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Suns Notes: Budenholzer, Billups, Coaching Search, O’Neale

May 9th, 2024 at 6:01pm CST by Luke Adams

After initially reporting that Mike Budenholzer will be a “prominent part” of the Suns‘ search for a new head coach following Frank Vogel‘s dismissal, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter links) cites sources who say Budenholzer has emerged as the frontrunner for the position. A deal could come together relatively quickly, Wojnarowski adds.

John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 shared a similar report, tweeting that Budenholzer is the “most likely” hire for the Suns. Gambadoro suggested that the search process won’t last long, with perhaps just two or three candidates receiving serious consideration.

According to Wojnarowski, Budenholzer has been preparing for the possibility of returning to an NBA head coaching job by working on assembling a potential staff. He has also been mentioned as a possibility for the Lakers, but it sounds as if there’s more momentum toward a deal with Phoenix.

Here’s more on the Suns:

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) has heard that Chauncey Billups would have support from Suns players as a head coaching candidate. Billups played on Team USA with Kevin Durant in 2010 and is a “known admirer” of Devin Booker, Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report points out (via Twitter). Of course, Billups is still under contract as the Trail Blazers‘ head coach, but previous reporting indicated that teams around the NBA are keeping an eye on that situation.
Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports takes a look at a handful of possible candidates to replace Vogel, discussing four other potential targets besides Budenholzer and Billups.
Should the Timberwolves’ road dominance in the first two games of their series vs. the Nuggets change the way the Suns view their four consecutive playoff losses to Minnesota? Bourguet explores that question in an article for the PHNX newsletter.
In one more story for PHNX Sports, Bourguet lays out why re-signing unrestricted free agent forward Royce O’Neale is the only logical option for Phoenix this offseason, since the team would have no real way to replace him with a similar player if he walks.

Injury Notes: Porzingis, J. Allen, Murray, KCP, Jackson

May 9th, 2024 at 5:44pm CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on Zolak and Bertrand on 98.5 The Sports Hub on Tuesday, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla offered an encouraging update on the progress Kristaps Porzingis is making in his recovery from a calf strain, per Brian Robb of MassLive.com.

“It’s definitely better than we thought,” Mazzulla said. “I think one thing about KP is, I don’t know what his timetable is, but I know his mentality, and he really pushes himself to get back as quickly as he can. He does a great job working to take care of himself. He’s walking a little bit better, and every day he’s in there doing whatever it takes to try to get back as fast as he can. I appreciate that.”

Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston (Twitter video link) said that “all early indications are super positive” on Porzingis’ recovery, adding that there’s “nothing but optimism” coming from the organization. The big man was on the court for the Celtics’ practice on Wednesday, notes Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link), though he was just doing stationary shooting and wasn’t moving around much.

Previous reporting indicated that the Celtics are hoping Porzingis will be able to return for the Eastern Conference Finals, assuming Boston makes it.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (right rib contusion) has been ruled out for a fifth straight game, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, who confirms (via Twitter) that the big man will miss Game 2 on Thursday in Boston. As he did in Game 1, Isaac Okoro will once again start in Allen’s place.
The Nuggets are listing three players as questionable to play in a crucial Game 3 in Minnesota on Friday, tweets Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette: Jamal Murray (left calf strain), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (right abdominal contusion), and Reggie Jackson (left calf contusion). Murray has repeatedly been listed as questionable due to his calf issue and likely isn’t any danger of missing Friday’s game. However, Caldwell-Pope’s and Jackson’s injuries are new ones.
In case you missed it, the Knicks are listing OG Anunoby (hamstring) as out and Jalen Brunson (foot) as questionable for Friday’s Game 3 vs. Indiana. We have more details here.

Knicks’ Anunoby Has Hamstring Strain, Out For Game 3

May 9th, 2024 at 4:47pm CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks are listing forward OG Anunoby as out for Game 3 of their first-round series vs. the Pacers on Friday due to a left hamstring strain, per the NBA’s latest injury report. Anunoby sustained the injury during New York’s Game 2 win on Wednesday.

Anunoby is the latest addition to a growing list of injured Knicks frontcourt players. The team was already missing Julius Randle entering the postseason due to season-ending shoulder surgery. Since the playoffs began, Bojan Bogdanovic has gone down with foot and wrist injuries, while Mitchell Robinson was diagnosed with a stress injury in his left ankle. Both Bogdanovic and Robinson are expected to miss the rest of the postseason.

