Pacific Notes: Davis, Lee, Allen, Kawhi, Kings, Warriors

Anthony Davis missed the final six minutes of Sunday’s victory over New Orleans due to back spasms, but he’s confident he’ll be ready to go on Tuesday when the Lakers and Pelicans meet again in the play-in tournament, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“No doubt that I’m going to play,” Davis said after Sunday’s game.

Davis’ injury occurred with 5:52 remaining in the fourth quarter when he was attempting to grab a rebound and was pushed in the back by Pelicans big man Larry Nance Jr. (video link). According to McMenamin, Davis said the contract resulted in hyperextension when he landed and that his back “just locked up.”

“I was in the air,” Davis said. “Obviously it’s a dangerous play. I know he’s not a dirty player.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

  • Suns wing Damion Lee admits that he went through some “dark days” during the lengthy recovery process from an October meniscus surgery that sidelined him for the entire regular season, as Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic relays. However, Lee is in a better place now as he nears the end of that recovery process — he also hasn’t given up on the idea of returning this spring. “To be determined,” Lee said. “I’ll just leave it at this. I feel like the longer we go in the postseason, the more likely there is a chance. No timetable necessarily. It’s all feel based. You saw me out here shooting, jumping. Running.”
  • Grayson Allen gave up a little money to sign an extension with the Suns, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link), who says the veteran swingman could have secured $80-85MM on the open market. Allen has reportedly agreed to a four-year, $70MM deal with Phoenix.
  • The Clippers continue to be evasive about Kawhi Leonard‘s outlook for the start of the playoffs, writes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Asked on Sunday whether Leonard has been doing workouts, head coach Tyronn Lue said he’s “been doing a little something,” but Lue declined to say whether or not he expects the star forward to be available in the postseason.
  • It won’t be an easy path to the playoffs for the Kings or Warriors, who will each have to win two play-in games just to claim the No. 8 seed in the West. Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee takes a look at the challenge facing the Kings, while Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic checks in on a Golden State team in “March Madness mode.”

Checking In On NBA’s 2024 Lottery Standings, Projected Draft Order

The 2023/24 NBA regular season is officially over, but the draft order for this June has not yet been set.

A handful of factors, including the play-in results, random tiebreakers, and – of course – the lottery results themselves will ultimately determine what the 58(*) picks in the 2024 NBA draft look like. But with the season in the books, there’s plenty we do know.

(* Note: The Sixers‘ second-round pick and the Nuggets’ second-round pick, which was acquired by the Suns, are forfeited due to free agency gun-jumping violations.)

Let’s dive in and check in on a few key aspects of the lottery standings and projected draft order…


Tentative lottery standings/odds

So far, only 10 of the 14 teams involved in the draft lottery are known — the four teams eliminated in the play-in tournament will join them.

With the help of data from Tankathon, here’s a tentative breakdown at what the lottery odds would look like if the play-in favorites (the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds) advance through the tournament and secure playoff spots. Odds are rounded to one decimal place.

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DET 14 13.4 12.7 12 47.9
WSH 14 13.4 12.7 12 27.8 20
CHA 13.3 12.9 12.4 11.7 15.3 27.1 7.4
POR 13.2 12.8 12.3 11.7 6.8 24.6 16.4 2.2
SAS 10.5 10.5 10.6 10.5 2.2 19.6 26.7 8.7 0.6
TOR* 9 9.2 9.4 9.6 8.6 29.8 20.6 3.7 0.1
MEM 7.5 7.8 8.1 8.5 19.7 34.1 12.9 1.3 >0
UTH* 6 6.3 6.7 7.2 34.5 32.1 6.7 0.4 >0
BKN* 4.5 4.8 5.2 5.7 50.7 25.9 3 0.1 >0
ATL 3 3.3 3.6 4 65.9 19 1.2 >0 >0
CHI 2 2.2 2.4 2.8 77.6 12.6 0.4 >0
HOU* 1.5 1.7 1.9 2.1 86.1 6.7 0.1
SAC 0.8 0.9 1 1.1 92.9 3.3
GSW* 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 96.6

(* Asterisks denote traded picks)

Two pairs of teams here finished with matching records: the Hornets and Trail Blazers and the Kings and Warriors. Random tiebreakers will be completed to determine their exact lottery positioning, so their lottery odds, in italics, are just tentative so far. If the Trail Blazers were to win their tiebreaker with the Hornets, for example, the two teams would be flipped in the chart above.

