Hoops Rumors hosted a live chat today at 10:00 am Central time (11:00 am Eastern).
Click here for today’s transcript.
Russell Westbrook is glad to be in a situation where he feels wanted, but the Clippers only have a short time to figure out his best role with the team, writes Baxter Holmes of ESPN. L.A. shook up its backcourt with this week’s signing of Westbrook and trade deadline deals for Eric Gordon and Bones Hyland. It hasn’t been determined who will start and what the combinations will look like, and coach Tyronn Lue only has 21 games remaining to get his rotations in place.
“If he’s doing too much or not enough, I’ll let him know,” Lue said of Westbrook. “But we want him to be the player that he is, the MVP, the Hall of Famer, everything he brings every single night. We want him to be that person, that player. And then we’ve just got to make sure that it’s in the confines of our team and what we’re trying to do team-wise.”
Westbrook was stuck in a difficult situation with the Lakers, where he was a poor fit and an easy target for the team’s disappointing performance. A trade to Utah and a buyout with the Jazz gave him a chance to reset his career, and he said at Wednesday’s introductory press conference that he’s happy to be able to stay in L.A. and help the Clippers contend for a title.
“For me, it’s just finding my way to be able to help other guys,” Westbrook said. “It’s something I truly embrace, and that’s what I will do — make sure I can make the game easy for all these guys that are here, find out their spots, what they like, what they don’t like. And that’s going to be a process for me, but I’m ready for the challenge and looking forward to it.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The Lakers also remade their roster this month in hopes of making a push for the playoffs. Coach Darvin Ham tells Dave McMenamin of ESPN that three of the team’s newcomers — D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt — will be part of the starting lineup going forward. L.A.’s next seven games are against teams that it’s trailing in the Western Conference playoff race, and Ham knows they’re all important. “If we fall into a play-in situation, so be it,” he said. “But our No. 1 goal is to go secure a (playoff) spot, not just throw games off here or there (and) just wish for a play-in. We want to go secure a spot.”
- The Warriors will reevaluate Gary Payton II‘s condition in about a month in hopes that he can be ready for the playoffs, according to Kendra Andrews of ESPN. Golden State opted to go through with a four-team trade even though Payton wasn’t able to pass his physical. “Just have to take it day by day,” Payton said. “When the medical staff and I agree that things are good and it’s safe for me to get back out there and be able to be myself and my body feels like itself, we’ll come up with a decision.”
- Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Klay Thompson should be available for back-to-back games for the rest of the season, tweets Madeline Kennedy of The Bay Area News Group.
The Hawks are holding formal negotiations with Quin Snyder in hopes of hiring him as their next head coach, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Sources tell Charania that Snyder, who is reportedly out of the country, had a virtual meeting with Atlanta officials on Wednesday and the sides are hoping to meet in person soon. Charania’s sources add that Snyder appears to be the team’s main target and the Hawks would like to get a deal in place soon.
There is “mutual interest” between Snyder and Atlanta, Charania adds, as management views him as someone who can improve the team’s culture on and off the court.
Snyder spent eight years as head coach of the Jazz before resigning in June. He compiled a 372-264 record and took Utah to the playoffs in his final six seasons with the team. Snyder was expected to take a year off from coaching to consider his next move, but the opportunity with Atlanta might be too good to pass up.
The Hawks fired Nate McMillan on Tuesday following a disappointing 29-30 start to the season. Atlanta was hoping to be among the top teams in the East after paying a high price to acquire Dejounte Murray in an offseason trade, but the club was floundering amid reported locker room tension and a shakeup in the front office.
As the only team currently in the market for a head coach, the Hawks have the advantage of being able to pursue their preferred choice with no competition. Other rumored candidates include Bucks assistant Charles Lee, Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson, Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez, Spurs assistant Mitch Johnson, South Bay Lakers coach Miles Simon and former Celtics head coach Ime Udoka.
Although the Nets remade their roster at this month’s trade deadline, Ben Simmons remains the “elephant in the room,” one league executive tells Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. The executive believes that Simmons “kind of skated on a lot of the criticism” amid the Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant drama.
“Brooklyn had questions and problems with Kyrie and KD from an organizational standpoint, but at least those guys could play,” the exec said. “They were good. Ben has been less than good.”
Back surgery last spring has limited Simmons to some extent this season, but the former No. 1 overall pick has also seemed to lack confidence, especially in half-court offense situations where he can’t use his size and athleticism as effectively as he does in transition.
“When you guard him more like a non-shooter, it’s hard for him to make decisions, because the decision that you need to make is shoot the ball,” the executive said to Bulpett. “… Ultimately for Ben, shooting is the Kryptonite. His decision-making when people are up into his body and he’s running full speed down the court and he’s in the open court with his size, he’s pretty good. But in the half-court, his decision making struggles because he can’t shoot.”
