Kenny Atkinson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: Atkinson, Okoro, Bucks, Giannis, Duarte

December 17th, 2024 at 1:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Visiting Brooklyn on Monday for the first time as the Cavaliers‘ head coach, Kenny Atkinson – who coached the Nets from 2016-20 – picked up a resounding win over his old team, with Cleveland blowing out Brooklyn by a score of 130-101. Magnanimous in victory, Atkinson made it clear he harbored no ill will toward the Nets for dismissing him midway through the 2019/20 season, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

“I don’t look at it that way. I just look at it as part of the story, right, part of your growth,” Atkinson said. “You have good things happen, you have setbacks, and — it’s like a player, how do you bounce back? And it was definitely a bounce back. And in the long run, the journey after Brooklyn really helped me, helped me grow as a coach. Who knows? If that doesn’t happen, maybe I’m not in Cleveland; I don’t improve as much as a coach if that didn’t happen. So I look at it more as a positive.”

While Atkinson wasn’t necessarily seeking revenge or vindication entering Monday’s matchup, he admitted that facing his former team provided an extra layer of motivation.

“I’m competitive, right? And when you have setbacks, you remember things, right?” Atkinson said. “And players do the same thing. If something happened or a team beat you or you get fired, you’re motivated. You’re motivated to prove people wrong; and that’s kind of how I took it. It’s a chip on your shoulder or whatever you want to call it. But there’s definitely some of that. I think any competitor feels the same way.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

Isaac Okoro, who has been the Cavaliers‘ starting small forward since November 4 with Max Strus still sidelined, will undergo further testing on a right shoulder injury he sustained in Monday’s win over Brooklyn, reports Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required).
Ahead of the Bucks‘ appearance in the final of the NBA Cup on Tuesday, Jamal Collier of ESPN and Eric Nehm of The Athletic explore how the team bounced back from its 2-8 start and the role Giannis Antetokounmpo has played in the turnaround, not just as an MVP-level performer but as a more confident leader. “He was being vocal, talking about things he wanted (on the court), talking before the game, things that the first couple years he didn’t really do as often as he does now,” Bobby Portis, who has been with the Bucks since 2020, told Collier. “It’s cool to see guys’ leadership go to another level. Especially at a time of the season when it was critical for us to get back to at least playing some good ball.”
Bucks rookies Tyler Smith and AJ Johnson aren’t playing much so far this season, but they’re poised to supplement their first-year salaries with lucrative bonuses as a result of the team’s NBA Cup run and are enjoying being part of the experience in Las Vegas. Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has the story and the quotes from the two 20-year-olds.
The Bulls have assigned fourth-year wing Chris Duarte to the G League for the first time this season ahead of the Winter Showcase, per the team (Twitter link). Duarte, who was acquired in the DeMar DeRozan trade in July, has played sparingly for Chicago this season and is on an expiring contract, so he figures to be a trade candidate at the deadline — playing for the Windy City Bulls in Orlando at the G League Showcase, which begins Thursday, will give him an opportunity to try to catch the eye of scouts and executives from around the league.

Udoka, Atkinson Earn Coach Of The Month Honors

December 3rd, 2024 at 8:28pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Ime Udoka of the Rockets and Kenny Atkinson of the Cavaliers have been named the league’s Coaches of the Month for games played in October and November, NBA Communications tweets.

Udoka took Western Conference honors as Houston finished November with a 14-6 record, the second-best mark in the conference. Mark Daigneault (Thunder), Taylor Jenkins (Grizzlies), Tyronn Lue (Clippers) and JJ Redick (Lakers) were the other Western Conference nominees (Twitter link).

The Cavaliers posted an NBA-best 17-3 mark in October and November, earning Atkinson Eastern Conference accolades. Jordi Fernandez (Nets), Joe Mazzulla (Celtics), Jamahl Mosley (Magic) and Tom Thibodeau (Knicks) were the other nominees in the East.

Cavaliers Notes: 15-0 Start, Jerome, Defense, Atkinson

November 18th, 2024 at 4:11pm CST by Rory Maher

The Cavaliers joined illustrious company after defeating Charlotte on Sunday, becoming just the fourth team in NBA history to open a season with 15 consecutive victories, per Jenna West and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. The other three teams were the Washington Capitols (15-0 in 1948/49), the Rockets (15-0 in ’93/94), and the Warriors (24-0 in ’15/16).

