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Heat Notes: Adebayo, Butler, Richardson, Ellington

October 5th, 2023 at 6:59pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Even with Joel Embiid manning the paint for Team USA, Heat center Bam Adebayo is still expecting to be on the national team’s roster, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. Adebayo told reporters that he’d already received an invite from Team USA to be on the roster for next year’s Olympics.

If he remains healthy, Adebayo plans to play for Team USA in Paris after winning a gold medal with the Americans in Tokyo in 2021. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is an assistant under national team head coach Steve Kerr and is looking forward to coaching Adebayo in the event, according to Chiang.

“I think it’s awesome for Bam,” Spoelstra said. “I think it’s continuing to help establish him as one of the ultimate winners in this league. He was one of the most impactful players in USA Basketball, and we understand why. I don’t even know what his stats were in the Olympics. But in talking to everybody at Team USA, they felt like he was a must for that roster because of everything he does on both ends of the court and because he’s such a winner.”

Adebayo is entering his seventh season in the NBA and holds career averages of 14.7 points and 8.5 rebounds.

We have more from the Heat:

  • The NBA implemented new rules impacting teams resting healthy players this offseason. Though Jimmy Butler is defined as a star player who is subject to these rules, he says it will have “zero” effect on how many games he plays in the regular season, Marc Berman of The Palm Beach Post writes. “I’m going to play the games that I am healthy and I’m going to go out there and help my team win,” Butler said. Butler also said he didn’t care about any postseason awards. Players must now play in a minimum of 65 games to be eligible for postseason awards, like MVP.
  • After sending Josh Richardson out in the trade that brought Butler to Miami in 2019, head coach Erik Spoelstra always thought his return was inevitable, Chiang writes in a separate story. Spoelstra was right, as Richardson signed with the Heat this offseason. “It almost happened a couple times,” Richardson said. “But all the chips didn’t fall in place. But I mean, when I left, me and Spo talked about it, that it was going to happen eventually. It’s just one of those things.“
  • Even though Wayne Ellington played with nine franchises during his 13-year career, Miami left a lasting impression on him, Chiang writes in another story. That’s why Ellington decided to come back to the Heat as a player development coach, replacing Anthony Carter, who left to join the Grizzlies’ staff. “When I got here, I really bought into what the culture was about, I really bought into what the coaching staff was preaching and I put the work in and I saw that change and it helped me become who I thought I could be as a player,” Ellington said.
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Sixers Notes: Harden, Clippers, Embiid, Team USA

October 5th, 2023 at 5:45pm CST by Tristan Tucker

One of the biggest league-wide storylines of the summer was James Harden‘s trade request following his opt-in with the Sixers. Drama ensued over the following months, with tensions becoming so volatile that Harden called president of basketball operations Daryl Morey a “liar” publicly in August.

However, after skipping Philadelphia’s media day on Monday, for which he was fined, and the first day of training camp on Tuesday, Harden showed up to Sixers training camp on Wednesday. As we relayed, there was no drama at training camp on Wednesday, nor was there any on Thursday, writes The Ringer’s Seerat Sohi.

Sohi details the summer of opposition between Harden and Morey, writing that Harden may have ended his holdout due to Philadelphia’s history of fining players for non-attendance, just as they did with Ben Simmons two years ago.

Exploring how the partnership got to this point, Sohi writes that Harden’s relationship with Morey began to deteriorate shortly before free agency, with Harden’s representatives wishing to engage in contract talk. But having been stripped of draft capital last offseason for tampering, Morey didn’t wish to have that happen again, and remained silent, according to Sohi. Harden spent the summer waiting to hear from Morey, Sohi writes, but didn’t.

Rumors swirled about Harden’s future well before free agency, with the 34-year-old guard tied to the Rockets, with whom he won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award in 2017/18. However, according to Sohi, new coach Ime Udoka “was not a fan” of Harden, leaving Harden feeling as though he was running out of options and thus, looking to the Clippers, where he ended up demanding a trade to.

Before Harden picked up to his player option, his camp felt as though the Sixers would short-change him on a possible contract, writes Sohi. Seeing as Houston wasn’t a viable option for the star guard, Sohi writes that Harden’s camp felt as though Morey wished to get Harden to agree to a short, team-friendly deal, just as he did last summer. For now, Harden’s request stands as the Sixers approach their first preseason game on October 8.

