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Giannis Antetokounmpo Won’t Play In World Cup

August 11th, 2023 at 8:41am CST by Arthur Hill

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo announced on Twitter that he will miss the FIBA World Cup because he’s still recovering from minor knee surgery.

Antetokounmpo had a clean-up procedure in late June to remove loose cartilage in his left knee. Since that operation, it has been uncertain whether he would be able to represent Greece in the tournament, and team doctors were reportedly working with Milwaukee’s medical staff to reach a final decision.

“Everyone knows my passion and love for my National Team has and never will change,” Antetokounmpo wrote in his tweet. “Since the conclusion of my NBA season I have been pushing my body to the limits to be the player I need to be to help our team achieve the goals we set. But after months of work and multiple meetings with medical staff it is clear that i am not ready to compete in the level that I need to be to participate in the World Cup.”

Antetokounmpo’s decision is a huge setback for a Greek team that can earn an automatic bid to the Olympics by finishing as one of the top two European teams in the World Cup. Greece could still reach the 2024 Paris games through other qualifying tournaments, but Antetokounmpo’s availability for those competitions will depend on his NBA commitments.

The absence of Antetokounmpo will also affect Team USA, notes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. America and Greece will be in the same pool for the first round of the tournament in the Philippines, and while the U.S. is a heavy favorite to advance regardless, facing Greece without Antetokounmpo makes that task much easier.

Antetokounmpo indicated that the status of his knee left him little choice about trying to play. The Bucks will open training camp in about seven weeks, and the start of the regular season is a little more than two months away.

“This was not a choice but my only option in ensuring I get back to the level of basketball I have worked so hard to achieve so far in my career,” he added. “I am extremely disappointed in this outcome but this was a decision made with the medical staff. I’m going to continue to push myself to be ready for the next time my name is called. My personal, and our ultimate team goal is to qualify for the 2024 Olympics games and it will be an honor to represent my National Team next year.”

World Cup Notes: Hart, Giannis, Giddey, Dellavedova

August 10th, 2023 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Several members of Team USA have new contracts to celebrate this summer as they prepare for the FIBA World Cup, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Josh Hart became the latest player with a new deal, signing a four-year, $81MM extension with the Knicks electronically Thursday morning while the Americans prepared for a pair of exhibition games in Spain.

“It was actually pretty cool, I was just laying down on the training table, getting some treatment, on FaceTime with (his wife Shannon) and signing the contract,” Hart said. “It meant a lot. I wasn’t highly touted coming out of high school, wasn’t highly regarded in the draft, went through free agency the first time and I was restricted, it was a terrible experience for me, so to be able to do this, it’s a dream come true – just being able to have something that can take care of my parents, my family, my kids.”

Other U.S. players also had productive offseasons. Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton and Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards both signed five-year, maximum-salary extensions. Cameron Johnson got $100MM over five seasons to stay with the Nets, and Austin Reaves re-signed with the Lakers for approximately $54MM over four years.

“Yeah, that’s my kids’ kids’ money, for sure,” Edwards said. “It don’t matter (which player’s contract we’re talking about), that’s a lot of money.”

There’s more on the World Cup:

Giannis Antetokounmpo traveled to the United States for more testing on his knee before deciding whether to play for Greece, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. The Bucks‘ medical staff will reportedly work with doctors from the Greek team to determine the best course of action for Antetokounmpo.
Wenyen Gabriel is the most recognizable player for South Sudan, which is preparing for its first-ever World Cup appearance, Askounis adds in a separate story. Other team members with NBA ties include Marial Shayok, Mangok Mathiang and Carlik Jones.
Thunder guard Josh Giddey is ready to become the new on-court leader for Australia, per Olgun Uluc of ESPN. Coach Brian Goorjian plans entrust his offense to the 20-year-old, who is seen as the future of the Australian basketball. “Giddey sets the standard of, eventually you’re gonna be the guy for this program, and he’s an unselfish player, so that sets the standard straight out of the gates,” teammate Jock Landale said. “He’s already embodied the Boomers mentality, and our culture, just through how he plays. It’s gonna come naturally to him, and he’ll fit in really nicely.”
Veteran guard Matthew Dellavedova isn’t part of Australia’s 13-man roster for exhibition games prior to the start of the tournament, according to Eurohoops.