Darius Garland (25 points, 12 assists, five rebounds), Ty Jerome (24 points, eight assists), Evan Mobley (23 points, 11 rebounds) and Jarrett Allen (21 points, 15 rebounds) led a balanced attack for Cleveland, which won by 14 points despite playing without star guard Donovan Mitchell, who was resting. As Lloyd notes, the Cavs have the best offensive rating in the league, having scored at least 130 points six times, which is a franchise record; they nearly accomplished the feat again on Sunday, finishing with 128.

The Cavs will face their biggest test of the season on Tuesday in Boston against the defending champion Celtics, who are 11-3, good for second place in the East.

Here’s more on the Cavaliers:

Head coach Kenny Atkinson complimented Jerome following Sunday’s game, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. “He’s one of our best players right now,” Atkinson said. “It’s always nice having another ball-handler out there so D.G. doesn’t get worn out.” For his part, Jerome said the victory was a byproduct of the team’s depth. “Just a deep, complete team,” Jerome said. “Kenny said after the game, ‘We go one through 18 and we’re 18 deep.’ Something we pride ourselves on.” The 27-year-old guard, who was limited to just two games last season due to an ankle injury, will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
While their 15-0 start has been remarkable, Atkinson said he’s unhappy with how the defense has performed of late, according to Fedor of Cleveland.com. The Cavs gave up 73 points in the first half — and 126 overall — in Friday’s victory over Chicago, then 114 to Charlotte on Sunday.
Brian Windhorst of ESPN takes an in-depth look at how the Cavs’ offseason plans have paid off in a major way to open ’24/25. Atkinson, who was hired in late June to replace J.B. Bickerstaff, has implemented several changes, particularly on the offensive end, and has “total buy-in” from the team’s star players, Windhorst writes. “This is rare,” Atkinson said. “We just have this incredible chemistry and an incredible understanding and respect for one another. It’s beautiful to watch.”

Central Notes: Cavaliers, White, P. Williams, Moore, Sasser

November 17th, 2024 at 9:55am CST by Arthur Hill

Only three NBA teams have ever started a season 15-0, and the Cavaliers have a chance to join them today by beating Charlotte, writes Tom Withers of The Associated Press. This year’s Cavs have already set a franchise record with 14 straight victories, and they appear to have a legitimate chance to win the Eastern Conference. There weren’t any major roster changes during the offseason, but the team seemed to reset by hiring Kenny Atkinson as head coach.

Atkinson has installed an up-tempo offensive system that emphasizes spacing, ball movement and creating open three-point opportunities. After serving as an assistant coach with Golden State, Atkinson has his team playing a style that’s similar to the Warriors.

“I was so thrilled when Draymond (Green) said that the other day,” Atkinson said. “He was just really impressed how we pinged the ball around. How we drive, kick, swing. We get it out of pick and roll. We get it in fast-break situations, and it is Warriors-esque. It’s really that type of ball movement. It’s beautiful to watch.”

The Cavaliers gained a sense of stability over the summer when Donovan Mitchell signed a three-year, maximum-salary extension, Withers adds. Mitchell has been able to carry the team whenever it needs a scoring boost, including an 18-point fourth quarter outburst in Friday’s win over Chicago.

“That was him,” Atkinson said. “That wasn’t us. It wasn’t me saying it. He just senses, ‘What does the team need right now?’ And that could be him or it could be someone else. And that speaks to his IQ, just understanding of who’s on the court, who he’s playing with.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