Depending on which play-in teams make the playoffs, these lottery odds could fluctuate and different tiebreakers may be necessary. For example, the Hawks and Bulls both had worse regular season records than the Rockets, but if one of those teams advances to the playoffs and the Sixers or Heat end up in the lottery, Houston would move up a spot in the lottery standings and Philadelphia or Miami would check in at – or near – the bottom of the lottery.

The Heat finished with the same 46-36 record as the Kings and Warriors, so if all three teams end up in the lottery, a three-team tiebreaker would be necessary. On the other hand, if, say, Miami and Golden State both make the playoffs and Sacramento misses out, only the Kings would be a lottery team, so no tiebreaker would be required for lottery purposes.

The different colors in the chart above reflect that those teams could lose their picks. The Nets‘ first-round pick will be sent to the Rockets unconditionally, but the other four traded lottery picks include some form of protection.

The Spurs will receive the Raptors‘ pick if it lands outside the top six (54.2%), whereas Toronto would keep it if it stays in the top six (45.8%).

The Jazz‘s pick features top-10 protection, so there’s a 99.6% chance they’ll hang onto it and only a 0.4% chance that the Thunder will get it.

The Rockets‘ pick is top-four protected, so they have a 7.2% chance to keep it with some lottery luck, but there’s a 92.8% chance it will go the Thunder. Those odds would be adjusted to 9.6% and 90.4%, respectively, if either Atlanta or Chicago makes the playoffs.

The Warriors‘ pick is also top-four protected, so if Golden State misses the playoffs, then moves into the top four, they’ll keep it — these odds could range from 2.4% to 4.7%, depending on whether a tiebreaker is needed and the results of that tiebreaker. Otherwise, the Trail Blazers will receive it (95.3% or 97.6%). Portland would also be assured of receiving the pick if the Warriors make the playoffs.


The play-in factor

The teams eliminated in this week’s play-in tournament will end up in the lottery, sorted by record (worst to best), while the teams that earn playoff spots won’t pick earlier than No. 15. Here are the eight play-in teams:

  • Atlanta Hawks (36-46)
  • Chicago Bulls (39-43)
  • Golden State Warriors (46-36)
  • Sacramento Kings (46-36)
  • Miami Heat (46-36)
  • Los Angeles Lakers (47-35)
  • Philadelphia 76ers (47-35)
  • New Orleans Pelicans (49-33)

Based on their 49-33 record, the Pelicans could end up with a pick as low as No. 23 in the first round of the draft (depending on tiebreaker results). However, if they lose two play-in games this week and don’t make the playoffs at all, they’d hold the No. 14 spot in the lottery instead.

The Warriors, Kings, and Heat finished with matching 46-36 records, while the Lakers and Sixers were each 47-35, so if multiple teams in any of those pairs are eliminated in the play-in tournament, a tiebreaker will be required to determine their spots in the lottery standings.

On the other hand, if – for example – Philadelphia makes the playoffs and the Lakers don’t, no tiebreaker would be necessary for those two teams, since L.A. would be in the lottery and the Sixers wouldn’t.


The tiebreakers

Many tiebreakers will be required to determine either lottery positioning or a team’s specific draft pick. Here are all the teams that finished with identical records, creating a situation where a random tiebreaker will (or may) be required:

  1. Charlotte Hornets / Portland Trail Blazers (21-61)
  2. Golden State Warriors / Miami Heat / Sacramento Kings (46-36)
    • Note: A three-way tiebreaker would only be required if all three teams miss the playoffs. All three teams cannot make the playoffs. However, there are multiple scenarios in which this tiebreaker could involve just two teams and could be for a different pick.
    • Note: The Warriors’ pick will be sent to the Trail Blazers if it lands outside the top four.
    • Note: The Kings’ pick will be sent to the Hawks if it lands outside the top 14.
  3. Indiana Pacers / Los Angeles Lakers / Orlando Magic / Philadelphia 76ers (47-35)
    • Note: The Lakers and/or Sixers would not be involved in this tiebreaker if they don’t make the playoffs.
    • Note: The Pacers’ pick will be sent to the Raptors.
    • Note: The Lakers’ pick may be sent to the Pelicans (New Orleans has the option to defer it to 2025).
  4. Milwaukee Bucks / New Orleans Pelicans / Phoenix Suns (49-33)
    • Note: The Pelicans would not be involved in this tiebreaker if they don’t make the playoffs.
    • Note: The Pelicans have the ability to swap first-round picks with the Bucks.
  5. Dallas Mavericks / New York Knicks (50-32)
    • Note: The Mavericks’ pick will be sent to the Knicks.
  6. Denver Nuggets / Oklahoma City Thunder (57-25)
    • Note: The Thunder’s pick will be sent to the Jazz.

