- New Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau has weighed in on the importance of New York acquiring a star. “I think it’s critical,’’ Thibodeau said Tuesday on Zoom of having a star, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. “There’s a lot of different paths to getting stars. Sometimes it’s the development phase,” he continued. “Sometimes there’s situations that arise whether it be through free agency or trade. But I think every day that has to be a priority for the organization to seek out those opportunities.”
Second-year Pistons forward Sekou Doumbouya had a stellar preseason turn in a 99-91 victory against the Knicks Sunday, reminding the Pistons faithful that the 19-year-old could be a key part of Detroit’s future, as Keith Langlois of Pistons.com details. Now just the third-youngest Pistons player, Doumbouya scored 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting, in addition to pulling down five rebounds and logging two dimes, in only 18 minutes.
“I came in and tried to help the team – that’s my job, to come off the bench, lock in and be ready to help the team,” Doumbouya said. He averaged 6.4 PPG and 3.1 RPG in 38 games for the Pistons during the 2019/20 season.
There’s more out of the Motor City:
- In a Bleacher Report Ask Me Anything conversation yesterday, the outspoken LaVar Ball was true to form, ripping the Pistons for recently waiving middle son LiAngelo Ball. The Pistons had signed LiAngelo to an Exhibit 10 training camp contract. “I love the fans, but the franchise over there is raggedy as hell,” the elder Ball said. “They don’t know a good player. I was giving them a [l]ottery pick for free!” LiAngelo went undrafted out of UCLA in 2018.
- Pistons rookie swingman Deividas Sirvydis has arrived in Detroit, per Rod Beard of the Detroit News (Twitter link). The 20-year-old will need to clear COVID-19 testing protocol, according to Pistons head coach Dwane Casey, and may be ready to join his teammates in a practice this Thursday or Friday.
- Two former All-Stars can supply valuable leadership for a young Pistons team in transition, according to Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Savvy veterans Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin, who have logged significant playoff minutes, can help inform the Pistons’ future leaders and build the current culture. “They’re great pros, big-time pros,” Casey said. “We’re being sensible about our program and what we’re building. It’s not going to happen overnight – I know that and they know that. It’s not like they’re fighting for star status. They’ve been there.
The Knicks have signed James Young and waived Tyler Hall, according to the team’s PR department (Twitter links).
New York’s intention to sign Young was reported last week. Young, 25, was the 17th pick of the 2014 draft by Boston. He hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since the 2017/18 season, when he made six appearances for Philadelphia. He played in Israel last season.
Young’s contract terms were not revealed but it’s likely an Exhibit 10 deal.
Hall was signed over the weekend to an Exhibit 10 contract. Hall’s G League rights are already held by the Knicks, so he could earn a $50K bonus if he plays for the Westchester Knicks for at least 60 days.
Hall, who played college ball at Montana State, was on the Westchester roster last season. He appeared in 39 games, averaging 9.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG and 1.7 APG in 39 games.
The Knicks are stocking their G League team with these types of roster maneuvers and Young could be headed through the same process.
Dennis Smith Jr. has done nothing to boost his trade value during the Knicks’ first two preseason games, Marc Berman of the New York Post notes. Though new coach Tom Thibodeau praised Smith last week, the guard hasn’t produced on the court. Smith, who could be a restricted or unrestricted free agent next offseason, logged 37 minutes and shot just 33% from the field. He also looked out of sorts when the Pistons trapped him on Sunday while posting a minus-15 in 16 minutes, Berman adds.
- The Knicks are planning to hire Pops Mensah-Bonsu as president and director of their G League operations, The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov and Shams Charania tweet. Mensah-Bonsu was the GM of the Wizards’ Capital City Go-Go G League team last season after a stint as a Spurs scout.
The 2020/21 NBA regular season will get underway on December 22, so it’s time to start getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign.
With the help of the lines from a handful of sports betting sites, including Bovada and BetOnline, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.