An offseason trade for Josh Giddey and the return of Lonzo Ball pushed Bulls guard Coby White into a different role this season. He talks about that adjustment and more in an interview with Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda. “My career with this team has put me in multiple roles, especially as our roster changes,” White said. “Last year, I was more on the ball, but this year, with guys like Lonzo and Giddey, who are really talented passers, I’m adjusting. They make it easy because they’re willing to make the right play every time. It’s an adjustment, but it’s been a smooth one thanks to them.”
Bulls forward Patrick Williams has been through an up-and-down career since being selected with the fourth pick in the 2020 draft, but he believes he has benefited from the experience, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. ‘‘Where am I at in my career? I don’t know what other people felt it should have been,” Williams said. “I know that I feel I’m making my way toward it. You never want it to come easy. I didn’t want to be one of those guys that bloom early, blossom early. … Nah, I’d rather have it this way. Bumps and bruises, people talk [expletive] about me, ups and downs with an injury, ups and downs with everything. It builds an appreciation when I get where I’m going. It builds a resolve for when I do have a bad game, I can say, ‘I’ve been here before. Just move on.’’’
Wendell Moore Jr. and Marcus Sasser helped the Pistons hold off Toronto Friday night and improve to 2-0 in the NBA Cup, writes Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. The two bench players had the team’s highest plus-minus ratings in the fourth quarter, with Moore at plus-10 and Sasser at plus-seven. “Wendell and (Sasser), they were huge for us,” Cade Cunningham said. “They came in, brought so much energy, made shots, were flying around, defended. That group just got us back in the game and then from there we just rode it out.”

Central Notes: Lillard, Cavs, Atkinson, Garland, Ball

November 12th, 2024 at 7:40am CST by Luke Adams

Bucks point guard Damian Lillard has entered the NBA’s concussion protocol and will miss Tuesday’s game vs. Toronto, the team announced (Twitter link via Tim Bontemps of ESPN).

Sources tell NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link) that Lillard was hit in the head near the end of the third quarter of Sunday’s game against Boston. After he experienced headaches and dizziness on Monday, testing confirmed he has a concussion.

It’s possible Lillard will be able to return in time for Wednesday’s game vs. Detroit, Haynes says, but he’ll have to pass all the tests in the concussion protocol in order to receive medical clearance. That process often takes at least a few days.

We have more from around the Central:

The Cavaliers pushed their season-opening win streak to a dozen games with a win over Chicago on Monday, becoming the first team to start a season 12-0 or better since the 2015/16 Warriors (who went 24-0). “It’s great. We’re playing well, vibes are good, but we have to continue to be this team,” star guard Donovan Mitchell said, according to Jamal Collier of ESPN. “That’s been my message to the guys in the locker room. This is great. We’re going to get teams’ best shots. We’re going to get tested early, but are we going to continue? And I never — no doubt we will — but that’s been my thing. Are we going to continue to be this team January, February, March, April? I think the guys all feel it, but it’s great to enjoy these moments too while you’re still having a humble approach to it.”
In a subscriber-only story for Cleveland.com, Chris Fedor takes a look at how new head coach Kenny Atkinson‘s creativity and experimentation has helped spur the Cavaliers‘ early-season success. Meanwhile, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today explores how reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week Darius Garland has rediscovered his joy and love for the game this fall under Atkinson.
Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball, who is recovering from a right wrist sprain, is out of his brace and will begin dribbling in the coming days to see how the wrist responds, head coach Billy Donovan said on Monday, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “I do think he has some soreness, (and) certainly it’s been a slow progression for him,” Donovan said. “But he has gotten better.”

Central Notes: Pistons’ G League, Atkinson, LaVine

November 10th, 2024 at 5:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pelicans have done an excellent job developing players via their NBA G League franchise. The Detroit Free Press’ Omari Sankofa details how Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon, a former New Orleans executive, is trying to build the same model with the Motor City Cruise. The Pistons G League team practices in the same facility as the NBA team and plays its games a short distance from Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena.

“An NBA head coach can walk and watch our practice every single day,” Cruise GM Max Unger said. “For our players, they have the built-in resources and the accountability of being in an NBA building where people have eyes on you. When I’m going through the draft process, whether a G League draft, an NBA draft, we’re talking to potential Exhibit 10 projects. The fact that we are under one roof is an incredible, incredible thing.”

