Kyrie Irving

Adam Silver Discusses NYC’s Vaccine Mandate

February 16th, 2022 at 11:32am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on Wednesday on ESPN’s Get Up, NBA commissioner Adam Silver questioned the application of New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, as Andrew Lopez of ESPN writes. The city’s regulations have kept Nets guard Kyrie Irving from playing at the Barclays Center or Madison Square Garden this season because he is still unvaccinated.

While Silver made it clear he believes everyone should get vaccinated and boosted, he suggested that New York City should reevaluate an ordinance that is applied unevenly to home players and visiting players.

“This law in New York, the oddity of it to me is that it only applies to home players,” Silver said. “I think if ultimately that rule is about protecting people who are in the arena, it just doesn’t quite make sense to me that an away player who is unvaccinated can play in Barclays, but the home player can’t. To me, that’s a reason they should take a look at that ordinance.”

With local officials beginning to roll back more and more COVID-related restrictions in New York City and elsewhere, Silver said he wouldn’t be surprised if the city reconsiders its restrictions on unvaccinated individuals before the end of the NBA’s season.

“I can imagine a scenario where Brooklyn, as part of New York City, with a new mayor now who wasn’t in place, Eric Adams, when that original ordinance was put into place, I could see him deciding to change along the way and say it’s no longer necessary to have a mandatory vaccination requirement, as I said particularly one that only affects home players,” Silver said.

After telling Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports that he didn’t love how the Ben Simmons and James Harden trade drama played out so publicly over many weeks and months, Silver followed up on that topic during his Get Up appearance today. Noting that the NBA’s move toward shorter-term contracts has resulted in more superstar movement than ever, Silver said that can be a good thing for the league as long as it’s done the right way.

“The data shows that superstars moving isn’t necessarily a bad thing because it allows bad situations to, in an orderly way, to change,” Silver said, per Lopez. “It gives teams that may not be in a competitive position hope that they can sign one of those players. But shorter contracts to me is something very different – and free agents moving at the end of contracts is different – than what we just saw, where you have players actively seeking to move while they’re under contract. The data is clear on that. That’s not good for the league.”

James Harden Plans To Opt In For 2022/23

February 15th, 2022 at 1:56pm CST by Luke Adams

A report last Thursday stated that James Harden would pick up his 2022/23 player option as part of last Thursday’s trade to the Sixers, but that didn’t end up happening, as we relayed last Friday.

However, Harden confirmed to reporters on Tuesday that the lack of opt-in had nothing to do with his level of commitment to Philadelphia and was more about an inability to file the necessary paperwork before the trade was completed. Harden can’t pick up his $47.4MM player option for ’22/23 at this point, but can do it once the Sixers’ season is over, and he made it clear today that he intends to do so, as Derek Bodner of The Daily Six tweets.

Exercising that option will put Harden on a path to maximize his earnings over the next five years. By opting out and signing a new five-year free agent contract, he could earn up to a projected $269.8MM. Opting in for 2022/23 and then signing a four-year extension would make him eligible for up to $270.2MM over the same period.

Speaking to reporters today about the trade that sent him to Philadelphia, Harden also claimed that the Sixers were his preferred destination when he was originally traded out of Houston over a year ago.

“Philly was my first choice, it just didn’t happen,” Harden said, per Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com. “Best big man in the league in Joel (Embiid), and obviously the coaching. Just from top to bottom, it made sense. I’m just happy and blessed that I’m here.

While the Sixers and Nets were widely known to be the finalists in last year’s Harden sweepstakes, the former MVP’s claim that he wanted to go to Philadelphia at that time doesn’t necessarily line up with subsequent reporting on the situation. Just last month, Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic wrote that the Rockets asked Harden his preference and he chose Brooklyn.

In any case, a year later, Harden certainly wanted to be a Sixer more than he wanted to be a Net, and the two teams made it happen last Thursday. Harden, who won’t play until after the All-Star break due to a left hamstring injury, told reporters that was a “collaborative decision” in order to make sure he’s back to 100%, adding that his hamstring “feels really good,” per Adam Zagoria of Forbes.