The playoff teams that win the tiebreakers will get the higher pick in the first round and the lower pick in the second round. For instance, let’s say the Pelicans make the playoffs and then win their three-way tiebreaker and assume the Suns are the runner-up in that tiebreaker, the first-round order would be New Orleans at No. 21, Phoenix at No. 22, and the Bucks at No. 23; the second-round order would be Milwaukee at No. 50, Phoenix at No. 51, and New Orleans at No. 52.

However, the second-round order for tied lottery teams isn’t determined until lottery night. For example, if Charlotte wins its tiebreaker with Portland, but the Trail Blazers win the No. 1 pick in the lottery, the Hornets would receive the higher second-round pick, since they’d have the lower first-round pick despite winning the tiebreaker.

These tiebreakers will be conducted sometime after the playoff field is set. In each of the past two years, they’ve been completed on the Monday eight days after the regular season ended.


The traded first-round picks

Here’s a breakdown of the traded first-round picks for the 2024 NBA draft:

Picks that will change hands:

  • Rockets acquiring Nets‘ pick.
    • This pick has about a 50/50 chance of landing at No. 9. It could also move into the top four or slip into the 10-13 range, depending on the draft lottery results.
  • Raptors acquiring Pacers‘ pick.
    • This pick will land anywhere from No. 16 to 20, depending on play-in and tiebreaker results.
  • Knicks acquiring Mavericks‘ pick.
    • This pick will be either No. 24 or 25, depending on tiebreaker results.
  • Wizards acquiring Clippers‘ pick.
    • This pick will be No. 26.
  • Jazz acquiring Thunder‘s pick.
    • This pick will be either No. 28 or 29, depending on tiebreaker results.

Picks that won’t change hands:

  • Knicks acquiring Pistons‘ pick (top-18 protected).
    • This pick can’t end up lower than No. 5, so it will fall in its protected range. The Pistons will instead owe the Knicks their 2025 first-round pick (top-13 protected).
  • Knicks acquiring Wizards‘ pick (top-12 protected).
    • This pick can’t end up lower than No. 6, so it will fall in its protected range. The Wizards will instead owe the Knicks their 2025 first-round pick (top-10 protected).
  • Spurs acquiring Hornets‘ pick (top-14 protected).
    • This pick can’t end up lower than No. 8, so it will fall in its protected range. The Hornets will instead owe the Spurs their 2025 first-round pick (top-14 protected).
  • Bulls acquiring Trail Blazers‘ pick (top-14 protected).
    • This pick can’t end up lower than No. 8, so it will fall in its protected range. The Trail Blazers will instead owe the Bulls their 2025 first-round pick (top-14 protected).
  • Wizards or Grizzlies exercising swap rights with Suns.
    • The Wizards had the right to swap first-round picks with the Suns, and the Grizzlies subsequently had the right to swap their own first-round pick for whichever pick the Suns held. However, the Suns’ pick will land in the 21-23 range, while the Wizards and Grizzlies have lottery picks, so neither team will take advantage of its swap rights.

Picks that might change hands:

  • Spurs acquiring Raptors‘ pick (top-six protected).
    • There’s a 45.8% chance that this pick will land in the top six, in which case it would be kept by the Raptors. There’s a 54.2% chance it will land in the 7-10 range, in which case the Spurs would receive it.
  • Thunder acquiring Jazz‘s pick (top-10 protected).
    • There’s a 99.6% chance that this pick will land in the top 10, it which case it would be kept by the Jazz. There’s a 0.4% chance it will land at either No. 11 or 12, in which case the Thunder would receive it.
  • Thunder acquiring Rockets‘ pick (top-four protected).
    • There’s a 7.2% chance that this pick will land in the top four, in which case it would be kept by the Rockets. There’s a 92.8% chance it will land in the 12-14 range, in which case the Thunder would receive it.
    • Note: If either Atlanta or Chicago makes the playoffs, there would be a 9.6% chance that this pick lands in the top four and a 90.4% chance it ends up in the 11-14 range.
  • Trail Blazers acquiring Warriors‘ pick (top-four protected).
    • If the Warriors make the playoffs, the Trail Blazers will be assured of this pick. If Golden State misses the playoffs, the exact odds will be determined by play-in and tiebreak results. The odds of the pick moving into the top four, in which case the Warriors would keep it, would range from 2.4% to 4.7%. The odds of it ending up in the 12-14 range and being sent to the Trail Blazers would range from 95.3% or 97.6%.
  • Hawks acquiring Kings‘ pick (top-14 protected).
    • The Hawks will receive this pick if the Kings make the playoffs. If the Kings lose in the play-in tournament, they’ll instead owe the Hawks their 2025 first-round pick (top-12 protected).
  • Pelicans acquiring Lakers‘ pick (option to defer to 2025).
    • The Lakers’ pick could technically land as high as No. 1 (if they miss the playoffs and win the lottery) or as low as No. 20 (in certain play-in/tiebreak scenarios). The Pelicans will have the option to acquire this year’s pick or acquire the Lakers’ 2025 pick instead.
  • Pelicans exercising swap rights with Bucks.
    • If the Pelicans make the playoffs, their own pick and the Bucks’ pick will land in the 21-23 range. If Milwaukee’s pick is the higher of the two, New Orleans will exercise its right to swap picks.

Potential No. 1 Pick Nikola Topic Enters NBA Draft

Nikola Topic has decided to put his name into the NBA draft, agent Misko Raznatovic announced (via Twitter).

In a year without a clear No. 1 pick, the 18-year-old Serbian star could be in contention for the first selection. He’s ranked fifth in ESPN’s latest list of the top 100 prospects and would fill a need for a team looking for a skilled ball-handler. The 6’7″ Topic’s creativity and his ability to break down defenses aren’t in question, but there are concerns about his three-point shooting and intensity on defense, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Topic was off to a strong start with Crvena Zvedza in Belgrade before suffering a knee injury that has kept him out of action since January 4. He was still named the ABA League’s Top Prospect and was voted onto the all-league team after averaging 17.9 points and 6.8 assists during the time he was able to play.

Topic received MVP honors while capturing a gold medal with Serbia at the 2023 FIBA U18 European Championship, according to Eurohoops.

Central Notes: Cavaliers, DeRozan, Dosunmu, Drummond, Rivers, Giannis

The boos that the Cavaliers heard as they left the court after Sunday’s loss to Charlotte weren’t directed at the players, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. There was an organizational decision to rest several rotation members rather than prioritize a win that would have earned the team the No. 2 seed and avoided a potential second-round matchup with the league-leading Celtics. The result was embarrassing, as Cleveland was outscored 18-2 to end the game and will face Orlando in the first round after falling to fourth place.

Vardon notes that the loss of Craig Porter Jr. to a sprained ankle in the first quarter left the Cavs short on ball-handlers. With Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Caris LeVert all sitting out, there was no one to run the offense as the lead slipped away.

“It was difficult (to watch), but we had our plan in place with what we were gonna do with our guys,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “(Our starters) were gonna play those three quarters, and then Craig not being out there made it a little difficult to organize and score in the fourth quarter, but we wanted to stick to our plan, and no matter what was going to happen, we were going to give our guys an opportunity to play.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