We have more from the Central Division:

In a subscriber-only story, the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Chris Fedor describes how former Warriors assistant and current Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson has Cleveland playing much like Golden State’s premier teams. The Cavs will carry an 11-0 record into their game against Chicago on Monday.
Atkinson says he’s learned a lot of lessons since being fired as the Nets’ head coach in 2020. “[I’m] more patient, more of a manager,” the Cavaliers head coach told Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “[In] Brooklyn, I was a real coach. I was really coaching the game hard, which is typical for a first-time coach. You’re trying to make sure every shootaround is perfect, every practice is perfect. And it’s my experience with Steve [Nash] and Ty [Lue], and my international experience being around other coaches, just having more of a big-picture feel. I do a better job of managing the locker room, managing players, don’t get so stressed out about the little things like I used to. I’m sure that comes with age, too.”
While Zach LaVine‘s name is inevitably brought up in trade rumors, he has blocked out the noise and concentrated on the Bulls’ season, coach Billy Donovan told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times. “I felt in September when he came back, he was all in. I felt like when training camp started, he has been all in, committed to trying to play the way we need to play,” Donovan said. LaVine says he’s committed to being a team leader as well and doing whatever the franchise asks of him, Cowley adds in a separate story. “I don’t think you ever lower expectations,” LaVine said. “You go into each game trying to win, regardless. I don’t care if you have the lowest expectations on the totem pole, we’re trying to win games, at least I am. I’m not here trying to throw no games. Been in Chicago for years, we’re not trying to lose games. But understanding the situation we’re in with the guys, we’re trying to develop dudes as well. You know, how can the veteran guys put their footprint into the game and help us win, but also help raise these guys’ level of play.”

Central Notes: Bucks, Giannis, Haliburton, Cavs

November 6th, 2024 at 10:48am CST by Luke Adams

Since 1970, a total of 150 teams have began a season with a 1-6 record (or worse). Only 12 of those 150 teams have made the playoffs, and five did so despite finishing with a losing record, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

The Bucks are one of two NBA teams who currently own a 1-6 mark this fall, but head coach Doc Rivers – informed of that statistic about the league’s slow starters over the past five-plus decades – expressed confidence that his team will become the 13th in that group to reach the postseason.

“We will make the playoffs,” Rivers said after Monday’s loss to Cleveland, per Nehm. “I’m not worried about that.”

Rivers said his team remains optimistic about its outlook despite the disappointing start, and pointed out that the numbers currently working against the Bucks would look much different once the team breaks out if its slump and wins a few games.

“The team’s very positive. I think they’re upbeat,” Rivers said. “No one wants to lose. We have some tough games coming up, but one win at a time. We win three or four in a row and then the numbers say if you’re 5-6 after that, you have an 80 percent chance to make the playoffs, you know? So that’s where numbers are so silly sometimes, especially early in the year. And we don’t pay much attention to them.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo went through the team’s morning shootaround on Monday before Milwaukee decided to give him a night off due to a right adductor strain, writes Tom Withers of The Associated Press. Although the club’s injury report for Thursday’s game vs. Utah is not yet out, it sounds like Antetokounmpo is considered day-to-day and that the Bucks don’t view the injury as something that will sideline him for long.
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports suggested on The Kevin O’Connor Show (Twitter video link) that Tyrese Haliburton‘s early-season struggles may be linked to a back issue that affected the Pacers guard near the end of last season. “I’ve had some sources around the league tell me that they believe it’s not his hamstring that’s the cause of his struggles this year, it’s his back,” O’Connor said. “He had back spasms in the postseason. He’s still wearing a heating pack on the bench. And I think that would make sense, with the trends and the way in which he’s playing, the declining efficiency. Because back issues are tough to deal with.” Haliburton is shooting just 38.2% from the floor, including 24.1% on three-pointers, through seven games.
The Cavaliers‘ impressive 8-0 start is a byproduct of selflessness, sacrifice, and camaraderie, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required), who notes that the team is on board with new head coach Kenny Atkinson‘s philosophies. “I feel like everybody’s buying into the system, even though it’s different,” center Jarrett Allen said. “Props to Kenny. He’s done an excellent job finding out a way to mesh this team together and just try to bring the best out of everybody. It’s not just one person leading the charge. Everybody’s contributing in a different way at different times.”

Central Notes: Garland, Atkinson, Mathurin, Vucevic

October 29th, 2024 at 9:18am CST by Luke Adams

Following a disappointing 2023/24 season in which he dealt with a major jaw injury and the death of his grandmother, Cavaliers guard Darius Garland entered this fall intent on having a bounce-back year. So far, so good, as Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes in a subscriber-only story.

