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Community Shootaround: Postseason Droughts

April 8th, 2019 at 11:20am CST by Luke Adams

After the Timberwolves snapped a 14-year playoff drought last spring, only seven NBA teams entered the 2018/19 season having not reached the postseason at all since 2015. Three of those teams – the Nets, Magic, and Nuggets – have secured playoff berths, meaning that 26 NBA clubs have now earned postseason berths at least once in the four-year period from 2016-19.

That leaves the following four teams with the NBA’s longest playoff droughts:

Sacramento Kings (last playoff appearance in 2006)
Phoenix Suns (2010)
Los Angeles Lakers (2013)
New York Knicks (2013)

None of those teams ultimately came very close to reaching the postseason this season, but the Kings will finish the closest. After holding onto one of the top eight spots in the Western Conference for much of 2018/19, Sacramento has struggled down the stretch — the team is just 9-15 since the All-Star break. Still, the Kings will end up ninth in the West and feature an impressive collection of young talent, led by De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, and Marvin Bagley. There’s plenty of reason for optimism going forward.

The Lakers will finish right behind Sacramento in the West, though L.A.’s young core wasn’t nearly as impressive in 2018/19 as the Kings’ group. Armed with cap room and trade chips this offseason, the Lakers will make every effort to add a second star to complement LeBron James, which would put them in a good position to return to the playoffs next season. Of course, there’s no guarantee the club will land that kind of star, and if James’ health issues in ’18/19 are a harbinger of things to come, the Lakers are no lock to rebound next year.

Further down the Western Conference standings, the Suns will win fewer than 25 games for the fourth straight season. The team is starting to put together a nice group of long-term building blocks, led by Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton, and Mikal Bridges. However, the Suns have yet to experience a Kings-like breakout season. Phoenix will add another top prospect in June’s draft and is expected to have some flexibility in free agency, so perhaps that will happen in 2019/20.

Over in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks are perhaps the NBA’s biggest wild card heading into the 2019 offseason. The club has the cap room necessary to sign, say, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and doing so would make New York a near-lock to return to the playoffs a year from now. On the other hand, if the Knicks strike out in free agency, or end up with a couple second- or third-tier stars, their position will be far more tenuous.

What do you think? Which of these four perennial lottery teams do you expect to return to the postseason first? Is there a team that will have to wait another two or three years (or more) to end its drought?

Head below to the comment section to weigh in with your thoughts!

Southeast Notes: Connelly, Walker, Lamb, Briscoe

April 7th, 2019 at 12:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Asked about the possibility that he might leave to run the Wizards‘ front office, Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly passed on the chance to issue a denial, relays Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post. Washington has reportedly targeted Connelly as its top candidate after firing Ernie Grunfeld this week.

“To be honest with you, I was hoping not to have to answer that question on a night when we win the Northwest Division,” Connelly responded Friday as the team celebrated its title.

Connelly grew up in Baltimore and had his first NBA job as an intern with the Wizards. He signed an extension with the Nuggets in February, but Kiszla notes that the organization doesn’t have a history of paying executives especially well, which led to the departure of Masai Ujiri in 2013. Kiszla suggests that Josh Kroenke, vice chairman of Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, should refuse any request from the Wizards to interview Connelly.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

With the Hornets as a long shot to reach the playoffs, Shane Rhodes of Basketball Insiders examines some situations that might be better for free agent guard Kemba Walker. Rhodes states that the Suns are intriguing with Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton already in place and a high lottery pick about to join them. Rhodes names the Bulls, Knicks, Lakers and Mavericks as other possibilities.
Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer examines whether the Hornets can afford to bring back Jeremy Lamb if they re-sign Walker. Lamb has established himself as a legitimate scorer and another crunch-time option, but the team would be well into luxury tax territory if it brings back both free agents. Bonnell speculates that it will probably take a max offer to keep Walker ($190MM over five seasons or up to $221MM if he makes an All-NBA team and qualifies for a super-max contract), plus something in the range of $10-$13MM annually for Lamb.
The Magic are interested in working out a new deal with Isaiah Briscoe this summer, tweets Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports. Briscoe, who is sidelined by a torn meniscus, was waived this week to open a roster spot for Michael Carter-Williams. He cleared waivers yesterday and is an unrestricted free agent.

Pacific Notes: McGee, Front Office, Beverley, Cauley-Stein, Suns

April 6th, 2019 at 12:44pm CST by marksuleymanov

While the Lakers are out of the playoff picture, and LeBron James will not play again this season, several players on the roster have incentive to finish the year strong. As Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times writes, JaVale McGee, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson and Mike Muscala are set for unrestricted free agency this summer.

Without the postseason as a motivating factor, the next pay check for those players is a strong consideration. Head coach Luke Walton commended those players’ efforts to close out the season.