Of course, there are plenty of wild cards to take into account this season. For one, teams are scheduled to play 72 games instead of 82, so if you’re picking a team to win 41 games, you’re not just expecting them to be a .500 club — you’re projecting them to finish 10 games above .500. For each team’s over/under below, we’ve noted the record they’d have to achieve to finish “over” their projection, as a reminder.
It’s also worth noting that the coronavirus pandemic could cause some games to be canceled in 2020/21. We don’t want you to have to take possible cancellations into account when making your picks though, so don’t let that stop you from taking the “over.” If a team has a couple games canceled, we’ll adjust their over/under figure downward, so you’re essentially just projecting that team’s winning percentage.
We’ll kick things off today with the Atlantic division…
Boston Celtics
- 2019/20 record: 48-24
- Over/under for 2020/21: 45.5 wins (46-26)
- Major offseason moves:
Trade Rumors app users, click here for Celtics poll.
Brooklyn Nets
- 2019/20 record: 35-37
- Over/under for 2020/21: 45.5 wins (46-26)
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Landry Shamet, Bruce Brown, Jeff Green
- Note: Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are also returning from injuries.
- Lost: Garrett Temple, Wilson Chandler, Dzanan Musa
- Added: Landry Shamet, Bruce Brown, Jeff Green
Trade Rumors app users, click here for Nets poll.
Philadelphia 76ers
- 2019/20 record: 43-30
- Over/under for 2020/21: 44.5 wins (45-27)
- Major offseason moves:
Trade Rumors app users, click here for Sixers poll.
Toronto Raptors
- 2019/20 record: 53-19
- Over/under for 2020/21: 42.5 wins (43-29)
- Major offseason moves:
Trade Rumors app users, click here for Raptors poll.
New York Knicks
- 2019/20 record: 21-45
- Over/under for 2020/21: 22.5 wins (23-49)
- Major offseason moves:
Trade Rumors app users, click here for Knicks poll.
The Knicks have 15 players with guaranteed salaries for the 2020/21 season, which means that – on paper – their roster for the regular season appears set. However, if the team wants to hang onto veteran forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, whose deal isn’t guaranteed, one of those 15 others will have to be traded or released.
“You know who (Kidd-Gilchrist) is and he’s trying to find a way onto the roster,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said over the weekend, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. “Michael’s always been a terrific competitor. Health comes first, we want him healthy and then we’ll go from there.”
It’s not clear yet whether the Knicks are committed to getting Kidd-Gilchrist – who has missed the first two preseason games with an illness – onto the regular season roster. But if he makes the team, Omari Spellman appears to be a candidate to be waived to make room, sources tell Bondy.
Spellman was dealt to New York last month along with Jacob Evans and a second-round pick in exchange for Ed Davis. That trade appeared to be mostly about the future draft pick for the Knicks, who have already cut Evans.
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson won’t complain if he continues come off the bench, with Tom Thibodeau currently opting to start Nerlens Noel over the 22-year-old, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes.
Noel, who signed with the team last month, recorded 10 points and eight rebounds in 25 minutes of action on Friday. Robinson started in just seven of the club’s 61 games last season, though many thought he’d crack the starting lineup entering this campaign.
“It is what it is,” Robinson said. “I’m going to go out there and play hard. I really don’t mind starting or don’t mind not starting. I don’t have hurt feelings. I’m just going to go out there and just be the best me.”
Robinson averaged 9.7 points, seven rebounds and two blocks in 23.1 minutes per game last season. Upon being asked if he truly cares about coming off the bench, he gave a clear response.
“Not really. As long as I can go out there and help my teammates I really don’t care if I start or not,” he said. “It’s early. I’m not going to sit down and pout about it. I’m not going to make a problem or whatever. As long as I get to play, I’m fine with that.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division tonight:
- The Raptors plan to utilize Chris Boucher as the first big man off the bench in most games this season, head coach Nick Nurse said, as relayed by Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports (Twitter link). Boucher added nine points, four rebounds and three blocks off the bench in the team’s preseason win over Charlotte on Saturday, logging 14 minutes of action.