Here’s more from Harden’s introductory presser as a 76er, via Neubeck and Forbes:

On whether Kyrie Irving‘s vaccination status and part-time availability were factors in Harden’s desire to be traded:

“Very minimal, and obviously me and Ky are really good friends. Whatever he was going through or is still going through, that’s his personal preference. But it definitely did impact the team because originally me, Kyrie and KD (Kevin Durant) on the court and winning covers up a lot of that stuff, but it was unfortunate that we played 16 games (together) out of whatever it was.”

On playing with Embiid:

“We’re both at a high level to where we’ll figure it out. Joel does everything on the floor. So we got guys on our team that are very smart, we communicate and we have coaching that is going to put us in positions to be successful. They have something great already going on, I’m just here to contribute. And I know that I can do that very well. On the court, when you got high-level skilled guys that know the game and all they want to do is win, they’ll figure it out.”

On whether the Sixers can contend for a title this year:

“Hell yeah. There’s a lot that goes into it, it doesn’t happen overnight. Just being here around guys, they have the right mindset, obviously coming from the coaching staff. But after the break, man, it’s go time. As much as I can incorporate and figure things out fast, which probably won’t be long, the better things will be. It shouldn’t take long at all, I pretty much can fit anywhere.”

Nets Notes: Durant, Harden, Irving, Trade, Curry, Drummond

February 15th, 2022 at 8:13am CST by Luke Adams

For much of the season, Nets star Kevin Durant didn’t want to see the team’s Big Three broken up, but it’s clear last week’s James Harden trade wouldn’t have occurred without Durant’s blessing, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

“KD didn’t want to get rid of James,” a person familiar with the situation told Fischer. “But he knew it was over.”

According to Fischer, while Durant was disappointed by Harden’s poor conditioning in training camp and his Media Day comments about wanting to test free agency, the situation was fine for a while. However, with Kyrie Irving unavailable for much of the first half and Durant and Harden taking on increased responsibilities, a strain developed between the two stars, writes Fischer.

Ultimately, the Nets’ brutal recent slump and Harden’s “freelancing behavior” forced Durant to recognize that a change needed to be made, according to Fischer, who says KD had called general manager Sean Marks by last Thursday morning to suggest something needed to be done.

“Kevin’s the one that pulled the trigger with this,” a second source told Fischer. “Kevin’s the one that said, ‘Do this deal.’ There was growing concern that this entire season would be lost and then they’d lose James for nothing.”

Here’s more on the Nets:

Durant is consulted on every major Nets decision and was “instrumental” in the team’s selection of Cam Thomas at No. 27 in the 2021 draft, per Fischer. Sources tell Bleacher Report that Durant also lobbied Brooklyn to permit Irving to play in road games after the team initially didn’t allow Kyrie to suit up for any games to start the season.
Irving’s unwillingness to get the COVID-19 vaccine in order to play and the Nets’ decision to allow him to be a part-time player didn’t sit particularly well with Harden, according to Fischer. “Kyrie not being held accountable and Kyrie being allowed to do whatever he wants. James, being his age, knows he doesn’t have any time to waste to get his first championship,” a source close to Harden told Bleacher Report.
Before they agreed to a deal with the Sixers, the Nets hoped to land Matisse Thybulle as part of their trade package and gauged rival teams’ valuations of the young forward, Fischer writes. However, 76ers personnel were adamant about not including Thybulle (or Tyrese Maxey) in any offer.
One front office source who spoke to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com suggested that a difference in playing styles was one factor in why things didn’t work in Brooklyn. “James Harden wants spacing on the court,” the source said. “That’s all he cares about. ‘I need spacing. I need shooters all around me.’ … And Kevin Durant wants defensive guys, because he doesn’t need spacing. He just catches and shoots over people. It’s a different mentality of how to go about it. They’re all right. Of course you want defense and size. But for James Harden to score 40 points and have 15 assists, he needs shooters everywhere and a lob catcher at the rim. So everybody wants to play their way.”
The Nets were in good spirits on Monday after snapping an 11-game winning streak with a blowout win over Sacramento, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN. Nets guard Bruce Brown suggested a “team-bonding event” in Miami over the weekend helped change the team’s attitude. “The locker room, it’s just a great vibe in there right now,” Brown said. “I don’t know what it is, everything just shifted after the trade deadline. Everybody likes everybody, so it’s just great.”
Seth Curry and Andre Drummond had impressive Nets debuts as starters on Monday and are bullish on the team’s chances to contend, especially once everyone is available, writes Friedell. Brooklyn was without Durant (knee), Irving (vaccination status), and Ben Simmons (reconditioning) for the victory over Sacramento. “We have a great group of guys,” Drummond said. “Guys that are missing right now, we got to wait for them to get healthy, but once everybody gets back I think we’ll be very, very good and make a very good push in the playoffs.”