The Nets have spent much of the season searching for the ideal role for Simmons, but head coach Jacque Vaughn remains reluctant to have him on the court alongside center Nic Claxton due to spacing issues, notes Andrew Crane of The New York Post. As a result, the “ongoing Simmons conundrum,” as Crane puts it, may continue to be an issue for the rest of the season. The 26-year-old has two years and about $78MM left on his contract after this year.
Here’s more out of Brooklyn:
- The Nets have kept an eye on the buyout market, but haven’t made it a top priority despite possessing an open 15-man roster spot, Crane writes for The New York Post. The team has more than enough depth and Vaughn and general manager Sean Marks don’t want to mess with Brooklyn’s locker room chemistry.
- While the Nets have made plenty of mistakes in recent years, signing Vaughn to a long-term extension wasn’t one of them, according to Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post, who lauds the team for doing right by a consummate professional like Vaughn.
- Collin Helwig of NetsDaily wonders whether the Nets should look to the Cavaliers as a model worth emulating. As Helwig observes, Cleveland built a strong core and culture and complemented that core by acquiring a star (Donovan Mitchell) this offseason. That’s the sort of deal Brooklyn could eventually seek out to augment the team’s young talent.
Bradley Beal is among a handful of NBA players who are celebrated for their loyalty to a franchise, and although he doesn’t have any immediate plans to leave the Wizards, there appear to be limits to how long he’ll wait for the team to become a contender. In an interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Beal talked repeatedly about how much he wants to compete for a title, something Washington hasn’t been in position to do since he arrived there a decade ago.
“I’m patient, but there comes a time where you have to be a little selfish and draw a line in the sand, for sure,” Beal said. “So, I have thoughts in my head but at the same time I stay in the moment. I stay engaged with what we have and what we do and don’t get caught up in noise and just go from there, take it a day at a time, control what I can control.”
The Wizards have just three playoff series wins in Beal’s time with the organization and have missed the postseason in three of the past four years. They won 10 of their last 14 games before the All-Star break, but they’re still just ninth in the East, leaving Beal far short of what he wants most.
“I feel like I’ve accomplished a good amount of my career,” he said. “I’ve been an All-Star, been All-NBA, averaged 30 (points per game) in the league. It’s just, ‘OK, what can I do now? What do you want to do?’ Win, win, win, win, win at the highest level, play in meaningful games, win multiple playoff series, get to the Finals, win a Finals. That’s what I want to do. That’s the goal.”
Beal covers several other topics in the interview:
On the mixed emotions he felt attending Game 4 of last year’s NBA Finals:
“I was sitting with my wife, and I was like telling (Jayson Tatum) just like, ‘No, guard him, guard him,’ like I’m on the team. Man, I got to chill. But just the atmosphere, as a competitor, you’re like, ‘Yo, I want to be a part of this. I want to hoop on this stage.’ So that, there was nothing like it. I’d have drove myself mad if I’d have went to more than one game.”
On the disappointment of missing the Olympics after being placed in health and safety protocols:
“It’s something that’s out of your control. Obviously, in hindsight, I wish I would’ve got the vaccine. I wish I’d have had it at the time because I could’ve avoided all that. But everything happens for a reason. Again, I’m proud of the opportunity. I could come again in another year, so it’s not like it’s out of reach, or I won’t have another opportunity at it. So, I’m definitely excited about it. I was happy to be a part of the team with a great group of guys. Coach (Steve) Kerr, Coach Pop (Gregg Popovich), everybody was awesome. And just to still have that relationship with them today is cool.”
On his level of confidence that the Wizards can become a contender:
“We’re making steps to compete, and we’re doing it on a nightly basis. (Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard) is making moves to improve the team. So, all I can do is sit back, trust him, trust his process, work with what we are working with. It’s not easy. The grass isn’t always greener. I understand that when you give up, hell, if I go somewhere (else), you’re giving up a lot. So, that factors into a lot of stuff, too. So obviously you try to put yourself in the best situation possible for yourself and your family. We’re trying to build on it. We’re trying to do that here.”
On conversations with other one-team players such as Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard:
“We all think the same. It’s just our commitment to want to win where we’re at, and there’s nothing wrong with that at all. We’re just trusting the organizations that drafted us. They put that trust in us. They continue to invest in us, and we’re just trying to pay that back. We’re trying to give them our all that we possibly can, and I love it, man. I don’t think there’s nothing wrong with it. I take pride in that.”
Donovan Mitchell admits to being “shocked” by Kevin Love‘s buyout with the Cavaliers, which occurred while players were scattered for the All-Star break, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Mitchell was involved with numerous events during All-Star Weekend, and he hasn’t been able to talk to Love about his decision to leave Cleveland and sign with the Heat.