“I think they’ve done a nice job of staying focused on the team. And that is a big thing, a real thing,” Walton said. “Guys should be concerned about their futures. You have to take care of that as players. But when you take care of your team and play with that type of attitude, the other teams in the league see that. That’s what they want.”

Particularly, Walton praised McGee, stating that the NBA champion “looks good right now,” and adding that his contributions recently have been “meaningful numbers.”

Check out more Pacific Division notes:

Mark Heisler of the Orange County Register opines that the Lakers‘ front office needs to be cognizant of its missteps this past season. Unable to pair James with another elite talent, this summer will be another chance to do so and the team will need to be smart with its approach.
As the Clippers prepare for the postseason, the team hopes to get Patrick Beverley back on the court and healthy, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes. “So, it’s an injury of concern, but nothing that I think is that serious,” head coach Doc Rivers said. “He will play in the playoffs. I’ll say that.”
Willie Cauley-Stein is set for restricted free agency this summer and the Kings will need to decide whether or not to retain his services. Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee examines Cauley-Stein’s value and why Sacramento will face a tough decision.
Matt John of Basketball Insiders looks at how the Suns can accelerate their rebuild. Phoenix has a solid star piece in Devin Booker but will need to maximize acquisitions via free agency and the draft.

Five Western FAs Who Have Boosted Their Value In 2018/19

April 5th, 2019 at 11:40am CST by Luke Adams

When we recently identified a handful of Eastern Conference free-agents-to-be who have significantly increased their stock this season, that list was headlined by players like D’Angelo Russell, Nikola Vucevic, and Bojan Bogdanovic, all of whom should be in line for big-money deals this summer. It’s a little trickier to identify similar players in the West.

That’s not to say there aren’t plenty of big-name free agents in the Western Conference. However, guys like Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson entered the year expecting to be in line for lucrative long-term deals and nothing they’ve done has changed that outlook one way or the other.

Still, there are a number of lower-tier FAs-to-be in the West whose strong years have boosted their earning potential for the 2019 offseason. Today, we’ll shine a spotlight on a few of those guys, identifying five players in contract years who have improved their stock with their play this season.

Let’s dive in…

Kelly Oubre, F, Suns (RFA): With Otto Porter ahead of him on the depth chart in Washington, Oubre never really had a chance to thrive with the Wizards in the same way he did after being traded to the Suns. In 40 games with his new team, Oubre played a career-high 29.5 minutes per contest, averaging career bests in PPG (16.9), RPG (4.9), APG (1.6), SPG (1.4), and FG% (.453) as well. Despite a crowded depth chart at small forward in Phoenix, Oubre looks like a core long-term piece, and should receive a long-term contract this offseason.
Patrick Beverley, G, Clippers: After he missed nearly all of the 2017/18 season due to microfracture and meniscus surgery on his knee, it wasn’t clear whether Beverley would be the same player upon his return. His play for the Clippers this season has put those concerns to rest. In addition to filling the stat sheet with 7.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.8 APG, and a .393 3PT%, the veteran point guard has continued to make life miserable for opposing perimeter players with his aggressive defense. The 30-year-old may not be in line for a massive payday, but he has proven he can still be an important contributor.
Ivica Zubac, C, Clippers (RFA): Beverley’s teammate for the last two months, Zubac joined the Clippers in the most baffling deadline deal of 2019. The young center had been enjoying a breakout year for the Lakers, who gave him up for Mike Muscala. Zubac has been ever better for the Clippers than he was for the Lakers, averaging 8.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 0.9 BPG in 19.7 MPG since his arrival. His impact on defense has been particularly noticeable — the Clips’ 103.9 defensive rating with Zubac on the court would rank first in the NBA, and is 6.2 points better than their rating when he sits.
Seth Curry, G, Trail Blazers: Like Beverley, Curry missed the 2017/18 season due to an injury, raising questions about what sort of player we’d see when he returned. The Trail Blazers, who signed Curry to a one-year, $2.8MM contract last July, have to be thrilled with their investment, as the 28-year-old’s .448 3PT% ranks third in the NBA, just ahead of his brother’s mark. Players who can knock down outside shots at that rate tend to do pretty well on the open market these days.
Danuel House, F, Rockets (RFA): With apologies to Derrick Rose, whose impressive comeback season was marred to some extent by ongoing health concerns, House claims the last spot on my shortlist due to his unexpected impact on the Rockets. Houston’s season got off to a rough start, and the absence of reliable three-and-D players like Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute was a factor. House helped right the ship with his solid play on both ends of the court, as he shot 42.0% from downtown and forced the Rockets’ hand in a contract dispute — the team had to convert House’s two-way contract into a one-year NBA deal, putting him in line for restricted free agency in July. He’ll certainly draw more interest this time around than he did a year ago.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Pacific Notes: Bogut, Kings, Paul, Suns

April 4th, 2019 at 10:46pm CST by JD Shaw

Andrew Bogut chose to join the Warriors as a free agent last month, bypassing a number of teams interested in adding a veteran center — including the Lakers. Bogut, who played 24 games for Los Angeles last season, is still hurt by the team’s sudden decision to waive him shortly into the 2017/18 campaign.

