Gregg Popovich

Stein’s Latest: Nets, Giannis, Mexico City, Spurs

November 10th, 2024 at 1:23pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets lost both games of their back-to-back set on Friday and Saturday, but they pushed the Celtics to overtime on Friday in Boston and took the undefeated Cavaliers down to the wire in Cleveland on Saturday.

Projected before the season to be the NBA’s worst team, Brooklyn has looked surprisingly competitive under new head coach Jordi Fernandez, winning four of its first 10 games and holding its own against a relatively tough schedule. Only two of the Nets’ losses have been by more than five points.

As Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack article, the Nets’ front office signaled during the summer by reacquiring control of their 2025 and 2026 first-round picks in a trade with Houston that they were expecting to finish firmly in the lottery. If they want to ensure the team has a shot at a franchise player in the ’25 draft, the front office may need to start making in-season deals sooner than expected, Stein notes.

According to Stein, Dennis Schröder, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Bojan Bogdanovic are the veterans mentioned most frequently by rival teams as Nets players they expect to be on the move by the February 6 trade deadline. All three are on manageable contracts (with cap hits below than $20MM) and could become unrestricted free agents in 2025. Schröder and Bogdanovic are on expiring deals, while Finney-Smith holds a player option for 2025/26.

Here’s more from Stein:

After writing last weekend about the “league-wide lusting” for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stein follows up to clarify that the league’s 29 non-Bucks teams understand the two-time MVP will only ever be made available if he pushes for a trade. That hasn’t happened, but several clubs have started planning for the possibility it might and have let Milwaukee know they’ll be ready to talk if and when the time comes, according to Stein.
Stein recently wrote about the idea of the NBA expanding to Mexico City and said he “just can’t see it happening.” In today’s Substack article, he says one “well-placed Mexico expert” warned him not to be so dismissive of the possibility, pointing out that the “immense financial opportunities” available in the country make it an idea the NBA won’t give up on easily. That source also pointed out that if the NBA realigns to four-team divisions, a Mexico City franchise would be well positioned to share a division with Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Still, Las Vegas and Seattle remain the presumptive frontrunners for the league’s next round of expansion, says Stein.
The Spurs turned to 37-year-old Mitch Johnson rather than former NBA head coach Brett Brown with Gregg Popovich recently forced to be away from the team due to a health issue. As Stein explains, that was always the plan in the event that Popovich had to miss time, since Brown prefers to remain in his current role that allows him to provide guidance to the team’s young players, young coaches, and video staffers. Brown’s focus, per Stein, is on “helping Johnson thrive” as acting head coach.

Spurs Notes: Popovich, Sochan, Vassell, Collins

November 8th, 2024 at 8:57am CST by Arthur Hill

Gregg Popovich missed his fourth straight game for health reasons on Thursday, but Victor Wembanyama is optimistic that he’ll be able to return soon, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. The Spurs announced shortly before Saturday’s game that their 75-year-old coach was “under the weather.” Little information has been released publicly about his condition, and Wembanyama said players haven’t been told much either.

“We don’t hear a lot from Pop,” he told reporters after Thursday’s victory over Portland. “They keep us informed as much as we’re allowed to know. So, I’m not worried about him. I know he’s going to come back soon.”

Orsborn points out that Popovich has missed games before due to health reasons in his 29 years with the team, but never more than two in a row. Interim coach Mitch Johnson, who has guided the team to a 2-2 record since taking over, wasn’t able to provide any new information Thursday on Popovich’s condition.

“I would say he’s doing good, and we have been talking,” Johnson said. “I have had my hands full with this in trying to stay above water. So, have not talked details and I am not sure. … No details.”