Anunoby missed several weeks during the second half of the season due to an elbow issue, but he had been playing heavy minutes since his return. He averaged 41.6 MPG in the first round vs. Philadelphia and logged 42 minutes in Game 1 vs. Indiana before exiting Game 2 early.

The Knicks have leaned heavily on their starters since the postseason began, but playing without Anunoby may force head coach Tom Thibodeau to promote one or more of his little-used reserves into the rotation.

Even if Jalen Brunson, who is listed as questionable for Game 3 due to right foot soreness, is fine to suit up, Brunson, Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo, Isaiah Hartenstein, Miles McBride, and Precious Achiuwa are the only available Knicks who have seen any real action in the playoffs.

Alec Burks, who got off the bench for 44 seconds at the end of the first half in Game 1, looks like the top candidate to potentially enter the rotation. Shake Milton, Jericho Sims, DaQuan Jeffries, and Mamadi Diakite make up the rest of New York’s 15-man roster.

The Knicks have yet to make any official announcement on Anunoby’s injury, but depending on the severity of the strain, it’s the sort of ailment that could certainly sideline him for more than just one game.

Suns Fire Frank Vogel

May 9th, 2024 at 3:30pm CST by Rory Maher

The Suns have fired head coach Frank Vogel, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link via Sam Amick of The Athletic).

“After a thoughtful review of the season, we concluded that we needed a different head coach for our team,” said president of basketball operations and general manager James Jones. “We appreciate Frank’s hard work and commitment. We are here to win a championship and last season was way below our expectations.”

The news was first broken by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who says (via Twitter) former Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer will be a “prominent part” of Phoenix’s new coaching search.

The Suns dismissed Vogel, who won a championship as head coach of the Lakers in 2020, after just 11 months on the job. When he was hired last June, he reportedly received a five-year, $31MM contract.

It was an up-and-down 2023/24 season for Vogel and the Suns, who entered the campaign with championship aspirations but were swept in their first-round playoff series by the Timberwolves. Minnesota currently leads its second-round series with the defending-champion Nuggets 2-0 after winning a pair of games in Denver.

Phoenix went 49-33 during the regular season, claiming the West’s No. 6 seed entering the playoffs. Injuries, holes on the roster, and positional/skill overlap were issues throughout ’23/24.

The Suns’ gig was Vogel’s fourth NBA head coaching job. He coached the Pacers for five-and-a-half seasons from 2011-16, moved to Orlando from 2016-18, and was the Lakers’ leader for three years from 2019-22. He was an assistant with Boston, Philadelphia and Indiana before the Pacers promoted him mid-season in 2011.

Phoenix will be looking for another head coach for the second straight offseason, as the team dismissed former Coach of the Year Monty Williams, who led the team to an NBA Finals appearance in 2021, last year.

Owner Mat Ishbia has made several eyebrow-raising moves since he took majority control in 2023, pushing for a blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant and then adding another maximum-salary player in Bradley Beal last offseason. Ishbia and Jones projected optimism at a press conference following the team’s playoff ouster, yet ultimately made another major change by firing Vogel.

While Jones’ job is safe, Phoenix will be making other front office changes, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7, who reports (All Twitter links) that the coaching search will likely only feature two or three names, with former NBA sharpshooter J.J. Redick not among the candidates. Budenholzer is the current frontrunner, Gambadoro confirms, adding that a decision should be made by next week.

Phoenix had the league’s third-highest payroll in ’23/24, and that figure is projected to continue to grow in ’24/25. Whomever is hired will obviously face intense pressure to produce immediate results next season.

As our tracker shows, the Nets and Hornets have concluded their coaching searches in 2024, while the Suns join the Lakers and Wizards as teams with ongoing searches.

And-Ones: Towns, Media Rights, California Classic, Howard

May 9th, 2024 at 3:21pm CST by Rory Maher

Timberwolves forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns has been named the NBA’s Social Justice Champion for the 2023/24 season, the league announced in a press release.

The four-time All-Star is a voting rights advocate and supported Minnesota’s Restore the Vote bill last year, which “restores the right to vote to thousands of formerly incarcerated individuals.” Towns also advocates for changes to the criminal justice and education systems in the U.S.