“The Lakers told me I’d be there the whole year,” Bogut told Mark Medina of the Bay Area News Group. “They went against their word and waived me at the (salary guarantee) deadline. Whatever. That was their decision.”

Bogut decided to re-join the team he won a championship with in 2015, playing a new backup center role behind DeMarcus Cousins and adding veteran experience to Golden State’s locker room. Upon his surprising release from Los Angeles, Bogut spent time playing in Australia and briefly exited the NBA.

“I took their word for that stupidly,” Bogut said. “It’s part of the business. But it’s disappointing because I have two young kids and all that. I was stupid enough to take their word on something I shouldn’t have.”

The Warriors are gearing up for another deep postseason run and added Bogut for frontcourt insurance, sporting one of the most talented rosters in league history.

There’s more out of the Pacific Division tonight:

The Kings recently worked out Antonius Cleveland and Kendrick Nunn, according to Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Sacramento had an open roster spot to work with after Cody Demps‘ 10-day contract expired, but opted to sign B.J. Johnson to fill that opening.
Despite trading their top player in Chris Paul two years ago, the Clippers are set up well for the future and the present day, Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times writes. “He was important to our team,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said of Paul. “He was important to the whole franchise. So you lose a player like that, you have to evaluate who you are, where you want to go, what you want to be.” The Clippers have major cap flexibility for star free agents this summer, sporting a unique mix of hardworking players under a veteran head coach. The team surprised many fans by easily clinching a playoff berth this season, holding a 47-32 record with three games left in the campaign.
The Heat Index examines which players could be free-agent targets for the Suns in free agency, focusing on Charlotte’s Kemba Walker, Boston’s Terry Rozier and other talents who are set to hit the open market on July 1. Phoenix could pursue a free-agent point guard to pair alongside Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton and their draft pick this June, or potentially work to secure a meeting with a scoring forward such as Tobias Harris.

Devin Booker, Tyler Johnson Done For Season

April 4th, 2019 at 3:04pm CST by Luke Adams

A pair of Suns guards won’t appear in the final three games of the season, as the team has shut down Devin Booker and Tyler Johnson.

Jordan Schultz of ESPN.com first reported (via Twitter) that Booker, who suffered an ankle sprain during Wednesday’s loss to the Jazz, wouldn’t return this season. Shams Charania of The Athletic confirmed as much today (via Twitter).

The former lottery pick had been on a tear lately, scoring 48 of more points in three of his last five games. However, with the Suns only playing for lottery positioning and Booker’s five-year, maximum-salary extension set to go into effect this July, there was no reason for the club to push him to get back before next Wednesday.

As for Johnson, the 26-year-old combo guard, acquired from the Heat at the trade deadline, underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee on Wednesday, the team announced in a press release. The Suns gave no indication of his recovery timeline, but I’d expect him to be ready to go for the 2019/20 season. He hadn’t played for Phoenix since March 13.

Johnson could technically become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but is far more likely to opt into the final year of his current contract, which is worth $19.2MM+.

With Booker and Johnson sidelined, players like Elie Okobo, De’Anthony Melton, and Jimmer Fredette could get a long look in the backcourt during Phoenix’s final three games.

Jamal Crawford Not Contemplating Retirement

April 2nd, 2019 at 12:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Longtime NBA guard Jamal Crawford recently called 2018/19 the “most challenging” year of his career so far, but that doesn’t mean he’s ready to retire at season’s end. Despite a dip in his numbers with the Suns (6.6 PPG on .373/.302/.822 shooting), Crawford is adamant that he’s not considering calling it a career quite yet. Speaking to Gina Mizell of The Athletic, the 39-year-old explained his thinking.

“Oh, no,” Crawford said to Mizell when asked about retirement. “That’s the part I hate — the perception because of how things went this year. You may look at the numbers and (see) I’m only taking six shots a game. I think it’s to be applauded (for me to) say, ‘Hey, when I go in, I’m not going to jack up every shot.’ … This is the most assists I’ve averaged (since 2008/09). I’m truly trying to see others grow. I think we should look at that part of it. I’m passing more than I ever have.”

Crawford’s conversation with Mizell touched on several other topics and, if you’re an Athletic subscriber, it’s worth checking out in full. Here are a few more of the veterans’ noteworthy comments from the Q&A:

On why Crawford referred to this season as the most challenging of his career:

“First off, my family isn’t here. This is the first time we’ve been separated, because I signed so late. I’m playing point guard more than I ever have. It’s not a bad thing; it’s just a different challenge. And then I’m a big rhythm and flow type of player, so I think the minutes (I’m playing) have been challenging to try to somehow still be effective. And then losing. I’ve only missed the playoffs once this decade, and the one time I missed it before this year was the lockout season (in 2011/12).”

