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Pacific Notes: Kuminga, Kerr, Jackson-Davis, Duarte, Mann

February 24th, 2024 at 11:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

There was never any doubt that Steve Kerr would be offered an extension, but it’s significant that he solved the Warriors‘ biggest problem shortly before it happened, writes Tim Kawakami of The Athletic.

Kerr could have faced a crisis in January when a report indicated that Jonathan Kuminga was displeased with his lack of playing time and had lost faith in his coach. Instead, Kerr used it as an opportunity to convey to Kuminga what he needed to do to earn regular minutes, and the young forward’s progress has played a major role in Golden State’s turnaround.

“I think it was actually a good thing for him to kind of express his frustration because it kind of forced him to really take ownership of it, and we had a good conversation,” Kerr said. “He let me know how he’s feeling, that he was frustrated, and we went through a list of things that I felt he needed to do, and it coincided with the time that Draymond (Green) was out … so he got more minutes based on playing better, but also on the opportunity that came up.”

Kuminga was the seventh pick in the 2021 draft, back when the Warriors were pursuing a “two timeline” approach of trying to develop young talent while remaining in title contention. He saw his path blocked by more experienced players for two-and-a-half seasons before he spoke up last month. Some members of the Warriors front office wanted Kuminga to be utilized more, according to Kawakami, but Kerr had to be convinced that he could be trusted to play winning basketball.

“And this is what people usually say in this league: It’s year three when guys start to really feel it and take off,” Kerr added. “But when you draft a guy that high, nobody wants to hear, ‘It takes three years.’ They want it to happen right away. But it just doesn’t.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Trayce Jackson-Davis has become a valuable finisher for the Warriors in his rookie season, notes Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. Jackson-Davis is shooting 69.3% from the field and is second on the team in dunks with 55, averaging one slam every 9.6 minutes. “You can see the impact that he makes with his ability to score at the rim,” Kerr said.
Swingman Chris Duarte, who was dealing with a sprained right ankle earlier this month, logged 20 minutes Thursday in the Kings‘ first game after the All-Star break. Duarte talked about staying focused even though playing time has been elusive in his first season with Sacramento (video link from James Ham of Kings Beat).
The Clippers needed a rare scoring outburst from Terance Mann to pull out Friday’s game at Memphis, per Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Mann’s 23 points marked the first time he has topped 20 all season. “It’s been a while,” he said.

Suns Notes: Durant, Bol, Beal, Nurkic

February 24th, 2024 at 9:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

In an interview with Malika Andrews of ESPN (video link), Kevin Durant talked about the possibility of finishing his career with the Suns, but he didn’t offer any guarantee that it will happen. Durant asked to be traded to Phoenix last February, and he told Andrews that he enjoys being in the city when she asked if that will be his final NBA stop.

“I’ve been on so many teams and I’ve said this before,” Durant responded. “Right now, in this moment today, without thinking about it in the next minute, yeah. But that’s just saying right now. I can’t really predict what may happen, but I love playing in Phoenix. I love the fan base, the city. I’ve grown to understand what our mission is being in the Valley and how deep these people care about their team. I started to understand the history of the Suns, and I’m glad to be a part of it. I want to go up in that Ring of Honor someday, so however long that takes.”

Durant is under contract for two more seasons and won’t reach free agency until the summer of 2026, when he’ll be 37. He’s still playing at an All-Star level, and he talked to Andrews about continuing his career past the age of 40. He also reflected on how he has learned to look at the game differently since he got older.

“Winning, I don’t even have to think about that no more because when I step on the floor that’s just in me already,” Durant said. “I tend to think about the other detailed parts of the game that’s going to help me get to the win. How to be a great teammate, how to inject myself into the game at different moments. I started to think about the small parts of the game, and that’s just made it more fun for me.”

There’s more on the Suns:

Bol Bol was outstanding in Friday’s loss at Houston, coming off the bench to deliver 25 points and 14 rebounds in 26 minutes. It was a rare outburst from Bol, and his teammates were thrilled to see him take advantage of the opportunity (video link from Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic). “Super proud of him, got in there ready to play,” Devin Booker said. “Wasn’t sure if his name was going to be called and still performed at a high level.”
A left hamstring injury will sideline Bradley Beal for a fourth straight game on Sunday, Rankin writes in a full story. Beal was listed as doubtful Friday night, but he was able to complete a pre-game workout that included running, shooting and resistance work. Jusuf Nurkic, who missed the game in Houston with a sprained right ankle, is expected to return.
Friday’s loss showed how much the Suns miss Beal when he’s not available, Rankin adds in a separate piece. Durant and Booker both shot below 50% on the night, and there was no one else to provide a consistent shooting threat or create opportunities for Grayson Allen and Eric Gordon.