Heat center Bam Adebayo, Pelicans guard CJ McCollum, Thunder wing Lindy Waters and Clippers guard Russell Westbrook were the other finalists.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

On an earnings call, TNT (Warner Bros. Discovery) CEO David Zaslav was cautiously optimistic about retaining media rights to NBA games, per Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. “We’ve had a lot of time to prepare for this negotiation, and we have strategies in place for the various potential outcomes,” Zaslav said. “However, now is not the time to discuss any of this since we are in active negotiations with the league. And under our current deal with the NBA, we have matching rights that allow us to match third-party offers before the NBA enters into an agreement with them.”
Zaslav’s comments came on the heels of various reports saying NBC has submitted a $2.5 billion bid to be the league’s third media rights partner, joining ESPN/ABC (Disney) and Amazon, which already have framework deals in place. According to Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal, NBC is still viewed as the frontrunner, ahead of TNT.
The 2024 California Classic will be co-hosted by the Kings and Warriors, as Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee relays. California’s Summer League – a prelude to Las Vegas Summer League – will take place from July 6-10 and will feature 12 total games. The Kings, Hornets and Spurs will play in Sacramento and the Warriors, Lakers and Heat will play in San Francisco. Sacramento will head to the Chase Center to face Golden State on July 10 to wrap up the event, Anderson writes.
Former NBA guard Markus Howard was granted permission to play for Puerto Rico ahead of the country’s Olympic qualifying tournament this summer, the federation announced in a press release. The former Marquette star led the EuroLeague in scoring while playing for Spain’s Baskonia this season, BasketNews notes. “We are very happy to welcome Markus to our national team,” said Carlos Arroyo, general manager of Puerto Rico’s national team. “Markus has become one of the best players in Europe, and for us, it is a luxury to have him. His offensive level will raise the expectations of our team.”

NBA Suspends Patrick Beverley Four Games Without Pay

May 9th, 2024 at 1:11pm CST by Rory Maher

The NBA has suspended Bucks guard Patrick Beverley four games without pay for “forcefully throwing a basketball multiple times at spectators and an inappropriate interaction with a reporter during media availability,” the league announced on Thursday (Twitter link).

Since Beverley is an impending free agent, it isn’t yet known how much he will be fined, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter). Assuming he’s able to land a new contract, Beverley will serve the suspension at the start of 2024/25.

The incidents in question came a week ago, both during and after Milwaukee’s Game 6 loss to Indiana. The defeat ended the Bucks’ season.

Late in the fourth quarter, Beverley first threw a ball that appeared to miss its mark, a male Pacers fan, instead hitting an unsuspecting female in the side of the head (Twitter video link). When the male fan retrieved the ball and lightly tossed it back to Beverley, he immediately threw it back at the male fan with considerably more force.

The Athletic subsequently reported that a fan — presumably the male fan — was directing obscenities toward Beverley leading up to the incident. Yesterday, The Athletic reported that Indianapolis police were reviewing the altercation. It’s unclear if it will lead to criminal charges.

The second incident in question came when Beverley grew agitated with ESPN producer Malinda Adams because she wasn’t subscribed to his podcast (Twitter video link). After stating she couldn’t be present at his media session for that reason, he subsequently pushed her microphone away and later asked her to leave the circle of reporters around his locker.

The 35-year-old reportedly had been telling media members they couldn’t interview him unless they were subscribed to his podcast since Milwaukee acquired him in a deadline-deal from Philadelphia.

“Patrick Beverley’s behavior towards ESPN producer Malinda Adams was unacceptable, unprofessional and failed to meet the standard that NBA players consistently meet in their interactions with the media,” said NBA spokesperson Tim Frank, per Howard Beck of The Ringer (Twitter link).

Beverley and the Bucks reached out to Adams to apologize the following day.

Sixers Notes: Reed, Lowry, FAs, Martin, Maxey

May 9th, 2024 at 12:38pm CST by Rory Maher

Sixers backup center Paul Reed had the best regular season of his career in 2023/24, posting career-best marks in every major counting stat while appearing in all 82 games (24 starts), including 7.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 1.0 BPG in 19.4 MPG.

However, as Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes (subscriber link), Reed struggled mightily on both ends of the court in the team’s first-round loss to New York, with those averages falling to 1.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG and 0.5 BPG in 7.2 MPG.

The 24-year-old signed a uniquely structured offer sheet with Utah last summer, which Philadelphia quickly matched. He’s on a three-year, $23.56MM deal, but the next two seasons are fully non-guaranteed after the Sixers failed to make the second round of the postseason. Reed’s future with the club is now uncertain, though one report stated the 76ers wanted to bring him back.

