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Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Lin, Sixers, Anthony

December 29th, 2016 at 6:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Raptors have two very difficult decisions looming in their pursuit of the top spot in the Eastern Conference, Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post opines. They must decide whether to go all-in this season in their quest to knock off the Cavs, which would mean trading off some young pieces for another impact player, preferable a power forward, Bontemps continues. The Magic’s Serge Ibaka and Hawks’ Paul Millsap — forwards that the Raptors have pursued in the past and will become free agents this summer — would be logical targets, in Bontemps’ view. This summer, they’ll have to decide whether to offer point guard and impending free agent Kyle Lowry a max five-year deal worth over $200MM or risk seeing him walk. Lowry will attract numerous suitors but his age — he turns 31 this spring — could make a long-term commitment a risky investment, Bontemps adds.

In other news around the Atlantic Division:

  • The Nets are taking a committee approach with point guard Jeremy Lin sidelined again by a hamstring injury, Brian Lewis of the New York Post reports. Coach Kenny Atkinson is rotating Randy Foye, rookie Isaiah Whitehead and Spencer Dinwiddie in Lin’s absence, while shooting guard Sean Kilpatrick is also taking a bigger role in the playmaking duties, Lewis continues. “I think it was ensemble,” Atkinson told Lewis and other media members. “That’s how we’re going to do it.”
  • The Sixers’ frontcourt pairing of Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor has been a colossal failure defensively thus far, as Derek Bodner of Phillymag.com details. In six games since coach Brett Brown paired the two big men in the starting lineup, the Sixers have given up an average of 122.3 points per 100 possessions when they’re on the court. What’s more troubling, as Bodner notes, is that the poor defensive performances have come against sub-par offensive teams.
  • Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek doesn’t believe Carmelo Anthony should have been ejected on Tuesday for swinging his forearm at the head of Hawks swingman Thabo Sefolosha, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports. Hornacek asserted that Sefolosha grabbed Anthony around the neck before the forearm swing, though Berman notes that was not apparent on replays while labeling Hornacek’s stance as bizarre. “I don’t blame [Anthony] for what happened, honestly,” Hornacek told Berman. “Watch the replay, watch the action. The guy had his arms wrapped around his neck. … What are you going to do? Just stand there or you going to get the guy off you? It’s a natural reaction.”
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Atlantic Notes: Afflalo, Noah, Stauskas, Whitehead

November 28th, 2016 at 11:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

Arron Afflalo knew it was time to leave New York after being benched by interim coach Kurt Rambis and learning that the team was pursuing Courtney Lee, relays Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders. Afflalo spent just one year with the Knicks, opting out of an $8MM deal for this season and reaching a two-year, $25MM agreement with the Kings. His season in New York was marked by a coaching change, the demotion and other turmoil. “It’s hard to get a genuine experience with anything when you haven’t had longevity or there are a lot of changes taking place, whether it’s changes with my individual role or with the coaching staff or the environment as a whole,” Afflalo said. “Six months is a short season when you’re not a playoff team and you’re going through a lot of changes, but they seem to be doing better now. I think as the core group, with Melo [Carmelo Anthony] and KP [Kristaps Porzingis], and the guys that they bring in continuing to get better, New York will be okay.”

There’s more news from the Atlantic Division:

  • Thunder coach Billy Donovan is still a believer in Joakim Noah despite a difficult first month with the Knicks, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday. Donovan, who coached Noah on two national championship teams at the University of Florida, says the center’s competitive spirit will help him overcome a slow start. Noah is averaging 4.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game after signing a four-year, $72MM contract this summer. “He’s going to continue to improve and get better as a player, he’s going to put his work in,” Donovan said. “But he’s one of the guys in my opinion that’s truly all about sacrifice, team and winning. I think he’ll bring that to the Knicks throughout the entire season.”
  • Nik Stauskas looks like a long-term fit with the Sixers after a rocky start to his NBA career, according to Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. After being picked eighth in the 2014 NBA draft, Stauskas had an unproductive rookie season in Sacramento before being traded to Philadelphia. It took Stauskas time to find his way with the Sixers, but he has developed into a valuable bench player, averaging 10.2 points per game and shooting 44.6% from 3-point range. “I’m just having fun out there again, enjoying myself and kind of figured that when I’m having fun, that’s when I’m playing my best basketball and just been trying to tune out any negativity or any self doubt or anything like that,” Stauskas said.
  • Rookie point guard Isaiah Whitehead is becoming more of a vocal leader for the Nets, writes Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Brooklyn has needed Whitehead to develop quickly after an injury to Jeremy Lin, and coach Kenny Atkinson is encouraged by how he has responded. “There’s on-court technical development and physical development,” Atkinson said. “But leadership development, all the players are commenting, he’s changing, he’s talking to us, he’s opening up, he’s asking us questions. It’s big.”
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Atlantic Notes: Rambis, Atkinson, Whitehead, Olynyk

November 9th, 2016 at 7:17pm CST by Arthur Hill

A day after taking over as the Knicks‘ defensive coordinator, Kurt Rambis told Marc Berman of The New York Post that the team’s roster shakeup is part of the problem. New York has given up more than 100 points in every game this season, so head coach Jeff Hornacek appointed Rambis on Tuesday to solve the problem. “We got 10 new guys, so everything is a work in progress,’’ Rambis said. “If we had everybody healthy and everybody here and playing, it still was going to be a process and take some time. Just simple terminology. It may be the same defensive action, but everyone calls it something different. So it’s just getting everyone knowing the same terminology and play calls, so everybody’s on the same page. Everybody’s got to be on the string. It takes all five guys to stop a pick-and-roll situation in this league. Everyone’s got to be communicating well. Right now we’re not connected.’’

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

  • Kenny Atkinson’s motion offense is making a difference for the Nets, according to NetsDaily. Through its first seven games, Brooklyn has increased its pace of play more than any other team and is leading the league with 333 passes per game. Per 48 minutes, the Nets are averaging 6.2 more possessions each game than they did a year ago. Atkinson has also placed a greater emphasis on shooting 3-pointers, and the Nets are now taking 39.5% of their shots from long distance, compared to 21.8% last season.
  • Nets rookie point guard Isaiah Whitehead was diagnosed with a concussion, the team announced today. Whitehead will go through the NBA’s concussion protocols and will be sidelined until his symptoms are gone. Losing Whitehead was part of the reason that the Nets re-signed Yogi Ferrell this afternoon.
  • Celtics center Kelly Olynyk is seeing his first action of the season in tonight’s game with the Wizards, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNMidAtlantic. This is the first time on the court since last year’s playoffs for Olynyk, who underwent surgery on his right shoulder in May. “He’s a good player,” coach Brad Stevens said. “He’s helped us win in the past. He brings a skillset on offense and an understanding on defense that will benefit us.” Boston has been shorthanded in the front court with Al Horford recovering from a concussion and Jae Crowder out for at least another week with a sprained ankle.
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Nets Notes: Lopez, Lin, Whitehead, Kilpatrick

November 6th, 2016 at 10:06am CST by Arthur Hill

Brooklyn center Brook Lopez may see his production go down while point guard Jeremy Lin is sidelined with an injured hamstring, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The Hornets packed their defense in the paint Friday to limit Lopez’s effectiveness, and he can probably expect to see more of the same. The Nets are reportedly listening to calls from teams interested in trading for Lopez, but are not actively looking to deal him. “It’s a huge adjustment [without Lin], no question, because he brings so much to our team,” Lopez said. “It was just a matter of giving Isaiah [Whitehead] confidence and letting him know that we’re all out there with him and have trust in him. It’s not just one of us on the floor.” Lin’s condition will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

There’s more news out of Brooklyn:

  • The Nets have point guard concerns beyond Lin’s injury, according to NetsDaily.com. Randy Foye has been out with a pulled hamstring and hopes to return Tuesday. Greivis Vasquez is having ankle problems and the team hasn’t said when he might be able to play again. Brooklyn has Yogi Ferrell and Boris Dallo on its new D-League affiliate, but neither is considered ready for the NBA.
  • The injuries have created a “trial by fire” for Whitehead, writes Bryan Fonseca of NetsDaily. The second-round pick made his first career start on Friday, putting up eight points and three assists in 23 minutes. “I think I’m getting much more comfortable, it’s just a matter of time,” he said. “Just getting better and better every time I get on the court. [It’s] just [about] reducing turnovers, just really getting everybody involved – it’s a tough process but I think I’ll get there.”
  • Sixth man Sean Kilpatrick is off to a strong start in his first full NBA season, notes Reed Wallach of NetsDaily. A D-League callup last season, Kilpatrick is adapting to coach Kenny Atkinson’s motion offense, averaging 17 points and four rebounds per night.“Sean likes to think of himself as a scorer, and I know he scored in the D-League,” Atkinson said. “But our player emphasis is to help him get better defensively. I think he can be better than he already is. He has size, and he’s got toughness.”
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New York Notes: Randle, Knicks, Nets, Vasquez

October 17th, 2016 at 11:47am CST by Luke Adams

Chasson Randle‘s odds of landing a 15-man roster spot with the Knicks won’t be affected by the injury he suffered during a Friday practice, according to head coach Jeff Hornacek. As Zach Braziller of The New York Post details, Randle will be given the chance to make the team despite sustaining a left orbital fracture. “We kind of understand what he can give us as a player,” Hornacek said. “It would’ve been nice to see him against [Celtics guard] Isaiah [Thomas] in those two Boston games, see how he can do. But, again, we have a pretty good feel for him.”

Here’s more out of New York on a couple more new Knicks who are making a good impression, along with some Nets notes:

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And-Ones: Huestis, D-League, Nets, Dunn

August 25th, 2016 at 3:03pm CST by Luke Adams

The fact that the Greensboro Swarm, the Hornets‘ new D-League affiliate, selected the rights to Josh Huestis in Wednesday’s D-League expansion draft raised some eyebrows, since the former first-round pick is currently on the Thunder‘s NBA roster. However, as Erik Horne of The Oklahoman explains, the Thunder can still assign Huestis to their D-League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, as long as Huestis remains on the NBA roster. If OKC waived Huestis, the team would also surrender his D-League rights, with the Swarm getting first dibs.

Let’s check in on a few other notes from around the league, including more on yesterday’s D-League expansion draft…

  • Adam Johnson of D-League Digest offers up a few more details on the D-League expansion draft, noting that most players selected won’t end up playing for the teams that drafted them. Still, Kiwi Gardner – selected in the second round by the Windy City Bulls – is expected to play for Chicago’s D-League affiliate this season, his agent tells Johnson.
  • The Nets clearly value rookie guard Isaiah Whitehead very highly, writes Net Income of NetsDaily. As we noted earlier today, Brooklyn paid $3MM to move up on draft night to nab Whitehead, who was ranked 18th in the team’s 2016 mock draft, per NetsDaily.
  • Kris Dunn was linked to several teams leading up to – and during – draft night, including a couple clubs that had interest in trading for him. Ultimately, the rookie point guard landed in Minnesota, and he tells Larry Berger of USA Today Sports (video link) that the Timberwolves are a “beautiful organization.”
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Nets Sign Isaiah Whitehead

July 8th, 2016 at 8:18pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Nets have signed Isaiah Whitehead to a multiyear contract, the team announced via press release. The exact terms of the arrangement were not relayed, nor how much, if any, guaranteed money was included in the pact.

The Nets acquired the rights to Whitehead, who was the No. 42 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, from the Jazz in exchange for pick No. 55 and cash. Whitehead was ranked as the 52nd best prospect in this year’s draft by ESPN’s Chad Ford and 57th by Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.

The 6’5″ freshman turned into a dangerous 3-point weapon for the Pirates, connecting on 37% from long distance while averaging 18.2 points and 5.1 assists per game. He led Seton Hall to an upset of national champion Villanova in the Big East title game.

