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Atlantic Notes: Miller, Prokhorov, Celtics, Scott

August 21st, 2019 at 1:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks have hired Mike Miller as an assistant on David Fizdale’s staff after he served as their G League coach since the 2015/16 season, according to a team press release. Miller, not to be confused with the longtime NBA player, compiled a 108-92 record with the Westchester Knicks. Derrick Alston, who served as an assistant to Miller, has been promoted to head coach of the G league team, Steve Popper of Newsday tweets.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Mikhail Prokhorov, who recently sold his interest in the Nets, inquired about other NBA franchises — including the Knicks — before he was approved as the majority owner of the Brooklyn franchise. His top basketball adviser, Sergei Kushchenko, revealed that to TASS in a story relayed by NetsDaily.com. ”We were looking over various options at that time,” Kushchenko said. “Among them were the New York Knicks, who asked for a bizarre sum, the Phoenix Suns and the New Jersey Nets. We decided to focus on the New Jersey Nets since it was a completely different market then in addition to the prospect of the new arena’s construction along with a full-fledged business framework.” Prokhorov was also scared away by the Knicks’ debt load, according to NetsDaily.
Celtics coach Brad Stevens will have a dilemma if he wants to get all of his best players on the court during crunch time, Matt John of Basketball Insiders notes. The team’s top five include Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, Gordon Hayward, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart, which would leave them without a true power forward or center in those situations.
Sixers forward Mike Scott said some advice from Clippers coach Doc Rivers helped him after he was dealt to Philadelphia last season, Kevin Murphy of The Athletic writes. Scott emerged as a key reserve after he was included in the Tobias Harris blockbuster and earned a two-year, $9.8MM contract in free agency. “I feel I didn’t play well in L.A., and I think for the most part it was on me,” Scott said. “I was still trying to figure it out. When I got here, I said, ‘[The heck with it], I am going to ball-out and try to do what Doc says.’ Do the little things and see what happens.”

Clippers Hire Tyronn Lue As Top Assistant On Doc Rivers’ Staff

August 20th, 2019 at 9:50pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Clippers and Tyronn Lue have agreed on a deal that will make the coach Doc Rivers‘ lead assistant, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports. It was recently reported that the team was closing in on a deal with Lue.

Lue was the frontrunner for the Lakers head coaching gig just months ago. Contract talks between Lue and the Lakers reportedly broke down, and the club ultimately hired Frank Vogel to replace Luke Walton.

Lue previously coached on Rivers’ staff, serving as an assistant during stints with the Celtics and Clippers before he made his way to Cleveland, where he won a title as a head coach.

A report in May indicated that the Pelicans and Rockets had expressed interest in hiring Lue as an assistant and that he had turned down offers to join NBA coaching staffs since being let go by the Cavs last fall.

Lue has a record of 128-83 as a head coach with all of his experience coming during LeBron James‘ second era in Cleveland. Now, Lue and James will again share a workplace, albeit in much different circumstances as the two Los Angeles gear up to compete against each other in the Western Conference.

Clippers Sign Patrick Patterson

August 15th, 2019 at 7:01pm CST by Luke Adams

7:01pm: The signing is now official, per a release from the team.

4:30pm: As expected, the Clippers are now in agreement with Patrick Patterson on a one-year, minimum-salary contract, league sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Wojnarowski first reported two weeks ago when Patterson agreed to a buyout with the Thunder that the veteran forward intended to sign with the Clippers once he cleared waivers. It seems that signing got somewhat delayed, but Woj’s report today confirms that the two sides are still on track to finalize a deal.

Patterson, 30, signed a three-year contract with Oklahoma City in 2017 after serving as a reliable stretch four off the bench for several seasons in Toronto. However, the former lottery pick struggled with injuries and inconsistencies during his two seasons with the Thunder, knocking down just 33.6% of his three-point attempts in 2018/19, well below his career rate of 36.7%.

With Oklahoma City in rebuilding mode and looking to duck under the luxury tax, it made sense for Patterson and the team to work out an agreement that removed his expiring deal from OKC’s books and freed up the veteran to join a contender.

Patterson reportedly gave up $3.5MM of his $5.7MM salary with the Thunder as part of his buyout agreement with the team, though he’ll make back about $2.33MM on a minimum deal with the Clippers. It will count for approximately $1.62MM on L.A.’s cap.

Once Patterson officially signs with the Clippers, the team will have 18 players under contract, including 14 on guaranteed deals and a pair on two-way pacts.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Clippers Close To Hiring Tyronn Lue As Rivers’ Top Assistant

August 14th, 2019 at 1:36pm CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers are close to bringing aboard Tyronn Lue as the top assistant coach on Doc Rivers‘ staff, reports Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter links). Assuming the two sides finalize a deal, Lue would likely be named the team’s associate head coach, Stein adds.