There’s more from San Antonio:

No timetable has been set for Jeremy Sochan to return after he underwent surgery Wednesday for a left thumb fracture, Orsborn states in the same piece. He was off to a career-best start to the season before getting injured Monday, averaging 15.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steals through seven games. “We will be conservative and safe with it, but we will have a better idea, I would say, in a few weeks,” Johnson said. Rookie guard Stephon Castle has replaced Sochan in the starting lineup.
Johnson told reporters, including Orsborn, that he’s looking forward to the scoring boost Devin Vassell will provide with his expected return, which will likely happen Saturday. Vassell, who is recovering from offseason foot surgery, averaged a career-high 19.5 PPG last season. “There is probably a level of scoring, a level of shot-making, shooting, that the other team would have him pretty early on their scouting report,” Johnson said. “So, any time you get a guy like that, it helps everybody.”
Backup center Zach Collins appears more comfortable with his three-point shot this season, Orsborn adds. He was 2-of-3 from beyond the arc while scoring a season-high 14 points on Thursday, and he’s connecting at 43.8% from long distance after hitting just 32% in 2023/24. “We just need space right now,” Collins said. “Everyone needs to shoot more, not just me. We feel like our offense runs a little more fluid when we are all spaced out. More threes are probably going to come my way, so I need to be ready to shoot it.”

Southwest Notes: Popovich, Johnson, Mavs, Kennard, Jenkins

November 6th, 2024 at 1:29pm CST by Luke Adams

With Gregg Popovich away from the Spurs for health reasons, reporting on Monday indicated that the head coach is “OK” and “just needs rest,” and acting head coach Mitch Johnson later told the media that Popovich is “in good spirits.” Still, Shams Charania of ESPN and Mike Finger of The San Antonio Express-News suggested on Tuesday that Popovich’s health issue shouldn’t be downplayed.

Appearing on NBA Today (Twitter video link), Charania described the issue as “serious,” explaining that Popovich required medical attention in San Antonio on Saturday and adding that there’s “a great level of concern around the situation,” with no timeline for the coach’s return to the sidelines.

Finger, meanwhile, pointed out (via Twitter) that the Spurs are handling the situation differently this time than they have in the past when Popovich has had health issues that have necessitated short absences, noting that it’s “probably wise not to take a quick return for granted.” The Spurs haven’t yet ruled out Popovich beyond Wednesday’s game in Houston, but will likely provide an update soon, given that the team will be back in action on Thursday vs. Portland.

With Popovich unavailable, the Spurs have turned to Johnson, a rising young assistant who was a finalist in the spring for the Wizards‘ head coaching job that ultimately went to Brian Keefe, according to Charania. Johnson, who has earned praise from his players in San Antonio, was also part of the Team USA staff in Paris over the summer, as Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News details.

“He is an impressive young coach,” Heat head coach and Team USA assistant Erik Spoelstra said. “You can see why Pop has given him a lot more responsibility as the years have gone on. He is a very effective communicator.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

The Mavericks‘ injury list continues to grow, with P.J. Washington ruled out for Wednesday’s game vs. Chicago due to a right knee sprain, tweets Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. Big man Maxi Kleber will miss a sixth straight game due to his right hamstring strain, while center Dereck Lively is listed as doubtful as a result of a sprained right shoulder.
Grizzlies sharpshooter Luke Kennard has been upgraded to questionable for Wednesday’s game vs. the Lakers and has a chance to make his season debut after missing Memphis’ first eight games due to a foot injury (Twitter link). Speaking to reporters after the Grizzlies’ shootaround this morning, Kennard said he’ll be a game-time decision and described his “frustrating” recovery process (video link via The Memphis Commercial Appeal).
While Kennard has a chance to make his return on Wednesday, the Grizzlies will be without head coach Taylor Jenkins, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link). Jenkins will be away from the team due to a death in his family, with Tuomas Iisalo serving as the acting head coach in his absence.

Southwest Notes: Zion, Sengun, Lively, Popovich

November 5th, 2024 at 8:10am CST by Luke Adams

Pelicans forward Zion Williamson didn’t show any signs of suffering an injury in Friday’s win over Indiana, in which he scored a season-high 34 points. However, he was added to the team’s injury report on Sunday due to right hamstring tightness and has now missed two consecutive games, both Pelicans losses, as Christian Clark of NOLA.com details.