“I don’t think any of us take it personally,” Mitchell said. “I think his role in the past 10 or 11 games wasn’t what he wanted and as players we understand that. If that was his decision, then that’s fine. … I think that’s ultimately the best decision for him as a player and you want to respect that. I have no doubt in my mind that he is going to thrive in Miami. Ultimate professional. Wish him nothing but the best. We will see him in a few weeks. He’s a hell of a player, hell of a person and I’m appreciative of my time with him.”
Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff also sensed that Love was unhappy after being replaced in the rotation when Dean Wade returned from an injury in late January. Bickerstaff asked Love to be a mentor for the team, but he could tell Love wasn’t satisfied with that role.
“Not a disruptive unhappy or combative unhappy,” Bickerstaff said. “Kevin wants to play. I understand that. He wants to be on the floor. He can help teams or help a team. He believes that. I think it’s that frustration of not being able to participate with your teammates that you could feel and you could sense.”
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Billy Donovan hasn’t decided if Patrick Beverley will start or not, but the veteran guard will definitely see playing time, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. The Bulls held a press conference Wednesday to welcome their latest free agent addition, who committed to Chicago after reaching a buyout agreement with Orlando. “He’s been an elite defender and an elite competitor,” Donovan said. “I think if you look at his career, he’s continued to improve his shooting. He’s shot the ball better and better throughout his career. He’s taken on all sorts of very difficult defensive assignments. I think he understands and knows the personnel in this league very well.”
- Whether or not the Pacers make the playoffs, the rest of this season will help determine who will be part of the team’s future, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Indiana will build around Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin, and Myles Turner‘s extension figures to keep him in place for at least two more years, but there are logjams at other positions that need to be worked out.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo was a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice and his status for the Bucks‘ games on Friday and Sunday hasn’t been determined, tweets Eric Nehm of The Journal-Sentinel. Jae Crowder is expected to make his debut with the team on Friday night, Nehm adds (Twitter link).
The Hawks are considering Ime Udoka as a potential replacement for Nate McMillan, sources tell Marc Stein (Twitter link).
Rumors swirled about several prominent coaches after McMillan’s dismissal was announced Tuesday, but this is the first time we’ve heard Udoka as a possibility. Stein notes that Atlanta officials have only acknowledged former Jazz coach Quin Snyder as a candidate, but adds that he’s heard Bucks assistant Charles Lee mentioned frequently among his sources.
Udoka parted ways with the Celtics last week after the organization removed the interim tag from Joe Mazzulla, according to Brian Robb of MassLive. Udoka had been under suspension since September for having an affair with a staff member.
The 45-year-old could be one of the most sought-after names on the coaching market when the season ends, so Atlanta has the chance to lock him down before any other teams make coaching changes. In his only year as a head coach, Udoka took the Celtics to the NBA Finals last season.
Udoka was briefly considered the favorite to replace Steve Nash when he reached a mutual agreement with the Nets to step down in November, but protests regarding Udoka’s conduct in Boston convinced Brooklyn to move in a different direction and give the job to Jacque Vaughn. We’ll have to see if a similar situation arises involving the Hawks or any other franchise that may consider hiring Udoka.
In addition to the names mentioned above, Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson, Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez, Spurs assistant Mitch Johnson, and South Bay Lakers coach Miles Simon are considered to be candidates in Atlanta’s coaching search. Interim head coach Joe Prunty will lead the team when it resumes its season on Friday.
The Clippers‘ front office met with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, along with Tyronn Lue and his coaching staff, to assess the team’s needs following the trade deadline, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. The group determined that a veteran point guard would be useful, particularly after trading away Reggie Jackson and John Wall, which led to the decision to pursue Russell Westbrook if he became available.
Westbrook signed with the Clippers after a buyout with the Jazz and could debut with his new team Friday night. The 34-year-old guard will try to rehabilitate his image in L.A. after spending a rocky season and a half with the Lakers.
There’s risk involved for both sides in the new arrangement, Youngmisuk notes. The Clippers are playing their best basketball of the season, winning 10 of their last 14 games, and will now try to integrate one of the league’s most polarizing players into their lineup, possibly as a starter. Westbrook, who will be a free agent this summer, faces the possibility of tanking his value even further as he seeks his next contract.
Youngmisuk notes that the Clippers are hoping Westbrook can become a more successful version of Wall, a similar type of player, who was trying to revive his career after years of injuries. Wall was on a minutes limit for much of the season and rarely got to play with Leonard and George at the same time because they were managing injuries of their own.
