-39, the No. 11 seed in the West. Losing two straight to the Hornets was particularly disappointing, as Charlotte has the fourth-worst record in the league and had multiple starters out with injuries in both games.

Doncic, who was fined $35K last week for “directing an inappropriate and unprofessional gesture” toward a referee, recently talked about his heightened level of frustration, not just with the team’s poor play, but due to personal issues as well.

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Anunoby, Knicks Draft, Brunson

March 27th, 2023 at 8:28am CST by Dana Gauruder

Joel Embiid is listed as questionable as the Sixers square off against the Nuggets on Monday in a battle of MVP candidates. Embiid said that if he plays, he won’t be focused on his individual matchup with Nikola Jokic, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes.

“These types of matchups, whether it’s against (Giannis Antetokounmpo) whether it’s against him, it’s cool and all,” Embiid said, “but at the end of the day, it’s always about Milwaukee against Philly or Denver against Philly. (Individual matchups) is not where the focus should be. The focus is on making sure everything is running right for later on (during the playoffs).”

If he does play, Embiid says he’ll need a night off soon to rest his sore calf, Pompey tweets.

“I’ve been playing a lot of minutes, I’ve been playing every single game.” Embiid said. “So to add to that, dealing with the calf and whatever the foot, I think at some point you gotta look at the bigger picture, which is the playoffs, obviously.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

OG Anunoby was a prominent trade candidate before February’s deadline but the Raptors were glad to have him on Sunday. He poured in 29 points in a pivotal victory over the Wizards, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star writes. “I think that almost all the time he catches and shoots, it’s a good shot — even if he’s pretty covered, especially in the corner,” coach Nick Nurse said. “He’s a really high-percentage, high-contest corner three shooter. He had a couple of mid-rangers off the catch, too — which, again, I like. He was feeling it, obviously. I think when guys are feeling it, you want them to get to wherever they can get to and let it go, so I think that’s what was going on (Sunday).”
The Knicks could benefit from the Mavericks’ misery, Jared Schwartz of the New York Post notes. Dallas owes New York a first-round pick, though it’s top-10 protected. Dallas is currently 11th in the Western Conference after losing its last four games. The first-rounder also has protections for 2024 and 2025, and if it does not convey within those three years, the Knicks would receive a second-round pick.
Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson practiced on Sunday and is listed as questionable to play Monday against Houston after missing Thursday’s game against Orlando due to a sprained right wrist, according to Dan Martin of the New York Post. Coach Tom Thibodeau said Brunson “did everything in practice” on Sunday and the team will reevaluate him before the game.

And-Ones: Ollie, Postseason Awards, Briscoe, Abu Dhabi

March 26th, 2023 at 10:10pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Longtime NBA guard and former Connecticut coach Kevin Ollie is leaving his position as head coach of the Overtime Elite development team, Adam Zagoria tweets.

Ollie has been the Elite’s coach for two seasons. He issued a statement which read in part, “With OTE having a strong foundation in place, now is the right time to step away from my position. I’m looking forward to focusing on myself, my family and the next chapter in my career. I feel very confident that those standards will be sustained for years to come as they continue to build.”

We have more from around the basketball world:

Some of the bigger postseason awards are still in doubt, John Hollinger of The Athletic opines. While Nikola Jokic was considered the strong frontrunner for the Most Valuable Player award, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid are now very much in the running for the honor. The same goes for the Rookie of the Year race. Paolo Banchero seemingly had it wrapped up but Walker Kessler and Jalen Williams have made a big impact on their teams despite playing far fewer minutes than Banchero.
Former NBA agent Charles Briscoe, who represented Dwight Howard among his clients, is among four men charged with schemes to defraud four professional basketball players of more than $13MM, the U.S. Department of Justice announced (story via Mike Vorkunov and other members of The Athletic staff). Briscoe is no longer certified by the Players Association and has not represented clients since last year. He is also being sued in Delaware state court for allegedly making false representations to secure funding for his startup sports agency.
The Mavericks are now scheduled to play two exhibition games in Abu Dhabi against the Timberwolves early next season, one more than initially reported, Marc Stein writes in a Substack article. It’s part of a growing NBA presence in Abu Dhabi. USA Basketball recently confirmed that it plans to train and play in Abu Dhabi, with a full complement of NBA players, prior to this summer’s FIBA World Cup in Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines.

