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Eastern Notes: Booker, Heat, Hornets, Nnaji, Tominaga

August 4th, 2024 at 9:53am CST by Rory Maher

Suns star Devin Booker, who is currently competing in the Olympics with Team USA, told D’Angelo Russell he wanted to be drafted by the Heat back in 2015 (YouTube link). Miami ultimately selected former Duke forward Justise Winslow at No. 10 overall, while Booker went No. 13 to Phoenix.

“You knew it was Phoenix though leading up to (the draft)?” Russell asked Booker.

“Oh, no,” Booker replied.

“I thought you was going to Miami,” Russell said.

“That’s where I was hoping,” Booker said (hat tip to HoopsHype). “Because Miami was my best workout, and then I remember, I think (Heat president) Pat Riley did an interview and he’s like, ‘we’re looking for a Klay Thompson-type player, we need to up our shooting.’

“I just shot 40 (percent from three) in college, I’m like, ‘Oh yeah.’ I’m looking at spots right down there by the arena. … Draft is crazy though, your life changes like that, you have no control over it really.”

Booker, 27, is under contract through 2028, and there’s no indication he’s angling to join the Heat in the future — the conversation was merely a couple of friends reminiscing about their draft experiences, as Russell was taken No. 2 that same year by the Lakers. Still, it’s something to keep in mind if Booker ever decides to seek a change of scenery.

Here are a few more notes from around the Eastern Conference:

  • Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer takes a look at the Hornets‘ roster, projecting a starting five of LaMelo Ball, Josh Green, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and Mark Williams, with Grant Williams and Tre Mann among the top reserves. As Boone notes, Mann is eligible for a rookie scale extension until the day before the 2024/25 season begins.
  • Big man James Nnaji, whom the Hornets selected No. 31 overall in 2023, will play for Girona during the 2024/25 season, per BasketNews. Nnaji will be on loan from Barcelona, which announced the move on Sunday. The 19-year-old draft-and-stash prospect struggled to get rotation minutes with Spanish powerhouse Barcelona in ’23/24, but he should have an opportunity for more playing time with Girona, which also competes in Spain’s top basketball league. Girona is owned by former NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol. Nigerian center Nnaji reportedly hoped to make the leap to the NBA this season, but that plan was curtailed by back surgery in the spring.
  • Guard Keisei Tominaga, who played for the Japanese national team at the Olympics, is thrilled with the opportunity to join the Pacers on an Exhibit 10 training camp deal, he told Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. “This summer I’ll prepare for this NBA opportunity, I just got to show every day that I can accomplish my dream and get into the NBA, so yeah I am very excited,” said Tominaga, who spent the past three college seasons at Nebraska.
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Brandon Miller Talks USA Select Team, Josh Green, More

July 20th, 2024 at 1:42pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Following a high-scoring All-Rookie First Team debut season, Hornets forward Brandon Miller was invited to play for the USA Select Team against a stacked U.S. Olympic squad.

The Alabama alum reflected on the experience during a conversation with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

“I think that put me in a great place out there competing with the best at the highest level,” Miller said. “Of course, we were having fun competing. I think that was a great moment for me to be out there and show what I can bring to a team against top talent. It was a great opportunity.”

Miller is talented enough on the court that it’s conceivable he could make the actual Team USA squad for a future Olympics competition. Across 74 games last year (68 starts), the 6’9″ forward posted averages of 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.6 blocks per game with a .440/.373/.827 shooting line for the 21-61 Hornets.

His full conversation with Scotto is well worth reading in full. Below are some select highlights.

On his decision to partake in a second straight Summer League:

“I think it was to feel out the new coaching staff [under first-year head coach Charles Lee] because it’s going to be a new thing for everybody this year. I wanted to see how they wanted us to play. I think it also sets the tone (as far as leadership) for the year that we have coming up.”

On the addition of high-upside young shooting guard Josh Green to the team via trade:

“I think he brings a lot of defensive energy for us. I think that’s one thing we want to focus on this year, which is locking down on the defensive side. I think our defense will lead to our offense and transition. Josh is going to help us with that and, of course, his ability to knock down open shots. I think that’ll be big for us.”

On what fans can expect out of the club across the next five seasons:

“I think Charlotte fans should expect a playoff team. I think we’re going to bring energy every game and go out there and get as many wins as we can.”