Nets Notes: Curry, Drummond, Simmons, Durant, Irving

February 12th, 2022 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Some of Seth Curry‘s family members may not have been pleased with Thursday’s trade that sent him from the Sixers to the Nets, but he’s looking forward to the opportunity in Brooklyn, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Curry, who is married to the daughter of Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers, was part of the price the Sixers had to pay to bring in James Harden.

“I had a feeling if this trade did go down I was going to be a part of it,” Curry said. “I was preparing for the last week or so. I kind of prepared my mind for it, and I’m just looking forward to the next opportunity. I feel I can fit into a lot of different situations: Play with the ball, play without the ball. I’m just looking forward into coming here and trying to help these guys in whatever way I can.”

Curry ranks second among active players in career three-point shooting percentage at 43.7%, so his role should be obvious, especially on a team that might not get Joe Harris back this season. Curry became a full-time starter for the first time in his career during his year and a half with the Sixers and he’s averaging a career-high 15.0 points per game this season. Now he hopes to bring that same production to Brooklyn.

“Throughout my career, I’ve been somebody who has fit in with different types of star talent, whether it’s Luka [Doncic], [Damian Lillard] and CJ [McCollum], obviously Joel [Embiid],” Curry said. “It didn’t take me long to get used to playing with those guys, so I’m going to just try to come in and do what I do and try to do it within the concept of the team.”

There’s more from Brooklyn:

The players the Nets acquired in the trade weren’t eligible tonight because Harden and Paul Millsap didn’t complete their physicals in Philadelphia until after the game started, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Curry, Andre Drummond and Ben Simmons have been cleared to play Monday against the Kings, but there’s no word on when Simmons might return to action.
Kevin Durant is making progress in his rehab from a sprained left knee, but there’s still not a timetable for his return, coach Steve Nash told Nick Friedell of ESPN. Durant, who hasn’t played since January 15, is hoping to be back some time after the All-Star break, but everything depends on how his knee responds. “I feel that the next couple weeks that I’ll start to do more,” Durant said. “That’s probably as much as I can give you and I don’t know for sure. I’m just listening to the training staff, just doing my job and coming in and following the game plan every day. Whatever they give me. But from the last few weeks I feel like they’ll be able to give me more and more each day goes on, so I’ll ramp up here soon and we’ll see what happens. I want to be back as fast as possible but I also know that I don’t want to go out there and be 80%. I want to be 100 so I can be the best that I can be.”
Kyrie Irving‘s part-time status has been called a distraction, but he’s not bothered by the situation, Friedell tweets. “There’s no guilt that I feel,” he said. “I’m the only player that has to deal with this in New York City because I play there. If I was anywhere else in another city then it probably wouldn’t be the same circumstances.”

Nets Notes: Marks, Harden, Simmons, Irving, Mills, Nash

February 11th, 2022 at 7:29pm CST by Rory Maher

Nets general manager Sean Marks said the decision to move on from James Harden was a difficult one, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

“Make no bones about it: We went all-in on getting James Harden and inviting him to the group,” Marks said during a video conference call discussing the trade deadline Friday afternoon. “And these decisions to move on from a player like that, of that caliber, are never easy ones. I just want to be clear that this is not something that you think, great, let’s just make a split decision and move on from that. I give James a lot of credit for having open dialogue, open discussions with me and with the group, [Nets coach Steve Nash] and [owner] Joe Tsai and everybody over the last 24, 48 hours.

“Again, I said they’re not easy, but I think that’s something we pride ourselves on is being open and honest. James was honest with us and we were honest with him. I think it’s a move that enables him to have a fresh start, enables this team to have a fresh start, without trying to push things to make things work. If we realize this is not going to work, short-term or long-term, then it’s time to say for both parties involved, this is better off.”