“I don’t know exactly how it occurred,” head coach Willie Green said of Williamson’s injury, which was listed on Monday as right thigh soreness. “He showed up. Said he felt a little something. We wanted to make sure we got a look at it.”

Already missing Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, Herbert Jones, and Trey Murphy due to longer-term injuries, the Pelicans have had to elevate little-used reserves to the rotation, with Brandon Boston, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, rookie Yves Missi, and newly signed Jaylen Nowell among those playing big minutes this week. The shorthanded team has dropped back-to-back games at home, losing to Atlanta by 15 points on Sunday and to Portland by 18 points on Monday.

While New Orleans badly needs a healthy Williamson back on the court to help end its skid, Green admitted on Monday that he’s not sure what the timeline is for his star forward’s return.

“He was not at the game,” Green told reporters. “Doctor’s orders. Because of the hamstring and quad. We kept him at home tonight.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

After signing a five-year, $185MM rookie scale extension the day before the regular season began, Rockets center Alperen Sengun got off to a slow start this fall, making just 38.6% of his field goal attempts through six games. Prior to Monday’s contest, he made it clear he wasn’t stressing about his low shooting percentage, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). “I’m not worried about it. Those shots are easy shots for me,” Sengun said. “They’re shots I used to make all three years. So I think it’s just going to come back and I’m going to make those.” The big man delivered on that promise by scoring 25 points on 11-of-15 shooting in a win over New York on Monday. He also contributed 14 rebounds, five assists, and four blocks in what was his best game of the season so far.
Mavericks center Dereck Lively II, who missed Monday’s loss to Indiana due to a right shoulder sprain, will undergo an MRI on that shoulder, head coach Jason Kidd told reporters. However, sources have expressed optimism that Lively’s injury isn’t significant, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link).
Ahead of his second game as the Spurs‘ acting head coach, Mitch Johnson said on Monday that he’s “not at liberty” to discuss Gregg Popovich‘s possible return timeline, but downplayed the seriousness of Popovich’s health issue. “Right now his health is the No. 1 priority,” Johnson said, per Michael C. Wright of ESPN. “We support him in that 100 percent and I talked to him last night. He’s in good spirits. He’s OK, and we can’t wait to have him back.”

Gregg Popovich Away From Spurs Due To Health Issue

November 4th, 2024 at 10:23am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran head coach Gregg Popovich will remain away from the Spurs after suffering a health issue prior to Saturday’s game vs Minnesota, reports Shams Charania of ESPN. Assistant coach Mitch Johnson will continue to serve as the acting head coach during Popovich’s absence.

The Spurs confirmed the news, issuing a statement to say that Popovich isn’t traveling with the team on its current road trip to Los Angeles and Houston (Twitter link via Michael Scotto of HoopsHype).

San Antonio will face the Clippers on Monday and the Rockets on Wednesday before returning home to host the Trail Blazers on Thursday. It’s not yet known whether Popovich will be able to return to the sidelines at that time or Johnson will continue to coach the team beyond Wednesday.

A league source tells Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (Twitter link) that Popovich is “OK” but “just needs rest.”

Popovich is the NBA’s all-time leader in head coaching wins, with a 1,391-824 regular season record (.628). He’s also the league’s oldest active head coach by a significant margin — he’ll turn 76 in January.

Johnson led the Spurs to a victory over the Timberwolves on Saturday as the team’s acting head coach and said after the game that he would stay prepared in the event Popovich wasn’t able to return right away, per Orsborn.

“Mitch did a great job, man,” Spurs point guard Chris Paul said following Saturday’s win, according to Charania. “I think our whole coaching staff (did). Things happen within this league all the time and just like with the players, it’s next man (up). So, shoutout to Mitch; he did a great job tonight.”

Spurs Notes: Paul, Wembanyama, Defense, Popovich

November 2nd, 2024 at 8:21pm CST by Arthur Hill

Chris Paul loves sharing his knowledge with younger players, and he has found an attentive group of students in his new Spurs teammates, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. According to Orsborn, Paul started his lessons shortly after signing with San Antonio this summer. He rounded up some teammates in Las Vegas and offered instructions throughout the five-on-five scrimmage.