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Hornets Notes: Chemistry, Bridges, Gibson, Jackson, M. Williams, Black

July 17th, 2024 at 12:57pm CST by Luke Adams

LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, Brandon Miller, Mark Williams, Grant Williams, and several other Hornets players were in attendance at Tuesday’s Summer League game alongside new president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson and player enhancement coach Kemba Walker, according to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.

Summer League head coach Josh Longstaff said it “speaks volumes” to have the team’s veterans in the building “coaching up” and “cheering on” the Summer League squad, while guard Nick Smith Jr. added that it felt good to have “my big brothers (there) to support us.”

“It’s special, man,” Grant Williams said. “We are just trying to support one another, make sure we understand that team is first and team matters and really, really just committed to getting better and improving and making it a premier organization in the league.”

There are other signs of positive vibes around the organization this summer, according to Boone, who notes that co-owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin hosted a dinner event on Monday night in Las Vegas that included all of the Hornets’ players as well as a significant number of team personnel. Veteran big man Taj Gibson, the newest member of the roster, was among those impressed, Boone writes.

“It was really nice,” Gibson said. “To be honest with you, just meeting the ownership alone … First you see the ownership, the ownership is so welcoming. Those gentlemen, their energy is just vibrant in how they move and how they already circled and brought all the pieces together last night. It was like a family reunion, because that’s how relaxed we were. Talking, laughing, talking about what it’s going to be like. It was great, just to have that dialect.”

Gibson added that the team’s budding chemistry was on display at the event: “I’ve been to many of those dinners where every guy is over there, guys are over there. But (Monday) night, everybody was mixing. Everybody.”

Here’s more on the Hornets:

  • Bridges’ new three-year, $75MM contract with the Hornets has a descending structure, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). The deal, which is fully guaranteed with no options, is worth $27,173,913 in 2024/25, exactly $25MM in ’25/26, and $22,826,087 in ’26/27.
  • Gibson’s one-year, minimum-salary deal is partially guaranteed, Hoops Rumors has learned. Gibson is assured of receiving at least $1,082,270 and would lock in his full $3,303,771 salary if he remains under contract through the league-wide guarantee deadline of January 7.
  • While the signings of Gibson and Seth Curry bring the Hornets’ roster count to 15 players on standard contracts, that number could dip to 14 soon, Boone writes for the Charlotte Observer, noting that Reggie Jackson is considered unlikely to open the regular season with the team. The expectation is that Jackson will be cut at some point to allow him to try to catch on with a team closer to contention, according to Boone.
  • In a pair of exclusive interviews, Boone spoke to Hornets center Mark Williams about his efforts to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2023/24 season and to two-way player Leaky Black about his desire to earn a place on Charlotte’s standard 15-man roster.
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USA Basketball Announces 15-Man Select Team

June 28th, 2024 at 11:46am CST by Luke Adams

USA Basketball has announced in a press release that a 15-man Select Team will train with the U.S. Olympic squad as it prepares for the upcoming Olympics. The Select Team, which is made up mostly of younger players and some who have previous Team USA experience, will work out with the men’s national team in Las Vegas from July 6-8.

The members of the Select Team are as follows:

Perhaps the most notable name on the list is Flagg, who has committed to Duke and will begin his first college basketball season in the fall. He’s viewed as a strong candidate to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft.

Duren, Galloway, Murphy, Murray, and Pritchard were part of the U.S. Select Team that trained with the national team ahead of the 2023 World Cup.

It’s possible some of these players will use their Select Team experience as a springboard to represent Team USA in international competitions down the road. Kawhi Leonard, Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards, and Tyrese Haliburton are among the players on this year’s Olympic team that were members of a Select Team earlier in their respective careers.

The select team will be coached by Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley, who will be joined by assistants Jim Boylen and Matt Painter. Boylen, a former Bulls head coach and current Pacers assistant, was Team USA’s head coach during the qualifying contests. Painter has been the longtime head coach at Purdue.

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Hornets Notes: Miller, Williams, Draft, Lee

May 25th, 2024 at 5:13pm CST by Arthur Hill

After a productive rookie year, Hornets swingman Brandon Miller knows how he’s going to spend his first NBA offseason. “Weight room and eating,” he told Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer, explaining that he wants to get bigger and stronger to better handle the physical nature of the NBA.