We have more from the Sixers:

  • In a separate story regarding the Harden and Morey fallout, Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic corroborate Sohi’s piece, asserting that Harden joined the Sixers for camp to avoid fines. However, the pair also write that Harden is taking part because he believes a potential deal with the Clippers is still in the works. Los Angeles is “going to great lengths” to trade for Harden, according to Charania and Amick, attempting to move pick swaps for additional draft capital to strengthen their offer. Charania and Amick write that the Clippers offered an unprotected first-round pick, a pick swap and matching salaries for Harden in July, but the Sixers want more, particularly eyeing Terance Mann and multiple first-round picks.
  • For Joel Embiid‘s part in the Harden/Morey drama, Sohi writes that the franchise center is open to waiting to see what Morey can build and understands why it may take a while to build a contending team. Embiid has been through this before, Sohi writes, taking part in the “Process Era,” though that was well before his emergence as a superstar and league MVP.
  • Embiid committed to play for Team USA in the 2024 Olympics on Thursday. Embiid was picking between the United States, France and Cameroon’s Olympic teams, and he explained his decision to play for the Americans to media on Thursday, as relayed by PHLY Sports’ Kyle Neubeck (Twitter link). “It was tough,” Embiid said. “Obviously, I love all three options. … “My son is American, and you add that to the fact that I’ve been here for such a long time, I feel like for the past few years … every decision has been based off of family.”
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Wolves Notes: Conley, Milton, Edwards, Offense

October 5th, 2023 at 4:16pm CST by Rory Maher

When veteran point guard Mike Conley was traded to Minnesota last season, he thought he would have a fairly limited offensive role for the Timberwolves. Instead, they wanted him to help guide the offense by not only managing the game, but being an aggressive scorer as well, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

“That kind of stuff is like alright, they need me,” Conley said after a recent training camp practice. “To win I have to do this. It just gave me a little bit more extra motivation to go out there and be myself, kind of get back to what I’m good at.”

As Krawczynski notes, the Timberwolves don’t have a long-term answer at point guard, with Conley turning 36 next week and in the final year of his contract. Still, the team hopes to keep the former All-Star for the rest of his career.

“When we got Mike, our goal was for this to be the last spot,” president of basketball operations Tim Connelly said. “You never know how things are going to develop. And certainly, we didn’t get Mike for just to be a short-term thing. When you get a person as special as Mike is, you want to be sure that he doesn’t leave here.”

Here’s more on the Wolves:

  • Minnesota has “high hopes” for free agent addition Shake Milton, according to Chris Hine of The Star Tribune, who tweets that the Wolves want to see Milton attempt more three-pointers in 2023/24. After the combo guard finished with 12 points (on 5-of-6 shooting, including 2-of-3 from deep) and four rebounds in 20 minutes on Thursday during Minnesota’s preseason win over Dallas, head coach Chris Finch said the team has been pleasantly surprised with Milton thus far. “We’ve talked a lot about him internally, being so happy and surprised, even better than we thought he could be,” he said, per Krawczynski (Twitter link).
  • Star guard Anthony Edwards sustained a minor ankle sprain in Wednesday’s practice which kept him out of action Thursday, but the team hopes it’ll just be a one-game absence, tweets Krawczynski. “Just being super cautionary right now with that,” Finch said. “We hope to have him back and playing on Saturday.”
  • After finishing last season ranked just 23rd in the league in offense, the Wolves plan to switch up some of their schemes in ’23/24, Hine writes for The Star Tribune. Finch prefers a free-flowing, read-and-react style, but the team sometimes struggled without structure and defined play calls in ’22/23, Hine notes. “We got to be able to give them the blueprint,” Finch said. “And that is, ‘These basic structures are going to help us.’ And maybe through muscle memory they will just gravitate to the right spots.”
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Spurs Notes: Vassell, Defense, Jones, Birch, Bassey

October 5th, 2023 at 2:30pm CST by Rory Maher

Spurs guard Devin Vassell recently signed a five-year, $135MM+ rookie scale extension. As Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News writes in a subscriber-only story, Vassell’s contract is the largest in team history.

While some may have been surprised by the price tag, his teammates say Vassell doesn’t get enough recognition.

