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New York Notes: LeVert, Porzingis, Dinwiddie, Fizdale

October 20th, 2018 at 7:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

Caris LeVert wasn’t guaranteed a spot in the Nets’ rotation heading into training camp, notes Michael Scotto of The Athletic, but through two games he looks like the early favorite for Most Improved Player. LeVert torched the Knicks for a career-high 28 points Friday night, including the game-winning shot. That followed a 27-point outburst against the Pistons in the season opener.

A month ago, LeVert was part of a large group in Brooklyn battling for playing time. He was competing with DeMarre Carroll, Joe Harris and Allen Crabbe at the wings and D’Angelo Russell, Spencer Dinwiddie and Shabazz Napier in the backcourt. LeVert’s transformation may be shocking to outsiders, but teammate Jarrett Allen said it has been building for a while.

“We saw it during the summer,” he said. “We knew it was coming, but coming out and playing like this not even we expected him scoring almost 30 points every night, but he’s coming out and showing all the work he’s done this summer is paying off.”

There’s more from New York City:

The rivalry between the Knicks and Nets may be more intense next summer than it is during the season, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Both teams should be in the running for lottery picks and both will have plenty of cap room to make a splash on the free agent market. Berman suggests that Brooklyn, which may be in position to offer two max contracts, could really heat things up by pursuing Kristaps Porzingis, who will be a restricted free agent after the deadline for an extension passed without a deal. The Nets can offer him a chance to play alongside fellow Latvian Rodions Kurucs.
If the Knicks can’t get a star to take a max offer, they could spend some of their money on Dinwiddie, Berman adds in the same piece. He notes that New York tried to work out a deal for the Nets guard in February, but decided the price was too high and opted for Emmanuel Mudiay instead.
David Fizdale’s relaxed exchanges with the media are a sign that a transformation has taken place among Knicks management, contends Harvey Araton of The New York Times. Owner James Dolan has produced a smothering environment among previous coaches, but Fizdale feels free to be open and honest in his assessment of players.

Knicks Notes: Ntilikina, Fizdale, Thomas, Baker

October 11th, 2018 at 9:51pm CST by JD Shaw

The Knicks are set to give second-year player Frank Ntilikina a major defensive test in their next preseason game on Friday, a home contest against the rival Nets. Ntilikina, who’s known for playing most of his minutes at point guard, will have the chance to guard the power forward position when the two teams clash, head coach David Fizdale revealed.

“Brooklyn is fast-paced, they usually play four perimeters and a big guy. Why not? Let’s see it,” Fizdale said, according to Greg Joyce of the New York Post. “The fours that play in our league now … how teams are playing, they’re playing perimeter guys at that spot. Frank, that’s why I said he gives me so many options for having a ball-handler that can do multiple things and guard multiple people. So that’s where I think the flexibility comes in.”

The Nets typically play small at the four, with players such as DeMarre Carroll or Rondae Hollis-Jefferson likely to see minutes at the position. According to Joyce, Ntilikina wouldn’t be tasked with guarding bigger power forwards, but rather the small-ball prototype players such as Carroll and Hollis-Jefferson.

“You know what I think,” Ntilikina said. “Guarding anyone on the opposite end is good for me. It’s a challenge. I will do my best to deny them to score, to deny them to get what they want, to deny them to get comfortable. So yeah, if that’s the plan, let’s do it.

“It’s different, but at the end of the day, it’s basketball. Of course point guard doesn’t play like a four, but loving basketball and just being a student of the game, I want to be perfect at this. I want to be able to guard anyone.”

There’s more out of New York this week:

Lance Thomas has established himself as the team’s starting power forward for the time being, Ian Begley of ESPN tweets. Thomas appeared in 73 games last season, seeing 31 starts on the year.
Several teams called the Knicks last season with hopes of inquiring on the availability of Frank Ntilikina, but the team never showed any interest in trading him, Begley reports in a separate tweet.
Ron Baker has quickly earned the respect of David Fizdale this preseason, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. “He’s a tough S.O.B.,’’ Fizdale said. Baker is entering his third consecutive season with the team and is on track to be an unrestricted free agent in 2019.

Chris Bosh Not Closing Door On Playing Again

October 9th, 2018 at 11:00pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Chris Bosh hasn’t closed the door on playing in the NBA again and will give himself until the All-Star break to make a final determination on his future, as he tells Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Bosh hasn’t played since the 2015/16 season because of blood clots and the former No. 4 overall pick admits the situation is still “complicated.”

“It’s up to the team doctors from that team. And then we go from there,” Bosh said of the process for a franchise to sign him.