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Nets Acquire 42nd Pick, Draft Isaiah Whitehead

June 23rd, 2016 at 10:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Nets have acquired another draft pick, as the Jazz agreed to trade the 42nd choice to Brooklyn in exchange for pick No. 55 and cash, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. The Nets used that pick to take Seton Hall shooting guard Isaiah Whitehead.

The 6’5″ freshman turned into a dangerous 3-point weapon for the Pirates, connecting on 37% from long distance while averaging 18.2 points and 5.1 assists per game. He led Seton Hall to an upset of national champion Villanova in the Big East title game.

Whitehead was ranked as the 52nd best prospect in this year’s draft by ESPN’s Chad Ford and 57th by Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.

 

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Central Notes: LeBron, Pistons, Bucks, Draft

June 20th, 2016 at 4:24pm CST by Luke Adams

After leading the Cavaliers to a historic NBA Finals comeback, and the first championship in franchise history, LeBron James likely won’t be attempting to lead Team USA to Olympic gold later this summer. According to Chris Mannix of The Vertical, the Finals MVP is leaning toward not participating in the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. As Mannix details, James has yet to inform USA Basketball of his decision, one way or the other. However, team officials are operating under the expectation that the 31-year-old superstar is unlikely to play in Rio.

Here are a few more updates from out of the Central division:

  • The Pistons‘ pre-draft workout today, highlighted by Ivica Zubac, also featured five other players, according to David Mayo of MLive (Twitter link). The other participants were Nikola Jovanovic (USC), Kyle Wiltjer (Gonzaga), Stefan Jankovic (Hawaii), Elgin Cook (Oregon), and Brannen Greene (Kansas).
  • The Bucks also worked out several players today, conducting an individual workout for Michigan State’s Deyonta Davis and a group session for six other prospects. As announced in a press release, those six players were Matt Costello (Michigan State), Isaiah Cousins (Oklahoma), Demetrius Jackson (Notre Dame), Gary Payton II (Oregon State), Diamond Stone (Maryland), and Isaiah Whitehead (Seton Hall).
  • The Bucks formally broke ground on their new downtown Milwaukee arena over the weekend, according to a report from Genaro C. Armas of The Associated Press. The project is expected to cost approximately $524MM, and the club is expected to begin playing games in the new building at the start of the 2018/19 season.
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Southwest Notes: Pelicans, Mavericks, Diebler

June 20th, 2016 at 1:34pm CST by Luke Adams

Pelicans general manager Dell Demps spoke to reporters today in advance of the 2016 NBA draft, and while he didn’t exactly drop any bombshells, Demps confirmed some of his team’s offseason priorities. As Justin Verrier of ESPN.com tweets, after finishing 28th in defense last season, the Pelicans will be targeting players that can “impact our defense,” says Demps. The GM added that the small forward spot, which didn’t have much continuity in 2015/16, is “a position we have to address” (Twitter link via Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com).

Here’s more on New Orleans and some of the team’s Southwest rivals:

  • The Pelicans continue to work out prospects with the draft just three days away. Isaiah Whitehead (Seton Hall) will get a look from New Orleans tomorrow, while Ryan Arcidiacono (Villanova) will also work out for the club this week, according to reports from Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv and Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, respectively (Twitter links).
  • The Mavericks don’t have a first-round pick in this week’s draft, having traded it away to Boston, but president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson doesn’t sound disappointed about not holding that first-rounder, as Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News details. “I think this is actually not a bad draft to sit out,” Nelson said recently. “Next year’s draft is one that you’re not going to want to sit out.”
  • Former Ohio State sharpshooter Jon Diebler, who has spent the last few seasons playing in Turkey, has opted out of his contract with Anadolu Efes, according to Burga Uzar of Eurohoops.net. Diebler’s NBA rights have been held by the Rockets since they acquired them in a 2012 trade, but there’s no indication at this point that he’s returning stateside to join Houston.
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