Marks went on to say that trading Harden wasn’t about the team’s 10-game losing streak, it was based on his entire tenure in Brooklyn, and the newly-acquired players help the Nets in ways that Harden couldn’t.

“It’s not just eight or nine games,” he said. “The things that we’ve had to deal with over the course of the last year since James has been here is, to be quite frank, the Big Three, quote unquote, haven’t had significant time to play together for a variety of different circumstances. So, I think the frustration is more in that than in eight or nine games. Obviously it was not, and it currently isn’t, trending in the right direction, but we’re not going to make a decision off of one, two, five games, whatever it may be. The sample size has to be bigger. And at that point, we’re sitting here saying, ‘Yeah. We’ve seen enough.’ On both sides.

“We obviously thank James immensely for everything he’s done. Let’s be honest, he’s come in here and set all kinds of Brooklyn Nets records in such a short time. He’s a hell of a player, without a doubt. Again, these are not easy decisions, but we’re very grateful for what James has done over his short time here, but at the same time, adding these three players — Seth [Curry], Andre [Drummond] and Ben [Simmons] — help us in needs James doesn’t fulfill.”

When asked if the Sixers tampered by talking to Harden, Marks said that was for the league to decide.

“Unfortunately, the world we live in right now, so much of this is being played out in the media,” Marks said, per Bontemps. “So much of this is, whether it’s scuttlebutt, hearsay, and so forth, it’s just the nature of the beast. It’s just the nature of the world we’re in. I’m not going to start making accusations at everybody else. Again, this particular set of circumstances was played out in the media far earlier than any conversations were ever had. I don’t know and again if this is where it ends up, that will be completely up to the league to look into these set of circumstances.”

There are several more interesting quotes from Marks in Bontemps’ article. I recommend checking it out.

Here’s more on the Nets:

Kyrie Irving said there were hints that Harden was unhappy in Brooklyn, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post relays. “I can’t really say that you feel that [unhappiness] in the locker room, but we get hints,” Irving said. “So we just wish him well. We want him to be ultimately successful. Now we move forward with the guys that are coming in. We’re excited. I just want everyone to be happy and do things they love to do, and be a part of things they can see themselves being successful at. It probably wasn’t here with us and he made a choice and we respect him for it. No love lost.”
Nets guard Patty Mills said that his fellow Australian Simmons is in a good place at the moment, Lewis writes in a separate article for the Post. “He’s in a really good place right now, speaking to him a fair bit lately and seeing what he’s been up to in terms of staying ready and getting his body right and getting game ready,” Mills said. “So it was good and pleasing for me to see and feel where he’s at. From that standpoint, you get a really hungry person who’s looking forward to playing basketball again, and especially with our group.”
Nash was reflective on what could have been with the “Big Three” era, per ESPN’s Nick Friedell. “You’re up 2-0 against the NBA champs, and then to not have James in the first games and then Kyrie in the last games, James being on one leg, Jeff Green being out of the lineup, all sorts of things that hampered our opportunity to win,” Nash said. “To take them to overtime in Game 7, you definitely think there are some what-ifs, but that’s life. You can’t look back. You’ve got to look forward.”

More On The Sixers-Nets Blockbuster

February 10th, 2022 at 5:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kyrie Irving won’t be shedding any tears over the departure of James Harden, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. According to a “well-placed source,” Irving was eager to see a Harden trade come to fruition.

Vardon relayed a story where Irving lit some sage in the locker room before a game in Cleveland, which Harden found odd and annoying. Harden was also frustrated that Irving wouldn’t get vaccinated, limiting him to away games. Harden’s ball-dominant, initiate-and–shoot style was also an ill fit next to Irving’s playmaking.

We have more on the Nets-Sixers blockbuster:

The trade came together in earnest just this morning, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on NBA Today (video link). The Sixers had been calling Brooklyn about a potential deal but the Nets didn’t truly make counteroffers until Thursday. The Nets wanted Matisse Thybulle as part of the package but eventually settled for two first-round picks. “The Nets just felt it was time to cut ties with James Harden,” Wojnarowski said. “They were confident he was planning to leave them at the end of the season.”
Don’t expect Ben Simmons to suit up for the Nets before the All-Star break, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne speculates on NBA Today (video link). “Physically, this (his return) could happen at anytime but mentally I think he’s going to take a little time here,” she said. “The All-Star break is coming up and I would look for something after that.”
The trade leaves the Sixers $33.6MM over the salary cap and $9.4MM over the luxury tax threshold, Derek Bodner of the Daily Six newsletter tweets.