“I’m ready to start another season right now,” Miller said. “I think my main focus this summer is to just keep putting on weight. I kind of want to build muscle mass just to be prepared for next season.”

A year ago, the Hornets were debating whether to take Miller or Scoot Henderson with the second overall pick, and the decision came down to the wire as both players made a final trip to Charlotte shortly before draft night. Miller rewarded the organization’s faith in him by appearing in 74 games and averaging 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 44% from the field and 37.3% from three-point range. He became the sixth player in Hornets history to earn first-team All-Rookie honors.

Miller talked to Boone about wanting to become more of a leader now that he has a full year of NBA experience. He also plans to spend part of the summer working out with Clippers star Paul George, a player to whom Miller has often been compared.

“I think just being on the same court with him,” Miller said, “working out together, I think that’s a blessing, just being there with your favorite player, working with him, getting better, competing with him. So, it’s all going to be fun and a great summer.”

There’s more from Charlotte:

  • Appearing on the TruTV broadcast of Friday’s playoff game, Grant Williams confirmed that Dallas considered sending him to the Bucks at the trade deadline before finalizing a deal with the Hornets, relays Brian Robb of MassLive. “It’s one of those things where we kind of worked our way, figured out what team that would look the best I feel like and Charlotte was the best opportunity,” Williams said. “I think the only other team that probably would have been an option was Milwaukee but that deal kind of fell through. Things happen.” Reporting at the time suggested there were exploratory talks between Dallas and Milwaukee involving Bobby Portis, but those discussions didn’t get serious.
  • After falling to sixth in the draft lottery, the Hornets’ best option is to trade the pick to the highest bidder, Boone contends in a separate story. With an eight-year string of missing the playoffs, Boone believes there’s an urgency to turn around the team’s fortunes right away, which is more likely to happen with a veteran player than a young project. Boone also notes that the franchise is renovating its arena and raising ticket prices, so something has to be done to spark the fans’ interest.
  • The team’s top priority for the summer involves building up a support staff for new head coach Charles Lee and making sure the entire organization is in sync with his philosophies, Boone states in a mailbag column. Boone expects Lee’s coaching staff to be completed fairly quickly, saying it won’t be like when Steve Clifford was brought back and assistants were still being hired after Summer League.
  • With Gordon Hayward and P.J. Washington both being moved at the trade deadline, finding another wing is the biggest positional need this offseason, Boone adds. He said the Hornets believe in positionless basketball, so whoever add sign will likely have the responsibilities of both a shooting guard and small forward.
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NBA Announces 2023/24 All-Rookie Teams

May 20th, 2024 at 1:07pm CST by Rory Maher

The NBA officially unveiled the two All-Rookie teams for the 2023/24 season on Monday (Twitter links). The teams are as follows:

First Team

Second Team

Unsurprisingly, Wembanyama and Holmgren were unanimous selections to the first team (Twitter link). Last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Wembanyama was also the unanimous choice for Rookie of the Year, with Holmgren receiving all but one second-place vote for that award.

The entire first team mirrored the Rookie of the Year balloting, with Miller, Jaquez and Podziemski coming in third through fifth. Lively received the most points for the second team, followed by Thompson, George, Wallace and Jackson.

Jackson is the only All-Rookie member who wasn’t drafted in the first round; he was selected 45th overall in 2023 and initially signed a two-way contract. He was converted to a standard contract in February.

The current youngest player in the NBA, Jackson didn’t start receiving regular minutes until mid-January. The 19-year-old put up some big numbers down the stretch though, including 31 points and 44 points in the final two games of the season.

Jackson beat out Warriors big man Trayce Jackson-Davis for the final spot on the second team by a single point. Jackson actually received fewer overall votes (38 vs. 42 for Jackson-Davis), but earned the nod by receiving five first-team votes, which were worth two points apiece (second-team votes were worth one point each).

A total of 22 rookies received at least one vote. Aside from Jackson-Davis, the other top finishers who didn’t make the cut were Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (35 points), Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson (33), and Wizards wing Bilal Coulibaly (14). Ausar is Amen’s identical twin brother.