“If you really watch the league, the players in this league, the coaches, they all respect Devin,” said second-year forward Jeremy Sochan. “I feel like he is underrated, but he is a special player, too.”

After being limited to 38 games in 2022/23 due to a knee injury, Vassell spent the offseason focused on weight training to improve his conditioning and withstand the rigors of an 82-game schedule. Vassell thinks the added muscle will help improve his finishing at the basket as well, according to McDonald.

Head coach Gregg Popovich believes Vassell is on the right track, both now and going forward.

“He wants to prove himself, both as a player and a leader,” Popovich said. “He has already taken some big steps.”

For his part, the 23-year-old wing says he’s focused on helping the Spurs reclaim their status as a perennial playoff team and bringing a sixth championship to San Antonio.

“This is where I want to be,” Vassell said, per McDonald. “Now all I am trying to do is win, get championships and put some more banners up there.”

Here’s more from San Antonio:

  • No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama has made an instant impact in training camp with his defense, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscriber link). “I came off a handoff and thought I had a wide-open three,” said forward Doug McDermott. “All of a sudden an arm comes out of nowhere and takes the ball. He’s pretty special. He’s going to dominate on that end of the floor.” Still, after finishing with the worst defense in NBA history last season, the Spurs know they can’t just rely on their prized rookie to lift them up. As Orsborn writes, Keldon Johnson struggled defensively in 2022/23, but he believes he has become an “elite defender” this offseason. “I feel like I’ve grown a lot this summer,” Johnson said. “I put a lot of hard work and time into my body and my craft in basketball. So, I’m ready. I’m excited to prove all the doubters wrong.”
  • Point guard Tre Jones, who signed a two-year, $19MM+ deal in free agency to return to the Spurs, started 65 of his 68 games last season. However, Popovich was noncommittal when asked if Jones will start in 2023/24, tweets Orsborn. “We haven’t made any decisions on who is where,” Popovich said.
  • Even after waiving Cameron Payne and Reggie Bullock, the Spurs are still facing a roster crunch, with 16 players on guaranteed contracts. Two players who might be battling for the final roster spot are centers Khem Birch and Charles Bassey, who both dealt with knee injuries last season. According to Orsborn, Popovich said the two big men have been full participants in practices thus far (Twitter link).
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Nuggets Notes: Braun, Holiday, Porter, Malone, Title Defense

October 5th, 2023 at 12:50pm CST by Rory Maher

In a lengthy interview with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Nuggets wing Christian Braun discussed a number of topics, including an opportunity for an expanded role in his second season following the free agency departure of Bruce Brown. When asked how Denver could mitigate the loss of Brown, Braun said he’s ready to step up to the plate.

“I was fortunate enough to learn a lot from him and from KCP (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope),” Braun said. “I was fortunate enough to be around guys who are similar to me in a lot of ways. Bruce and I are similar in a lot of ways, but we’re also different. We bring different things to the court, whether it’s defensive intensity, transition scoring or being a pest. We’re similar, so I think I can fill that role pretty easily.

“Obviously, he’s a great player and did a lot of great things for us in big moments, too. So there is definitely some expanding to my game that I need to do. But with watching him and his effort every night, I think that’s a big reason why he was so good. That’s also something that I’m really good at, so I think I will fit into that role well.”

As far as his goals for 2023/24, Braun said he’s more focused on helping the Nuggets defend their title than earning individual accolades.

“My goals stay the same,” Braun told Medina. “We’re no individual. We’ll make sure we win as a team. We’ll emphasize on starting off on the right foot, get the No. 1 seed and make sure everybody knows our goal is the same. We’re not satisfied with one. We’re trying to turn this thing into a dynasty. We’re trying to turn it into something consistent every year so that we’re consistently fighting for a championship every year.

“It’s not about my individual goals. I do know I’m going to have a bigger role this year. But I know what comes with that. I know we’ll compete for a championship for the next few years.”

