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Eastern Conference’s Top Six, Play-In Tournament Set For 2024

April 14th, 2024 at 3:23pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

It came down to a blown DeMar DeRozan overtime buzzer beater attempt, but the Knicks finally clinched the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed by winning a nationally broadcast ESPN clash against the Bulls this afternoon.

Earlier in the day, several other East playoff and play-in clubs wrapped up their 2023/24 regular seasons, thus cementing the conference’s top 10 heading into the postseason. Six teams won between 47 and 50 games, with three clubs sporting identical 47-35 records.

Obviously the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds will be determined by the play-in tournament, which will tip off mid-week. That will thus dictate the 1-8 and 2-7 matchups of the first round.

Here is the finalized order of the Eastern Conference’s top 10 for the 2024 postseason:

Boston Celtics (64-18)
New York Knicks (50-32)
Milwaukee Bucks (49-33)
Cleveland Cavaliers (48-34)
Orlando Magic (47-35)
Indiana Pacers (47-35)
Philadelphia 76ers (47-35)
Miami Heat (46-36)
Chicago Bulls (39-43)
Atlanta Hawks (36-46)

Two matchups are now locked in, while two are yet to be determined.

The No. 3 Bucks will square off against the No. 6 Pacers. Indiana owns a 4-1 season record against Milwaukee (they faced off during the semifinals of this year’s inaugural in-season tournament). Milwaukee’s two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out the team’s final three games of the regular season due to a left calf strain, and his status for the beginning of the playoffs is unclear.

The No. 4 Cavaliers will play the No. 5 Orlando Magic. Those two teams have split their season series, 2-2.

Per the NBA, here is the breakdown of this year’s Eastern Conference play-in tournament schedule, slated to start this Wednesday, April 17 via ESPN:

No. 7 Philadelphia will host No. 8 Miami at 6 p.m. CT. The victor will advance as the No. 7 seed to play the Knicks, who will be without All-Star power forward Julius Randle for the duration of the playoffs.
No. 9 Chicago will host No. 10 Atlanta at 8:30 p.m. CT. The winner will advance to play whichever team loses the 7-8 matchup.
The loser of the Sixers/Heat matchup will host the winner of Bulls/Hawks on Friday, April 19. That contest’s winner will move on to play the Celtics as the East’s No. 8 seed.

The first round of the playoffs will officially tip off on Saturday, April 20.

Clippers Sign Kai Jones, Waive Josh Primo

April 14th, 2024 at 1:00pm CST by Tristan Tucker

APRIL 14: The Clippers have officially waived Primo and signed Jones.

APRIL 13: The Clippers are signing center/forward Kai Jones to a multiyear contract, adding him to their playoff roster, per Shams Charania and Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link). Jones recently completed a 10-day contract with the Sixers.

In order to make space on the roster for Jones, the Clippers are waiving Joshua Primo (Twitter link).

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ohm Youngmisuk, Primo suffered a season-ending ankle injury that’s expected to sideline him through the summer (Twitter links). Primo’s agent Todd Ramasar describes the injury as a stress fracture in the navicular bone of the left ankle.

Jones, the 19th overall pick in the 2021 draft, played two seasons for the Hornets, averaging 2.7 points in 67 games. He signed with the Sixers on a 10-day deal but didn’t appear in a game for them. He has been more productive in the G League over the course of his career, averaging 16.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 48 career regular season and Showcase Cup G League games.

Jones made a series of unusual social media posts before this season. A report ahead of training camp indicated that the big man wouldn’t be reporting to the Hornets for personal reasons. He subsequently requested a trade and then was waived by the club shortly thereafter.

The Clippers previously brought Jones in for a visit in November.

Primo was the 12th overall pick by the Spurs in 2021. He appeared in two games with the Clippers this season after they signed following him being waived by San Antonio last year for engaging in “inappropriate and offensive behavior by exposing himself to women.” The NBA imposed a four-game suspension in response to Primo’s behavior, which allegedly included multiple incidents with a long-time sports psychologist who worked for the Spurs during his time with the organization.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, the Clippers will carry $1MM in dead money for Primo next season, since his 2024/25 salary was partially guaranteed.