And-Ones: Knox, Hoard, Antetokounmpo, Rivers

July 31st, 2023 at 10:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Overtime Elite has signed five-star recruit Karter Knox, the team tweets. Karter Knox is the younger brother of NBA forward Kevin Knox. He’s entering his senior year of high school after leading Tampa Catholic to state semifinal appearances the last two seasons.

“Karter didn’t really want to leave,” his father Kevin Sr. told PrimeTimePreps.com. “He wanted to try to become the school’s all-time leading scorer and win a state title. If the state offered those (NIL) opportunities, it would have been a much tougher decision. This also gives Karter the ability to have constant training on a daily basis in an IMG type of setup. It is an extremely lucrative opportunity, not just in the money available, but in the value of getting Karter prepared for the next level. It’s just another layer to add to the foundation.”

We have more from around the basketball world:

Jaylen Hoard has signed a two-year extension with Hapoel Tel Aviv, Sportando relays. Hoard averaged 8.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game between the Winner League and Eurocup last season. After going undrafted out of Wake Forest in 2019, the 6’8″, French-born swingman joined the Trail Blazers on a two-way deal for the 2019/20 season. He then spent the subsequent two NBA seasons bouncing between the Thunder and their NBAGL affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue.
It’s still up in the air whether Giannis Antetokounmpo will play in the FIBA World Cup for the Greek National Team, according to Eurohoops.net. Coach Dimitris Itoudis said Antetokounmpo’s cleanup procedure on his knee in June has led to the uncertainty regarding his availability. “That should be addressed to our doctor and the doctors of the Bucks. The information is that he is making an effort, and he will be reevaluated shortly, and we will have a final decision on whether he will make it or not,” Itoudis said.
Austin Rivers said on his recent podcast that he’s not a fan of players like Damian Lillard and James Harden demanding to be traded to a certain team (hat tip to NBC Sports’ Kurt Helin). “If you’re a free agent you can choose where you were gonna go, that’s the business. But when you’re not and you sign a deal, that’s part of the business,” Rivers said. “If you get traded somewhere, you got to go play.”

Central Notes: Giannis, Nembhard, Toppin, Freeman-Liberty

July 22nd, 2023 at 5:15pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is included on the preliminary roster that Greece submitted this week for the FIBA World Cup, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Although it’s uncertain whether he’ll play, the move is an encouraging sign after Antetokounmpo underwent minor surgery on his left knee in June.

There have been concerns about Antetokounmpo’s condition in the wake of the operation, which was described as a clean-up procedure, and the back injury he suffered during Milwaukee’s first-round playoff series against Miami.

Vardon notes that Antetokounmpo has said that helping Greece capture a World Cup title is one of his professional goals. The two-time MVP is a frequent participant in international competitions, taking part in the World Cup four years ago and EuroBasket last summer.

There’s more from the Central Division:

Tyrese Haliburton only needed to watch Pacers teammate Andrew Nembhard play one game during Summer League to know he was too good for the competition, according to an Indianapolis Star story. “Y’all can send Andrew home,” Haliburton told president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard and general manager Chad Buchanan after watching Nembhard dominate the team’s first game in Las Vegas. “He don’t need to be here.” Although Nembhard appears ready for a larger role in his second NBA season, Indiana’s offseason moves may complicate that. The Pacers signed Bruce Brown and drafted Ben Sheppard, and coach Rick Carlisle may decide to promote Bennedict Mathurin to a starting job in the backcourt alongside Haliburton.
Obi Toppin never averaged more than 17.1 minutes per game during his three seasons with the Knicks, but he’s the Pacers‘ presumed starter at power forward, The Indianapolis Star adds in a projection of the team’s depth chart. Lottery pick Jarace Walker, who was impressive during Summer League, will probably be Toppin’s primary backup.
The Bulls were exploring ways to sign Javon Freeman-Liberty, who starred for them in Las Vegas, when he agreed to a two-way contract with the Raptors on Friday, agent Keith Glass tells K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link). Chicago filled its final two-way slot later in the day by reaching an agreement with Onuralp Bitim.