  • Thirty-four-year-old DeMar DeRozan finished the season as the NBA’s leader in minutes, per Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. The Bulls swingman was on the court for 2,988 minutes, his highest total in a decade, as he became the first player over age 30 to league the league in that category since LeBron James did it six years ago. “And he doesn’t miss practice. He doesn’t miss shootaround,” Coby White said of DeRozan. “He’s early to everything. Those are the things I notice. He’s always on time. He’s always one of the first ones there. You know how some guys can be. And for him, it’s just his professionalism day in and day out never changes.”
  • The Bulls have some injury concerns heading into Wednesday’s play-in game, notes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Ayo Dosunmu has a bruised quad and Andre Drummond is dealing with a sprained left ankle, and neither is certain to play against Atlanta. ‘‘Ayo is having issues with the running and the starting and the sprinting and the stopping,’’ coach Billy Donovan said. ‘‘There’s been some discomfort there for him. He has to get over that hurdle. I think there is hope he can clear those hurdles.’’
  • Bucks coach Doc Rivers is looking forward to a playoff matchup against Indiana, which was 4-1 against Milwaukee this season, according to Jamal Collier of ESPN. They haven’t faced each other since January 3, which was before Rivers took over the team. “Indiana has had our number all year, so perfect opponent,” Rivers said. “They’ve played great against us. They have great confidence against us. We’ll have great focus because we’re going to have to.”
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo may not be available for the start of that series, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). The Bucks star hasn’t played since Tuesday when he suffered a soleus strain in his left calf, and Rivers confirmed over the weekend that there are doubts about his status for the opener.

Ja’Kobe Walter Declares For NBA Draft

Baylor guard Ja’Kobe Walter has decided to enter the 2024 NBA draft, announcing his intentions in an interview with Shams Charania of The Athletic (video link).

“After praying and just talking to my family about it, I’ve just decided that I’m going to declare for the 2024 NBA draft,” Walter said. “My reasoning for that, all my life I’ve been working super hard and this has always been a goal of mine. … I’m pretty proud of how I did this past season, and I’m just confident, so after just talking, that’s what I decided to do.”

The 6’5″ Walter was one of the top recruits in the nation heading into college. He made an immediate impact with the Bears as a freshman, starting all 35 games he played and averaging 14.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 37.6% from the field and 34.1% from three-point range. He was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year and earned third-team all-conference honors.

Walter is viewed as a potential lottery pick heading into the early stages of the draft process. ESPN has him listed at No. 12 on its list of the top 100 prospects, stating that his explosive scoring combined with his defensive prowess could make him a valuable pickup.

“The biggest thing I want (NBA teams) to know is that I’m a competitor offensively and defensively,” Walter told Charania. “I’m going to give everything I’ve got. Unselfish player, if I’ve got to just rebound and crash the glass and dive on the floor to win, then I’m going to do that to win, but I think there’s a lot more to my game, especially my shooting. I think I’m the best shooter in the draft, and these past few weeks I’ve been working on my shooting more. Just a very elite shooter who can space the floor, and my handle is getting better so I’m going to be able to create my own shots off the dribble and get to my mid-range.”

Knicks Notes: Thibodeau, Robinson, Achiuwa, Brunson

The Knicks had a chance to create a more favorable first-round matchup for themselves by losing on Sunday, but coach Tom Thibodeau didn’t consider it, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Coming down the stretch of a tight game with Chicago, the team’s choices were clear: a loss would mean the three seed and opening the playoffs against the inexperienced Pacers, while a win would put the team in second place and set up a matchup with either the Sixers, who closed the season with eight straight wins, or the Heat, who went from the play-in tournament to the NBA Finals last season.

Thibodeau opted to play for the victory, and he didn’t understand why anyone would second-guess his strategy.

“Really? I mean the object is to win,” he said in response to a question at post-game meeting with reporters. “Put everything you have into winning. That’s the bottom line. … I think everything does matter. That’s just me personally. And so when we talk about, from the start of the season, we want to be our best at the end. And that’s something we strive for. Every day.”

New York, Milwaukee and Cleveland all entered Sunday afternoon with a chance to claim the No. 2 seed. Only the Knicks won, and they had to fight off a feisty Bulls team in overtime as Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart all logged more than 40 minutes. DiVincenzo endorsed his coach’s fearless attitude.

“We don’t care what they’re doing,” he said of the other Eastern teams. “We’re focused on our locker room. Whatever they decide to do, that’s their team, their organization’s decision. Our decision was to play. Everybody played and we won the game.”

