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Knicks Notes: Jack, Noah, Ntilikina, O’Quinn

March 1st, 2018 at 6:50pm CST by Luke Adams

With his role in New York essentially eliminated and an informal buyout deadline looming, Knicks point guard Jarrett Jack admitted earlier this week that he may have to consider his options. However, we’re just a few hours away from turning the calendar to March 2 – at which point waived players no longer retain their playoff eligibility – and it doesn’t sound like Jack is packing his bags to leave the Knicks, as Marc Berman of The New York Post writes.

“[Sam Goldfeder, Jack’s agent] called me and did his job,” Jack said. “‘Hey, what do you think about possible destinations on playoff teams?’ If something unbelievable comes up that makes sense, we’ll take a look at it. But I’m not pressing the envelope. If nothing shakes out of it, I’m cool here.”

While Jack would prefer to see the sort of role he did in the first half, when he was the Knicks’ starting point guard, he also doesn’t mind sticking in New York and mentoring the club’s young point guards, says Berman. Even with Emmanuel Mudiay, Frank Ntilikina, and Trey Burke sharing his minutes, Jack doesn’t want to bail on the team.

“It feels weird leaving guys to go to another situation,” Jack said. “I understand selfishly how it makes sense, but I’d like to finish with who I started. The responsible thing to do is listen to it or look at it, but I’m cool here.”

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Within the same article, Berman cites sources who say that Joakim Noah also isn’t likely to be bought out by the Knicks today. The next big date to watch, according to Berman, may be September 1. At that point, if New York were to waive and stretch Noah, the size and structure of his cap hits would look a little different. We’ve previously identified September 1 as a date of interest for Noah’s situation; back in December, we took a closer look at how stretching him before or after that date would impact the Knicks’ cap charges.
Frank Ntilikina has shown some unexpected versatility in the Knicks’ backcourt, according to Fred Kerber of The New York Post, who suggests that the team has confidence in the rookie’s ability to play the two. While we shouldn’t pencil in Ntilikina as the Knicks’ shooting guard of the future quite yet, his versatility could create some interesting lineup possibilities going forward.
Knicks center Kyle O’Quinn isn’t sure yet whether or not he’ll opt out of his contract and become a free agent this summer, but he made it clear today that he loves playing in New York, as Al Iannazzone of Newsday relays. “I would love to be here for the rest of my career if I can,” O’Quinn said. Whether that translates into a hometown discount for the Knicks remains to be seen.
Be sure to check out our Knicks team page for more Knicks-related news and notes.

Coaching Notes: Fizdale, Stackhouse, Hornacek, Van Gundy

March 1st, 2018 at 10:08am CST by Arthur Hill

Former Grizzlies coach David Fizdale has become the prime candidate to take over as the Suns‘ head coach once the season ends, according to Mitch Lawrence of The Sporting News. James Jones, who became VP of basketball operations in Phoenix last summer, spent five seasons as a player with the Heat while Fizdale was the lead assistant under Erik Spoelstra. Earlier today, we passed on Lawrence’s comments that Fizdale hasn’t given up on the Lakers job if the team decides to replace Luke Walton, so the Suns could have some competition for his services. Interim Phoenix coach Jay Triano has expressed a desire to be considered for the job, but it appears the team is looking in a different direction.

Lawrence passes on a few more rumors from NBA coaching circles:

If the Magic decide to move on from Frank Vogel, longtime player Jerry Stackhouse will be their top choice. Stackhouse, named G League Coach of the Year with Raptors 905 last season, is close to Jeff Weltman, Orlando’s president of basketball operations. Weltman spent four years as GM in Toronto and got an up-close look at Stackhouse’s coaching abilities.
There’s a growing sense that the Knicks will part with Jeff Hornacek once the season ends. Lawrence admits Hornacek has been in a difficult situation in New York between the front office turmoil, the Carmelo Anthony situation and the recent injury to Kristaps Porzingis, but Hornacek was hired by former team president Phil Jackson, and Steve Mills might prefer to have his own coach in place. There is a strong sentiment to bring in former Knick Doc Rivers, but he still has supporters in the Clippers front office and might be kept for another year after turning in an impressive coaching job with a weakened roster.
Stan Van Gundy may need to get the Pistons into the playoffs to keep his job. Van Gundy has one season left on his five-year, $35MM contract and is back on thin ice after the team’s recent slump. Even if he does return next season, the feeling is Van Gundy will be replaced at team president, with former agent and current Pistons VP Arn Tellem next in line to run the team’s basketball operations.