Warriors Convert Usman Garuba To Standard Contract

April 14th, 2024 at 11:52am CST by Tristan Tucker

APRIL 14: The Warriors have officially converted Garbua to a standard deal, per a press statement (Twitter link).

APRIL 13: The Warriors intend to convert two-way big man Usman Garuba to a standard NBA contract for the rest of the season, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). The Warriors had an open roster spot to fill and are thus making Garuba eligible for the playoffs by promoting him.

The 23rd overall pick in the 2021 draft by the Rockets, Garuba played two seasons in Houston before being traded in the five-team deal that brought Dillon Brooks to the Rockets. He was then re-routed again from Atlanta to the Thunder, who waived him prior to the season.

Garuba, touted as a strong defender, has barely played for the Warriors this season after signing his two-way deal. In five games and just 12 minutes, he has totaled two points and three rebounds this year.

Still just 22 years old, Garuba has been more productive in the G League. This season with Santa Cruz, he averaged 12.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.4 blocks in 35 regular season and Showcase Cup games.

Across his three seasons in the NBA, Garuba holds averages of 2.6 points and 3.8 rebounds in 104 games (three starts).

The Warriors will have a full 15-man roster after signing Garuba to his standard deal. Golden State also has two players, Jerome Robinson and Pat Spencer, on two-way contracts. Because the deadline to sign two-way players passed in March, the Warriors aren’t eligible to sign another two-way player this year. Players on two-way contracts aren’t eligible to suit up in the postseason.

Raptors Re-Sign Malik Williams For End Of Season

April 13th, 2024 at 7:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

After his 10-day contract expired on Friday, Malik Williams has signed with the Raptors for the rest of the season, tweets Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca. The new deal only covers Sunday’s game and doesn’t extend to 2024/25, Murphy adds.

Williams appeared in six games and made two starts for Toronto during his first 10 days with the team. He averaged 2.2 points and 5.7 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per night while shooting 22% from the field. His best game was Wednesday against Brooklyn when he scored seven points and collected 14 boards in 24 minutes of action.

The 25-year-old center is playing in the NBA for the first time after going undrafted out of Louisville in 2022. He played one season in Poland before joining Miami’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, for the start of this season. He averaged 10.1 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 42 Showcase Cup and NBAGL regular season games with Sioux Falls.

Williams’ future with the organization is uncertain after the Raptors close the season tomorrow at Miami. The new contract suggests he made a positive impression on the front office, so he could be part of Toronto’s Summer League team in Las Vegas.

Pistons Sign Jaylen Nowell To Second Hardship Deal

April 13th, 2024 at 5:17pm CST by Luke Adams

APRIL 13: Nowell’s signing is official, the Pistons announced in a press release.

APRIL 12: The Pistons will re-sign Jaylen Nowell to a second hardship contract following the expiration of his first 10-day deal, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Nowell’s initial contract will expire after Friday’s game, so Detroit figures to re-sign Nowell on either Saturday or Sunday in advance of Sunday’s regular season finale. Since it will be completed using a hardship exception, the deal will technically be considered a 10-day contact, but it will expire immediately after Sunday’s game.

A 24-year-old shooting guard who spent his first four NBA seasons with the Timberwolves from 2019-23, Nowell was on a pair of 10-day contracts with the Grizzlies earlier in the season, but has spent most of the year out of the NBA. He has performed well for the Pistons since signing with the team last week, however, averaging 8.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 16.7 minutes per game and making 57.9% of his field goal attempts across three appearances off the bench.

The Pistons qualified for a hardship exception because they have four players (Isaiah Stewart, Ausar Thompson, Quentin Grimes, and Stanley Umude) who are out for the season. That allows them to carry an extra player beyond the 15 on their standard roster, but they won’t have any form of Bird rights on Nowell this offseason as long as he’s signed to a hardship contract and not a standard deal.