All-Rookie was one of the awards that didn’t require players to meet the newly instituted 65-game minimum. Jackson, Lively, Thompson, and Wallace didn’t meet that criteria, but they were still eligible for All-Rookie honors.

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Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama Named Rookie Of Year

May 6th, 2024 at 6:06pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama has unanimously been named the league’s Rookie of the Year, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).

The top pick of the 2023 draft lived up to his billing, averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, a league-high 3.6 blocks and 1.2 steals in 71 games. Wembanyama received all 99 first-place votes for 495 points (Twitter link).

Wembanyama is the first player to have at least 1,500 points, 700 rebounds, 250 assists, 250 blocks and 100 3-pointers made in a season. He is the second rookie to lead all NBA players in blocks per game in a season, joining Manute Bol (1985/86).

Chet Holmgren, who boosted the Thunder to the top seed in the Western Conference, finished second in the voting with Hornets forward Brandon Miller winding up a distant third. Holmgren received all but one of the second-place votes with Miller getting the other. Miller was picked third on 83 ballots.

The Heat’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. finished fourth in the voting and the Warriors’ Brandin Podziemski wound up fifth.

Holmgren, the No. 2 pick of the 2022 draft who missed last season due to a foot injury, appeared in all 82 games. He averaged 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.3 blocks during the regular season.

Miller, the No. 2 pick in last year’s draft, averaged 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 74 games, including 68 starts.

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Doncic, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic Named MVP Finalists

April 21st, 2024 at 6:03pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic were revealed on Sunday as the finalists for the Most Valuable Player award, according to the NBA (Twitter link).

Doncic led the league in scoring (33.9 points per game) and finished second in assists (9.8) while also grabbing 9.2 rebounds per contest. Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder to the top seed in the Western Conference by averaging 30.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 2.0 steals per contest. Jokic, who is widely considered the favorite to win his third MVP trophy, averaged 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists per night.

The NBA also announced the finalists for six other postseason awards. Here are the finalists for all of those awards:

Most Valuable Player

Sixth Man

Defensive Player of the Year

Most Improved Player

Note: Sengun appeared in just 63 games but was eligible for award consideration based on the season-ending injury exception described in our glossary entry on the 65-game rule.

Coach of the Year

  • Mark Daigneault, Thunder
  • Chris Finch, Timberwolves
  • Jamahl Mosley, Magic

Rookie of the Year

Clutch Player of the Year

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Southeast Notes: Hawks, Miller, Heat, Wizards

April 18th, 2024 at 7:45pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Hawks fell to the Bulls in the play-in, failing to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2020 as a result. With a roster that doesn’t fit together even when healthy, Atlanta could look to go in a number of different directions this offseason. The Hawks are stuck in the middle, lacking incentive to tank due to the first-round picks they owe the Spurs as a result of acquiring Dejounte Murray and also having several talented players on the roster.

As The Athletic’s John Hollinger observes, attention will likely turn to star guard Trae Young after trade talks involving Murray didn’t pan out at the deadline this year. Speculation regarding Young’s future continues to run rampant, and teams like the Lakers and Spurs are some of the most frequently named potential destinations.

Additionally, the Hawks will have significant money tied up in the frontcourt to both Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu, prompting Hollinger to wonder whether the team will look to trade one. Atlanta’s most significant impending free agent is Saddiq Bey, who is set to be restricted this summer, but he’ll be recovering from an ACL tear.

Both Hollinger and ESPN’s Bobby Marks assert the Hawks need to pick a lane by making a significant move of some kind, whether that’s moving Young or Murray. Armed with a young core that includes extension-eligible Jalen Johnson, Kobe Bufkin, Okongwu and AJ Griffin, along with potentially two top-16 picks (if Sacramento makes the playoffs), Atlanta has the assets necessary to retool rather than fully rebuild if they so choose.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