Here’s more on the Nuggets:

  • Veteran wing Justin Holiday is already making an impact with his new team and is pleased with his decision to join the Nuggets in free agency, writes Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports. “My game is made for the way the Denver Nuggets play,” Holiday said. “This organization is a championship-caliber organization. Obviously, they just won, but how they do things, what they expect from us, and that’s something I appreciate. After the organization, the players. No egos. You’ve got the best player in the world, the best few players in the world, and guys are cool on the court. They put you in actions with them.” Holiday signed a one-year, minimum-salary deal with Denver this offseason.
  • Forward Michael Porter Jr. sustained a left ankle sprain during Wednesday’s practice and left the gym in a walking boot, Wind adds in the same story. A source tells Wind that the Nuggets aren’t concerned with the injury, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Porter rests a few days for precautionary reasons.
  • After the Lakers said they were motivated by Denver’s trash talk after being swept in the Western Conference Finals, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone dismissed any friction and is focused on the present, not the past. “Oh, they’re talking about us? That was what, four months ago?” Malone said, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “I can’t speak for anybody in L.A., but if they’re still worried about us, that’s on them. This is a new season, a new challenge, and it was a hell of a series against them. I know it was a 4-0 sweep, but all those games seemed like they went down to the wire. We have tremendous respect for that team. I have tremendous respect for Darvin Ham as a coach and the job that he did. But yeah, I don’t listen to any of that stuff. I don’t know what they’re saying, and if we’re on their minds, then I guess that’s on them.”
  • The Nuggets are focused on defending their championship by maintaining their strong work ethic and team play, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic. “If we want to try and be the team that can repeat, and the team that can be a dynasty, we have to have a standard of excellence each and every day,” Malone said. “And it’s going to be my job to hold the guys accountable when we’re not playing well.”
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Pistons Notes: Stewart, Bagley, Wiseman, Livers, Thompson

October 5th, 2023 at 11:27am CST by Arthur Hill

It didn’t take long for new Pistons coach Monty Williams to identify Isaiah Stewart as one of his team leaders, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. Stewart appears to be locked in as Detroit’s starting power forward heading into his fourth season. He is one of the team’s top defenders, and Williams believes his teammates respond to his approach to the game.

“It’s his character, it’s his toughness, but more importantly he works, and guys respect work,” Williams said. “In this culture, when you walk into this gym and you’re not working, you stand out. And he leads it. He and Jalen (Duren) have led the charge. Those guys are on the floor every day together getting sweat equity in, and it sends a message to the team.” 

Stewart will see time at center as well as power forward this season, and he’s working to improve his jump shot so he can help to space the floor. The front office showed its belief in Stewart this summer by giving him a rookie scale extension worth up to $64MM, and Sankofa notes that he’s the only one of the team’s three first-round picks from 2020 to be extended.

“It made sense for us,” general manager Troy Weaver said of the new contract. “You always want to have a player or players on the team who are symbols for what you want to be about, and he’s that on and off the floor. Who he is as a person and what he brings to practice, what he brings as a teammate.” 

There’s more from Detroit:

  • With Stewart and Duren projected as starters, Marvin Bagley III and James Wiseman are competing for one rotation role in the frontcourt, Sankofa adds in a separate story. Both are former No. 2 overall picks who weren’t able to find success with their original teams, and the Pistons were willing to give them a second chance when they became available. Williams called it a “tough spot” for Bagley and Wiseman because they both have the talent to succeed. “Bags has a body of work. Wise is still young and learning,” Williams said. “They both have enough ability to command that spot. We’re just going to wait and see who steps up and takes it.” 
  • Isaiah Livers was in the competition for power forward minutes before suffering a sprained ankle that will cause him to miss six to eight weeks, according to James L. Edwards of The Athletic. The rotation that Williams uses to start the season will likely be adjusted when Livers returns.
  • Williams’ emphasis on defense gives rookie Ausar Thompson a chance to earn a starting spot, adds Edwards, who observes that Thompson may already be the team’s top defender. Bojan Bogdanovic and Jaden Ivey are at the greatest risk of being replaced, but Edwards notes that moving either to the bench would take scoring punch away from the starting lineup.
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Celtics Sign, Waive Kylor Kelley

October 5th, 2023 at 11:06am CST by Luke Adams

OCTOBER 5: As expected, the Celtics have waived Kelley, per NBA.com’s transaction log.

OCTOBER 3: The Celtics have signed free agent center Kylor Kelley to an Exhibit 10 contract, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac.

Kelley, 26, has played in England, Denmark, Canada, and the G League since going undrafted out of Oregon State in 2020. The seven-footer appeared in 21 NBAGL games for the Raptors 905 last season, averaging 7.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 15.3 minutes per night. He most recently played for the Calgary Surge in the Canadian Elite Basketball League this spring and summer.