Luka Doncic Facing One-Game Suspension On Monday

March 26th, 2023 at 5:33pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mavericks star Luka Doncic received his 16th technical foul of the season on Sunday, Tim MacMahon of ESPN tweets. Unless it’s rescinded by the league, Doncic will have to serve a one-game suspension for excessive technicals.

Doncic was T’d up after complaining about a no-call during the third quarter of Dallas’ 110-104 loss at Charlotte. The Mavericks play against Indiana on Monday night.

After the game, crew chief Kevin Scott said the officials made the right call in assessing a technical foul on Doncic because he used profane language, Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News reports.

“Doncic was assessed a technical foul for his use of profanity directed at the officials in protest to a no-call that was correctly judged in postgame video review,” Scott said.

Kyrie Irving and coach Jason Kidd hope the technical is rescinded. “I don’t want to get fined for saying that, but I just don’t think it was warranted,” Irving said.

Doncic did not address the media after the game.

If the technical is upheld, Doncic would face an additional one-game suspension if he collects two more technicals before the regular season ends.

Doncic expressed his frustration on Friday over the way the team’s season has played out. He was fined $35K on Wednesday for “directing an inappropriate and unprofessional gesture” toward a referee during the closing seconds of the team’s loss to Golden State on Wednesday.

The Mavs are currently 11th in the Western Conference and saddled with a four-game losing streak.

Southwest Notes: McCollum, Kyrie, Sochan, Porter

March 26th, 2023 at 10:03am CST by Luke Adams

In his latest diary entry for Andscape, Pelicans guard CJ McCollum discussed a handful of topics, including injured teammates Zion Williamson and Jose Alvarado and his expectations for the home stretch of the season. Perhaps most notably, he confirmed that his own right thumb injury will require surgery during the offseason.

“I knew the final outcome would probably be surgery, and I was notified that that’s what it’s going to have to be,” McCollum wrote. “It’s my shooting hand, so you’re always a little nervous. So, I’ve just been checking in with a hand specialist out of New York and just making sure things are progressing and continue to get images every couple weeks to track the progress as to what type of surgery I may need, what’s the process going to look like and I’m comfortable with what I’ve been hearing so far, so I’ll be all right.”

McCollum acknowledged that it hasn’t been ideal playing through the thumb injury, which has “affected how I dribble, shoot, pass, (and) absorb passes.” However, he said that shutting it down for the season has never been an option he seriously considered, since he believes he can still be effective.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Dallas is just 7-12 since Kyrie Irving made his Mavericks debut and has slipped out of the top 10 in the West, but Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link) has heard only positive things about the guard’s professionalism and locker room presence since last month’s trade. Blaming Irving for Luka Doncic‘s recent frustration wouldn’t be “fair or accurate,” MacMahon adds.
A nagging right knee injury will sideline Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan on Sunday for the seventh time in his last 11 games. However, the rookie has downplayed the issue as “nothing serious” and head coach Gregg Popovich said the team “probably” won’t shut down Sochan for the season, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). It sounds like there’s no concern that the knee problem will turn into a major injury, and the Spurs want to give Sochan all the reps they can before his first NBA season ends.
Despite the way in which his time in Cleveland ended, Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. still values the time he spent with the Cavaliers and said he’s looking forward to playing in Cleveland on Sunday, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). “I would say that’s the first time I learned about the business of the NBA,” Porter said of the trade that sent him to Houston following a locker-room incident with the Cavs. “But we’re all still close, still. Those relationships are still there and very valuable to me, and (to) the other side, too. Definitely, a lot of people would say it was bad, a bad (ending). It was (for) the best for both of us.”

Mavs Notes: Slump, Doncic, Brunson, Protest

March 25th, 2023 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

Dallas’ recent slide down the standings went from bad to worse on Friday night as the Mavericks dropped a game to the lowly Hornets and were met with loud boos from their home fans in the third quarter when they fell behind by 18 points, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

Most of the Mavericks’ recent losses have come with at least one of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving unavailable, but both stars played on Friday as the club fell out of the top 10 in the Western Conference. The 36-38 Mavs now hold the No. 11 spot, putting them at least temporarily out of the play-in picture in the West.