There’s more from New York:

  • Thibodeau wasn’t able to provide an explanation for why center Mitchell Robinson was ruled out for the second half on Sunday, Bondy states in a separate story. Robinson, who returned in late March after missing 50 games following ankle surgery, played just seven minutes, with Thibodeau saying, “They just told me he was unavailable.” Thibodeau speculated that the decision might have been “precautionary,” as Robinson played 25 minutes on Friday, his highest total since the operation.
  • With Robinson unavailable and Isaiah Hartenstein reaching his minutes limit, the Knicks got valuable minutes from Precious Achiuwa, Bondy adds. The backup big man played nearly all of overtime and made a game-saving defensive stop on Chicago’s final possession. “[Achiuwa in OT] was huge, it was huge,” Thibodeau said. (Nikola) Vucevic is a load to deal with. And when teams go small, what Precious gives you is the ability to switch. So I think that’s important for us as well.”
  • Brunson reached 40 points for the 11th time this season, moving him into a tie for second with Patrick Ewing in the franchise record book, Bondy notes in another piece. Thibodeau said Brunson’s work ethic is similar to Ewing’s, telling reporters, “As soon as we signed Jalen, he was immediately in the gym. You could come in any day in the summer, and he’s in at the same time. Full speed, great concentration, there’s no fake-a-gram or Instagram or whatever they call it.”

Eastern Notes: Krejci, Donovan, Brunson, Anunoby, Walker

The Hawks, who will face the Bulls in the play-in tournament on Tuesday, could have promoted two-way player Vit Krejci to a standard contract and made him eligible for the postseason. They chose not to do so, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Lauren Williams reports.

Williams says one of the reasons for the decision is the Hawks are weighing the fact that Krejci will be a restricted free agent in the offseason, which gives them the right of first refusal. They hope to retain him on a four-year deal, beginning next season, Williams adds (Twitter links).

Because this is Krejci’s third NBA season, he would have been eligible for restricted free agency this summer even if Atlanta had converted him to a standard deal, so it’s hard to believe that was the primary motivating factor.

Promoting Krejci would have required Atlanta to cut a player from its standard 15-man roster, and while there was no one obvious candidate to be waived, Krejci has played more minutes as of late than several Hawks reserves.

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

  • As for the Bulls, coach Billy Donovan admits the season didn’t play out the way the organization hoped, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago relays. The Bulls finished with an offensive rating of 114, which ranked 20th, Johnson notes, while their top-five defense from last season dropped to No. 22, having allowed 115.7 points per 100 possessions. “Organizationally, is this where we want to be going forward? No, we want to be in a situation where you’re making deep playoff runs. We’re not that right now,” Donovan said. “But I give our guys a lot of credit for fighting and competing and giving ourselves an opportunity to advance.”
  • The combination of Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby has been dazzling, Zach Braziller of the New York Post notes. The Knicks are 19-2 when both have played. Entering Sunday’s game, an overtime win over the Bulls, the team had a net rating of +24.7 and an offensive rating of 125.8 spanning 599 minutes when the duo shared the court. Brunson poured in 40 points on Sunday while Anunoby added 11. They also combined for 11 assists and 13 rebounds for the Knicks, who enter the postseason as a No. 2 seed.
  • Lonnie Walker is headed to unrestricted free agency again after playing on a one-year deal with the Nets. Walker is just looking to land on a team that will be give him steady playing time, Clutch Points’ Erik Slater tweets. “I’m just looking for a home… Just looking for a team that finds me valuable,” he said. Walker appeared in 57 games off the bench for Brooklyn.

Ott, Stackhouse, Ivey To Interview For Hornets Job

The Hornets have added Lakers assistant Jordan Ott and former Vanderbilt coach Jerry Stackhouse to their list of head coaching candidates, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

Ott has been with the Lakers since Darvin Ham brought him in as an assistant in September 2022. He was previously on the Nets’ staff.

Stackhouse was hired by the Commodores in 2019 and fired last month. The former All-Star guard has also been an assistant with the Raptors and Grizzlies and was also the head coach of the G League 905 Raptors.

Rockets assistant Royal Ivey will also be interviewed, according to the Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen. Ivey was also a Nets assistant for three seasons before joining coach Ime Udoka with the Rockets this season. Ivey has also been an assistant with the Thunder and Knicks.

Denver’s David Adelman, Boston’s Charles Lee, Sacramento’s Jordi Fernandez, the Clippers’ Jay Larranaga, Phoenix’s Kevin Young and Kings G League coach Lindsey Harding have also been identified as candidates to be interviewed for Charlotte’s position. Steve Clifford announced prior to the end of the season that he’d be stepping down.