“This definitely adds a little extra pressure, but I’m going to go out there and put my best foot forward every day like I always do,” Reed said. “I always perform my best under pressure, so everything is for a reason. And maybe this is in God’s plans. So it is what it is.”

Here’s more from Philadelphia:

Former six-time All-Star Kyle Lowry isn’t sure what his future holds in free agency, but the longtime veteran point guard did say he plans to play a 19th season in 2024/25, according to Pompey (subscription required). “I had a great opportunity to be a part of two superstars in this league,” the Philadelphia native said of playing with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. “And for me, it was a joy to be around them. We’ll see what happens in the next couple months.” Though he struggled individually in the final two games of the series to the Knicks, Lowry was definitely a positive overall addition, Pompey adds.
The Sixers have 10 impending free agents this summer. Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscriber link) breaks down what each player said about his situation after the season concluded. Little-used reserve KJ Martin freely acknowledged he planned to test the open market. “I got traded twice this year, and that wasn’t my choice,” Martin said. “And now I have the option to kind of pick where I can go and what’s best for my career, so that’s what I’m going to do. … I think it’s time to do what’s best for me and keep moving forward, whether it’s here or God knows where.”
Most Improved Player award winner Tyrese Maxey exceeded the team’s expectations this season and Philadelphia is firmly committed to him as a centerpiece of the future, Mizell writes in another story (subscription required). “The step he took this year is extremely hard,” president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said of Maxey. “And, for sure, not a given that he would have done it. But I guess we should all learn not to bet against Tyrese, given he has beat expectations every single season, both prior to coming here and then here.”

Timberwolves Notes: Gobert, Finch, Towns, Draft Workout

May 9th, 2024 at 10:58am CST by Dana Gauruder

Rudy Gobert, who was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year this week, is grateful to the Timberwolves organization for sticking by him after a rough first year in Minnesota, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes.

“When things didn’t go as smoothly as we wanted them to last year, they never doubted me,” Gobert said. “They have shown me love every day, pushing me to be better every day, and I really appreciate that.”

He also feels the entire city has embraced him after many league observers called the blockbuster trade with Utah a disastrous move during and after last season.

“I think we are trying to accomplish something bigger, but more importantly I think I’ve found a home,” he said. “I’ve found a team, a coaching staff, an organization and a city that has embraced me, and a group that has embraced me. I feel like it’s like a family. We are there for each other. We really care about one another.”

We have more on the Timberwolves:

Gobert missed Game 2 after the birth of his first child and was thrilled to watch his teammates dismantle the Nuggets in a 106-80 blowout, Dave McMenamin of ESPN relays. “It was incredible,” Gobert said. “I was exhausted, obviously, holding the baby and watching the game at the same time, but I had a little bit of emotions at the end because it felt like there was something special.”
Coach Chris Finch has been showing his toughness during the series, running the team shortly after undergoing knee surgery for a ruptured patella tendon. “He hops over on the crutches at times when he’s yelling at guys behind the bench,” Conley told Krawczysnki. “That passion he has for the game, it’s rubbing off on other guys. We’re doing a great job of keeping him involved, keeping him engaged and he’s doing a great job keeping on us and just being who he is.”
Karl-Anthony Towns has won the league’s Social Justice award, Marc Spears of Andscape.com reports. Among other issues, Towns has championed voting rights for formerly incarcerated people. He is expected to be given the award prior to Game 3 on Friday.
The Wolves will be hosting a pre-draft workout on Thursday for six prospects, mainly potential second-rounders, the team’s PR department tweets. Isaiah Crawford (Louisiana Tech), Thierry Darlan (G League Ignite), Aaron Estrada (Alabama), A.J. Johnson (Illawarra Hawks), Riley Minix (Morehead State) and Jaylen Wells (Washington State) are the participants. Wells is ranked No. 54 on ESPN’s Best Available list, while Johnson is pegged at No. 62.

Pacers Notes: Carlisle, Officiating, Disputed Calls, Haliburton, Turner

May 9th, 2024 at 9:32am CST by Dana Gauruder

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle downplayed some controversial calls in Game 1 of his team’s series against the Knicks, saying “We’re not expecting to get calls in here (at Madison Square Garden).”

He struck a much different tone during and after Indiana’s Game 2 loss on Wednesday. Carlisle was ejected late in the fourth quarter of the Pacers’ 130-121 loss, then ripped the officiating in the postgame press conference, claiming that “small-market teams” don’t get a fair shake.