The NBA and its players’ union previously ruled that Bosh’s clotting issues were career-ending. Bondy notes that the risk with blood clotting is that contact could result in internal bleeding.

Bosh remains focused on coming back and he’s open to playing for any team that’s willing to take the risk with him. Bondy asked Bosh if he could envision himself playing for the Knicks to which Bosh replied, “If they make me a deal, yeah.”

New coach David Fizdale was Bosh’s assistant coach in Miami. Bosh credits Fitzdale with helping him reinvent his game.

“He helped me so much as far as dissecting offenses,” Bosh said. “Film work. And just mentally preparing for every night challenge. We felt a bond just trying to figure out how I can be effective in a free-flowing offense we had. And sometimes it was just having a beer and talking and leaving all the offcourt stuff to the side. But he’s just a tremendous person, tremendous coach. And he knows his basketball.”

Atlantic Notes: Fizdale, Thomas, Redick, Stevens

October 7th, 2018 at 3:59pm CST by JD Shaw

The Knicks have started their preseason on a high note, winning each of their three games under new head coach David Fizdale. Fizdale is known for his high energy, positive attitude and veteran mindset, with each of these habits quickly rubbing off on some of his players.

“Absolutely, heck yeah. I want to win everything,’’ Fizdale said after team’s victory over the Pelicans on Friday, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. “I want to win every game. These guys are building habits right now. And winning is a habit. Anytime we step on the court, if they decide to play checkers together, pool, ping-pong, I want them competing to win. We have to get that really rooted deeply into who we are.’’

Fizdale is well-respected across the league and has two NBA titles under his belt as an assistant with Miami. The Knicks hired him this past offseason as head coach, and he’s quickly made his mark on changing the overall culture of the organization.

Fizdale’s decision to bring in Hall of Famers Walt Frazier and Patrick Ewing to discuss what it means to play for the Knicks was praised this week, with the second-year head coach now focused on getting his team ready for the regular season.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Lance Thomas is working hard to maintain his status as the Knicks’ starting power forward, Berman writes in a separate story. “Lance is just … man is he a good leader,’’ Fizdale said. “He’s just a really good leader. Those guys respect him big time. When he speaks, the gym shuts down and everybody listens.”
J.J. Redick has provided some much-needed firepower off the bench for the Sixers, as detailed by NBA.com’s Brian Seltzer. Redick shot a perfect 10-of-10 against the Mavericks on Friday.
Celtics coach Brad Stevens offered strong words of support for assistant Jerome Allen this week, according to Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports. Allen pled guilty to accepting a $18K bribe from the parent of a prospective recruit when he coached for Pennsylvania in 2014.

Knicks Notes: Vonleh, Ntilikina, Preseason, Durant

October 6th, 2018 at 4:59pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Power forward Noah Vonleh may be angling his way onto the Knicks’ opening-night roster, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports. V0nleh posted a double-double in a preseason game against the Pelicans on Friday and coach David Fizdale said Vonleh brings a unique skill set. “You can the see guy’s an animal, a lot like Enes [Kanter], but more bouncy. … He’s a beast on the offensive glass,” Fizdale said. “I really think he’s an underrated passer. He really settles us down offensively with the way he can control the game when you throw the ball to him. He really gives us a unique element.” Vonleh signed a one-year, $1.5MM non-guaranteed contract in July and received $100K prior to camp. The contract doesn’t become fully guaranteed until January 10th.

We have more on the Knicks:

Fizdale plans to use Frank Ntilikina more at shooting guard with Emmanuel Mudiay and Trey Burke sharing the point, Howie Kussoy of the New York Post writes. The 6’6” Ntilikina gives Fizdale more options at both ends of the floor. “I just think that he brings so much value with his length and his size, and the fact that he can play some point,” Fizdale said. “It’s nice to have him out there with multiple handlers because I can put him on a ‘three’ and feel very comfortable with that, and that’s just a luxury to me.”
The team has won all three of its preseason games and Fizdale sees value in that, Ian Begley of ESPN tweets. “We’re building habits right now. Winning is a habit. I don’t care … if they decide to play checkers together, pool, ping pong, I want them competing,” Fizdale said.
The Knicks’ best hope of landing Kevin Durant in free agency is to sell him on the dream of bringing their downtrodden franchise a championship, Frank Isola of The Athletic opines. Durant still seems unsatisfied with winning back-to-back titles and Finals MVP awards, Isola continues. He also remains sensitive to criticism and could be convinced that he would stand alone from his peers by bringing a title to New York, Isola adds.

Atlantic Notes: Fultz, Fizdale, Nets, Green

October 4th, 2018 at 10:05pm CST by JD Shaw

Sixers guard Markelle Fultz will look to establish himself as the team’s third star this season, with the 20-year-old coming off a campaign that saw him play just 14 games.