If Lue officially joins the Clippers, it would be a fascinating turn of events, since he was viewed as the frontrunner for the Lakers’ head coaching job less than four months ago. Contract talks between Lue and the Lakers reportedly broke down, and the club ultimately hired Frank Vogel to replace Luke Walton. Now, Lue appears on the verge of joining Los Angeles’ other team under his old friend Rivers.

Lue’s coaching career began in 2011 when he served as a Celtics assistant on Rivers’ staff. He followed Rivers to Los Angeles in 2013, spending a year with the Clippers before being hired by the Cavaliers in 2014.

A report in May indicated that the Pelicans and Rockets had expressed interest in hiring Lue as an assistant and that he had turned down offers to join NBA coaching staffs since being let go by the Cavs last fall. However, it appears the opportunity to work with Rivers again for one of the NBA’s top title contenders may lure Lue back to the sidelines.

And-Ones: Clippers, Wroten, Giedraitis, Caffey

August 11th, 2019 at 12:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The signing of Kawhi Leonard and the trade for Paul George helped the Clippers have the league’s best offseason, according to David Aldridge of The Athletic. L.A. added two potential MVP candidates while keeping the core of last year’s playoff team intact and acquiring another rotation piece by trading for Maurice Harkless.

The Nets, who also hit the jackpot in free agency by signing Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, finished second on Aldridge’s list, followed by the Jazz, Lakers and Sixers. At the bottom are the Hornets, who lost Kemba Walker and replaced him with Terry Rozier, and the Warriors, who not only saw Durant leave, but also parted with Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston, two key components of their championship teams.

There’s more NBA-related news to pass along:

Tony Wroten, whose journey to the EuroLeague we profiled earlier this week, has decided to sign with Anwil Wloclawek in Poland rather than KK Zadar in Croatia, tweets Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Wroten, 26, attended a mini-camp with the Wizards in June.
Lithuanian swingman Rokas Giedraitis turned down multiple opportunities to play in Summer League this year, according to international basketball writer Donatas Urbonas (Twitter link). A few teams considered offering him a two-way deal last year, but he remains “under the NBA radar.” Giedraitis is considered a late bloomer at 27 and is under contract with Alba Berlin for the upcoming season.
Jason Caffey admits he embraced an irresponsible lifestyle during his time in the NBA, and now he is trying to warn younger athletes not to make the same mistakes, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Caffey believes the choices he made, along with an undiagnosed mental illness, prevented him from having a longer career. Caffey had 10 children with eight women and says watching their success inspired him to change. “When I saw them doing so well — got a son at Alabama and a daughter at Missouri, D1 schools,” he said. “I knew then if I could help my own kids — kids who were pegged to be kids of a guy who’s a deadbeat dad, a guy who’s never going to be anything again — when I overcame that stigma, I knew it was time for me to step out and help other children.”

Kawhi Gets Ally On Coaching Staff

August 9th, 2019 at 5:34pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kawhi Leonard will have an ally on the Clippers’ coaching staff. His close friend Jeremy Castleberry will serve as an assistant under Doc Rivers, according to Jabari Young of The Athletic (Twitter link). Castleberry followed Leonard to Toronto after the Spurs traded him to the Raptors last summer. Castleberry played with the star forward in high school and at San Diego State. He was a player development coach in Toronto.

Poll: Which Team Will Win Pacific In 2019/20?

August 9th, 2019 at 1:01pm CST by Luke Adams

While it’s far less impressive than their run of five consecutive appearances in the NBA Finals, the Warriors have also won the Pacific Division five times in a row. However, that streak may be in jeopardy heading into the 2019/20 season.

The Warriors figure to be a contender again next season, with perennial MVP candidate Stephen Curry, newly-extended big man Draymond Green, and newly-acquired All-Star D’Angelo Russell leading the way. But the Dubs don’t have quite the same amount of star power that they’ve had in recent years. Kevin Durant is gone. So are veteran stalwarts Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston. And Klay Thompson isn’t expected to be back until sometime after the All-Star break as he recovers from a torn ACL. A step back seems likely.

The Suns appear to be on the right track in their rebuild, and the Kings added some intriguing veteran reinforcements after taking a big step forward last season, but it’s probably safe to assume that the biggest threats to Golden State’s streak of five straight division titles are in Los Angeles.

No Western Conference team has a higher projected win total, according to oddsmakers, than the Clippers. Gambling site BetOnline.ag has the Clips’ regular-season over/under listed at 54.5 wins, and it’s easy to see why — the team essentially replaced Danilo Gallinari and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George this offseason after winning 48 games last season.

Of course, the Clippers aren’t a lock to be a powerhouse. Leonard was limited to 60 games last season and battled an apparent leg injury in the playoffs. George, meanwhile, underwent surgery on both shoulders at season’s end, and isn’t guaranteed to be 100% by opening night. If either of those players is forced to miss extended time, the Clippers’ “under” is probably a safer bet than the “over.”