“He’s like a player-coach,” Sandro Mamukelashvili said. “He is always so encouraging. Having him is such an advantage. He never says something that doesn’t make sense.”

The 39-year-old point guard has been around the NBA long enough to know that there are various ways to get through to different players. For instance, Orsborn relays that Paul didn’t offer any advice to Victor Wembanyama after he was held to six points in Wednesday’s loss at Oklahoma City. Wembanyama responded with one of the best games of his career the next night at Utah.

“Everyone you see in the league is always learning more,” Paul said. “(Wembanyama) has already been a pro for a long time. You give advice here and there, but he is going to be one of the greats.”

There’s more on the Spurs:

Wembanyama’s line against the Jazz included 25 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, five steals and five blocks, making it the 23rd 5×5 performance in league history, per Tony Jones of The Athletic. He joined Hakeem Olajuwon and Andrei Kirilenko as the only players to accomplish the feat twice. “It tells me that I need to get my standards up,” Wembanyama said afterward. “It tells me that I’m able to help my team in all of those areas and that this should be a consistent thing. As I’ve said before, I thought this was a game that we must have. So I was glad that I was able to help my team in every area.”
The Spurs are responding to coach Gregg Popovich‘s training camp emphasis on improving the defense, Orsborn adds in a separate story. They forced 25 turnovers against Utah, the highest total for the franchise in nine years, and recorded nine steals in the third quarter while holding the Jazz to 14 points. “We’re not ready to be a top-five defensive team by any stretch of the imagination, but we know that is the focus and we have played good defense throughout the season,” Popovich said. “We picked up where we left off from last year. I am really impressed with their understanding and enjoying what the defense can do for them.”
Popovich is missing tonight’s game with Minnesota due to an illness, tweets Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. Assistant coach Mitch Johnson is taking his place on the sidelines.

Spurs Notes: Paul, Wembanyama, Vassell, Wesley

October 1st, 2024 at 10:31am CST by Luke Adams

Chris Paul has spent the first 19 years of his NBA career playing for many of the Spurs‘ top rivals in the Western Conference, prompting head coach Gregg Popovich to joke on Monday that he has “despised Chris for many years” and Paul to respond with a smile that the feeling is mutual, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News.

However, there’s also plenty of mutual admiration between one of the NBA’s all-time great point guards and one of the league’s most accomplished head coaches. While Paul told reporters that he’s looking forward to learning from Popovich, the Spurs’ coach lauded the veteran guard’s basketball IQ and downplayed the idea that he’ll have much to teach CP3.

“I said, ‘Be Chris Paul.’ I probably won’t coach him a lick,” Popovich said, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic. “I’ll just try to infuse what our strategy is, how we play, what we’re looking to do. Give him information but he’s gonna play and be Chris Paul.”

After starting all 1,214 of his regular season NBA games prior to last season, Paul came off the bench in 40 of his 58 appearances for the Warriors and averaged a career-low 26.4 minutes per game. As Iko writes, it sounds like San Antonio envisions a bigger role for the 39-year-old, which was one reason why he chose to sign with the Spurs as a free agent after being waived by Golden State.

“The opportunity to play. That was a big part of it,” Paul said. “I think for me, especially since signing in San Antonio, a couple things I’ve been focused on have been making sure I’m ready to play. Totally different role than I was in last season.”