The sample size is small, but through four games (all Cavaliers wins), Garland has been red hot, averaging 19.3 points per game on .547/.500/1.000 shooting. Monday’s performance in New York was his best game yet this season, as he poured in 34 points on 12-of-19 shooting in a six-point win over the Knicks. He also came up big on defense, with two steals and a pair of blocked shots.

As Fedor details, there was plenty of speculation in the spring and summer that the Cavaliers might look to trade Garland in order to balance the roster, but Donovan Mitchell has always believed in his backcourt mate and was confident in Garland’s ability to regain his All-Star form this season.

“I’m happy for him because he went through a lot of BS last year,” Mitchell said. “You have to learn from it, and you have to grow. Sometimes it’s going to suck, and I think he felt that. It’s a four-game sample, but I have no doubt that’s who he is going to be for us this season. That’s who he was when he was drafted. That’s who he was when he was an All-Star. I know what type of player he is. I know we can fit together. You’re seeing it.

“This is probably the best four games that we have continually put together. That is going to continue because we are going to continue to believe in what we can do. There is a confidence about him this year.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

New head coach Kenny Atkinson is having a positive early impact on the 4-0 Cavaliers, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. “You feel (Atkinson’s presence), you see it in the group,” Mitchell said. “Just the motion of the offense. You can tell it’s already different.” Garland agreed, adding that Atkinson is “really good for us” and gives the Cavs’ stars “a lot of freedom” on offense.
Returning from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for the last month-plus of the 2023/24 regular season and all of the postseason, Pacers wing Bennedict Mathurin has seen his playing time decline in every game since he logged 28 minutes in the team’s opener last Wednesday. As Alex Golden of Setting the Pace tweets, head coach Rick Carlisle cited rebounding and defense as reasons why Mathurin only played 14 minutes in Monday’s loss to Orlando, adding during an appearance on 107.5 FM in Indiana that there are only so many bench minutes to go around. “(Ben) Sheppard ended up getting more of the minutes than Mathurin and (Jarace) Walker (on Monday),” Carlisle said. “It’s just kind of part of this whole thing. Mathurin is obviously a very important guy and he scored the ball well in the first two games, but this not only about scoring.”
Veteran center Nikola Vucevic is off to a strong start this season for the Bulls, averaging 20.8 points per game on .517/.424/.909 shooting through four outings. If Vucevic’s strong play continues, it could boost his value ahead of February’s trade deadline, but he continues to insist he’s not thinking about the possibility of being dealt, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “I see and hear the rumors. People in my life talk to me about it, but I don’t get involved in it too much,” Vucevic said. “I suppose if something were to happen or get more serious, they would come to me, talk to me, but at this moment I don’t think about it.”

Central Notes: Pistons, Bucks, Cavs, Collet, Haliburton

October 9th, 2024 at 2:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Pistons owner Tom Gores is pleased with the way that new president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon identified three-point shooting and veteran leadership as priorities in his first summer on the job and made moves to address those areas, according to Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. Langdon and the Pistons’ front office signed Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley, and Paul Reed as free agents and traded for Tim Hardaway Jr.

“The core of the way we thought is we have this young group of players that need to be developed and also need to be complemented with the right players,” Gores said. “I feel really good about the veterans we’ve added. Tobias, who I’ve known for a long time, we have Beasley and Hardaway and Reed that’s come in. I feel very good about the offseason with the veterans.

“We knew these young men were good, they have a lot of potential. All of them. You see (Jaden) Ivey‘s really coming along well. But all of that said, we needed to complement them with the right thing so they could grow properly. I’m pretty excited. That’s how we approached it. We have a core that we believe in and we’ve got the veterans added in.”

The other major move that Gores signed off on during Langdon’s first offseason was the decision to part ways with Monty Williams even though the veteran head coach had five years left on the lucrative contract he signed with Detroit a year ago. Gores has no regrets about approving that coaching change after seeing the way J.B. Bickerstaff has handled the job so far.