As for L.A.’s other team, the Lakers have a superstar duo of their own, with Anthony Davis joining LeBron James. Assuming both players stay healthy, the Lakers will be a force to be reckoned with in 2019/20. However, there will be a lot of new pieces besides Davis for new head coach Frank Vogel to incorporate.

DeMarcus Cousins, Danny Green, Avery Bradley, Quinn Cook, and Jared Dudley are among the incoming free agents signed by the Lakers to join returning players like Kyle Kuzma, Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

What do you think? Which team will ultimately end up atop the Pacific Division at the end of the regular season? And will that same team make the deepest postseason run, perhaps representing the West in the Finals next spring?

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

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

Angel Delgado To Play In China

August 7th, 2019 at 7:23pm CST by clarkcrum

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the 2019 NBA G League Rookie of the Year, big man Angel Delgado, has signed a one-year, $4.3MM deal with the Beijing Royal Fighters of the Chinese Basketball Association.

Delgado, 24, was on a two-way deal with the Clippers last season while also playing for the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario. He only appeared in two NBA games as a rookie, scoring three total points in 15 minutes, but he was named All-NBAGL First Team in addition to ROTY after averaging 18.5 PPG, 14.8 RPG, and 2.8 APG.

The former Seton Hall big man was eligible for restricted free agency this summer, but the Clippers chose not to extend him a qualifying offer.

As we noted two weeks ago, the Clippers opted to retain Johnathan Motley on a two-way deal in addition to rookie Amir Coffey, but given the value of Delgado’s contract in China, it’s unclear whether Delgado was ever interested in a reunion anyway.

And-Ones: Pasecniks, Beauchamp, Motiejunas

August 7th, 2019 at 2:17pm CST by Luke Adams

The No. 25 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft, Anzejs Pasecniks had his rights renounced by the Sixers earlier this offseason, then joined the Wizards for Summer League action in July. Pasecniks averaged just 4.0 PPG on 28.6% shooting in four games (12.5 MPG), though he did chip in 5.3 RPG.

Despite his modest Summer League numbers, Pasecniks suggests that he’s receiving NBA interest, as Bruno Perkons of Sportazinas.com relays (hat tip to Sportando).

“I don’t have a contract at the moment and am a free agent, but let’s just say the negotiations are mostly with NBA teams,” Pasecniks said.

Acquired by Philadelphia from Orlando in a draft-night trade in 2017, Pasecniks remained overseas for the last two seasons, playing for Gran Canaria in Spain. He has yet to sign an NBA contract, so we’ll see if that changes before the 2019/20 season gets underway.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

A top-30 high school recruit, MarJon Beauchamp plans to forgo college and will instead go through a year-long training program with Chameleon BX to prepare for the 2021 NBA draft, writes Jeff Borzello of ESPN.com. Beauchamp was ranked as the fifth-best small forward in the 2020 recruiting class, Borzell notes. A press release from Chameleon BX provides more information on Beauchamp’s decision.
After finishing the 2018/19 season with the Spurs, veteran power forward Donatas Motiejunas is headed back overseas for the 2019/20 campaign. Motiejunas recently signed a contract with the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association, tweets journalist Zhang Duo (hat tip to Nicola Lupo of Sportando). The Lithuanian big man previously spent two seasons with China’s Shandong Golden Stars.
In an interesting story for ESPN.com, Jackie MacMullan explored how head coaches like Kenny Atkinson (Nets) and Doc Rivers (Clippers) found out about – and reacted to – their teams signing star free agents this offseason. MacMullan also examined the other side of the coin, talking to Nick Nurse (Raptors) and Steve Kerr (Warriors) about losing their stars.
The NBA G League released its list of 50 invitees for this year’s NBAGL Player Invitational. The group of undrafted rookies and veteran free agents will get the opportunity to showcase their skills at the event in the hopes of securing a G League roster spot for the 2019/20 season.

Jodie Meeks Drawing Interest From Clippers, Hornets?

August 7th, 2019 at 12:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers and Hornets have expressed some level of interest in free agent shooting guard Jodie Meeks, a source tells Ben Stinar of Amico Hoops.

Meeks, who will turn 32 later this month, appeared in 77 games in 2017/18 for the Wizards but saw his season come to an early end when he was suspended 25 games for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy. Meeks was traded to Milwaukee in the offseason, where he served the rest of his suspension at the start of 2018/19 before being waived.

The former second-round pick caught on with the Raptors down the stretch last season, playing limited minutes in eight regular season games and 14 postseason contests for the eventual champions. Known for his ability to knock down long-range shots, Meeks made 8-of-18 three-pointers during the season, but just 2-of-13 in the playoffs.

The Clippers and Hornets are carrying fewer than 15 players with guaranteed salaries, so there could be an opportunity in each case for a veteran to claim a spot at the back of the roster. However, I’d be surprised if either team is willing to give Meeks a fully guaranteed salary on the heels of his modest contributions in 2018/19.