Update On Open NBA Roster Spots

February 28th, 2018 at 12:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this month, we identified the NBA teams with open roster spots. Since then, clubs have completed a flurry of 10-day signings, and a couple players have even received rest-of-season deals.

However, there are still plenty of teams around the league with openings on their respective rosters, which could come in handy with Thursday’s de facto buyout deadline around the corner. Once March 1 comes and goes, teams will have a better idea of which players will or won’t have postseason eligibility the rest of the way, creating a clearer picture for how to fill those open roster spots.

In the space below, we’ll take a closer look at teams with an open roster spot, breaking them down into three categories. Each of the clubs in the first group actually has a full 15-man roster right now, but in each instance, one of those 15 players is only a 10-day contract. With those contracts set to expire soon, it’d be very easy and inexpensive for these teams to create an opening if they need to.

Teams with full 15-man rosters who are carrying at least one player on a 10-day contract (10-day player noted in parentheses):

Dallas Mavericks (Scotty Hopson)
Indiana Pacers (Trey McKinney-Jones)
New Orleans Pelicans (Walter Lemon Jr.)
New York Knicks (Troy Williams)
Orlando Magic (Rashad Vaughn)
Phoenix Suns (Shaquille Harrison)
Utah Jazz (Naz Mitrou-Long)

The next list of teams includes the clubs with one open spot on their roster and no players on 10-day contracts. These clubs each have 14 players on standard, full-season NBA deals, leaving one spot open for either a 10-day player or a rest-of-season signing.

Teams with one open roster spot:

Charlotte Hornets
Chicago Bulls
Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Lakers
- Note: The Lakers will create a second opening when they officially waive Corey Brewer.
Memphis Grizzlies
Minnesota Timberwolves
Oklahoma City Thunder
Sacramento Kings
Toronto Raptors

Finally, the last group of teams features four clubs that have been grouped together before. These four teams saw their roster counts slip to 13 players around the time of the trade deadline, and each had to add a player to get back up to the NBA-mandated minimum of 14. To reach that minimum, each team signed a player to a 10-day contract. That means these four franchises still only have 12 or 13 players on full-season contracts, with at least one player on a 10-day deal.

Teams with one open roster spot, plus at least one player on a 10-day contract:

Atlanta Hawks
- Note: 12 full-season contracts, plus Antonius Cleveland and Jaylen Morris on 10-day contracts
Cleveland Cavaliers
- Note: 13 full-season contracts, plus Marcus Thornton on 10-day contract.
Portland Trail Blazers
- Note: 13 full-season contracts, plus Brandon Rush on 10-day contract.
Washington Wizards
- Note: 13 full-season contracts, plus Ramon Sessions on 10-day contract.

For roster-count details on all 30 teams, be sure to check out our roster count page, which we updated daily throughout the 2017/18 season.

Note: Roster info current as of Wednesday, February 28 at 12:00pm CT.

Knicks Notes: Rivers, Porzingis, Noah

February 27th, 2018 at 9:55pm CST by marksuleymanov

If Jeff Hornacek does not return as Knicks head coach, it’s possible that current Clippers head coach Doc Rivers would consider that vacancy if he also departs from his current team, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes.

Rivers spent parts of three seasons with the Knicks as a player during his 14-year NBA career. A former associate of Rivers tells Berman that Rivers — who has coached the Clippers since 2013 — still holds the team in high regard.

“Doc enjoyed his time there,’’ the former associate said. “He respects the city, he respects the organization.’’