Fultz, the No. 1 pick of the 2017 NBA Draft, spent a considerable amount of time working on his jumpshot and overall game this offseason with trainer Drew Hanlen. The former Washington prospect believes he can fill the Sixers’ need for a third star throughout the upcoming season.

“I kind of like when people doubt me and say ‘Look for another star,’ “ Fultz said, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I see myself as that player. I just work every day to become better.

“I really don’t look at other people’s goals [for him], but I definitely look at it to see myself as that next player that can step up in that role.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Knicks coach David Fizdale invited legend Walt Frazier to the practice facility on Tuesday, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Frazier spoke to the team’s guards and was invited to review film with Fizdale, who’s in his first season as head coach.
The Nets have a variety of options to use as a “stretch five,” contends Chris Milholen of SB Nation’s NetsDaily.
Danny Green could be an underlying asset in the Spurs–Raptors trade that featured Kawhi Leonard and DeMar DeRozan, Basketball Insiders’ Jordan Hicks writes.

Knicks Notes: Porzingis, Mudiay, Fizdale

September 29th, 2018 at 9:31am CST by marksuleymanov

Kristaps Porzingis has been part of the Knicks training camp despite the fact that he continues rehabbing from a torn ACL he suffered last February. Despite his physical limitations, Porzingis remains an involved presence for New York, Steve Popper of Newsday writes.

“He’s on our staff now,” head coach David Fizdale said jokingly. “He’s helping put stuff in. I mean the guy is so engaged and helping the big guys. He gets it. He sees exactly what I’m trying to do. He’s doing a good job of grabbing Mitchell [Robinson], grabbing Luke [Kornet], our young bigs: ‘Hey, look at it this way.’ ‘Do this way.’ And when he’s not doing that, he’s passing for somebody. If he’s not doing that, he’s shooting or ballhandling or doing something on his own, where he can still be working on his skill set. But he’s staying very active and engaged.”

Porzingis, 23, was in the midst of his best season to date in 2017/18, averaging 22.7 PPG and 6.6 RPG in 48 games before the injury. While there’s no timetable for his return this season — and missing the entire campaign is a distinct possibility — Porzingis is making the effort to get acclimated to a new system in New York.

Check out more Knicks notes below:

The Knicks are encouraged by point guard Emmanuel Mudiay‘s recent weight loss and improved ball handling, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. “I’m going out there and being aggressive and I know you have to take care of the ball,” Mudiay said. “He’s already said if you make a turnover, it’s on to the next play. Don’t really dwell on it.”
David Fizdale is entering his first season as Knicks coach and he’s already emphasizing a faster approach to the game, Berman writes in a separate story. Fizdale’s system is a stark contrast to the triangle system implemented by former team president Phil Jackson. “I really do think we can put a fast team on the floor,’’ Fizdale said. “We’re really athletic, just looking at the roster. We just have a very athletic team. We plan to play fast, but we’re going to share the game. There’s not going to be anybody that dominates the ball for us.’’
In a recent edition of Knicks notes, we relayed Porzingis’ ACL recovery, Allonzo Trier‘s impressive start to camp and more.

NYC Notes: Fizdale, Musa, Hardaway, Crabbe

September 26th, 2018 at 6:27pm CST by clarkcrum

The Knicks have not been a very good basketball team for years and new head coach David Fizdale knows it. So when a reporter asked him if his starting lineups will be dictated by anything other than “best player plays,” he had an adamant response, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post.

“Didn’t I answer that question already?” Knicks coach Fizdale said today. “No one is promised a starting position. I got freedom to do what I want to do from my bosses over there. So it’s open. Don’t matter if you make a lot of money or you make a little money. If you earn the spot you play. That’s it.”

Enes Kanter and Tim Hardaway Jr., both starters last season, will make $18.6MM and $17.3MM this year, respectively, while Courtney Lee will make a cool $12.3MM in 2018/19. And while Kanter and Hardaway will likely start again this season for the Knicks, the other three positions remain open, especially with franchise player Kristaps Porzingis out with injury.

Fizdale has already been quoted as saying he prefers a bigger guy at the small forward slot, so it’s likely Knicks’ rookie lottery selection Kevin Knox or newcomer Mario Hezonja will start, but Fizdale still hasn’t decided on any lineups to start the season.

“Oh gosh, probably after the last preseason game,” Fizdale said when asked when he’ll make his decision on a Knicks’ lineup. “Because a guy might play great or do a great job the first game then not show up the next three or four, but another guy plays awful early and he starts revving it up late. (So) I don’t think it’s fair for me to start making decisions until we get out of training camp. Training camp for me is all the way up until the end.”