New York Notes: Bridges, Ollie, Hart, Randle, Anunoby

February 24th, 2024 at 8:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Nets resisted opportunities to trade Mikal Bridges at the deadline and they still view him as a cornerstone of the franchise, sources tell Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Bridges is seen as a potential All-Star with a team-friendly contract that will pay him $23.3M next season and $24.9MM in 2025/26.

Bridges is also considered a strong recruiter who can help bring more talent to Brooklyn, Bontemps adds. Besides Bridges, only Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith are signed beyond next season, giving the Nets potentially more than $70MM to chase a 2025 free agent class that could include Donovan Mitchell, Brandon Ingram, Rudy Gobert, Lauri Markkanen and Jimmy Butler.

The Nets have slumped badly after a 15-15 start and have the second-worst record in the league since December 27. Still, Bridges told Bontemps that he believes in the organization “100%” and has no desire to go anywhere else.

“Things ain’t going good right now, and that’s life,” he said. “… I know a lot of people might think about different situations and teams, and obviously I got my boys (from Villanova) over there in New York and stuff, so obviously everybody goes with that. But I was never the type of guy to (want to leave when) things get tough and it’s time to cry out and get out.”

There’s more from New York City:

Brian Lewis of The New York Post traces Kevin Ollie‘s journey to his first NBA head coaching job. Ollie, who was named the Nets‘ interim coach when Jacque Vaughn was dismissed on Monday, had the makings of a coach back in college, according to former Connecticut mentor Jim Calhoun. “It’ll be no question that if you don’t put good effort in — I have no idea what his verbal responses will be — I do know that you’ll probably be sitting beside him,” Calhoun said. “There’s going to be purpose and work, because that’s how he played and that’s how he coached for us at UConn.”
Josh Hart may complain about what he’s asked to do, but he has been one of the Knicks‘ most reliable players, observes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Hart has said publicly that he would prefer a larger role in the offense, but he keeps providing the intangibles the team needs, including a strong defensive presence and constant effort, while missing just one game all season. “I think he just talks the talk, if that makes sense,” Jalen Brunson said. “He’s like a — I’m going to be nice — he says whatever he wants to say, but when he goes out there, when it’s time to compete, it doesn’t matter who or what is in front of him.”
Knicks forward Julius Randle is still determined to return from his dislocated right shoulder before the end of the season, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said Saturday on NBA Countdown (video link). However, Wojnarowski cautioned that Randle’s situation remains “fluid” as no decision has been made regarding surgery. Woj adds that OG Anunoby is “right on schedule” following a recent procedure on his right elbow and will be reevaluated at the end of next week.

Heat Notes: Herro, Possible Suspensions, Wright, All-Star Game

February 24th, 2024 at 7:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

Tyler Herro hyperextended his left knee late in Friday’s game, but the Heat guard doesn’t believe it’s a cause for concern, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Herro suffered the injury when he slipped and lost control of the ball. He grabbed at the knee in pain and had to be helped to the locker room, but he was moving fine after the game.

“It was just unfortunate having my knee bumped a little bit,” Herro said. “But I think structurally, everything is good — no major, even minor damage. They thought that everything was good. It just kind of scared me more than anything. It’s a little soreness. But I’ll see how I respond in the morning and go from there.”

Herro was already experiencing discomfort in his right foot, a condition that developed during the All-Star break, Chiang adds. He opted to play Friday because guards Josh Richardson and Terry Rozier are sidelined by injuries.

“It’s the same little area that I dealt with in the past with my right foot in my rookie year,” Herro said. “It’s the same thing as that. So we’re really trying to manage it right now.”

There’s more on the Heat:

Miami was able to hold on for a win Friday at New Orleans even though Jimmy Butler and Thomas Bryant were ejected following a fight early in the fourth quarter, Chiang states in a separate story. The scuffle began when Kevin Love tried to wrap up Zion Williamson on a layup attempt. Naji Marshall objected to the play, and he and Butler got into a shoving match. “I put my hand around his neck,” Butler said. “He put his hand around my neck, and it took off the way it did.” Several Heat players left the bench during the exchange, which will result in automatic one-game suspensions. Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) speculates that the suspensions may have to be staggered so Miami has enough active players for Monday’s game.
Delon Wright wasn’t used in his first game since signing with the Heat last week, Chiang adds. The 31-year-old guard has only been through one practice with his new team, and Chiang expects him to eventually get opportunities, especially with the banged-up backcourt. “He’s a guy that figures it out and we thought it would be a good fit for him and us, for the reasons of how he plays and how he competes and how he prioritizes defense and how disruptive he is on that side of the floor,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Then offensively, he’s always been a guy that just fits in, sets up a team. And those kinds of guys have a way of making it work quickly.”
In another piece, Chiang examines why Miami, a warm-weather city, hasn’t hosted an NBA All-Star Game since 1990.