The season-ending injury to Kristaps Porzingis has complicated the long-term future for the Knicks. Porzingis is expected to miss the next 10 months, which would sideline him for at least the start of the 2018/19 season. While that could alter the pursuit of head coaches, Rivers’ background with the team from his playing days could help the Knicks if he’s on their wish list.

Check out other Knicks notes below:

Speaking of Porzingis, he was spotted in Manhattan on Tuesday leaving a rehab appointment, per The New York Post. Porzingis was walking without the assistance of crutches but his trainer was still carrying them. The big man went down with a torn ACL on February 8.
March 1 is the last day for the Knicks to make a determination on Joakim Noah so he can sign with another club and be eligible for the postseason. The Knicks do not have to waive him or agree to a buyout by then, though it would be in Noah’s best interest if a resolution is reached by then. Both Marc Berman of the New York Post and ESPN’s Bobby Marks (subscription required and recommended) identify $5MM as the salary Noah could potentially leave on the table to help facilitate a move — that would slightly reduce the Knicks’ cap hits without significantly compromising Noah’s earnings, since he could earn most of that money back on minimum-salary contracts.
Earlier today, we passed along more Knicks-related notes, including more details on the Noah situation, which is reportedly being monitored by the NBPA.

Jarrett Jack To Consider Requesting Release?

February 27th, 2018 at 12:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Since the All-Star break, Knicks point guard Jarrett Jack has seen his role effectively eliminated. Eligible for unrestricted free agency at season’s end, Jack probably isn’t part of New York’s future plans, so the team’s youth movement may prompt him to consider asking to be released, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News.

“I’ve never done it before to jump from one team in the middle of the season to a playoff squad. I know that’s what other guys have done. To be honest, I don’t really know,” Jack said. “Maybe I do need to sit down and look at a list of what my best possible options are. But as of today I’m with the Knicks and want to help in any capacity I can.“

Jack, who started 56 of the Knicks’ first 59 games at point guard, held his own during that stretch, averaging 7.6 PPG, 5.8 APG, and 3.1 RPG in 25.9 minutes per contest. However, the lottery-bound Knicks want to get Emmanuel Mudiay, Frank Ntilikina, and Trey Burke more playing time down the stretch, leaving no minutes for the veteran — Jack hasn’t played at all since the All-Star break, though he doesn’t seem upset with the team about its decision.

“Obviously I’d like to be on the court, but I think they’re allowing some of these younger guys to get some opportunities to show where they’re at amongst the other guys in this league and it’s coach’s decision,” Jack said. “We were in Orlando (for a game last week) and he said we’ll move in that direction. It’s not for me to have an opinion on it.”

While Jack is saying the right things, his comment about sitting down and considering his options suggests that he wouldn’t necessarily be opposed to being cut by the Knicks within the next three days. As long as he’s waived on or before March 1, he would retain his postseason eligibility for a new team, which is why I identified him on Monday as a candidate to be cut this week.

Jack sounds unlikely to force his way onto a new team, or to cause problems if he remains a Knick through Thursday, but if his agent lines up another opportunity for him, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the 34-year-old released in the coming days.

New York Notes: Noah, Ntilikina, Okafor, Nets

February 27th, 2018 at 10:06am CST by Luke Adams

Although March 1 isn’t an official deadline for the Knicks to make a decision on Joakim Noah, the team will have to waive him on or before that day if he wants to retain his postseason eligibility. That makes it a date worth watching, and according to Marc Berman of The New York Post, the National Basketball Players Association will have an eye on the situation.

Berman hears from sources that the NBPA will “intensify its interest” in the Noah situation if he remains on the Knicks’ roster – but not with the team – beyond March 1. If the veteran center wants to return to the Knicks at that point and the club wants him to remain in exile, things “could get ugly,” per Berman.

Sources tell Berman that the Knicks were within their right to suspend Noah for insubordination after he cursed out head coach Jeff Hornacek last month, but chose not to do so — Noah continues to receive his full salary during his absence. If the big man isn’t released this week, one potential scenario, Berman suggests, would see the Knicks brass telling him to sit tight and prepare for the 2018/19 season, when Hornacek may no longer be the club’s head coach.