Eastern Notes: Harden, Wizards, Keefe, Bucks, Grimes

July 16th, 2023 at 8:14am CST by Luke Adams

Daryl Morey‘s asking price for Sixers star James Harden so far has been “exorbitant,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said during a Friday appearance on NBA Today (YouTube link). However, according to Wojnarowski, that’s not an uncommon starting point for Morey, who generally exercises patience when dealing with a high-profile trade candidate.

“That’s where Daryl Morey always starts in trade talks, really high,” Wojnarowski said. “And then over time, perhaps, you work him back down.”

Wojnarowski reiterates, as others have reported, that the Sixers seem to be holding out hope that Harden will reconsider his trade request and decide to remain in Philadelphia for the 2023/24 season. However, the former MVP has reportedly maintained his desire to be traded, so if he hasn’t been moved by the time training camps open in September, it may result in an unpleasant situation.

“They may get to training camp and it may look different to Philly,” Wojnarowski said. “They may have a James Harden who’s not as enthusiastic about his return as they are. And then maybe they get more serious about (trading him). But right now, I think the Harden talks – like (the Damian Lillard ones) – are going to linger into the summer.”

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Brian Keefe, who spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach in Brooklyn, is joining the Wizards‘ staff under Wes Unseld Jr., sources tell Wojnarowski (Twitter link). As our tracker shows, Keefe was among the candidates to interview for Detroit’s head coaching job this spring.
In a conversation with Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, general manager Jon Horst discussed several Bucks-related topics, including how the club is navigating the second tax apron, Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s health, Bobby Portis‘ role on Team USA, MarJon Beauchamp‘s outlook, and more. Horst said that Antetokounmpo’s knee is “doing great” following a clean-up procedure in June.
Following the signing of Donte DiVincenzo, Zach Braziller of The New York Post wonders if Quentin Grimes – who started 66 games and averaged 29.9 MPG last season – will still play a significant role for the Knicks going forward or if he might become more valuable to the team as a trade chip in a deal that would help balance the roster and/or add an impact player.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Underwent Clean-Up Procedure On Knee

July 5th, 2023 at 10:41am CST by Luke Adams

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo underwent a clean-up procedure on his knee two weeks ago, casting doubt on his availability for Greece in this year’s World Cup, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

A report out of Greece previously indicated that Antetokounmpo was less than 50/50 to play for Greece this summer due to a leg injury, as BasketNews.com relayed.

It’s unclear whether the procedure reported by Charania was on Antetokounmpo’s left or right knee. He missed some time during the first half of the 2022/23 season due to left knee soreness, but was affected in the second half by soreness in his right knee.

Either way, given that Giannis still hasn’t been entirely ruled out for the World Cup, which begins in late August, it sounds like there’s no concern at this point that his recovery process will extend into the start of the NBA regular season in October.

Antetokounmpo is entering the third season of his five-year, super-max contract with the Bucks and has the ability to opt out of that contract in 2025. He’ll become extension-eligible before the 2023/24 season begins.

Stein’s Latest: Beal, Heat, Suns, Zion, Harden, Rosas, Bucks

June 17th, 2023 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards may be motivated to move Bradley Beal sooner rather than later, Marc Stein writes at Substack, observing that the team’s leverage in trade negotiations could take a hit if Damian Lillard asks the Trail Blazers for a trade while Beal is still in D.C.

As Stein writes, the Heat are currently one of Beal’s prime suitors, but if Lillard were available, Miami would be at the top of his wish list too. The Heat are believed to prefer Lillard to Beal, but may not have the luxury of waiting to see if the Blazers guard will request a trade, says Stein. Miami theoretically has the assets to make a play for both stars, but the Wizards probably don’t want to risk having the Heat pivot to Lillard and away from Beal.

As we noted within our initial story on Beal this afternoon, the Wizards seem to be prioritizing cap relief rather than players on long-term contracts, which means Kyle Lowry and Chris Paul would be at the center of offers put forth by the Heat and Suns, respectively. Stein and Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) confirm that Paul is expected to be part of any Phoenix offer, with Haynes adding that Landry Shamet would likely be included too.