Western Notes: Williamson, Wolves, Prosper, Tate

The 44-point loss to the Lakers during the in-season tournament proved to be a turning point for the Pelicans, according to Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times Picayune. Zion Williamson was heavily criticized by announcers and analysts for subpar conditioning and he took those harsh words to heart. Williamson appeared in his 70th game of the season on Sunday, a career high.

“I feel great,” Williamson said prior to the Pelicans’ loss to the Lakers on Sunday. “I’m having fun. In terms of stacking my days, it’s doing all the little things. Recovery. Extra recovery. Conditioning. Extra conditioning. Then when we are in practice, bringing a high intensity, so my body can be used to that.”

The December loss also inspired the rest of the Pelicans. “Sometimes you need to get your (butt) kicked on a national stage,” CJ McCollum said. “You hope it doesn’t happen. But when it does, it’s really interesting to see how everyone responds. You got two things you can do: You can fold or you can rise to the occasion. I think we have a group that genuinely rose to the occasion.”

The Lakers and Pelicans will match up once again during the play-in tournament on Tuesday.

We have more from the Western Conference:

  • The Timberwolves are a more mature team heading into this year’s playoffs, Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune opines. They don’t have any major injury issues at the moment and Scoggins doesn’t feel the team’s ownership dispute will be a distraction. The Timberwolves have earned respect around the league and created a buzz in their home state but need a strong playoff run to validate their regular season showing.
  • Mavericks rookie Olivier-Maxence Prosper received his first career start on Sunday. Prosper had a 16-point, six-rebound, two-steal outing in 29 minutes against the Pistons on Sunday. He spent a good portion of the season in the G League and believes that fostered his development, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News writes. “You guys know my story this year,” he said. “Playing up and down in the G – I see the improvement in my game. I see how much more comfortable I feel out there and more poised.”
  • The Rockets’ win over the Trail Blazers on Friday proved to be a nice payday for forward Jae’Sean Tate. He gained a $500K bonus due to his team winning 40 games this season, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets.

NBA’s Play-In Field, Top-Six Playoff Seeds Set

The NBA wrapped up its 2023/24 regular season on Sunday, and the teams and seeds for this year’s play-in tournament have been set.

Boston secured the top seed in the Eastern Conference and home court advantage throughout the playoffs early this month. The top seed for the Western Conference playoffs went down to the wire, with upstart Oklahoma City securing that status on Sunday afternoon.

Here are the play-in matchups:

Eastern Conference

Wednesday, April 17

  • Game 1: Miami Heat (8) at Philadelphia 76ers (7), 7:00 pm ET
    • Winner secures No. 7 seed; loser plays on Friday.
  • Game 2: Atlanta Hawks (10) at Chicago Bulls (9), 9:30 pm ET
    • Winner plays on Friday; loser is eliminated.

Friday, April 19

  • Winner of Game 2 at Loser of Game 1, TBD
    • Winner secures No. 8 seed; loser is eliminated.

Western Conference

Tuesday, April 16

  • Game 1: Los Angeles Lakers (8) at New Orleans Pelicans (7), 7:30 pm ET
    • Winner secures No. 7 seed; loser plays on Friday.
  • Game 2: Golden State Warriors (10) at Sacramento Kings (9), 10:00 pm ET
    • Winner plays on Friday; loser is eliminated.

Friday, April 19

  • Winner of Game 2 at Loser of Game 1, TBD
    • Winner secures No. 8 seed; loser is eliminated.

Once the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds in each conference are set later this week, the eight first-round matchups will be finalized. Those first-round series will tip off on April 20 and 21.

Here are the top six seeds in each conference, along with the matchups that are locked in so far (and Game 1 info, per the NBA):


Eastern Conference

  • Boston Celtics (1) vs. No. 8 seed (play-in) ^
  • New York Knicks (2) vs. No. 7 seed (play-in) *
  • Milwaukee Bucks (3) vs. Indiana Pacers (6) ^
  • Cleveland Cavaliers (4) vs. Orlando Magic (5) *

* Series begins on April 20.
^ Series begins on April 21.


Western Conference

  • Oklahoma City Thunder (1) vs. No. 8 seed (play-in) ^
  • Denver Nuggets (2) vs. No. 7 seed (play-in) *
  • Minnesota Timberwolves (3) vs. Phoenix Suns (6) *
  • Los Angeles Clippers (4) vs. Dallas Mavericks (5) ^

* Series begins on April 20.
^ Series begins on April 21.