Eastern Notes: Bamba, Gafford, Sabonis, Kyrie

February 7th, 2022 at 8:36am CST by Luke Adams

Magic center Mohamed Bamba made his 41st start of the season on Saturday, reaching the starter criteria for restricted free-agents-to-be, as Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report tweets. A player meets the starter criteria when he makes at least 41 starts or logs 2,000 minutes in the season prior to his restricted free agency, or if he averages 41 starts or 2,000 minutes across the two seasons before he becomes a restricted free agent.

If Bamba hadn’t achieved the starter criteria, his qualifying offer this offseason would’ve dipped to $7,228,448. Now that he has met the criteria, his QO amount will remain at $10,096,703.

In many cases, the amount of an RFA’s qualifying offer isn’t all that important, since a player who intends to sign a longer-term deal won’t seriously consider accepting it. But that’s not always the case. For a player with a somewhat limited NBA résumé like Bamba, a $10MM+ qualifying offer wouldn’t be a mere placeholder — the Magic would have to decide whether they’re comfortable making that offer, and if they do, Bamba could realistically accept it if he doesn’t get a multiyear deal he likes.

Here are a few more items from around the Eastern Conference:

Wizards center Daniel Gafford entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols on Sunday, tweets Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Thomas Bryant and Montrezl Harrell figure to share center duties for as long as Gafford remains sidelined.
Pacers center Domantas Sabonis exited the COVID-19 protocols on Sunday, per James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). The big man had a relatively quiet return to the lineup, scoring just nine points in a loss to Cleveland — it was only the fifth time this season that Sabonis hasn’t had double-digit points.
Nets guard Kyrie Irving said on Sunday that he remains hopeful about his ability to play in home games at some point, tweets Nick Friedell of ESPN. “I’m keeping a positive mindset that anything can happen in these next few days or the next week,” Irving said. “Just crossing my fingers that something can come up either before the All-Star break or even just after.” Of course, Irving would become eligible to play games in Brooklyn if he received the COVID-19 vaccine, but it sounds like he’s hoping for the city to change its rules related to unvaccinated individuals.

Nets Notes: Irving, Thomas, Harden, Simmons

February 6th, 2022 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

When the Nets decided to let Kyrie Irving be a part-time player — appearing only in road games because he hasn’t complied with New York City’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate — they expected him to prop up a roster that was decimated at the time by the virus. But that hasn’t happened, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post, who notes that Brooklyn is just 3-7 in the games Irving has played.

“I don’t feel like I’m very close to where I want to be personally,” Irving said after making just 6-for-20 shots in Friday’s loss to the Jazz. “The eight-month layoff, coming off my ankle injury [last season] and not being able to have the summer that I wanted to, not being able to have preseason, not being able to just dial in with the guys early on in the season the way I wanted to, it definitely had an impact.”

Irving’s return has overlapped with a knee sprain for Kevin Durant, along with hand and hamstring issues that have put James Harden in and out of the lineup. As a result, the Nets have fallen to sixth place in the East and are just a half-game away from the play-in tournament. And unless Irving changes his mind about the vaccine, he will only be eligible for 11 of the team’s final 30 games.

There’s more from Brooklyn:

One encouraging sign amid the Nets’ downturn has been the bench scoring provided by rookie Cam Thomas, Botte adds in a separate story. With 30 points at Utah on Friday, he outscored the team’s entire starting lineup. “It’s good to get a little accolade here and there but it doesn’t mean nothing because we lost by 30, as well,” Thomas said. “So I’d rather have the win and accolade, but it’s always good to have a little accolade like that in your rookie year.”
Harden’s frustrations in Brooklyn stem from having to be the primary option on offense so often when he expected to be part of a three-star alignment with Irving and Durant, Alex Schiffer of The Athletic says in a discussion with other writers about a potential Harden trade to the Sixers. A source tells Schiffer that Harden isn’t necessarily on board with Irving’s part-time status, but has been supportive because Irving has played hard when he’s been on the court.
The Nets could wind up with a huge savings, possibly $40MM in salary and luxury tax, by moving Harden in a deal for Ben Simmons, John Hollinger of The Athletic states in the same piece. Hollinger expects a lot of haggling over assets before Brooklyn and Philadelphia could realistically work out an agreement.