Here’s more on the Spurs:

Reigning Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama didn’t get to experience much playoff intensity during his first NBA season as the Spurs posted a 22-60 record, so he appreciated the opportunity to compete in the Olympics with the French national team over the summer, as Michael C. Wright of ESPN writes. “It was maybe the most intense sports experience in my life,” said Wembanyama, who came away with a silver medal. “I felt really lucky to have the chance to live those experiences. I felt proud as well. During all elimination games, for 40 minutes we were locked in thinking about one thing: the next play. As a team, it builds something to have this level of concentration, all of us towards the same goal. The emotion is just too much to contain. You have to scream or cry a little bit. It’s too much to contain.”
Besides competing in the Olympics, Wembanyama spent his offseason focused on gaining core strength and improving his fundamentals, according to Wright, who notes that the big man worked on his dribble moves with three-time Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford. “The game is slowing down for him,” teammate Devin Vassell said of Wembanyama. “He’s seeing everything, the reads, what shots he wants to get to, finishing. Every step of his game is growing. (With) the numbers he was putting up last year, the runs he was going on, for him to be (still) improving, it’s going to be scary for the league this year. I can tell you that.”
Vassell, who is still recovering from foot surgery that will sideline him for the start of the season, told reporters on Monday that he feels good about the progress he’s made, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Vassell explained that he had hoped to let the injury heal naturally, but it kept “nagging” him and he eventually went under the knife in late June. “I feel more healthy than I’ve been in a long time,” Vassell said, adding that he believes the Spurs can be a playoff team in 2024/25.
While Blake Wesley‘s stats through two seasons with the Spurs are underwhelming (4.6 PPG, 2.7 APG, .398/.299/.639 shooting), the 21-year-old wing has shown real promise as a defender and earned praise from veteran forward Harrison Barnes on Monday for his play during recent scrimmages. “I thought he’s done an unbelievable job of just picking up guys defensively full court, getting active, getting steals,” Barnes said, per Orsborn. “He’s had a great two weeks.” San Antonio has until October 31 to decide whether to exercise Wesley’s $4.73MM team option for 2025/26.

Celtics Notes: Porzingis, Holiday, Davison, Peterson, White

June 11th, 2024 at 7:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kristaps Porzingis‘ unusual leg injury is something the Celtics big man can play through but he’ll eventually need surgery, a medical expert told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (Twitter link).

Porzingis is listed as questionable to play in Game 3 of the Finals due to a “torn medial retinaculum allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon in his left leg.”

Dr. Daniel Kharrazi, an orthopedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai in Boston and former Lakers consultant, told Washburn he’s only seen a injury like Porzingis’ once in 25 years.

“A lot of times the ankle and the tendon can be taped to allow play,” Khazzari said. “There are even some braces that they can use that helps protect the tendon. I don’t think it’s something that he’s gonna make worse by just playing, especially if he’s just running up and down the court and even some lateral movements may be OK. This can be a repetitive issue if he has awkward landings or with his foot in certain positions that causes subluxation of the tendon. I don’t think it’s a season-ending injury.”

We have more on the Celtics:

The addition of Jrue Holiday has Boston two wins away from a championship. Holiday has provided stability to the starting unit and he can put up big numbers when needed, as his 26-point, 11-rebound effort in Game 2 exhibits, Kyle Hightower of the Associated Press writes. “It’s been great and the journey’s been awesome, but at the end of the day, the job is not done,” he said.
Two-way contract players JD Davison and Drew Peterson have been in the stands during the Finals because they’re ineligible to suit up and there’s no room on the Celtics’ bench. They’re cheering the home team and jeering the opponent just as much as the fans, according to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe. “It’s definitely like being a fan and being on the team at the same time,” Davison said. “When everybody’s standing up and cheering, I’m one of the ones standing and cheering with them. We just wanted to be a part of everything and support the guys, honestly, so we’ll take whatever seats we can get.”
Derrick White was traded from the Spurs to the Celtics during the 2021/22 season but he still hears Gregg Popovich’s voice when he’s playing, he told Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News. “The simple play always is the right play. That’s something I took from (Popovich), and it’s been great for my career,” White said.

Southwest Notes: Rockets, Green, Pelicans-Lakers, Popovich

April 15th, 2024 at 5:51pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Rockets’ 2023/24 season, their first under new head coach Ime Udoka, is now in the books. Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle breaks down how the team showed plenty of promise en route to a 41-41 finish, diminished slightly by the lack of a playoff or play-in berth. The Rockets finished as the No. 11 seed in the Western Conference.