According to ESPN, Dallas entered the game as a 16-point favorite, which made the eight-point Hornets victory the biggest upset of the NBA season so far. Head coach Jason Kidd described his team’s effort as “dog s–t” and said the Mavs probably should have been booed in the first quarter rather than the third, per MacMahon.

“The interest level wasn’t high,” Kidd said. “It was just disappointing.”

Here’s more on the struggling Mavs:

Doncic said after Friday’s game that he’s as frustrated now as he has been at any point since entering the NBA, MacMahon relays. “I think you can see it with me on the court,” Doncic said. “Sometimes I don’t feel it’s me. I’m just being out there. I used to have really fun, smiling on court, but it’s just been so frustrating for a lot of reasons, not just basketball.” Asked to clarify his “not just basketball” comment, the All-NBA guard cited issues in his personal life, MacMahon adds.
In an interview with Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson expressed some regrets about the way his final year in Dallas played out, noting that he expected to be a Maverick for a long time and wishes things “would’ve happened differently.”
According to Haynes, Brunson would have been willing to sign the same four-year, $55.6MM extension that Dorian Finney-Smith got from Dallas if the team had offered it prior to the 2021/22 season instead of waiting until after the 2022 trade deadline. “There were two times that I thought we had offers on the table before the season, and then around, I think December or January, they looked the other way,” Brunson said. “They had every right in the world to do so. I don’t blame them for making any business decisions. That’s on them.”
The Mavericks officially submitted the paperwork and paid the $10K fee to formally protest Wednesday’s loss to the Warriors, tweets Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up (YouTube video link), Brian Windhorst explained why the Mavs shouldn’t count on the protest being successful.

Luka Doncic Fined $35K By NBA

March 24th, 2023 at 1:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks star Luka Doncic has been hit with a $35K fine for “directing an inappropriate and unprofessional gesture” toward a referee during the closing seconds of the team’s loss to Golden State on Wednesday, the NBA announced today in a press release (Twitter link).

Doncic was seen rubbing his fingers together in an apparent money signal aimed at the officiating crew (Twitter video link).

The incident occurred at the conclusion of a game that the Mavericks protested due to a controversial call that occurred in the third quarter. The Warriors, who essentially got a free basket on the play in question, ended up winning the game by two points.

While that third quarter call was the big story after the game, it’s unclear whether Doncic’s gesture was referencing that play or was a culmination of his frustration with the officiating all night. Seconds earlier, he missed a layup attempt and didn’t get the foul call he seemed to be seeking (Twitter video link).

It comes as no surprise that Doncic was fined for his actions, though it’s interesting that he faces a more significant penalty than the one given to Fred VanVleet, who lambasted game officials and singled out one referee in particular (Ben Taylor) during a postgame press conference. VanVleet was fined $30K for his comments.

Texas Notes: Mavericks, Hardaway, Irving, Rockets, Spurs

March 23rd, 2023 at 11:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Despite falling below .500, the 36-37 Mavericks remain intent on competing for a title this season, writes Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com.

“The standings are going to change to the last game of the season,” head coach Jason Kidd said. “If we can get healthy and have everyone on the court, that gives us the best chance to win… We feel we have the pieces to be a championship team. We’re playing for a championship. But we just right now have to focus on the game that’s in front of us and that’s Charlotte.”

Over the past two weeks, Dallas has gone just 2-5, while slipping from the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference to No. 9. They have been without one or both of their two All-Star guards, Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic, in each of their past six games.

There’s more out of the Lone Star State:

Irving and Tim Hardaway Jr. are both questionable to suit up for the Mavericks in their next game, Friday against the Hornets, the team has announced (Twitter link). Irving is dealing with a sore right foot, while Hardaway continues to struggle through a non-COVID illness.
Two Rockets players may not be available for Houston on Friday against the Grizzlies, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Small forward Jae’Sean Tate will miss another game due to his sore left knee, while center Frank Kaminsky is considered questionable to play due to migraines.
Several key Spurs players will be sidelined Friday night against the Wizards, as the team continues to tank. Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News reports (Twitter link) that rookie Jeremy Sochan will be shelved with a sore knee and guard Romeo Langford will miss the action with an adductor injury. The team’s second-leading scorer, Devin Vassell, is questionable with a knee injury, as is center Zach Collins, who is dealing with a biceps bruise.