Stein and Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald suggest that Paul’s partially guaranteed contract could appeal to the Wizards, since they could waive him by June 28 and only owe him his $15.8MM partial guarantee instead of his full $30.8MM salary for 2023/24. However, Paul’s outgoing salary for matching purposes in a trade would be equivalent to his guarantee for ’23/24, not his full cap hit, so the Suns may need to increase that guarantee in order to adhere to the NBA’s trade rules.

Here’s more from Stein:

While it remains to be seen whether the Pelicans will seriously consider moving Zion Williamson this offseason, Stein hears that they “quietly” held some exploratory talks a year ago before signing him to a five-year, maximum-salary contract extension. Stein also reiterates a point he made previously, writing that the “rising level of exasperation” within the organization about Williamson’s availability and approach will have to be addressed if Zion remains in New Orleans.
Star guard James Harden is believed to be giving “renewed consideration” to the idea of remaining with the Sixers rather than leaving for the Rockets in free agency, Stein reports.
More than one rival team expects the Knicks to make Gersson Rosas their new general manager under president of basketball operations Leon Rose following Scott Perry‘s exit from the franchise, Stein writes. Rosas is currently a senior basketball advisor for the Knicks.
Before hiring Adrian Griffin as their new head coach, the Bucks expressed “strong” interest in University of Houston coach Kelvin Sampson, along with Monty Williams, according to Stein, who notes that star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo wanted a former NBA player to get the job.

Central Notes: Bucks Assistants, Beauchamp, Bulls, Pistons

June 8th, 2023 at 3:24pm CST by Rory Maher

Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin will be adding a couple of veteran assistants to his staff, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). The new hires are Joe Prunty and Patrick Mutombo, who were with the Hawks and Suns this past season, respectively.

It will be Prunty’s second stint in Milwaukee, as he previously spent four seasons with the organization (2014-18), serving as interim head coach in 2017/18. He had a brief stint as interim coach of the Hawks in ’22/23 as well before they hired Quin Snyder. Prunty has been an NBA assistant for over 20 years, getting his start with San Antonio.

A former assistant with the Nuggets and Raptors, Mutombo was also head coach of the Raptors 905, Toronto’s G League affiliate, before heading to Phoenix to join Monty Williams‘ staff. Williams was fired after the season ended (he was recently hired by Detroit), leaving Mutombo to find a new opportunity. He previously worked with Griffin in Toronto.

Here’s more from the Central:

Bucks wing MarJon Beauchamp, who just completed his rookie season, said he had plans to travel to Greece on Wednesday to train with two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, writes Lori Nickel of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “I’m excited – I don’t know what to expect,” Beauchamp said with a big smile. He also intends to play in Summer League next month, according to Nickel. The 2022 first-round pick was attending Griffin’s introductory press conference when he relayed the information.
K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago weighs the pros and cons of the Bulls possibly pursuing Chris Paul if he ends up getting waived by the Suns. While Paul could help the Bulls, Johnson considers it a “long-shot scenario” at the moment, noting that signing him while retaining some of the team’s own free agents could push Chicago into the luxury tax.
If Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller, Scoot Henderson and Amen Thompson are the first four names called during the upcoming draft, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic believes the most likely scenario for the Pistons at No. 5 is selecting Villanova wing Cam Whitmore. In the event that Whitmore is taken No. 4, Edwards predicts Detroit will take Houston forward Jarace Walker instead of either of the Thompson twins. He also explores a “very, very, very unlikely” but “non-zero” scenario in which Miller falls to No. 5.

Bucks Hire Adrian Griffin As Head Coach

June 5th, 2023 at 9:52pm CST by Luke Adams

JUNE 5: Griffin has officially been named the Bucks’ head coach, according to a team press release.

“Adrian is a widely-respected coach and former player, who brings great leadership and experience to our team,” general manager Jon Horst said in a statement. “His championship-level coaching pedigree, character, basketball acumen and ability to connect with and develop players make him the ideal choice to lead our team. He has earned this opportunity.”

MAY 27: The Bucks intend to hire Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin as their next head coach, reports Adrian Wonjarowski of ESPN (Twitter links). According to Wojnarowski, the two sides are in the process of finalizing a contract agreement.

Griffin, one of three reported finalists for the open coaching position in Milwaukee, was the only one without any previous head coaching experience.