Thunder Notes: Holmgren, Pokusevski, SGA, Sefolosha

February 24th, 2024 at 6:23pm CST by Arthur Hill

The presence of 7’1″ rookie Chet Holmgren has added a lob threat to the Thunder‘s offense, writes Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman. By December, the team had already thrown more lobs than it did all of last season, when Holmgren was sidelined with a foot injury. The ability to target Holmgren around the rim gives opposing defenses one more weapon to worry about.

“It’s something we’ve definitely tried to highlight, especially against switches,” coach Mark Daigneault said. “If they’re gonna put a smaller guy on him and switch him, we have to throw the ball up to him.”

Holmgren had to learn how to establish position in the post before the lob game became effective, Lorenzi adds. He’s grown more comfortable as the season has worn on, and his teammates have figured out the best ways to get the ball to him.

“Just trusting the process of things,” Holmgren said. “Knowing that not everything is gonna be perfect from Day 1. … We have a lot to work on outside of being better at throwing lobs, catching lobs, playing out of actions that lead to lobs. We just got to continue to work at everything.”

There’s more from Oklahoma City:

Even though the Thunder decided to waive Aleksej Pokusevski this week, Daigneault is proud of how the forward developed his skills during his time with the organization, Lorenzi tweets. “(When he was drafted) I didn’t think he really had a great understanding of his own game as a professional player,” Daigneault said. “… Three and a half years later, I think he’s improved in all those things. And that’s what we want to be about.”
Tim MacMahon of ESPN looks back at the 2019 trade that sent Paul George to the Clippers in exchange for a package that included Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. McMahon states that general manager Sam Presti‘s insistence that SGA be included may have set up the next NBA dynasty. “I didn’t see it coming,” Gilgeous-Alexander recalled. “I’m not like, ‘Why would you do that?’ It made sense. I think Paul just came off like an MVP-caliber year. … I used it a little bit as motivation just to get better and really turn myself into that caliber of player.”
Thabo Sefolosha, who was part of the greatest seasons in Thunder history, sees similarities between his teams and the current roster, per Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman. “I see a lot of what we had, people not expecting them to be this good,” said Sefolosha, who was a guest at Friday’s game as part of Thunder Legacy Weekend. “Super-competitive team. Extremely talented. Credit to Sam. He finds a way. You cannot doubt the man.”

Southeast Notes: Miller, Curry, Wizards, Young

February 24th, 2024 at 5:15pm CST by Arthur Hill

Rookie forward Brandon Miller is the main reason for optimism in Charlotte, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic, who suggests the Hornets should trade LaMelo Ball and build for the future around Miller.

Although Ball has better stats, Jones views Miller as having more overall impact because of his superior shooting combined with an ability to dribble and pass, along with his impact on defense. Jones sees Miller as a younger version of Paul George, which is a comparison that was made frequently when Miller was in college.

As Jones notes, injuries are the main concern for Ball, who signed a five-year extension last summer that will take effect in 2024/25. He has appeared in just 22 of Charlotte’s 56 games this season after being limited to 36 last year. Even so, Jones believes Ball has enough trade value to provide a nice return for the Hornets, who are also likely to land a top five pick in this year’s draft.

Jones believes Charlotte is headed in the right direction after bringing in Grant Williams, Seth Curry, Vasilije Micić and Tre Mann at the trade deadline. Each of those players brings something valuable to the roster, Jones adds, and Mann has excelled since becoming the team’s starting point guard.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Curry was thrilled to be traded to his hometown Hornets, and have his father, Dell, as one of the team’s broadcasters, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. The whole family was together Friday night in San Francisco as Charlotte faced Stephen Curry‘s Warriors. “It’s special,” Seth Curry said. “When we are in the game, we are locked into the game, so it’s kind of like no different. But just to see him on the floor about to call the game and to see him afterwards it’s special. Because usually we only see him twice a year, four times a year or something like that. And for all three of us to be involved in one game, that’s history.”
Interim coach Brian Keefe is experimenting with rotations for the Wizards, who dropped their 10th straight game Friday night, per Ava Wallace of The Washington Post. During the final part of the season, she expects the team to see what it has in Patrick Baldwin Jr., who was acquired from Golden State last summer, Johnny Davis, a 2022 lottery pick who has never been able to earn consistent playing time, and Eugene Omoruyi, who’s currently on a two-way contract but may be a strong candidate for a standard deal.
Hawks guard Trae Young is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against Orlando due to an injured finger on his left hand, tweets Lauren Williams of The Journal-Constitution.