- John Hollinger of The Athletic examines the Celtics‘ upcoming season, previewing their rotation, making predictions and projecting the team’s record entering the campaign. When healthy, the C’s are expected to sport the same starting lineup they used during the postseason, having also added players such as Jeff Teague and Tristan Thompson in free agency to bolster the bench.
- Raptors guard Matt Thomas displayed his versatile scoring ability against the Hornets in his first preseason action, Chris O’Leary of NBA.com writes. Thomas added 16 points and five assists in the win, shooting 5-of-9 from the floor and 4-of-7 from deep.
DECEMBER 12: The Knicks have officially signed Hall, according to the NBA’s transactions log.
DECEMBER 11: The Knicks have agreed to a non-guaranteed contract with guard Tyler Hall, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.
It’s very likely an Exhibit 10 contract. Hall’s G League rights are already held by the Knicks, so he could earn a $50K bonus if he plays for the Westchester Knicks for at least 60 days once the NBA team waives him.
The Knicks opened up a training camp roster spot earlier in the day by waiving Skal Labissiere, who’s expected to join their G League club unless he’s claimed. Hall may have to wait in line for signing to be official, since James Young and Andrew White have also agreed to Exhibit 10 deals.
Hall, who played college ball at Montana State, was on the Westchester roster last season. He appeared in 39 games, averaging 9.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG and 1.7 APG in 39 games.
DECEMBER 12, 3:51pm: White has been waived, according to the team’s Twitter feed. He’ll likely hook on with the Knicks’ G League team in Westchester.
DECEMBER 12, 7:54am: The Knicks officially signed White on Friday after opening up a roster spot by waiving Labissiere, per the NBA’s transactions log.
DECEMBER 8: The Knicks have reached a contract agreement with free agent forward Andrew White, who will sign an Exhibit 10 deal with the team, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
White, 27, went undrafted in 2017 out of Syracuse. He was a Celtics camp invitee as a rookie and had a stint on a two-way contract for Atlanta in 2018, but has otherwise spent his professional career in the G League, playing for the Erie BayHawks, Maine Red Claws, and Westchester Knicks.
In 130 total NBAGL games, White has averaged 13.4 PPG and 4.1 RPG on .438/.389/.838 shooting in 30.6 minutes per contest.
Because the Knicks already hold White’s G League rights, the signing appears designed to get him a $50K Exhibit 10 bonus, assuming he qualifies for it in what figures to be a shortened NBAGL season. Typically, players must spend at least 60 days with the club’s G League affiliate to earn that bonus — it’s not clear if or how the rules might be adjusted in 2020/21.
New York also agreed to Exhibit 10 deals with Skal Labissiere and James Young. The club has a full 20-man camp squad for the time being, so some back-of-the-roster shuffling will be required to complete the three signings. White, Labissiere, and Young will each likely have a very brief stay on the Knicks’ NBA roster.
Tom Thibodeau‘s impact on the Knicks was apparent in their preseason opener at Detroit on Friday, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. They were energetic on defense, forcing 22 turnovers and contesting shooters on the 3-point line. They also controlled the boards, out-rebounding the Pistons 54-41. The Knicks were relatively quiet in free agency, so their biggest upgrade is seemingly at head coach, Berman adds.
- Free agent addition Nerlens Noel started ahead of Mitchell Robinson at center for the Knicks and the early returns were promising, Berman writes in a separate story. The two big men combined for 15 rebounds and four blocks, and Robinson also made four steals. “When you have two bigs that are like that, it’s a big bonus,” Thibodeau said. “And they’re very similar. I’m not sure who I’m going to start, but I like both of those guys, and I’m going to need them to play well to play well as a team.’’ Noel joined the Knicks on a one-year, $5MM contract.