Kenny Atkinson and Nick Nurse were also said to be in the running, though Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets that the Bucks ultimately decided between Griffin and Atkinson after Nurse pulled out of the process.

An NBA player from 1999-2008, Griffin transitioned to coaching after his retirement and has been an assistant on NBA staffs for the last 15 years. He actually began his coaching career with the Bucks from 2008-10 before moving on to Chicago (2010-15), Orlando (2015-16), and Oklahoma City (2016-18). He has spent the last five years as an assistant on Nurse’s staff in Toronto.

Griffin has received head coaching consideration from multiple clubs in recent years, including the Pistons, Raptors, and Rockets this spring. He filled in as Toronto’s head coach on an interim basis in February while Nurse was away from the team for family reasons and spoke about how the experience was “good practice” for his goal of eventually getting his own team.

Griffin was accused of domestic abuse by his ex-wife on social media in 2020, but vehemently denied those allegations and never faced criminal charges. He later filed a defamation suit in response.

Milwaukee launched a head coaching search after dismissing Mike Budenholzer in early May. Budenholzer earned Coach of the Year honors in 2019, won a championship in 2021, and led the team to an NBA-best 58-24 record in 2022/23. However, the top-seeded Bucks were quickly eliminated from the playoffs in embarrassing fashion by the No. 8 Heat, resulting in Budenholzer’s ouster.

The Bucks reportedly interviewed at least a dozen candidates before narrowing their focus to their three finalists. According to Charania, the second round of their search included meetings with star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was previously said to be “intrigued” by Griffin and endorsed the hiring.

The finalists met with Antetokounmpo on Tuesday, then with Bucks ownership on Wednesday, per Charania. On Thursday, general manager Jon Horst held a meeting to discussion the decision — that meeting included ownership, and Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton were invited to attend, a league source tells The Athletic.

Nurse’s withdrawal from the process is an interesting subplot. He’s believed to be very much in the running for the head coaching vacancies in Philadelphia and Phoenix, so it’s possible he’s focused on landing one of those jobs. A report this week indicated Nurse had “strong support” from some members of the Bucks’ organization, but that support wasn’t unanimous.

The Suns, Sixers, Raptors, and Pistons remain in the market for new head coaches, with the Bucks joining the Rockets as teams that have completed coaching searches so far this spring.

Coaching Rumors: Williams, Pistons, Young, Bucks, Griffin, Mazzulla

May 24th, 2023 at 3:55pm CST by Luke Adams

After reporting last week that the Pistons had planned to pursue Monty Williams for their head coaching job if they’d won the draft lottery, Marc Stein writes at Substack that Detroit apparently went ahead with that plan even after slipping to No. 5 on lottery night.

League sources tell Stein that the Pistons made Williams a “big-money” offer to become the team’s new head coach. However, it appears that effort was unsuccessful. As we noted on Tuesday in response to a report that Williams might take the 2023/24 season off, he’s still reportedly owed about $21MM from Phoenix, so it’s not as if he needs another job anytime soon for financial reasons.

With Williams apparently not in play, the Pistons continue to decide between Kevin Ollie, Charles Lee, and Jarron Collins, who are reportedly meeting with team owner Tom Gores for a second time. As Stein writes, the “consistent buzz” in coaching circles is that general manager Troy Weaver prefers Ollie for the position.

Here’s more from Stein on the head coaching vacancies around the NBA:

While he lacks the head coaching experience that some of the Suns‘ other finalists possess, assistant coach Kevin Young has a legitimate chance to be promoted to succeed Williams, according to Stein, who hears that Young has received a “strong endorsement” from All-Star guard Devin Booker.
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is expected to talk to the team’s head coaching finalists, is said to be “intrigued” by Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin, Stein writes. Griffin is one of three candidates believed to be in the running for the job.
Even before the Celtics won Game 4 of their series vs. Miami on Tuesday, there was push-back against the idea that Joe Mazzulla‘s job as head coach was in real jeopardy, says Stein. While Stein isn’t entirely ruling out the idea that Mazzulla could be replaced this spring, he suggests it would conflict with what we know about president of basketball operations Brad Stevens and how he operates.