Pacific Notes: Kerr, Curry, Payton, Fox, Kings, LeBron

February 24th, 2024 at 3:52pm CST by Rory Maher

Stephen Curry smiled at his locker on Friday night when he realized Steve Kerr‘s new two-year extension now aligns with his own contract, which expires after the 2025/26 season, per Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. Curry offered emphatic support for the deal.

“There’s a handful of player-coach and trio-coach stories in league history that are comparable to ours,” Curry said. “And that’s not by accident. … He’s been such a consistent presence. Not just the X’s and O’s, but of managing the lows and the highs, mainly the highs, that we’ve been at. People think it’s easy. But with success comes expectation. The nuance of keeping things together and managing not just in here, but managing up as well, it’s hard. It just reminds you of the special personality and character you have to have to do this job.”

Draymond Green, another key member of Golden State’s dynasty, was also happy to learn of Kerr’s extension, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

“I think it’s incredible,” Green said. “I wouldn’t want finish my time here with any other coach. The way he’s been to this franchise, what he’s done for us as players, the winning ways that he brought here, you can’t replace that. So, very happy for Steve and his family.”

Here’s more from the Pacific:

After missing Thursday’s contest vs. the Lakers, Warriors defensive ace Gary Payton II was back in action on Friday against Charlotte, as Slater relays (via Twitter). Payton, who finished with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting in 11 minutes during the victory, has been limited to 21 games thus far in 2023/24 due to calf and hamstring strains.
According to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter links), Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox admitted on Tuesday that he’s been battling a right shoulder issue, but said the injury was minor and he hasn’t undergone an MRI because “it was never serious enough for me to do that.” There has been speculation that Fox might have been dealing with an ailment, as his offensive efficiency has waned a bit the past couple months after an excellent start to the 2023/24 campaign. The one-time All-Star had a strong performance in Thursday’s win over San Antonio, recording 28 points, nine assists, five rebounds and two steals while shooting 12-of-18 from the floor in 37 minutes.
Head coach Mike Brown has continually stressed that the Kings need to improve their defense to have a shot at postseason success, Anderson writes for The Sacramento Bee. After being ranked No. 25 in defensive rating last season, Sacramento is currently No. 19 in that category this season. However, the offense — which was ranked No. 1 in the league in 2022/23 — has slipped to No. 14. “We know we’ve got to improve the offense back closer to what it was last year,” GM Monte McNair said after the trade deadline. “If we do that, I think we can make some noise, but we’ve got some work to do because the West is tough 1 to 12 or 13 this year and every game is going to be a dogfight.” Anderson considers whether the team’s coach and top front office executive are on the same page when it comes to the balance of offense and defense.
As expected, Lakers superstar LeBron James returned to action on Friday vs. San Antonio after missing Thursday’s game with a left ankle injury that has been bothering him for some time. He was upgraded from questionable to probable before suiting up for the contest, tweets ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. The 39-year-old finished with 30 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in 34 minutes.

Eastern Notes: Tatum, P. Williams, Nesmith, Cavs, LeVert

February 24th, 2024 at 2:26pm CST by Rory Maher

Celtics forward Jayson Tatum says he was “devastated” when Boston lost to Golden State in the 2022 NBA Finals, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Tatum was determined to advance as a play-maker after that experience, something he has continually improved upon over the years.

“The easiest way to say it is, I was devastated,” Tatum said. “I got so close and didn’t perform the way I wanted to, and we didn’t win. At that time, besides my family, nothing else mattered but getting better and getting back to that point.”

Tatum had plenty of individual and team success through his first six seasons, with three All-NBA nods and three other trips to the Eastern Conference Finals. However, as Weiss writes, Tatum knows that the only way to become “the face of the league” is by claiming a championship.

“I feel like it’s mine to take,” Tatum said. “I do feel like, if we win a championship, it would be more distinguished and clear. But I understand I’m in that shortlist for sure.”