There’s more out of the Big Apple this evening:

Nets rookie forward Dzanan Musa told reporters at media day (per Bryan Fonseca of NetsDaily) that the Nets were one of the last teams he spoke with during the pre-draft process. Musa met with the team the day before the draft, but did not participate in a workout. Per Fonseca, the Nets scouted Musa extensively when he played overseas.
Steve Popper of Newsday reports that Hardaway Jr. and his teammates are happy with the Knicks‘ apparent decision to pass on a trade for Jimmy Butler, saying that the players now feel a lot better as a team.
Speaking of Butler’ trade buzz, Nets guard Allen Crabbe says he’s heard the rumors come up with his name, but he’s not letting it become a distraction, telling Anthony Puccio of NetsDaily that he’s concentrated on continuing to get better and work hard.

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Nets, Stevens, Raptors

September 23rd, 2018 at 8:02pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

With training camp kicking off this week, on-court expectations the Knicks aren’t particularly high for the upcoming season. As Marc Berman of the New York Post explains, the organization has shifted its focus to player development and building a strong culture for the 2018/19 campaign.

After years of misguided attempts to make the playoffs, team president Steve Mills is excited about what the team is building, laying the groundwork with the recent hirings of Scott Perry as GM and David Fizdale as head coach.

Berman points out that all summer the discussion throughout the organization has been about patience, process and not skipping steps, words and phrases you would expect to hear from a team that is finally focused on building a contender in a more efficient manner.

With Kristaps Porzingis expected to miss a good chunk of the season, Fizdale will have the opportunity to work and develop the young players on the team, including 2018 first round pick Kevin Knox and Frank Ntilikina, the talented defensive point guard.

The Knicks have their own 2019 first round draft pick and significant space under the salary cap to spend in free agency should they look to contend in the 2019/20 season. For now, the focus is on player development and instilling a successful culture behind the scenes in order to set the organization up for sustained success in the future.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson is focused on Brooklyn’s defense in the upcoming season, as he believes it’s the area the team can show the most improvement. Brian Lewis of the New York Post points out that such improvement will have to come organically, as the Nets didn’t add any standout defenders in the offseason despite the plethora of moves they made to improve their roster.
Despite all of the offensive firepower and talent on the Celtics‘ roster, head coach Brad Stevens still has concerns heading into the upcoming campaign. As Steve Bulpett writes for The Boston Herald, Stevens wants to make sure the Celtics don’t simply go through the motions on the offensive end of the court as a result of their talent and depth.
From their change in head coach to the addition of Kawhi Leonard, the Raptors are preparing for a training camp and season like no other, says Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. All eyes will be on the Raps this season as they look to not only compete for a championship, but also work to convince Leonard to re-sign in the 2019 offseason.

Atlantic Notes: Nets’ Plan, Valanciunas, Sixers GM Search, Fizdale

August 28th, 2018 at 8:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nets have hit a crossroads, even though they’ll have ample salary-cap space to pursue at least two top-level free agents next summer, Anthony Puccio of NetsDaily.com opines. While the franchise’s reputation has improved and it plays in a top market, improved play on the court is essential to attract those types of players, Puccio continues. Another eight-game improvement, for example, probably wouldn’t move the needle for free agents like Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving. If the Nets reach the midway point next season and aren’t in playoff contention, they may be faced with the difficult decision of moving assets for an All-Star level player or tanking in order to move into the lottery, Puccio adds.

We have more from around the Atlantic Division:

Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas said the DeMar DeRozan trade to the Spurs shows the fickleness within the business, as Lithuanian reporter Donatas Urbonas tweets. “Maybe now while I’m talking all the papers are set and I’m moving to Detroit. You just never know in this business. DeMar was really great, loyal player. But I think you can’t blame anybody.” Valanciunas will return to Toronto on September 15 to prepare for training camp, Urbonas adds in another tweet.
The Sixers should have spent more time this summer pursuing young up-and-comers in executive roles around the league, rather than focusing on ‘elite GMs,’ Derek Bodner of The Athletic argues. Philadelphia’s GM search has dragged on for 11 weeks and now it reportedly will focus on candidates further down in their current team’s organizational chart. The Sixers should have been vetting those types of candidates much earlier, Bodner adds.
Hiring David Fizdale as head coach was the right move for the Knicks, Spencer Davies of Basketball Insiders opines. His motivational skills and reputation as a player’s coach will help turn the franchise around, Davies continues. His commitment to building relationships with his players was reinforced by his recent trip to Latvia to visit his injured star, Kristaps Porzingis.