On his priorities heading into free agency this summer:

“Fit will be important for me. I’m an acquired taste. I get it. What I bring to the table is an acquired thing. This is the first year since 2002 I haven’t averaged double figures. (I did it) 16 straight years. I’ve won two out of the last five Sixth Man (of the Year) Awards. I think fit is so important for me.”

On the importance of veterans like him in NBA locker rooms:

“Every team needs them, to be honest with you. No disrespect to young players, because when I came in, I was on the youngest team in the league my first two years. But I didn’t start learning to become a pro until I got veterans around me. Charles Oakley. Rick Brunson. Scottie Pippen. All these guys. I think we need more veteran players in locker rooms, because they’ve been through it. If they can tell young guys something that they maybe (don’t have) to experience, that they can learn from, then why not?”

Pacific Notes: Bell, Chase Center, Oubre, Kings

March 31st, 2019 at 6:57pm CST by marksuleymanov

Following a one-game suspension for “conduct detrimental to the team,” Warriors big man Jordan Bell has apologized to the team and hopes to move on from the incident, ESPN’s Nick Friedell writes.

“I made an error of judgment,” Bell said to NBC Sports Bay Area. “And I thought I was doing something funny, and it wasn’t. But I apologized to the individuals involved, and I hope to continue to move forward from this mistake.”

The incident in question involved Bell making unauthorized charges to assistant coach Mike Brown’s hotel room, as Friedell confirms. While the nature of the incident reportedly stems from a rookie hazing Bell underwent himself, the Warriors are also concerned about Bell’s work ethic this season.

Check out more Pacific Division notes:

The Warriors are in the midst of building a new home arena, Chase Center, which is set to open later this season. However, the new venue has generated over $2 billion in revenue before it’s official opening, according to a Bloomberg report.
Suns wing Kelly Oubre has nothing but fond memories of his tenure with the Wizards in Washington, Josh Luckenbaugh of NBC Sports Washington writes. “It’s always love,” Oubre said. “D.C. fans have embraced me from day one, and I have nothing but love for them.”
After Saturday’s loss to the Rockets, the Kings were officially eliminated from postseason contention. As Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee writes, the loss ended a promising season that generated plenty of optimism for the team’s future.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Subscription required) dives into the Kings‘ next moves, which includes key decisions on the long-term futures of Buddy Hield and Willie Cauley-Stein

Devin Booker Plans To Be Involved In Suns’ Offseason

March 29th, 2019 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Devin Booker‘s new five-year, maximum-salary extension with the Suns will begin on July 1, and as the team considers its other offseason moves, the standout guard hopes to have some say in those decisions, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.

“It’s probably the summer I’ll be most involved in my career,” Booker said this week.

Assuming they hold the No. 2 spot in the NBA’s lottery standings, the Suns will have a top-six draft pick at their disposal. The club is also expected to have some cap room available, though Tyler Johnson‘s $19MM+ player option will cut into Phoenix’s cap flexibility, as will Kelly Oubre‘s cap hold.

Of course, it’s still not entirely clear who will be making the final call on personnel moves in Phoenix. Currently, interim co-GMs James Jones and Trevor Bukstein are running the show, but the Suns are conducting a search for a permanent head of basketball operations. Booker is counting on staying involved in the decision-making process even after that hire is made, as Rankin relays.

“When I signed my deal, I think it was an understanding, through the franchise and myself, that moving forward, we both have the same goals at hand and that’s to get better,” Booker said. “It’s not a one-sided thing. It’s not whatever I view, whatever they view. I think it’s a collective agreement. Moving forward, throwing in any advice I can, stay in the loop and watch what’s going on and know what’s going on.”

Although he may have one eye on the Suns’ offseason, Booker has been at his best on the court as of late. Since the All-Star break, the 22-year-old has averaged an impressive 31.6 PPG, 6.8 APG, and 5.0 RPG with a .465/.331/.887 shooting line. He has cracked the 50-point mark in each of his last two games.

Fredette Was On Suns' Radar For Awhile

March 25th, 2019 at 10:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jimmer Fredette‘s representatives had spoken with the Suns numerous times this season before they offered him a contract, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic reports. Fredette signed a contract last week for the remainder of the season with a team option for 2019/20. He played 43 games in China with the Shanghai Sharks, averaging a league-high 36.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 5.4 APG, and 2.6 SPG. “The Phoenix Suns were very interested,” he said. “Spoke with their (interim) GM (James Jones). Towards the end of the season, we wanted to make it happen.”