While we wait to see what happens with Noah, let’s round up a few more items from out of New York City…

In a separate article for The New York Post, Berman examines the upcoming summer for Frank Ntilikina. The rookie point guard has suggested he’ll spend much of his offseason in his home country of France, but the Knicks will likely want him to play for their Summer League team in July.
Jahlil Okafor hasn’t seen any action for the Nets since February 12, but still believes he’s capable of fitting in with Brooklyn’s fast-paced style of play, writes Fred Kerber of The New York Post. “I wish we’d had him since training camp,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said of Okafor. “It makes it easier. We’re scrambling here trying to find a lineup so he’s a little bit of a victim of that.”
Speaking of the Nets‘ lineup, it got a boost on Monday, as both Caris LeVert and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson returned from injuries. Tom Dowd has the details at the club’s official site.

Knicks Notes: Burke, Williams, Noah, Kanter

February 25th, 2018 at 9:17am CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks guard Trey Burke is crediting renewed religious faith not only for his improved play, but for the path that led him to New York, writes Ian Begley of ESPN. Burke, who scored 26 points for the second straight game Saturday, said he had an offer from the Thunder this summer, but opted for a G League contract with the Knicks’ Westchester affiliate.

“I bumped heads with my agent this summer because he didn’t understand [the decision to sign a G-League deal with the Knicks],” Burke recalled. “He pretty much called me and said, ‘OKC tomorrow for training camp. I’m going to call them back right now and say yeah, right?’ I said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Why?’ I said, ‘I want to go to New York. And I wanted to do that for the Lord. … I wanted to come to New York because I feel like this is a city where I can help a lot of people.”

His spiritual commitment also led Burke to make lifestyle changes that he says have helped him on the court. He got married over the summer, cut out frequent partying and has become more focused on basketball than ever before. He has a minimum-salary contract for next year with a $100K guarantee effective July 10 and a $400K guarantee on the first day of the season.

There’s more this morning out of New York:

Troy Williams is doing his best to make the Knicks want to keep him on their roster, notes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Signed Wednesday to a 10-day contract, Williams had 14 points in 12 minutes Saturday. Williams said seven teams contacted his agent after he was waived by the Rockets last week, and the final choice came down to the Knicks or Trail Blazers.
As Joakim Noah‘s leave of absence drags on, a former college teammate is coming to his defense, according to Zach Braziller of The New York Post. Celtics big man Al Horford hasn’t lost faith in Noah, who has played just seven games this season and hasn’t been with the team since an altercation with coach Jeff Hornacek at a January 24 practice. “I think Joakim can help any team,” Horford said. “I know he’s had a rough patch with injuries and things like that, but when he’s healthy, he’s as good as they come. And just his presence on a team, and what he brings defensively, he’s just about the right things.”
Enes Kanter hasn’t decided whether to exercise his option on an $18.6MM salary for next season, but he repeated his desire to stay in New York after Saturday’s game, relays Al Iannazzone of Newsday. The seventh-year center is averaging 14.2 points and 10.7 rebounds in his first season with the Knicks. “I’m not saying I’m opting in or opting out,” Kanter said. “I’m going to focus on this season, finish this season. I don’t even have an agent yet. I’ll get an agent first and talk to him about [it]. My thing right now it would be selfish for me to just say I’ll do this, I’ll do that. I’m going to finish this season right, have fun with my teammates and start thinking about the contract stuff.”

Anthony Happy To Escape The Tension In New York

February 24th, 2018 at 5:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

Thunder forward Carmelo Anthony is enjoying himself away from the stress that marked most of his time in New York, relays Tim Keown of ESPN. Anthony’s tenure with the Knicks was marked by disappointing results and a long public feud with team president Phil Jackson. “In New York, there was so much going on with the organization and the city,” Anthony said. “It was very tense up there, and you never really get a chance to have stability there. Here, man, I’m having fun with the game again. The joy of it — that’s what guys know me as: laughing and smiling and enjoying the game. I think over the past couple of years I’ve lost that, and I think guys around the league have seen it.”