Matt Ryan Gets Standard Contract From Pelicans

April 13th, 2024 at 4:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pelicans have converted Matt Ryan‘s two-way contract to a standard deal, the team announced (via Twitter).

No details were provided on whether Ryan’s new contract will extend beyond the rest of this season, but the signing makes him eligible for postseason play. New Orleans had been carrying an open roster spot, so no corresponding move was necessary.

The 26-year-old forward has appeared in 27 games in his first season with the Pelicans, averaging 5.6 points and 1.5 rebounds in 14.4 minutes per night while shooting 43.4% from the field and 45.1% from three-point range. He underwent elbow surgery in December that sidelined him for a significant part of the season.

New Orleans claimed Ryan off waivers in October, inheriting the two-way contract he signed with Minnesota shortly before the start of training camp. He also had brief stints with the Celtics and Lakers earlier in his career.

The move leaves the Pelicans with a full 15-man roster, along with Dereon Seabron and Malcolm Hill as two-way players. The deadline for signing two-way contracts was in March, so New Orleans won’t be able to fill Ryan’s spot.

Budenholzer, Fernandez, Young Finalists For Nets’ Coaching Job

April 13th, 2024 at 1:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Mike Budenholzer, Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez, and Suns assistant Kevin Young are finalists for the Nets‘ head coaching job, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The Nets, who parted ways with Jacque Vaughn in February and replaced him with interim head coach Kevin Ollie, opted not to wait for the end of the season to begin their head coaching search. NetsDaily reported earlier today (Twitter link) that Brooklyn’s search process has been ongoing for more than a month and is believed to have been “extensive,” which Charania confirms.

According to Charania, Ollie received consideration for the permanent job, as did several other outside candidates, including Heat assistant Chris Quinn and Pelicans assistant James Borrego.

However, the franchise appears to have zeroed in on Budenholzer, Fernandez, and Young as its finalists. Sources tell The Athletic that team owner Joe Tsai will hold in-person meetings with all three candidates, with a final decision to be made sometime in the not-too-distant future.

A two-time Coach of the Year, Budenholzer compiled a 484-317 (.604) regular season record across 10 seasons as an NBA head coach from 2013-23 — five in Atlanta and five in Milwaukee. He also owns a 56-48 (.538) overall postseason record and won a championship with the Bucks in 2021. Budenholzer was an assistant in San Antonio when Nets general manager Sean Marks joined the Spurs’ front office in 2012.

Fernandez, who technically holds the title of associate head coach on Mike Brown‘s staff in Sacramento, served as an assistant in Denver from 2016-22 before making the move to the Kings. He has long been considered a future NBA head coach and led the Canadian national team to a bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. He’ll coach the Canadians at this summer’s Olympics in Paris.

Young is another veteran assistant who has been promoted to associate head coach and has received NBA head coaching consideration in recent years. He reportedly interviewed with the Rockets, Bucks, Raptors, and Suns a year ago. Young was an assistant with the Sixers from 2016-20 before spending the last four seasons in Phoenix.

The Nets are one of three teams in the market for a permanent head coach, along with the Hornets and Wizards.

Sixers Sign Ricky Council IV To Four-Year Contract

April 13th, 2024 at 12:32pm CST by Tristan Tucker

12:32pm: Council’s promotion to the Sixers’ 15-man roster is official, the team announced today in a press release. His four-year deal will be non-guaranteed after this season and will feature a team option for 2026/27, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

11:47am: The Sixers are signing two-way wing Ricky Council IV to a new four-year, $7.4MM standard contract, adding about $864K in new money for this season, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). The Sixers have an open roster spot, so no corresponding move is necessary to promote Council.

Council went undrafted in 2023 but quickly caught on with the Sixers on a two-way deal. He has impressed in limited time this season, averaging 5.5 points in 9.1 minutes across 31 games.