“I think J.B.’s doing an incredible job communicating with the players and getting us organized,” Gores said. “I feel good. Everybody knows we have a lot of work to do, but we turned the page and we’re ready to go.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers shared some positive health updates on Tuesday, telling reporters – including Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – that Gary Trent Jr. will be “fine” after hyperextending his left elbow and may even play on Thursday and that Khris Middleton, who is recovering from surgeries on both ankles, could suit up for a game or two before the end of the preseason.
Bucks newcomer Taurean Prince spoke this week about the role he expects to play in Milwaukee, expressing that he believes his ability to play power forward “can serve the team very, very well.” Eric Nehm of The Athletic has the details.
Vincent Collet, the former head coach of the French men’s basketball national team, is reuniting with Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson, according to reporting from L’Equipe (hat tip to Eurohoops). After Atkinson worked under Collet as an assistant coach for the French team over the summer, Collet will reportedly serve as a consultant for Atkinson and the Cavs this season.
Speaking to James Boyd of The Athletic, Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton discussed what he learned from his summer experience with Team USA and explained why he’s so excited about the continuity Indiana has established heading into the 2024/25 season. “We have the same coaching staff, let alone the same group of guys,” Haliburton said. “So, this is really refreshing, really exciting, because it’s less about teaching and more of the detail work and complex stuff and getting to those (stages) quicker. That’s been so refreshing and so fun for me, and I think that’s gonna make us so good moving forward.”

NBA GMs High On Thunder’s Offseason Moves, Celtics’ Title Chances

October 8th, 2024 at 9:40am CST by Luke Adams

The Thunder made the best roster moves during the 2024 offseason, according to the NBA’s general managers. Within his annual survey of the league’s top basketball decision-makers, John Schuhmann of NBA.com writes that 37% of his respondents picked Oklahoma City as having the best summer, with the Sixers coming in second place at 33%. The Knicks got 20% of the vote share, while no other club received more than a single vote.

It was one of many favorable outcomes in the survey for the Thunder, who were overwhelmingly selected as the team with the best young core — 60% of GMs selected OKC, compared to 20% for the second-place Magic.

New Thunder guard Alex Caruso was chosen by general managers as the most underrated offseason acquisition, receiving 23% of that vote share, while last year’s Most Valuable Player runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was picked as this year’s MVP favorite (40%), narrowly edging Mavericks star Luka Doncic (30%).

The Thunder also received a handful of votes from the league’s GMs as the team that will win the 2025 NBA Finals, but at 13%, they finished a distant second to the Celtics, who earned a whopping 83% of the vote. Besides those two clubs, only the Mavericks (3%) received a vote to become this season’s champions.

Here are a few more interesting results from Schuhmann’s GM survey, which is worth checking out in full:

New Sixers forward Paul George got 60% of the vote as the offseason acquisition who will have the biggest impact in 2024/25, followed by new Knicks Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns at 13% apiece. The Towns trade, meanwhile, was named the most surprising offseason move, eking out George leaving Los Angeles for Philadelphia (27% to 23%).
Unsurprisingly, Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama was the overwhelming choice (77%) for which player the GMs would most want to start a franchise with. Gilgeous-Alexander and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic each earned three votes in that category, while Doncic got one.
The league’s general managers are high on No. 3 overall pick Reed Sheppard — the Rockets‘ guard is their pick to win the Rookie of the Year award (50%) ahead of betting favorite Zach Edey of the Grizzlies (30%). Sheppard also comfortably received the largest vote share (43%) when the GMs were asked which rookie will be the best player in five years. Spurs guard Stephon Castle (17%) and Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (13%) were the runners-up in that category.
There was no consensus among the GMs on which 2024 draftee was the biggest steal. Wizards guard Carlton Carrington, Kings guard Devin Carter, Pacers wing Johnny Furphy, Lakers forward Dalton Knecht, Timberwolves guard Terrence Shannon, and Thunder guard Nikola Topic each received three votes to lead the way.
Among newly hired head coaches, Mike Budenholzer of the Suns is the one GMs feel will have the biggest impact on his new club. Budenholzer received 40% of the vote, beating out Kenny Atkinson of the Cavaliers and J.B. Bickerstaff of the Pistons (20% apiece). Meanwhile, Spurs guard Chris Paul (30%) and Raptors guard Garrett Temple (20%) are the active players that GMs feel would make the best head coaches down the road.
Asked what they’d change about the NBA, 20% of GMs said the rules related to the tax aprons, trades, and roster construction are too restrictive and/or should be “indexed to (a) team’s market,” per Schuhmann, making it the top response.