Kelley’s G League rights were traded from the Raptors 905 to the Maine Celtics in a deal last month. That’s a strong signal that Boston intends to waive Kelley before the regular season begins and have him report to Maine.

Assuming Kelley spends at least 60 days with the Celtics’ G League team, he’ll be eligible to earn an Exhibit 10 bonus. Those bonuses can be worth up to $75K.

Boston now has 19 players officially under contract. The team has also reportedly reached an agreement with big man Wenyen Gabriel that hasn’t yet been finalized.

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Joel Embiid To Play For Team USA In Olympics

October 5th, 2023 at 10:55am CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers center Joel Embiid has committed to Team USA for the 2024 Olympics, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.

Embiid informed USA Basketball executive director Grant Hill of his decision Thursday morning, sources tell Shelburne. She adds that Embiid and Hill met for nearly an hour earlier this week in Fort Collins, Colorado, where the Sixers are conducting training camp.

Because Embiid was born in Cameroon and has citizenship with both the U.S. and France, he was eligible to play for any of those teams. Shelburne’s sources said he wants to help Team USA become the No. 1 nation in international basketball again after it failed to medal at this year’s World Cup.

Embiid recently told ESPN that he would love to represent his home nation, but he was hesitant to commit because Cameroon hasn’t qualified for the 2024 Olympics. France reportedly gave Embiid an October 10 deadline to reach his decision.

Next year’s competition, which will be held in Paris, will mark Embiid’s first appearance in the Olympics. He will be a welcome addition to an American team that was routinely out-rebounded by larger opponents during the World Cup.

A six-time All-Star, Embiid is the NBA’s reigning MVP, having averaged 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.7 blocks on .548/.330/.857 shooting in 66 games (34.6 minutes) in 2022/23. The 29-year-old led the league in scoring for the second straight season.

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Knicks Notes: Grimes, Barrett, Hart, Offseason

October 5th, 2023 at 9:58am CST by Arthur Hill

Quentin Grimes worked with a pair of former NBA guards to get ready for the upcoming season, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. In addition to his annual summer workout with University of Memphis coach Penny Hardaway, Grimes spent time refining his jump shot with JJ Redick. According to Bondy, the idea came from head coach Tom Thibodeau and assistant Darren Erman, who recognized that Redick was proficient with the type of plays they want to see from Grimes.

“I know JJ Redick was one of the best shooters ever in this league. His conditioning was otherworldly, stuff like that. So I just tried to get in the gym with him, learn little things, how he would come off screens, pin downs, because I knew that would be some of the plays that were going to be run for me this season,” Grimes said. “So hopefully I’ll be prepared for them when I get my number called.”

Grimes is hoping to become more of a play-maker with the freedom to break down defenses. Bondy notes that he averaged just 1.89 seconds with the ball when it came to him last season and only 1.1 dribbles per touch. With Jalen Brunson, RJ Barrett and Julius Randle dominating the ball, Grimes was assigned to a catch-and-shoot role.

“It’s a good thing for me because I can space the floor, create driving lanes for RJ, whoever has the ball,” Grimes said. “But like I said, Thibs and (the assistant coaches), we had conversations this season like if I got the ball out there and I can make a play, go make a play.”

There’s more from New York:

  • Barrett hopes to build on his World Cup performance, Bondy adds in a separate story. He was one of the top contributors to Canada’s bronze medal run, averaging 16.8 PPG while shooting 37.1% from three-point range. “I think I learned the game a little bit more,” Barrett said. “It’s crazy physical. Refs don’t care. It’s a lot different over there. But it was fun. I really kind of just did the same thing, my same thing, played the same game. I feel like I’m a guy — whether it’s the league or it’s FIBA — I kind of do the same stuff.”
  • Playing power forward won’t be a new experience for Josh Hart, even though he’s undersized for the position at 6’4″, Bondy states in another piece. Hart said he guarded fours in Portland with Jerami Grant on the perimeter, which helped him to become an exceptional rebounder for his size.
  • Knicks fans shouldn’t be alarmed that the team didn’t make any major moves this summer, contends Zach Braziller of The New York Post. He defends the front office’s decision not to chase Damian Lillard or anyone else who was on the market while preserving the team’s assets for a more significant addition in the future.
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