Council played three collegiate seasons — two with Wichita State and his final year with Arkansas. He averaged 12.5 points across 85 college games, including averaging 16.7 PPG in his final season.

The athletic wing didn’t play much to begin the season, but earned more minutes as the season progressed and has averaged 8.1 points from early February to March. He was also impressive at the G League level, averaging 23.8 points and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 47.6% from the floor and 37.8% on three-pointers in 27 regular season and Showcase Cup games with the Sixers’ G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats.

Council is now eligible for the playoffs under his new standard contract and at 22 years old, he has room to develop as an inexpensive rotation option for the Sixers down the line.

The exact details of Council’s contract – which will come out of Philadelphia’s mid-level exception – are unclear. However, it’s unlikely to include much, if any, guaranteed money beyond this season, given that the Sixers are preserving cap flexibility for the summer and are giving the rookie a substantial salary for the final two days of this season.

The Sixers now have a full 15-man roster, and just one player, Terquavion Smith, on a two-way contract. The Sixers recently promoted Jeff Dowtin from a two-way deal as well.

Sean Marks To Return As Nets’ GM In 2024/25

April 12th, 2024 at 9:23pm CST by Rory Maher

A couple months ago, there was some speculation that Sean Marks‘ job with the Nets might be in jeopardy amid a disappointing 2023/24 season which saw the team dismiss former head coach Jacque Vaughn.

At one point in mid-December, the Nets were 13-10. After Friday’s loss to the Knicks, they’re now 32-49 with one game left in the regular season.

However, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, Marks will return as Brooklyn’s general manager next season. Multiple league sources tell Lewis that Marks will be in charge of hiring a new head coach, with the team expected to “cast a wide net” in its search.

“(Owner) Joe (Tsai) and I have always been in complete partnership,” Marks said in February. “And it doesn’t mean we always agree. I mean, you have to have good discussions and robust discussions, but Joe and I will make this decision, and he has given me no reason to believe that I won’t be able to make that decision.

“By the end of this I have no doubt that we’ll come and find the best person fit for this job.”

Marks has been Brooklyn’s GM since 2016. The Nets had made the playoffs each of the past five seasons prior to ’23/24, but were quickly eliminated in the first round on four of those occasions.

Interim head coach Kevin Ollie is expected to receive consideration for the permanent position. The Nets have gone 11-17 under Ollie, a longtime former NBA player who took over for Vaughn a couple months ago.

“Yeah, I’m the interim, so I’ve got to find out if I’m keeping the job first,” Ollie replied recently to a question from The Post about his status. “We’re going to have some exit meetings here shortly, probably Monday or Tuesday and then we’ll talk. I’ll talk with Sean, our medical staff.

“We do everything as an organization, we do everything as a community. We make sure we have the same voice, surround-sound system with our players, making sure we’re saying the same things. So we’ll have those talks.”

Alexandre Sarr Declares For 2024 NBA Draft

April 12th, 2024 at 2:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Joining Donovan Clingan and Matas Buzelis, French big man Alexandre Sarr has become the third top-10 prospect to declare for the 2024 NBA draft within the last few hours, announcing his decision on NBA Today with Malika Andrews (Twitter video link).

Sarr, who will turn 19 later this month, has spent the 2023/24 season with the Perth Wildcats in Australia’s National Basketball League, where he averaged 9.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 17.2 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .520/.298/.714.

Those numbers don’t jump off the page, but Sarr – who was competing in the NBL as an 18-year-old against seasoned professionals – is considered to have significant upside, particularly on the defensive end.

The 7’1″ center is currently the No. 2 prospect on ESPN’s big board and occupied the top spot on that board a few months ago. With no consensus first overall pick in this year’s draft, Sarr is expected to be in that conversation.

According to ESPN’s scouting report, Sarr is a versatile, athletic defender and a strong finisher offensively, though there are questions about his rebounding, awareness, and toughness.