  • Hornets rookie Brandon Miller had a terrific first season and while he won’t win the Rookie of the Year award (that honor will almost certainly go Victor Wembanyama), he cemented himself as a franchise cornerstone in just one year, Alex Zietlow of The Charlotte Observer writes. In 74 games, Miller averaged 17.3 points while shooting 44.0% from the field and 37.3% from three. “He can be whatever he wants to be,” teammate Seth Curry said. “I see All-NBA, perennial All-Star, possible MVP consideration in his future. All the talent, all the size, the competitive nature. I think he’s going to work on his game and add stuff every year. So I’m excited to see him grow.“
  • The Heat are in the same position on Friday that they were a season ago. They hosted the Bulls in a win-or-go-home play-in tournament game for the eighth seed last season and will do so again this year, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. From Miami’s perspective, the win over Chicago jump-started a historic run that saw the Heat become the first No. 8 seed in a non-lockout season to reach the NBA Finals. However, the Bulls remember last year in a much more painful view, which could be a motivating factor against a Heat team without Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier. “I remember that plane ride back home [last year] vividly, everybody was just frustrated,” Bulls guard DeMar DeRozan said.
  • Wizards general manager Will Dawkins and president Michael Winger admitted that year one of Washington’s rebuild featured growing pains, but they saw some positive steps within the organization, The Athletic’s Josh Robbins writes. Young players like Deni Avdija, Corey Kispert and Bilal Coulibaly all showed progress from the beginning to the end of the season. “We feel very strongly that we have the right fans, that we have the right principles, that we have the right market to build a sustainably great team,” Winger said. “We set out to do that a year ago. That plan has not changed at all.“
  • The Washington Post’s Ava Wallace tackles a similar topic, noting that the Wizards‘ regime is excited to dig into its first full offseason. As Wallace writes, the most significant move the team will make this season could be its head coaching hire.
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Injury Notes: Embiid, Sixers, Cavs, Hornets, Rozier

April 14th, 2024 at 12:15pm CST by Rory Maher

After previously being listed as questionable, reigning MVP Joel Embiid was subsequently ruled out by the Sixers ahead of Sunday’s season finale against Brooklyn, tweets Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports. Embiid’s official injury designation was left knee injury recovery, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).

When asked if he expected Embiid to play as long as he didn’t have any issues pregame, head coach Nick Nurse shifted around a bit while saying, “Yeah, same on the (other) questionable guys” (Twitter video link via PHLY Sixers).

De’Anthony Melton (back injury recovery) and KJ Martin (left great toe contusion), the other two players with questionable tags, were later ruled out as well.

In his fifth game back following a torn left meniscus in January, which required surgery, Embiid appeared to tweak the same knee in Friday’s win over Orlando, calling to be subbed out a couple minutes before the first half ended. He returned for the second half and finished the game, but was noticeably grimacing at times.

Sunday’s game has major playoff implications for the 76ers, who currently have the same record as Orlando and Indiana at 46-35 but are the No. 7 seed due to tiebreakers. Still, Embiid’s health outlook is much more critical for the postseason and the future — Philadelphia went just 15-27 without the 30-year-old this season.

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

  • The Cavaliers, who have secured at least the No. 4 seed in the East and could move as high as No. 2, will be without some of their top players on Sunday, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Donovan Mitchell (knee), Darius Garland (lower back contusion), Caris LeVert (knee soreness), Sam Merrill (neck strain) and Dean Wade (knee sprain) are all out. “It’s not rest,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said prior to tipoff. “Those guys have things they are dealing with that we are trying to protect over the long term. Not guys who are just taking today off. That was the thinking going into it — if we can get them yesterday and today and get out throughout this week, hopefully by Saturday or Sunday, whenever we play, that’s an advantage for us. We will go out and compete our tails off to make sure whatever may happen. So much is out of our control. It’s not a situation where we are going in and saying, ‘We need to do this or do that.’ We don’t control the outcome. So many other teams that have their own plans and own minds that they are trying to make up. We’re going out and trying to compete our tails off and see what happens.”
  • The Cavs are facing the Hornets on Sunday, and Charlotte will also be very undermanned, the team announced (via Twitter). Miles Bridges (right wrist), Brandon Miller (right wrist), Davis Bertans (left Achilles), Nick Richards (right plantar fascia) and Grant Williams (right ankle) were all downgraded from questionable to out, joining four other players who are dealing with long-term injuries.
  • Heat guard Terry Rozier underwent additional testing on his neck injury in recent days, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscriber link). Head coach Erik Spoelstra continues to refer to Rozier as day-to-day, but he’ll miss his fourth straight game on Sunday, leaving his postseason status up in the air. Rozier has been taking anti-inflammatories to deal with the issue, Winderman adds.
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