“Happy wouldn’t be the word,” Udoka said. “We are disappointed we didn’t meet our goal. When you are a few games behind, you think of all the tough … games we’ve given away, we understand where we could have been. The goal always was to make the playoffs and the play-in and have that experience for our guys.”

Center Alperen Sengun and shooting guard Jalen Green, who both enjoyed breakout seasons this year, are both set to be extension-eligible when the new league year begins in July.

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

Pelicans head coach Willie Green‘s contract was reportedly extended last year, per Christian Clark of NOLA.com. Sources inform Clark that New Orleans also extended the contracts of New Orleans executive executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin and general manager Trajan Langdon. Green, a former journeyman NBA guard as a player, is in his third season with New Orleans and boasts a 127-119 record with the club so far. He has led the Pelicans to three consecutive postseason appearances, though the team was eliminated in the play-in tournament a year ago.
The Pelicans struggled to do much of anything against the Lakers in a critical season finale matchup on Sunday, as Rod Walker of NOLA.com details. In falling 124-108 to Los Angeles, New Orleans fell into the play-in tournament with a 49-33 record — the Pels are the West’s No. 7 seed and have a rematch on tap with the eighth-seeded Lakers on Tuesday.
Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich suggested that he expects return to coach probable Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama for his second season, writes Tom Orbsorn of The San Antonio Express-News. The 75-year-old Popovich inked a five-year deal worth upwards of $80MM to stick with San Antonio last summer. “He made it very clear day one he cares about his guys as people first,” Wembanyama said. “He is there to poke on us sometimes or to correct us. But the way my teammates and I have responded to all the advice it’s just been great and the dynamic is very good.”

Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, Mamukelashvili, Branham, Graham

April 13th, 2024 at 5:49pm CST by Arthur Hill

Victor Wembanyama‘s remarkable rookie season is officially over, tweets Andrew Lopez of ESPN. Wembanyama is listed as out for right ankle injury management on the Spurs‘ report for Sunday’s finale with Detroit.

After being the most anticipated draft pick in 20 years, the French big man made a powerful impact during his first NBA season, averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and a league-leading 3.6 blocks in 71 games. Lopez notes that he’s the first rookie to reach those numbers since blocks became an official statistic 50 years ago.

Coach Gregg Popovich indicated before Friday’s game that Wembanyama could be held out on Sunday, according to Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News, and that was before he played 37 minutes in a win over Denver. The Spurs have been careful with their prized rookie recently, resting him on the second night of a back-to-back last week.

“I know this has been in the air,” Wembanyama told reporters Friday night. “I mean, I felt it’s been in the air for some weeks, but I’m always going to fight to play.”

There’s more from San Antonio:

Sandro Mamukelashvili is making a strong case for a new contract, McDonald notes in the same piece. The backup big man wasn’t used much early in the season, but he has taken advantage of opportunities presented by injuries and is averaging 10.4 points and 10.1 rebounds over the past seven games, including a season-high 21 points on Friday. Mamukelashvili signed a one-year, minimum-salary deal after becoming a free agent last summer and is eligible for restricted free agency this offseason. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but I love being here,” he said. “I love being around the guys, connecting with them, learning, growing. I’m looking forward to the future and if it’s here, I’ll be very happy.”
Malaki Branham missed Friday’s game with concussion symptoms and won’t play Sunday either, McDonald adds. The second-year guard was struck in the head during Wednesday’s game at Oklahoma City.
Teammates were thrilled for Devonte’ Graham after his game-winning shot in the final second to beat the Nuggets, McDonald writes in a separate story. It has been a difficult season for the 29-year-old guard, who only appeared in 12 games before the All-Star break, but Popovich has been impressed by how he has remained sharp and has served as a leader for his younger teammates. “He busted his ass all year long,” Popovich said. “He was always ready. I’m sure he didn’t like (not playing), but he was always there for his team.”

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