“Small-market teams deserve an equal shot,” Carlisle said, per Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star. “They deserve a fair shot no matter where they’re playing.”

Carlisle pointed out a number of instances where he felt his team got an unfavorable whistle or a no-call on a Knicks foul.

“I’m always talking to our guys about not making it about the officials,” Carlisle said. “But we deserve a fair shot. There’s not a consistent balance, and that’s disappointing. Give New York credit for the physicality that they’re playing with. But their physicality is rewarded and ours is penalized. Time after time. I’m just really disappointed.”

The Pacers have submitted 78 plays to the league, covering the first two games, that they felt were incorrectly called, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reports. That includes 49 calls from Wednesday’s contest. As part of NBA protocol, the clips will also be shared with the Knicks.

We have more on the Pacers:

While Carlisle and the Pacers front office may be incensed with the officiating, their players were less critical. “Let’s not pretend like [officiating] is the only reason we lost. We just didn’t play good enough,” Tyrese Haliburton said, according to Windhorst. “We just got to be better.”
T.J. McConnell said afterward in a video posted by SNY TV (Twitter link), “We love Rick showing that type of energy on the court, but that’s not the feeling that we have in the locker room. We’re not going to sit here and blame officials. We gotta be better. It’s just that simple.”
One very positive development for the Pacers was the play of Haliburton. After scoring just six points in Game 1, the All-Star guard poured in a game-high 34 points on 11-of-19 shooting, including 7-of-11 on three-point attempts, Brian Lewis of the New York Post notes. “I just shot more shots, took what the defense gave me,” he said.
Meanwhile, Myles Turner pulled a disappearing act, Peter Botte of the New York Post points out. The Pacers’ starting center was held to six points and was minus-21 in 31 minutes after scoring 23 points in Game 1.

Hornets Hire Charles Lee As Head Coach

May 9th, 2024 at 7:34am CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets have formally named Steve Clifford‘s successor, announcing in a press release that they’ve hired former Celtics assistant Charles Lee as their new head coach.

Lee will finish his playoff run in Boston before officially joining the Hornets, according to the announcement. Sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link) that Lee will sign a four-year contract with Charlotte.

“We are excited to welcome Charles Lee as the head coach of Charlotte Hornets,” Hornets head of basketball operations Jeff Peterson said in a statement. “His high character and his ability to connect with players while also instilling a culture of accountability will serve us well as we construct a competitive team built for long-term success.

“Charles possesses a championship pedigree with a wide range of basketball knowledge and NBA experience, has a tremendous work ethic and is a great communicator. He shares our vision for this organization, and I look forward to partnering with him in building something special here in the Carolinas.”

Long viewed as the frontrunner in the Hornets’ head coaching search, Lee spent several years playing professionally in international leagues from 2006-10 before transitioning into coaching.

He was an assistant at Bucknell from 2012-14, then worked under Mike Budenholzer in Atlanta from 2014-18 and in Milwaukee from 2018-23, winning a title with the Bucks in 2021. Following Budenholzer’s ouster last year, Lee was hired by the Celtics as Joe Mazzulla‘s lead assistant for the 2023/24 season.

Lee has been one of the NBA’s most popular head coaching candidates in recent years. He either interviewed with or received consideration from the Celtics, Pelicans, Magic, and Wizards in 2021; the Hornets, Lakers, Kings, and Jazz in 2022; and the Pistons, Bucks, Suns, and Raptors in 2023.

Lee has a preexisting relationship with Peterson, who worked in Atlanta’s front office when Lee was a Hawks assistant. Hornets co-owner Rick Schnall was a minority stakeholder in the Hawks at that time.

Charlotte had been in the market for a new head coach because Clifford announced in early April that he would be stepping down from his position. He’s reportedly expected to transition into a front office role following his second stint coaching the Hornets.

Lee will take over a Hornets team that is still very much in retooling mode, though there are some intriguing foundational pieces in place, led by forward Brandon Miller and guard LaMelo Ball. Miller finished third in Rookie of the Year voting this spring; Ball has battled ankle issues in recent years, but is a former Rookie of the Year who has an All-Star berth under his belt and is still just 22 years old.

The Hornets are the second team to complete a head coaching search since the regular season ended, joining the Nets (Jordi Fernandez). The Wizards and Lakers continue to seek new coaches.