Nets Notes: Irving, Losing Streak, Harris, Vanterpool, Harden

February 5th, 2022 at 9:15am CST by Dana Gauruder

Kyrie Irving said the Nets don’t need to push the panic button despite a seven-game losing streak, according to Nick Friedell of ESPN. Brooklyn was blown out by Utah on Friday.

“It’s really just where we are, facing reality, that we’re not winning ballgames right now,” Irving said. “And we got to kind of get out of that hole with just one win and then start a new streak from that point. But no time to feel like our season is in doomsday or we need to push the panic button at all points, but we have to face reality that a lot of guys, a lot of my teammates, we’re still getting to know one another, how we play, what’s our spots, offensive and defensive tendencies.”

We have more on the Nets:

According to a StatMuse tweet, the Nets should be in panic mode. No team that has suffered a losing streak of seven games or longer has ever won the NBA championship. Brooklyn is 2-8 since Kevin Durant was sidelined by a sprained MCL in his left knee.
Reports surfaced this week that Joe Harris might need a second surgery on his ankle. Harris is hopeful that won’t be necessary, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “In my mind, I’m confident that I’ll be able to get back,” he said. “I’ve been optimistic through this whole thing. I haven’t really lost faith in the fact that I’m going to be able to come back and play, and that’s the same spot that I’m in right now. I’m not going to just completely give in on what’s going on.”
David Vanterpool was passed over for the head coaching job with the Timberwolves in the middle of last season. Now a Nets assistant, Vanterpool is confident he’ll eventually get an opportunity, as he told Marc Spears of The Undefeated. “I am still going to be a head coach one day,” Vanterpool said. “I know I am. I’m qualified to do the job.”
A group of writers from The Athletic take a look at a potential James Harden trade to the Sixers, breaking down the financial implications and potential pieces Brooklyn could acquire.

New York Notes: Irving, Nash, Brunson, All-Star Weekend

February 2nd, 2022 at 9:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Nets have been close to unbeatable when Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving are on the court together, but that lineup hasn’t been seen much since the three stars teamed up last January. Irving tells Nick Friedell of ESPN that he thinks “daily” about how good the team could be if all three were playing on a regular basis.

“It’s not something that is shortsighted for us,” Irving said. “We think about the long term and how well we jell together as a trio. And when we say as a trio we’re not excluding anybody else on the team, but we just know that the energy runs through us, and when we’re flowing out there and we’re playing — I think James said it last year — there’s not a lot of teams that could be out on the floor with us that can match up very well with us.”

Of course, Irving is a major reason why the trio has barely been together this season. He has played in just nine games so far because of his refusal to comply with New York City’s vaccination requirement and the Nets’ reluctance to have him as a part-time player until their roster was decimated by the virus.

There’s more from New York:

Nets coach Steve Nash is trying to keep his team focused through a slew of injuries and its longest losing streak in two years, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn was on top of the East 11 days ago, but it’s in danger of moving down into play-in territory after dropping five straight games. “They haven’t dropped their heads because we’ve lost games. We’ve had a tough schedule with a lot of guys out of the lineup, and we can’t lose that connectivity and that energy and that spirit,” Nash said. “To me, there’s no moral victories, but we’re moving in the right direction.”
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban‘s desire to keep Jalen Brunson through the trade deadline is bad news for the Knicks, contends Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Brunson will be a free agent this summer, but he’ll reportedly be seeking about $80MM over four years, which exceeds New York’s available cap space unless team president Leon Rose can clear out a few contracts. The Knicks need immediate help at point guard, but there are few good options on the market considering what they have to offer. Sources tell Bondy that New York is looking to unload Evan Fournier, Nerlens Noel, Alec Burks and Kemba Walker and hopes to create playing time for newly acquired Cam Reddish.
With Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin and Quentin Grimes bypassed for the Rising Stars competition, it looks like the Knicks won’t have any representatives in any of the games at All-Star Weekend, notes Marc Berman of The New York Post.

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