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Bulls forward Patrick Williams is undergoing season-ending left foot surgery. He told reporters on Saturday that he had been trying to get back on the court by the end of February, but imaging revealed a fracture in his injured foot (Twitter link via K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago). Williams is scheduled for surgery on March 6 in New York, with an expectation that he’ll resume basketball activities in July. As Johnson writes in a full story, the 22-year-old said he’s open to returning to Chicago as a restricted free agent this summer. “I don’t think anybody knows what their future is to be honest,” Williams said. “I would love to continue to be a Bull. I love it here. I love the opportunity we have to build culture, to build something special with this group and this team. I think I could really be a cornerstone piece for this team. But you never know what the future holds, and I understand it’s a business.“
Fourth-year forward Aaron Nesmith, who is having a career-best season for the Pacers, was sidelined for Thursday’s win over Detroit due to an ankle injury and is considered day-to-day. Head coach Rick Carlisle said the 24-year-old was able to increase his activity a bit during Saturday’s practice, tweets Tony East of SI.com. The Pacers’ next game is Sunday against the red-hot Mavericks, winners of seven straight.
The Cavaliers dropped their first two games after the All-Star break without Donovan Mitchell, who has been battling an illness. Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link) says the Cavs need more from their bench unit, particularly from Caris LeVert, who was just 3-of-21 from the field in those two losses. “I liked my looks tonight, especially in the second half,” LeVert told Fedor after going 1-of-11 on Friday. “I’m happy with how the ball is leaving my hands. Sometimes you go through that. Is what it is. It’s the NBA. Try not to think too much about it. Just continue to do what I do and be who I am. Do the same stuff outside of games and things like that. Just gotta keep going. I’m due for a big game.”

Hawks’ Okongwu Out At Least Two Weeks With Toe Sprain

February 24th, 2024 at 1:30pm CST by Rory Maher

FEBRUARY 24: Okongwu has been placed in a walking boot and will miss at least two weeks, which is when he’ll be reevaluated, the Hawks announced in a press release.

FEBRUARY 22: Hawks big man Onyeka Okongwu will be sidelined “for the foreseeable future” with a left big toe sprain, head coach Quin Snyder said on Thursday, per Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link).

“I don’t want to speak out of turn as far as a timeline goes, but he’s not going to be available for the foreseeable future,” Synder said (Twitter link via Brad Rowland of Locked On Hawks).

Okongwu had only missed one game this season prior to last Monday’s loss to Chicago, which is when he sustained the injury. Unfortunately, it sounds like he could miss a good deal of time.

The 23-year-old played one college season at USC before being selected sixth overall by Atlanta in 2020. Okongwu is a key reserve for the Hawks, averaging 10.2 PPG, 7.0 RPG and 1.1 BPG on .610/.338/.800 shooting in 53 games in 2023/24 (25.8 MPG).

Snyder also said starting center Clint Capela will be back in action on Friday vs. Toronto after dealing with a left adductor strain. However, the Swiss big man will be on a minutes restriction. Capela had missed the past six games with the injury, with Feb. 3 being his last appearance.

With Okongu out, the Hawks will likely continue to lean on Jalen Johnson and Bruno Fernando for minutes at the backup five spot.

The Hawks are currently 24-31, the No. 10 seed in the East.

Grizzlies Release Gilyard, Sign Goodwin To Two-Way Deal

February 24th, 2024 at 12:40pm CST by Rory Maher

The Grizzlies have released Jacob Gilyard and filled his two-way spot by signing Jordan Goodwin, the team announced in a press release (via Twitter).

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski was first to report the moves (Twitter link), noting that Gilyard made a “positive impression” on Memphis despite being waived. He initially signed a two-way deal with the Grizzlies last April, making one appearance as a rookie in 2022/23.

Players on two-way contracts can only be active for 50 NBA games in a season. As we relayed a few days ago, Gilyard — a 5’9″ point guard who went undrafted in 2022 out of Richmond — was nearly at the 50-game limit, and the Grizzlies have a full 15-man standard roster.

Instead of converting him to a standard deal and having to waive someone on a guaranteed contract, they decided to cut Gilyard, who averaged 4.7 points and 3.5 assists while shooting 42.5% from deep in 37 games this season (17.7 minutes). He’ll still receive his full two-way salary, but two-way deals don’t count against the salary cap, whereas standard deals do.

Gilyard will become an unrestricted free agent on Monday if he clears waivers.

Memphis initially signed Goodwin to a 10-day hardship contract before the All-Star break. That deal expired after last night’s loss to the Clippers, but the Grizzlies will keep him around on a two-way contract.

A third-year guard out of Saint Louis, Goodwin has previously played for the Wizards and Suns. He has averaged 10.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals in two appearances thus far with Memphis (26.5 minutes).

The Grizzlies have a full 18-man roster, with all three two-way slots filled.