New York Notes: Russell, Atkinson, Cunningham, Thomas

February 24th, 2018 at 8:37am CST by marksuleymanov

The Nets started D’Angelo Russell for the first time since mid-November in their second-half opener against the Hornets. Russell played 32 minutes, his most since November, and his recent play indicates he’s slowly shaking off the rust.

Bryan Fonseca of NetsDaily relays that starting Russell alongside Spencer Dinwiddie — an all-point-guard backcourt — was not so much planned as it was based on his instinct.

“I think it was a feel, kind of my feel,” Atkinson said. “Talking with the medical team and performance (team). I think it was mostly basketball, just him getting his rhythm, and I felt like that Indiana game he really showed me – I felt like he was getting there.”

Atkinson is unsure of when Russell will be back at full health, but feels the former second overall pick is trending in the right direction.

Check out more news and notes from New York’s basketball teams:

Under Atkinson’s watch, the Nets have been in rebuild mode and have stressed the future. While the team is improved from last year’s league-worst 20-62 record, Brooklyn has lost 12 of its last 13 and is trending downward, Fonseca writes in a separate piece. “I’ve said that, we’re better, that’s what’s frustrating,” Atkinson said. “We’re on pace for a 30-something win season and then we hit this skid and it’s like, man – I’m optimistic, I’m hungry to get back on track. Now, that being said, we’ve got a tough schedule coming up, we’re going to be on the road awhile, but it’s great.”
The longevity of Dante Cunningham‘s stint in Brooklyn is uncertain, but he’s enjoying his time with the Nets, Fonseca writes. The veteran was acquired by Brooklyn before the trade deadline and has played well thus far. “I’m old in here,” Cunningham said with a smile. “I look around the locker room and see a lot of young guys, but hungry guys and I love it. I love that I’m the older guy that they kind of look up to and kind of ask, ‘So what’s this like or what’s that like?’ So that’s kind of fun, it’s a different side.”
Lance Thomas‘ numbers in the box score will not merit much attention, but his visible defensive impact is a game-changer for the Knicks, Fred Kerber of the New York Post writes. “He’s kind of that guy, it doesn’t matter if he’s on the 1, 2, 3 or 4. When he’s at the 4 spot, then we also have the ability to switch some too because you’re not afraid of Lance switching off on a point guard,” head coach Jeff Hornacek said. “You saw him pick up guys full court. He knocked one away and ended up ending the game with a steal. Lance is the guy that, if you read a stat line, you’re not going see his value. … He does his role.”

Warriors, Wolves, Thunder Eyeing Joakim Noah?

February 23rd, 2018 at 1:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Several playoff-bound teams are keeping an eye on Joakim Noah‘s situation in New York and would consider signing him if he reaches free agency, sources tell Frank Isola of The New York Daily News. According to Isola, the Warriors, Timberwolves, and Thunder are among the teams monitoring the Knicks center.

As Isola notes, the Wolves represent an obvious fit for Noah since the team already features several familiar faces for the veteran center, including Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson, and head coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau. Golden State and Oklahoma City also believe that Noah’s experience and defensive ability would help shore up their respective benches, Isola adds.

If the Knicks do decide to release Noah, he’d want it to happen by March 1 so that he’d be eligible to play in the postseason for a new team. However, the two sides appear to be engaged in a stalemate, so there’s certainly no guarantee he’ll be available in the coming days.

As Ian Begley of ESPN details (via Twitter), both Noah and the Knicks would likely welcome a fresh start, but the team is reluctant to eat his entire contract by waiving him, and Noah has thus far been unwilling to give back much – if any – of the money left on his lucrative deal. Counting his remaining prorated salary this season, the big man is still owed approximately $42.5MM through 2019/20.

If they do get a chance to sign Noah, the Warriors would have to waive a player, since they currently have a full 15-man squad. The Timberwolves and Thunder each have an open roster spot.