“Sucked that John didn’t work,” George said, “but what John brought is what we need: A guy that can get up and down the floor and get us some easy baskets in transition.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Kevin Durant will likely play his first game with the Suns on March 1 at Charlotte, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. There had been hope that Durant would be ready for Friday’s home game against Oklahoma City or Sunday’s nationally televised contest at Milwaukee, but sources tell Charania that next Wednesday is now the target date. Durant has been sidelined since suffering an MCL sprain on January 8.
- Recent comments from Durant and Chris Paul about Carmelo Anthony have led to speculation that they may lobby the Suns to sign the 38-year-old forward, according to Jeremy Cluff of The Arizona Republic. Anthony has been out of the league after playing 69 games for the Lakers last season.
- Gary Payton II told reporters that he wasn’t surprised when he failed his physical with the Warriors, tweets Kendra Andrews of ESPN. Payton said he knew his body wasn’t 100% and explained that he took Toradol when he was with the Trail Blazers because “being a competitor, I just wanted to get out there.”
FEBRUARY 22: Westbrook has signed with the Clippers after clearing waivers, the team announced (via Twitter).
FEBRUARY 20, 4:32pm: Westbrook has officially been waived, the Jazz’s PR department tweets.
FEBRUARY 20, 9:51am: Russell Westbrook will join the Clippers once he completes a buyout with the Jazz, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Paul George and Marcus Morris recently spoke out in favor of adding Westbrook, but Clippers management took more convincing, Wojnarowski writes. Sources tell Woj that team officials, including coach Tyronn Lue and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank, recently had discussions with Westbrook on whether he would accept a clearly defined role that focuses on his play-making, rebounding and toughness.
Those attributes could make a difference for a Clippers team that has been searching for a point guard after failing to fill that role before the trade deadline. L.A. unloaded Reggie Jackson and John Wall in separate deals, so there was a desire to find a lead guard.
Westbrook also had discussions with the Bulls, Wizards and Heat, but Wojnarowski’s sources say he was swayed by the chance to remain in Los Angeles and compete for a title with the Clippers.
Westbrook began the season with the Lakers, continuing a relationship that seemed rocky ever since he was acquired from Washington in 2021. He adapted to a sixth man role under new coach Darvin Ham and contributed 15.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 7.5 assists in 52 games. However, his shooting percentages remained low at 41.7% from the field and 29.6% from three-point range, and shot selection and turnovers were still an issue.
The 34-year-old guard, who was traded to Utah at the deadline, still must finalize buyout terms with the Jazz and clear waivers before he can join the Clippers. He will likely give up a portion of the money still owed to him on his $47MM+ expiring contract.
The Clippers were considered among the favorites in the West when the season began, but they have been inconsistent during a 33-28 start. If they get the best version of Westbrook to pair with Kawhi Leonard and George, his former teammate in Oklahoma City, they would be a tough playoff matchup for anyone.
The Pistons have been out of the playoff race for a long time, but they still have some important work to do in their final 23 games, observes Keith Langlois of NBA.com. Part of that mission includes seeing what they have in a pair of reclamation projects who were once considered elite draft prospects.
James Wiseman was acquired from the Warriors at the trade deadline, but because a health issue involving Gary Payton II held up the deal, Wiseman only appeared in one game before the All-Star break. He displayed a glimpse of the potential that caused Golden State to take him with the No. 2 pick in 2020, posting 11 points and five rebounds in 24 minutes.
Detroit has to determine how Wiseman can fit with the team’s other young big men. He has been used exclusively at center during his brief NBA career, but Langlois believes the Pistons will want to test out a lineup with Wiseman at power forward alongside rookie center Jalen Duren. The addition of another seven-footer seems to indicate that Isaiah Stewart will now be used primarily at power forward, Langlois adds.
Detroit will reportedly sign R.J. Hampton sometime after he clears waivers on Thursday. Hampton hasn’t made an impact in his first two NBA stops, but he’s only 22 and a rebuilding team like the Pistons could give him an opportunity for regular playing time.
There’s more from Detroit:
- Cade Cunningham is still recovering from season-ending shin surgery in December, but the Pistons are optimistic about his long-term prognosis, Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press writes in a mailbag column. Cunningham hasn’t been cleared to play 5-on-5 yet, but team officials believe he’ll be ready for full summer workouts once the season ends. Sankofa notes that Cunningham has been dealing with soreness in his left shin for several years, so there’s hope that he’ll be pain-free next season.
- Jerami Grant could become a target for the Pistons in free agency, Sankofa adds. Grant, who Detroit traded to the Trail Blazers last summer, hasn’t decided on a four-year, $112MM extension offer from Portland. If he turns it down, Sankofa sees Grant as an obvious target for general manager Troy Weaver, who could have up to $40MM in cap space to work with this offseason.
- Marvin Bagley III participated in most of Wednesday’s practice and coach Dwane Casey said he’s close to returning, Sankofa tweets. Bagley has missed the past 19 games after having surgery on his right hand.